Superboy # 211 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes "The Legion's lost Home"

"The Legion's Lost Home"  Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell

Years ago, the Legion, consisting of Brainiac-5, Shadow Lass, Cosmic Boy and Superboy, watch as their damaged original clubhouse is taken away. They talk about the new Headquarters they are about to built and about how much they will miss the old clubhouse. Cut to today and Canaveral graveyard, located some miles from Metropolis, we see the wreck club house amongst the junk. A guard recognizes Shadow Lass and cosmic boy  landing by the club house. They give the guard a story about how they have to look for a missing weapon from the Legion arsenal. The guard lets the famous hero go about unescorted. The pair enter the headquarters reminiscing about the past. Lights come on powered by the old atomic generators, they head for the Legion's security chambers and Cosmic boy uses a weapon to melt the security bars. He then uses a crow bar to remove a metal plate and retrieve the flawless pyram jewel where he stashed it years ago. Shadow Lass swoons over the jewel and the two plan to leave when they are interrupted. The teen turns out to be Stone boy of the Legion of Substitute heroes. They attack the hero but he uses his powers to turn himself to stone. Cosmic Boy's gun has no effect on him. They head out side when they are attacked by plants under the control of Chlorophyll Kid. Cosmic Boy goes to fire his gun again and he his stop by Fire Lad's flaming breath.

Who are Stone Boy, Chlorophyll Kid and Fire Lad, you ask? They are members of the Legion of Substitute heroes. A good of former Legion applicants who were rejected that formed together to become their own back up squad for the main team.
  They wrap up the pair and it turns out that Cosmic Boy and Shadow Lass, are really 2 impostors wearing costumes. The fake Cosmic boy hid the Pyram Jewel in the detention center years ago and they dressed like the heroes so that they could move about unnoticed. The Subs were at the junk yard to pick up the headquarters, it seems that the Legion has given building to the lesser known heroes to use as their new headquarters.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call (all in flashback)

• Cosmic Boy
• Shadow Lass
• Superboy
• Brainiac-5

Legion of Substitute heroes

• Chlorophyll Kid
• Fire Lad
• Stone Boy

Notes:
Page 1:

• Shadow Lass says she is going to hate to see the old clubhouse go. Now at this point she has been a member of the team for a bout five minutes. She Joined the group around the time of the building's destruction.

Page 2:

• The junkyard that the headquarters is left in also has the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Jupiter II along with other space vehicles.

Page 4:

• The fake Cosmic Boy's says he spent enough time around the Legion Security Chamber to know the lay out in his sleep, the reason why is because he was locked up in it.
• My first hint that something was not right was when Cosmic Boy used a weapon to open the cell, the real Cosmic Boy would of been able to use his powers to do that.

Page 5

• Nice use of the Subs, Later uses of the team would make them a joke but they are used well hear.

Okay story not one of my favorites, but I am not going to pick it apart. The Subs appearance was good to see, I know we won't see the whole team again for a while but we will see a member next issue.
Next Time: The first story of Superboy # 212

Member profile: Element Lad

ELEMENT LAD
Real Name: Jan Arrah
Home Planet: Trom
Known Relatives, Parents (deceased) Arn and Valla Arrah
Height: 5'11"
Weight 170 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond
1st App: Adventure Comics 307
Created by Ed Hamliton and John Forte
Powers: Alter elements, changing one into another, matter transformation.

History
Jan Arrah is the sole surviving member of his race. The peaceful Trommites possessed the power to transform elements due to the radioactive nature of their world. The pirate Roxxas wanted them to use the power for him but they refused and he wiped out the entire race except for the young teen who would become Element Lad. Element Lad joined the Legion and helped them capture Roxxas. Jan spent his time in the Legion in the background it was not until later adventures that he took more of a leader ship role. As one of the Legion Orphans he does not have much of a life outside the team, he does not even have a romantic relationship. At the time of when we are covering Legion history Element Lad is deputy Leader.
  His powers make him one of the more powerful members of the team but at times he can be under used. Writer Paul Levitz will make him (and most of the other members) a more fleshed out Character.

Next Time: The 2nd Story of Superboy 211 "The Legion's Lost Home"

Superboy # 211 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

SUPERBOY # 211 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes. Cover date: Sept 1975, Cover Price .25 cents. First Story: "The Ultimate Revenge" Art: Mike Grell, Story: Jim Shooter.
 A small space craft flies through the vast emptiness of space. The pilot is looking for a place called Haven, when a hidden door opens in the middle of space. The craft lands and out comes Roxxas, he is greeted by the Havenmastter Gorra. Haven is a refuge for the most wanted men in the universe.  It is hidden in the outermost reaches of the Galaxy invisible to all who gaze at it. The refuge is invisible and transparent to radar. Roxxas escaped takron galtos the prison planet over a year ago. Gorra asks when he had been hiding, a very disturbed Roxxas answers the last place anyone would look for him, but he had to leave it he could not stand it there any longer. Roxxas tells how he had a ship stashed on the prison planet and he fake an injury to break out of the infirmary. Gorra is showing Roxxas around when one of the walls breaks open and the Legion of Super-Heroes arrive. While haven is invisible from our side of the galaxy it is visible from the other side. Star boy, Light Lass, Chemical King and Element lad take out the villains. During the fight Roxxas escapes to his ship but not before Element Lad spots him and hesitates giving Roxxas the opportunity to rocket away.
The team leave the Science Police to wrap up and return to Legion Headquarters on earth. Sun Boy takes the Auto-Log tape of the mission and puts the foursome on leave.
 Star Boy is excited and asks Element Lad if he is going to visit his parents. Star Boy did not know that Jan Arrah, Element Lad's parents and the whole population of his planet Trom were murdered. He then tells his origin story. " Trom was a small, barren radioactive planet, there was only one Valley where the radiation level was low enough for life to exist. A side effect of this is that the people of Trom developed the power to transform any element to any other element. The four million people of Trom lived a peaceful life, until they were visited by a fleet of space-pirates led by the villain Roxxas. Roxxas wanted the people of Trom to use there powers for his benefit. They refused and were ready to defend themselves but roxxas rained Photon Torpedoes on the valley. The Tromites had no defense against energy weapons their power only affected matter. Roxxas's men pursued the few survivors through the ruins, gunning them down in cold blood. Jan was the only one who escaped, after finding a spaceship that survived the holocaust, and that was when he joined the Legion and helped capture Roxxas. A grim faced Element lad makes his leave saying he has a cruiser warming up on the flight deck. At the same time in the computer room Sun Boy is running the tape of of the raid on Haven when Superboy arrives from the past. He shows Superboy the scene of Roxxas escaping. He tells Superboy that none of the Legionnaires with Jan were involved with Roxxas' capture but he recognizes him instantly. They look at the Legion locator's board and see that Element Lad blasted off with no destination stated. Superboy and Sun boy think that Element Lad has gone after Roxxas so they gather the Light Lass, Star Boy and Chemical King and take off in a 2nd cruiser.
  At the same time Element Lad is talking to the Science Police and they tell him that under Hypnosis Gorra said that Roxxas's hideout is the last place anyone would look for it. That was enough information for Element Lad and he heads for Trom. Superboy is tracking with his telescopic vision and watches him land on Trom, but they are about 3 hours behind.
  Once on Trom Element Lad searches for Roxxas, through the ruins. Roxxas sees him and recognize that it is the one surviving Trommite. Roxxas steps out of the shadows and faces Jan. Element lad uses his powers to turn all metal on the villain to gas. Jan pulls out a Death Ray Gun and aims it at Roxxas, he is about to fire when the Legion shows up. They tell him to turn Roxxas over to justice. But Jan says he is the law and it is his right to execute him. Star boy explains that he once killed a man in self defense and was kick out of the Legion for a while, and that Legionnaires do not kill. So Element Lad resigns. As he fires his weapon Superboy is about to stop him at super speed but Chemical King stops him and the weapon fires. Roxxas slumps to the ground and the others berate Jan. Superboy who has had enough of Chemical Kings shit, picks him up and is about to toss him into the sun, when element lad breaks down regretting what he did. Chemical King free of Superboy picks up the Death ray gun and holds it to his own head and fires, the same glowing beam comes out but it does not harm the Legionnaire. King explains that he used is power to deteriorate the Quasi batter in the gun, it only had enough power to throw a light beam. He also used his power to slow down Roxxas' metabolism so he appeared to be dead. Just then Roxxas gets up and is raving about how he is being haunted by the souls of the trommites who he killed and begs for them to kill him. Jan see that Letting him live with his madness is the ultimate revenge.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call:

• Element Lad (Jan Arrah)
• Star Boy
• Chemical King
• Light Lass
• Sun Boy
• Superboy
• Brainiac-5 (flashback)

Villain

• Roxxas

Rooms in the headquarters

• Computer Room

Legion Equipment

• Legion Cruisers
• Death Ray gun
• Auto Log Tape
• Legion space suits

Notes:
Page 3:

• Legion breaks into haven, it looks like from the outside wall, but know one is sucked into space.

Page 4:

• Haven is invisible from one side of the galaxy but it is visible from the other, not sure how that works.

Page 5:

• Last time we saw Light Lass she was a blonde now she is has orange/red hair.

Page 6:

• Star boy and Element Lad has been team mates for years but he never heard his origin story before, I find that hard to believe.

Page 7:

• Superboy does not show up until page 7 of his own comic book.

Page 8:

• Legion Locator board shows Cosmic Boy on Kathoon, keep that in mind for next issues back up, I might call back to this.
• Gorra being interrogated under Hypno-Prisms, I wonder when they stopped using Miranda rights in the 30th century.

Page 10:

• Flash back to when Star Boy Killed a guy who had a crush on Dream girl.
• Chemical king should be dead for jumping in front of a moving Superboy.

Page 11:

• Superboy looks like he is going punch Chemical King into orbit.
• last panel of page, Chemical King is doing the most useful thing he has ever done as a Legionnaire.

Very good story tieing in Element Lad's Origin, which has not been mentioned since he first appeared back in the sixties. Not much character development being done at this time but Shooter has a good handle on the Team.

Next time: Member Profile on Element Lad

Member Profile: Karate Kid

Karate Kid
Real Name: Val Armorr
Home Planet: Earth
Known Relatives: Kirau Nezumi (father) Valentina Armorr (mother)
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 185 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
1st App: Adventure Comics 346
Created By: Jim Shooter
Main Foe: Nemesis Kid
Powers: Super Karate

History
Val Armorr was an orphan born in Japan. His Father was the villain Black Dragon and his mother was Valentina Armorr. He was raised by Sensei a former Japanese Hero who unknownst to Val killed his father. Sensei taught Val martial arts and help Val develop the skills that make him a living weapon. Val as Karate Kid, joined the Legion along side of Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad and Nemesis Kid. During his first mission Karate Kid was deemed a traitor, but it turned out Nemesis Kid was the real traitor. During his time in the Legion he fell in love with Princess Projectra.
   Despite having no real superpowers Karate Kid is one of the greatest fighters in the Universe and is considered one of the tougher members of the team. Val served one term as Legion Leader, and takes time to help train his fellow heroes in self defense.

Next time: The first story in Superboy # 211

Superboy Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes # 210 "The Lair of the Black Dragon"

Before I get into the recap of this story I will like to tell a story that I should of told at the begining of the post for the first story of this issue. I have my older brother Tim to thank for my love of these stories, when I was 10 I started collecting comics, and stayed mostly with Superman, and Batman, but the Summer I turned 11 my brother who is a year older then we was working for a relative or neighbor, I can't remember. He used a little of the money he earned and bought me a bag full of comics books. In the bag as best I can remember was an issue of the Amazing Spider-Man, a few Marvel team ups, a Marvel two-in one starring the thing and issue 210, 211, and 212 of Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes. Now I might of seen the Legion before in a reprint but I fell in love with the team with these stories. These were the issues I first seen back stories on the Karate Kid and Element Lad. The first time I seen my favorite Legion uniform (the member was PP but I was 2 young to apprieated at the time.) A member quit, and we got a back up starring of all people Night Girl. Great Issue and these molded me into the Legion fan I am today. So thank you Tim you started me on quite the trip. Now on to our story.

"The Lair of the Black Dragon" Art by: Mike Grell and Story by Jim Shooter.

 

 

Karate Kid out for a stroll on the syways above metropolis is attaced by 4 martial art using men, he takes three of them out noting that they were highly skilled. Going after the last one who seems to be the leader his punch was parried, a feat that was rarley done. The man whos name is Sadahru tells him this was a test to prove that he was Val Armorr the famed Karate Kid and that he was not overrated. Sadahru explains to Val that he needs his help to kill a man. Val turns him down and refers Sadahru to the fatal five. Sadahru is looking for revenge for the murder of his best friend Val's father. Val never new his father and was shocked that Sadahru did. Sadahru and his friends say they will avenge his father's death even if the Karate Kid will not. Hours later Val wearing a spify hat and coat is following Sasahru to the metroplis core tube terminal, a transit system that travels straight threw the earth. Some time Later they arrive in a remote mountainous area in Japan.. Where Sadahru and his crew come upon a large dome made out of Nullitorn and one of the thugs says that their quarry is inside. Their foe chosed his hideout well, Nullitron is imperious to energy blasts..even power drill rays, Sadahru says even he can not crack it. 

  Waiting to night fall Karate kid goes up to the dome, this is why Sadahru needed him, to crack the dome. The kid was not about to kill anyone  but figures if he can get in without tipping anyone off he might get the lowdown on this setup. Val examines the dome and found that the wall was broken once before and repaired, he then prepares to try and hit the weak spot, knowing that the nullitron deads sound and he will not be overheard.

He his welcome to the Lair of the Black Dragon he is greeted by the last person he expected, the man who raised him and trained him in the art of Super-Karate, his Sensei. Sensei tells Val that Sadaharu did not lie he is the one who killed his father. The dome was his stronhold and after his death Sensei took it over and repaired to use as his own last refuge. Sensei then tells Val the story of when He was a young super hero, His arch enemy was the brutal Black Dragon.. Kirau Nezumi.. whose skillrivaled the Sensei's own but his villainy was unsurpassed. Over the years they had many encounters, the last being in the very lair they were now standing. Sensi broke in and they had a life or death battle and it was the Black Dragon who perised. After the battle he learned the Black Dragon was the farther of an infant son, the Karate Kid. He tells him how he raised him and trained Val to be a hero to atone for his father's crimes. He also tells Val that he gave him his mother's madien name of Armorr. Val's Mother was Valentna Armorr an american who died shortly after Val's birth. As the Sensei tells the story Sadaharu and his men enter the lair. Sadaharu tells Val that he was taught by the Black Dragon and after his death he inherited the Black Dragon's organization. Sadaharu says that he searched for Val but the Sensei kept him hidden. Years later he discovered Sensei in tokyo and Sensei then fled to the mighty fortress that he stole from the Black Dragon. He also tells Val that he was easily duped into opening the fortress for him and now nothing can stop him from avenging his master. Val stands against Sadaharu and his 5 men, using his skilll speed and raw corage he triumps and knocks out Sadaharu and his men. Val tells his old Sensei that the Black Dragon gave him life but the Sensei gave him ideals and moral values, mad him a fource for good and in all the ways important he was his true Father.

Bits of Legionarrie Business:

Roll Call:

•  Karate Kid (Val Armorr

1st App:

•  Sadaharu
• Sensei
• Black Dragon (flash back)

Notes:

Page 1:

•  Karate Kid attacked by four thugs.

Page 2:

•  Sadaharu blocks the kids punch.

Page 3:

•  Metropolis core tube is the shaft that Supergirl tunneled way back when she first joined the Legion.
• Karate Kid thinks that a hat and cape is a good disguise.

Page 6:

•  Sensei has a portait of Val's mother that he never showed him.

Jim Shooter wrote a great Origin for Karate Kid, the first one he had ever had, which make sense since Shooter created the charater back during his first run on the book. Grell has Karate Kid looking more asian in this appearence, I believe that DC was trying to take advantage of the martial craze that was going through pop culture. In this book I counted 4 seperate ads for Martial art training. I am not going out on a limb saying that this is one of my favorite Jim Shooter Stories and my favorite Karate Kid Story.

 

Next time: Member Profile on... come on you can guess it.

 

 

 

Yes the Karate Kid.

Member Profile: Lightning Lad

Real Name: Garth RanzzHome Planet: Winath
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs
Known Relatives: Ayla Ranzz, (Twin Sister), Mekt Ranzz (Brother)
Hair: Red
Eyes: Blue
1st App: Adventure comics 247
Created by:
Arch Foe: Lightning Lord
Powers: Lightning Powers

History
Garth Ranzz, got his powers when along with his Brother Mekt and Sister Ayla space ship got stranded on the planet Korbal. Attempting to recharge the ships battery using the native Lightning beasts, the 3 siblings got blasted by the beasts instead, and each had the power to generate electrical charges.
 Later when searching for his Brother who left home he met Rokk Krin and Imra Ardeen on a space flight and together they stopped RJ Brande from being kidnapped. Brande was impressed with the teenagers and decided to sponsor them and start the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Out of all of the members of the team Garth is known as the unluckiest Legionnaire. He has died once and lost and arm, both of those conditions got reversed, and he has a long term relationship with Saturn Girl so maybe he is not that unlucky. At the point in Legion History that we are covering with this blog Garth is the only founder to not be elected Legion Leader. Garth is one of the more stable members of the team and is well liked by his fellow members, Garth has a close relationship with Cosmic Boy, Phantom Girl and other members.
I have always like this version of Lightning Lads costume It is a great Dave Cockrum design that I think nobody drew better than Mike Grell, see the two pictures the top is by Grell the bottom is Cockrum.

Next time the 2nd Story of Superboy 210 featuring Ralph Macchio, oops no I mean the Karate Kid the real one.

Superboy # 210 starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Cover date: August 1975, Cover price .25 cents. 
First Story: "Soljer's Private War" Art by Mike Grell and Story by Jim Shooter.
   We open to Phantom Girl watching Lighting Lad hit a flying figure with what he calls a death bolt.
That figure turns out to be Superboy, and the 3 members of the Legion of Super-heroes are in a area out side of Metropolis practicing using their powers. Lighting Lad shoots another lightning bolt at Superboy, but the teen of steel super-speeds out of the way and the bolts just blasts dirt. A weather controlled scheduled rain shower interrupts the training session and the 3 heroes fly off to Legion HQ. Just as the three are out of sight a body dressed in a military uniform crawls out of the still smoldering crater caused by the powerful lightning blast. The lightning bolt ignited a spark of life in what was once a soldier from 2783 who was fighting in world war VI. The soldier and his squad were ordered

Mike Essad
 

to take metropolis, when the enemy spotted them and launched a gamma grenade, with out thinking the soldier, named  Essad dived on the Grenade and absorbed the gamma charge while at the same time was struck by a lightning bolt. His squad buried the still glowing body right where he laid, the same spot that was struck 200 years later boy Lightning Lads bolt. His Sergeant called him a good soldier and that is what was once Private Mike Essad calls him self as he a wakens from the grave Soljer. Not much more than a zombie, Soljer walks stiffly uncertainly in a direction of a city, when he spots a sign that says metropolis one mile he remembers his mission of long ago.
 A little while later the rain has stopped and Lightning Lad and Superboy are all set to go back to practice when Brainiac-5 tells them that they are needed, and the 3 heroes join Chameleon Boy, Princess Projectra and Phantom Girl near the outskirts of metropolis, where Soljer is firing an unseen pistol and is destroying buildings. Brainiac-5's analymeter says that there is nothing in Soljer's hand and that he is firing an imaginary gun. Superboy runs out to stop him but Soljer pulls out an imaginary rifle and shoots the boy of steel. Lightning Lad blasts him with a bolt but it has no effect, Brainy tells him that he is already charged with pure energy so a little more will not faze him. Phantom Girl thinks maybe the physical approach will work and turns into a phantom to approach Soljer, but he sees her and pulls an imaginary knife out off an empty scabbard and stabs her. The team is shocked that Phantom girl was injured while immaterial. With Superboy down and Phantom Girl possibly dying Brainiac-5 orders the team back to headquarters to regroup. In the medical center Brainy diagnoses that Superboy will recover in a day or two but Phantom Girl is critical and does not know where to begin on helping her. She shows no wound but keeps moaning and clutching her stomach but there is nothing there that Brainiac-5 can detect. Chameleon Boy enters the room and updates Brainy on Soljer activities, he has reached the heart of the city and is blasting the buildings with his invisible weapons. That gives Brainiac-5 an idea he instructs Chameleon to use his powers to become a phantom and see if he can locate the source of Phantom Girls problems. He does as asked and feels a handle of a knife coming out of phantom girl's body. Cham very carefully removes it and Brainy puts the healing machines on Phantom Girl. The injured heroine starts breathing easier and they think she will pull through. Chameleon tells Brainy that this thing is like a WW VI knife that he has seen in a museum. Brainiac tells him that make sense the weapons and uniform that Soljer uses is of the same vintage. Chameleon does not believe him but Brainy tells him to get solid and hold on to the knife. He does but the knife vanishes. Brainiac comes to the conclusion that Soljer's body got charged with super energy and that he creates his own weapons and that is why they could hurt a phantom. Brainy tells Cham to check the history tapes about the invasion force that attack Metropolis back in 2783 while he will try to get a first hand look using the Time Scanner. Later Soljer is approaching the residence of the United Planets President leaving a trail of destruction behind him. He goes to fire his weapon but before he can fire he sees Metropolis destroyed, the whole city in ruins and a Sergeant appears and orders him to attention, Sergeant Richter asks him to look around, to see the ruins of Metropolis, he tells Soljer that his mission is complete and that he is a good soldier. Soljer snaps to attention for a moment, pride sweeps through the less than human being, a tear trickles down his cheek and a great weariness clouds his eyes. Suddenly, his legs buckle and he sags to the ground his duty done, welcoming finally the arms of death.
  Brainiac has Projectra drop her Illusion while he examines the dead body of private Essad, and Chameleon changes out of his Sergeant Richter disguise. The team then all meet up in Phantom Girl's hospital room to tell her the story and that Private Essad would be getting a monument to document his dedication and sacrifice by throwing himself on that Gamma Grenade to save his friends.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call

• Lightning Lad
• Superboy
• Phantom Girl
• Brainiac-5
• Chameleon Boy
• Princess Projectra

Legion equipment

• Analymeter
• Healing Machines
• Time Scanner
• Flight Rings

Rooms in the Headquarters

• Medical Center
• Tape Library

Page 1:

• Lightning Lad uses what he calls a death bolt, now does that go against the  Legion's code against killing? Yes he was firing at Superboy who it will not hurt, but what if he missed?
• I said this before but they seem to pair Lightning Lad up with Phantom girl a lot, am I reading to much into this?

Page 2:

• Nice to know that we will have control of the weather in about 1,000 years.

Page 3:

• So world war VI is directed by computers, so rivalry between Mirco soft and Apple finally became violent, way to go Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

Page 4:

• 30th century has what looks to be wooden hand made road signs?

Page 7:

• Chameleon becomes a phantom... wtf, I know that he can change his appearance but how can he duplicate powers?

Nice use of Projectra's powers to show Essad what he wanted to see and to end the story with out a fight scene.
Next time: Member Profile on Lightning Lad

Superboy # 209 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes "Hero For A Day"

"Hero For A Day" Written by Cary Bates and Art by Mike Grell.

   Sun boy, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Cosmic Boy and Wildfire welcome Flynt Brojj to Legion headquarters. Flynt won a day at the Legion Headquarters by raising the most money for the United Planets charity drive. Sun Boy and Cosmic Boy lift Flynt up and fly him inside, there Saturn Girl gives him his own flight ring to use for the day. It is a little big on the smallish teenager, but he is beaming with pride. Out of all of the wondrous things in the Legion headquarters to show Flynt first they bring him to the Parcel Receiving Dock. Where they show them a transporter that is connected to the Federal Postal satellite orbiting earth. The parcels are screened and then beamed down to headquarters. But one of the packages turns out to be a Tulvian Witch wolf, the deadliest beast in the solar system. Sun boy and Cosmic Boy grab Flynt and hightail it out of there. watching from a window they start to tell Flynt that the witch wolf gives off invisible poisonous radiation, but Flynt already new that, and that the three of them may already be fatally stricken. Flynt tries to be brave as the other Members show up stating that one of their enemies must of found out the wave length of their postal teleportation channel and used that information to beam a Witch Wolf into the headquarters. The radiation is spreading every second there is no wall thick enough to stop it soon the rays will seep out of the room through the citadel and contaminate the rest of metropolis. They decide to reset the teleportation controls to beam the brute to a deserted asteroid, but the wolf will be ready for them so they decide to go one at a time. Cosmic boy tries first but once in the room he tries to use his magnetic powers on the controls but they are turn back on him. Wildfire is about to go next when Flynt drops his flight ring without noticing. Wildfires blasts are hurtled back at him. While that is happening Flynt can not believe what he sees. He tries to tell Sun boy what he sees but the hot head cuts him off just as Shrinking violet is making her attempt. She finds her powers are being reversed and she is enlarging to her normal height hitting her head and blacking out while doing so. Saturn Girl arrives and tells Sun Boy that Mon-El and the others are minutes away. Sun Boy is just about to go in when Flynt rushes the door. Sun Boy goes to stop him when Saturn Girl hold him back and tells him they must let Flynt go inside. Flynt enters the wolf's cage and the Witch wolf suddenly disappears, Flynt plan worked the spell is broken. Saturn Girl explains that she telepathically picked up Flynt's thoughts  so she knew he had the solution. All this time they were fighting an empty cage, the wolf was never there they were victims of a mass hypnotic spell. The hypnotic spell was tied to the Flight Rings, and when Flynt dropped his he was able to see through the spell. There is no radiation poison, it was all done with the power of suggestion. Wildfire says their next mission is to find out who almost suggested them to death, Sun Boy say that they still have an honored guest to entertain. Saturn Girl and Shrinking Violet start the entertainment by each giving him a great big kiss.

Bits of Legionnaires Business
Roll Call:

• Saturn Girl
• Sun Boy
• Cosmic Boy
• Wild Fire
• Shrinking Violet
• Star Boy

First App.

•  Flynt Brojj

Rooms in the headquarters

•  Parcel receiving dock

Legion Equipment

•  Legion Flight Rings

Notes:

Page: 1

•  We meet Flynt Brojj a charter named after 2 real life Legion fans

Page 2:

•  I smell plot device when Saturn girl gives Flynt the smallest ring they have and it is still too big.
• Parcel receiving dock, come on at least take him to the monitor room.

Page 5:

• Plot device paid off when Flynt drops the Ring.

Page 8:

• Flynt saves the day, and what does he get, a three some with Saturn girl and Violet, at least that is how I read it.

Nice tribute to 2 fans by making them a character in one of stories, not sure how flattering it is to be portrayed as a short nerdish looking character, but nice to see fans getting noticed.

 

Superboy # 209 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 209 Starring The Legion of Super-Heroes, " Who Can Save The Princess?" Art by: Mike Grell, Story By: Jim Shooter Cover date: June 1975 Cover price: .25 cents.
  On the Spaceport deck of Legion Headquarters Timber Wolf is watching  a returning space craft make an approach for landing but it is out of control. Thinking quickly he grabs a tow hook and lassos the craft and with all of his strength stops it from crashing out of control. Karate Kid arrives and they find Princess Projectra stumbling out of the plane. Flying to the Legion's medical lab, they meet with Saturn girl who already used her telepathic powers to sense the trouble and has placed a call through to Brainiac-5 on the monitor. Under Brainiac-5's direction they use the analyscope to find out she has the pain plague. The fever is not fatal but the pain it causes is, it only last 6 hours but know one has ever lasted that long. Brainiac tells them that the pain cannot be stop but he thinks there is one chance. He sends Saturn Girl and Timber Wolf off to get some equipment and tells Karate Kid to put her on the Pain Monitor. Brainiac's plan is to transfer the pain into the other Legionnaires bodies. The princess has already gone through 2 hours of pain and that the 3 other legionnaires can get her through the next three, Superboy who is on the planet Fangmar with Brainiac should arrive in time to take the last one. Just in case Superboy does not make it in time Saturn Girl uses the Maximum Emergency Signal to try and get any other Members or reserve members to come to headquarters as soon as possible, but apparently they are the only Members of the Legion on earth at the moment.

Old Uniform
 

New Uniform
 

Not wasting time Timber Wolf goes first and touches the controls that will transfer the pain into his body. He goes out of control with pain using his super strength to destroy parts of the medical center. Fearing that he will hurt himself Karate Kid using his knowledge of Super-Karate tries to takes him down, but needs Saturn Girl to mind control him long enough to put him into a cell. During the fight Karate Kid's normal brown uniform is ripped so he take a moment to change into a new white and black uniform. While changing he discusses with Saturn girl about how the pain is growing constantly worse, and He offers to take her hour as well. But she declines because it could mean his death, but she is worried that while under the influence of the pain she could use her power to take control of the kid and order him to smash, kill or destroy. Or even go as far as ordering him to end her pain by killing her or the cause of the Pain his own beloved Princess.
So with that in mind when it comes time to begin Saturn Girl's hour they place her in chains and a Helmet that will block her powers. Karate Kid has her touch the probes that will transfer the pain and then carries her writhing form to a couch to rest through the pain.
In Deep Space Superboy is watching via his telescopic vision, it is almost Karate Kid's turn and Superboy is worried that if the agony drives him mad he could kill someone. Superboy pours on the speed and bursts into the headquarters to find Karate Kid Sitting Lotus style using his super karate to master his body and reject the pain. The kid is struggling but makes it through. Superboy grabs the probes and tries to bring the pain into his body, but since he is invulnerable the pain will not enter his body. With seconds before Princess Projectra starts suffering again he goes to check the experimental lab for something to save her. As Superboy leaves Karate Kid drags himself over to the probes to take the next hour, and possibly sacrifice his own live to save his loved one. but just as he about to touch the probes he is hit from behind and knock out. A woman grabs the probes at the last instant and the torturous pain, pain more than a single human can endure floods the intruder's body. But the intruder is not just any woman she is Duo Damsel, former member of the Legion. She splits her self in two dividing the pain between her two bodies. Still suffering form excruciating pain the two damsels fight each other, but Superboy puts an end to the cat fight and keeps them from hurting themselves until their hour is up. When the ordeal is over Lluornu Durgo Taine explains that she got the maximum emergency call and came as soon as she could. Karate Kid explains what went on to a recovering Princess as this tale ends.
Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call

• Timber Wolf
• Karate Kid
• Princess Projectra
• Saturn Girl
• Brainiac-5
• Superboy
• Duo Damsel

Rooms in the club house

• Legion space port
• Medical center

Planets visited

• Fangmar

Equipment used

• Pain Monitor
• Saturn girls bondage devices
• Flight Rings

Firsts

• Karate Kid's New Uniform

Notes:
Page 2:

• Timber Wolf makes a woman driver joke, showing that the 30th century is still chauvinistic.
• This is the 2nd time that Princess Projectra came down with a fever, you think she might start wearing clothes that covers her body up?

Page 3:

• Brainiac-5 plays doctor from millions of miles away.
• Timber Wolf one of the simpler Legionnaires put together the complicated device.

Page 5:

• The worlds greatest Martial artist can not stop Timber Wolf rampage he needs Saturn Girl to mind control him.

Page 7:

Karate Kids chains up Saturn Girl
 

• Where did Saturn Girl get the telepathic bondage gear? Dose she use this on week ends with Lightning Lad?

Page 10:

• Superboy stops a Cat fight before clothes can get ripped off, in the Silver Age they use to call Superman a dick, now you can see he started when he was young.

Welcome Back Jim Shooter, this was a great first story by an amazing writer who first wrote the team when he was 14 years old. This story had every thing; An interesting plot, good fight scenes, a new costume (one of Mike Grell's better designs) Saturn girl in bondage, and the return of Duo Damsel. Good job Jim I look forward to more. In the next issue we start covering Issues I owned at the time they were first released. More on that when we cover Superboy 210, but.......
Next time: The second story of this issue " Hero for a Day" I am skipping the member profile for this issue because I want to do 2 for 210.



Member Profile: Sun Boy

Real Name: Dirk Morgna
Home Planet: Earth
Known Relatives: Derek Morgna (Father)
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 Lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Powers: Generate Heat and light
1st App: Action Comics 276
Created By: Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney

Notes:
Dirk Morgan was locked into a reactor at his father's power plant by Dr Regulus and gained the power of the Sun. Dirk then joined the Legion of Super-heroes and was a mainstay of the group. Sun Boy is one of the few members that has his own arch villain. At the time of the Stories we are covering Dirk does not have a girl friend and not much is known about his personal life.

Next time: Superboy # 209

Superboy # 208 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes



Superboy # 208 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes "Vengeance of the Super-Villains"
Cover Price: .50 cents, Cover Date April 1975. Story: Cary Bates Art: Mike Grell.
   In the 20th century it is morning in the town of Smallville U.S.A. the house of Jonathan and Martha Kent are preparing for breakfast like many families do, but unlike other families on earth the Kents have two Legionnaires to feed. Superboy (Clark Kent) the adopted son of the Kents has invited his Teammate Mon-El home to spend her leave. The two teens of steels eat as much food as poor Martha Kent can make. Mon-El thanks the Kents for their hospitality but is sad that he cannot visit his own parents.
  1000 years in the future on the far flung planet Rimbor Legion member Jo Nah Ultra Boy is visiting his own parents, Crav and Mytra Nah. Crav is cooking vegi steaks on the grill while Jo relaxes.
   Back at the Legion Headquarters on earth in Metropolis, Brainiac-5, Saturn Girl and Timber Wolf are getting ready for a special ceremony Honoring Dr Lark Kenrik who is responsible for uniting the Planets who formed the united federation of Planets, presenting him the coveted Universal Trophy. The threesome are examining the trophy to make sure it has not been tampered with by an enemy power. Sun Boy who is acting Leader while Mon-El is on leave oversees the preparation. Sun Boy is hopeful that Mon-El will return before the ceremony.
 In Smallville Mon-El and Superboy are getting ready to leave, when Jonathan Kent who seems to be in a Hypnotic trance fires a strange ray at the two heroes. The ray forces the legionnaires to fight among themselves until they knock each other out. Jonathan and Martha react like nothing is wrong and go about their business.
 On rimbor Ultra Boy is feeling groggy due to the paralyzing drug his parents put in his drink and he passes out not understanding how his parents turn against their own son.
  In Metropolis at a secret chamber Sun Emperor acting leader of the Legion of Super-Villains revels in the fact that Superboy, Mon-El and Ultra Boy has been successfully detained, and they are ready to start Phase two. Listening to Sun Emperor is Lightning Lord, brother to Lightning Lad. Nemesis Kid former member of the Legion of Super-Heroes with the power to duplicate his opponents weakness and take advantage of it. Spider Girl a beauty with expanding deadly hair. Radiation Roy who can paralyze his enemies with a host of lethal charges. Missing from the gathering is Chameleon Chief who is caring out his end of the plan.
Back at the Legion Headquarters Chameleon Boy and Chemical King are on guard duty while Sun Boy frets about Mon-El, Superboy and Saturn Girl being late getting back from leave.  Saturn Girl tells Dirk (Sun Boy) to cool up and that they will be along soon.
 On Rimbor Ultra Boy is trapped in a radiation bubble while his parents play a board game oblivious to his plight.
 Back in the Past Mon-El and Superboy trapped in the same type of bubble deduce that it was created by Radiation Roy a form legion reject and current member of the Legion of Super-Villains.
 In a store room in the Legion's headquarters the priceless Universal Trophy seems safe, but all is not what it seems the trophy's stand turns into Chameleon Chief. The Legion checked the trophy for booby traps but not the stand. Using a Nitro-Glyc beam he turns the trophy into a bomb. Then he uses his Powers to change a create into a copy of the stand he disguised him self as so that there is no evidence that the trophy has been tampered with.
Later the automated refuse disposal begins with robots picking up boxes of trash when out of nowhere Lightning Lord grabs one of the boxes that turns out to be Chameleon Chief. Who tells him all is set to begin phase 3.
 We are back again on Rimbor where Ultra Boy's parents free him from the bubble an awaken from their trance not aware of anything that has transpired. Ultra Boy realizes there is noway he can get to earth in time, to stop the Super-Villains plans.
 20th Century earth, Jonathan Kent brings in a strange device and activates it as Martha Kent frees the boys from the bubble. They fill in the confused Kents about what is going on but nobody knows what that strange box does. The twin titans find out when they enter the time stream when they are slowed down by interference in the stream coming from the box that Jonathan Kent unwillingly built, they think they will not be able to stop the Super-Villains but hope that Sun Boy and the others can.
 Back in 30th century Metropolis the Villains watch on a monitor Dr. Kenaik being honored by Sun Boy and the Legion, they are waiting from the doctor to touch the trophy and cause the explosion that will Kill him and several other members of the legion, eliminating the Galaxy's most esteemed emissary for peace and discrediting what is left of the legion, but when he does nothing happens.
  The Villains turn to Chameleon chief for explanation but the Chief is really Chameleon boy, Cham boasts that the Chief has been locked in the brig since last night. Sun Emperor orders his team to get the out numbered hero. All of sudden bursting through the wall is other members of the Legion Of Super-Heroes. Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, and Princess Projectra. They were led to the secret headquarters by a homing device worn by Chameleon boy. Princess P used her illusion powers to take out Nemesis Kid. Lightning Lad stops Lightning Lord. Star Boy avoids Spider Girl's killer hair by using his powers to make her super heavy. Karate kid takes out Radiation Roy quite easily. Colossal Boy knocks Sun Emperor out. It turns out that Chameleon boy who was standing guard last night found and stopped Chameleon chief, and took his place. It was Sun Boy who figured out that all three of their missing members had x-ray vision, and would of spotted the booby trapped trophy. Once every thing is done and the villains are taken away Ultra Boy, Superboy and Mon-El finally arrive.

Bits of Legion Business"
Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Mon-El (Leader)
• Sun Boy (acting Leader)
• Brainiac-5
• Timber Wolf
• Saturn Girl
• Chameleon Boy
• Chemical King
• Colossal Boy
• Karate Kid
• Lightning Lad
• Star Boy
• Princess Projectra
• Shadow Lass.

Villains:

• Sun Emperor
• Lightning Lord
• Spider Girl
• Radiation Roy
• Nemesis Kid
• Chameleon Chief

Planets visited:

• Rimbor

Legion equipment used

• Flight Rings

Places in Legion Headquarters

• courtyard
• store room

1st appearances

• Sun Emperor

Notes
Page 2:

• Jonathan and Martha Kent look like they are in their late 30's or early 40's, I believe they were de-aged in a previous Superboy story.
• Superboy and Mon-El fly around in the house in costume, where is Lana Lang who is always peeping in the Kent's windows?
• Martha must of had to been cooking for hours to keep up with the way the boys eat at super speed.
• Mon-El tells the Kent's that vacations can be lonely without his own parents to visit.  Not sure why Mon-El who is from the 20th century can not travel through time and visit with his parents.

Page 3:

• Saturn Girl looks like she preening for the camera

Page 8:

• Sun Emperor looks just like Sun boy except for brown hair, wearing almost the same costume. Many years later we will get a very different looking Sun Emperor.

Page 11:

• Chameleon Chief is not a member of Chameleon Boy's Race. They look similar but the Chief can change the shape of other objects as well.

Page 19:

• Great Battle page, the Team takes out the Villains in one page of action.

 I will not go into my feelings on time travel again, but I liked almost everything else about this story.
My favorite part was the fight at the end of the story, each Legionnaire takes out a Villain in a single panel, today that fight would be a whole issue it self, this was well done by Bates and Grell.
My only problem in this story was the introduction of the Sun Emperor, who is meant to be a Sun Boy analog, but I think this is taking too literal, He looks exactly like Sun Boy and I wish a little more thought was put into him and his design. Many years Later Keith Giffen would redesign him, with better results.
  I like the use of the Kent's and the Nah's, the parents of the Legion are shown very rarely but used well in this issue. I also enjoyed how Bates and Grell used 14 members of the team but it did not feel like they were stuffed into the story. It was very logical the member of the team that showed up at the Super-Villains headquarters were not the ones that were shown on the monitor.
 Next issue we get the Return of writer Jim Shooter, while this will be his first issue of Superboy Jim wrote the Legion's adventures in Adventure comics back in the sixties when he was just a Teen himself. But do not worry Cary Bates lovers, Mr. Bates writes a fun little back up next issue also.

Next time: Member Profile Sun Boy

Member Profile: Light Lass

Real Name: Ayla Ranzz
Home Planet: Winath
Also known as: Lightning Lass, Lightning Lad
Known Relatives: Garth Ranzz (Lightning Lad, Brother) Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord)
Height: 6'0
Weight: 130
Eyes: blue
Hair: Red (Dyed Blonde)
First app. Adventure comics 308
Created By: Edmond Hamilton, and John Forte
Powers: make objects super light weight
Notes:
Light Lass was the first cross dressing member of the Legion. She joined the team disguised as her recently deceased brother Lightning Lad (he got better.) Ayla got her original powers along with her brothers by being attack by lightning beasts. Her powers changed when Dream Girl used her science abilities to give her the powers of super light weight, allowing her to stay with the team. Over the years she has been romantically involved with Timber Wolf.

Next time: Superboy #208

Superboy # 207 Starring the Legion of Super-heroes "Lightning Lad's day of dread"

"Lightning Lad's day of dread" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell

Lightning Lad is in a viewing chamber watches Slides of himself and his brother Mekt as babies being held by their parents. A few years later walking with their baby sister Ayla. And several more years Later when both he and his brother were teenagers. Then out of no where he shoots a lightning bolt at the screen destroying the viewer. Shrinking Violet goes to the viewing chamber to see what happens and he shoves her out of the way.

The pissed off hero flies outside where one of the Legion cruisers is prepped to take off. Lightning Lad tells Element Lad off, blasts him with lightning and takes the ship that was assigned to Karate Kid.

 A clue less Karate kid comes out and whines that the ship was reserved for him. Cosmic Boy and Brainiac-5  look through the mess of the viewing chamber. This gives us a chance to give a brief recap of Lightning Lad's origin. Lightning Lad (Garth) and his brother Mekt were struck simultaneously by an Electric monster that charged them both with Lightning powers. Garth became Lightning Lad and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. and Mekt became Lightning Lord a founder of the Legion of Super-Villains.
  Cosmic boy and Brainy go to see Lightning Lad sister Light Lass to see if she can tell them what set Garth off in such a rage. But she is not able to speak for another 24 hours as she is recovering from Rigil Fever.
Not able to voice her concerns Ayla does know the cause of her brothers strange behavior, and if weren't for the paralyzing fever she has she would be with him right now. In the void of space millions of miles from earth Lightning Lad reaches the spot where he left a statue a year ago, that painful tragic day that his parents traveling to earth to visit Garth and his sister crashed into an asteroid while talking to them on the radio. They went to the sector where they were last reported and at the site of the crash they carved a statue of their parents out of the very meteor that they crashed into. Garth is a lone in his memories when out of the black a space suit clad Lightning Lord appears. They exchange lightning bolts but Mekt tells him that he is here only as a son to mourn his parents. They both pay their respects and exchange threats and go their separate ways.

Bits of Legionnaire Business:
Roll Call:

• Lightning Lad (Garth)
• Light Lass ( Ayla)
• Shrinking Violet
• Element Lad
• Karate Kid
• Cosmic Boy
• Brainiac-5
• Shadow Lass

Room in Legion Headquarters:

• Viewing Chamber
• Medical Center

Equipment used

• Legion cruiser
• Flight Ring
• Telepathic Plugs

Legion Villain

• Lightning Lord (Mekt)

Notes:
Page 1:

• We see images of Garth and Mekt being the same age and Ayla being their younger sister, but in the past it has been shown that Mekt is the older brother and Ayla and Garth are twins.

page 2:

• We see Lightning Lad being a bastard to his teammates, while the Garth of this time period is usually a even tempered guy, this Lightning Lad is more in line with the later version of the character that show him as a hot head.

Page 3:

• Actions like this will not get you voted Legionnaire of the Month.

Page 4:

• Rigil fever, is this the same as Rigel fever that Princess Projectra had last issue?

Page 6:

• If Lightning Lad and Light lass are in their late teens, why does their Mother look like she is in her early to mid twenties? 30th century plastic surgery?

Another good back up, and expect where Cary gets the ages wrong of Mekt and Ayla this was an entertaining story. But I have a question, we are shown in past issues that Legion Members get to take a Cruiser on vacation, why is this they are off duty and should have to provide their own transportation? These cruisers are not cheap and couldn't they be needed for more important duties. Not sure how many they have but they could not have more than a few of the big cruisers shown. And does Karate Kid need a space ship to travel to Japan? come on he can fly commercial like every one else, or just use his flight ring.
Next time Member Profile: Light Lass

Superboy # 207 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 207 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes. "The rookie who betrayed the Legion!" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell. Cover Price .25 cents. Cover Dave March-April 1975.

The President of earth briefs the Legion of Super-Heroes about the escape of Legion Villain Universo from the Omega Prison complex. He used his hypnotic powers to compel the guards to let him out and help him escape. The president tells the Legion that Universo is hiding out on R-7 one of the Rigel Planetoids. The president asks the Legion to recapture Universo and they agree. While they are discussing it the Intruder Alarm goes off. Superboy tells the others that the prowler has made a Colossal mistake. Colossal meaning Colossal Boy, who is on patrol and grabs the intruder in one of his giant sized hands. When Colossal boy gets a good look at the intruder he sees it is a Science Police officer. The officer introduces himself a s Dvron, and wants to go with them on their hunt for Universo. He tells them that last year that along with his partner, they were tracking Universo through the mutated jungles of Africa, when a giant man eating plant attack his partner and killed him. Dvron sees Universo controlling the plant with his hypnotic powers. He tried to apprehend him but being shaken up by his partner's death Universo easily eluded him.
Timber Wolf, Shrinking Violet, Light Lass and Chameleon Boy are all for Dvron coming along but Superboy is a little doubtful, but he agrees to go along with the others wishes. They land on the rock like planetoid and split up, Superboy teams with Light Lass, Timber Wolf goes with Shrinking Violet and that leaves Chameleon Boy with officer Dvron. Dvron and Cham stay behind a little and discuss how best to find their foe. Dvron says it is sometimes useful to think like a criminal when trying to apprehend one. Cham say if he were Universo he'd hide where he least expected to be found. And there he was trying to sneak into the Legion's cruiser. Chameleon Boy leaps for Universo but from be hind Dvron blasts the hero with his stunner.
 A short time later after coming up empty the other 4 heroes return to the ship to find Dvron standing over an unconscious Chameleon boy. When he comes too, cham tries to tell them that Dvron was under Universo's control when he shot him, but Dvron denies this. He will not tell them why he betrayed them. Superboy has Light lass stand guard over the disgraced officer and he joins the other 3 in their search for Universo. When her back is turned Universo appears and hits Light Lass from behind. But it is not Universo but Chameleon disguised as the villain and he gets Dvron to admit that Universo saved his life from being eaten by that man eating plant, and that he let him go to return the favor. But now that the favor is re payed he wants another shot at capturing Universo. He joins a recovering Light Lass and Chameleon boy and off they go. They find Superboy beating the snot out of the other 2 members of the team and that he is under Universo's control. They loose sight of Universo and Superboy for a moment and they they reappear. Light Lass make Superboy super weight-less. Chameleon boy tells Dvron to take a shot at Universo, but instead he fires at Superboy. At first they think that Dvron betrayed them again but it turns out Superboy was really Universo and Universo was Superboy. With Universo captured the team asks Dvron how he new that Universo was using his hypnotic powers to make every one think one was the other. He told them he was thinking like a Criminal again.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call

• Superboy
• Chameleon Boy
• Timber Wolf
• Shrinking Violet
• Light Lass
• Colossal Boy

First Appearance:
SP Officer Dvron
Legion Equipment used:

• Legion cruiser
• Flight Ring

Rooms in the Legion headquarters:

• Monitor Room

Planets visited:

• Rigel Planetoid R-7

Legion Villain:

• Universo

Notes:
Page 2:

• President of earth looks different from the last time he was shown, or I might be getting him mixed up with the United Planets president.

Page 3

• First appearance of SP officer Dvron

Page 4

• Dvron and his partner are flying through the mutated jungles of Africa. It is not mentioned how or when they were mutated.

Page 9

• Chameleon boy disguise himself as Universo to trick Dvron into spilling the beans, at the expense of Light Lass.

Page 11

• You don't see it but Superboy beats the crap out of Timber Wolf and Violet. I Liked the panel of Superboy flying off pulling Violet by her hair.

Page 12

• Universo is flying along with Superboy, it is not explained how he can fly and not sure if he flew in previous appearances.

I found it strange that except when Chameleon boy disguises him self as Universo we get no dialog from the villain.
   Good Story, Grell's art does not seem to be as crisp as other stories but a lot better than some of the artist that were out there at the time.
Next Time: The 2nd story of Superboy 207 "Lightning Lad's Day of Dread"

Superboy # 206 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes 2nd story "Welcome home Daughter now Die!"

"Welcome Home Daughter... Now Die!" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell
Princess Projectra, real life Princess from the planet Orando, is arguing with her boy friend the Karate Kid. The princess is recovering from Rigel fever and is on leave preparing to go home, while the Kid would like her to spend the week with him. She tells him that as a member of the Royal family she has a responsibility and also it has been two years since her last visit to her family as she uses her illusion casting powers to show images of her parents. Karate Kid throws the neglected boyfriend card and stomps off in a huff. A little while later Princess P is on her way to Orando in a Legion cruiser. She can not contact her planet because they haven't achieved technology past the middle ages. On her Journey she hopes that her father King Voxv is all right, his kingdom still lives and die by the sword. Later the princess is surprised when she approached Orando, thinking that they would not reach her home planet until much later. She notes that her attention must of been off because she is not fully recovered from the fever. She lands her ship outside her father's place and as soon as she gets off the ship knights on horse back take her prisoner. Entering the palace she is greeted by the King who is not her father. The new king tells her that the former king and queen now share a dungeon below the palace, and that soon they will be surrendered to Morgu. But it is her turn first, the guard takes her Legion Flight ring and is led outside with the door secured behind her.
A hideous green monster attacks her, the princess tries to use her Illusion casting powers to fight but no matter how much she concentrates she can not conjure up a thing. Just when the creature was about to devour her, out of no where Karate Kid swoops in to rescue her. Projectra goes to kiss him but the Kid slaps her in the face. Shocked by the blow the planet chances from Orando to a lifeless planetoid. The kid explains that she must of created the illusion of her home planet while under the dizzy spell she suffered in the cruiser, an after effect of the fever. The only thing that was real on the planet was Morgu. The Karate Kid tries to fight but the beast shrugged off his might blow and grabbed him. Projectra used a gruesome illusion to distract the beast and flew off with the kid using the power of his flight ring. Back at her cruiser the Kid apologizes for being hot headed earlier and the Princess invites him along to go to the real planet Orando. They both had a Happy Ending!

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call

• Princess Projectra
• Karate Kid

Legion Equipment used

• Legion Cruiser
• Flight Ring

Planets visited

• Unnamed planetiod
• Orando

Notes:
Page 1

• Grell draws a great Projectra, running from the monster, I could almost swear her chest was heaving.

Page 2

• Projectra's illusion of her father seems old but her mother looks as young as she does.
• Karate Kid stomps off after not getting his way.

Page 5

• Karate Kid slaps a bitch. His slap breaks the illusion that she cast.

Page 6

• Karate Kid said he followed her, and had to check his instrument but his ship is never shown and they leave in Projectra's ship.

Page 7

• Projectra tells her diary that they had a happy ending, does that mean what I think it means?

Good short story, I like the one or two member stories once in a while, they are a great change of pace from having eight or more members in a story.

Next time: Superboy 207