Action Comics #45

“SUPERMAN’S ARK.” When Lois Lane and Clark Kent visit the Metropolis Zoo on their day off, they are shocked to find that it has been deserted! Superman decides to take it upon himself to find these missing animals, but at what price?

1. Untitled Superman story (Siegal/Nowak/Dobrokta) - On an afternoon off, Lois and Clark visit Metropolis zoo, only to find it deserted with most of its animals gone. The zoo keeper tells them that they haven't been able to replace the animals due to lack of funds and the war in Europe. Then a city councillor shows up to tell the zoo keeper that they have to fire him at the end of the week and close the zoo to save money. Despondent, the zoo keeper tries to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff, but Superman saves him and promises to acquire more animals for the zoo. Borrowing an ark used for past exhibits, Superman swims to Africa in search of animals. Encountering a hunting party pursuing elephants (it was a less politically correct age), Superman saves the men when the elephants stampede. The leader of the hunters is Count von Henzel, who invites Superman to stay at his mansion in the jungle. There, he meets a distraught woman whom von Henzel claims is his mentally ill sister. That night, she visits Superman to warn him he is in danger but before she can elaborate, von Henzel shows up to take her back to her room, where her real brother is lying ill in bed. The next day, Superman and some native guides set off to capture some animals. After being attacked by an out-of-place tiger, they are surrounded by a group of fierce animals. Superman overpowers them all and puts them in cages. The natives offer him a drink to celebrate, but this turns out to be a magic potion which puts Superman to sleep. Returning to von Henzel's mansion, we learn that von Henzel is obsessed with capturing exotic beasts and wants to add Superman to his collection, so he places him in a deep freeze. von Henzel is about to kill the woman and her brother when Superman overcomes the potion using will power. He defeats von Henzel, and returns to Metropolis with the captured animals in time to save the zoo keeper from being fired.
2. Untitled Vigilante story (Weisinger/Meskin/Roussos)
3. Untitled Three Aces story (Fox/Grothkopf)
4. Untitled Mr. America story (Fitch/Baily)
5. Untitled Congo Bill story (Ray)
6. Untitled Zatara story (Fox/Sulman)