Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Re-Reading the Legion: Archives #3

A story that must someday be told!

Bouncing Boy suddenly losing his powers does seem a bit odd and rushed, and he was shown the door without much ado.

Adventure 320

This is definitely one of the weakest stories of the Adventure run, however.

--I love the whole idea of Clark coming home from school, finishing his homework at super-speed, and then heading into the future! Unfortunately, the story goes downhill from here!

--Poor Radiation Roy!

--It would've been kind of cool and James Bond-y if the new gadgets introduced at the beginning (the character analysis monitor and the device to distinguish robot and androids from humans) had actually been used in the story.

--Man that's a lot of pages spent on a flashback!

--What the heck ever happened to Dev-Em's parents?

--It would've been nice to have gotten some more details on Dev-Em's reformation.

--Er... is the ICC's pscyhotron basically the same thing as the Legion's new character analysis monitor?

--How exactly is Superboy more experienced at counter-espionage?

--More monorail travel!

--Er... if you're demonstrating how the buzz-alarm in the ultrasite pen works, shouldn't that call the Legionnaires?

--Molock is at least pretty diabolical.

--Another really long flashback explaining how Proty II got into the mission.

--There's a lot of things that could have made this story more effective. At the very least showing him suspiciously putting something in disguised Superboy's cape early on would've heightened the tension in the tale. But, as is, it just doesn't work.

Adventure #321

So, here we see another tale in the ongoing Time Trapper plot. This may be the strongest of the Time Trapper's Adventure era appearances, though that's not saying much for it!

--So, why exactly is the general alarm being called at the beginning of the story?

--Bouncing Boy's being written out is definitely mysterious, especially with the prominent role he's been given in the series so far. It is kind of interesting that he basically looses his power by a blunder, when he pretty much gained his power by goofup in the first place!

--How many times to Superboy, Mon-El, and Ultra Boy have to crash headfirst into the Iron Curtain of Time before they figure out that isn't going to work?

--One nice thing about this story is that it builds upon the previously established (in Adventure #316) idea of the Legion having a secret arsenal of really powerful weapons.

--Like Cham and Lu being resourceful in escaping the traps!

--The Concentrator's being super-secret doesn't make a whole lot of sense in light of the later retcon as to its history, with it having been previously used to destroy a solar system by Lucifer-7.

--I wish the mineral-eating beasts had actually played a role in the story.

--The attempts to brainwash the Legionnaires are an interesting idea, but, honestly, most of the scenes don't really do much for me.

--I do find the past feats of the Legionnaires that Saturn Girl imagines much more intriguing than the actual plot of the issue at this point!

--Yay! I love Garl and Englen! I also noticed Morlock had a possible Zirrian working for him last issue!

--Man, being imprisoned in that little cell for all time would suck! Notice that one the cover, he's apparently on the moon!

--The Time Trapper's use of dark star is kind of cool as the idea of dark stars was an important step in the development of the theory of black holes!

--So, I don't get why they can't use the concentrator to break through the Iron Curtain of Time now? Given that they've already used it to foil the Time Trapper's plots?

--I wonder whatever happened to Iresa?

There's definitely things to like about this story. The Time Trapper's dramatic attack on the Legionnaires at the end is pretty cool. But the psychological warfare thing, which is the main focus of the story, will be done much more effectively later on by Nardo. Not bad, but definitely could be a lot better.

Bonus Review: World's Finest #142

So, this issue introduces the Composite Superman, who is one of my absolute favorite villains of all time! Given that he was featured in the first Legion story I ever read, he's kind of important to my history with the Legion as well!

The Composite Superman's story origin is pretty classic: Loser Joe Meach, after his life is saved by Superman, is given a job at the Superman museum, though his position as janitor only makes him resent the Man of Steel. One day a lightning strike at the exhibit of Legion statues that were a gift from the Legionnaires imbues Meach with the powers of all the Legionnaires. Adopting an identity that is half-Superman, half-Batman (and, somewhat randomly, green like Brainiac Five!), he call himself the "Composite Superman", as his look is a composite of theirs.

Using his powers to learn the secrets of Superman and Batman, he then blackmails them into letting him become their third partner. But he deliberately sabotages them on missions while taking the glory for himself. Suspicious of him, Supes and Bats secretly plot to test their new partner, and, which leads him to force them to give up super-heroing under threat of exposure of their secrets! While they acquiesce temporarily, they soon discover that the Composite Superman is building himself a palace in advance of plans of not only world but interstellar conquest.

Discovering them still working against him, CS decides to go through with his plan to expose them, when he finds his powers suddenly fading. He rushes back to the Superman museum to try to restore them, but doesn't do so in time, reverting to ordinary janitor Joe Meach with no memory of what had happened. Supes and Bats are similarly puzzled as to the identity of their foe.

Again, I love the Composite Superman, and this story does a nice job of demonstrating how incredibly powerful he is. Unfortunately it may be a little too effective in that regard, since Supes and Bats are pretty much only saved by the random event of his powers fading just in time. One kind of wishes they'd been able to play a more positive role in the villains defeat. Nonetheless, it's a fun tale.

With all these lightning strikes that happen in the CDU resulting in new, changed, or transferred powers, it's occurred to me that Shazam might have a mischievous little brother running around.

I know that Superman, Batman, even Aquaman have their own 5th dimensional Imps. I wonder if Shazam has one to, that we can blame all this mysterious lightning stuff on?

The Silver Age Legion didn't waste time.

Modern writers would, of course, have written the story around BB's departure--he would have gallantly sacrificed his power to save the world from the Time Trapper.

While that approach might be what we'd expect, I rather like the idea that BB loses his power by accident. Touching on something I wrote in the Garth resurrection thread, it makes our heroes seem more human when they make mistakes. More, it teaches children that misfortune can happen to anyone. (However, this message would have been more effective, I think, if Sun Boy or Saturn Girl had lost their power instead of the fat guy with the silly power.)

Oooh, that's good too! Leave it to Set to come up with yet another interesting concept.

Who was Aquaman's imp?

Bonus Review: Worlds Finest 142!

So mid-1964 saw the Legion hitting incredible levels of popularity, and it shows with how prolific they had become throughout the Superman titles. In June 1964, as the “Code of the Legion” story debuted, Jimmy Olsen’s series featured a classic cover that had a Giant Olsen in the classic Colossal Boy costume. It’s one of my favorite Jimmy covers. The following month in July 1964 was a great little Lois Lane story that has the Legion of Super-Heroes girls helping Lois. The Lois Lane story really should have been included in the archives.

And also back in June 1964 was one of Eryk’s favorite stories, World’s Finest #142, which features the Legion helping Superman and Batman against the Composite Superman! Here’s a little bonus review!

The first thing to notice is the opening splash is really well done! It features the Legion statuettes and uses a high level of ink and shadows creating a real sinister effect. Among the statues, which is noteworthy, is Elasti-Lad!

The “look” of the Composite Superman is so ridiculous that it achieves the ever-cool flip to totally awesome! We later learn that isn’t actually a costume, but his Chameleon Boy powers creating the effect. Which makes it all the more awesome.

“Either I become your partner or your careers will be ruined!” Er, with those powers…where you want to go first, pard?

I’d love to see a 1964 film called “The Day the Earth Perished!”. In fact, I suspect it stars the LMB!

As the story goes on, it’s clear CS is totally unhinged, which makes him all the more menacing. Having someone continually causing accidents so they can be applauded for fixing them is all too real for any one who follows politics!

The origin reveals Joe Meach was the previous recipient of having his life saved by Superman…and yet, it causes him furious anger and a desire for revenge! Stupid Joe!

As the issue goes on, I realize that at some point he’s going to use each and every one of the Legionnaires various super-powers. That, in and of itself, is really cool. And each one is well done too! Only the master of super-powers himself, Ed Hamilton, could write this one.

Great pep talk from Robin!

As with all great World’s Finest stories, it hinges on how well Superman and Batman are portrayed working as a team. Here, it definitely succeeds. And the story ends on a surprising anti-climactic note, though I kind of like it. Like so many things in life, CS comes into Supes and Bats’ lives, causes chaos, and then leaves without them ever knowing where he went! And there is definitely enough there to create a return appearance. If I didn’t know, I’d definitely be hoping he’d return.

We’ll definitely have to review the sequel as well!

To me the whole scene of Joe Meach gaining his powers from the Legion statues is one of those completely iconic Silver Age moments!

I remember owning a later issue of WF featuring Supes, Batman, the Legion and the CS. It was this one...



....and it's second part....



Sadly, I haven't owned those in over thirty years, when I sold all my DC's so I could buy more Marvels. I was just getting into the Legion, but I recall not being really crazy about that two-parter.

I know I absolutely LOVED WF during it's "dollar comics" phase that ended the very issue before this two-parter. I was especially in love with tHawkman and Green Arrow backups. I sure wish I still had those WF, Detective, etc. "dollar" comics that got me so into DC's characters.

Here's the cover to 142, btw:

I seem to remember having a comic that had a half-supes/half-bat costume on the cover, but that the head was Metamorpho.

Edie & Cobie: It sounds like no Legionnaires actually appear in 142 (beyond the statues). True?

And yeah, Composite Superman's costume must be a manifestation of Chameleon Boy's power, because otherwise it'svery hard to keep half a cowl on.

Only in flashback (showing the statues being made). CS's second appearance (WF 168) features a rare appearance by the Adult Brainiac Five however!

The description that accompanied the image of WF 142 I used says that Hamilton wrote it and Curt Swan drew it. Groovy!

Wish I had that one to read for myself.

ADV 320

I think HWW comments sum this one up best. It could have been a great story ... but ti wasn't. In fact the meat of the story could have been done in 3 or 4 pages.

I noticed the change in Dev-Em's appearance when he was revealed as a good guy. Notice he still laughs at the legion and teases them before being revealed as reformed but after that he behaves very properly.

Braino of Myrhan was a "real" character? I thought Tenzil just made him up in 5YL! Should have known better.

Poor Radiation Roy. He and the Ron Karr deserved better fates.

All that great spy gear and they never use it again. It would have been great to spot future impersonators and those with evil intent.

Aren't Proty and Superboy great kidders. "what fun!" "What a laugh". Yeah right, a joke on the readers they mean.

This is one of those stories that exist just to support the cover and splash pages. Still I'm glad to see it bring Dev-Em to the 30C as I always thought he was an interesting character in his later appearances, although terribly confusing.

Yes! I really like this idea.
Could it be an inside joke from Hamilton?

Oh and thanks for the pointers to Dev-Em's other early appearances. I always wondered if they existed or this was really his first.

Qwsp

I love the Composite Superman. I tapped into his origin for my Composite Supergirl tryout fic and the silly notion of there being a Composite Sub(stitute Legionnaire).

Bonus Review: Lois Lane #50

As Cobie says, it's completely inexplicable why the second story from this issue isn't included in the Legion Archives, as it's a pretty major Legion guest spot.

Lois Lane visits her fan club, and ends up telling them the secret of her special earrings which were a gift from Superman, and contain pictures of the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Meanwhile, three new applicants for the fan club show up, and they get the initiation test of writing a story on Lois herself, since this is the day she volunteers as a nurse at Metropolis Hospital! So, the three girls follow her around, and it proves to be an eventful day! Lois loses one of her earring down the sink as she is scrubbing up, but fortunately when she comes back from surgery it turns out not to have actually gone done the drain as she initially thought, but is simply lying in the sink. Then Lois gets locked in a room with a Vietnam vet with PTSD, but before he can hurt her in his violent rage, he is mysteriously cured of his condition! Lastly, while she is showing a wheelchair-bound patient who admires Superman greatly a collection of flags from various planets loaned to her by Superman, a gust of wind carries these flags away! Fortunately, one of the girls is able to recover the flags remarkably quickly!

Investigating the mysterious speed with which this third girl was able to accomplish this task, Lois notes that as she ran around the corner of the building, her footprints split into three sets! Lois deduces that this must be, in reality, Triplicate Girl, and that the other girls are Phantom Girl and Shrinking Violet! It turns out their assistance is responsible for the remarkable good luck that she is having that day!

It turns out that the Legion girls are actually visiting in order to gather material on the fan clubs of Superman's friends for a Superman Encyclopedia that is being put together in their own time. But, since history doesn't record this visit, they hypnotize Lois into forgetting that she had found out their secret!

But lest you feel sorry for Lois for how mean the Legionnaires are to her, she then fails them in their initiation tests, since their stories didn't include enough of a human interest angle about how lucky her day was!

The coolest part of this story is Phantom Girl's use of her 4th-dimensional vision and powers to cure the veteran by massaging a blot clot in his brain!

Anyway, the other stories in this issue include Lois using a time bubble-esque "time balloon" to travel back to Smallville to try and sabotage Lana's relationship with Superboy before it began, and a story in which a prophetic Mynah bird predicts that Lois will die in three days, which turns out to be true, only she fails to hear the complete prediction that she will dye her hair!

^^Sounds like a wonderful story that should have been included in both the Archives and Showcase Presents. It's at least as important to Legion canon as "Elastic Lad Jimmy and His Legion Romances."

(And it's good to know Lois, like Jimmy, had her share of goofy but fun stories.)

Oh, so Phantom Girl is where this 4-dimensional theme is from.