Sorry, I tend to think of River as being about 15 or 16, and thus refuse to lust after her. Also she needs to eat some cookies.
Actually I reread the story last night. He wasn’t carrying anything when he arrived at his homeworld of Valeron; the alien boogie was on his skin or some such. Even more reason for Supes and his ilk to take side trips through the sun just to be on the same side.
Like many Silver Age stories, this one has some profoundly odd moments. In the second half, when Vartox realizes that (a) Earth is in imminent danger of going kablooie, and (b) his telepathic powers are broadcasting "we’re doomed’ messages that are making half of mankind nuts, he naturally races to the Daily Planet to rustle up the COMPETENT demigod super-hero for help. But then he stops to MAKE OUT WITH LANA LANG.
Admittedly, Lana was fairly hot, and probably quite forthcoming sexually, but…dude! FIRST you save the planet!
What if it’s not there later, huh? And it relaxed him…
Wow. Um … I’ll be in my bunk. 
I remind you of the very wise words of one Rupert Giles. When dealing with an apocalyptic event, one does not wish to be relaxed; one wishes to be tense. Coffee, not tea.
“So, did the Earth move for you, too?” 