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

 

 

 



Merry Christmas

Hi I know this is going up the day after the holiday but I have been a little busy. I just want to wish all of the readers of this little blog a very merry Christmas and a Happy new year. I was not able to find my copy of the Legion holiday story that I was looking for, but hopefully I will find it when it comes time to cover it chronologically.  I hope to keep pushing out post well into the new year continuing on covering the appearances of the Legion in Superboy, but if there are people who want me to cover their later Pre crisis appearances or go back to the Adventure comics Run, Leave a comment on the Blog. I am thinking about getting an Email account for this blog but I will let you know.
Have a happy holiday and I will see you next time with the 2nd part of the the Mordru the Merciless story.

(Hey I was just thinking if you put a red hat on Mordru he might make a good Santa, in an evil sort of way.)

Dave

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.

Member Profice Ultra Boy

ULTRA BOY
Real Name: Jo Nah
Home Planet: Rimbor
Parents: Cray and Mytra Nah
Height: 6'
Weight: 190 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Powers: similar powers of Superboy, and Mon-El (strength, speed, vision, invulnerability, flight) but can only use one at a time.
1st app: Superboy 98
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan

As a young teenager Jo Nah was joyriding in a space cruiser when it was swallowed by a radioactive Energy beast. He was saved when a Science Police cruiser saw what happened and blast him out. But not before the radiation he absorb from being inside the beast gave him Ultra energy. Energy that he could channel into one of several amazing powers at a time. His powers were on the same level as Superboy and Mon-El but he could only use one at a time. Joining the Legion he met Phantom Girl and the two has shared a long term relationship. Jo is a former 2 time Legion Leader and is considered one of the Big 3 on the team.

Next time: Adventure comics 369

Superboy # 213 Starring ther Legion of Super-Heroes "Trapped to Live Free to die!"

Trapped to Live Free to Die! Art: Mike Grell & Bill Draut, Story: Jim Shooter

Timber Wolf answering a faint distress signal lands his Legion Cruiser on Nolor IV, a waterless, barren world. Leaving the ship he activates the automatic sentinel system and goes off to look for the source of the signal. He finds the ship and a bald man trapped under a console. He lifts the console and the Man knocks him out with an energy charged mace. The man is the old Legion villain Black Mace, and he is going to leave Timber Wolf stranded on the barren world while he takes the Legion Cruiser. Taking Timber Wolf's flight ring so that the wolf cannot signal his fellow heroes, Black Mace starts to leave when Timber Wolf stops him, by telling him that the Legion craft have auto defenses programmed only to respond to Legionnaires. Mace remembers that he heard about a mug who tried to steal a Legion ship and got hung up by automatic defenses. He takes the Wolf with him but warns him that he turned his mace up to full power and one dose and poof, Timber Wolf would just be ashes. The door to the ship automatically opens when the pair approach. Inside Mace has Timber wolf sit in the pilot chair but the ship reacts just as Timber Wolf hoped. It treats him as an unauthorized pilot and trapped the Legionnaire in an Plastie globe. Every power systems in the ship shut down. Black Mace pissed off that Timber Wolf made a fool out of him, uses his mace and smashes the globe. But it does not shatter the globe but it weakens it enough so that Timber wolf can break free and use his speed strength and agility against Black Mace. But the Mace fights back and the two goes back and forth, Timber Wolf picks up the Mace's weapon and uses it against him but Black Mace's suit was insulated. Just as Black Mace is going for a killing blow Timber Wold activates the flight ring that Mace is wearing so it lifts him up and smacks him into the ceiling. Recovering his ring and turning off the ship defense Timber Wolf retrains the criminal and takes off, thinking that all Black Mace need to steal the ship was the Ring any one trying to fly the ship with out one is considered an intruder, Not even a Legionnaire can fly the ship without a ring.

Roll Call:

• Timber Wolf

Villain:

• Black Mace

Legion Equipment:

• Legion Cruiser
• Flight Ring

Notes:
Page 1:

• Timber Wolf references his time at Legion Academy before he became a Member of the team.

Page 2:

• Black Mace 1st appeared in Adventure Comics 374.
• Jim Shooter reminds us that bald men are evil.

Page 3:

• Timber Wolf cons Black Mace into taking him with him.
• Timber wolf is channeling his inner John Travolta, (a boy in the plastic bubble reference)

Page 5:

• Black Mace and Timber wolf go toe to toe.

Page 6:

• Timber wolf activates the flight ring and sends mace flying.

Another issue where the single hero back up is better than the main story. This is the first story where we have a 2nd artist credited, Bill Draut, I assume that he is Inking the story but the credits do not list who does what. Timber Wolf vs the Black Mace today would be a multiple page fight but here Shooter and Grell show the fight in about a page and a half of action. Not looking forward to Superboy 214 which is why after the next blog posts Member Profile on Ultra Boy I am taking a short break from this title to do a Two part story from Adventure comics, featuring Mordru the merciless.

Superboy 213 Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes

Cover Date December 1975, Cover Price .25 cents. " The Jaws of Fear" Art: Mike Grell, Story: Jim Shooter.
 In the Legion Council Chamber, Members of the Legion of Super-Heroes are discussing team issues, while out side the room a man is bypass the iron clad security of the Legion Headquarters in a variety of ways. He walks on air with anti grav shoes, he changes into a beam of light and even into a gas form to avoid the security devices. He appears in the Legion council Room, and introduces himself Benn Pares the greatest burglar in the galaxy. This does not sit well with the Legion and hot headed Wildfire tackles him to the ground but he vanishes out of his grasp, and reappears across the room. Brainiac-5 says he has never heard on him and that there is no Benn Pares in their Files Burglar of otherwise. Of course he was never heard of he is the best, and has never been caught or even left a clue. Benn tells them he has gotten bored and needed a new challenge so he has decided to steal the Legion;s Miracle Machine within 48 hours. The thief then walks out of the building with no one trying to stop him. Acting Leader Brainiac-5 sends Chameleon Boy and Superboy to check on the miracle machine to make sure it is still there. Saturn Girl had tried to use her telepathic powers or Pares, but all she learned is that he has a sixth sense which wars him of traps and alarms and some unique powers to over come them. She also caught a vague thought of huge jagged white gates, somewhere in space sector 14. Superboy and Chameleon boy return with the miracle machine still sealed in its cube on inertron, the other Legionnaires report that the security systems check out A-okay. They plan to guard it tonight, and Brainiac reminds them of how dangerous the machine is, if used by an untrained user.
  The Miracle Machine was entrusted to the Legion by the Controllers (think guardians of the universe, except Pink and tall instead of short and blue.) The machine converts thoughts into reality, any think the user thinks of happens, if used incorrectly it could enslave the whole galaxy or worse. Lightning Lad suggest that they just destroy it, the team spends time arguing about it until Brainy puts it to a vote. We do not see the vote but afterwards Superboy and Ultra Boy tear the inertron cube to unpack the Machine. The super strong teens then use there powers to smash the machine but nothing happened they could not even dent it. The energy based members of the team, Wildfire, Lightning Lad, Sunboy, Ultra Boy and Superboy used there powers on the machine to no effect. They talked about other options but they decide to guard the machine in the headquarters. Superboy packs it back up while Shrinking Violet, Phantom girl and Chameleon Boy, use their powers and try to pierce the additional defenses that Brainiac-5 devised and fail.The team spends the night in the vault with the machine, but in the morning they find that they have been robbed, not the Miracle Machine but of the clock that was on the vaults wall. Pares is toying with the Legion proving he can steal anything from under their noses. The team have another meeting and decide to follow up on the lead to Space Sector 14, leaving Superboy behind to guard the machine. Superboy monitors the team using his super vision, as the Legion cruiser flies through sector 14. They find a lot of nothing, until they come across a giant Galactosaur. The galactosaur has huge white jagged teeth, they must be the white gates that Saturn girl saw in Pares's mind. The Legion head for the beasts mouth, meanwhile inside the creatures moth a capsule is firmly anchored to its jawbone, inside Benn Pares plots to steal the miracle machine that very night. A buzzer goes off signaling that the Galactosaur is opening its mouth, but Pares had wired the nerves so that only he can open the jaws, he guesses Saturn girl is using her mental powers to have the creature open it's mouth. And he would be correct, inside the ship Saturn Girl is concentrating on the creature, while Cosmic boy flies the ship closer. At the same time Ultra boy is freaking out. Years ago  while joyriding in a space ship young Jo Nah was swallowed alive by a radioactive space dragon. A science police ship blasted him free but he never forgot the terror of those hungry fatal fangs closing behind him. The radiation form the beast made him ultra human , but now years later his eyes widen in fright at the duplication of that deadly drama. He yells at his team mates to turn around and accidentally knocked Saturn girl out. Pares is regaining control of the monster and is closing the massive jaws around the Legion's space craft. Back on earth Superboy is watching the whole thing and wishes that he had his hands on Pares. Just them Superboy is inside Pares hideout with the thief in his hands, thinking that he is too late to save his friends he punches Pares out. While Superboy thinks his friends crushed Ultra Boy is using his Super Strength to keep the jaws from closing, he had pulled himself together and left the ship at super-speed, to try and stop the creature from killing his teammates. Unfortunately Ultra boy can only use one of his powers at a time and while he is using his strength he can not use his invulnerability and he will die himself in the cold vacuum of space. Praying for a miracle they get one, a red and blue one, Superboy using super-speed grabs Ultra boy and the ship and makes it free of the monsters jaw. Back on earth out side the medical center Brainiac-5 tells Superboy and Shrinking Violet that Ultra boy will be fine in about a weeks time. Violet asks how he managed to pop up at the right time. As they fly back to headquarters Superboy tells her that when they were trying to destroy the machine they must of accidentally turned it on and while he was on guard duty in the vault he desperately wished that he could help and the machine picked up on his super-thoughts and reacted. Violet said that they should of used the machine to capture Pares in the first place, but Brainy reminds the minuscule maid that, that is the ultimate danger, they cannot allow it to make them lazy.

Bits of Legionnaire Business
Roll Call:

• Brainiac-5 (acting Leader)
• Saturn Girl
• Chameleon Boy
• Superboy
• Cosmic Boy
• Lightning Lad
• Wildfire
• Phantom Girl
• Shrinking Violet
• Ultra Boy
• Sunboy

Villain

• Benn Pares

Legion Equipment

• Miracle Machine
• Legion Cruiser
• Flight Ring

Rooms in the Headquarters

• Legion Council Chambers
• Vault

Notes:
Page 2:

• In the Legion Council chambers the team is arguing about something probably about where to order lunch from.
• We see an intruder using a vast array of abilities to sneak pass the Legion's defenses.

Page 3:

• Benn Pares the self proclaimed greatest burglar in the galaxy, boast that he is going to steal the Miracle Machine right under the Legion's noses. This is where he went wrong he should of just took the machine and be done with it, but we would not have an issue if the villain does not make a fool out of himself.

Page 5:

• We see the team using their powers on the miracle machine with Brainiac-5 directing traffic, why? Because he has no useful powers himself.

Page 6:

• We see the three least power full members (after Brainiac-5) try and fail to get by the defenses.

Page 7:

• Again Pares is an idiot, he sneaks back into the vault and does not take the machine but the Legion's fancy wall clock.

Page 8:

• We see the Galactosaur, a giant mineral eating space beast.

Page 9 and 10:

• Ultra Boy freaks out, he must of seen Jaws one to many times as a kid, I know that movie scared the hell out of me, to this day I am afraid to swim int he ocean. I wish Brainy said the line " I think we are going to need a bigger cruiser."

Page 10:

• We get a quick recap of Ultra Boy's origin, and then he knocks out the one member of the team that is needed for this mission.
• Superboy is a peeping Tom or is that Thom in the 30th century?

During this period of the Legion I enjoyed the Shooter stories more than the Bates, but this one not so much. It was one of Jim's weaker efforts, the Villain was poor and all this issue did was to show Ultra Boy's phobia of getting eaten.

Next time: I will get to the back up tale, "Trapped to live free to die!

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.