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 #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.

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

Superboy # 215 Starring the Legion of Super-heroes

"The Hero who wouldn't Fight" Story By: Jim Shooter, Art by Mike Grell & Bill Draut

Planet Kar Zagas and out of the way Planetoid, Current population 227 cutthroats, thieves and Villains and one Legionnaire. Disguised as Radako, expert marksman, assassin for hire, Chameleon Boy infiltrates the Citadel only to find out he is expected and zapped by the Emerald Empress's Emerald Eye. The Emerald Empress acting without the Fatal five has taken over the citadel and is forming a criminal army to take back her home world of Vengar. She blasts Chameleon boy and has her men lock him up in a special cell and take his flight ring. A short while later the in a Legion Cruiser gets the signal it has been waiting for and Ultra boy acting as the leader transport a group of Legionnaires all except Cosmic boy to the planet's surface. Cosmic Boy is left behind because this is the one day of the year that people of his planet Braal are forbidden to use their magnetic powers.
Seconds after they beam down Light Lass beams back  and tells him it was a trap the others were captured and she barley escaped. She pleads with Cosmic boy to take them by surprise with his Super Magnetism. Cosmic Boy refuses due to his people's beliefs. If he used his power he would dishonor his whole family for generations and lose his own self respect. Light Lass continue to plead asking him to save her brother's Lightning Lad's life. She badgers him for a little bit until he tells her to shut up and slaps her.

 Cosmic Boy says he can not use his powers but he will fight and die like a Legionnaire. He beams down leaving Light Lass to think she goaded him into suicide. Cosmic Boy sneaks into to the citadel thanks to his Legion Flight ring and finds the Legionnaires locked up in glass like cubes. Ultra Boy says that the cells drain their powers but that Cosmic boy can blast them from out outside. Cosmic Boy tries to lift the quadrostat but he can not, just as the guards come in the quadrostat flies into Ultra Boy's cell and frees him. A missile is fired and cosmic boy leaps in front of it to buy time so that Ultra Boy and free, Sun Boy, Shadow Lass, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy and Colossal Boy. The villains flee knocking down the Emerald Empress allowing the team to capture her. Cosmic Boy lies dying on the floor and the others wonder why he did not use his powers to save his life since he used them to free Ultra boy. Sun Boy tells them that he did not use his powers, he found Cosmic Boy's flight ring in the wreckage of the Quadrostat he must of put in inside of it and used it to fly into the wall. He kept his honor till the end. Ultra Boy talks to the Empress and asks her to use her Eye to save Cosmic Boy's life. She says she will compile as ling as they let her go. The team tell him not to trust her, but Ultra Boy tells the others to let her go and she vanishes. But shortly after Cosmic boy comes around.
Roll Call:

• Chameleon Boy
• Cosmic Boy
• Colossal Boy
• Sun Boy
• Ultra Boy
• Lightning Lad
• Light Lass
• Shadow Lass

Villain

• The Emerald Empress

Planets Visited:

• Kar Zargas

Legion Equipment:

• Cruiser
• Flight Ring
• Transporter

Notes
Page 1:

• We get a good look at the worst costume in Legion history, Cosmic Boy's Black bare chested suit.
• Chameleon tries to sneak in but gets caught.

Page 2:

• The Emerald Empress and her Emerald Eye.

Page 3:

• The Legion stole one of Star trek transporters
• Cosmic Boy cannot use his powers because of cultural beliefs,

Page 4:

• Light Lass tries to guilt Cosmic Boy into helping.
• Cosmic Boy smacks a Bitch.

Page 6:

• Cosmic Boy frees Ultra Boy with out using his powers and then gets blasted.

Page 8:

• The Empress revives Cosmic boy for her own freedom.

Excellent story, we get a first rate villain and two new costumes, Cosmic Boy's and Colossal Boy's. Cosmic Boy stays around for a while but Colossal boy reverts back to his old uniform in a year or two.

Next Time Karate Kid # 1

Superboy # 214 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy # 214, Cover dated January 1976, Cover Price .25 cents.
"No Price too High" Story Jim Shooter, Art Mike Grell.
The Planet Gyrich a factory world whose surface is covered by one enormous manufacturing complex. Every thing is automated even the security patrols. Hidden from the robotic patrols in a shadow are 5 Legionnaires. Superboy, Brainiac-5, Karate Kid, Shadow Lass and Wildfire. Once the robot is passed Shadow Lass drops her shadow and the team go about their mission to fix the malfunctioning defense computer. Superboy spots something with his super-vision and takes to the air without telling his teammates. Brainiac-5 tries to tell him that he will be spotted by radar but either the does not hear him or he ignores his teammate. Superboy is rushing to intercept a one man ship that is about to enter the planets air space. In a burst of speed Superboy wraps the young pilot in his indestructible cape and takes him out of the ship just as a blast destroys the ship just as it has to every other ship that approached the planet in the last two months. Superboy brings the pilot to the other Legion members and removes his cape. The pilot a boy complains that Superboy wrinkled his suit and was being quite the brat. He tells the team that his father Leland Macauley owns the planet and that he was bored with school and "borrowed" on of his father's speedsters to visit the planet. Wildfire goes off on the kit telling him that the planet's auto defense have go haywire and that the planet has been sealed off for months. At the same time one of the security robots has noticed the team hiding in the pump house, and reports it and is ordered to vaporize the Pump house. Just when it was about to carry out the command Karate Kid who was scouting the area puts a fist through the robots metal chest. This brings more robots that Wildfire destroys with his anti energy. Hiding in the shadows again the team discuss completing their mission and decide that they will have to take young McCauley with them. Not wanting any of that the kid leaves the hiding place determined to talk to the robots saying that they will listen to him. Despite thinking that they should just let the robots kill the kid Superboy flies out and takes an energy blast that was meant for the child. The team comes out of hiding and destroys more robots but one of them takes the kid and tells them to stop or it will kill the child. The team surrenders and is placed in a small cubicle in the central control complex where they await the Overseer. Brainy tells them that the last human overseer was dismissed 5 years ago. The overseer arrives saying that he was fired by Leland McCauley III that he was not needed any longer. He had begged McCauley to let him stay on with no pay but the owner would not let him. But the Overseer knew the security system better than anyone and so after a couple of years he made his way back in and took over the system. The overseer being quite mad tells the team that know one will force him to leave again that he is number one, and they need to be eliminates. Wildfire threatens the man but the overseer tells them that he has their young friend under guard and if they try to escape he will be killed. But if the Legion cooperates and lets him kill them he will let the boy go, to reveal that the Planet is now his. The madman cackles on how this will be sweet revenge on McCauley for firing him and walks off. The Legion realizes that the Overseer does not know that the boy is McCauley's son and if he did he would murder him. Superboy using his "Super Ventriloquism" power tells the boy not to mention who his father is that if he tells the robots or the Overseer who he is that they would kill him. With all of the logic of a young boy he decides to do the opposite of what he was told and tells the robot guards to call their boss. Superboy eavesdropping with his super hearing tells the team that the kid is going to tell the Overseer who he is. Wildfire ever the example of rational thinking says they should let him and that they would have an easier time getting out of here without them. The Karate Kid kind of agrees saying that they would not even have to fight their way out the Overseer would be so happy that he would let them go. Not wanting to here any of this Superboy shoves Wildfire. Being tired of Superboy's shit Wildfire blasts him with anti-energy. Superboy walks through the blast as if nothing is happening slams Wildfire up against the wall and tells the hot head to start acting like a Legionnaire. The Overseer arrives at the boy's cell and just when he is about to tell him who he is Wildfire traumatizes the kids vocal cords with an unseen beam of energy. This should leave him speech less for a minute or so. Superboy and Wildfire have a kumbaya moment and shake hands.
  The Overseer brings our heroes and the kid to the spaceport deck of the control center to execute them and after that he will let the boy go. The kid is happy that the Legion will be killed for they were mean to him. The boy notices that the shuttle that the Overseer is going to put him in is named after his father and says so. Realizing that he has the man who ruined his life child in his clutches he points a laser gun at the kids head. Superboy spouts empty threats at the Overseer but he is determined to kill the child. Superboy distracts him with some gibberish about the Legion's sacred honor and about letting the Overseer blast them if he lets the kid go. The Overseer lets his grip on the child go, and the scared kid bites him in the hand. This allows the team the fraction of a second that they need to destroy more robots  and for Karate Kid to Kick the Overseer in the face. The boy sobs on to Shadow Lass's chest and tells them that he wants to go home. Brainiac-5 goes to the control room and brings the place back to normal. The kid thanks the team and leaves in his father's shuttle. Shadow Lass asks if Superboy was willing to sacrifice them all for the sake of the kid. Superboy tells her that he offered to let him blasts us, "I did not say that we would die."

Bits of Legionnaire business:
Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Brainiac-5
• Karate Kid
• Shadow Lass
• Wildfire

Planet visited:

• Gyrich

Robots Killed: 11
Notes
Page 2:

• Team hiding in one of Shadow Lass's shadows. (not the last time this story)

Page 3

• Superboy saves ungrateful kid.
• Kid last name is McCauley, I find this interesting since this came out about 5 years before the birth of McCauley Caulkin, and they both are annoying brats.

Page 4:

• 6 robots killed

Page 5:

• Hiding in Shadow Lass's shadow again.
• Kid not listening and almost killed (I wish Superboy was slower)

Page 6:

• 3 More robots killed.

Page 7:

• The Overseer makes his appearance and he is stark raving mad.

Page 8:

• Super-ventriloquism Yeah I mean boo! Last blog I mentioned my least favorite Superboy Power Super-hypnotism this time my 2nd least favorite power.
• Young McCauley doing exactly what Superboy told him not to do.
• Wildfire and Karate Kid think it is okay to let the boy die.

Page 9:

• Superboy has had enough of Wildfire's crap.
• Superboy and Wildfire kiss and make up. (no slash fiction please)

Page 10:

• First good think the Kid ever does biting the Overseer.

Page 11:

• More robot homicide.
• The kid is not as stupid as I thought.



 



Interesting story, I originally thought this was the first appearence of Leland McCauley IV, but this does not add up. The boy is never named he is just Identified as Leland McCauley III's son. When we see IV years later in the Legion run he is older than the heroes, the boy here might be a younger brother to the one we see later. This issuse shows us some of the conflict that Wildfire has with other team Members most noticably Superboy, this is great character building it shows us that not all of the heroes are made out of a cookie cutter. Shadow Lass and Brainiac-5 are prettly much useless in the story, I can see the need for Brainy he is the only one smart enought to reprogram the computers but their is no need for Shadow Lass, she provides a couple of shadows and give the kid a chest to sob on to. All in all a good read.

Recently the company who makes the Hostess snack products went out of buisness, in honor of them I am posting the Hostess Ad that ran in this issue, I might make it a regular feature but they only continue to run for about a year or two from where we are in the time line. Not sure if they do this ad but if you want to here a couple of great podcasters acting out hostess ads check out two true freaks, they act these out in several episodes of Back to Bins and Tales of the JSA, I recommend the shows. http://twotruefreaks.libsyn.com/





Also in the Super talk Letters page they note that on November 11 1975 the first issue of Karate Kid will hit the stands, I will cover it and maybe the first 5 or so issues but I will not cover the whole series (I do not have a complete run of them and as I recall they are not that good, but I could be wrong.)

Next time the 2nd story of Superboy # 214 "Stay Small or Die" by Cary Bates and Mike Grell.

Adventure Comics # 370 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Adventure comics # 370 Cover dated July 1968 Cover Price .12 cents
Cover Credits: Curt Swan and Jack Abel. Writer Jim Shooter, Pencils Curt Swan, Ink Jack Abel.
Last Issue our Heroes, Superboy, Mon-El, Duo Damsel, and Shadow Lass were hiding from the sorcerer Mordru in 20th Century Smallville, They were about to return to the 30th century when Mordru attacked.

 They escape Mordru and his Magic by borrowing underground. Superboy builds a device and gathers the Legionnaire's and his parents all back in their disguises. The device he built will remove their memories of being Legionnaires and reinforce their disguised persona's, this should last for about an hour. The device works and the foursome go about their separate business.
Duo Damsel disguised as Marie Elkins returns to the Parker home, where she was pretending to be a cousin. Shadow Lass returns to the Lang house where she is sharing a bed room with Lana Lang as exchange student Betsy Norcross. Mon-El is living with the Kents as a relative named Bob Cobb a brush sales man and Superboy is of course mild mannered high school student Clark Kent.
   Meanwhile Mordru uses his power to touch the citizens of Smallville brains. The thought is searching probing and all secrets are laid to bare. He sees in several people minds clues to the fact that Clark and his friends are Legionnaires, but when he search their minds he find no memory of them being heroes. He thinks that the heroes are still hiding in Smallville and is determine to find them. Mordru power does have an effect on the heroes, erasing the post hypnotic suggestion which would restore their memories at the end of an hour.
   Mordru summons his army from the 30th century and seals the time travel Lanes so that no one will be able to Leave or enter this time period. To limited the area his men will have to search Mordru uses magical Lightning to shatter the earth around Smallville and raises it off the ground. Higher and Higher the town soars until at the fringes of space it stops it ascent then at Mordru's command an Impenetrable shield forms about the sky island, holding in the air supply and completely isolating the community. The people of Smallville realize that they are in trouble and hopes that Superboy will save them, not knowing that Superboy is among them unaware of who he is. Mordru's army appears  and starts it search for the missing Legionnaires, searching every home looking for secret rooms or any thing that will help their search. The soldiers have gathered up all of the teen-age girls including who they call the prime suspects Betsy Norcross and Marie Elkins. Betsy and Marie cower when the soldiers fire their blasters near them, but Lana Lang attacks the solider but she is pulled off him. The officer sees that the girls are frightened and turns them loose they do not have fire like the power less Lana.
    In the Kent General Store a solider notices Clark resemblance to Superboy and tries to get him to talk by beating his Father. After Jonathan is beaten Clark confess to being Superboy but the soldiers laugh it off because he did not use super-strength to stop his father's beating. The Soldiers leave but they are observed by Pete Ross, Clark's best friend who unknown to Clark knows that he is Superboy. Pete calls Lana to meet him at a deserted house and he tells her that he knows that she is a member of the Legion reservist and that he is an Honorary member. He tells her that Superboy needs their help and that he will have to tell her his secret Identity. Lana scoffs at him and ask why Superboy would confide his secret to him. Pete tells her that he isn't aware that he accidentally found out that he is Clark Kent. He tells Lana how he discovered Clark's Identity on a "camping" trip and tells her to get her Bio Ring and change into Insect Queen. Late at night Lana dressed as Insect Queen turns into a Fly girl and climbs the side of the Kent home. Turning into a caterpillar Queen she spins a cocoon around him including his mouth so he will not wake his sleeping cousin, Her caterpillar form turns into a Butterfly and carries Clark off to meet Pete. They untie Clark and Pete uses a pair of scissors to cut Clark's hair but the scissors break, breaking Clark out of the hypnotic spell he was under. He flies off to get his costume and Reinforcements.
 Back in costume Superboy gets the hypnosis ray and uses it on the other 3 legionnaires. Shortly all of the heroes are dressed in their uniforms and meet Superboy  back at the deserted house with Lana and Pete. Superboy introduces the Legion members to the smallville team and starts to fill them in on his plan.
   The next Morning in the Kent basement Duo Damsel splits into two and Pete Ross is wearing a Superboy costume and his legion flight ring while Superboy is mixing up Make up.
 A little while later troops patrol the streets still looking for the legionnaires when out of the ground comes Mon-El, Duo Damsel, "Superboy" and "Shadow Lass". Mon-El moves a tank out of the way while "Superboy" punches one of the soldiers. The Soldiers fire their Magi Rays on them knocking the heroes down and take them captive. Out of sight the real Superboy and Shadow Lass along with Lana watch as they are marched down the streets. The captive heroes are brought to Mordru's cave throne room he is ready to kill them when Superboy and his two female Friends arrive. Shadow Lass quickly covers the cave in darkness while Superboy starts to beat the stuffing out of Mordru, the heroes think they are winning when Mordru uses his magic on them and knocks them off their feet. He uses his magic to bind them and puts them on trial with a Jury made up of the greatest criminals of the 30th century.

 

 

 

 

 

With Mordru acting as the Judge the "trial" starts with a man name Wraithor acting as the prosecutor and Pete Ross for the defense. The Legion is charged with Anti Crimes against various foes such as the Time Trapper, Universo, Dr. Regulus and several others, but the main charge is that they trapped Mordru in an airless vault where he remained unconscious for years. Mordru asks Pete if he denies any of the charges. Pete tells him that the Legion is proud of protecting the universe from fiends like Mordru. Pete insults the jury, and they come back with a guilty verdict. Mordru sentences them to life imprisonment on the Devil's island of space. But Wraithor has another suggestion. He has designed a Lead/Kryptonite triple steel Inertron vault to entombed them just like Mordru was. Mordru likes the Idea and the 5 heroes and Pete are sealed in the vault and lowered into the Pit. Inside Lana is crying but Superboy tells them that something is off the Kryptonite has not weakened him and Mon-El  is not bothered from the lead even through the serum he uses has worn off. The Kryptonite and the Lead are not the only think that is faked the Inertron walls peal apart like it was tinfoil. Outside the vault they wondered who helped them when Wraithor emerges from the shadows. He explains that he was once a sorcerer and on the council of wizards on the planet Zerox but Mordru discovered a means of stealing their powers and when he took over the planet he made Wraithor his chief lackey in jest. He says Pete's speech broke the spell that mordru had on him and used what little power he had left to fake the death vault. When Wraithor was done explaining he was disintegrated by a blast from Mordru. Mordru cast a spell leaving the Legionnaires powerless and trapped in a force field. Mordru generates a massive fireball of force to hurl at the six helpless mortals. But as Mordru pours his last Iota of terrible force into his weapon and lifts it high above his head to drive it down upon the heroes the cavern walls unable to withstand the presence of the awesome energy, crumble around him and buries him. The heat of the fireball fuses the fallen rubble sealing the villain in. But Six figures make it to the surface. The Legionnaires are the only ones that survived Mordru force field shielded them from the cave in and when their powers returned they were able to dig out. Later after returning smallville to earth Superboy uses the hypnosis ray on Lana having her forget about his secret Identity. He goes to do Pete next but Mon-El grabs the ray and uses it on Superboy having him forget that Pete ever knew his identity. Mon-El tells Pete that it is a reward for helping them. But what he does not mention is that sometime in the Future he will save Superman's Life because he knows his identity.

 When the four heroes get to the Future they expect to find it destroyed, But every thing is well. Invisible Kid tells them that Dream Girl had a vision of Mordru attacking and with the help of the White Witch and Princess Projectra they were able to protect the Legion headquarters from Mordru's Magic and project an Illusion of the headquarters being destroyed. Mon-El smiles a big chauvinistic smile thinking it is Ironic that Mordru was foiled by three girls.

 

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Roll Call:

• Superboy
• Mon-El
• Shadow Lass
• Duo Damsel
• Invisible Kid
• Dream Girl
• Princess Projectra

Guest Starring:

• Lana Lang
• White Witch
• Pete Ross

Villain:

• Mordru

Legion Equipment

• Flight Rings

 

Notes

Page 2:

• Mordru uses his powers against the Legion

Page 3:

• They turn tail and tunnel away from Mordru

Page 4:

• Superboy builds a Hypno ray to use on the Legion. At least he did not use Super Hypnosis.(The worst of his powers)

Page 5 and 6

• Mordru uses his powers to see through the minds of every one in smallville looking for the legion.
• He finds them but does not believe it is them

Page 8:

• Mordru lifts the town of smallville up into pace.

Page 9:

• Mordru has his men gather up all of the Teen-Age girls, the sick pervert.

Page 10:

• Lana attacks a solider while the hypnotised Legionnaires stand by and watch.
• Clark watches as the soldiers beat the snot out of his father.

Page 11:

• Pete Ross figures out what is going on and convinces Lana to kidnap Clark in the middle of the night. One might think this is not the first time Lana has broken into Clark's room.
• 
  Lana Becomes a Fly Girl.
• Not one of those fly girls

Page 12:

• Clark's Hair breaks another pair of scissors.

Page 14

• Superboy's Big plan is to have Pete disguise himself as Superboy and have one half of Duo Damsel dress up like Shadow Lass.

Page 16:

• Superboy is beating the crap out of Mordru until Magic rears it little head again. Magic is almost as much a pain as time travel.

Page 17:

• We get a look at Mordru's S & M play room.

Page 18:

• Pete Ross for the defense. The old saying is the person who defends them self has a fool for a client, what does that mean when Pete is your Lawyer?

Page 23:

• The Legion does not beat Mordru he beats himself having his own fireball bring down the cave on top of him.

Page 24:

• Mon-El says that Pete will save Superman's Life in the future, but I have read a shit load of Superman comics and up till Crisis of Infinite Earths Pete does not Save Superman's life because he knows his Identity. He does go Evil for a little while but that does not happen in a Legion story.
• This is not the last time a Legion Member will hypnotise Superboy without his knowledge.

Page 25:

• Mon-El is a smug bastard saying it is Ironic that Mordru is foiled by three girls.

The ending to this story is the only part that I find weak, but this is my favorite story from the Adventure Run. I first read this in one of the Tabloid size books they published in the 70's. Since then I have picked up the original Issues as well as the Legion archives.

 

Next time back to our coverage of the Legion Stories in Superboy with number 214.

 

Have a Happy and safe new year.

 

D

 

 

 



Adventure Comics # 369 Featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes



Adventure Comics # 369
Cover date: June 1968, Cover Art by Neal Adams. Price  .12 cents
"Mordru the Merciless: Story by Jim Shooter, Pencils by Curt Swan and Inked by Jack Abel.
I took the issues credits from Mike's Amazing world of Dc comics an excellent site, I recommend you check it out.
Synopsis:
Mon-El, carrying and unconscious Superboy leads Duo Damsel and Shadow lass to the Time Chamber. They are being pursued by Mordru the dark lord. They make it to the chamber and Duo Damsel sets the controls and one at a time they step into the time cube and vanish. Mon-El the last to appear recognize that they are in Smallville, in Superboy's time, the 20th Century. Shadow Lass blames their predicament on herself and explains that as a new Legionnaire she was trying to familiarize herself with the New HQ, and while exploring the Sub-Basement she came across a vault. She moved the dial a little when Mon-El came in and told her to stopped. He explains that Mordru is locked away in the vault. Mordru was a Sorcerer from the planet Zerox, decades ago he acquired massive mystic powers and made himself master of his world. Overtime Mordru conquered the outer planets and eventually turned his attention to earth and the united planets, He seamed to be unbeatable until Mon-El came up with a plan to trapped Mordru in an air less vault and negate his powers. When Shadow lass started to open the vault air came in and Mordru used his powers to break free. Mon-El uses the signal device in his flight ring to contact Superboy and moments later Superboy and Mon-El enter the vault like chamber. Mordru is free and uses his magic against both heroes. Magic being the only thing both Mon-El and Superboy are vulnerable to. Superboy gathers up his strength to attack Mordru but the sorcerer blasts him with a magic bolt. Mon-El picks Superboy up and they along with the two female heroes end up in the 20th century. With the story finished our foursome decided how they are going to deal with the problems they have. Originally they thought this would be the first place Mordru would look, but Superboy has second thoughts, it might be too obvious, He might not figure that they would go here, but they will need disguises. They go to Superboy, parents home and and the girls meet Martha and Jonathan Kent. Martha is a little shocked to see a girl with blue skin but gets over it and they come up with a plan to hide the teens. Superboy applies all over body make up to Shadow Lass and she takes on the identity of Betsy Norcross an exchange student and gets taken in by Lana Lang's parents. Duo Damsel takes the name of Marie Elkins a 2nd cousin of Leah Parker the wife of the police chief and moves in with them. Mon-El uses the identity he had the last time he was in Smallville, that of Bob Cobb traveling brush salesman, a Kent family relative.
 Later after the new Identities are in place  Mon-El and Clark notice that Mordru's shadow is blanketing the town searching for the missing Legionaries. When the shadow touches Lana see becomes Mordru's eyes and is programed to watch for the Legionnaires. Shadow Lass in her Betsy disguise uses her powers of shadow to hide the gang in her own shadow. The Shadow passes and Lana returns to normal. Later when Lana is asleep Betsy gets out of bed and meets the others in the Kents Basement. At the meeting they say that they are just going to fade into smallville and hide until they can come up with a plan to battle Mordru. Shadow Lass is worried and frighten and seeks comfort with Mon-El. Duo Damsel tries to do the same with Superboy but the Teen of steel is dense and sends her home through his secret tunnel. That night the pretty brunette cries her self to sleep. Douglas and Leah Parker watch as the young girl sleeps. Next morning at the Langs house Betsy and Lana get dressed in the room they share. At breakfast Betsy makes a slip and almost tells the Langs about the Computer schools that she used to go to. The girls meet up with Clark and he introduces them to Marie Elkins (Duo Damsel). Suddenly the teens start seeing disasters all over town, they seem so real but a calm Bob Cobb (Mon-El) tells them it is an Illusion created by Mordru to get them to expose themselves. When the heroes do not react everything returns to normal. At school the teacher introduces Betsy Norcrosss (shadow lass) to the class. One of the kids notice that she has blue skin on one of her arms. Clark thinks fast and uses a fountain pen to squirt ink in one of the kids faces. The rest of the class thinks that Clark must of squirted Betsy's arm as well. After class Lana reminds Clark about their movie date that night, and Clark suggest that his Cousin Bob and Betsy join them and make it a Double Date. Marie feeling like a fifth wheel leaves them. Just then two truck look like they are going to have a head on collision, neither Clark or Bob dare use there powers and are about to let the drivers get killed when our favorite double D Heroine pick up a school road sign and throws it in front of the truck and it causes the truck to tip over, only causing minor injuries to the driver. Both drivers gush all over Marie and Clark explains that sometimes in emergency people do things that are beyond their normal strength, he makes a joke about doubling their strength. As Marie leaves Clark watches and thinks about how Pretty Duo Damsel is.
  Lana wonders where Superboy is and Clark brushes her off saying that he is probably off on a space mission. They watch as a Human fly robs the Jewelry exchange and hopes that the police can head him off. The heroes remain hiding and on the eighth day of their exile the morning calm breaks with "King" Carter and his gang arrive in smallville and declare that this is their kingdom and they are taking over. The "King" has his men cut the phone lines and threatens the people that if anyone causes trouble he will erase the town. The "King" and his men loot the town and bully all of the residence even Jonathan Kent. Clark watches as the gangsters force his father to give them money. Jonathan tells Clark that he would like to fight them but no one else is willing to help without Superboy to back us up. Clark and Jonathan call on the disguised Legionnaires to convince the townspeople to fight. Marie is shown "talking" a Hardware store owner into helping. And that night Betsy tells Jonathan that she has four others that are willing to help. Jonathan tells them that by tomorrow they will have enough.
   The next morning Jonathan and some neighbors confront the hoods. "King" tells them that the town is in their grip and they are keeping it this way. Jonathan keeps them distracted while other town folks got into position on the roof and start to pelt the hoods with vegetables. the town folk attack the hoods with Clark and Bob secretly using their heat vision to melt down the firing pins on the hoods guns. Shortly the town have got "King" tied up and drag him off to jail. Later the four Legionnaires meet and talked about feeling guilty about telling the town to face up to the hoods while they are hiding from Mordru. They deiced to return to the 30th century and are soon back in costume behind the Kent home. Nearby Lana is watching form her window and sees the Legionnaires, and the spell from Mordru kicks it. Just as they are to head back to the 30th century Mordru appears out of a cloud of smoke. To be Continued next issue.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call

• Mon-El
• Shadow Lass
• Superboy
• Duo Damsel
• Saturn Girl (leader in flashback)
• Other members of the Legion in the background (Flashback)

Guest Star

• Lana Lang

Villain

• Mordru

Legion Equipment

• Flight Rings
• Time Cube

Rooms in the Headquarters

• Time Chamber
• Sub-Basement Vault

Notes:
Page 3:

• The Legion appear in Superboy's time and you know it is that because you can see the "Smallville home of Superboy Sign"
• Shadow Lass comes across of a big vault in the lowest Sub-Basement of the headquarters so of course she tries to open it

Page 4:

• Flash back inside a flashback as Mon-El tells Shadow Lass the story of Mordru, the legion's greatest villain who we first see in a flashback to an appearance that we never saw in print.

Page 6:

• Mordru burst from his chamber and Mon-El calls Superboy with a signal from the flight ring.

Page 8:

• Ma Kent looks a little fluster meeting a blue skinned chick. The woman raised an Alien baby and she is shocked by skin color.. WTF.

Page 9:

• The Legion girls con their way into staying at the Parker and the Langs.
• "It's a good thing Superboy dug up some info on all these relative" Duo damsel thinks this while she con's Mrs. Parker. I can just imagine what dirt Clark has on all of his neighbors.

Page 10:

• Shadow Lass saves the day by covering the team in 3 different houses with her shadow. I think this is a little out of the scope of her powers, at least as we seen this far.

Page 11:

• Lana is possessed by Mordru.

Page 12:

• We see the beginning of the Mon-El, Shadow Lass romance and we also see that Clark is a stupid bastard. Duo Damsel is coming on to him and he makes her go home crawling through a tunnel.
• Duo Damsel is a little catty when she thinks that Shadow Lass finally figured out that she was not going to get anywhere with Brainiac-5 with Supergirl around so she sinks her hooks in Mon-El.
• Duo Damsel cries herself to sleep.

Page 13:

• Pervy Chief Parker watches a strange teenage girl sleep.
• We see that Lana and Shadow Lass share a room and maybe a bed, cannot tell if there is a 2nd bed in the room.
• Same Panel Lana starts to take her nightgown off in front of a girl she just met yesterday.

Page 15:

• Mon-El in his Bob Cobb identity just casually strolls through town as all hell breaks loose.

Page 16:

• Clark has Shadow Lass and Mon-El join him on his Date with Lana.

Page 17:

• Superboy and Mon-El are going to let two trucks crash into each other to save their secret Identities.
• Duo Damsel saves the day by throwing a sign under the truck causing it to flip over.

Page 18:

• Clark makes a comment about Duo Damsel having Double strength, I am not sure that this was ever shown before but it makes sense due to her powers of being able to split in to two.
• It is not shown but I swear Clark is using his x-ray vision to check out Duo Damsel's butt.

 

• The Heroes ignore a crook robing the Jewelry exchange.

Page 19:

• With Superboy missing for a week a bunch of hoodlums come into take over the town.

Page 20:

• Hoods take Jonathan's money with his son the most powerful being on the planet just looking on.

Page 21:

• The good people of Smallville beat the crap out of the gangsters.

Page 23:

• The team feeling guilty get ready to return to the 30th century and face Mordru when Lana rats them out.

Page 24:

• Mordru!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of my favorite issues of the adventure comics run, we have a small core team, a great villain and some very good Curt Swan art. I am not sure but I think this is where we first see Duo Damsel's crush on Superboy. This is the start of the Mon-El Shadow Lass relationship, up to now she had been flirting with Brainiac-5. Mordru is bad ass, making the two most powerful heroes turn chicken an run and hide. Good issue we will cover the 2nd part in a future blog but....

Next time: A Legion Christmas story, if I can find it.

Superboy # 212 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes, "A Death Stroke at Dawn"

"A Death stroke at Dawn" Art: Mike Grell, Story Jim Shooter.
Late night in 30th Century Metropolis, Shadow Lass flies powered by her Legion Flight Ring towards the Legion Citadel. When she see light in an abandoned monorail terminal. Shady peers through a high window she sees a fallen Night Girl from the Substitute heroes in a Bright room trapped by Crafty Colson and his gang. Night Girl has super strength only at night or in deep shadow, in bright light she is normal. Shadow lass uses her powers to create darkness to black out the room. Whit her strength returning she avoids the attack by the thug called Hunk. She then knocks all 3 of the criminals to the ground. One of the men named Gunner from the planet Ankar who can see in the dark fires his weapon at Shadow Lass but Night Girl steps in her way and takes the blast. Fearing that Legionnaires might be on the way the three thugs high tail it out of there. The Gang believing that Night Girl is dead think that her boy friend Cosmic boy might come after them deiced to go after him first. Back at the monorail terminal Night girl begins to stir her powerful body only stunned. The two heroines thank each other and Night Girl explains that she was tracking the gang after they looted the satellite warehouse orbiting mars and followed them here, but Colson turned on the lights and trapped her. Shadow Lass chastise Night Girl to mixing it up with vicious thugs where all they have to do is turn on a light switch to weaken her. Night Girl tells Shadow Lass the story of how her Father a Scientist developed a ray  that would give her Super Strength. Being stronger than everyone made her lonely so she went to earth to join the Legion of Super-Heroes, but because she was from a planet of complete darkness she discovered on earth that her powers did not work under bright light and she was Rejected. She then joined the Legion of Substitute heroes and after that fell in love with Cosmic Boy. But today Cosmic Boy broke up with her. He was tired of Night Girl risking her live with her weakness and when she breaks a date on his night off he breaks up with her. After telling the story Night Girl leaves to trace Colson with a miniature mento track that will pick up his trail. Meanwhile Cosmic boy is on a date with a blond air head named Sinde. Thinking of Night Girl he ends the date early and brings the girl home. Later moments before dawn Cosmic boy heads home and is ambushed by Colson and his thugs, Gunner is about to shoot him with a plastic pistol but as the soon rises Night Girl flies into them knocking them down. With the gang distracted Cosmic boy is able to get the upper hand and beats the crap out of the thugs. He then makes up with Night Girl and offers to take her out on a date, in the day time of course, when he knows she cannot resist him.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call:

• Shadow Lass
• Cosmic Boy

Subs

• Night Girl

Legion Equipment

• Flight ring

Notes
Page 1:

• Shadow Lass flying around metropolis at night. If she did not walk in when she did I am certain that the "Crafty" Colson gang would of done Night Girl.
• I like Night Girl's costume, Keep this in your head for about 5 issue's another character has a similar one.

Page 2:

• Shadow Lass turns out the lights and the bad guy just happens to have a guy that can see in the dark.

Page 3:

• Night Girl jumps in front of the blast in a very heroic move.

Page 5:

• We get Night Girl's Origin, nothing that long time fans did not already know.

Page 6:

• Cosmic Boy breaks up with Night Girl just because she does not have time for him, and then he mentions her weakness, I think he just was pissed that he was not getting any that night.
• But it does not take long for Cos to hook up with Sinde.

Page 7:

• Am I the only one that thinks Cos got a piece of Sinde when he dropped her off?
• Night Girl saves her butt head boyfriend just as she loses her powers.

Page 8:

• Cos takes care of the thugs and finally he will get his from Night Girl.

Okay, what I get from this is Cos is a Horny bastard. Night Girl does not have time for him so He hooks up with Sinde. He finishes with her, does the Hero bit and then flies off with Night Girl. Way to go Cos. Jokes aside, this is a well done short story, Night girl gets a little fleshed out, no that is not a joke about her costume. I wish that future writers teamed Night Girl and Shadow Lass together, there powers work well together and would help counter the fact that Night Girl can be defeated by a light bulb. The bad guys were generic thugs but not every story needs Universo or Modru, some times you want to slow it down a little and show that the Legion goes after every day crooks as well.

Next time: One of the more forgettable stories from this error Superboy 213 The Jaws of Fear. Or Ultra boy goes nuts against a space lizard.
  PS, I think after I cover both Stories in 213 and the member profile I have in the works, We take a step back for a couple of Post and cover my favorite story from the Adventure Comics Run, The story that introduces Modru the merciless. Leave a comment if you want to see that.