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?

Justice League vs. The Fatal Five

"Justice League vs. The Fatal Five" was directed by Sam Liu and written by Alan Burnett, Eric Carrasco, and James Krieg.

Review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Spoiler Warning: This post contains significant spoilers! Of course, spoilers are usually present in most of our posts but we are usually discussing old comic books and not newly released films. Under the circumstances, I felt an extra warning is warranted.

The Heroes: Elyes Gabel (Starboy), Diane Guerrero (Green Lantern Jessica Cruz), Kevin Conroy (Batman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), George Newborn (Superman), Daniella Bobadilla (Miss Martian), Kevin Michael Richardson (Mr. Terrific/also Kilowog), Tara Strong (Saturn Girl/also Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy), and Noel Fisher (Brainiac 5).

The Villains: Peter Jessop (Tharok), Matthew Yang King (The Persuader), Sumalee Montano (Emerald Empress), Phillip Anthony-Rodriguez (Mano), Bruce Time (Validus/also Two Face), and Tom Kenny (Bloodsport/also Salaak).

LEGION TOYS: Timber Wolf (DC Direct 2004)

If he's not saving circus-goers from stampeding Camelephants, he's off pummeling Lightning Lord for the honor of his gal, Light Lass!  It's Brin Londo a.k.a Timber Wolf, back when he still cleaned up really well in his classic Silver Age costume! Kind of like Mon-El, I remember being introduced to this character when he got his own mini-series in the early 90's that sprung out of the Quiet Darkness Saga.

Reboot: Legionnaires #79

Legionnaires #79 (January 2000)
title: "Legion of the Damned Part Two: Damned If We Do!"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Invisible Kid, Kid Quantum II, M'Onel, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Triad, XS

Guests: 
Phrenologax, Shvaughn Erin

Opponents: 
The Blight; blighted heroes: Element Lad, Evolvo, Kinetix, Lori Morning, Spark, Spider Girl, Star Boy, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet

Who's Who: Resource Raiders

Resource Raiders
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Name of of the group; no individuals ever specifically named

Super-Power(s): More than human strength, speed, and cunning
Planet of Origin: Undisclosed

Relationship to Legion: Adversarial

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

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!

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #122

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #122 (December 1999)
title: "Legion of the Damned, Part One"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid (mentioned), Live Wire, Monstress, Sensor (mentioned), XS

Guests: 
R.J. Brande (voice only), Shvaughn Erin; refugees

Opponents: 
The Blight, Blighted Legionnaires (Karate Kid, Kinetix, Star Boy, Ultra Boy, Umbra)

Who's Who: Rainbow Girl

Rainbow Girl
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Dori Aandraison

Super-Power(s): Irresistible pheromonic field
Planet of Origin: Xolnar

Relationship to Legion: Rejected applicant, later member of Legion of Substitute-Heroes