Garfield in the 30th Century!

by Siskoid

It happened in the Legion of Super-Heroes' third volume, #32 to be exact. Heroes from the 30th Century had been kidnapped, depowered and kept prisoner on a planet. Heroes like Saturn Girl, Dream Girl, Atmos, and... Jon Arbuckle from Garfield?

Or possibly his descendant. But that would mean he procreated. Which doesn't seem likely from the strips, does it?

I wonder what his powers are. And if he'd have any chance at all in a Legion try-out.

Would they drum him out as soon as he started having conversations with his imaginary cat?

Or NOT so imaginary, as the Legion books would have it.

One theory is that the glacial pace at which the comic strips advance the story kept Jon AND Garfield young and alive for a thousand years. Garfield himself put in an appearance earlier in Legion of Super-Heroes vol.2 #300!

Looks like he's one of the Heroes of Lallor there! As is... Spider-Man!?

Well, that one I can't explain.

Who's Who in the Legion #5 EXTRAS

Continuing the series where we spotlight the features that appeared at the beginning of each issue of the mini-series Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes (1988). This time out the series features a guided tour of the Legion head-quarters by the one and only Phantom Girl. 

Who's Who in the Legion #2 EXTRAS

by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Continuing the series where we spotlight the features that appeared at the beginning of each issue of the mini-series Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes (1988). This time out we continue with the history of the Legion, which had begun in the first issue. 

Who Drew It Better? Tales vs Baxter #20-24

By Siskoid and Russell
Continuing our comparison of the covers of the Baxter version of The Legion (volume 3) and their reprints one year later in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The stories were exactly the same, but each issue had a brand new cover. So we go back to the age-old question: Who drew the better cover?

Who Drew It Better? Tales vs. Baxter #16-19

By Siskoid and Russell
Continuing our comparison of the covers to the Baxter version of The Legion (volume 3) and their reprints approximately one year later in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The stories were exactly the same, but each issue had a brand new cover. So we go back to the age-old question: Who drew the better cover?

Greg Larocque Autographs (and more!)

It was many moons ago and I was heading to my first big convention in Baltimore. This was many years before the Boston Comic Con was even created.

And despite my advanced age even then, I considered myself a sort of convention newbie. I had little idea about autographs and commissions etiquette. And it didn't help that I had to fly down to Baltimore. I mean how many comic books do you want to pack to bring to a convention? Those things are heavy.

Anyways, I saw Greg LaRocque was going to be there and I knew I had to get books signed by him. I was very strict with my book counts then so I decided to only bring a handful of books per creator at that show.

Who's Who: Douglas Nolan

Douglas Nolan
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Douglas Nolan

Super-Power(s): Turning into iron
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Brother of Ferro Lad

The FWPodcast: Who's Who in the Legion (3)

The Fire and Water Podcast Presents…
Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes episode 3

The cross-over you thought would never finish----concludes!!!

The Irredeemable Shag teams-up with the Legion of Super-Bloggers to cover the galactic seven-issue mini-series! A three-episode podcast has its third and final episode on-line starting TODAY at the Fire & Water Podcast Network!

Our third and last (!) podcast episode features reviews of the fifth thru seventh issues of Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, the seven issue mini-series from 1988. For Episode 3 of the podcast Shag welcomes a LEGION of special guests! To talk about issue #5 Shag is joined by Kyle Benning and Little Russell Burbage of Rimbor. Featured characters include Mordru, Phantom Girl, Polar Boy, and Saturn Girl! For the middle bridge of the episode Shag is joined by one-name entities Siskoid and Anj to talk about issue #6. Their characters includes Sensor Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, and Sun Boy, who was ecstatic to be in this company. And lastly, the entire she-bang is wrapped up when Shag is joined by Siskoid and Russell again to talk about issue 7, which features everyone's favorites, The Wanderers!

Split in two for your listening convenience, issues 5 and 6 are covered at http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/ww-legion3
And issue 7 at http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/ww-legion4

Slip on your Legion Flight Ring and fly over there RIGHT NOW and listen. Then leave Listener Feedback on their page as well as here on our page.

The FW Podcast: Who's Who in the Legion (2)

The Fire and Water Podcast Presents…
Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes episode 2

The cross-over you thought would never continue----continues!

The Irredeemable Shag teams-up with the Legion of Super-Bloggers to cover the galactic seven-issue mini-series! A three-episode podcast has its second episode on-line starting TODAY at the Fire & Water Podcast Network!

Our second podcast episode features reviews of the third and fourth issues of Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, the seven issue mini-series from 1988. For Episode 2 of the podcast Shag welcomes LSB Constitutional Scholar Siskoid 5 and Silver Age Lover Tim to talk about issue 3, featuring the Infinite Man, Lady Memory, Laurel Kent, and the Legion of Substitute Heroes, along with a few actual Legionnaires! For the second half of the episode Shag and Tim were joined by Dr. Anj in their talk about issue 4, which features the Legion of Super-Villains, the Ranzz Family, Mon-El, and many many more!

You can find the episode on http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/ww-legion2/

Hop in your Legion Cruiser and go there RIGHT NOW and listen. Then leave Listener Feedback on their page as well as here on our page.

Who's Who: Flare

Flare
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Ray Sah

Super-Power(s): Converts light into heat, flight
Planet of Origin: Rimbor

Relationship to Legion: Villain; member of the Fatal Five

Who's Who: Caress

Caress
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Chi Tsan

Super-Power(s): Acid excretion
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain; member of the Fatal Five

Who's Who: Black Mace

Black Mace
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mitch Yardreigh

Super-Power(s): Great strength and agility; shattering mace
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain; member of Taurus Gang

Who's Who: Universo

Universo
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Vidar

Super-Power(s): Super-hypnosis; as a Green Lantern, used a Power Ring
Planet of Origin: Unknown

Relationship to Legion: Villain

The FWPodcast: Who's Who in the Legion (1)

The Fire and Water Podcast Presents…
Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes episode 1

The Irredeemable Shag teams-up with the Legion of Super-Bloggers to cover the galactic seven-issue mini-series! A three-episode podcast starting TODAY at the Fire & Water Podcast Network!

Our first podcast episode features reviews of the first two issues. For Volume 1 Shag welcomes LSB Leader Russell Burbage to talk about Absorbency Boy, the Bacard Barley Circus, and Dev-Em, among many many others! For Volume 2 Shag talks with Dr. Anj and Kyle Benning about Dream Girl, the Dominators, the Fatal Five, and many many more! They then discuss a special missing entry provided by the multi-talented Xum Yukinori!

You can find the episode on http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/ww-legion1

Hop in your Legion Cruiser and go there RIGHT NOW and listen. Then leave Listener Feedback on their page as well as here on our page.

Who's Who: Starfinger

Starfinger
by Russell & Siskoid
Two villains named Starfinger received an entry in Who's Who. More are included in this article.

Starfinger I

Real Name: Dr. Lars Hanscom

Super-Power(s): Five star tipped fingers, each of which can project different energy rays - a neutralizing ray, super-lightning, a super-thrust ray, any kind of super-radiation, a freezing ray
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Starfinger II

Real Name: Char Burrane

Super-Power(s): Ring that generates star-shaped energy blasts
Planet of Origin: Mars colony

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Who's Who: Legion of Substitute Heroes

Legion of Substitute Heroes
by Russell & Siskoid

Original Members: Polar Boy, Night Girl, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad, and Stone Boy
Additional Members: Color Kid, Porcupine Pete, Infectious Lass, Antenna Boy, and Double-Header; Dream Girl and Star Boy (resigned to re-join the Legion)
Second Incarnation: Cosmic Boy, Night Girl, Duo Damsel, Bouncing Boy, Comet Queen, Karate Kid (II) 
Super-Power(s): Polar Boy has control over intense cold; Night Girl has super-strength, but only in darkness; Stone Boy has the ability turn into super-suspended animation; Fire Lad has fire breath; and Chlorophyll Kid can make any plant grow super-fast; Color Kid can alter the color of any object.

Relationship to Legion: Initially star-struck fans, then allies

Who's Who: Infinite Man

Infinite Man
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Jason Rugarth

Super-Power(s): Control over Time itself, able to move people and animals through various eras, able to concentrate chronal energy into blasts
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Initially a science project; then a villain; then a force of nature

Good-bye to Legion of Super-Heroes (v3)

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) made its debut in May, 1984. I was in college when it came out, and I distinctly remember walking more than 10 blocks from campus to the closest book-store I knew to pick up my copy.

This first issue was a big deal because it was one of DC's first "direct market" comics. That means that it would not be available via the then-regular distribution system that got comic-books into places like 7-11s, grocery stores, Targets, or, yes, news stands. So if I wanted a copy, I needed to go to a specific store to find a copy.

By the time the series ended in 1989, "direct market" was the acceptable mode of distribution, and "news stand" comics were a thing of the past.

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #48

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #48 (July, 1988)
title: "A Time To Die"

writer: Paul Levitz

penciller: Greg LaRocque
inker: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Ken Steacy
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Mon-El, Chameleon Boy, Magnetic Kid, Tellus, Sensor Girl, Element Lad, Dream Girl, Timber Wolf, Blok, Colossal Boy, Quislet, Invisible Kid

Guests: 
Duo Damsel

Opponents: 
Starfinger, the threat of the Conspiracy

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #47

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #47 (June, 1988)
title: "Conspiracy Theory"

writer: Paul Levitz

pencillers: Greg LaRocque & Pat Broderick
inker: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Ken Steacy
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Quislet, Timber Wolf, Lightning Lass, Magnetic Kid, Tellus, Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy, Dawnstar, Shadow Lass, Chameleon Boy, Shrinking Violet, Dream Girl, Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, Sensor Girl, Polar Boy, Mon-El, Sun Boy, White Witch, and Wildfire

Guests: 
Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel, Yera

Opponents: 
the threat of Starfinger, the threat of a Conspiracy in the Legion