Comic Title: World's Finest Comics #142
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: June 1964
On Sale Date: April 30, 1964 Newsstand Date April 30, 1964
Source: House Ad, Detective Comics #327, Page 17

Copyright Date April 30, 1964
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1964

Newsstand Date April 9, 1964
Source: House Ad, Superboy #113, Page 15

Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of Jan., April, July and Oct.
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mort Weisinger

Title: "The Composite Superman"
Pages: 18

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

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein

Reprinted In:
World's Finest Comics #223 (1974)
DC Special Series #23 (1981)
World's Finest Comics (DC Direct Composite Superman) #142 (2005)
Superman/Batman:The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB (2007)
Showcase Presents:World's Finest Vol. 2 TPB (2008)
Batman & Superman in World's Finest Comics:The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2019)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Justice League of America #28; next appearance in Superman #170)
• Batman (last appearance in Justice League of America #28; next appearance in Action Comics #314)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Detective Comics #328; next appearance in Detective Comics #329)
• Commissioner Gordon (last appearance in Detective Comics #328; next appearance in Detective Comics #329)
• Lois Lane (last appearance in Action Comics #313; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #50)
• Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in Action Comics #313; next appearance in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #78)

Villain(s)

• Composite Superman (Joe Meach; custodian at the Superman Museum; next appearance in World's Finest Comics #168)
• Two international crooks (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Legion of Super-Heroes (appear in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #321; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #50)
• Saturn Girl (appear in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #321; next appearance in Adventure Comics #322)
• Brainiac 5 (appear in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #321; next appearance in Adventure Comics #322)
• Sun Boy (appear in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #321; next appearance in Adventure Comics #322)
• Mon-El (appears in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #321; next appearance in Adventure Comics #322)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Joker (as a statue)
• Chameleon Boy (as a statue)
• Colossal Boy (as a statue)
• Cosmic Boy (as a statue)
• Shrinking Violet (as a statue)
• Lightning Lad (as a statue)
• Triplicate Girl (as a statue)
• Bouncing Boy (as a statue)
• Phantom Girl (as a statue)
• Matter-Eater Lad (as a statue)
• Element Lad (as a statue)
• Star Boy (as a statue)
• Ultra Boy (as a statue)
• Lightning Lass (as a statue)
• Invisible Kid (as a statue)
• Supergirl (as a statue)

Comments:
Part 2: "The Battle Between Titans"

Synopsis:
Down on his luck, Joe Meach receives a job from the Man of Steel working at the Superman Museum. Joe is angry that he is only a janitor. When lightning strikes a display of Legion statues with Joe standing in front of it, he receives all the powers of the Legion.

Motivated by jealousy, Joe takes the identity of the Composite Superman and pretend to join Superman and Batman as their partner. The heroes are distrustful of him, but allow him to join them because he threatens to reveal their secret identites.

The Composite Superman secretly undermines the deeds of his partners, eventually ordering them to abandon their costumed identities. Though the heroes agree for a time, they plot against the villain and eventually confront him. Batman and Superman are beaten, but suddenly Joe's powers begin to wear off.

As the powers disappear, Joe tries to recreate the accident that gave him his powers. He fails. When they are completely gone, his memory of events as the Composite Superman are also gone. He resumes his job at the museum. Batman and Superman do not learn who he really was.