Ad for LSH #363

...seeing as how today is February 28, we'll do you a solid and tell you. Dagon the Avenger kidnapped various parents of various Legionnaires and held them for ransom.

Hot: Princess Projectra

Hope you enjoyed our Who's Who article on Princess Projectra. We figured we'd continue the thread from Wednesday with two great artistic representations of The Princess. Hope you agree she's beautiful!

by Steve Lightle & Larry Mahlstedt  (LSHv3 #5)

5YL Legion of Super-Heroes #24

5YL Legion of Super-Heroes #24 is the conclusion to The Quiet Darkness, the thematic sequel to the Great Darkness Saga. It is not only the finale of this arc; with this issue, we close the thematic beginning of the 5YL book. After this issue, Keith Giffen's role as supervisor begins to diminish. We slowly move away from the 9 panel grid pages. And that creative elan of seeing this Legion come together and be a beacon of hope in a darker universe seems to dull a bit.

But that doesn't take away from this issue. We see a very different Darkseid in this story, and the ending of The Quiet Darkness is fascinating. It definitely fits the feel of this book.

Superboy starring The Legion #208

Superboy starring The Legion of Super-Heroes #208 (April 1975)
title: "Vengeance of the Super-Villains"

writer: Cary Bates

artist: Mike Grell
editor: Murray Boltinoff

cover: Mike Grell; reprinted covers by Curt Swan/Stan Kaye and Curt Swan/George Klein

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Sun Boy, Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Lightning Lad, Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Karate Kid, Princess Projectra; cameos by Timber Wolf, Chemical King, and Shadow Lass

Opponents: 
The Legion of Super-Villains (Chameleon Chief, Lightning Lord, Nemesis Kid, Radiation Roy, Sun Emperor, Spider Girl)

Synopsis: 
In Smallville, Mon-El  is enjoying his furlough in Superboy's era, staying over at Clark's house with the Kents. On Rimbor, Ultra Boy is enjoying his leave spending time with his parents. However, when the three young men attempt to leave to go back on duty, their parents attack them with futuristic weapons or with poison, not allowing them to depart.

Who's Who: Princess Projectra

Princess Projectra
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Projectra (nickname Jeckie)

Super-Power(s): Ability to project life-like illusions
Planet of Origin: Orando

Legion Seniority: Princess Projectra joined at the same time as Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, and Nemesis Kid. Traditionally she was listed before her male team-mates, making her Legionnaire #22. 

Happy Birthday, Sun Boy!

According to the 1976 DC Calendar, today will be the birthday of Dirk Morgna, better known throughout the galaxy as Sun Boy.
Sun Boy as the 15th member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He joined in its second year and served for nearly fourteen years.
Sun Boy is a Pisces. People will tell him much more than he wants to know, and this will entertain him. He'll learn of colorful pasts and secret intentions. Maybe he should write a book?

As an extra bonus, here's a scene where the Legion is actually celebrating Sun Boy's birthday!   (Superboy #191 with art by Dave Cockrum)

Happy Birthday, Greg LaRoque!

Happy Birthday, Greg LaRoque! 

Today is the birthday of classic Legion artist Greg LaRocque, born on this date in 1954.

Greg's first published work was in Mystery in Space in 1981. He then worked on OMAC for several issues of The Warlord before moving to Marvel for several years. When he returned to DC he was given issue #15 of The Legion of Super-Heroes as a fill-in; an issue later he was made permanent penciller. He stayed on the title for three years. He then moved over to The Flash, where he stayed for five years.

To help commemorate the fantastic Mr. LaRoque, here is some of his great work!

Greg's first Legion work (LSHv3 #15)

Greg's first issue as regular penciller...and his first cover! 

The seductive but deadly Emerald Empress (LSHv3 #25)

The newest Fatal Five, as designed by Greg (LSHv3 #25)

The newly re-designed Wildfire (LSHv3 #37)

The new Legion of Substitute Heroes (LSH Annual #3 1987)

TOS: Action Comics #276 Group Review

featuring
The Legion of Super Bloggers Round-Table Discussion on
Action Comics #276 (May, 1961)
title: "Supergirl's Three Super Girl-Friends"
writer: Jerry Siegel
penciller: Jim Mooney
inker: Jim Mooney
editor: Mort Weisinger

Mission Monitor Board: 
Supergirl (joins), Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl, Triplicate Girl, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Brainiac 5 (joins). Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, and Sun Boy unsuccessfully try out.

Guests:
Superman (in flashback), Lori Lemaris, Jerro, Krypto

Opponents:
Brainiac (in flashback)

Synopsis:
Supergirl and Brainiac 5 try out for the Legion and are accepted.

Legion Archive 6: Stuart Immonen

Continuing our series on the art of The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives. The sixth volume boasts a "throw-back" job by then-current Legion artist Stuart Immonen. Looking at this piece it would appear that DC told Immonen to draw his favorite Legionnaires, regardless of which era they were from. I say that because the hero of this collection is definitely Ferro Lad, who is not shown in this illustration at all! Still, it's a wonderful piece, showing off how much fun Bouncing Boy was to have around....literally!

Stories:
Adventure Comics #350-358 
We are deep into the Jim Shooter era of the Legion, although the expulsion and return of Superboy and Supergirl in the first two issues was actually written by E. Nelson Bridwell. He also wrote "The Five Legion Orphans" in Adventure #356. Lana Lang as Insect Queen meets the Legion in Adventure #355 by Otto Binder.

Events:
Year Six continues under the leadership of Invisible Kid. Right away we get the expulsions of Superboy and Supergirl due to a Green Krptonite cloud floating in our atmosphere and the induction of their replacements, Sir Prize and Miss Terious. Although nobody could believe that they were the Teens of Steel...who *were* they? Soon we get the return of Bouncing Boy, Lightning Lad gets his arm back, and Matter-Eater Lad is thinned down again. Then we are treated to the most dramatic story in Legion history, the creation of the Fatal Five and The Sacrifice of Ferro Lad. We also get the infamous "Adult Legion" story, along with several other lesser-known gems. This is a great collection~!

Happy Birthday, Ultra Boy!

According to the 1976 DC Calendar, today will be the birthday of Jo Nah, better known throughout the galaxy as Ultra Boy.
Ultra Boy joined the Legion of Super-Heroes as its 12th member, immediately after Superboy. He quickly became good friends with The Boy of Steel. He was Legion Leader during Year Seven.
Ultra Boy is a Pisces. He should align himself with people who are willing to work. Those unwilling will change their minds once they are in the minority. They will follow the crowd and like it.

As an extra bonus, here's a scene where Ultra Boy is re-living getting swallowed by a radioactive space dragon, the incident that caused him to gain his powers in the first place.    (Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #213 with art by Mike Grell)

TOS: The World of Doomed Olsens!

"The World of Doomed Olsens"

From Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #72

Released August 15, 1963

Written by Jerry Siegel

Pencilled by Curt Swan

Inks by George Klein

reviewd by Metropolis Kid

Hot: Jeckie & Wolf

In the pages of the 5th volume of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Princess Projectra was romantically (?) involved with Timber Wolf. Light Lass was romantically involved with...most of the male Legionnaires.
(Legion of Super-Heroes v5 #15, art by Patrick Olliffe & John Livesay)

5YL Legion of Super-Heroes #23

Legion of Super-Heroes #23 is the penultimate chapter of The Quiet Darkness, the swan song for Keith Giffen on art for the book and as a result, I believe a turning point for this title as a whole. This book is split between the main story, the 'thematic sequel to The Great Darkness Saga' and the continuing plotlines for what is happening on a disaster ravaged Earth. As usual, this book's creators do a good job of stringing us along as readers, giving us just enough crumbs of plot line progression to keep us hungry for more.

But the bulk of the book is The Quiet Darkness. As the 5 Year Later period has shown us, this is a very different universe from the classic Legion landscape. This is darker and grimmer. People die. The Legion was scattered. The usual villains were running everything.

And Darkseid seems ... tired ... depressed. Gone is the power-mad conqueror gobbling up worlds in the Great Darkness Saga. Gone is the schemer, toying with mortals lives in The Curse. Instead we see a nattily attired dark god, hanging out in a lab and sighing when the Legion gets involved. Things are different!

The usual creators are all here - Keith Giffen, Al Gordon, Tom & Mary Bierbaum, and Jason Pearson. And there are great moments in this issue. And the best part of the cover is Lobo's smoke obscuring the title logo. He doesn't respect them at all.

First off, Jo, Kent, and Celeste were heading to Zuun to try to help Brainy and Timber Wolf. Darkseid does not want them to head there. So the trio is detained on a Zuun space station in orbit. And the captain on board means business, bringing out not only troops but retro-fitted construction bots. Ultra Boy and Kent need to cool their heels.

But I love Jo's response. First that sly smile in panel one, telling this Zuunian soldier that he doesn't want a fight because they both know the Legion will win. And then that look of bemusement in the last panel when the troops don't back down. Classic Jo!

The ensuing brawl is funny as Jo and Kent shout out Legion code words for attack formations, some remembered others not. And Kent (called by his super-hero codename Impulse for the first time) spends the greater part of the fight being tossed around while Jo lays waste. Here we see just how powerful an all-out blast of Flash Vision is. The lower panels, all in white, with Kent bounced around like flotsam, is fun. And Kent's wry 'I hate this' makes it a touch humorous.

It is always fun to see Jo switching his energies around in battle, bobbing and weaving as he ruins people.

Meanwhile, on Zuun, Lobo decides that the time for niceties is over. He will take Aria back to her father and Darkseid. And no one will stop him.

We see that Lobo's powers haven't diminished over the millenia. He lays out Brainy. And we get a feel for his power in that first panel when Furball is punched away from the scene.

Things get muddier when the Zuunian ship tries to obtain Aria for Darkseid but teleports Lori (Aria's friend) accidentally. With Kent and Jo bringing the ship down around them, both Celeste and Lori are suddenly in danger.

That is ... until Celeste's latent powers kick in. We saw her glow green when she was healed earlier in the series. Here, under duress, she turns green and incinerates everything in her vicinity. She then goes 'transparent' and passes out.

What are her powers? Clearly they are somehow connected to Green Lanterns. But no thorough explanations here.

With the Zuunian forces defeated, the Legionnaires head back to their cruiser. Jo and Kent again try to head to Zuun to pick up their friends. Meanwhile, Lori sees Lobo take off with Aria in his clutches.

With their new uniforms destroyed from the battle, Kent and Jo don the old Legion togs. Funny how this red dragon shirt suddenly feels retro!

Kent's uniform is akin to Star Boy or Donna Troy's. Or maybe he is borrowing Star Boy's?

Brainy meanwhile has discovered a recording in Aria's belongings, a sort of confession by her father. He did experiment on Aria's mother. He did experiment on Aria and her brother Coda. He did try to solve the mystery of the Gemini Matrix. But he realized that bringing this experiment to its conclusion would mean Aria's death. He is the one who freed her and told her to run ...

Is this man now sympathetic?
Foolish to think Darkseid would be a good partner?
Obsessed?
All of the above?

Brainy finally figures out that Darkseid has to be behind this and it is time for the Legion to confront him.

And Darkseid, who has been watching all of the Legion's actions through a sort of scrying mirror, realizes he has to prepare for his 'guests'. Prepare for his guests, look at his feet, shoulders sort of slumped?? This is a different Darkseid! He isn't preparing for battle. He is asking his butler to prepare for guests! Incredible!

Where will this go!?

The second half of the issue brings us back to Earth. 

Laurel Gand and Bounty decide to meet up with a new potential ally in the fight against the Dominion.

I like how bold Laurel Gand is, strutting her stuff with her thong and Legion uniform on. But Earth is in turmoil; Bounty knows she needs to be undercover. (I do love the 'bun factory' joke.)

I don't know if different clothes and hair color would camouflage the 7ft tall buxom Gand (that's her in the third panel with red hair). But I guess it'll do.

The new ally is someone interesting ... Circe, the Dominion shill who has discovered that her loyalty to her troops in the Science Police is stronger than her loyalty to the Dominion. Even Laurel is shocked.

And while Devlin is still nursing his injuries with whoever escaped from the SW6 chambers, Mon-El is still reeling from the revelation that there is a doppelganger Legion. Which Legion is the real Legion? He is scared enough to leave Shady and start investigating things on his own.

I mean ... how would you feel if you found out you might not be the real you?? (That sentence is why I love comics!)

Things are coming to a boil ... can't wait for next issue's conclusion!

Superboy starring The Legion #207

Superboy starring The Legion of Super-Heroes #207 (March, 1975)
A Review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

title: "The Rookie Who Betrayed The Legion"

writer: Cary Bates

artist: Mike Grell

editor: Murray Boltinoff

cover: Mike Grell (signed) 

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Timber Wolf, Chameleon Boy, Shrinking Violet, Light Lass, Colossal Boy

Guest-Stars: 
Science Police officer Dvron

Opponents: 
Universo 

Who's Who: Dream Girl

Dream Girl
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Nura Nal

Super-Power(s): Precognitive dreams
Planet of Origin: Naltor

Legion Seniority: Dream Girl joined immediately after Lightning Lass, making her Legionnaire #21. She was elected as Legion Leader during Year 12, and also served as Temporary Leader during the absence of Element Lad during Year 13. 

Legion Log 
Dream Girl made her debut in Adventure Comics #317 as an applicant for membership. As the daughter of the High Seer of the planet Naltor her precognitive abilities were among the best. She impressed all of the boys, garnishing all of their votes (without getting a single girl's vote!). However, she had only joined because she had foreseen that seven Legionnaires would be killed, and she wanted to prevent it. After it is revealed that she had seen android replicas destroyed and not actual Legionnaires, she resigned to continue to perfect her powers. She eventually joined the Legion of Substitute-Heroes. 

During her first Legion tenure, Dream Girl met and fell in love with Star Boy. They were an item when a spurned suitor of hers named Kenz Nuhor ambushed him. He was killed by Star Boy in self-defense; Dream Girl witnessed the whole incident and provided testimony to clear him. When Star Boy was later expelled from the Legion for using lethal force, he joined Dream Girl in the Legion of Substitute-Heroes. 

When Superboy and Supergirl were forced to resign from the Legion due to a green kryptonite cloud surrounding Earth's atmosphere, they named their own replacements: masked characters calling themselves Sir Prize and Miss Terious. After two issues, these were revealed to be Star Boy and Dream Girl, who were allowed to officially rejoin. During this time, it was revealed that Nura had a younger sister, Mysa, the White Witch, but was otherwise an orphan.

Dream Girl's membership for the next few years was uneventful. She worked on improving her powers, on scientific experiments with Brainiac 5, and on reading and revising the Legion Constitution. When she was attacked by common muggers and was unable to protect herself, she pushed for mandatory hand-to-hand combat training for all Legionnaires, which she then mastered. In year 12 she was elected Leader in the midst of The Great Darkness Saga. Her term was successful in that she served as Deputy Leader or Temporary Leader thereafter, notably as adviser to Polar Boy during his tenure as Leader. 

Dream Girl was respected for her expert knowledge in bio-technology by the more scientific members, such as Invisible Kid, Brainiac 5, and Mon-El. She was able to use Brainiac 5's force-field belt when required, for example. Her leadership qualities and strength of character also put her on friendly terms with similar "small power" members such as Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, and Polar Boy. Her closest friend, however, was probably her sister, the White Witch. And irregardless of her love affair with Star Boy, she enjoyed flirting with all of the men.

After Star Boy left the Legion to serve his home-planet Xanthu, Dream Girl flitted through various men until she met up with Atmos, the man Star Boy had replaced. She then found herself being subtly controlled by him. He convinced her to join him on Xanthu, and for a time she, Atmos, and Star Boy were all living on that planet. Eventually she broke free of his control, and she and Star Boy rejoined the Legion just in time to help them win the Magic Wars.

During and after the five-year gap following the Magic Wars, Dream Girl returned to Naltor and became High Seer after her relationship with Star Boy - and the galactic economy - had deteriorated. She steered her homeworld to prosperity and lived a life of hedonism until called back into action by Zero Hour, just before the time line collapsed. Star Boy got one last kiss in before it was too late.

During the Zero Hour crisis, a Batch SW6 Dream Girl appeared out of nowhere and the temporal anomaly made everyone believe she was a member of the team all along. She merged with her older self as continuity was reset.

After the Reboot, Nura Nal née Schappin is the first Naltorian born with precognitive dreams in generations (in this continuity, she is not White Witch's sister). Though she applied for membership as Dreamer, she was rejected because of her narcolepsy. Nevertheless, she and Star Boy started going out and she became a regular visitor (as did her prophecies) to Legion HQ. Instrumental in defeating Universo, she was finally awarded Legion membership.

After the Threeboot, Dream Girl is a particularly skilled Naltorian who always see 30 seconds in the future. Haunted by dreams of nothingness, their reason was revealed when she was apparently killed by suicide bombers. Obsessed with a prophecy that he and Dream Girl would be married, Brainiac 5 wouldn't let her go, though on the team she was replaced by Dream Boy. His plans to resurrect her failed, but then her body disappeared, and her "ghost" started visiting him in his dreams. For a while, they dated thanks to a medium called Meander serving as Nura's host. Vulnerable in this form, she fell prey to an attack by a vengeful Projectra who needed her powers out of the way. Dream Girl was blinded, losing both her sight and foresight. Later revived by Brainiac 5 by transferring her consciousness back in a renewed, cloned version of her original body, she regains her sight and powers, and they get married.

After Infinite Crisis, Dream Girl's original history has more or less been re-established, though it is now implied her powers are connected to the Dreaming. During a mission to the 21st century, she was captured by Dr. Destiny and held prisoner in Arkham Asylum, where he used her powers as his new "dreamstone". It is further revealed she has somehow passed on her prophetic abilities to Star Boy. After his apparent death, however, she returns to Naltor once more to take her place as High Seer, but not only are both back with the Legion by Justice League United Annual #1, Dream Girl has also been elected (re-elected?) its leader.

Dream Girl had a non-speaking cameo on the Superman Animated Series in the episode New Kids in Town. She is one of the main characters in The Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, where she is voiced by Tara Platt.

Important Dream Girl Stories: 

Adventure Comics #317

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 2)

Dream Girl joins in order to save certain Legionnaires' lives; 

after changing Lightning Lass into Light Lass, she quits

Adventure Comics #342

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5)

Dream Girl becomes Star Boy's girlfriend

Adventure Comics #350-351

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 6)

Dream Girl rejoins the Legion

Adventure Comics #356

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 6)

Dream Girl is an orphan

Adventure Comics #362-363

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 7)

Dream Girl leads a mission to her home planet of Naltor

Adventure Comics #374

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8)

Dream Girl participates in the take-down of the Taurus Gang

Action Comics #384

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9)

 Dream Girl sees the death of Mon-El 

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #199

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 10)

Dream Girl's Dave Cockrum designed uniform makes its debut

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #201

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 10)

Dream Girl saves Karate Kid's life 

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #220

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 12)

Dream Girl sees a political assassination 

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #230

 (reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 13)

Dream Girl outwits an alien thief 

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #268
 (reprinted in Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol. 2)

Dream Girl defeats Dr. Mayavale

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #285

(reprinted in The Great Darkness Saga HC)

Dream Girl's first solo adventure

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 (1982)
(reprinted in The Great Darkness Saga HC)

Dream Girl helps Brainiac 5 in his laboratory

 Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #290-294
(reprinted in The Great Darkness Saga TPB)

Dream Girl is elected Leader 
and leads the Legion against Darkseid and his minions

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #4-8
(reprinted in An Eye For An Eye TPB)

Dream Girl steps up as Leader in Element Lad's absence

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #9
(reprinted in The More Things Change TPB)

Dream Girl steps down as temporary Leader upon Element Lad's return

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #32-35

Dream Girl is an important part of the assault against Universo

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #4 (1988)

Dream Girl resigns from the Legion to be with Atmos

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #55

Dream Girl is in a love-triangle with Atmos and Star Boy

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #63

Dream Girl breaks free of Atmos' control to rejoin the Legion 

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #37

Nura Nal becomes High Seer during the Five Year Gap

 Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #61

Star Boy gets one last kiss in before the Reboot

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #84

Reboot Nura Nal tries to warn the Legion of danger, but is shrugged off
by Martha Latham

Legionnaires #43

Nura takes the codename Dreamer and is rejected by the Legion

Legionnaires #45

Dreamer and Star Boy start a long love affair

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #121

Dreamer has visions of the coming Blight

The Legion #18-22

Dreamer helps defeat Universo and is rewarded with Legion membership

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #2

Threeboot Dream Girl helps uncover a plot on her homeworld

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #10

Dream Girl is killed in a terrorist explosion

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #21

Dream Girl has survived on the Astral plane and starts visiting Brainiac 5

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #47

Dream Girl is blinded and neutralized by Projectra, and
gets engaged to Brainiac 5

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #50

Dream Girl's soul is given a clone body, cementing plans for her and Brainy's wedding

Justice Society of America (v3) #5

After Infinite Crisis, Dream Girl is Dr. Destiny's prisoner in the 21st century

Legion of Super-Heroes (v6) #8

Dream Girl is still a badass, after all these years, beating the crud out of a Durlan

Legion of Super-Heroes (v7) #9-12

Dream Girl is among the Legionnaires taken prisoner by the Dominators

Legion of Super-Heroes (v7) #18

Dream Girl witnesses Star Boy's apparent death

Legion of Super-Heroes (v7) #23

A grieving Dream Girl returns to Naltor

Justice League United #8

Dream Girl, as leader of the Legion, brings the team to the 21st century

based on an apocalyptic premonition

Legion of Super-Heroes animated series

Dream Girl, voiced by Tara Platt