Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Re-Reading the Legion: Archives #2

This story is very "Ten Little Indians". It could've been a prototype for the Dr. Regulus story. Too bad we didn't get a rhyme out of it.

I think what I find annoying and even offensive about some of these stories is that they talk down to the reader. This, in some ways, is the antithesis of the Legion, or at least the Legion as I came to know them in the early '70s. There is much good yet to come; however, it seems like we have to go through a lot of dregs to get there.

This story freaked my kids out completely. When we went through the first time, I normally only read one chapter a night, but in this case made an exception so they wouldn't go a day thinking over half the team was just executed.

Wonder if that had to do with her story where she supports Ultra Boy through his being accused! She was lovestruck but also crafty, and she didn't act all bossy like some accuse Saturn Girl of doing.

For fun, some contemporary reaction (from the Adv. 313 lettercol):

"'Doom of the Super-Heroes' was one of the best Legion of Super-Heroes stories to have appeared so far. The Mask Man proved to be a truly great foe. The sudden death of Ultra Boy was an unexpected twist, and immediately provoked the thought that the Legion would immediately go on to avenge the death of their newly lost member and defeat the Mask Man. But no, the plot took a different turn. Bing, bing, bing... the Legionnaires dropped like flies! Then I began to suspect that something was fishy. After all, you wouldn't be killing off ALL your top characters. I finally realized it had to be Mr. Mxyzptlk or a dream after eight or nine of the super-heroes had bitten the dust. The ending was quite good. Superboy was at his best; the imp at his gloating worst. It was the best Mxyzptlk story ever. Thanks."

--Tom Jones, Aberdeen, MD, whom the editor says is usually "one of our most severe critics".


"'The Doom of the Super-Heroes' was a great, remarkable story. The suspense kept building to a terrific climax, and the surprise ending exploded like a bombshell."

--Betty Shaw, Dallas, TX

"Ha ha! I've finally done it! Don't try to squirm out of it! I found a mistake in the story, 'The Doom of the Super-Heroes'. The villain, the Mask Man, said he would kill the Super-Heroes, one by one. Then, at the end of the story, he said that Superboy was the only survivor. How could this be? When in the story were Bouncing Boy and Sun Boy killed? If you can show me any place in the story which shows these two being knocked off, I'll eat my hat. Other than that goof, the story was excellent."

--Gary Arnold, Camarillo, CA.

"The story, 'Doom of the Super-Heroes', was fabulous. There was just so much action and mystery seeing the Legion picked off one by one and desperately fighting to the last. The Legion should have their own book. I think they're better than any other club of heroes because most of them just have one unique power and are not so unbeatable. Another thing I like is that you don't put each member in every single story. If you did, it would get too crowded and cheapen the quality of the stories. All I can say is that I hope the Legion of Super-Heroes stay in business until it really is the 30th century!"

Gregory Kerekes, Holloway, NY.

The Masked Man story was somehow horrifyingly potent for me. I first read it as a pre-teen, and it stuck to me - that anyone could watch more than a dozen of their friends die horribly in short order and not crack? Goodness!

So Sun Boy and Bouncing Boy just disappear. Ugh. Element Lad, Phantom Girl and Triplicate Girl continue to get little panel time - but good for Colossal Boy on dying a hero (thank goodness he got better).

And the Masked Man makes the classic mistake of gloating too much and toying with his prey, instead of outright killing them. Hoo boy!

It's after midnight and I can't sleep, so here's my review of Adv. 311.

The Subs seem closer to Hamilton's heart than the regular Legion as he gives them more interesting (and logical) stories, develops their personalities better, and uses their powers more creatively than he does with the Legionnaires. The Subs, after all, were Hamilton's first creation for this series, and their lineup is smaller and more easily defined. It's hard to lose track of characters when you have only five to deal with.

In "The War Between the Substitute Heroes and the Legionnaires," the Subs try to pitch in while the Legion is away on a mission only to be rebuffed harshly when their heroes return. How harsh? The Legion orders the Subs to disband and, when they fail to comply, the "heroes" send a vortex machine (which looks a lot like the vortex beast rejected by Jungle King in 309) to wreck the Subs' headquarters. Bad Legionnaires.

Polar Boy declares war on the Legion and moves the Subs' headquarters to an abandoned city underneath the surface of the moon (amazing how there are always abandoned cities on the moon in comics). Eventually, the Subs deduce that the Legionnaires were lured into a trap and are being impersonated by an alien race which is after earth's minerals. These aliens just happen to be sensitive to cold, which enables Polar Boy to save the say. The Subs boot the defeated aliens back to their home world and rescue the real Legionnaires with the latter being none the wiser.

A somewhat better and more competent version of the Subs' first appearance in 306, this story makes good use of the expanded page count. It's a very involved story, with many obstacles put in the Subs' way and the stakes becoming increasingly higher. Night Girl shines a character--she's much more interesting than any of the female Legionnaires, even Saturn Girl, at this point in the series. Not only does Lydda get to use her strength to fend off giant machines, she also exercises her own initiative by sneaking away from the Subs and appealing to "Cosmic Boy" to get the other "Legionnaires" to back off. Though her gambit fails, she comes off as a strong and independent character.

There are still a few logic problems, of course. How Polar Boy deduced from the "Legionnaires'" harsh treatment of the Subs that the former were "plotting to conquer the earth" is unclear. And that must be some kick off for Night Girl to propel herself all the way from the moon--and back--assisted only by her flight belt. One must remember, of course, that this tale was published six years before Neil Armstrong's one small step, so most people probably had little inkling how far the moon really was from earth. Even so, one would expect a professional science fiction writer like Hamilton to have a clue.

It's mighty convenient that the villains in these stories give up so easily after a single defeat. Why the Subs didn't tell the Legionnaires or the Science Police about the Zyzans so earth could guard against future invasions from them remains a mystery. At least the Subs' humility allows them to prolong the secret of their existence for a few more stories.

Although a few cringeworthy bits of dialogue are evident--such as Night Girl reminding everyone that the reason she's called Night Girl is because she loses her power in sunlight (p. 3)--needless exposition is kept to a refreshing minimum. In fact, Hamilton does a fine job of using exposition to accomplish other purposes, such as Polar Boy's deduction that his power is useless against a machine created to withstand frigid space (p.4) or his scolding Stone Boy when the latter uses his power to fall asleep on duty (p. 3).

While not a classic story for the ages, Adv. 311 is a competent and fully realized tale--one of the better offerings so far.

Adventure #311

I love how the first four Subs stories naturally flow, with each subsequent appearance being a natural story point from the last. Here, for example, we see the inevitable Legion discovering their existence bit, though this one is a fake out! Just like in the original appearance this story plays ok an intense fear that all kids have. The Subs stories are among the best in the whole Silver Age, and their saga is pretty compelling.

The opening splash again shows Dirk among the founders and leadership. The core crew in the second archive really seems to be Dirk, Chuck, Imra, Brainy with Cos, Vi and Cham as the next prolific tier.

Cos seems taller than the other Legionnaires, just as Lydda is taller than all the boy Subs. Certainly, that's on purpose! A statuesque woman needs a tall strapping man! Speaking of which I've always fond her affection for Cos really sweet an romantic--probably because I wanted my own Lydda when I was a teen! (Flash forward after a few "girl liking me" have gone wrong...and I'm content just as I am!)

The Legionnaires are so mean, especially Dirk, that's its hard to read! Luckily I know the ending already. I'm ready for the Subs to go all TMK ass-kicking on them!

Another lost civilization! The statues look too similar to the last--they must be the same! There is a great untold story here.

Polar Boy continues to shine with his optimism and belief in the Legion. As does Night Girl of course, who is the real star in this story.

All in all, another great story IMO. One of the best in the last string of issues.

Adventure 311

So, we get the second Substitute-Hero story, which in some ways revisits much of the same territory as the first, though the “War between the Legions” aspect pushes the theme of rejection and trying to prove their worth to another level.

--Another Star Boy appearance on the cover! However, missing are Phantom Girl, Matter-Eater Lad, Mon-el, and Supergirl!

--Gifts from other worlds! Not sure a mirror that shows you what you will look like as you age would necessarily be the most popular of gifts, though! Native species of Hyrnak apparently have some freaky crazy reproduction going on as well!

--Here we have Night Girl in full stalker mode!

--Stone Boy falls asleep on the job! Fortunately his expertise in minerology comes in useful!

--It’s nice to think that Earth in the 30th century will still have precious ores that aliens will want to steal rather us having used them all up ourselves!

--Even fake Sun Boy seems like he’s the leader!

--Those fake Legionnaires are almost as mean as the real ones!

--Hmm… I wonder if those fish-lizard aliens from the Moon ever hung out with the alligator aliens from the Mystery Lad story a few issues back?

--Sheesh! Way to go, Night Girl! Your stalkerish crush just revealed the location of the Substitute-Heroes to the Legion!

--That’s some pretty awesome sculpting in a hurry on that Stone Boy statue!

--Those Zyzanian disguise-illusion devices are pretty high tech! The Legion won’t use those until 5YL!

--Polar Boy saves the day!

--And, so, the Substitutes remain secret for the time being.

This issue is perfectly enjoyable, but it just feels like a bit of a retread of ideas we’ve already seen. I guess it’s meant as a bit of a fakeout for the next appearance, when the Legion finds out about the Subs for real. And it’s not quite as smooth as the first Substitute Heroes story. Fire Lad, in particular, doesn’t seem to do anything in this one, and Stone Boy’s biggest contribution to the story is a statue of him being eaten to fool the bad guys.

One random idea I thought of in bed last night after writing that review...

I wonder if Night Girl could have been the planned "romantic involvement" for Mon-El? Then, for whatever reason (perhaps as simple as the fact that Mon-El wouldn't work in this story), that crush was transferred to Cosmic Boy?

Also of note... the lettercol for this issue is entirely dedicated to comments on the ongoing "Lightning Lad" plot including samples of three of the "hundreds" of letters received pointing out that Lightning Man's appearances in the Adult Legion stories means he has to be resurrected! The editor points out that this will happen next issue, but that someone else will have to sacrifice their life to save him!

Interestingly enough, Adv. 311 is one of the few if not the only stories during this period that does not reference Lightning Lad's death, unless I missed a reference somewhere.

A lot of these stories based on fakery! I didn't realize how much fake death and deception there was in these Archive stories.



That could be why she showed no interest in Cos in the first Subs story. But why Cosmic Boy and not Sun Boy became the target of her obsession, inquiring minds want to know.

I had to laugh when I noticed her pose, confronting Sun Boy who starts saying "And furthermore..." Perhaps he was at a loss for words standing before Lydda with her hands on her hips and her bust jutting out. And those tears when she talks to Cosmic Boy! In a romance comic, he would have kissed her. No doubt that's why she removed her helmet .



They really are pretty intense stories, especially this one with the supposed Legionnaires acting like such creeps. (That the Subs didn't immediately suspect these "Legionnaires" suggests that the Legionnaires had behaved that way in the past.)

It could have been a great series of stories if the Legion never discovered the Subs, if they remained secretive, saving the Legion over and over again, mysteriously. The Subs could even have had secret identities! Rokk could go out with Lydda and never even know she was Night Girl.




Agreed. We're certainly compiling a lot of untold stories - probably enough for an entire new run of Legion comics. There's also the untold story of Cosmic Boy's pink helmet which Lydda acquired, but lost civilizations are more interesting.



She really is outstanding. Too bad she was consigned pretty much to the background. You have to wonder why she didn't become leader of the Subs. That Cosmic Boy obsession possibly weakened her will over time.

Ebon-thread teen attributes alien rogue with sweetness, heh.

I think the 1:1 transmutation has been the power set for most of Jan's tenure on the team, I.e. he can turn gold into lead, but he can't turn water into peanut butter cups.

Team Camera-Eye Kid with Antennea Boy and you've got a pretty powerful multi-dimensional spy team capable of ease dropping across all time and space.

If recruited by the SPs, they might make for a good buddy-cop comic to boot!

Obviously, Camera Eye procured a time-ship to travel back to 20th-century Smallville, in imitation of Ultra Boy's membership application, in order to impress the Legionnaires.

Unfortunately, due to the heavy regulation of time travel... well, that's why we've never seen him again.

The Legion started as the backup feature, with stories averaging 12-13 pages, although 306 had 14, while 304 and 308 each had 11.

My notes have this story in issue 309 as 17 pages, and it is when the Legion swapped places with Superboy, taking over the lead feature while the Boy of Steel was relegated to back-up status. However, new Superboy tales at this abbreviated length would only last another six issues.

The first full-length Legion tale was issue 316. That was a 19-page story, with four pages of "Powers and Origins" filing out the book.

With issue 317, the Superboy back-ups were reprints, sometimes credits as "A Hall of Fame Classic."

My notes show the lead legion stories of this period averaged 17 pages, although it got as low as 14 with issue 328 and as high as 19 with 339.

It was not until Jim Shooter came on board that that the Superboy reprints were jettisoned and each issue features a single full-length Legion tale, as 23 pages.

As an addendum, while the full-length Legion tales in Adventure was usually 23 pages, there were a handful of 22 and 24 pagers, while Mordru's debut in issue 370 merited 25.

The exceptions were issue 355, which finished off the Adult Legion story with 12 pages and rounded out the book with 12 new pages of Lana joining the team. Then, issue 356 had a 13-page lead backed by a Superboy reprint, albeit the one from issue 282, featuring Star Boy's debut, so Lana got top-billing in two consecutive back-up tales.

The only other split issue was 371, which gave cover status to a back-up Superboy, albeit with the Legion pasted into a couple of panels, while the lead feature, the initial installment of the Tarik the Mute storyline, merited a mere 11 pages.

Also Timber Wolf and, to a certain degree, Sun Boy.

Adventure Comcis 311

1:1 One of the weird anomalies of early Legion stories is the ever-variable size of the clubhouse. Here, it looks barely big enough to fit the three members standing in front of it, never mind the entire team. Note also that, in many of these early tales, the clubhouse appears set it a rural, almost pastoral setting.

On the topic of mini-Brek, while his height in these early tales was once justified with the explanation of his being younger than his teammates, a better explanation might be that his people evolved a short stature as a means to conserve heat. Perhaps, among Tharrinians, Brek would be a towering Alpha male at five feet tall?

I imagine the pointy red thing in the lower left of the panel is one of the drilling machines built later, at about the time this scene is set, but we never see anything exactly like it. I wonder how many kids in 1963 looked at that and wondered, "Now what the hell is that supposed to be."

2:1 Of course, there were no contact lenses in 1963 (I'm pretty sure), so, it would have made sense to those kids that the time-mirror went ahead and added a pair of glasses to Imra's aged reflection.

2:2 Xalla... Hyrnak... Has anyone ever made a list of all the words named in Legion stories?

Note how Forte went ahead and drew what looks like a tiny dragon gestating at the top of the Hyrnakian plant. I'm surprised the plant doesn't topple over it looks so top-heavy. Still, for me, that plant has always held a real, don't-get-it-wet-or-feed-it-after-midnight vibe.

2:3 Is that a space sector or a serial number?

2:4 That mountain looks like it took about three minutes to draw AND ink. I can readily imagine the colorist looking at that panel and wondering, "Now what the hell am I expected to do with this?!"

2:5 You have to wonder who the nameplates are for? Okay, I know, the reader, but still...

3:2 You could be barking up the wrong tree, Night Girl. Even his helmet is pink!

3:5 Too bad Stone Boy's "knowledge of minerals" was never again used as a plot point.

I find it odd that Hamilton never bothers to specify precisely what minerals, or, later in the story, ores, the Zyzans are after.

In 4:1 Polar Boy "can't see any way" to cut the digger's power when examining its underbelly. But peeking up top in 4:5, look! A couple of power cables just randomly running outside the machine's armored shell!

5:1 "The design of this machine is so strange and different." For example, just look at ALL those vacuum tubes!!

5:4 Maybe it's me, but Fire-Lad looks like he's sporting kind of a chub here. Stone Boy, meanwhile, looks as it he's about to go back into hibernation.

7:3-8:2 While Red Tornado's body was used to house Wildfire's life force, his Tornado Champion soul was sent to destroy the Subs...

8:4 You can tell by the teenage-tiny words that this panel was simply shot down from the cover. Oh, also, it's Swan swapped in for Forte. I can't think of another example where the cover of a comic was reprinted as a panel of the story.

I don't know what the original looks like, but Stone Boy is miscolored green in yhis panel of the archives.

9:2 That is one funky-looking moon. Also, I wasn't aware the moon had moons of its own.

10:1-2 The moon once had conditions that allowed stalagmites to form. Now you know!

10:3 While Stone Boy knows minerals, it's Fire-Lad who's the authority in ancient lunar races of alligator people who, we must admit, built quite a city without the benefit of an opposable thumb.

11:1-2 Night Girl can jump from the moon to the Earth and back again! Forget Hulk, Night Girl is strongest one there is!!

Also, while I'm no Niribu conspiracy nut, I do continue to be alarmed at the number of large objects, Saturn in particular, hanging out between the Earth and the moon.

12:5-14:2 Interesting that while the Subs apparently needs space suits on the moon, which isn't nearly as populatied as one would think a thousand years from now, the Legionnaires get by find with just air helmets. Only later would transuits be developed to keep characters recognizable in every panel.

13:3 The pigeon-billed ferret-a-pillar machine is nearly as variable in size as the Legion clubhouse.

14:5 I have the believe that if, at their tryouts, Brek and Dag had demonstrated their power to recarve and paint stone statues to meticulous detail at super-speed, somehow adding a glass helmet to boot, they'd've both made the team and now they'd be the ones making disparaging comments at sorry-ass Subs.

15:2 if you look closely, you can see where Forte forgot to erase the guidelines on his vanishing point.

16:5 Wait, Brek is from a hot world, too. Shouldn't he have knocked himself out with this trick?

17:1 I'm not sure what information this landscape is trying to convey, other than that the Subs' space cruiser really wants for a cadalidic converter. Did Polar Boy freeze the entire Moon? What are those wavy lines, the ice melting? And holy Niribu, those planets sure are closing in!

Okay, that's all I've got. How long should I want to post thoughts on issue 312?

Check out this thread for the reading schedule. It's pretty much 3 stories a week (M-W-F) at this point, but that could vary depending on how people find the pace.



Especially in 5YL, when the Subs were upgraded to competent adversaries of the Dominion. I don't even recall Stone Boy being in the 5YL stories (although according the the Help File, he was).

All the planets from silver age LSH stories were listed in Amazing World of DC comics (Nov. 1975) on pages 46-48.

RE: the Legion not needing spacesuits on the moon. Those were actually illusions cast by the Zyzanians, so maybe they just got sloppy. Theoretically they would've been wearing spacesuits under the illusions.

The Legion Help File also contains a useful list of planets used in the Legion books.

I just did an OCR scan of the planets from Amazing World:


EXTRATERRESTRIAL BODIES OF THE 30th CENTURY

Welcome to the Thirtieth Century! As tourists from the past, we know that you know little, if anything, of the various spots around the Universe that you shouldn't miss on your visit here. We have prepared a list of many planets, star systems, and other heaven Iy bodies which you can Use to select or avoid places to visit. Make sure to bring your camera. You won't want to be without photos of these exotic places to show friends!

ALKOZ: Make sure you have plenty of this world's glass coins! Spending is bound to be heavy.

ALTAIR: The one-eyed, orange pyramid men who inhabit this star-system will be glad to make you feel welcome.

AMARTA: See Winath.

ANGTU: This planet, with its poisonous, thick atmosphere, no longer exists, so don't sign up for any phoney tours there. Mano, its last native, destroyed his home world.

ANKAR: A dark world with no sun, this planet's animals have radar eyes. Be sure to bring a flashlight!

ANTARES: The Proteans hail from this sun system .

ARBRO: Inhabited by a race of tree men. Its sun has weakened to such a degree that its solar rays don't create chlorophyll for these people any more, and a spray is being developed to save them.

ARION: An artificial sun created by Zaxton Regulus.

BASKH: Watch out for many youngsters. The people were rendered barren for a while and all their children died, but several years ago they again became fertile, so most of the children are around the same age.

BGZTL: Bgztl occupies the same space as Earth, but in the Fourth Dimension. Phantom Girl is from this planet.

BISMOLL: Bring a bag lunch if you're visiting here. Over the eons, microbes made all food poisonous. Through evolution, its inhabitants can now eat anything. Visit Capital City, home of Bismoll's president. Tenzil Kem, Matter-Eater Lad of the LSH, is a favorite son, and we wouldn't be surprised if, as an adult, he is raised to some position of political power on Bismoll.

BRAAL: Living metal monsters prowl this planet; so don't go exploring without a native, all of whom have magnetic power to combat the beasts. You might bring a magnet to play Magno-Ball, a local sport like ping-pong, played magnetically with iron balls. Exhibitions of the native Ku-jui, a fighting technique similar to karate and jui-jitsu are worth seeing. Cosmic Boy is from this planet.

BRANDE'S ESTATE Definitely off-limits, this small planet is owned by R.J. Brande, and is guarded by sentinel satellites.

BROGG: Don't let rumors of dangerous monsters keep you off this planet. It seemed that there were creatures there until Mon-EI discovered they were illusions of space pirates to keep their loot hidden there safe from explorers and tourists. It's been removed, so don't go looking for the bounty.

CANOPUS: If you don't like bugs, skip it. An ant race populates this star-system.

CARGG: If you see what appear to be lots of triplets, don't be surprised. This planet's triple sun has given its inhabitants the ability to split into three people. It's considered bad luck there to triplicate three times in one day.

COLU: If you have an inferiority complex, here's another planet for you to skip. Home of Brainiac 5, all its inhabitants are geniuses by our standards. Its history is recounted in Brainiac 5's biography. If attending a birthday party, custom calls for a toast of Kono juice from ivory chalices. The planet is also known as Yod.

CRAGGOK: A small, out-of-the-way world similar to feudal England. They don't take too kindly to tourists.

DAXAM: Be especially careful not to bring any lead to this planet, as it can cause irreparable damage to all its inhabitants. Similar to ancient Krypton in size, sun and culture, biophysics is the major concern of scientists on this planet.

DELTWAN: Vine trees and diamond cliffs stud this planet. Don't steal any, though; customs are tight.

DOLL WORLD: Home of tiny people, there are two cities, both of which are in Middle Ages culture.

DOMINION: A confederation of worlds that once warred against the United Planets. It was ruled by the Dominators.

DRACKSLER: Mirrors are used as currency here.

DURLA: Durlans are not usually trusted by Terrans because of their ability to change into any form they desire. But be a little open· minded if you visit. local superstition holds that the Durlan Jinx·Stone brings bad luck to anyone who touches it. Superman saved Twentieth Century Durla from a plague.

FEMNAZ: This planet was inhabited only by women (who deported their men for failure to worship their moon-goddess) until Mon-EI and Ultra Boy saved them and brought back their men. Nevertheless, women's liberationists would feel at home here.

FEDERATION: Another group of worlds that, until recently, was warring with the UP.

FROD: Has a double red sun.

GAMAU TOL: Fighting on this planet is done with Krishnu Gauntlets.

GNOGG: A radioactive world, this planet's currency is pure radium. Inadvisable to visit unless strongly protected from radiation.

GORILLA NEBULA: If you're superstitious, don't ride through the mouth of this natural formation. It's considered bad luck.

GRAA: An unexplored, undeveloped, uncivilized jungle planet, uninhabited by humans.

GRATH: If given a gourd here, don't eat it. It's money!

HAJOR: A planet that exploded, Kid Psycho of the legion Reserve is its only known survivor.

HUOP: Energy beings live here, and energy money is used.

HYDRA: Inhabited by green, three-headed, six-fingered beings.

HYRNAK: Plants on this planet blossom into live animals.

IMSK: Everyone on this world can shrink, as can anything they have treated with a special chemical, so be prepared!

INTERPLANETARY BANK: A satellite in space that exchanges currencies, it is very secure against theft, guarded by fierce beasts. Be sure to stop here to get money for what, ever worlds you will be visiting.

INTERPLANETARY POST OFFICE: Nice place to visit to see how interplanetary mail is handled. Many different branches.

JUPITER: Ruled by a Governor-General, colonized spots are perfect for tourists who don't want to leave our star system. Fighting with trident spears is a local sport. Don't be around when rainbows appear between the moons if you can help it. It's an unlucky sign. Many fierce animals prowl the surface of Jupiter, such as mastodons with eight horns and three mouths, camelephants, and the two-trunked mastodons.

KAFFAR: Don't be surprised if you see few windows on buildings. They're considered bad luck.

KARAK: A wild, lonely planet with star observation outposts.

KARMATH: Light-jewels are used for light at night. They pick up any light at all and intensify it. If you buy one, make sure it is kept out of sight where there is any light present, as it can easily blind you.

KATHOON: Kathoon is in constant darkness, without a sun, heated by internal forces. Night Girl came from here.

KHANN: Inhabited only by criminal outcasts of many worlds, brains of villains are preserved here and give out free advice. Not considered a particularly safe place for noncriminals.

KHUND: A warlike planet that was defeated in an attack on Earth, populated by humans,.

KORBAL: A lightning world with breathable atmosphere, dangerous lightning beasts inhabit this planet.

KRALLAK: Populated by green lizard people, Krallak used to have a moon, but it exploded.

LAHUM: Peralla was the ruling president. He was warring against other worlds until overthrown by the Legion Espionage Squad. Chemically-grown humanoids provide the planet's defenses. Huevas is the capital city.

LALLOR: Their group of super-heroes have made this world a relatively safe one. Duplicate Boy, Evolvo Lad, Gas Girl, and Life Lass are Lallor's defenders.

LOST WORLD: A planet that wanders throughout the universe, the super-powerful machinery of a long-extinct populace is scrupulously guarded by law-enforcement groups allover the universe.

LUPRA: Home of Color Kid.

LURNA: A great variety of fantastic animals such as Hypno-Beasts and Flame-Beasts populate this planet.

LUVAN: 8-armed, green octoid men inhabit this world.

MANNA-5: The agricultural planet that provides food for billions on other worlds.

MARDRU: Home of Chlorophyll Kid.

MARS: Our closest neighbor, many cities have sprung up, including the greatest one on that planet, Mars City, with its famous impenetrable dome, and many cities near the polar ice caps. Low Martian gravity makes super skyscrapers possible, such as the Spaceport's Tower Restaurant, which is five miles high. A beautiful vacation site, and a prime tourist resort with breathable atmosphere.

MERCURY: Gas money is used on this planet.

MIRAGE WORLD: An unexplored planet in a location known only to the LSH, cities of phantoms, created by a dead race to scare away intruders, dot this world.

MODO: Until the Legion raided this planet it was a haven for criminals, ruled by Modulus. go here to be cured or die.

RIMBOR: Home of Ultra Boy. Try their Vegesteaks. They come highly recommended.

R-K528: The planet with the famous Romance Valley, the most romantic spot in the Universe. If you're travelling with someone you love, this is a must-see.

ROJUN: Inhabited by yellow, bald beings, they use living crystals for money.

ROKYN: Kandor was enlarged upon this planet in the Twentieth Century.

RORBIS: Home of the Interplanetary Rodeo, a tourist favorite.

SATURN: Saturn and her moons are those rarities in the Universe: Worlds without crime. This is because the radiation from its rings cancels out Saturnians' criminal tendencies. The planet itself is generally uninhabited by humans, but there are such creatures as the Stone-Dragon, Scorpion Beast, and Tri-Hydra.

SEERIS: An advanced planet in another universe. The people there have ignored their bodies, concentrating all efforts on developing their minds.

SHANGHALLA: The famous cemetery-satellite for super-heroes from all over the cosmos. It is revered by billions of inhabitants in millions of galaxies. Terrans miqht be interested in seeing the tomb of Triplicate Girl's third body.

SHWAR: Home of Fire Lad.

SIMBALLI: Another jungle planetoid.

SIRIUS: People in this star system use needles for money.

SKOR : Populated by an advanced humanoid civilization.

TAKRON-GALTOS: A maximum security prison where prisoners are forced to mine as punishment.

TALOK VIII: A planet where modern science and primitive weapons are combined. Its race of blue beings live in what we would consider a backward culture. Light weakens them, and they can see in the dark. Nevertheless, towns are not artificially darkened in daylight. Their warriors have tremendous skill and are feared throughout the galaxy. Shadow Kid, Shadow lass' cousin, is this planet's hero.

TALTAR: A planet with a matriarchal society.

TALUS: Cosmic junkyard. An artificial asteroid made up of wrecked ships.

THANAR: An asteroid inhabited by mineral fleshed people.

THARR: Heat storms caused some people to develop the power to radiate intense cold. Tharr is well-known for its "living paintings."

THAUN: An unlucky mystery world where superstition rules.

THROON: A jungle planet with only one man-made structure, a giant tower. Two old men are the last of that planet's race. TITAN: A moon of Saturn, all humans who call themselves natives of Saturn are actually from Titan. All people have ESP abilities, and crime is non-existent.

TOLK: Home of the beautiful Galactic Aviary, a worthwhile sight if you can get there. Bring color film.

TOMBOR: A planet of wraiths. As the planet's resources depleted, the people transformed themselves to adapt.

TROM: A radioactive environment gave this planet's inhabitants the power to use mental radiation to alter any atomic structure, giving the ability to change elements. Because of this power, money was paper currency printed on special presses with plates made by a process no counterfeiter could duplicate. There was no gold or silver standard to give the money worth, such as we have on Earth. Roxxas and his raiders destroyed that race with the sole exception of Element Lad when the people refused to use their power for him.

TULVA: Home of the witch wolf, the deadliest beast of that star system, gives off invisible, poisonous radiation. The beast senses a being's greatest abilities and turns them against them.

UMRAX: Under no circumstances go down on this planet without an adequate supply of oxygen. The air on this planet renders humans unconscious.

VAALOR: Home planet of the dead hero, Nimbok.

VANNAR: One side of that planet always faces its sun.

VASMEER: Mog Yagor was a hero on that world who saved that planet fighting a space beast. He was killed in that fight.

VENGAR: Home planet of the long dead Ekron civilization, which was responsible for many lost scientific wonders. Its Emerald Eye was discovered and appropriated by the EmeraId Empress.

VENTURA: A gamblers' world. The interstellar answer to Las Vegas, even in the 20th Century.

VENUS: Venus was first explored by an Unknown Spaceman. It has since been colonized. Transmutation is considered evil there. Flora and fauna native to Venus include the octopus vine, hoppers, the sneep (a tiny creature), and the gyrak, a tiger-like wild animal.

VONDRA: Home of the Valley of the Aurora, which temporarily makes people about fifteen years younger.

VOR: On this planet, the rare element Varium is dug up by matter-eating beasts.

VORAN 4: A prison planet for permanently disabled criminals who cannot escape because of their disabilities.

VORN: A jungle planet with weird beasts like the dralgo, flasher·beast, vran, lian, maw, and volcano beast. Human colonies generally failed and there is only one extant city. Not an especially pleasant place.

VURUNA: A water-world with no land. Cities are floating on pontoons. The people there are very peaceful, and huge, valuable colored pearls are beautiful natural resources.

WINATH: Home of Lightning Lad and Light Lass. Also known as Amarta.

WORLD OF DEAD ROBOTS: Gigantic mechanical robots were created by humans to serve their needs. The robots revolted and drove their masters away. Unable to repair themselves, they eventually stopped running and "died."

WORLD OF 100 MOONS: Uninhabited, but presents a beautiful view at night. Stop there for a while if only for the view.

XALLA: You can get a time-mirror, which will show how you will look when you age, here.

XANTHU:.An industrialized planet with natural beauty still in abundance. Many rough diamonds spot the terrain. Interlac is not widely spoken, so get either a dictionary or translator. The parakat. a talking tiger, lives in the Jungle Mountains.

XENN: A planet that exploded The Legion evacuated the inhabitants before the explosion.

YOD: See Colu.

YORRG: An unexplored planet populated by reptile peop1e.

ZADRON: An advanced, peaceful planet.

ZEROX: Sorcerers descended from Earth magicians live on this planet once ruled by Mordru.

ZINTH: Power crystals provide the people with heat and light.

ZOND: Metallic humanoids live on this planet. They consider it good luck to be hit by lightning.

ZOON: Zoon has three different colored suns. Zuunium is a rare mineral mined there.

ZWEN: Zwen rotates so slowly that nights last half an Earth year. The inhabitants evolved the power to turn into stone, a type of suspended animation, during these nights. So don't be tempted to spend the night if asked unless you're on a really long vacation.

ZYZAN: A hot world inhabited by yellow creatures with red spots. Not very comfortable for humans.