095 The 1958 TV Adventures of Superman Episode 95: The Mysterious Cube February 24, 1958 In one of my personally favorite episodes, Superman once again demonstrates a power he did not know he had- the ability to control his own molecules to such an extent that he could pass through solid objects. (He had split himself in two in the previous episode.) In the world of comic books, the D.C. character Flash had a similar power. The scene opened with Inspector Henderson and Clark Kent waiting patiently as a workman attempted to burn his way through a large metal cube. “It’s no use, Inspector.” Previously, and to no avail, the good inspector had used a bulldozer and other serious hardware on the stubborn block. (Probably in the interest of budget, the expensive equipment was not shown.) It seemed that Paul Barton had committed a heinous crime or crimes but had disappeared from the face of the earth seven years ago…exactly the same time the mysterious cube had appeared. Inspector Henderson was honked that the Daily Planet would once again publish a front-page story about the police failing to break into the cube. At noon tomorrow, the criminal would be missing exactly seven years, and at precisely the stroke of noon, his brother Steve planned to have him declared legally dead and no longer subject to prosecution. “Don’t you ever know when you’ve been licked?” snickered Steve Barton. Barton’s comic sidekick Jody Malone grinned. (I do not even want to know what Paul ate or how the sanitation system functioned.) Henderson was convinced Paul was inside the cube. Shortly after Clark and the inspector had gone, the man of steel appeared on the scene. Steve encouraged Superman to use his x-ray vision on the cube, but the mighty eyes could not melt or penetrate the seemingly impervious material. “Maybe you need glasses, Superman… Oh, you’re slipping, old boy,” said Steve. “It’s (the wall) not even hot.” In frustration, Superman bounced his body off the impenetrable wall. Steve confided that his brother Paul was really inside the cube, and boasted Superman could do nothing to stop the plan. He also mentioned the scientist who had developed the material was no longer among the living. Superman replied he would not be stopped in his pursuit of justice and that he would do something before noon tomorrow. Steve Barton took the threat seriously and decided to take out an insurance policy at the Planet building. Shortly thereafter, Superman paid a visit to Professor Laserne. As Superman discussed his problem, Steve Barton made off with Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane. Laserne had missed his little talks with Superman.

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He suggested that, if Superman had the ability to control his molecules and merge and mesh them with the molecules of the cube, he might simply pass through the wall. “By George, you did it!” However, the professor cautioned Superman the walls of the cube were not as porous as his concrete and Superman might be forever trapped within the wall. “Well now, professor, that’s just a chance I’m going to have to take.” By this time, Steve and Jody had tied and gagged Jimmy and Lois in a room of the house adjoining the cube. Steve had rigged up a device that would release a poisonous pellet into a bowl of acid and create deadly fumes. Jody would trigger the device from his position near the cube by pulling a string. Superman returned to the cube and Steve’s mouth dropped open when Superman merged with the metal wall. He talked to his brother with a device that resembled a stethoscope telling Paul to tell Superman he had better back off or it would be curtains for Lois and Jimmy. Inside the wall, Superman overheard the conversation and quickly backed out pretending he was unable to penetrate. “Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if he got stuck in the wall and never got out.” Flushed with success, Steve could not help but rub it in. He told Superman he would free the reporters at noon when his brother would legally be a free man. “Oh, and by the way, when I say noon, I mean noon…” Steve went on to say that Paul had a clock that ran on naval observatory time from Arlington. “So, don’t try any tricks.” Superman grinned and flew off without a word. At Arlington, Superman received permission from the President of the United States to put his little plan into action. The next day, Steve Barton got ready to file the papers declaring Paul legally dead at twelve noon. He told Jody to pull the string as soon as Paul was out. (Why Steve wished to commit murder was not explained. He and Jody were already in enough trouble for kidnapping. I have no idea why they wanted a shot at the hot seat.) Using a special acid to burn a doorway and a low budget science fiction device, Paul Barton managed to escape the cube at “five minutes past noon…” As Paul stepped from his prison, Jody pulled the string releasing the deadly pellet. However, a pan of the room disclosed two empty chairs. “Paul, it’s good to see ya.” Superman had freed Lois and Jimmy an hour previously, but now he had Steve and Jody on attempted murder. Inspector Henderson appeared to slap the cuffs on Paul who said he was legally dead. However, Superman sprang the news that the navy had set their clock ahead and it was really 11:55 A.M. instead of 12:05 P.M. and Paul Barton was going to prison. “To think I spent seven long years in this cube so I could be free and the whole scheme was ruined in a short ten minutes…” “Golly, Superman, you did it,” said Jimmy, “even if you had to use the time trick instead of your super strength.”

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For once, Superman had used his brains over his brawn. He then demonstrated how easy it was for him to really pass through the wall of the cube. Jimmy and Lois ran off to the Planet building to file their scoop. However, Perry White quickly informed them Clark had phoned in the story hours in advance and that an extra was already on the streets. Jimmy did not know what to think. Lois, however, thought she did and Superman was the answer. “Uh…what do you mean?” stammered Clark. (Professor Laserne had, of course, just appeared in Episode #94 “Divide and Conquer,” but Professor Roberts who appeared in Episode #38 “Panic in the Sky” was more fun. In both episodes 94 and 95, Superman assured the professor that the risk/chance he had to take would be taken. Only in video can we afford to be so foolhardy.) Written by Robert Bellem and Whitney Ellsworth Directed by George Blair Professor Laserne: Everett Glass Steve Barton: Keith Richards Paul Barton: Bruce Wendell Jody Malone: Ben Weldon C Minus Comics & Stories 02/27/2016