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!

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #121

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #121 (November 1999)
title: "End of the Line"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins

inker: Ray Krissing
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Phil Jimenez

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Element Lad, Ferro, Gates, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kinetix, M'Onel, Sensor, Triad (photo only), Umbra, Violet

Guests: 
Dreamer, Explorers Institute President Tenzar Kegg (interview), Koko, Magno, Ree; Tenazorians, Tenazorian monkeys

Opponents: 
Emerald Eye of Ekron, Empress, Persuader, Tharok, Validus

Who's Who: Questar

Questar
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Reges Questar

Super-Power(s): Flight, Limited Teleportation, others?
Planet of Origin: Zentor

Relationship to Legion: Ally

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

Action Comics #862

Action Comics #862
Title: Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes Part 5 of 6 - Revenge of the Rejects
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editors: Nachie Castro and Matt Idelson
Executive Editor: Gary Frank
Reviewer: Jude Deluca a.k.a. Sarcasm Kid

PREVIOUSLY: The Legionnaires discovered that Brainiac 5 assumed the role of Colu's leader to stall the United Planets from launching a full scale war on Earth. We get a look into each of the individual members of the Justice League of Earth and also discover Colossal Boy's wife, Yera Allon, has become an official Legionnaire as Chameleon Girl. Unfortunately, Superman and the other Legionnaires fled Colu when Brainy gets outed as a traitor. The universe is inching ever closer to war! 

We've finally come to my favorite part of this story arc (aside from #864's epilogue story), where for once I have more to applaud on Johns instead of deriding him.

As you can see from the cover, this issue features the official reappearance of the Legion of Substitute-Heroes, who've been largely missing since a couple of cameos in the Reboot Legion's era. But most surprising of all is Johns expands the roster by including a Legion Reject who has never before been associated with the Subs, and she happens to be one of my absolute favorites of the old school Legion applicants.

Con Signatures, Preamble

Autographed by Jim Shooter and Mike Grell

Hey all,

I'll be starting my look at Legion books I have had signed by creators starting next Friday. But I thought it might be nice to give you my Convention Manifesto and some tips regarding meeting creators and getting signatures.

Reboot: Legionnaires #77

Legionnaires #77 (November 1999)
title: "Endless Summer!"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inker: W.C. Carani
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo

cover: Jeffrey Moy & W.C. Carani

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Ferro, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum II, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel (monitor screen only), Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, Thunder (monitor screen only), Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Dreamer, Lori Morning, Magno, Proty, R.J. Brande (picture only), Tenzil Kem; casino employees (Preston and Susan named), Summer World tourists

Opponents: 
Amelia Crugg, Kono, Leland McCauley, Luck Lord (cameo), Mr. Rhysson

Who's Who: Queen Azura

Queen Azura
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Heraldia Azura

Super-Power(s): Hypnosis
Planet of Origin: Femnaz

Relationship to Legion: Misguided activist

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

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?