Sunday, October 7, 2012

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"

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