Lana Lang's Two Alien Boy-Friends

“Twice Told Tales” or “Mars and Stars”
Another  "double-header" review by Emsley Wyatt

“Lana Lang's Romance On Mars”
Adventure Comics #195 (December 1953)
Writer: uncredited
Artist: Curt Swan & Stan Kaye
Cover: Win Mortimer

"Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes” 

Adventure Comics #282 (March 1961)

Writer: Otto Binder

Artist: George Papp
Cover: Swan & Kaye

I’ve done a couple of these “Twice Told Tales”, one involving Mon-El, and one involving Sun Boy.  Well, it had slipped my mind that there was a third such pair of stories, this one involving the initial appearance of yet another Legionnaire, Star Boy.  Thanks to “Anonymous” for reminding me of this fact.  OK, here we go.  First, here are the covers.  As previously, the older story is on the left and the newer on the right.

The Two Two Clark Kents!

“Twice Told Tales” or “Haven’t I read this comic before?”
Another "double-header" review by Emsley Wyatt

“The Two Clark Kents”

Adventure Comics #191 (August 1953)

No writer named

Artists: Curt Swan & Sy Barry

Cover: Win Mortimer

“The Secret of the Seventh Super-Hero”

Adventure Comics #290 (November 1961)

Writer: Robert Bernstein

Artist: George Papp

Cover: Curt Swan & Stan Kaye

Presenting another “Twice told Tale”, an example of “recycled story lines” for which DC was notorious back in the day.  These stories were published eight years apart.  

Adventure 290 represents the second appearance of Sun Boy although, as regular visitors to this blog are aware, the “Sun Boy” in this story is, for the most part, an impostor.  His first appearance was as a Legion applicant in Action #276 (May, 1961).  

Imposture is definitely the theme of these stories as each features an impersonation of Clark Kent and one features an impersonation of Sun Boy as well.  But enough, let’s get to the stories.  

Following the pattern established in the last episode of this two-part series, the older story excerpts are presented first, then the newer, sometimes in two panel segments, sometimes with side-by-side panels from each story. 

Who's Who: Tusker

Tusker
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Horace Lafeaugh

Super-Power(s): Extending tusks
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Would-be Ally, now Adversary

Who's Who: Tornado Twins

Tornado Twins
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Don and Dawn Allen

Super-Power(s): Superspeed
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Allies/Precursors

Who's Who: Taurus Gang

Taurus Gang
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: Group consisting of Black Mace, Mystelor, Quanto, Rogarth, and Shagrek
Super-Power(s): Power (see individual listings below)

Planets of Origin: Various 

Relationship to Legion: Adversaries

TOS: Action Comics #392

Action Comics #392 (Sept 1970)
title: "The Legionnaires Who Never Were!"
writer: Cary Bates
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Princess Projectra, Saturn Girl; Karate Kid, Cosmic Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, Shrinking Violet, Brainiac 5; cameos by Shadow Lass, Chameleon Boy, Sun Boy, Mon-El, Element Lad, and Ultra Boy

Opponents:
Pozr-Du, mistaken identities, over-enthusiastic trust in technology

TOS: Action Comics #391

Action Comics #391 (August 1970)
title: "The Ordeal of Element Lad!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Saturn Girl, Timber Wolf

Opponent:
President Peralla and his chemical humanoids, Diol Masrin and his Dark Circle providers

TOS: Action Comics #390

Action Comics #390 (July 1970)
title: "The Tyrant and the Traitor!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Chameleon Boy, Brainiac 5, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Saturn Girl, Timber Wolf

Guest-Star: 
Proty II

Opponent:
President Peralla, Diol Masrin, the Dark Circle, Chemical Humanoid troops

TOS: Action Comics #389

Action Comics #389 (June 1970)
title: "The Mystery Legionnaire!"
writer: Cary Bates
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Cosmic Boy, Shrinking Violet, Chemical King

Opponent:
Klim the robotic thief

TOS: Action Comics #387

Action Comics #387 (April 1970)
title: "One Hero Too Many!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Karate Kid, Brainiac 5, Timber Wolf, Chemical King, Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Dream Girl, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Supergirl, Superboy; cameo appearances by the rest of the membership

Guest-Stars:
The Legion of Super-Pets (Comet, Krypto, Streaky, Beppo, Proty II)

Opponents:
stupid bureaucratic and editorial decisions

TOS: Action Comics #386

Action Comics #386 (March 1970)
title: "Zap Goes The Legion!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Shelly Leferman
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Karate Kid, Brainiac 5

Guest-Star: 
Night Girl

Opponent:
Uli Algor

TOS: Action Comics #385

Action Comics #385 (February 1970)
title: "The Fallen Star Boy!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Star Boy, Saturn Girl, Colossal Boy, Karate Kid, Dream Girl, Brainiac 5

Opponent:
Yark Althu and his gang of criminals

TOS: Action Comics #383

Action Comics #383 (Dec 1969)
title: "Chameleon Boy's Secret Identity!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer:  Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Chameleon Boy, Karate Kid, and Princess Projectra.


 

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 #379

Action Comics #379 (Aug 1969)
title: "One Of Us Is An Impostor!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Murphy Anderson
letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Dream Girl, Element Lad, Lightning Lad, Mon-El, Shadow Lass

Opponent:
Sunburst, impostor Legionnaire who may or may not have been Uli Algor

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

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