Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Rereading the Legion: Archives Volume 15

The mind boggles at the thought of Legion HQ plumbing system requirements.

Superboy and the LSH #251

I'm really pleased to read all the comments on #251! I just finished the issue and caught up and a lot of what I was going to say has been covered in insightful detail (plus a whole lot more!)

Like many of you, I also love the usage of Wildfire and how the final sequence brings resolution to his "arc" thus far. Combined with the destruction of HQ and the MM, it really does feel like a turning point. That, combined with some masterful imagery by Starlin, made this an enjoyable reading experience, despite the obvious problems.

I agree with Fanfie that the panels showing Omega's confrontation with Wildfire are stunning and iconic. I love the splash of Val and Jeckie diving away from the exploding HQ.

I love Tenz but he comes out of left field here, and I agree with Fanfie (again) that the resolution feels like it's too entrenched in Silver Age silliness. Still, considering the "turning point" feeling of this issue, one might see the destruction of the HQ and MM as a major shedding of those old Silver Age sensibilities. This is probably overshadowed by Superboy leaving 8 issues later, of course. All in all, each of these things are part of a larger transition period between Levitz Mark 1 and Levitz Mark 2.

I hope both HWW and Fanfie continue to check in and discuss the coming Conway issues!

Thank you for the kind words, Cobie.

I will definitely chime in about the 2-parter in 253-254 which introduces the League of Super-Assassins, though I'm giving 252 a hard pass because, TBH, I read it once a while ago, and I think it's awful. Now, just about any kind of story would have been in an unfavorable position by having to follow up the Omega story, which, as we've all agreed, manages to be quite powerful despite its flaws, but 252 is, sad to say, just that bad, and a less-than-sterling start to the Conway era proper.

After 254, only the Gods know what contributions of mine the future holds until we reach Wildfire's secret origin in 283? Curiosity may yet get me to finally purchase a few more Conway Era back issues.

I will say that the recent realization, through reviewing Omega for this re-read, of just how much those first 35 issues of the Baxter Era mean to me has made it quite possible that I will regularly rejoin the re-read for those 35 weeks. So there's that to look forward to, maybe.

But whether I chime in frequently or not-so-frequently, rest assured that I always read, enjoy, and feel educated by, the reviews in this re-read project.

I'll keep checking in. Don't know that I'll have much to say without re-reading those issues, and, as I noted, I reviewed them only a few years ago.

At some point, we'll do the Secrets of the LSH mini-series, correct? If so, I'll be back for it and any other "special" issues that fall into the LSH publishing history.

I hope you both check in much more than you think!

Y'know, in thinking more about Matter-Eater Lad here, it's amazing how his inclusion is just so out of left field. This will be made all the more random by how little reference there is to his "madness" over the next 30+ issues until Levitz finally resolves the dangling plotline in a throwaway sequence that is more about the characters noting the event than Brainy curing Tenzil itself.

Is it really 30+ issues from now? Incredible!

I guess Tenzil was not well regarded until TMK took over. That someone like Giffen wouldn't capitalize on the Miracle Machine Meal in Tenzil's 5YL appearance suggests that this was even too ridiculous a plot developmenet for him.

I would think (hope) that Starlin did a better job of setting up Matter-Eater Lad's inclusion in the missing pages. It would have been great to see Tenz in his senator's office (or whatever position he was holding at the time) on Bismoll as the Legionnaires drop in and tell him the fate of the universe rests on him. If they had told him he might not survive, he would have had to make a choice and therefore ramp up the tension (or is that Tenzion?).

Ah well.

His truncated inclusion reads like something a fan would write--and I post this with a loving attitude toward fan writers because I used to write stories in much the same way. Fan writers often assume the reader knows everything the writer does, and so no explanations are necessary. Long-time readers (like me) would know who Tenz is; new readers have to be filled in after the action is over. As such, the story reads like a sermon to the choir.

Elsewhere in his Legion Companion interview, Levitz reveals that he was earlier pulled off of Karate Kid after one issue because company president Carmine Infantino read some of his stuff and felt he wasn't ready to tackle the duties of a regular writer. According to Levitz, Infantino "felt I was in over my head. . . . In retrospect, I think it was probably a pretty reasonable decision. My skills were not what they ought to have been at that time" (p. 108). Perhaps that explains why Tenz didn't get much of a build-up.

#252 Postscript to Holocaust by Gerry Conway, art by Joe Staton & Dave Hunt, G. D'Angelo colors, Ben Oda letters



Insane Matter Eater Lad pounds at his cell as Brainiac 5 declares the situation hopeless – unless Projectra and Dream Girl could enter his mind and calm it. That proves unsuccessful and Brainiac 5 is hauled back under guard to his cell, as the departing Legionaires bid him a sorrowful farewell.

Starburst Bandits appear in the sky on flaming horses; Legionnaires attack but are defeated, even Superboy. Just before he falls, Superboy discovers what the raiders are after, but doesn't have a chance to reveal this. The Raiders retreat to their ship.

Revenue agents inform a now bankrupt R.J. Brande that he will be contacted the next day.
Discouraged Mon-el attempts to clear up the rubble of the HQ. Tasmia reports that the Raiders had also attacked a planet near Talok VIII. An unsuited Wildfire continues to converse with the others.

Legionnaires take a cruiser to pursue the Raiders. Superboy reveals that they were seeking synthetic neutronium and Saturn Girl, with the help of Projectra, announces that the Raiders plan to destroy the Sun with the neutronium. Leader Lightning Lad crashes the cruiser into the Raiders ship to stop them. Sun Boy produces a counter-reaction to heal the Sun's core. The team appears to be stranded in space.

Comments:
This is one of the worst Legion stories I've read. It's full of unanswered questions and logic gaps. The Planet of Giant Flowers made more sense. Coming off the dramatic events of Omega and the excellent closing pages of the previous issue, it's a great disappointment.

Although it's called Postscript to Holocaust, we only have limited scenes of the "holocaust": Brainy and Tenzil confined, Legion HQ destroyed, R.J. Brande bankrupt. Most of the story is the pursuit of a band of raiders.

We have no idea why the Raiders want to destroy the Sun, why Superboy was vulnerable to them, why Mon-el is the only one cleaning up the HQ rubble and so on.

Wildfire is able to speak without his suit. The powers of the mind-power Legionnaires – Projectra, Dream Girl and Saturn Girl – are wrongly depicted.

We do get confirmation that both Brainy and Matter Eater Lad are confined in an asylum, but Brainy is still being consulted for advice. He's crazy and he hates you: why would you trust anything he says?

In order to say something good: Lightning Lad itching for action, his dismay with the decisions of leadership, his grim determination once he made a decision and excellent piloting skills were satisfactory. I also liked the flaming horses.

Superboy & LSH #252

So I walked into the first post-Omega Conway story with a lot of trepidation. And perhaps it's because of those low expectations that I actually found a few within that I liked.

Don't get me wrong--there's a LOT of weak points. The Starburst Bandits are far too similar to the Resource Raiders and equally as ill-defined. There's a lot of questionable science and most of the heroes go down way too easy in the story at one point or another. Powers are misused. There really isn't a flow in the story, and the pacing feels uneven--it's slow in parts, and never really builds suspense.

But beyond all that there's some good.

Conway follows up on Tenzil and Brainy and also keeps the RJ Brande subplot moving forward. Mon-El deals with the fallout of a HQ in rubble. That attention to continuity is welcome and follows what Levitz started.

There's also a steady flow of science-fiction. Some of its wonky but overall it's something firmly entrenched in the setting and thats nice. The Bandits plot is way out there but hey, it's kind of interesting.

Am I grasping at straws? Maybe. I guess it all will depend on how Conway grows over time. Conway is clearly still getting his footing. If I had no knowledge of what was to come I might be okay with the issue and consider it a bumpy transition to a new creative team.

Good catch on Wildfire being able to speak without the suit, FC. That scene was particularly jarring.

Thinking a bit more about this issue, what I would have preferred or expected would be A Day in the Life sort of postscript - the sort of thing Levitz did well in the Baxter era. See how all the Legionnaires were dealing with the events of previous issues, no action, more character-driven. I'm reading this issue with expectations based on later experience.

Perhaps Conway was trying to deliver on Wildfire's affirmation in #251 that the Legion would always be there to save the galaxy, so, despite their own problems, they went into action against the Starburst Raiders.

#253 The League of Super-Assassins by Gerry Conway, art by Joe Staton & Frank Chiaramonte, G. D'Angelo colors, Ben Oda letters



Young sentients aboard a spaceship discuss their plans to kill six Legionnaires who destroyed their home planet. They call one another sister or cousin, although their physical appearances differ considerably. They are named Blok, Silver Slasher, Neutrax, Titania, Lazon and Mist Master.

On Earth, Legionnaires appear before U.P. officials to seek aid to rebuild their HQ and replace space cruisers. They are refused, since repairing widespread damage caused by the Khund War is taking priority. Some Legionnaires depart to appeal to R.J. Brande for fun, while the remaining ones decide to relax with a night out.

En route to Earth, the would-be Legionnaire killers encounter a U.P. patrol ship and destroy it, killing most of the crew.

Colossal Boy bemoans the absence of Violet as he and Superboy observe the closeness of couples Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl, Timber Wolf and Light Lass. The group splits up, Superboy leaves to check in on Brainy and Tenzil, while morose Gim is attacked and felled by Mist Master, who thanks The Dark Man for their powers. Slasher and Blok attack Brin and Ayla; Neutrax and Titania take out Tinya and Jo. The villains assemble with the “dead” Legionnaires in tow and Lazon announces that Superboy will be dead within the hour.

Comments:

This is an improvement over the previous story. We get six new super-villains with distinctive and clearly explained powers. They have a somewhat mysterious origin, with references to a world destroyed by Legionnaires and a Dark Man who gave them their powers. They address one another with family terms – sister, cousin – but it's not clear if they're related or using these appellations as would a religious community. These hints of a dark past do create interest in their story, as does the confusion of Ayla about the destruction of their homeworld. Their powers are deadly, they kill without remorse and easily defeat the Legionnaires.

Even at this initial stage, Blok is being set up to break with the group and join the good guys. He questions the worth of seeking vengeance, although for the time being he's on board with the mission to kill Legionnaires.

Conway introduces some good character scenes: Gim's still-unrequited desire for Salu, Brin's minimalist apartment and macho defense of Ayla, Superboy offering to check up on insane Brainy and Tenzil, Tinya finding Jo's survival pouch and giving a pep talk . We also get a glimpse into the entertainment scene of the future, dancing in “cooling cristaline” and relaxant drugs pumped into the venue's atmosphere.

We also learn that things are financially very difficult for Earth (which will have later impact) and the Legion gets one of their many brush-offs from the United Planets.

This isn't the first story in which the particular Legionnaires targeted by enemies just happen to be together in one location. It's overly-convenient. Also, the story ending with Legionnaires supposedly dead has been used a number of times – and I doubt any reader would have thought that all five Legionnaires had been killed.

As the story ends, the Assassins prepare to track down Superboy. We know he's gone to the mental institution to see Brainy and Tenzil. There's a tantalizing possibility that the Dark Man could be Brainiac 5, although we now know that isn't the case. However, it's good to end with anticipation.

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes 253

Before I begin the review proper, I must preface it by saying that I enjoyed my re-read of 253 so much, I kind of cheated and re-read 254 the next day. I'll save my thoughts on the latter until next week, except for this:



(A picture does indeed say a thousand words.)

Right, now I'll get to the first half of the 2-parter introducing the League of Super-Assassins, the good half. With FC having already provided an excellent synopsis, I'll get right to the nitty-gritty.

Kudos to Conway for presenting the Assassins with as many shades of gray as a Late Bronze Age DC superhero comic would allow. Blok, of course, is the standout, even without already knowing that he has a future on the side of the angels. But this also has a jarring and discomforting effect on readers who, like me, knew Blok as the gentle if slightly edgy giant from the Baxter Era (I believe I bought the back issues of this 2-parter a little under 3 years ago -- I'd only read them once before, and my memories of them were vague before this re-read.) Because although Blok is already the most ambivalent and eloquent of the Assassins, later in the issue Conway has him punch Ayla to apparently lethal effect. This does not compute with the gentlemanly Baxter Blok, and when all Blok continuity is looked at in this changed perspective, the overall picture that emerges of him is not a nice one at all -- but I'll leave the darker implications to be pointed out by Thoth, who is on record as disliking Blok.

The rest of the Assassins, while not as complex as Blok, still make a strong first impression, particularly the two female members, Silver Slasher and Titania. And although Slasher is the more obviously iconic -- with her cool visual, her scary powers which have also limited her abilities to interact safely with others, and her bloodlust tempered just enough by the occasional glimmer of humanity struggling to break through -- Titania's my clear choice for personal favorite, with her super-strength and her no-nonsense attitude. It doesn't hurt that we see her gleefully crush the Ultra Boy dummy's head to powder, and then later in the story, she kicks that damn Ultra-Poser's arse.

Staton's pencils in this issue have an energy I find lacking in most of his other Legion work. Perhaps he was galvanized by being able to introduce some much-needed new characters with genuine potential?

Frank Chiaramonte's inks are...interesting. There's something very Silver-Agey about them, sort of a cross between Gene Colan and Don Heck, both circa 1965 when they were at Marvel. Some of these aspects work better than others -- Chiaramonte shows a remarkable ability at what is known in the artists' trade as "spotting black areas," which gives Staton's pencils a moodiness that's appropriate for Conway's darker-than-average script, and a solidity that only a few other inkers ever gave Staton (Dick Giordano and Bob Layton are the only two I can think of right away.) The flipside to the inker's unusual-for-1979 style is that some of the faces, particularly the male ones, look way too sharp-featured. In some of the panels, the male faces have steamshovel jaws and creepy grins, both of which bring to mind the lesser examples of Carmine Infantino's post-1968 output.

Finally, I have to laugh at the hapless UP President, not only a total dog-lunch of a human being, but also the fashion victim to end them all, what with his ugly facial hair and sharp-edged high collar. Knowing that he will soon be replaced by Gim's mother Marte Allon (Conway's most progressive contribution to the Legion mythos) makes it all the easier for this reader to wallow in Shadenfreude (sp?)



That would have been very cool. As much as I love Brainy, I've come around fairly recently to agreeing with EDE's assertions in this forum that, after the Omega incident, Brainy really should have become part of the Legion's rogues gallery. If this seems to contradict my own assertion earlier in this same thread about my dislike of Starlin's taking Brainy past the point of no return, that, upon reflection, has more to do with Starlin's heavy-handed execution, with its one-dimensional-pantomime-monster portrayal of Brainy.

Psst--just wanna let you guys know it's come to my attention that somehow I don't own #253! I was traveling all week last week and therefore couldn't utilize other ways of reading it, but I plan to rectify that tomorrow, as well as read #254 (which I do own).

Since I long ago assumed I owned #253 and have never looked for it, it must mean I have never actually read the issue!

Woo-hoo! Virgin Cobie comments.

What He Who said.

And thanks for the heads-up, Cobie.

Much like the 14 year old me in more traditional ways, I'm consumed with losing this virginity!

We could get entirely new insights into this story! But it's really quite a treat to read a "lost" Legion story for the first time, even if you have a general idea of how it turns out.

#254 A Madman Shall Lead Them by Gerry Conway, art by Joe Staton & Dave Hunt, G. D'Angelo colors, Todd Klein letters



Superboy arrives at the asylum on St. Croix and appeals to Brainy for help. Suddenly, the wall shatters and a light beam enters, turning green and targeting Superboy, as a curious Brainy watches. Lazon appears, declares vengeance for his world Korlon and disappears. As guards arrive, Brainiac 5 tells them he has a proposal for the Hospital's Board.

Legionnaires appeal to R.J. Brande for financial help, but he advises them that he's bankrupt.

The Subs, in their HQ, grumble about lack of action as Polar Boy drills them in an exercise. Suddenly, Brainy appears with a hospital guard and the six fallen Legionnaires. After a lecture on appearances, he tells the Subs that they will plan an attack on the Assassins. A monitoring computer advises the guard that Brainiac is behaving within acceptable norms. Brainy relates some complicated procedure by which Superboy disarmed the green kryptonite beam and put himself into suspended animation; however, this state could be permanent unless Brainy found a way to reverse it.

At Legion HQ, he found the five other fallen Legionnaires, all in suspended animation, and discovered video recordings which showed Superboy putting Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl into this state as they were attacked by the Assasins. With further detection, Brainy determined that the drug put in the atmosphere at the clubs the Legionnaires visited was the compound by which Superboy was able to activate the suspended animation.

The Assassins' celebration is interrupted by ice, attacking plants, darkness and fire. One by one, they fall, with Blok finally thinking that their vengeance has returned on them, as he feared. Brainy later uses Lazon's energy to revive the Legionnaires. Superboy explains how he saved the other five and reminds them of Korlon, a planet which Legionnaires helped to evacuate before its destruction. He states that the Assassins, as children, associated the destruction with the Legion and that “The Dark Man” exploited this belief. As he vows to someday find the Dark Man, he thinks that cure must be found for Brainiac 5.

Comments:

Right away, the title hints that the Assassins leader might be insane Brainiac 5.

The best part of this story is the use of the Subs. We see them chafing for action, with leader Polar Boy desperately trying to drill some discipline into them. Under the direction of Brainiac 5, they're organized and effective. (Were they unaware that he was insane, in awe of him regardless, or just happy for an excuse to get out of the clubhouse?) Their lack of fame and exposure is an advantage: the Assassins are taken by surprise, don't know what is hitting them and are defeated. It's parallel to their attack on the Legionnaires.

For some reason, the asylum/hospital lets Brainy fiddle with electronic equipment – and keep his forcefield belt. After launching the insanity grenade, the writers don't seem to take the damage seriously enough. Everyone still seems to trust his advice and they only send one guard and a computer with him when he leaves the facility.

There's some confusion about the Assassins' planet: Dryad was mentioned in #253, here it's Korlon. The cover, as is often the case, is a misdirect.

Blok has a philosophical moment, in which he reflects on the nature of vengeance. Not only his appearance but his attitude distinguishes him from the other Assassins.

I think it's a shame that Superboy had to be used to save the Legionnaires with such extraordinary and convoluted measures. The perfect replacement character would have been Element Lad, whose power would logically detect and activate the suspended animation chemicals.

Catching up on both #253 and #254”

Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes #253
It’s not often that I get to come into a Legion story as a virgin anymore, and I have to say, it feels good! (Okay, that’s the last one of those, I promise ;)). I actually didn’t expect too much here, but was pleasantly surprised by some really solid writing by Conway, that showcased a good focus on character while also providing a tight, if also somewhat standard, superhero story.

The League of Super-Assassins has always been a little ‘blah’ for me, but what makes them so interesting is the fact that Blok was among their original number. From the very first panel, Blok shows a compassionate side that sets him apart from the rest of the League of Super-Assassins and makes him a compelling character.

I enjoyed the subplot of the Legion’s financial woes very much here. When super-teams like the Legion, or more commonly, the Avengers, have to face financial or bureaucratic problems, it provides insight into the “behind the scenes” world they inhabit, giving us an insider’s viewpoint while also providing problems we can relate to. It grounds them, but also presents them dilemmas they can’t smash their way out of, which should theoretically showcase their numerous capabilities.

Superboy is the surprising one to suggest a night on the town. And you know, I like that! It backs up the concept that the 30th (now 31st) Century is a place for Superboy to escape to—a place where he has friends who are equals and can perhaps relax a little and let his hair down. Sure, he’s iconic even then, but it must feel like such a relief to get away from the present time where so much responsibility rests on his shoulders alone.

Gim is very vocal about feeling like a fifth wheel—a feeling a lot of people can relate to. It’s something he’s probably felt again and again, and compiled with both the fact that his love for Salu is never quite returned and his two best friends in the LSH, Cham and Dirk, appear to have no problem being “lady’s men”, it’s no wonder that Gim becomes the type of Legionnaire to want to find love and then settle down. This route he ends up taking is one very familiar to me as it echoes the path many of my friends have taken. Meanwhile, the Brin / Ayla scene is actually kind of romantic. And we normally don’t get to see the two of them be so cozy. On the flip side, the way the suggestive wording “…and pleasures far more private” is placed next to a dancing Jo and Tinya just reeks of the implied hot Legionnaire sexy time they’ll be having by the time the next page rolls around. Conway then takes the scene one step further and in a really brilliant way: a silent panel of Superboy with a brief narrative box showing his own solitude and longing; it’s brilliantly understated and you instantly know exactly what he’s talking about. For a second time, Conway uses the Legion to showcase Superboy’s multi-layered personality.

(And one more follow-up: one single panel shows Gim considering Tinya’s positive effect on Jo, and how without her, he’s “as depressing a guy as I’ve ever met”. Here, Conway recalls the old “rebel without a cause Jo”, who I consider the “real Jo”, showing insight into what a brooding figure he is. This fits much more into my perception of the character, which is most fully realized in TMK, rather than the “faux Jo” that Levitz would write, which I consider an act that he puts on.)

I either didn’t remember, or simply never knew since this is the first time I read this issue, that the Dark Man subplot started all the way back here. I agree with FC that the idea of Brainy being the Dark Man is much more interesting than a “faux-Tharok”.

Overall, the plot structure of a team of super-villains being introduced to the readers by taking out the superheroes one by one has got to be one of the most overused, boring plot structures in team comic books. However, I did like a lot of the personal touches Conway put into this issue, including quite a lot of character development. I’m really pleased to have read it for the first time!

Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes #254

Last issue, Conway did a good job showing different personalities for the various Super-Assassins; here, in the opener, he shows Lazon take down Superboy and backs up the idea that he’s the most dangerous (and the one I most want to punch).

Anyway, onwards to #254, which is an issue I like on its own, and like even more so when reading it right after the previous one for the first time. In the last issue, there was a lot to like, but it had a very straightforward, “standard” plot structure. Here, the plot structure is kind of thrown out the window for something more free-flowing, and therefore, more exciting. And this centers around the inclusion of Brainiac 5, who plays a really great part in the story, serving as a bit of a monkey wrench for the Super-Assassins and being a real wild card. It’s further enhanced (for me at least) by the inclusion of the Substitute Legion, who get to show up again (not long after their last appearance). Though they kind of play second fiddle to Brainy, it certainly fits within their historical role, and is fun to see.

Playing devil’s advocate to myself, though, I have to say that Superboy’s “solution” is very much a Silver Age motif, where what we previously saw didn’t work, and in a way it’s a bit of a cop-out. But c’mon…did anyone really think we’d see 5 dead Legionnaires? So I can live with it. After all, Conway did a great job planting the clue of the ‘suspended animation chemicals’ in the movie theater scene in the previous issue which sleuth readers should have picked up on.

The outcome of the issue is interesting. As a fan of the Subs, I love that this is a really great moment for them. But it also instantly relegates the Super-Assassins to B-grade status at best. After all, you wouldn’t see the Fatal Five taken out by the Subs. This will hurt them in the long haul and make them forever after the types of villains you see in mega 20 versus 20 type superhero battles, with few actually interesting stories for them to follow. That is too bad, because they have a very auspicious debut at a time when the Legion could use a few new super-villains. Meanwhile, the most interesting of them, Blok, has bigger things on the horizon.

All in all, this was a two-parter that I enjoyed! Not the greatest story by any means, but fun and with a lot to like. All the Conway misgivings—thus far at least—seem to be for naught…but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

FC, fantastic catch that the Subs attack on the Super-Assassins parallels the S-A's attack on the Legionnaires. I didn't catch that! A very effective writing technique!

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #254

Those of us participating in this re-read project seem to agree in consensus that the Omega 2-parter was undermined by a case of incongruity.  Specifically, the incongruity of the Weisinger-style-Legion-Silver-Agey-silliness of its resolution with the dark, serious, and intense sequences which immediately preceded it.

If that is indeed the case, then I now propose that the entire second half of the 2-parter introducing the League of Super-Assassins (in the issue currently under review) not only undermines the very promising first half (in issue #253), it causes the story itself to self-destruct, with the script committing a sort of comic book creation's equivalent of ritual suicide (I wonder if Gerry Conway is a Yukio Mishima fan?)

And furthermore, the story's betrayal of its own entertainment value happens in what I consider to be a fashion reminiscent of the very worst Boltinoff-style-Legion-Bronze-Agey-stupidity, adding up to nothing less than an insult to the intelligence of every reader of any age bracket who is unfortunate enough to read this glorified toilet paper.

IMO, having Superboy be one step ahead of the Assassins the whole time is not only the very worst kind of Mary Sue-ing, even by average Pre-1980 Superboy standards, it also leaves the Assassins -- who in issue #253 came across to me as an interesting group of new villains with great potential all around -- reduced to ineffectual comedy-relief buffoons on the level of the Mutants from the old Thundercats TV cartoon.

And to add insult to injury, both this issue's front cover and its Page 1 Roll Call promise an appearance by my favorite Legionnaire Shadow Lass, only to turn out to be false advertising.  Clearly, the Legion's then-editor, Jack C. Harris, was "asleep at the wheel", as the saying goes.

Art-wise, Joe Staton appears to have lost the enthusiasm that made his pencils on issue #253 above-average (not that I blame him; hell, even Dave Cockrum in his prime wouldn't have been able to save a script like this.)  And the inking by Dave Hunt, who was never more than an adequate inker at best, deteriorates at a page-by-page, maybe even panel-by-panel, rate.

As for the Subs, I'm no more than a casual fan of most members, with a strong liking for Polar Boy at one extreme, and a strong disliking for Night Girl at the other.  So I'm unmoved by their unexpected turn at the spotlight in an atypically (for the Subs' late-70s/early-80s appearances) effective performance in battle against the Assassins.

Finally, I think it could be argued that while Blok eventually earned his due by switching to the side of the angels, the rest of the Assassins, even my favorites Silver Slasher and Titania, never recovered from the humiliation they are put through by Conway and Harris in this appalling exercise in hackwork.

Wouldn't that be a fun exercise, to examine how different superheroes or teams deal with financial problems? I suppose they could punch out their creditors in frustration, but you're right that they would have to use talents other than fisticuffs.




Good point. I sort of forget that aspect of Superboy, that in Smallville, he's the only one of his kind. In the future, he's one among many equals, although his reputation may be greater.



This makes me think that I would have liked to see a scene in which the Dark Man (unidentified) broods over news of the Assassins' defeat and remarks that he thought Brainiac 5 was out of the picture.



That's a good point. I reacted to the chemical reference as a minor detail of world-building (something Levitz would do), but I suspect Conway puts these bits in for plot reasons. I'll keep an eye out in the stories ahead!



So much more could have been done with this group. Would the Subs have been as effective without Brainy managing them? Probably not. Nevertheless, the humiliation of defeat should have spurred these characters on to improve their villainy skills (not to mention more developed personalities). Each time they came back, they could have been more deadly. They have a good mix of powers and looks; why they didn't become regulars baffles me.