SUPERBOY 199 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Superboy 199 Cover Dated Nov 1973, First story The Gun that mastered men. Story by Cary bates art by Dave Cockrum.

Before we begin, I apologize for not posting for a while, it has been a busy time here at the clubhouse getting ready for my parents 50th anniversary, and my upcoming trip to St. John VI, (think Tyroc's Marzel with more tourists. Okay on with the Story.

We start out with inserts of Superboy and Brianiac-5 showing weapons that have been used by past foes. And explain how our favorite red skinned one armed Mohawk wearing bad guy Tyr was captured in Superboy 197. in the Legion's brig Tyr is thinking out how his faithful gun hand is orbiting above metropolis computing how to plot his escape and the end of the Legion. Days Later Superboy is saying good by to his fellow members Starboy, Brainiac-5 and Princess Projectra. Brainiac tell hims they were lucky that Superboy was there when Tyr invaded them, and that he would not be imprisoned with out his help.(WTF, more on that later.) Superboy takes off and starts to spin to enter the time barrier at the moment the orbiting gun hand to emit an extra ordinary beam that surrounds the Legion  They call out to Superboy but it is too late, inside Dream Girl and Chamelon boy rush to battle stations in response to the Z-alarm signaling that the headquarters is under attack. Tyr notices what is going on and rejoices in knowing that he will soon be reunited with his gun hand and crush the legion. Checking on the field Brainiac notes that they are cut off from the outside world. Chameleon boy tells everyone there that the rest of the legion is off on an emergency mission to Mon-EL's home world of DAXAM. Brainiac-5 deduces that this has to be an attack by Tyr's gun hand. They go to there arsenal and try blasting the field with some BFG's (big fun guns) but it is of know use, they are prisoners of their own fortress. They lament that if Superboy was still there that he could help, but he is long gone back to the 20th century, or is he. We get a glimpse back in time to the precise moment when Superboy was starting his trek through time, and he notices something strange enveloping the headquarters. Superboy tries to break through the force field but not even his super-strength  can propel him through it. So he tries to go straight to the source of the beam. He flies to the gun hand and tries to destroy it but all we see is a panel shattering explosion.

At the same moment Dream girl is having one of her helpful premonitions, seeing Star boy fly to the ceiling. Not sure what that means but Brainiac-5 decides the best way to find out is to take the BFG he was using earlier and fire it at the ceiling grate. Out falls Tyr and Starboy flies to catch him just like Dream Girl predicted, (like I said helpful.) The legionnaires grab him, while Princess Projectra whines to Brainiac 5 that they are help list and that the 5 of them are the weakest members. Brainy tries to callm her down and they will survive the crisis if they work together and keep cool. All of a sudden the force field is gone and they pick up Superboy on the scanner and assume that he must of knocked down the gun-hand. The teen of steel rejoins his friends and asked how he overcame the hand. The hand now attached to Superboy tells them they should asked how it overcame Superboy. The hand gloats how it adapted to Superboy's body and took over his brain and how he is unbeatable and does not need his former Master Tyr. All this time we see Superboy struggle to overcome the hand. but the hand open fires on the 5 heroes.. Superboy chokes up with the though of his friends demise, but is attacked by a green gloved Tyr, overpowering Superboy. The hand thinking that if Tyr can stop Superboy that he must surrender and return to its master leaving Superboy's hand. "Tyr" grabs the hand and turns back into Chameleon boy and the other legionnaires appear with Princess Projectra telling the hand that it blasted an illusion of the team she created. Chameleon boy helps Superboy to his feet and the team turns Tyr and his lethal limb over to the Metro Police. The smallville sentinel streaks off to the time stream leaving Brianiac-5 and the Princess to talk about the power of team work.

          What a fun story, silly at times but hey it is a seventies Cary Bates tale. My biggest problem with the story is that it states that they would not of been able to stop Tyr last time with out Superboy, but the flash back shows it was Timberwolf and Saturn girl who stopped him. And if you open issue 197 you can see that Superboy had already returned to his time. Mr Bates who is a very good writer must of forgot that part.

Okay bits of Legion Business.

                Rooms in the Club House

1. Legion Brig.
2. Roof of the club house.
3. Central Control Complex

First

•  Starboys starfield costume.
• Princess Projectra being a whiny bitch (not sure if this is a first.

Roll Call

•  Superboy
• Brainiac-5
• Starboy
• Chameleon Boy
• Dream Girl
• Chameleon Boy

Real names used, Dream Girl calls Starboy Thom.

Next time the 2nd story from this issue staring every ones favorite weight watcher candidate and the only member I can cos play as Bouncing Boy.