Superboy Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #222

 

Superboy # 222 Cover Dated Dec 1976 Cover Price 30 cents "This Legionnaire is condemned" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell and Bob Wiacek.  

 

All around 30th century Metropolis strange sounds are causing strange things to happen. The Science Police ask the Legion to take care of it because it is the work of one of their own members, Tyroc. Four of the heroes disguised as picnickers in the park capture him and turn him over to the Science police. Later the heroes return to police headquarters with evidence and a suspect. They play a recording of Tyroc's voice powers that caused he disturbances that Tyroc allegedly did and the man who used the recordings to discredit Tyroc and the Legion. Tyroc and the Legion leave and return to their ship. In the ship it is explained that no recording could duplicate Tyroc's powers and that the prisoner that was turned over was actually Chameleon Boy in disguise. Tyroc leaves the ship and uses his powers to create more havoc, but what he is really doing is using his sonic powers to secretly search for the Bomb that has been planted, Tyroc finds the bomb the finger prints on the bomb leads them to Fenton Pike, a disgruntle janitor at SP headquarters who was going to use the device to blackmail the SP. When the Legion shows up to capture him he triggers the bomb but it fails to go off because  team had already dismantled it. The Legion takes the bomber into custody and Tyroc goes on TV to explain to the public that this has all been a ruse to capture the bomber.

 

Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Brainiac-5
• Cosmic boy
• Chameleon Boy
• Mon-El (Leader)
• Shadow Lass
• Star Boy (not in issue)
• Tyroc
• Ultra Boy
• Princess Projectra (left of main roll call)

Page: 1

• Roll call is wrong Star Boy is not in this issue and Projectra is and is left off the list.
• Place Page shows a black man throwing a rock at a chained Tyroc. I thinking that if they showed a white man throwing the rock it could of been a problem. Actually the page show more black people protesting Tyroc than white.

Page 2:

• We see the sound effect and damage but no Tyroc.
• SP visit the HQ to complain about Tyroc.

Page 3

• Another sound effect and then sticky rain
• The Legion tell the SP that Tyroc is unstable
• Statues
• Tyroc wants the Legion to relocate to Marzal

Page: 4

•  More Sound Effects and the trees are now tentacles.
• Superboy, Ultra Boy, Shadow Lass and Princess Projectra disguised a 4 people on a picnic.

Page 5:

• More Sound Effects and we finally see Tyroc in the story proper.
• Superboy flying out of control thanks to Tyroc.

Page 6:

• Tyroc flies into a wall and the Legion arrest him.
• Tyroc in a Cell wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask.

Page 7:

• The Legion brings a suspect to the police.

Page 8:

• The suspect turns out to be Chameleon Boy

Page 9:

• Shadow Lass seems to be the only one who does not know what is going on.

Page 10:

• Tyroc uses his sonic powers to search for a bomb.

Page 11:

• Tyroc on tv, He's the man.

Good News: This is the Last Tyroc story for a while.

Bad News: This is a Tyroc story.

Good News: This is the Last Cary Bates story

Bad News: This is a Cary Bates story.

As I have said in the past I do not hate Cary Bates he has written some amazing stories for Superman, the Flash but for the Legion not so much.

As for Tyroc I think he was a good Idea that was not executed properly. He was not written out here but when Levitz and Conway come on the book in a short while, they have nothing for him. It wasn't until much later when Levitz return to writing the Legion in the 2000's that he got a handle on the character. He did some cool things with his powers.

 

2nd story:

"Death of a Legend" Jim Shooter: Writer, Mike Nasser & Bob Layton artists.

While the Legion cruises flies through space, Superboy, Light Lass and Timber Wolf watch the exploits of Questar as he defeats a monster. The team lands on Zentor to attend a ceremony Honoring Questar King of heroes. Questar had the crowed and Ayla (Light Lass's real name) wowed. When out of the ground a gigantic monster appears. The Leader of the Zentor tells the team that the monster appears once every ten years. They had asked Questar to destroy the monster in the pass but the hero told them he was busy. This time they tricked him into being there when the monster appeared. The Legion offer to help Questar and he accepts because he was a fake and made up his taped exploits. Superboy tries to take the monster out but under Zentor's yellow sun he has only half on his strength. Light Lass and Timber Wolf are not that much help either. The Monster punches Superboy and he goes flying and just as he is about to step on the other two Legionnaires an energy ray reflects off a metal wall and strikes the monster. Then a Red Cape figure strikes the figure at the back of the next and takes the figure down just like in the Visi tape of Questar. They think it was Questar but it was Superboy using Questar's methods. The beast vanishes and Questar appears to let them know that he got rid of the beasts. He does have powers but he is really a coward. The Zentor Leader is about to arrest Questar as a fraud until Superboy reminds him that he conned Questar as well. They apologize to each other and every one is happy.

 

Nice back up tale Questar is a con man but he was interesting, I would of like to have seen more of him but this is his only appearance to date.

 

Next Time

Superboy 223 the Time Trapper.

 

 

 



Superboy #221 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 221 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes.  Cover Date Nov 1976, Cover Price . 30 Cents " The Trillion-Dollar Trophies" Art: Mike Grell and Bob Wiacek. Story: Jim Shooter.
Part 1 The living Key
Superboy and Timber Wolf are answering an alarm at the Power sphere, the mammoth nucleonic power plant, which supplies 30th century Metropolis with Energy. The Installation is protected by the galaxy's most advanced, virtually fool proof computer system.. which only moments ago has been tripped. Tripped by Grimbor and Charma and they are looking to trap some Legionnaires.  They split up to search the lead radiation shielding blocks Superboy's super-vision. Grimbor blinds side Timber wolf with his chains, The wolf fight back with little effect. Hearing the struggle Superboy arrives on the scene only to be stopped in his tracks by the sight of Charma. Charma speaks softly to him not to hurt her and Superboy just stands there looking at her. Grimbor tells her to hold him as he finishes up with Timber Wolf.  Morning at the plush penthouse office of the R J Brande Building. One of the wealthiest beings in the universe Legion Financer, Rene Jacques Brand is hard at work. Charma comes in followed by 2 thugs carrying large boxes. Brande yells at her  and she gives him a sad look and he backs down. She tells him that she wants a 100 Million Dollars to insure the safety of the Legionnaires. Charma tells him that she will be in touch as she leaves. Brande hears a sound coming from one of the boxes and calls the Legion on his private hotline. Six Legionnaires respond almost instantaneously. Colossal Boy grows to giant size and smashes the crates together and Superboy and Timber Wolf fall out. The two are chained up with complicated restraints. Shrinking Violet shrinks down and looks inside the locks, she sees that it is a pin and tumbler type but  she never saw one so intricate. She flies out of the lock and tells the team that they require a multi direction expanding key.
Chameleon Boy says that he can take care of is and has his malleable hands turn into keys that fit the locks. He turns the keys and the chains explode and vanish. Light lass runs to care for Timber Wolf as Cosmic Boy questions Brande. Superboy and Timber Wolf do not seem to remember any thing until Brande describes the delicate and beautiful young lady. He concludes that their memories must have been wiped out by some form of Super Hypnosis. He cannot remember any think except a Fragile, helpless looking girl. Brande says he should pay the extortion but the legion refuses.

 Chapter 2 Charma and the Chain-Maker

Gimbor and Charma are on the asteroid strong hold of the chain maker and both go through their origin stories. Grimbor is the greatest master of bondage, restraint and security in the universe. He has sold his services to  everyone from criminal to kings. He boasts that he once designed a cage to hold the Mighty Validus. He brags that he has been paid fortunes to build strongholds and safe guard treasures. Charma reminds him that he spent all that money on more locks, tools equipment and materials, that he is penniless as she was. Charma explains that she was a poor little orphan that was sent to a girls school that was little more than a prison. As she got older she use to get punished by the head mistress more and more frequently. It was not just the head mistress, all of the girl's grew to hate her. They beat her and took her few possessions. Grimbor tells her to stop he can not bear to hear how she was treated. That is because she is a mutant, her power is that no man can bear seeing her suffer pain. The mere thought of her being threatened enrages them. She has the opposite reaction from women they want to hurt her. Which is why the head mistress came to Grimbor, Charma was to be released but the head Mistress did not want to let her go and hired Grimbor to create a special lock for her room and shackles that only she could open. But like any man, when he entered the school and saw her he was hers. Grimbor professes his love for her but he has doubts about her plan for the legion. He has her why not rob a bank instead. She tells him that Brand owns a Dozen of interplanetary banks. She knew that Brande would refuse her at first but they will get it all. Charma butters Grimbor up stroking his ego.
      Night in the offices of R J Brande. He gets a call on the vis phone by Charma asking him if he reconsidered his offer. Brande tells her absolutely not. Charma ends the call but Brande traces it back and it is coming from Legion Headquarters. He has an assistant ready his flier for immediate take off.
Meanwhile at Legion HQ, Charma and Grimbor leave the communication Room. Grimbor brags that no place is inaccessible to him. Colossal Boy comes around the corner and Grimbor takes him down using his enhanced strength, Shadow Lass attacks Charma from behind while Grimbor is dealing with Colossal Boy. Charma screams and Grimbor nocks Shadow Lass out. They shackle the two down Legionnaires and Grimbor remarks that it was good that Shadow Lass reacted to Chama's powers and did not use her black out powers to help Colossal Boy. Grimbor crashes into the rec room and Charma uses her powers to make the men helpless while Grimbor captures them. Light Lass and Timber Wolf watch on the monitor room and Light Lass says there is only one way to beat them. Seconds later a metal wall comes down from the ceiling separating the two crooks.
Part 3 "Divided and Conquered"
Timber Wolf and Grimbor go at it with the Wolf getting the upper hand, when a scream from Charma comes from the steel barrier. The cry is like a siren's song to the two and they burst through the barrier and see Light Lass using her powers and beating the hell out of Charma. Under Charma's spell Timber Wolf smacks the woman he loves. Timber Wolf is shocked by what he did to Ayla that it releases him from Charma's hold. But Grimbor gets the jump on him and puts the feral Legionnaire in Titanium Manganite. Charma kicks the down Light Lass while Grimbor locks her up with an Absorbium spiral band.  A little later in the monitor room Charma and Grimbor talk about that all the Legionnaires on the premises have been captured. They spot Brande approaching  the complex, they bring him into the monitor room and he agrees to pay the hundred million. Charma tells him that the price has gone up to a cool trillion dollars. Grimbor says he won't sell. He tells them that this is his greatest feat of bondage, and wants to keep them as trophies. Brande tells them that he will give up his entire fortune and promise not to prosecute. Charma is happy but Grimbor insist that they are his and he will not sell them not even for Charma. Charma realizes that Grimbor loves his work more than he does her. Brande is begging Grimbor to take his money while Charma sneaks off to the storage vault where the Legion is kept. She plans to destroy one of them and threaten to destroy the rest unless Grimbor relents. She aims her blaster at Light Lass when a microscopic Violet grows on top of the blaster and spoils her aim. Violet savagely beats on Charma and her power is having an hypnotic effect on the male Legionnaires and that affects their wills to defend her and the rage charges their muscles with desperate strength until they burst free of the bonds. The male members flight right at Violet but just before they hit she shrinks down and they fly into the wall and burst through and tackles Grimbor. Violet knocks Charma out and then locks her up using chains that Grimbor created that gives off a special radiation which nullifies her power. Apparently once Grimbor had helped Charma capture them, he was going to shackle her, make her a prisoner of his love. He wanted to make sure she'd never escape.


Roll Call:

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

Villains

• Charma
• Grimbor

 

Page 2:

• This is a first, a good reason for having lead around, shielding radiation at a power plant is a good thing. A good number of stories have lead in it just to block Superboy's vision but this makes sense.
• Charma is hot, even with yellow skin and she is showing a lot of skin.

Page 3:

• The way Superboy is looking a Charma on this page and the previous one do you think he is using his x-ray vision?

Page 4:

• Brande has his own hot line to the Legion just like Commissioner Gordon does for Batman.
• Colossal Boy Takes the two creates and smashes them together and out fall Superboy and Timber Wolf.

Page 5:

• Cham morphs his hands into the shape of the locks he turns them and there is a small explosion and the chains vanish.

Page 7:

• Grimbor shows Charma how he once restrained the monstrous Validus.
• We see how Charma was treated growing up.

Page 9:

•  Charma and Grimbor call Brande from the Legion HQ

Page 10:

• Grimbor uses his bondage powers to bound Shadow Lass.

Page 12:

• Timber Wolf and Light Lass share a kiss.

Page 13:

• Timber Wolf smacks a bitch (Light Lass)

Page 14:

• Charma kicks the crap out of a downed Light Lass

Page 16:

• Violet opens a can of whoop ass on Charma.

Page 17:

• Violet's quick thinking saves the day.

Great story and an Introduction of a good Villain. (Grimbor) Unfortunately this is Charma's last appearance in this continuity.

Next time Superboy 222 Yes I am talking about Tyroc.

Superboy # 220 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes " Dream Girl's Living Nightmare"

"Dream Girl's Living Nightmare" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell & Bob Wiacek

Legion Cruiser Lx-811 is en route to earth from a mission in another Galaxy, carrying Chameleon Boy, Brainiac-5 and a sleeping Dream Girl. Dream Girl awakes with an orgasm like scream telling them to stop the cruiser and that they must not go any further. Dream Girl dreamed of the beloved Primor of Demeros II on his way to deliver an important address is killed. They pull into orbit of Demeros and Dream Girl tells them that she did not see the murderer but she does remember that the murder weapon has 3 circles. Brainiac and Chameleon argue, Brainy says they can't stop it, Dream Girl's predictions always come true. But Chameleon wants to try anyway. They get some information on the Primor and Chameleon gets Brainy to lend him his force-field belt. Chameleon puts on the belt and morphs into a duplicate of the Primor. Cham thinks that he can go to Demeros and have the blasts bounce off the force field belt and that will match Dream Girl's Vision. In the Studio the Primor is about to give his address, Cham is stopped by guards but he now understands the dream but they won't let go. The three circles that Dream Girl saw were the Visi camera and the camera operator turns it on the Primor and he fires and the Primor is dead. Cham breaks free of the guards and finds that the dead Primor is not the man he is disguised of but another. The Real Primor appears and tells Cham it was a ruthless dictator who proclaimed himself the new Primor locking the old one away. Cham turns back to his normal self and flies away thinking that Brainiac was right there are some forces in the universe not even a Legionnaire should tamper with.

Roll Call:
Chameleon Boy
Brainiac-5
Dream Girl
Another quick back up story not much to give page by page notes on. The art as always was great Dream Girl look hot as hell and the Primor that Cham morphed into look good. Nice way to show that Dream Girl's powers don't always show what she thinks it shows, but this point has been made several time, but I liked it anyway.

Next time: The first appearance of our favorite Bondage couple Gimbor and Charma.

Superboy # 220 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Superboy # 220 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes " The Super Soldiers of the Slave Maker"
Cover Dated Oct 1976, Cover Price .30 cents. Art: Mike Grell & Bob Wiacek Story: Jim Shooter.
 The Legion is called to the Planet Murgador whose inhabitants are slaves of the planet Tharrg. Coming to free them the Legion are attacked by the people of Murgador, who tell the Legion to leave. The leader of the slave group tells the team that there is bomb at the core of the planet that will go off if they rebel. The heroes go back to the ship and talk about what to do, but Phantom Girl takes matter into her own hands and slips through the ship and into the planet. The rest of the team blasts towards Tharrg. The whole planet is one big Military installation. They are attacked and fight their way to the Citadel's throne room. While the Tharrg leader talks the team see Phantom Girl on the screen approaching the bomb. The Slave master tells the team that they will have to obey him or he will blow up Murgador. Dinda the leader of the slaves calls one of the underlings on Tharrg to warn them that the Legion is trying to free Murgador. The underling goes to tell his master and is hit into silence by Superboy. At the same time Phantom Girl is trying to disarm the bomb, see makes her hand immaterial and goes into the bomb but activates an alarm. She grabs wires and pulls. Back on Tharrg the alarm goes off and Superboy ties to reach the switch but the Slaver pushes it and the screen goes off. Ultra Boy loses his cools and attacks the Leader but Mon-El and Superboy pull him off. As they try to calm Ultra Boy down Superboy's belt alarm goes off and he takes off to Murgador. He returns moments later with Phantom Girl in his arm. Superboy explains that when Phantom Girl pulled the wire she turned off the monitor as well as the bomb. After they dismantled Thargg's military they return to Murgador and tell Dinda they are free, She apologies for trying to ruin their plan and the team head back to the ship and go off into space.
Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Mon-El
• Wildfire
• Lightning Lad
• Ultra Boy
• Phantom Girl
• Element Lad

Page 3:

• Wildfire is hit with a brick.

Page 4:

• Cool Thunder clap from Lightning Lad.

Page 6:

• Phantom Girl slips through the ship.

Page 8

• The Legion kick ass.

Page 10:

• Superboy slaps a Lizard bitch.

Page 11:

• Ultra Boy loses his shit.

Page 12:

• Phantom Girl and Ultra Boy reunite and go looking for some soft light and Barry White.

Good issue not much happens but they all can't be a 12 page fight, but next issue we get the debut of an awesome villain.

Next time the 2nd story from this issue.

Superboy # 219 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 219 Cover Dated Sept 1976. Cover Price .30 Cents.
"The Plunder Ploy of the Fatal Five" Art: Mike Grell, Script: Jim Shooter from a suggestion by Ken Klaczak.
The Persuader from the Fatal Five, is confronted by 5 members of the Legion of Super-Heroes as he tries to break in to  a top secret manufacturing plant on the planet Imsk, the home planet of Shrinking Violet. The Persuader Swings at the Legion with his Atomic Axe and the axe goes through them with out harm. Over his communicator, Tharok the leader of the Fatal Five tells him that the Legion was just an illusion projected by the Imskites to scare off intruders. Tharok guides the enforcer of the Fatal Five down a hallway that gets smaller and smaller which makes sense since Imsk is the world that all of the natives posses the power to shrink. Persuader goes as far as he is able and breaks out of the Hallway and finds a small dome that contains the Factory that make the most sophisticated micro circuits in the universe, Tharok tells him to steal it. Else where on Imsk, Salu Digby the Legionnaire known as Shrinking Violet and her Boy Friend Qued Orlu, Duplicate Boy of the heroes of Lallor are vacationing in one of the posh resorts on the planet. Using his powers to duplicate any super power Duplicate notices something going on at the factory, he tries to leave on his own by Shrinking Violet insists on accompanying him. They suit up and leave the miniature hotel that they are staying at that is in the Lobby of the normal size motel. On the way to the factory Salu thinks that Qued is grim and wonder why. The reason is that he can see that Validus is joining the Persuader as he leaves the factory. Duplicate boy takes on Superboy's powers and takes down Persuader leaving the Hero of Lallor to take on the monster Validus. He tries to take on Validus's powers but it is too much, his boy can't cope with it and it begins to feed back into him and he is about to pass out when Persuader slices his back with the Atomic ax. The two villains scoop up the goods and teleports away just as Shrinking Violet catches up with her now injured boy friend. Mean while in a hidden spacecraft the five deadliest villains in the universe are reunited and it feels so good. They argue a bit and then continue with their secret plan.
   At the Legion of Super-Heroes head quarters on earth Violet tells the legion what happen while Brainiac-5 examines Duplicate Boy's body that the Imskite have preserved in a Cryogenic tank, but he is beyond medical help. An Emotional Colossal boy slams out of the room to get a cruiser ready while Brainiac 5 and Superboy talked about the micro circuits the five stole from Imsk. On the Imsk bound cruiser the question of how Tharok survived there last encounter when his robot half was badly damaged. Brainiac surmises that Tharok probably had a robot surgeon ready to repair it, so he can keep the almost limitless intelligence that his robot half gave him. Shrinking Violet starts to think that maybe Tharok is smart enough to help Duplicate boy when the red alert sounds. Light Lass reports from communications that the five just raided the synthzoid plants on Rerel and made off with tons of android parts. Brainiac orders the team to Battle stations and they spot a green glowing ship
apparently made by the power of the Emerald Empress's Emerald Eye.

 Brainiac is about to fire the plasters when Violet stops him and the villains ship takes evasive action. The other ship out runs the legion and Violet explains that Tharok's genius might be able to save duplicate boy and that maybe they can offer him a deal. Brainiac calls the grieving Violet a fool, Tharok might be a genius but he is an evil genius, deal with him and you will wind up dead. Violet apologizes and Colossal boy tries to offer the minuscule maid comfort. The team questions why that the Five ran from them it is not like them to duck a fight the must be planning something big. On the six mooned planet Cyrem, Validus rips a moon size chunk from the planet. The legion cruiser arrives to see the planet now missing a part of it. They wonder what the five would want with it and where they would hide it.
      Meanwhile at the hall of justice, wait I mean Legion HQ. Saturn Girl is keeping watch and is reading reports from Brainiac-5 on the five and that they stole rare and deadly poisons from the planet Zeffro. She wonders what horrible reason would they have to seize those chemicals.  Saturn Girl has a thought that if should could turn on duplicate boy's powers she could make him duplicate Superboy's invulnerability and recuperative powers. Using her powers she reaches into Duplicate Boy's Psychic and senses the deep love for a girl called Shrinking Violet, that drive the ravaged flesh to cling to life! Deep in the damaged brain, Saturn Girl Psychic probe touches the mental mechanism of his awesome force, for endless moments, she struggles to control it until she is completely exhausted blacking out wondering if she succeed. In distance space Brainiac-5's mighty mind also is put to the test. Micro circuits from Imsk, android parts form Rerel, poisons from Zeffro and Half of Cyrem and he wonders why the Fatal Five stole these items. Brainy theorize that Tharok might be creating a new army of semi-android life forms to conquer the universe. And that a moon size portion of Cyrem could support life--. Brainiac-5 figures it out he has been staring at it all the time. Cyrem has only six moons but the shot of space looking at Cyrem is showing 7 moons. It is hidden in stationary orbit behind Cyrem's largest moon hidden from their view! Soon on the stolen part of the planet, in the newly erected palace, the Emerald Empress is being pampered by android creation of Tharok. Suddenly Superboy burst through the wall covering the Emerald Eye with his indestructible cape. The Empress orders her android slaves to attack the teen of steel. Elsewhere on the ill fated fragment Mon-El and Lightning Lad attack Validus. Lightning Lad uses his power to try to over charge his see through brain with sheer energy. Mon-El goes to stop Validus from picking up a large object that looks like a weapon. Validus picks up both the object and Mon-El in his massive grip. He shakes the object and makes a deafening noise overwhelming Lightning Lad.
          Outside a huge atmosphere dome Light Lass carrying oxygen equipment joins Sun Boy. The two enter the doom  that duplicates the atmosphere of Angtu the home world of Mano they can not see a thing when Mano strikes Sun Boy from behind. Meanwhile high above an inland sea Violet and Colossal Boy approaches a boat being used by the Persuader. Persuader fire a net at them and snares Colossal Boy while Violet shrinks down and slips through. Persuader  goes to slice Colossal Boy with his axe but Violet grows and knocks him off balance and give Colossal Boy time to free himself from the net and smash him with his oversize fist. They search the ship to find out what the Persuader was up to and they find a hold filled with huge monstrous fish, they put it together with the net gun and figure out that Persuader was fishing. Back to where Validus is making thunderous noise, Lighting Lad whose powers cannot hurt the monsters uses them to destroy the noise maker. Validus is sad that his toy is broken and the two Legionnaires figures out that he was just amusing himself with a king size rattle. When Validus is not being control by Tharok he is just like a child.
   In the Empress's palace Superboy is making short work of the androids who were make for serving not fighting. Superboy squeezes the breath out of the Empress until she passes out. In the dome Light Lass uses her power to make Mano super light. and then drops him hard on the ground and smashes him with her shoulder bag. The last member of the Fatal Five, Tharok finishing his greatest creation is interrupted by Ultra Boy and Brainiac-5 smashing through the wall, with Ultra Boy using his flash vision to destroy the creation. Tharok threatens the Legion and then takes off using a flying device through an escape hatch. Ultra Boy chases after him but has to give up the chase when they reach space because he could not use invulnerability while using super speed at the same time. Mon-El comes in at the same time and  reports that Validus fled and they could not stop him. Superboy tells them that at least they have Mano, Persuader and the Empress locked up. Brainiac-5 deduces that the five were trying to live comfortably while waiting to conquer the united planets. They stole Android parts to make loyal subjects to fill the Empress's palace. The poison chemicals were used to create the noxious air in a simulated home world environment for Mano. The stolen portion of Cyrem furnished the Persuader a monster filled sea and various raw materials for his fishing boat. And the Micro circuitry was Tharok's own pet project he was creating a new half body complete with artificial skin so he could look human but retain his intelligence. Lightning Lad is gets a telepathic Message from Saturn Girl that Duplicate boy is alive, all of the Legionnaires are celebrating the good news except for the one Legionnaire that while he also yearned for Duplicate Boy's recovery, Shrinking Violet's happiness also mean Colossal Boy's bitter frustration.

Roll Call:
Superboy
Brainiac-5
Shrinking Violet
Lightning Lad
Mon-El
Ultra Boy
Saturn Girl
Colossal Boy
Light Lass
Sun Boy
Guest Starring
Duplicate Boy (Hero of Lallor)
Villains
The Fatal Five
Tharok
Persuader
Validus
Mano
Emerald Empress

Planets Visited
Imsk
Cyrem

Notes
Page 1:

• Persuader attacked by holograms of the Legion members. Coincidently some of the same members that star in this issue.

Page 2:

• Duplicate Boy and Shrinking Violet relaxes in a luxury hotel on Imsk.

Page 3:

• Duplicate Boy's powers feed back when he tries to copy Validus's Power. Which allows the Persuader to hit him with his Axe.

Page 5:

• Colossal Boy lets his feeling for Violet show, which will come up again years later.

Page 7:

• Awesome display of the Legion Cruiser

Page 8:

• Violet stops Brainiac from blasting the Fatal Five ship.

Page 10:

• Saturn Girl uses her powers to watch Violet's and Duplicate Boy's Love life. (Creepy)

Page 11:

• Superboy takes out the Eye very easily.

Page 12:

• Superboy is smashing the Empress's sex toys.
• Validus is playing with a Rattle.

Page 16:

• Light Lass uses her purse to beat on Mano.

Page 17:

• Duplicate boy is saved and Colossal boy is upset that he will not have a chance with Violet.

This is my favorite Fatal five story, it is also the first one I read, you know what they say about your first. I due like the glimpse you get into the Legion's personal life. Nice to see Lightning Lad with Validus, I won't say while but long time Legion followers will know.
Yesterday was Mother's Day so I would like to wish every one and there Mother's a Happy Mother's day. Yesterday was also the one year anniversary of this Blog.  I know I have not posted in 3 months but I will try to post more often.

Next time Superboy 220

Hostess Ad from Karate Kid # 3

Karate Kid # 3

Karate Kid # 3, Cover Dated: July/Aug 1976, Cover Price .30 Cents.
"The Revenger", Barry Jameson Writer, Ric Estrada and Joe Staton Artists, Carl Gafford Colorist and Joe Orlando Editor.
Val and Iris are waiting in an extremely long line in a Manhattan Bank to cash the reward check that he was given after defeating Major Disaster two weeks ago, when a Costumed man calling himself the Revenger smashes through a window. He quick takes care of the guards and when Val tries to stop him he get knocked down with the Revengers Metal covered arm. The Revenger then Kills the Bank President William J Grant and leaves before Val catches up with him. Val finds a note on the deceased banker that reads:
"The Banker is one, Justice is done. When the Jeweler is through then there'll be two."
On the roof of the Universal Concept building we find Dr. Norman Grimes alias the Revenger taking care of his pet pigeons. In flash back we see Grimes going to work for Universal Concept, with the company giving him the penthouse apartment on the roof so he can keep his birds. The board of investors (Grant, Knight and Spencer) were interested in his Heavy metal formula, assuring the doctor that they shared his dreams of building Cities with indestructible material that would last for centuries and eliminate slims. Dr Grimes worked for years until he finally achieved success. Grimes thought the board was going to keep the discovery a secret until the best way to help mankind could be found, but they sold it to be used as war materials. He was furious and wanted revenge on the board. Using the companies own Laboratories he created the whip and power arm that would enable him to find Justice. Grimes talks to the birds about one of the thieves being dead and the others will soon follow.
               Meanwhile to the south, Val and Iris are being shown an apartment for Val by a Mrs. Geichman, the apartment is pink with lots of hearts, Val wants to pass on it but Iris tells him it is cheap and he does not know when his next check will come in. Val signs the lease when the radio interrupts with a special bulletin, that the Revenger is rampaging through the jewelry district. Val Leaps out the window and somersaults to the ground and off he goes. Just as he catches up to Revenger he spots some looters, Val takes them out with his super karate, But the Karate Kid was delayed long enough for the Revenger to Kill somebody at Knight Jewels. A note has been left again, this one reads:
The Jeweler is through now there are Two. "When the Leader is three then settled we'll be!"
        Val takes the note to the police, But on the Roof top of the Universal Concept building Grimes is telling his feathered friends that by Midnight tonight justice will have been served. Time passes... The Revenger breaks into D F Spencer's office at Universal concept, but instead of Spencer he finds, The Karate Kid. Val had the police run the Revenger's victims through the computers and the only thing they had in common was Universal Concept. The only surviving board member was Spencer so he is in protective custody while Val deals with the Revenger. After two pages of fighting Val follows Grimes to the roof and kicks him into the bird cages. Having his only friends hurt sends Revenger over the edge and he goes berserk on the Karate Kid. But during the fight the large sign in front of the cages gets broken and starts to fall over. Seeing this the Revenger runs to save his friends, he frees the birds but he gets squashed by the Sign. And now hopefully the Revenger can have the one thing he wanted out of this Peace.
No page by pages today.
           I liked this it set up a villain that had motivation and was able to hold his own against the Karate Kid. We get introduced to Val's Land Lady and we also find out that Val spent two weeks living with Iris, i wonder if the Princess should be jealous. While this story is the best of the 3 we had so far, I think this is the last seperate post I will do on Karate Kid, unless we have the Legion show up or another Major guest star. Since this is a bi-Monthly book I will just post the cover and a brief summary about this with the Superboy post. And when they appear I will run the hostess ad's in their own post.

Next Time:
A Hostess ad starring Superman

After That My favorite Fatal Five story Superboy # 219

Snow

We are going to have a blizzard in New England this week end so I just wanted to Post and hope everyone remains Safe.

D

Superboy # 218 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes



"The Secret Villain the world Never Knew" Story Cary Bates' Art: Mike Grell
  We see three rejected applicants leaving the Legion Citadel. Infectious Lass (first applied in Superboy # 201) complains that she found away to make her disease inducing power even stronger than before, she can now even cause epidemics, and they still do not want her. Quake Kid starts hitting on her offering her a ride in his Retro-Jetter when Infectious Lass's powers go out of control and makes him sick. Quake and Infectious leave arguing while the thrid reject stands there and thinks. "No wonder they were rejected... But I thought for sure I'd pass the membership tests! Instead they told me my special power is too limited." The disappointed stanger thought to himself.
 Above the dejected applicants a new candidate arrives in a pne man ship. In the citadel, Brainiac-5 is showing Colossal boy, Element Lad and Light Lass how Tryroc came to be a Legion applicant. Brainiac-5 tells them that Tyroc passed all of their qualification tests and all that is left is his offical induction ceremony. Out of nowhere a sound that the 3 Legionnaires have never heard before. "Oyuuuuuu" it sounds again and the Legion's newest partner teleports into the building. Tyroc gives Brainiac a hip hand shake and tells him he has park his cruiser on the roof with all of his personal belongings on board because this time he is here to stay. (yeah, sure) Just as Brainiac is about to introduce Tyroc to some of his new teammates they see a man in a strange costume burn through the view screen. The man is called Zoraz and he appears to be an old foe of the Legion. The four Legionnaires attack with Tyroc hanging back. One by one he use the teams own powers against them. Colossal boy grows out of control and cracks his head on the ceiling. Light Lass is made weightless. Element Lad has the air around him turn to ammonia and he is chocking. Brainiac is unable to think straight, he claims Zoraz is telepathing millions of wild thoughts into his brain. Zoraz turns his attention to Tyroc and before he could do anything, Tyroc unleashes a blood curdling scream that cause an explosion around Zoraz. But Zoraz absorbs the force of the blast with out even feeling it just like a blazing sun can soak up the engergy of an atomic bomb. (this is straight out of the comic I could not make this up.) Tyroc prepares for a more drastic yell when an ear splitting siren goes off. Zoraz has blasted the alarm control with fire making the alarm go off. With the decibels levels increasing Tyroc uses his power to make the alarm explod. By the time Cosmic Boy and Superboy arrive Zoraz is gone. They help their fallen comardes to the infirmary and Superboy tells Tyroc they will be okay in a couple of days, Zoraz had depleted there energy. Superboy and Cosmic boy take Tyroc down to the legion Cell Bank and explain that Zoraz stole cells from every Legionnaire's compartment. Which after analyzing he develop the means to turn the Legion's own powers against them. They think that Zoraz is still in the building the Legion will make sure that someone is always on guard but Tyroc is the only member that can stand up to him since he does not have his genetic code. Later Tyroc and Shrikning Violet patrol the halls while they are being spied on by some one in the ventilation shaft.  Dream Girl and Star Boy are making out in the hallway while Cosmic Boy and Sun Boy spy on them via the Legion's monitors. Just as Cosmic Boy is about to turn the monitor off Zoraz appears attacking Dream Girl and Starboy. Zoraz smashes a wall, Star Boy uses his powers to make things super heavy on Zoraz but it is turned back on Star Boy and he falls through the floor. Dream Girl's power is turned on her and she is having a nightmare in her own head. Tyroc arrives and uses his powers to make Zoraz spin, but he manuvers like a top and Tyroc has to follow him into the Gymnasium. Tyroc flies in and Zoraz uses Super-Breath to extract all of the air from the room creating a vacuum. Since sound doesn't travel in a vacuum Tyroc's super voice will not have any effect on him. Suffocating Tyroc activates his Legion Flight Ring, grabs a barbell and flies straight through the wall and into the fresh air. Crawling to his feet Tyroc is joined by Cosmic Boy and Sun Boy who arrived just in time to find an empty Gym. Not sure how Zoraz escaped the locked room but the pair of late arriving heroes vow to search every inch of the area after they get Tyroc to the infirmary. Inside the ceiling an unknown person hides and says that after seeing Tyroc in action twice he now knows how to defeat him. That night Tyroc is sleeping in his new Quarters when Superboy comes on the communication system and wakes him up, ordering him to report to the briefing room on the double. When he arrives Tyroc is startled to see the Legionnaires that Zoraz defeated standing around hale and healthy. Superboy asks Tyroc to look at the visi-tape that they made of Tyroc's first encounter with Zoraz. He watches to the end when Zoraz removes his helment toe reveal that it was Sun Boy in the costume. He then watches the 2nd fight and at the end it is revealed it is Superboy in the costume. Tyroc is pissed and wants to know what kind of freaky put on is this. Brainiac and Superboy explains that it was Tyroc's final test. They had to know how he would respond  to severe stress so they invented their own villain. They made up the bit with the genetic codes, each Legionnaire made it appeare that their own powers were going out of control. All of the other things that Zoraz did were done by either Superboy or Sun Boy. Just then Zoraz enters the room and Tyroc tells Sun Boy he knows it is him, but this time it is not. The man in Zoraz costume removes the helment to revel the Legion Reject from earlier. The reject was upset that they told him that his unusual power wasn't important enough for a Legionnaire, rejecting him and accepting Tyroc. He decided to prove his value by sneaking into the citadel, waiting till he could go into action, hiding out in the same ventilation shafts "Zoraz" was suppose to be using. The reject contiues to explain that he watched Tyroc in action and waited till he could grab the Zoraz uniform and now it was time for him to prove that he is better than Tyroc. Superboy charges at him but the reject using Sun Boy's powers glows with the energy of a red sun causing Superboy to lose his powers. Note: when Superboy nears the rays of a red sun he becomes an ordinary mortal!
 The reject then using Superboy's own strength smash the former teen of steel into the wall. Brainiac tells Tyroc that the reject is called Absorbancy Boy and that he can absorb residue energy left behind by super powers. Since he is wearing the same uniform that Sun Boy and Superboy wore it has given him their powers. Absorbancy Boy challenges Tyroc to a fight to see who is better qualified to be the next Legionnaire. Brainiac cautions Tyroc saying he is just as formidable as Superboy.
 Tyroc faces his foe and Absorbancy Boy taunts the dark hero. Tyroc explains that he is using  a yell at an ultra high frequency that only Superboy's hearing can pick up.  Absorbency Boy is not impressed but when Tyroc unleashes the yell Absorbancy boy grabs his ears and falls to the ground even through nobody else heard a sound. Tyroc easily incapacitate the villain and explains that he figured AB would be inexperienced with Super Hearing and turn it on at full  strength allowing Tyroc's ultrasonic cry to almost deafen him. Once Absorbency Boy is taken away they get on to the log awaited formal induction ceremony where Tyroc is officially sworn in as a full fledged member of the greatest fighting group in the galaxy The Legion of Super-Heroes.

Roll Call

• Brainiac-5
• Colossal Boy
• Element Lad
• Light Lass
• Cosmic Boy
• Superboy
• Shrinking Violet
• Dream Girl
• Star Boy
• Sun Boy
• Tyroc
• The other members of the Legion in the back ground.

Legion Equipment

• Flight Ring

Rooms in the Headquarters.

• Infirmary
• briefing room
• Monitor room
• Cell Bank
• Gymnasium
• Tyroc's Quarters

Villain

• Absorbancy Boy

Guest Star

• Infectious Lass

Notes:
Page 2:

• Nice call back to Superboy #201 with the use of Infectious Lass

Page 3:

• Tyroc arrives in his own personal Cruiser
• Brainiac-5 briefing members that missed issue 216

Page 4:

• Tyroc Teleports in to nice effect.
• Brainiac-5 thinks he is hip the way he shakes Tyroc's hand.

Page 5:

• "Zoraz" burns his way into the room and easily defeats four Legionnaires.

Page 6

• Tyroc stands by while a villain takes out his new partners.

Page7:

• "Zoraz" burns the control box, is any one seeing a pattern here?
• "Arrrhh!" Yell from Tyroc causes thing to explode

Page 8:

• Superboy and Cosmic Boy arrive Late, this will happen again with Legionnaires showing up after Tyroc had faced the bad guy.
• We see the 4 Legionnaires that were defeated by Zoraz lying in sick bay.
• They show Tyroc the Legion Cell Bank last seen in Superboy 206.

Page 9:

• We have a mystery man hiding out in the ventilation shaft.

Page 10:

• Star Boy and Dream Girl making out in the hallway.
• Cosmic Boy and Sun Boy watching them make out on the monitor.
• There is probably a few sex visi-tapes floating around the 30th century starring Dream Girl.

Page 11:

• Tyroc to the rescue.
• Zoraz using super strength.
• ZZZRRUGHHHH! make you spin round round like record baby.

Page 12:

• Zoraz sucking all of the air out of the room with Super breath. Hmmm

Page 13:

• Sun Boy and Cosmic Boy are a day late and a dollar short, or since this is the 30th century a credit Short.
• Superboy wakes Tyroc out of a sound sleep.
• Tyroc goes to the briefing room to see the injured Legionnaires up and around.

Page 14.

• Tyroc should be pissed to find out he was part of a fraternity prank.

Page 15:

• A 3rd person puts on the Zoraz suit, that thing must reek.
• How many Legion Rejects turn into villains. This Guy, all of the Legion rejects in 212. I believe radiation Roy and Spider-Girl. I will have to do more research but there has to be close to a dozen.

Page 16:

• Absorbancy Boy, his name is Absorbancy Boy, Cary, you are better writer than that your flash stories prove that, wait you came up with Big Sir, never mind.

Page 17:

• Tyroc tricks Absorbancy Boy into using Super Hearing to take him out.
• Tyroc get sworn into the Legion, this being the first of many stories of him with the team. Maybe not.

Notes:
Great Story until the end, have to use Super hearing to have the guy take himself out seems a bit anti climatic. But the build up to the reveal of Zoraz being Superboy and Sun Boy was good. I like that they played a prank on Tyroc similar to the one Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy and Lightning Boy I mean Lad, played on Superboy in Adventure 247.
 Good use of Infectious Lass even if it is only for a couple of panels, I always like when we can call back to passed issues. Absorbancy Boy is a little dumb but I will forgive it knowing now what Geoff Johns will turn him into.

Hostess Ad

Next Time Karate Kid 3, Oh Boy

 

Superboy # 217 "Future Shock for Superboy"

"FUTURE SHOCK FOR SUPERBOY"

Story: Jim Shooter, Art: Mike Grell
Superboy flies though the the sky's of 20th century smallville and building speed until he pierces the time barrier on his way to the 30th century and the latest meeting of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The Teen of steel exits the time stream and marvels at 30th century metropolis and the people cheering him. He notice that someone is in the magnetic canal that carries cargo on magnetic waves at over 200 miles an hour. He plans to scoop the unlucky guy out of the canal before the cargo gets close, but he notices it is a girl and what a girl she is. The scantily clad girl is standing there calm as can be, Superboy could just fly her out of there but feels like showing off  and uses his super strength to stop the cargo in its path. He flies the girl out of the way and asks her how she fell into the canal in the first place and she just replies that she is extra clumsy. She asks Superboy if he knows who she is and when he asks if he should she says no and tells him her name is Elna. Elna is impressed and says she always wanted to meet him and she never had been held by a living legend before. The teen of steel is smitten and ask her to hang out with her until he has to go to his meeting in a half hour. They talk for a bit mostly about Superboy, when Legion member Wildfire comes around the corner Elna takes of before he can see her. Superboy wants to go after her but Wildfire reminds him they are due at the meeting. Later in the Legion Council chamber Mon-El adjourns the meeting. Wildfire asks if he is returning to his own time but the Smallville Sentinel has a certain girl he can't get out of his mind and goes off in search for her. Wildfire would of gone with him but he has duty that night at the Legion Academy working with some new trainees.  Note: the Legion academy was introduced in Adventure comics 371.
           As Superboy flies off Elna arrives crying thinking she should of told him the truth about herself right away. Hours later Superboy cannot find a trace of her it is as if she vanished into thin air. He questions while she would run from Wildfire, then he realizes the one place he did not look is the Legion headquarters. He arrives as Elna is getting blasted by Wildfire as she appears to be breaking into the headquarters. Superboy freaks out and grabs Wildfire and is about to smash him when Elna pops up and tells him she is alright and that it was a Legion training exercise. Superboy is shocked and happy that she is still alive. Elna explains that her name is actually Laurel Kent and she was not harmed be cause she is invulnerable. She tells him that she is his Descendant. Wildfire joins in and tells him that eventually Superboy will become Superman and marry and have a family that will continue to the 30th century. Laurel explains that she only inherited his invulnerability which is how she made it into the Legion Academy. Laurel also tells him that she always wanted to meet her famous ancestor and that she ran away from Wildfire because he might give her away. Laurel explains that she liked him and that she knew that he liked her too because she resembles the woman he is destined to marry. Wildfire assure her that he will not remember anything that she tells him be cause they use Super Hypnosis to block out any knowledge of his own future. Later Superboy penetrates the time barrier heading of the mid 20th century and home. Once he returns to the 20th century he loses all knowledge of Laurel Kent.
Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Wildfire
• Mon-El (Leader)
• Colossal boy (background)
• Light Lass (Background)

1st app.

• Laurel Kent (Elna)

Rooms in the headquarters

• Council Chamber

Notes:
Page 1:

• Superboy flies from 20th century Smallville into the time stream.

Page 2:

• Superboy arrives in the 30th century and sees a Hot girl and flies down to talk to her. "Hi I'm Superboy" must be a hell of a pickup line. And if you knock up a girl from the future you do not have to worry about her showing up with a paternity suit.

Page 3:

• Superboy causes property damage just to impress a girl.
• The girl says her name is ELNA. E L N A, think about it.

Page 4:

• Just when Superboy thinks he is getting somewhere, Wildfire shows up and ELNA takes off.

Page 5:

• After searching all night for her he finds her just as it looks like she is being killed by one of his own teammates.

Page 6:

• Elna is alright and her name is really Laurel Kent a descendant of Superboy.
• Laurel admits she was attracted to what should be her Great, great, great, great (add as many greats as you want.) Grandfather.
• Laurel tells Superboy that she resembles the woman he is destined to married. Great that narrows it down to most dark hair women from DC's Silver age. (Lois Lane, Carol Ferris, Jean Loring, even Diana Prince.)
• Another mention of Legion Brain washing, just wait there will be more.

Laurel Kent is my favorite non Legion Member. When I first read this at 11 years old I thought it was great that Superman had descendants in the 30th century and could not wait to they did more with her. I had a while to wait, and they did use her a little over the years I was disappointed in how they finally dealt with her. The alias she uses Elna gives us a hint to who Superman Marries, change the letters around and you get Lane. If you want to here an excellent podcast on this story got to the two true freaks website and under the I have a few things to say about Superman show, Host Scott H Gardner cover this story a few months back and he did an excellent job and if you have not listen to the Two True Freaks shows I suggest you do they have many shows and they are very entertaining. Scott and his fellow Freaks cover all things geek, Star Trek, Star Wars, Comics, Movies and more.
http://twotruefreaks.libsyn.com/
Next Time: a Story starring everyone's favorite hero: Tyroc, yes I said Tyroc, hey he is only in 3 stories in this era so give him a break.

Superboy #217 Starring The Legion of Super-Heroes

 Superboy # 217 Cover Date June 1976, Cover Price .30 cents. "The Charge of the Doomed Legionnaires." Story: Jim Shooter, Art: Mike Grell
   Superboy narrates this tale that starts out as a peaceful trip to the Science Police convention on the planet Thanagar. It starts as Superboy is playing a game of 3d chess with Timber Wolf when Shadow Lass comes in and tells him that they just got a message from Mon-El on the cruisers transceiver and that he is needed back on earth. Timber Wolf uses his best chess move of kicking the board over. Shadow Lass tells him that it is a small job and he should be done in time to meet them at the Con. Superboy zips through the airlock at super-speed towards earth leaving his friends behind. Not know that they would need his help that he would not be there to provide. Brainiac-5 is in command on the bridge telling Colossal Boy that in 15 minutes they would be over the Planet Ruzicka, where Brainy would leave the ship to compete in the interplanetary 3-D Chess tournament while the rest of them go to Thanagar. Colossal Boy sees a ship on the scanner closing fast. He Identifies it as a Khund raider flying an intercept course and that it is hostile. Note: the Khunds are a warrior race sworn to conquer the United Planets. The Legion halted their first attempt to invade Earth, (See Adventure comics 346 and 347.) They are still the single biggest threat to the free worlds.
  Brainiac-5 orders the Legionnaires to battle stations. Brainy knows that they are coming to fast and that they will blow them to bits before they reach battle speed, so he orders Colossal boy in Engineering to cut the engines and divert all power to the shields. Alone in engineering the only way that he can operate the two switches on opposite sides of the room is to grow big enough to do the work of two crewmen. With Brainiac's quick thinking and Colossal Boy's enlarging power they averted disaster , the force shield saved the ship. But they have suffered damages. In the monitor room Shadow lass reports that the lights were out but that is no problem for the Mistress of darkness since she can see in total blackness. Timber Wolf reports that the hatch to the weapons pod was stuck but he freed it with his super strength. In engineering Colossal Boy reports that the blast opened a minor fissure in the fusion tanks but it is not critical yet but if it gets worse they will go Boom. Brainiac give the obvious order to keep an eye on it. Shadow Lass reports that the Khund is circling back. Which suits Brainiac just fine, he recognizes the insignia on the ship belonging to Field Marshal Lorca's flag ship. Lorca is the Khunds top commander, he is suppose to be the greatest military mind in the galaxy. Brainiac dreamed of testing himself against him. Brainy thinks this is even better than a chess tournament. He orders Colossal Boy to take them to battle speed. After a brief battle the Legion got the upper hand and the Khunds retreated back to their space sector. The team kisses Brainy's green ass and about the time Superboy reached earth the ship was orbiting Ruzicka and Brainiac-5 beamed down to the planet. The three remaining Legion members tell him that they will pick him up after the convention. But the danger was not over. Marshal Lorca met up with his squadron and they monitored Brainiac leaving the ship and the team continuing on to Thanagar. The first attack was just a test and now the real trap could begin. Lorca tells his men that the Legion ship proved to be superior to theirs and they must capture it. They plan to disassemble it and analyze the parts to learn what makes their ship so efficient. The Legion sees the squadron and starts to take evasive action. Lorca orders his squadron to fire. As powerful as the Legion's cruiser is it cannot withstand a surprise attack from a whole Khund squadron. Using his enormous strength Colossal Boy guides the wounded craft to Vanylack IV a barren planet. Every one on the Legion ship is okay but they wonder why the Khund did not atomize them. They figure out that the enemy wants to seize the ship. Colossal by activates his emergency signal. While Khund soldiers advance on foot, luckily the Ships photon ray still had a little power left and had enough juice to knock the soldiers down. Most of the soldiers scatter but one officer is injured on the ground. Colossal Boy thinks they should grab him and use him as a hostage. Timber Wolf and Shadow Lass leap out of the ship but immediately hear Brainiac-5's voice telling them to hit the deck. They keep going then they hear him again and they get down just as a laser blast almost cuts them in half. They return to the ship and find Brainiac-5 still on Ruzicka on the monitor, he is responding to Colossal Boy's signal. Brainiac figured out it was a trap because Lorca never allows any of his officers to be taken alive. Brainiac tells them that he will plan their strategy.



They see tanks out side getting ready to attack but Brainiac tells them that Lorca wants the ship so he won't blow it apart. Brainy has Shadow Lass black out the area so the tank can not see but they can see them by the glow of the headlights. Colossal Boy blasts them with the photon ray. As this is going on Superboy has received the emergency call and he is zooming toward Vanylack IV. At the enemy camp one of Lorca men confirm to the Marshal that Brainiac-5 is sending orders to the Legion. He orders them to Jam Brainiac-5's sub space frequency and to adjust the electronic voice duplicator to imitate his voice. Lorca boast that he will show them real strategy.
     The Fake Brainiac-5 tells the Legion to take the offensive, that a surprise frontal attack will force them to flee. The team debate this for a minute but decides that if Brainiac thinks it will work they might as well go ahead and do it. The real Brainiac was feeling helpless thing that his team would be slaughtered. Having faith in what they thought were orders from the smartest member of the legion the fly off using their legion flight rings and boldly entered the trap in front of them. Ion cannons to the right, Distruptors to the left and blasters dead ahead. The enemy fires at the team. Lorca orders the rear batteries to fire behind them to cut off any retreat. His flunky reports they are to retreating. Lorca orders them to fire on the rock formations to prevent them from taking cover. The flunky tells him they're not seeking cover. Lorca is looking at the map to determine how best to deal with them, when a Giant fist of Colossal boy hits the ground. He is being shot at by disruptor's but is determined to get his hands on Lorca. Shadow Lass uses her powers to black out an area and takes out a couple of more soldiers. Timber Wolf is going berserk leveling several Khunds. The team over comes the odds and the Khunds retreat just as Superboy arrives. The three heroes are injured but are pissed at Brainiac-5 for ordering them into a death trap. Superboy explains that hey were tricked by Lorca. They realize that Lorca is missing, the Marshall is sneaking into the Legion's ship planning to kill them when they return to the ship. The fusion tanks that were ruptured in the earlier battle have been building pressure this whole time and explodes taking out the Legion Cruiser along with Lorca. Superboy says if Lorca did not trick the team into leaving the ship it would of been the 3 heroes that died and not Lorca.

Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Shadow Lass
• Colossal Boy
• Timber Wolf
• Brainiac-5

Planets Visited

• Ruzicka
• Vanylack IV

Legion Equipment

• Cruiser
• Flight Rings

Villains:

• Marshal Lorca
• Khunds

Notes:
If page numbers are off blame Dc they stop putting them on the bottom of the pages.
Cover:

• Mon-El is shown on the cover and while he is mentioned he does not appear.

Page 2:

• Timber Wolf pulls the classic Chess move by kicking over the board.

Page 3:

• Nice shot of Colossal Boy growing to operate two stations at the same time. Good use of his powers.
• We see the gauge that shows the fusion pressure, hmm will that be a thing later, not sure. (Sound of Chekhov gun loading.)

Page 4:

• Only Brainiac-5 would be excited about having to out think one of the Galaxy military commanders.
• Again they borrow the enterprise's transporter,

Page 5:

• Where does Lorca get his outfit from the local "Bondage are Us" store?



Page 7:

• Brainiac is able to lead them from remote. If he can do that why does he need to leave the HQ every week, it is not like he can fight,

Page 8:

• Shadow Lass blacks out the area, it is the only thing she can do but at least it is helpful.
• Superboy is racing towards Vanvlack IV but some how I think he will be late.

Page 9

• Brainiac looking frantic and helpless (just a normal day for our walking computer)
• Our heroes fly into a Suicide trap that just happens to work out and saves their lives.

Page 10

• Lorca's biggest mistake is thinking that the 3 Legionnaires are smart enough to retreat or take cover, but he gives them way too much credit. If Brainiac-5 tells them it is a good Idea to take a bath with a plugged in hair dryer they would do it.
• Like the panel of Timber wolf acting like an animal, (truth in advertising.)

Page 11:

• Who shows up when the battle is over, why just one of the most powerful beings in the universe, The stranger from the planet Krypton, the Boy of Steel, Superboy. Where were you 5 minutes ago? Getting donuts?
• Like the panel of the Legion ship blowing up with the words around the explosion.

This was another good issue. Quickly gets Superboy out of the way and focuses on the lesser heroes. I like that the Khund are reintroduced in this issue. While here they look just like pointy eared humans later they take on a more alien like appearance. I do like the mention of Thanagar in the story. Thanagar is the home planet to the silver age Hawkman and Hawk Girl. At this time in my reading I do not believe that the Legion's writers used planets that showed up in the mainstream DC Universe. The fact that it is used here reminds the reader that this is part of an overall universe, even that it is set 1000 years in the future.

Next Time the introduction of my favorite non member character.

Karate Kid # 2

Karate Kid # 2 Cover dated June 1976, Cover price .30 Cents

"The International Dooms of Major Disaster" Barry Jameson Writer, Ric Estrada & Joe Staton Artists, Joe Orlando Editor.

Val Armorr goes to PS 38 in lower Manhattan looking for School teacher Iris Jacobs. Val is looking for a confident and a place to stay. Iris still has a hard time believing that Val is from the 30th century. Val even shows her his 30th century credit card and she still does not believe him. Out of know where a tidal wave heads down 43rd street. Val grabs Iris and leaps to safety. They ponder on how this catastrophe can happen just out of the blue and who is responsible. The answer to that question is Major Disaster, riding on a water spout with 2 of his henchmen. He declares that the United nations must vacate it headquarters in the United States with in three hours or face total destruction. Val Leaps on to Major Disaster's craft and Disaster is pleased that a super hero is facing him, Major Disaster uses his control stick that brings a meteorite down on our hero. Using all of his train Val destroy the meteorite with a power full kick. The force of the blow knocks Val off of the sled and he lands in a water filled barrel. As he climbs out he is surrounded by Major Force's men. It takes Val very little time and he defeats the thugs just in time for the police to drag them all down to the police station. Later the news is reporting that Karate Kid, is a  hero from the 30th century . Major Disaster is watching from his headquarters with his employers representatives from Nurike who hired Disaster to drive the U.N. out of the united states to enforce their "America for American" philosophy. Major Disaster ensures him that when he takes on a contract he carries it out.
   Outside the midtown police station Val is surround by reporters when he is saved by Iris who leads him into a Taxi. Iris explains that some firemen help her down after Val had to leave and apologies for not believing that he was from the future. Just then a giant crack appears in front of their Taxi cab. And now we have an Earthquake in New York city. The fissures appear to be coming from a building in the distance that is glowing but the building is not affected by the earth quake.  Val tells Iris to stay where she is and he goes off to investigate. Like all women in these types of story Iris does not listen and follows after him. Val finds Major Disaster on the balcony of the glowing building operating his sonic trembulator that will doom the United nations. Val threatens to break every bone in Disaster's body when Iris comes in and distracts the Karate Kid long enough for him to pull the switch on his machine. The Machine causes a master fissure that is heading to the U.N. building, and will topple the building into the east river. Val grabs Iris and jumps off the balcony and bounces off a canopy and then somersaults safely to the ground. Again telling Iris to stay put he runs off towards the U.N. Placing himself between the fissure and the U.N Val gives a might stomp to the ground setting off a counter vibration that stops Major Disaster vibration and sends it back toward Major disaster's building while sealing the fissure as it goes. The vibration causes feedback in the Major's machine and causes it to explode.  In the rubble Val and Iris meet up, Val telling the Red Head school teacher that he still does not have a place to stay and she tells him yes he does.


Wow this is bad. The premise is terrible, American Nazi's hiring a super-Villain to force the United Nation out of America. Wow again. I liked the idea that now that he was in the 20th century, Karate Kid would fight know villains. Major Disaster is a known villain, I think he use to fight Green Lantern or the Flash but I do not know that much about him. I would of liked to see Val up against one of Superman's or Batman's major bad guys, I know Luthor or the Joker would be out of the question but I would of settle for the Riddler or the Prankster. As I said the last time we covered an Issue of Karate Kid , I do not recall much about the series but if this is typical I thing I might just give a quick mention of the issues at the bottom of my Monthly Legion posts until The Legion appears in the book again or another Major guest star shows up, I think Robin is in an issue at the end of the run.

Next time Superboy 217.

Superboy # 216 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes " 1 + 1 = 3"

SUPERBOY 216
"1+1=3" Story Cary Bates. Art Mike Grell



Chuck Taine the former Legionnaire called Bouncing Boy is walking in the park with his doubly sexy wife Lournu Taine, Duo Damsel, when they are accosted by a couple of thugs. The thugs are from a gang called the rampagers, a gang Chuck put away when he still had his Bouncing Boy powers. Chuck gets taken out quickly so Lournu splits into two and saves his fat ass. One of the damsel's is stuck with a poison ring but does not notice it right before she puts the last guy down. Lournu rejoins her two halves and she and the luckiest man in the the 30th century walk and talk abit. Chuck is complaining about how useless he is since he lost his powers, (come on Chuck you were pretty lame with them) and that there was a time he could of taken those two without breathing hard. All he would have to do is inflate his body and bounce them into submission. Lournu tries to be a good wife and lies to him saying that he will always have the wits and courage that made him a Legionnaire. Lournu complains about her arm starts to feel faint and goes to get a drink of water from a nearby fountain while Chuck notices that it is the same arm she used to block that hood's punch earlier. The hood could of used a spiked ring to drug Lournu, (he did). The double D dare Doll rejoins her rotund hubby by the entrance to the play ground and quickly passes out. Chuck picks up his wife and is ambushed by four more of the rampagers, it is now dark and with no one else around Chuck thinks that he and his wife will never leave the park alive. (Way to be positive chunky.) Four to one against him and the only weapons he has is a few rubber balls left in the play ground. He throws one hard but misses his foes, and the thugs laugh at him. But the ball was thrown so hard it ricochets off the walls and knocks two to the thugs out. Please with himself until he see a thug on his knees with a knife to Lournu's pretty neck. But from nowhere a rubber ball covers the knife. The thug looks up to see a second Lournu kicking him in the face. The fourth rampager id distracted and Chuck tackles him from behind using all of his massive weight against the man. Chuck asks Lournu about how she did not get knocked out like the other Lournu. She explains that when his back was turned while she was getting a drink she split into two before the drug affected her other side. Chuck is pleased with him self and his wives and they go home to have a 3 way.

Starring
Chuck and Lournu Taine (ex Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel)

Notes:
Page 1:

• Chuck and Lournu out walking in Paradise park when they get attacked by some thugs.

Page 2:

• The Street gang called the Ramapagers get the crap kicked out them by Duo Damsel while Chuck lies helpless on the ground.

Page 3

• One of the thugs drug Lournu, I thought Chuck had been doing that for years.

Page 4:

• Lournu passes out.

Page 5:

• Chuck gets lucky and takes a couple of the Rampagers out.

Page 6:

• Lournu, who split in two earlier comes in and saves Chuck sorry ass again.

I made some jokes but this is one of the better back up stories in this run. I liked seeing the ex-Legionnaires in action again. And of course it featured one of my favorite Legion members, Duo Damsel, proof if a Fat guy like Bouncing Boy can marry a Hottie like that there is hope for me.

Next time Karate Kid # 2

Superboy # 216 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 216 Cover Dated apr 1976, Cover Price .30 cents (price went up)
"The Hero who hated the Legion" Story: Cary Bates, Art: Mike Grell
58 years ago a sizable fortune in rare gems were stolen and hidden in a satellite that was launched into orbit with no one but the gang who stole it knowing about it. Today in the 30th century the last of the gang confesses and Satellite falls from orbit to the Island nation of Marzal. Marzal is an independent self sufficient community populated entirely by a black race that wants nothing to do with the outside world. The Legion in their Cruiser head for Marzal just before they touch down they noticed the Betas on of the most notorious gang in the galaxy flying via jet packs over the city. The beta's must be looking for the Gems just as the Legion. Superboy , Brainiac-5, Karate Kid and Shadow Lass fly out of the ship to take on the Betas. Just before they can engage they here an ear piercing sound, and before them the Betas jet packs burst into flames. Not wanting to leave the crooks to fall to their death Superboy and Karate Kid race towards the criminals. Just before they get there they hair another indistinguishable noise. Suddenly the Betas are encased in bubbles floating in air. Not sure what is happening they spot the Beta's ship coming to rescue their partners. Out of nowhere a fast flying form in a white costume appears flying at the beta's ship. The Betas fire their Dual Mega blasters at him but he makes another of those weird noises and a force field appears. He makes another yell and the Betas ship is flung from the island city. The legionnaires are impress and think he would make a good member of the team. They ask him if he wants to join but the unnamed man yells again and teleports away. Soon the for heroes roam Marzal in search of the fallen probe when on the giant screen is a pre recorded visit tape from the mysterious hero. His name is Tyroc and he is telling his people not to help the four Legionnaires, for the Legion has ignored them whenever they were in trouble. Tyroc says it is because of their skin color that does not make them important enough. Racial prejudice died out years ago but perhaps the Legion is behind the times he tells his people. The Legion are astonished that they are being called racists, but before  they can do anything Karate Kid has Superboy follow him to where a sky bridge is collapsing, the tow make short work of the debris. Bu the good people of Marzal are not impressed and give them a hard time. All this time Tyroc's message is still playing telling the people of Marzal about the Betas and that he will take them into custody. While this is happening two Beta's are spying on the Legion. The Legion track the Gem's using a Gem Scanner that Brainiac-5 developed. But before the Team can get there the beta's find the probe they open it and it releases deadly radiation from being in space all of these years. One Beta still concouius spots the legion flying in the distance but they cannot see what is happening. The Beta opens is mouth but no sound comes out. All of a sudden Superboy turns and has the rest follow him to the stricken Beta's and the probe. Superboy has Shadow Lass cover the jewels with her shadow temporary stopping the radiation and Superboy throws the probe out of this world. 3 of the 4 Beta were too close to the radiation and they are now dead the 3 is revealed to be Tyroc in disguise. He used his super power to contact Superboy and let him know what was going on. Tyroc realizes that the Legion is not so bad and decides to see if he can Qualify to become a Legionnaire.

Roll Call:

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

Introducing:

• Tyroc

Legion Equipment

• Cruiser
• Flight Ring
• Gem Scanner

Notes
Page 1:

• Great splash page  showing Tyrok and the people of Marzal throwing rocks at the Legion.

Page 2:

• Cosmic boy in his chest baring uniform explaining about the Gems and the probe.

Page 4:

• We get exposition about Marzal, it being a city populated entirely by black people, which explains why we have never seen any black people in 30th century earth.
• The beta's are black suit jet pack wearing crooks.

Page 5:

• The Legion hear strange noises doing strange things.

Page 6:

• Tyroc makes a great entrance. This is a great drawing of a silly costume.

Page 7:

• Tyroc TV

Page 8:

• We get to see the grateful citizens of Marzal, tell the legion to get the hell off their Island.

Page 9:

• Of course Brainiac-5 just happens to have a gadget to find the missing Gems.

Page 11:

• Darkness stopping radiation, not so sure about that.

Page 12:
And of course Tyroc is now all buddy buddy with the legion and wants to join up.


I always liked this story and was disappointed that Tyroc was not used more often He makes only two more major appearances in this title and is not used regularly until the 5 year Later Legion in the 90's.

Next time the 2nd tale of this issue starring my favorite threesome Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy. And I leave you with another Hostess Ad featuring Batman and Robin

Karate Kid # 1

Karate Kid # 1 Cover Dated April 1976, Cover Price .25
"My World begins in Yesterday" Paul Levitz Writer, Ric Estrada and Joe Staton Artists, Joe Orlando editor. Mike Grell cover artist.
Karate Kid is battling Nemesis Kid, the villain who can counter any heroes power. Nemesis Kid is countering Karate Kid with a force shield that explodes knocking the kid down. Nemesis boast that soon he will adapt a new power and finish him off. When the Legion Time Bubble arrives and allows Nemesis to vanish. Mon-El, Brainiac-5, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad jump out of the bubble. They chastise him for not telling them what century that he was following Nemesis kid to. Karate Kid tells them because he did not want any of them to follow him. and it was their fault that he escaped. Nemesis can only teleport away when faced with more than one foe. They bicker among themselves for a bit and Mon-El berates him for coming back by himself with no special powers. This piss the Kid off and he tries to punch Mon-El and fails. Karate Kid explains that they all have special powers but he had to train himself every day to develop his abilities and that someone like Mon-El can't understand emotions like Fear or Pride and he can't understand him. The Legion turn away from the Kid and return to the Time bubble to begin their journey back to the 30th Century. Back in present day New York, police officers are giving him a hard time thinking that he is part of a movie shoot. The Kid leaves them and flies away using his Legion flight ring. But shortly the flight ring stops working and Karate Kid enters a window three stories up. He scares a knock out red head in glasses and tosses his ring away. He tells her he just wanted to retrieve some of his things on the roof. The red head introduces herself as Iris Jacobs a school teacher in the building. The Kid reflects that the schools he went to where nothing like this and that he would of loved this place. On the roof Karate Kid notices that his time bubble is missing and that only Nemesis kid could of stolen it. Nemesis kid left him a chronal energy detector to trace the bubble but he knows he will be walking into a trap. Iris gives him a bus token after he asks for a air car. On the street he notices that someone is carrying a 30th century blaster walking the street. The hood fires the weapon at the kid and he disarms him and then goes all Bruce Lee on the guys ass. The guy who was not Nemesis Kid weapon has a label on it saying it was manufacture by a company called Future Tech. Shortly after he finds himself out side the future tech's building. The chornal readings are so high that the time bubble must be in the building somewhere. Using his ability he smashes the Bedrock solid Quartz that looks like glass into pieces. Waiting for him are 7 highly skilled martial art fighters, while each of them are skilled in one discipline, Val Armorr The Karate Kid has been trained since birth in all manners of martial arts. After dispensing with his welcoming party the Kid smashes int the elevator shaft and starts to climb up using the cables. The shaft is mined with Laser turrets and while the kids avoids most of them one destroys a boot and injures a foot. Ignoring the pain Karate Kid continues on. He leaves the shaft and finds himself in a door less hallway, so he leaps into the air and cracks open the ceiling. He is now face to face with Nemesis Kid. They trade threats for a minute and Nemesis power turns his body into steel. Avoiding the machine parts being thrown at him Val pulls the rug out from under his foe knocking into the banks of computers destroying them. Val Leaps at Nemesis but he catches him and throws him out the window. Val uses his skill and using his toes stops his decent. Some how Val is able to propel himself back through the window but Nemesis avoids him. Nemesis powers adapt into nuclear bursts and he starts firing them at Karate Kid. But Val much quicker and agile manages to dodge them and knock nemesis out. Feeling better than he has in years about being a Hero Val recovers his time bubble and leaves a note on the sleeping body of his enemy and sends the Bubble and Nemesis Kid BACK TO THE FUTURE, while Val starts a new life for himself in the 20th Century.

Wow, this was interesting, in a what the hell is going on kind of way. I am going to skip Page by page on this one and just get to my likes and dislikes.

Guest stars

• Brainiac-5
• Saturn Girl
• Lightning Lad
• Mon-El

Villain

• Nemesis Kid

Likes:

• Karate Kid featured in his own book. One of my favorite members of the team off on his own good concept, not sure if it was handled correctly.
• Paul Levitz as writer. While the story is messed up, this is Paul's first time writing any of the Legion characters and  one day he would write the team better than anyone, but you have to start somewhere.
• Iris Jacob, they introduced her here and she seems like she will be a good supporting character for Val, that and I have a thing for red heads.
• Nemesis Kid as a villain is a good choice he debut at the same time as Karate Kid and I always thought they made good foes for each other.
• Limited use of the Legion,

Dislikes

• We are all over the place, story wise. We open in the 20th century and we are not even told that is where we are.
• Nemesis Kid's power is to adapt to any foe he fights but he just develops random powers.
• The Legion being dicks to Karate Kid.
• This was mostly one huge fight scene trying to capitalize on the Bruce Lee martial art craze.
• The Art. Estrada and Staton are great Artist and I cannot draw to save my life but coming from the Grell Legion stuff to this is a bit of a let down, the style look a bit more cartoon like than I enjoy.
• Superboy on the cover and he never makes an appearance inside.

My dislikes aside I do remember enjoying these as a kid and I do own all 15 issues so we might continue with this for a while but with probably shorter synopsis.

Next time Superboy # 216 the debut of a new Hero.