Silver Age Legion Writers

The Legion of Super Writers

by Emsley Wyatt

When the Legion of Super-Heroes were introduced in Adventure Comics #247 back in April 1958, it was intended to be your typical one-and-done kind of story. But if there was one thing that the DC writing staff was known for, it was recycling story elements as part of the Superman mythology. Indeed, they would recycle whole stories on occasion, as I have commented on here. So, once the Legion was established it was inevitable that they would return. But what was not inevitable was that they would, over time, develop a mythology of their own as broad and deep as the one that originated them. As the manifest of this page tells us, it takes a Legion to create it. A Legion of Super Writers, if you will...

The Action Comics Back-Ups

Before we close the Time Bubble door on the Silver Age Legion of Super-Heroes series, we here at the Legion of Super-Bloggers wanted to pause one last time to look back at the fourteen Action Comics stories. In this particular series there is a lot of foundation for where the series ended up going.

TOS: Action Comics #384

Action Comics #384 (January 1970)
title: "Lament For A Legionnaire!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
letterer: Jack Abel
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Dream Girl, Mon-El, Karate Kid, Element Lad, Princess Projectra, Shadow Lass, Superboy, Ultra Boy

Guest-Star:
Mon-El's descendant, Eltro Gand

Opponents:
Hubris

TOS: Action Comics #382

Action Comics #382 (Nov 1969)
title: "Kill A Friend To Save A World!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer:  Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Ultra Boy, Karate Kid, Shrinking Violet, Light Lass, Timber Wolf; cameos by Superboy and Mon-El

Opponents:
Cosvarr and Zorla

TOS: Action Comics #381

Action Comics #381 (Oct 1969)
title: "The Hapless Hero!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snappin
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:
Matter-Eater Lad, Shrinking Violet; cameo appearances by Brainiac 5, Chemical King, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, and Saturn Girl

Opponent:
Duplicate Boy

TOS: Action Comics #380

Action Comics #380 (Sept 1969)
title: "Half A Legionnaire?"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snappin
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Duo Damsel, Bouncing Boy, Mon-El

Opponent:
Nam Lor?

TOS: Action Comics #378

Action Comics #378 (July 1969)
title: "The Forbidden Fruit!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
artist: Win Mortimer
letterer: Mike Esposito
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Timber Wolf, Light Lass; cameo by Lightning Lad

Opponent:
an unnamed extortionist and drug dealer

The End of the ADVENTURE....

The Legion of Super-Heroes moved into Adventure Comics with issue #300 (Sept 1962). The Legion moved OUT of Adventure Comics after issue #380 (May 1969).

These 81 issues (plus a few odd Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, and Superboy issues) constitute the foundation of the Legion of Super-Heroes' "world." Although the majority of Silver Age Legionnaires made their debut appearances prior to this Adventure Comics run, all of the classic Legion friends, villains, and supporting characters DID first appear in one or more of these 81 stories. The Legion of Substitute Heroes? Check. (Adventure #304.)  The Time Trapper? Check. (Adventure Comics #317). Mordru? Check. (Adventure #369). Rond Vidar and his proud papa, Universo? Check and check. (Adventure #349).

Prior to Adventure #300 the Legion had no particular home; they bounced around as supporting characters in Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl features. After Adventure #380 they moved to the back-up spot in Action Comics, where they stayed for approximately one year. They were then homeless again until they moved over as one of the rotating back-up spots in Superboy from #172. I think we all know how *that* move turned out...

Today we here at the Legion of Super-Bloggers would like to take a moment to salute these pivotal issues of Adventure Comics before we move on to the Action Comic series. To tell you the truth, without them, we don't think we would be here today.

Jim Shooter Autographs

Today I start my look back at Legion comics I have had autographed at conventions.

I feel pretty blessed that here in New England there are a number of very good conventions annually that have allowed me to meet so many of my comic heroes over the years. From Boston Comic-Con (now Boston Fan Expo), Terrificon, Rhode Island Comic Con, and Granite State Comic Con, I have a bunch of shows to attend in the summer and fall.

A couple of years ago, Jim Shooter was announced as a guest at Rhode Island Comic Con. Given his long history in comics and his particular history with the Silver Age of the Legion, I knew that I was going to get stuff signed by him.

Shooter was very amiable at his table and was very easy to talk to. RICC is one of those comic-cons more focused on celebrities. The comic creators often seem lonely as most patrons are lining up to meet the TV and movie stars. Shooter was at a small  table with no line. I was able to talk to him for some time and he was very amiable, telling me stories about the issues.

I don't believe Shooter was charging for signatures so I was able to get my whole stack signed by him. But I had prioritized the issues. You'll hear that list and reasoning below. I can say, these are semi-ragged books and Shooter commented on how they were 'well-loved'.

Of all of the books I brought, I was going to get Adventure Comics 352 and 353 signed, the first appearance of the Fatal Five and the death of Ferro Lad. Shooter said he was got the idea for this after watching 'The Dirty Dozen'.



But wait, there's more!

TOS: Adventure Comics #380

Adventure Comics #380 (May 1969)
title: "The Legion's Space Odyssey!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Win Mortimer
letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Curt Swan & Mike Esposito
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dream Girl, Duo Damsel, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Mon-El, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy

Opponent:
convoluted plots, Dream Girl's badly interpreted dream, two would-be assassins

TOS: Adventure Comics #379

Adventure Comics #379 (April 1969)
title: "Burial in Space!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: John Costanza
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Chameleon Boy, Chemical King, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy; Invisible Kid, Shrinking Violet; cameos by Brainiac 5, Duo Damsel, Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Superboy

Opponent:
nameless invasion force, nameless would-be assassin, plot holes, bad editorial decisions

TOS: Adventure Comics #378

Adventure Comics #378 (March 1969)
title: "Twelve Hours To Live!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewer:  Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Brainiac 5, Duo Damsel, Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Superboy

Opponent:
Death, unknown would-be assassin; the Fatal Five

TOS: Adventure Comics #377

Adventure Comics #377 (February, 1969)
title: "Heroes for Hire"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Gaspar Saladino
cover: Neal Adams
reviewer: Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 
Brainiac 5, Chemical King, Duo Damsel, Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Superboy; cameo appearances by several other Legionnaires

Opponent:
Modulus and the living planet, Modo







If I asked Mark Waid to rattle off every time Superboy/Superman uttered the phrase "Relax, Pops" in the entirety of 80 years of publication it would more than likely begin and end here. The cover and splash page offer up such a cringeworthy version of Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes that I knew it would be a struggle to read this story. On the plus-side, you can be spared that pain by reading this summary!

TOS: Adventure Comics #376

Adventure Comics #376 (January 1969)
title: "The Execution of Chameleon Boy!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Win Mortimer

letterer: Gasper Saladino

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan, Carmine Infantino, and Neal Adams

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Chameleon Boy. Cameos by Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Superboy, Supergirl, and Ultra Boy.

TOS: Adventure Comics #375

Adventure Comics #375 (December 1968)

title: King of the Legion!

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Win Mortimer

letterer: Joe Letters

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Neal Adams

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: the twelve contestants:  Karate Kid, Ultra Boy, Sun Boy, Chemical King, Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy, Superboy, Brainiac 5, Timber Wolf, Bouncing Boy, Mon-El, Element Lad; cameo appearances by Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Duo Damsel, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter Eater Lad, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Starboy, and Supergirl

Opponents: The Wanderers - Celebrand, Elvo, Dartlag, Immorto, Ornitho, Psyche, and Quantum Queen.

TOS: Adventure Comics #374

Adventure Comics #374 (November 1968)
title: "Mission: Diabolical!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
artist: Win Mortimer
letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Curt Swan & Mike Esposito
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Dream Girl, Element Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Supergirl, Ultra Boy; cameos by the majority of the other Legionnaires

Guest Stars: 
The Legion of Substitute Heroes (Polar Boy, Night Girl, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad, Stone Boy, Color Kid)

Opponent:
Scorpius, Taurus, the Taurus Gang (Black Mace, Mystelor, Quanto, Rogarth, Shagrek)

TOS: Adventure Comics #373

Adventure Comics #374 (October 1968)
title: "The Tornado Twins!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
artist: Win Mortimer
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Brainiac 5, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Superboy

Opponent:
The Tornado Twins

TOS: Adventure Comics #372

!

Adventure Comics #372 (Sept 1968)
title: "The School For Super-Villains"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 
Colossal Boy, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy; Timber Wolf and Chemical King; cameos by Cosmic Boy, Star Boy, Duo Damsel, and Phantom Girl

Opponents:
Tarik the Mute and his School For Super-Villains including such students as Nemesis Kid, Spider Girl, Radiation Roy, Lightning Lord, Ronn Kar

TOS: Adventure Comics #371

Adventure Comics #371 (August 1968)
title: "The Colossal Failure!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Colossal Boy, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy; debut appearance of Condo Arlik, future Legionnaire Chemical King

Opponents:
Extortionists who turn Colossal Boy's parents into glass statues

TOS: Adventure Comics #370

Adventure Comics #370 (July 1968)

title: "The Devil's Jury!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Curt Swan

inker: Jack Abel

letterers: Joe Letterese (splash page only) and Ben Oda

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan and George Roussos

letterer: Gaspar Saladino

reviewers: Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 

Duo Damsel, Mon-El, Shadow Lass, and Superboy

Cameos:

Dream Girl, Insect Queen, Invisible Kid, Princes Projectra, 

Ultra Boy, The White Witch

Opponent:

Mordru the Merciless!