John Forte RIP (1918-1966)

John Forte (10/06/1918~5/20/1966) was the first "permanent" artist on the Legion of Super-Heroes.

TOS: Adventure Comics #339

Adventure Comics #339 (December, 1965)
title: "Hunters of the Super-Beasts!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: John Forte
inker: Sheldon Moldoff

letterer: Vivian Berg?
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage


Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Lightning Lad, Superboy, Mon-El, Invisible Kid, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Phantom Girl

Guests: 
The Heroes of Lallor (Evolvo Lad, Life Lass, Gas Girl, Duplicate Boy)

Opponents: 
Beast Boy and his revolutionary animals: Dralgo, Vran, Flasher-Beast, Tork, Slith, Maw

TOS: Adventure Comics #338

Adventure Comics #338 (November 1965)

Title: The Menace of the Sinister Super-Babies

Writer: Jerry Siegel

Artist: John Forte

Letterer: Milton Snappin

Editor: Mort Weisinger

Cover Artists: Curt Swan and George Klein

Reviewer: Sarcasm Kid

Mission Monitor Board: Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Matter-Eater Lad, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy

Opponents: Glorith of Baaldur, Time Trapper

I picked Adventure #338 out of all the Silver Age issues to review because Glorith is my favorite of the Legion Big Bads. She is so nasty and petty compared to the Time Trapper and Mordru, but nasty in a non-complicated way....unlike Mordru with all that stalking abuse subtext between him and White Witch (again, Johns, thank you SO much for bringing all that back in LO3W). As a sidenote, I’ve been referring to the universe the 5YL Legion comics take place in as “Earth-338” since this was Glorith’s first appearance. Also this issue is hilarious with the way the Time Trapper is acting like some Saturday Morning Cartoon Villain with all his evil plans.

TOS: Adventure Comics #337

Adventure Comics #337 (October 1965)
title: The Weddings That Wrecked the Legion
writer: Edmond Hamilton
artist: John Forte
letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
cover letterer: Ira Schnapp
reviewer: Bits Boy (AKA Legion Lad)

Mission Monitor Board
Superboy, Sun Boy, Colossal Boy, Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, Mon-El, Brainiac 5, Light Lass, Cosmic Boy, Element lad, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Triplicate Girl

Guests
Night Girl, Chlorophyll Kid

Opponent
Would-be invaders from planet Murra

TOS: Adventure Comics #336

Adventure Comics #336 (September 1965)
title: "The True Identity of Starfinger!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Boy, Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl, Light Lass, Matter-Eater Lad, Colossal Boy, Ultra Boy, Lightning Lad; cameos by Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Sun Boy, Mon-El, and Star Boy

Opponents: 
Starfinger

TOS: Adventure Comics #334

Hey, it's Anj from the Supergirl site Comic Box Commentary, looking back at one of my favorite issues from the Silver Age, Adventure Comics #334, 'The Unknown Legionnaire'!

 People should know by now that I love the Legion and this issue has the bonus of including the Silver Age Supergirl as well. But the biggest mystery of the comic is who is the Unknown Legionnaire? Who is he? And why is he the 'greatest super-hero of all time'??

Now trust me, this is a wild story. One of the things that amazes me is how jam packed these Silver Age stories are. I mean, this is a dense story with plot twists and major turns and multiple scenes changes. This would be a 6 issue arc in today's books and here it was told in a crisp 17 page story.

And, of course, knowing my particular interests, I felt obliged to review this issue.

TOS: Adventure Comics #333

Adventure Comics #333 (June 1965)
title: The War Between Krypton and Earth
writer: Edmond Hamilton
penciller: John Forte
inker: George Klein
letterer: Milton Snappin
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:
Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Element Lad, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Superboy, Triplicate Girl.

Opponent: Themselves

TOS: Adventure Comics #332

Adventure Comics #332 (May 1965)
title: The Super-Moby Dick of Space 
writer: Edmond Hamilton
artist: John Forte
letterer: Milton Snapinn 
editor: Mort Weisinger 
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein 
cover letterer: Ira Schnapp 
reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:
Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy

Guest:
Dr. Lanphier

Opponent:
The Super-Moby Dick of Space

TOS: Adventure Comics #327 - Timber Wolf!

Hey all, it's Anj, jumping into the original series reviews to cover 'The Lone Wolf Legonnaire' from Adventure Comics 327.

I assume I was offered to review this issue based on Timber Wolf's long standing romance with Ayla Ranzz, one of my favorite Legionnaires and an early comic book crush. How could I say no? As is typical for stories of this time, there is definitely a 'love at first sight' attraction between Ayla and Brin. Also, this is one of those classic overstuffed Silver Age stories with an insane number of plot points and wacky events careening through the fifteen pages!

Writer Edmond Hamilton introduces us to Lone Wolf, a new character with a very convoluted origin as well as a new set of powers, super-acrobatics. John Forte is on art and brings the classic house style of the 50s to the proceedings. Since this story is so rapidly paced, Forte is called on to draw circuses, mine shafts, and battle sequences.

This would have easily been an arc in a new book if not a drawn out plot. Think of Gazelle in the threeboot, slowly introduced with an origin revealed in bits before she joined the team.

On to the book!

TOS: Adventure Comics #326

Adventure Comics #326 (November 1964)
title: "The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires!" / "The Triumph of the Super-Heroines!"

writer: Jerry Siegel

penciller: John Forte
inker: John Forte
lettering: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
reviewers: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Sun Boy (figurine only), Superboy, Supergirl, Triplicate Girl, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
Proty II, men of Femnaz, Science Fair attendees, scientists, Space Police cadets, teaching assistant at Hall of Infinite Knowledge

Opponents: 
Queen Azura, a living lead robot, Gowampi Trigocerus Lympodiary, warriors of Femnaz

TOS: Adventure Comics #325 Group Review

Adventure Comics #325 (Oct 1964)
title: "Lex Luthor Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes!"

writer: Jerry Siegel
penciller: John Forte

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage, Tim "Kord Kid" Wallace, and Jude "Sarcastic Kid" Deluca

Mission Monitor Board:  
Sun Boy, Star Boy, Cosmic Boy, Brainiac 5, Matter-Eater Lad, Triplicate Girl, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Light Lass, Shrinking Violet, Invisible Kid, Mon-El, Colossal Boy, Superboy, Supergirl, Saturn Girl, Ultra Boy, Chameleon Boy

Opponents: 
Lex Luthor

TOS: Adventure Comics #324

Adventure Comics #324 (Sept 1964)
title: "The Legion of Super-Oulaws!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton
penciller: John Forte

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Superboy, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Invisible Kid, Colossal Boy, Mon-El; cameos by Ultra Boy, Element Lad, Chameleon Boy, Sun Boy, Saturn Girl

Guests: 
The Heroes of Lallor: Beast Boy, Gas Girl, Evolvo Lad, Life Lass, and Duplicate Boy

Opponents: 
Dr. Marden King

TOS: Adventure Comics #323

Adventure Comics #323 (August 1964)
title: The Eight Impossible Missions
writer: Jerry Siegel
penciller: John Forte
inker: George Klein
letterer: Joe Letterese
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Supporting Cast:

Honorary Members Jimmy Olsen and Pete Ross, Proty II

Mission Monitor Board:

Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Element Lad, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Superboy, and Ultra Boy. Honorary Members Jimmy Olsen and Pete Ross

Opponent:

Proty II

TOS: Adventure Comics #322 Point-Counterpoint

Adventure Comics #322 (July 1964)
title: "The Super-Tests of the Super-Pets!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: John Forte
inker: Sheldon Moldoff

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:  
Saturn Girl, Superboy, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Lightning Lad, Brainiac 5, Light Lass, Chameleon Boy, Ultra Boy, Sun Boy

Guests: 
Legion of Substitute Heroes (Polar Boy, Night Girl, Fire Lad, Chlorophyll Kid); the Legion of Super-Pets (Krypto, Beppo, Streaky, Comet, and new member Proty II)

Opponents: 
elitism, super-dickery, the threat of the Time  Trapper

TOS: Adventure Comics #321

Hey Fellow Legionnaires! It's your old pal Tim, aka Kord Kid, back again! 

As I've mentioned before, Russell, our fearless leader, has tasked me with looking back at some of the Legion's Silver Age adventures. I love these goofy early adventures, so of course I said "Sign me up!" I thought, "One day I might regret this..." but what the heck right? It's the Silver Age, how bad can they be? Today I'm taking a look at Adventure Comics #321...and the story, "The Code of the Legion!" by Edmond Hamilton and John Forte! I'm especially excited, because Russell said it's a Time Trapper story! Let's jump in...

TOS: Adventure Comics #320 Point-Counterpoint

Adventure Comics #320 (May, 1964)
title: "The Revenge of the Knave From Krypton!"
writer: Jerry Siegel
pencillers: John Forte and George Papp (pp 4-9)
inkers: Sheldon Moldoff and George Papp (pp 4-9) , Al Plastino (Superboy's face)
letterer: Milton Snapinn
cover: Curt Swan & George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger
review by: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Superboy, Mon-El, Sun Boy, Element Lad, Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy

Guests:
Proty II, Dev-Em, Radiation Roy

Opponents:
Molock the Merciless

TOS: Adventure Comics #319

Adventure Comics #319 (April 1964)
title: "The Legion's Suicide Squad!" / "The Charge of the Substitute Heroes!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: John Forte
inker: John Forte
lettering: Ira Schnapp (cover), Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan and Sheldon Moldoff
reviewers: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Triplicate Girl, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
James Bannon, Legion of Substitute Heroes (Chlorophyll Kid, Fire-Lad, Night Girl, Polar Boy, Stone Boy), Tim Vare, U.P. President; a government consultant, hungry aliens, Metropolis citizens, Science Police, space farers

Opponents: 
Throonians, their giant robot

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76 (April 1964)
title: Elastic Lad Jimmy and his Legion Romances
writer: Jerry Siegel
artist: John Forte
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger

Supporting Cast
Lucy Lane


Mission Monitor Board
Light Lass, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Triplicate Girl, and Ultra Boy

Opponents
I am not sure...Lucy? The female Legionnaires? 

TOS: Adventure Comics #318

Adventure Comics #318 (March 1964)
title: "The Mutiny of the Legionnaires!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Star Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, Triplicate Girl; cameos of Superboy and Mon-El

Opponents: 
space fatigue; cameo of the Time Trapper

TOS: Adventure Comics #317 Point-Counterport

Adventure Comics #317 (January 1964)
title: "The Menace of Dream Girl!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:  
Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Mon-El, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shrinking Violet, Element Lad, Lighting Lad, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lass, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Brainiac 5

Opponents: 
pure hubris, teen-aged male hormones