Happy Birthday Superman!

an essay by Tim Wallace aka Kord Kid

5YL: Legionnaires #13

Legionnaires #13 (April 1994)
title: "Chain Gang"

writers: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

penciller: Frank Fosco
inkers: Wade von Grawbadger, Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Adam Hughes
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Alchemist, Andromeda, Apparition, Brainiac 5 (SW6), Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Gossamer, Inferno, Invisible Kid (SW6), Kid Quantum, Leviathan, Live Wire, Matter Eater Lad (SW6), Saturn Girl (SW6), Triad, Ultra Boy (SW6)

Guests: 
Kono and her Sklarian crew (including Brita), Science Police, Dominator victim, wounded boy

Opponents: 
Grimbor, Parisian separatists, Sklarian Raiders, an angry mob, alien convicts

Tellus and Quislet: Hot or Not?

Our group of candid women with no real Legion knowledge tackle the datability vector of the Legion's two most alien members. Cross-species Hot? Or Not?

Participants
Our honorary Legion members are...
Art-Girl - Even all her anime experience didn't prepare her for this.
DJ Nath - Mind linked to her sister Lip-Bomb, it is entirely possible they started the YouTube channel Mindlinked completely independently.
Havana Nights - Not going to settle for the first methane-breather that comes along, you've been warned.
Shotgun - Knee-jerk reactions could be hurtful, but that's all she's got.
Moderator: Siskoid - The most alien one here.
And note that now the girls are now doing a podcast with the same premise, only over in the Marvel Universe in oHOTmu or NOT? every three weeks.

Threeboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #6

Recap: The Legion is both a super-hero team and a youth movement, shaking up the stodgy and overly safe 31st century. The Legion's already shaky relations with the Science Police and the United Planets is put to the test when it is revealed that an intergalactic war is starting. The UP's rimworlds are being attacked by armies with a super-powered phalanx called Terror Firma. But who is behind this war? And why?

Legion of Super-Heroes #6 continued the pace set by the last issue, concentrating more on the impending intergalactic war and its fallout than in introducing us to new members. We have gotten to meet a core group of Legionnaires. We have seen them use their powers and learned some of their back stories and motivations. So now is the time for writer Mark Waid to keep the throttle down, pushing the team into this massive conflict. We learn about one new Legionnaire but that introduction is in the context of the bigger plot. What I love about this arc is the wrinkle of the Legion being an independent force, working as best they can with governments and groups whose politics they don't necessarily agree with. Unlike prior incarnations where the Legion is beloved, here they are looked upon as rabble rousers, maybe even feared.

Superboy & The Legion #253

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #253 (July, 1979)
title: "Night of the Super-Assassins!"

writer: Gerry Conway

penciller: Joe Staton

inker: Frank Chiaramonte
letterer: Ben Oda
colorist: Gene D'Angelo

editor: Jack C. Harris
cover: Dick Giordano (signed)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Timber Wolf, Light Lass, Colossal Boy, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl; Lightning Lad, Shadow Lass, Mon-El, Princess Projectra, Saturn Girl, Dream Girl, Cosmic Boy

Opponents: 
The League of Super-Assassins (Silver Slasher, Titania, Neutrax, Lazon, Mist Master, Blok)

Who's Who: Monstress

Monstress
by Siskoid

Real Name: Candi Pyponte-LeParc III

Super-Power(s): Super-strength and invulnerability, adrenaline boost.
Planet of Origin: Xanthu

Legion Seniority: Monstress was the fifth completely new Legion recruit after the Reboot.

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #54

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #54 ("Winter" 1989)
title: "Strength in Numbers"

writer: Paul Levitz

penciller/co-plotter: Keith Giffen
inker: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford
asst editor: Art Young 

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Keith Giffen & Mike DeCarlo (signed)
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Polar Boy, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Sensor Girl, Shadow Lass, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Sun Boy, Phantom Girl, Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Boy, Timber Wolf,

Guests: 
Duo Damsel, Bouncing Boy, SP Officer Shvaughn Erin; Visi-Lad, Shadow Kid, Nightwind, and various other Legion Academy students

Opponents: 
Garak of the Glow, various Legion of Super Assassins (Lazon, Titania, Silver Slasher); the threat of the Emerald Empress

LSH Cover to Cover 6: 1967

The sixth installment of our feature on all of the comic-book cover appearances of The Legion in chronological order brings us up to the year 1967. And we start the year off with a bang: the debut of the Fatal Five!!

1967 also featured the death of Ferro Lad, as well as the debut of Insect Queen and the introduction of the "Adult Legion" concept. Yes, there was a lot going on in 2967.

Cosmic Boy appeared on the most covers besides cover-hog Superboy/man, with six of twelve. Ferro Lad, the Doomed Legionnaire himself, comes in second with four covers.

This was the last year that all of the Adventure covers were pencilled by the late, great Curt Swan. All inking on this year's covers was done by George Klein.

5YL: Legionnaires #12

Legionnaires #12 (March 1994)
title: "Street Justice"

writers: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

pencillers: Adam Hughes, Chris Sprouse, Chris Gardner
inkers: Karl Story, Dennis Cramer
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Alchemist, Andromeda, Catspaw, Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Gossamer, Inferno, Invisible Kid (SW6), Kid Quantum, Leviathan, Live Wire, Matter Eater Lad (SW6), Saturn Girl (SW6), Shrinking Violet (SW6), Triad

Guests: 
Kono, Sadi, Tyroc, Science Police (Rinq); Durlan, Talokian and Dominator victims, doctors

Opponents: 
Hykraine, Lothar St. Maixent (1st appearance), Parisian separatists, an angry mob

5YL: Legionnaires #11

Legionnaires #11 (February 1994)
title: "The Astonishing Return of Kid Quantum"

writers: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

pencillers: Chris Sprouse, Joe Phillips
inkers: Karl Story, Wade von Grawbadger, Jason Martin
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Apparition, Brainiac 5 (SW6), Catspaw, Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Ferro, Gossamer, Inferno, Kid Quantum, Matter Eater Lad (SW6), Saturn Girl (SW6), Shrinking Violet (SW6), Triad, Ultra Boy (SW6)

Guests: 
Proteans, Sadi, Science Police (Liam), a wounded kid

Opponents: 
Grimbor (behind the scenes), Dominators, Khunds, an angry mob

Threeboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #5

Recap: The 30th century is a place of complete calm and peace, of sterile security. Shaking the dust off of this stifling peace is the Legion of Super-Heroes - young, super-powered progressives with a growing number of followers on numerous worlds. The governments and Science Police aren't big fans but they also recognize the value of a super-powered attack force. While the Legion potentially might disturb this peace, there is an actual threat on the horizon. Dream Girl has foreseen an intergalactic war about to happen. Already United Planet rim worlds appear to be under attack. 

Legion of Super-Heroes #5 continued the unveiling of a new Legion universe under the care of writer Mark Waid and artist Barry Kitson. The first four issues of the title were wonderfully paced by Waid. We not only got a very good understanding of the political ennui of the United Planets, we also were slowly introduced to the new Legion. Waid both gave us snippets of Legion history as well as focusing on one Legionnaire each issue. Waid also set this interstellar war in motion, dropping clues and letting that plot simmer a bit.

Superboy & The Legion #252

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #252 (June, 1979)
title: "Postscript to Holocaust"

writer: Gerry Conway

penciller: Joe Staton

inker: Dave Hunt
letterer: Ben Oda
colorist: Gene D'Angelo

editor: Jack C. Harris
cover: Dick Giordano (signed)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Princess Projectra, Dream Girl, Sun Boy, Wildfire, Mon-El, Shadow Lass

Guests: 
Brainiac 5, Matter-Eater Lad, RJ Brande

Opponents: 
Star-burst Bandits

Who's Who: Magno

Magno
by Siskoid

Real Name: Dyrk Magz

Super-Power(s): Magnetism.
Planet of Origin: Braal

Legion Seniority: Magno was the fourth completely new Legion recruit after the Reboot.

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #53

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #53 (Dec, 1988)
title: "Hunters and Hunted"

writer: Paul Levitz

layouts/co-plotter: Keith Giffen
finisher: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford
asst editor: Art Young 

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Steve Lightle
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Magnetic Kid, Lighting Lass, Tellus; Element Lad, Polar Boy, Colossal Boy, Timber Wolf, Shadow Lass, Mon-El

Opponents: 
Hywndr, the Khunds

The Lightning Saga (chapter 5): JLA (v2) #10

Justice League of America (v2) # 10
Title: “The Lightning Saga Part Five: The Villain is the Hero in His Own Story”
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Penciller: Ed Benes
Inker: Sandra Hope
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Assistant Editor: Adam Schlagman
Reviewer: Myk-El

RECAP:
The Justice League has teamed up with the Justice Society to locate seven lost Legionnaires, who have come back from the future on a mission so secret even they don’t know what it is. Not until they were all in the same room, that is. Not only have they ditched both super-teams, but they’ve split up once again. Starman, Karate Kid, Dream Girl, Wildfire, Timber Wolf, Dawnstar, and Sensor Girl each fly off in a different direction—each of them armed with a lightning rod, and ready to sacrifice themselves to “bring him back.”

Happy Valentine's Day, Legion Style!

From the Bits of Legionnaire Business site, here are a few Legion-inspired Valentine's Day greetings to brighten up your day! Most were crafted around the time of the Baxter run, so reflect the stories of the time.

5YL: Legionnaires #10

Legionnaires #10 (January 1994)
title: "Little White Lies"

writers: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

penciller: Chris Sprouse
breakdowns: Adam Hughes
finisher: Stuart Immonen
inkers: Karl Story, Mark Farmer
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Alchemist, Apparition, Brainiac 5 (SW6), Catspaw, Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Ferro, Gossamer, Inferno, Live Wire, Matter Eater Lad (SW6), Saturn Girl (SW6), Shrinking Violet (SW6), Ultra Boy (SW6)

Guests: 
Bel An'nan, Kid Quantum, Kono, Proteans, Sadi, Tyroc, a wounded kid

Opponents: 
Dominators, Khunds

Magnetic Kid: Hot or Not?

They didn't like Cosmic Boy, all those weeks ago, so will our group of candid women with no real Legion knowledge think his baby brother is Hotter? Or Notter?

Participants
Our honorary Legion members are...
Art-Girl - Not following in anyone's steps, thank you.
DJ Nath - Lip-Bomb's kid sister. They co-star on the YouTube channel Mindlinked.
Havana Nights - The big sister of a physics genius.
Lip-Bomb - The big sister of someone in this very conversation.
Science Girl - Her big brother is hilarious, but kind of annoying while you're trying to watch a movie.
Shotgun - Her sister was adopted when her parents thought they couldn't have any bio-kids. Oops! (She's running late; she arrives somewhere down the bottom.)
Moderator: Siskoid - The big brother of 2½ kids.

Threeboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #4

Recap: The 30th century is a place of complete calm and peace, of sterile security. The Legion of Super-Heroes are young, super-powered progressives, working as well as they can to push their agenda while working with the authorities. They don't always see eye to eye. But the Legion have a large group of youths who follow their lead. And that youth movement carries political power, another concern for current leaders. Can the Legion co-exist? And how will a prophecy of an upcoming intergalactic war impact the Legion and who they ally themselves with?

Legion of Super-Heroes #4 continued the strong opening year for this new version of the old team. I have talked in the past about how Waid carefully walks a fine creative line. He slowly is reintroducing us to Legionnaires we know from before. These new Legionnaires are both familiar and fresh. Each issue of the book so far has focused primarily on one Legionnaire, letting us learn who they are and how they differ from prior incarnations. Each issue also seems to pick a couple of secondary Legionnaires to showcase a bit more than others. We learn a bit about these members, getting us up to speed on their motivations while not looking quite so closely. This issue we have a close look at Invisible Kid, who is again Lyle Norg (and not Jacques Foccart). And we have glimpses at Cham and Phantom Girl.

Superboy & The Legion #251

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #251 (May, 1979)
title: "The Man Who Destroyed The Universe!"

story/layouts: Jim Starlin (using the pseudonym Steve Apollo)

words: Paul Levitz

finished art: Dave Hunt
letterer: Ben Oda
colorist: Gene D'Angelo

editor: Jack C. Harris
cover: Joe Staton & Dick Giordano (signed)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Brainiac 5, Superboy, Ultra Boy, Dawnstar, Wildfire, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Colossal Boy

Guests: 
Matter-Eater Lad

Opponents: 
Omega, Brainiac 5

Who's Who: Gates

 

Gates
by Siskoid

Real Name: Ti'julk Mr'asz

Super-Power(s): Teleportation portals.
Planet of Origin: Vyrga

Legion Seniority: Gates was the third completely new Legion recruit after the Reboot.

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (v2) #4 (1988)

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (v2) #4 (1988)
title: "Secrets Within The Star"

writer: Paul Levitz

artists: Barry Kitson, Bruce Patterson, and Romeo Tanghal

letterer: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford
asst editor: Art Young

editor: Karen Berger
cover: Brian Bolland (signed)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Dawnstar, Phantom Girl, Invisible Kid, Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy

Opponents: 
Starfinger, Starlight, Starbright

The Composite Superman, World's Finest #142

In today’s look at the Silver Age era of the Legion of Super-Heroes, it’s the classic first appearance of that infamous villain Composite Superman, from the pages of World’s Finest Comics #142 that went on sale in late April of 1964. The story is written by Edmond Hamilton, with pencils by Curt Swan, and inks by George Klein.

Synopsis:

The story opens with the World’s Finest team, Superman & Batman, your two favorite heroes in one adventure together, having their Fortress of Solitude and Batcave compromised and then being confronted by the mysterious Composite Superman. He blackmails the two heroes into letting him join as the third member of their team (apparently Robin doesn’t count as a member of the team even though he’s present in this adventure and every other, maybe because he’s a minor?), threatening to reveal both heroes’ secret identity if they refuse. Superman and Batman of course don’t trust this Composite Superman, but they feel they have no other choice than to comply.

5YL: Legionnaires #9

Legionnaires #9 (December 1993)
title: "Skin Deep"

writers: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

penciller: Chris Sprouse, Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze
inker: Karl Story, Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Catspaw, Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Inferno, Invisible Kid (SW6), Live Wire, Matter-Eater Lad (SW6), Saturn Girl (SW6), Shrinking Violet (SW6)

Guests: 
Accordion King (and his mother), Barber Boy, Colossal Boy, Proteans, Sadi (1st appearance), Tyroc, the mayor of Acapulco

Opponents: 
Khunds, Sklarian raiders (in the background), a drunk member of the auditioning crowd

5YL: Legionnaires #8

Legionnaires #8 (November 1993)
title: "In Heart and Conscience Free"

writer: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

penciller: Colleen Doran
inker: John Nyberg
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
assistant editor: Mike McAvennie

editor: KC Carlson

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewer: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Alchemist, Andromeda, Brainiac 5 (SW6), Chameleon, Computo II, Cosmic Boy (SW6), Dragonmage, Gossamer, Invisible Kid (SW6), Leviathan, Saturn Girl (SW6), Triad

Allies: 
Chairman Audric


Opponents: 
Chairman Audric, Secretary Yarin, other Coluans

Threeboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #3

Recap: The 30th century is a place of complete calm and peace, of sterile security. Shaking up that safe ennui are the Standing Legion of Super-Heroes, a progressive youth movement with a front-facing group of powered individuals. With their political power rivaling their super-heroics, the Legion is disliked by the authorities, including the United Planets, the Science Police, and planetary leaders. Faced with a Dream Girl vision of an intergalactic war, the Legion is deciding what the next steps to take. Do they rock the boat even more?

Legion of Super-Heroes #3 was another brick in the foundation of the this new reboot of the team. And it is evident from the cover that this is another character driven issue with the focus on Triplicate Girl. Last issue, writer Mark Waid craftily concentrated on Dream Girl and moved along the first key plot of the book, the upcoming interplanetary war. We might have some 'muscle memory' of these Legionnaires but these are new characters. I might know Cosmic Boy, but I don't necessarily know this one.

Superboy & The Legion #250

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #250 (April, 1979)
title: "This Is The Day The Universe Dies"

story & layouts: Jim Starlin (credited as Steve Apollo) 

words: Paul Levitz
finishes: Dave Hunt
letterer: Ben Oda
colorist: Gene D'Angelo
editor: Jack C. Harris

cover: Joe Staton & Dick Giordano (signed)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Chameleon Boy, Wildfire, Shadow Lass, Tyroc, Mon-El, Dream Girl, Lighting Lad, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Cosmic Boy, Timber Wolf, Element Lad, Superboy, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Ultra Boy, Colossal Boy, Shrinking Violet, Karate Kid, Dawnstar, Princess Projectra (mentioned but not actually shown)

Opponents: 
Omega and his mysterious creator

Who's Who: Kinetix

Kinetix
by Siskoid

Real Name: Zoe Saugin

Super-Power(s): Energy field that molds objects around her at the molecular level.
Planet of Origin: Aleph

Legion Seniority: Kinetix was the second completely new Legion recruit after the Reboot.

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #52

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #52 (Nov, 1988)
title: "Rites of Passage"

writer: Paul Levitz

penciller/co-plotter: Keith Giffen
inker: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford
asst editor: Art Young 

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Steve Lightle
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Polar Boy, Element Lad, Saturn Girl, Dream Girl, Quislet, Magnetic Kid, Lightning Lass, Tellus, Shadow Lass, Mon-El, Blok

Opponents: 
Hywyndr

Rings and Bling

All about the Legion Flight Ring---!