Comic Title: Superboy #162
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: January 1970
On Sale Date: November 20, 1969 Newsstand Date November 20, 1969
Source: House Ad, Phantom Stranger #5, Page 21

Newsstand Date November 20, 1969
Source: Comic Reader, #75

Newsstand Date November 20, 1969
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V24 #9

Copyright Date November 20, 1969
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1970

Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of Feb., Aug., and Nov.
Cover Price: $0.15
Page Count: 32
Editor: Murray Boltinoff

Title: "The Super-Phantom of Smallville"
Pages: 24

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

Writer: Frank Robbins
Artist: Bob Brown

Feature Character(s)

• Superboy (last appearance in Superboy #161; next appearance in Action Comics #384)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Superboy #161; next appearance in Superboy #164)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Superboy #161; next appearance in Superboy #164)
• Krypto (last appearance in Superboy #154; next appearance in Superboy #163)
• Jor-El (in flashback; last appearance in Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #98; next appearance in Action Comics #390)

Villain(s)

• Jax-Ur (last appearance in Superboy #121; next appearance in Superboy #189)
• Professor Vakox (last appearance in Superboy #121; next appearance in Action Comics #284)
• Gra-Mo (last appearance in Superboy #104; no further appearances)
• Cha-Mel (a youth from the Phantom Zone; no further appearances)
• Three unnamed Phantom Zone criminals (no further appearances)

Comments:
This issue contains a feature "The Superboy Legend" which details the story behind Clark Kent's glasses.

Synopsis:
Superboy discovers that the Earth's magnetic poles have shifted. He searches for a cause and discover a tiny but dense neutron star that has drifted into the solar system. He tosses the dwarf star out of the solar system. The magnetic field on Earth is restored, but Superboy wonders if the change affected the Phantom Zone.

When he looks in on the criminals imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, they are holding a phantom Superboy hostage. They claim that the dwarf star allowed them to pull Superboy's spirit into the Zone. The Boy of Steel plans to send himself into the Zone to rejoin with his spirit, but the Phantom Zone projector malfunctions trapping him in a partial phantom state.

The criminals have actually tricked Superboy using Cha-Mel, a young master of disguise. He was made to look like the Boy of Steel's spirit. However, the projector malfunction stalls their escape plan. They are able to influence Krypto's dream to get the projector to Superboy for repair.

Once Superboy enters the Phantom Zone, the criminals lead him away from Earth. Ma and Pa Kent then release Cha-Mel thinking that he is Superboy. When the boy criminal tries to release the others, the projector malfunctions again. Krypto carries the projector into space toward the dwarf star. Cha-Mel pursues and tries to retrieve it. Instead he succeeds only in sending himself back to the Phantom Zone. Krypto then fires the projector one last time and releases Superboy from the Zone.