Comic Title: Adventure Comics #221
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: February 1956
Approx. On Sale Date: December 29, 1955 Copyright Date December 27, 1955
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1956
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 32
Contains: Ownership Statement
Editor: Mort Weisinger

Title: "The Babe of Steel"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Superboy (of Earth-1)

Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: John Sikela

Feature Character(s)

• Superboy (last appearance in Adventure Comics #220; next appearance in Superboy #47)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Adventure Comics #219; next appearance in Superboy #47)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Superboy #45; next appearance in Superboy #47)

Villain(s)

• An unnamed burglar (in flashback; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Fred and Stella Bolton (also appear in flashback; no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Superbaby (last appearance in Superman #90; next appearance in Superboy #51)
• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Superman #90; next appearance in Superboy #51)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Superman #90; next appearance in Superboy #51)

Comments:
This story contains a flashback to Superboy's time as a baby which occurs chronologically between flashback 1 in the second story of Superman #90 and the flashback in the first story of Superboy #51.

Synopsis:
Fred and Stella Bolton return to Smallville after spending several years traveling. When Clark Kent was a baby, the Bolton's acted as his babysitter. Clark remembers them and calls Mr. Bolton by name when dressed as Superboy.

During their time as babysitters, the Boltons witness a series of strange events which Mr. Bolton conveniently explained, but were really the result of Clark's powers. Mr. Bolton makes the connection and begins to believe that Clark was a superbaby. He has also kept one of Clark's metal toys with a fingerprint melted into it.

When Bolton goes to tell Jonathan Kent that he has discovered his son's secret, Mr. Kent is prepared with an explanation. He explains that when Clark was a baby many residents of Smallville reported seeing a flying baby that was later to become Superboy. Jonathan explains that the baby must have grabbed Clark's toy and left the fingerprint. Bolton believes the story and leaves without realizing that Clark is Superboy.