The Legion on Super-Team Family The Lost Issues

Imagine living in a world where all comic characters were “under one roof,” where you could walk into a comic store and find a book in which your favorite characters could team up or battle without regard for who owns what. 

Well, we don’t live in that world, but we can get a tantalizing peek at what it might look like thanks to Ross Pearsall over at https://braveandboldlost.blogspot.com/.

He takes characters and situations from all of the major comic book companies, puts them in the blender and creates some pretty tasty concoctions, And he puts a new one up every freakin’ day!  Iron Man meets Green Lantern.  The Justice League battles Ultron. Adam Strange and Doctor Strange (Long-lost brothers).  And one of my personal faves, The Creeper versus The Green Goblin. 

And it isn’t just the “big boys” you’ll find here.  No character or book is too obscure to escape Ross’s treatment.  The X-Files and Swamp Thing.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Vampirella. Quantum Leap and Sliders.

Some of the covers are laugh-out-loud funny.  Others make you wish that you could actually read the darn story.  But this is, after all, a Legion of Super-Heroes site.  So let’s look at some of his Legion-related covers....starting with one from last March, which inspired this article: The Legion vs. The Avengers! I'd buy that for a dollar all right! 

LSH(v8) #9

Legion of Super-Heroes #9 (November 2020)
title: "The Trial of the Legion of Super-Heroes Part 2"
writer: Brian Michael Bendis
artists: See list of artistic credits, shown below
colorist: Jordie Bellaire
letterer: Dave Sharpe
associate editor: Brittany Holzherr
editor: Brian Cunningham
cover: Various

reviewers: Jude "Sarcastic Kid" DeLuca and Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Overall Summary: 
The trial of the Legion continues at the United Planets head-quarters. 

Mike Grell Legion Sketch Book

As one of the rewards for Mike Grell's recent MAGGIE the CAT Kick-Starter process, Master Stroke published a set of 30 individual Legion of Super-Heroes sketches.  They are from the collection of master Legion fan Michael Leib, who over several years' time commissioned Mike until he had accumulated 30 individual, stunning pieces.

Mike Grell Legion Cards

As part of Mike Grell's recent MAGGIE the CAT kick-starter, one of the additional "rewards" for supporting his project was a set of 30 Legionnaire cards. (6.5 cm x 9 cm; 2.5 x 3.5 inches).

These appear to be copies of pencils-only work. 

There was no information provided as to when or how these were drawn (at actual size, or shrunk to fit this format). But they are all quite nice, and in fact there are quite a few great portraits here! 

Enjoy! 

"The Alien Among Us!"

In the early Seventies DC Comics self-published a bi-monthly "fan magazine" called The Amazing World of DC Comics. It featured histories and interviews, similar to The Comics Journal or Wizard but with a distinct DC "house" slant. Issues were dedicated to the Justice League, Shazam, Wonder Woman, and perhaps most famously, the Legion of Super-Heroes. 

TAWoDCC #12, dated August 1976, was a follow-up to the Legion-centric issue, this time about all of DC's "future" and science fiction series. As part of the theme, an eleven paged sci-fi horror story by Mike Grell was published. In the interview with Grell in that same issue (which we re-published here) Mike says that the story was the second work assignment ever given him by DC (the first was an Aquaman back-up that appeared in Adventure Comics #435) and that this story was originally intended for Weird War Tales (a series that DC published from 1971 to 1983). No reason was given for why it was not published in that book at that time. Oddly enough, it was eventually published in that book two years later (!) in Weird War Tales #67 (Sept 1978). 

I recently found my copy of The Amazing World of DC Comics #12 and re-read this story. I thought other Mike Grell fans would get a kick out of it, so here it is in all its 1974 black and white goodness. Enjoy! 

Just For The Grell Of It

While cleaning up my study I came across my old collection of The Amazing World of DC Comics from the early 1970s. There is an awful lot of general nostalgia there, but we're here to talk about issue #12 (July/Aug 1976) in particular.

As you can see from the cover, this issue spotlights DC sci-fi comics. For fans of the Legion of Super-Heroes, this issue includes a four page interview with then-Legion artist Mike Grell.

t the time of this interview Mike had been on Superboy/Legion for approximately two years, and was soon to be leaving it. (There is an ad in the issue for Superboy/Legion #221, which is two issues away from Grell's last story). He had just started his stint on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and The Warlord was on issue #5.

Karate Kid #8

Karate Kid #8 
"Pandemonium....Panic.....and Pulsar!"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
color by Liz Berube
edited by Denny O'Neil
cover by Mike Grell
cover date: June 1977
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

I never went to any, but I hear that those live stadium shows in the late Seventies were just fab.
Here we have Karate Kid and Pulsar fighting on stage as Police Commissioner Banner tries to keep out of the way and three DC Comic staff members frantically take notes. Groovy, baby. Mike Grell back on double-duty pencils & inks clearly enjoys what he is doing. Looks like this is going to be another all-out action issue in the mighty Marvel DC manner!

Mike Grell Autographs and More!

 Back in 2015 I was pretty pumped to learn that Mike Grell was going to be at the Rhode Island Comic Con.

Many know that I consider the Mike Grell Legion books as my first comics ever and hold Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #211 as my first comic. Grell holds a special place in my fandom for that reason. And that was going to be my first time having the opportunity to meet him.

As a sort of lifelong fan of Grell's I knew I would have a bunch of comics to bring to him to sign, Legion and otherwise. I also knew that most of my Grell Legion books are well-read and well-loved. So trying to decide which books to bring for autographs was a little tricky.

One book I knew I would definitely be bringing was Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #204. That has the infamous 'Brainy builds a Supergirl fembot' story that put a pause on the Supergirl/Brainy romance for about a decade! For any Supergirl fan, this is a can't miss.

Grell was one of the bigger names at the con so I didn't have much time to chat with him. Interestingly enough, almost all the people in line with me were there to get Green Arrow and Jon Sable things signed. I seemed to be the only Legion fan there!

Karate Kid #7

Karate Kid #7 
"The Gyro-Master Strikes Twice!"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
edited by Denny O'Neil
cover by Mike Grell
cover date: April 1977
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

I can't imagine being a kid in the spring of 1977 and seeing this cover and not wanting, nee, NEEDING to pick up this title. Just look at that cover! The Gyro Master is throwing toys at Karate Kid!! And they are twice as deadly as....as....er....slinkies?

Also, point of order but we're about to find out that the Gyro Master actually does NOT strike twice. He actually strikes once and then just loiters around. So that's kind of a let-down, too. But really, who should be counting?

Let's get right to the action, shall we?

The Write Stuff: Back To The Future Pt 1

By BITS BOY
In our series on comic magazines which featured articles on the Legion, one title was conspiciously absent: BACK ISSUE!, the fine fan publication produced by TwoMorrows and edited by fervent Legion fan Michael Eury. Starting with this post, we will review all the BACK ISSUE! issues that featured Legion content.

Karate Kid #6

Karate Kid #6 
"Showdown With Commander Blud!"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
edited by Denny O'Neil
cover by Ernie Chan (penciller) and Mike Grell (inker)
cover date: Feb/March 1977
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

Here we are again folks, slumming in 1977 New York City with a few members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. According to the cover (again by Ernie Chan and Mike Grell instead of Grell solo) Karate Kid has been "driven WILD, the Kid stalks friend and foe ALIKE!" It would have been nice if the Legion had appeared on the cover, too, cuz, you know, the Kid kicking Commander Blud in the face as illustrated here is just not that dynamic. Plus the lack of any background at all doesn't make this one of the better covers.

Karate Kid #5

Karate Kid #5 
"The Tomorrow Thief"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
color by Liz Berube
edited by Joe Orlando
cover by Ernie Chan (penciller) and Mike Grell (inker)
cover date: Nov/Dec 1976
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

Here we are again, it's Kung Fu Fighting time! Errr, I mean, Karate Kid reading time. This month we get an antagonist who seeks to take advantage of the fact that Karate Kid revealed that he was from the future..... something I'm not sure he should have done in the first place, but it's in the past now (see what I did there?). Fresh from being named a deputized police officer of the state of New York last issue, Karate Kid finds himself a minor celebrity this time around....in more ways than one.

Karate Kid #4

Karate Kid #4 
"The Rage of Yesterdays Lost"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
color by Carl Gafford
letters by Milt Snapinn
edited by Joe Orlando
cover by Ernie Chan (penciller) and Mike Grell (inker)
cover date: Sept/Oct 1976
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

I have had a bit of a problem turning my attention to reviewing the short-lived Karate Kid series from 1976-1978. Although I have access to all fifteen issues, I really have no interest in the odd way that the series was created and presented. I didn't really get into it until later into the run, after it gets its feet more firmly planted, as it were. And that is only speaking generally; as you are about to read (I hope) I have huge specific problems with Karate Kid #4 due to my life experiences with Japan.

So consider this long-winded introduction my apology for not getting to this series earlier. I promise to try to do a monthly review of Karate Kid to the page for the next year; at fifteen issues total that means this should work for the entirety of 2019. Now let's try to muddle through this particular issue where the greatest fighter of the 30th Century faces off against the menace of Master Hand!

Karate Kid #3

Karate Kid #3 
"The Revenger"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
cover by Mike Grell
cover date: August 1976
review by Glenn 'Continuity Kid' Walker. 
Editor's Note: This is the third and last review of the 1970s Karate Kid series that Glenn Walker completed for the Legion of Super-Bloggers before his untimely death in December. Glenn was looking forward to reviewing this entire series, so had written up and prepped three full posts before he passed away.
We here at LSB could not imagine not using these wonderfully written reviews; not only as entertainment on their own, but also one last testament to our friend's talent and enthusiasm. ~Russell

As with the first two issues of this series, the cover is another beautiful work by then regular Legion artist Mike Grell. This one, darker than the usual Grell fare and hinting at what would come a few years later in his career with Green Arrow and Jon Sable Freelance, has Karate Kid in a meelee with the titular villain of this issue and an unnamed combatant. Also, Iris Jacobs is in her unfortunately usual damsel in distress position on the floor in the background. It's a cover that almost perfectly captures what this story should have been. I love this cover, and it should be noted that in every case, Grell has delivered what he was supposed to - a dynamic cover meant to sell the comic, and it's a trick that has worked every time so far. I really wanted to read this comic based on the cover. The truth inside is more than somewhat disappointing.

Karate Kid #2

Karate Kid #2 
"The International Dooms of Major Disaster"
script by Paul Levitz and David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson,
art by Ric Estrada, and inks by Joe Staton,
cover by Mike Grell,
cover date: May-June 1976,
review by Glenn 'Continuity Kid' Walker. 

Editor's Note: This is the second of three reviews of the 1970s Karate Kid series that Glenn Walker completed for the Legion of Super-Bloggers before his untimely death. Glenn was looking forward to reviewing this entire series, and had enthusiastically written up and prepped three posts before he passed away due to illness in December of last year.  
We present the review to issue #2 to you today and will present the review of #3 next month. We do this not only as a  memorial of sorts to our friend, but also because they are so well written. To not use them seems like a monumental waste. We hope you agree. ~Russell  

This issue was actually the first issue of Karate Kid that I purchased off what was then a spinner rack in the Anning's 5 & 10 (now a specialty ice cream shop) in my home town. First I was stunned to see a comic titled Karate Kid. I think it was a sudden move from DC Comics, and they'd kept it a bit on the down-low from Legion fans unless you were really paying attention (which I must not have been). But here it was, a beautiful Mike Grell cover with Karate Kid protecting the United Nations and a redhead (always my favorite, so much so I married one) from the despicable and dangerous Major Disaster. The Legion fan in me had to have it.

Karate Kid #1

Karate Kid #1 
"My World Begins in Yesterday"
script by Paul Levitz
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
cover by Mike Grell
cover date: March-April 1976
review by Glenn 'Continuity Kid' Walker. 

It's 1976, the American Bicentennial is in full swing, and I'm twelve years old. I love comics, I'm solidly a Legion fan, loving the Mike Grell art on Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (which unknown to me is soon coming to an end), and I see a Karate Kid solo comic on the spinner rack, with a Grell cover, and I'm instantly sold.

That was issue #2, but still--- the excitement is still there, and even though I devoured that issue immediately, I'll start my reviews here with the first issue – which I had picked up shortly after that second issue.

 But first,  a couple of history lessons.

Warlord Worlds episode 14

Editor's note:
Today we're proud to present a special introduction to our friends Ruth & Darrin Sutherland and their great podcast & FB page dedicated to Mike Grell, The Warlord Worlds. 
You can find them at: http://www.warlordworlds.com/ and at https://www.facebook.com/warlordworlds/

Everyone reading this blog knows who Mike Grell is...or should! Theirs is a fan podcast and Facebook page devoted to the comic creations of Mike Grell including The Warlord, Jon Sable, Green Arrow...and the Legion of Super-Heroes!  Episodes feature summaries and reviews of a variety of issues from each series. In addition, episode 8 features an interview with Mike Grell himself, and they recently recorded another interview for an upcoming episode.

They are up to 14 episodes, and added the Legion to their repertoire in episode 12. Their past guests have included our very own Legion of Super-Blogger Dr. Anj. This time they welcome guest Michael Lane of the Comics In the Golden Age podcast and Jeff Messer of The Geek Brain podcast. Mike is a long-term Legion fan, and has jumped on-board the Legion of Super-Bloggers space cruiser. We hope to get posts from him on a regular basis in the future...starting with this one! Michael comments on Superboy/Legion #206, and was nice enough to write up a quick review of the stories in that issue for us, too. So read his review below and then check out the podcast here:
 http://www.warlordworlds.com/ and at https://www.facebook.com/warlordworlds/

Couples Legion Style

The earliest Legion stories I read as a child were reprints of earlier tales in Adventure Comics. The title at the time was featuring Supergirl, and Legion reprints were common. Two stories that left an impression on me were "The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires" originally from Adventure #326 and "The Weddings That Wrecked the Legion" from Adventure #337.

These two stories made my preschool mind aware of two things. First: how progressive the future was in that men and women, even as teenagers, were all equal – as opposed to the present day where most super-teams only had one female, like Sue in the Fantastic Four and Wanda in the Avengers. Secondly I was made aware that most of the female Legionnaires were paired off with male Legionnaires. Straight in the Silver Age, but the Legion was ahead of its time gender-wise in the years to come. So it's true, the Legion taught me equality, and sexuality, before I even hit kindergarten.

So for the day before Valentines' Day, let's take a look at couples, Legion style!

Scream TYROC!!

In Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #265 Tyroc quits the Legion and is no longer part of the Silver/Bronze Age Legion continuity. This is an ignoble end to a character who started off badly, was treated badly by the men who should have looked after him, and who left the stage with a whimper rather than with a roar. This is especially ironic for poor Tyroc, as his power was his super-voice! 

Here then for your consideration is our LSB Memorial To Tyroc! Sound Off!! 

Simply Amazing!

The Amazing World of DC Comics was DC Comics' self-produced fan magazine of the mid-1970s. Running 17 issues, the fanzine featured articles about DC characters and their creators, and was exclusively available through mail order. The bulk of the issues were edited by Allan Asherman, replaced later by Paul Levitz and then Cary Burkett. Individual issues were edited by Bob Rozakis or long-time Legion fans Carl Gafford and Neal Pozner.

Primarily consisting of text pieces, with occasional strips and comics features, Amazing World (AWODCC, for short) was printed on high quality paper with heavy stock for the covers. Amazing World in its seventeen issues featured several articles on and about the Legion. For awhile it even featured an exclusive column about the group, named The Legion Outpost (the same name as the fanzine, but not directly related).