Writer: John Broome

Penciller: Mike Sekowsky

Inker: Bernard Sachs

Synopsis: As Star drives a rented boat to an island, he explains to Ilda that he had been hired by the National Science Center to investigate robberies on that island, which is being used as a secret laboratory for the government scientist Doctor David Carter. When they arrive, Doctor Carter approaches them and tells them that he had already caught the robber, who turned out to be his robot assistant Zutar. Doctor Carter shows them Zutar's deactivated body and asks them to take it to be smelted on their way off the island. Star agrees to but insists that he first look at the crime scene. As Doctor Carter escorts Star to the lab, Ilda uses her telepathic abilities to probe Zutar's brain to find out why he turned bad. To her surprise, she discovers that the brain inside Zutar's body is Doctor Carter's, and that Zutar had used Doctor Carter's invention, a mind-transfer machine, to switch bodies with him. Ilda runs to warn Star, but before she can do so, Zutar (in Doctor Carter's body) gets Star into the transfer machine by telling him it's a machine to telepathically transfer information into his mind, and switches bodies with him. Zutar then uses Star's body to knock out Star, who's in Doctor Carter's weaker body. When Ilda warns Star (not knowing that Zutar's brain is in his body), Zutar (in Star's body) treats Ilda roughly, upsetting her. But a little while later, she received telepathic contact from Star (in Doctor Carter's body), who tells her exactly what had happened. Ilda goes to free Star, melting Star's gun when Zutar tries to stop her with it. Ilda frees Star (in Doctor Carter's body), who then attacks Zutar (in Star's own body) so ferociously that despite Star's body's greater strength, Zutar (in Star's body) falls. Later, all minds are switched back to their proper places, and Doctor Carter recommends to the government that Star and Ilda get a bonus, while Zutar is smelted. The bonus comes through, which provides Star plenty of relief for the pain which he (in Doctor Carter's body) inflicted on his own body.

Detective rating: Star didn't have to do much detecting, but he did know to examine the crime scene before writing any final conclusions, and Ilda's looking into Zutar's mind (even if she didn't intend to uncover a crime) is what broke the case. 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

All characters and images are copyright DC Comics.

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