Comic Title: World's Finest Comics Archives Vol. 1 HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1999
On Sale Date: March 17, 1999 Direct Market Date February 24, 1999
Source: Previews, Vol. 8 #12 (#120)

Direct Market Date March 17, 1999
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, March 17, 1999

Direct Market Date March 17, 1999
Source: Diamond Shipping List, Shipping This Week: March 17

Shipping Date February 24, 1999
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #1319

Direct Market Date March 17, 1999
Source: Usenet, Late Comics Report for the week of March 18, 1999

Cover Price: $49.95
Page Count: 224
Editor: Rick Taylor

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Super-Mystery of Metropolis"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-1)
Batman (of Earth-1)

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Dick Sprang
Inker: Stan Kaye

Reprinted From:
World's Finest Comics #84 (1956)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Action Comics #220; next appearance in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #16)
• Batman (last appearance in Detective Comics #235; next appearance in Batman #103)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Detective Comics #235; next appearance in Batman #103)
• Lois Lane (last appearance in Action Comics #220; next appearance in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #16)
• Perry White (last appearance in Superman #108; next appearance in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #16)

Villain(s)

• Thad Linnis and his henchmen (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Superboy (last appearance in Adventure Comics #228; next appearance in Superboy #52)
• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Adventure Comics #228; next appearance in Superboy #52)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Adventure Comics #228; next appearance in Superboy #52)

Other Character(s)

• An unnamed couple (in flashback; mistakenly identified as Bruce Wayne's parents; no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Bruce Wayne (last appearance in Detective Comics #265; next appearance in Adventure Comics #275)

Comments:
This story contains a flashback in which a teenage Bruce Wayne meets Superboy. This flashback occurs between the first story of Adventure Comics #228 and the first story of Superboy #52.

Young Bruce Wayne appears in this story between the second flashback in the first story of Detective Comics #265 and the first story of Adventure Comics #275.

Bruce identifies an unnamed couple as his parents, but this story occurs after the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne. It should be assumed that the couple shown in this story are just Bruce's guardians, not his real parents.

Synopsis:
Thad Linnis, a small-time crook, tells Superman to leave town for two weeks, or he will expose Superman’s secret identity. When the Man of Steel disappears, Batman is called in to find him. The Caped Crusader tracks down his friend and asks him to explain.

Superman reveals that when he was Superboy, Linnis hired a young boy to learn his secret. The boy followed Clark and Superboy around and eventually got the Boy of Steel’s fingerprints. Superboy was unable to get them back from Linnis and now the crook had cashed in on his knowledge.

Batman explains that he was that young boy. As Bruce Wayne he had come to Smallville to prove himself as a detective. However, he was not working with Linnis and destroyed the fingerprints. The heroes then return to Metropolis to arrest Linnis whose bluff was called.