Comic Title: Adventure Comics #158
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: November 1950
Approx. On Sale Date: September 1, 1950 Copyright Date August 30, 1950
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1950
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.

Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 48
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "The Impossible Task"
Pages: 12

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

Writer: William Woolfolk
Artist: John Sikela

Feature Character(s)

• Superboy (last appearance in Superboy #11; next appearance in Adventure Comics #159)

Villain(s)

• Whitey (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Mr. Thaddeus Brainley (a young teacher; no further appearances)
• Several Smallville students (Charles, Dick, Fred, Johnny, and Ann Edwards named; no further appearances)
• A school principal (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Thaddeus Brainley, a young genius, comes to Smallville as a teacher. Due to his young age, the students don't respect him and cause trouble in class. Superboy tries to teach them a lesson. When they learn Superboy is helping Brainley, the students lose even more respect for the young teacher.

Seeking to improve his reputation Brainley challenges Superboy to perform three impossible tasks which he will designate. If Superboy fails, Brainley will prove his mental prowess and earn the respect of his students.

Superboy accomplishes the first two impossible tasks easily. He wants Brainley to succeed, but he also wants to maintain his own reputation. For the final task, Brainley asks for the Boy of Steel to reveal his identity. Superboy won't do it, which allows Brainley to win the challenge and still maintains Superboy's reputation.