Two citizens of the Wild Lands, on the edge of the dangerous Glowing
Swamp, spot a trapped Ratsputin crying for help. When they try to aid
him they are lured into a trap by the twisted rat-man--who now sports a
hook for a left hand.

Superboy flies the Whiz Wagon back to the Wild Lands, taking Dr. Serling, Mic Cannon, Prof. Forest, and Col. Adam Winterbourne. They land in Roam, which is surprisingly vacant, and are soon set upon by a band of tiger warriors, led by a gorilla guard. King Tuftan emerges and calls off the Royal Guard, scolding them for not recognizing Superboy. The new captain of the guard is named Kerk--hence, he is Captain Kerk as SB points out. Queen Nosferata
is not happy to see them back, but agrees to throw a festival on their
behalf nonetheless. Tuftan has been down since he became king, but with
the return of Superboy and his friends his heart is made light for a
while. Serling talks to Tawna about democracy as Winterbourne corners Sacker.
He demands that Sacker pay him back for enslaving him by showing him
the spot that Sacker captured him. Sacker refuses, since Winterbourne
had been found on the edge of the Glowing Swamp, a dangerous taboo place
where all the Wild men fear.

Superboy, ever fearless, decides to head up an expedition out to
the Swamp. King Tuftan, Tawna, Winterbourne, and Captain Kerk will all
go along. Tawna warns Serling to keep her eyes on Nosferata.

Back at Cadmus, Guardian has a little chat with Dabney Donovon. Dubbilex
cannot read the madman's thoughts, but that's because Donovon created
him--and installed the failsafe that Dub could not read his mind. Dub
can read the mind of Guardian and is disturbed to hear Guardian
thinking hateful things about the DNAlien. Such thoughts have been
frequent in all the staff lately. Suddenly, Dub hears a voice and sees a
minute being calling himself the Gene Gnome who tell them that they have much in common.

In the Wild Lands, at the edge of the Glowing Swamp, Tuftan and
Tawna pick up the scent of Ratsputin and track him to an old ruin. They
corner the rat-man there--but he is not alone. King Shark emerges from the swamp and scoops up Superboy in his jaws.