Comic Title: Action Comics #281
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: October 1961
On Sale Date: August 31, 1961 Copyright Date August 31, 1961
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1961

Newsstand Date August 31, 1961
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V16 #6

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

Title: "The Man Who Saved Kal-El's Life"
Pages: 12

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

Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: Al Plastino

Reprinted In:
Superman #212 (1968)
Showcase Presents Superman Vol. 3 TPB (2007)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Justice League of America #7; next appearance in World's Finest Comics #121)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (last appearance in Justice League of America #7; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #29)

Villain(s)

• Gerald Greer (a lab assistant; no further appearances)
• Paul Pratt (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Kal-El (in flashback as a baby on Krypton; last appearance in Adventure Comics #287; next appearance in Superman #154)
• Jor-El (in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #287; next appearance in Superman #154)
• Lara (in flashback; last appearance in Adventure Comics #287; next appearance in Superman #154)

Other Character(s)

• Professor Amos Dunn (a scientist; no further appearances)

Comments:
The concept of a matter transmitter capable of sending an Earth man to Krypton was first shown in Superman #77 upon which this story is loosely based.

Synopsis:
Criminal, Paul Pratt, committs several large robberies, but shows up thousands of miles away within minutes which establishes an alibi. Superman is approached by Professor Amos Dunn, who explains that he traveled to Krypton many years ago and met Jor-El.

Using a matter transmitter, Dunn was transported to the distant world where he saved baby Kal-El from a deadly snake bite. Jor-El hoped to use the transporters to save the population of Krypton. However, the destruction came before the devices were ready to work. Jor-El was forced to send Kal-El to Earth in a rocket, and he and the population died in Krypton’s destruction.

Dunn kept the plans to the matter transmitter and believes that his assistant Gerald Greer is using the device with Pratt to escape after the robberies. Superman confirms this and catches the crooks, taking the matter transmitter to his Fortress for permanent storage.