And here we are folks, right on our second 100-page extravaganza of the series! We have a full new story, a bunch of reprints, and a really wonderful autobiography of Mike Grell that deserved its own fan-art. Plus, there is a bit of fun in Super-Talk, including a letter from a future super-star artist. Legionnaires away!

“The Legion of Super-Executioners”

We’re treated to the outside of a house, nestled neatly in the town of Smallville. A joyous chorus of Happy Birthday is being sung to Lana Lane who is celebrating her birthday with her parents, Pete Ross, and Clark Kent.

Though something is missing and she wishes Superboy were there. That night she hears a rap tap tapping on her chamber window and she finds Superboy sitting in the windowsill. He tells her she couldn’t possibly think that he’d forget his favorite girlfriend’s birthday? And that he has a present for her.

Wrapping her in his indestructible cloak, he propels them both forward to the 30th century so that she can attend a meeting of the Legion of Super-Heroes. They both land and greet Shrinking Violet, Karate Kid, and Wildfire who do not seem to be pleased to see them. Indeed they immediately put a damper on the birthday cheer and tell them they came at a bad time because the whole Legion is dealing with a crisis.

Superboy and LL follow them through the communications room and find it totally smashed to bits. Karate Kid tells Superboy that they managed to lock him up in solitary confinement and warns him that if he sees who it is, he’ll experience an incredible shock. And shocked he is as he peers through the cell wall to find Ultra Boy sitting in constraints.

They then take a break and Superboy converses with Mon-El and Brainiac-5. They tell him that they do not know what has turned him so full of rage and that nothing has showed up on the medico-banks. Superboy asserts that he can find out what’s wrong, after all they were both members for about the same length of time. After a bit of pleading, Mon-El and Brainiac-5 agree, but warn SB that something has boosted Ultra Boy’s power, and that he may even be stronger than he is. Determined, Superboy enters the triple locked cell.

Ultra Boy suddenly bursts out of his constraints and charges Superboy. Ultra Boy is powerful and he quickly kicks Superboy to the ground. UB rips off his cape and ties it around Superboy. Superboy can barely believe his strength. Meanwhile Lana Lang feels that something is wrong and tells Brainy and Mon to open the door. Superboy in the meantime is being strangled by his own cape, and passes out.

Chapter 2 – The Legionnaire Firing Squad

Slowly, Superboy regains consciousness and finds Shadow Lass and Mon-El staring over him. If Lana, Brainy and Mon hadn’t pulled him out in time, there is no telling what would have happened.

Superboy gets up and they hand his cape back to him. However, Ultra Boy had tied it into a knot and they couldn’t figure out how to untie it. Luckily Superboy knows the special knot because Ultra Boy had taught him how to do it. Superboy fastens his cape when Brainy rushes in, exclaiming that he has found the cause of UB’s rage. Where fits of madness were believed to be causes based on superstition, the real cause is a virus, which happens to be very rare and this was why Brainy had such a hard time detecting it.

In fact, the antidote to the virus is also known, but it’s only found in the unique water within the oceans of a twin-ringed planet that is currently about a thousand light years away.

Mon-El starts to volunteer but Superboy steps in and says that at a time like this, the Legion cannot be without their leader. Agreeing, Superboy rushes off, leaving Lana and the Legionnaires to watch over Ultra Boy.

As soon as he leaves, Mon-El pushes Lana’s arms behind her back. Shadow Lass laughs. Meanwhile, Brainiac-5 and Karate Kid enter Ultra Boy’s cell to administer another dose of the madness drug they’ve been injecting him. But there is no need. They were able to send Superboy off on a wild goose chase, and he’ll be gone long enough for them to proceed with their real plans without him interfering.

Ultra Boy pleads with Brainy to let him help, that he must try to resist. And as we gather in on UB’s thoughts, we find out that every Legionnaire has turned crazy except for him. In one final effort, Ultra Boy attempts to escape but is quickly taken out by a sweep of the legs from Karate Kid, who then knocks him out with an elbow.

Ultra Boy is awakened from a pleading Lana Lang and he finds that they are both tied up to two long poles. Mon-El returns and asks them if they have any last words before the firing squad has them. For the Master has decreed that they both must die.

Mon-El places a set of special glasses over Ultra Boy’s face. These glasses will force him to use his ultra vision. And since he can only use one power at a time, it leaves him vulnerable to the firing squad. UB begs Mon-El to try to resist but it’s no use. The two captives look helplessly as Shadow Lass, Karate Kid, Brainiac 5 and Wildfire line up with their blasters. Ultra Boy and Lana Lane are going to be murdered by their own friends.

The four Legionnaires take aim and on Mon-El’s command, he brings his arm swiftly down and they fire.

Chapter 3 – The Army of Super-Slaves

The blast hits our two heroes and as the deadly explosive bursts evaporate, we find them lying lifeless on the floor.

Now that the deed is done, Mon-El says they can assist the others because the Master wants them to finish the project before Superboy returns.

After they leave, Mon-El whispers to Lana and asks her if she’s okay. She answers in the affirmative. But confused, Ultra Boy wonders out loud how they can possibly be alive? Suddenly Superboy appears and Ultra Boy is relieved. So he did get his clue after all. Lana wonders what clue and Superboy explains it was the knot. Ultra Boy tied the so called Hoax Knot from his planet Nimbor, knowing that Superboy would recognize it. And since it’s called the Hoax Knot, he was hoping that would be enough of a sign to make Superboy suspicious.

Superboy confirms the story and tells how he had doubled back and realized that Ultra Boy was the only sane Legionnaire left. And when the firing squad fired, Superboy leapt in front of the deadly rays at super speed, absorbing the deadly rays while allowing just enough to stun the two so as not to cause any further suspicion.

Now it’s up to them to to stop the Master’s project. In the meantime Lana Lang changes into her costume and becomes the Insect Queen once again! She uses her amazing ring to change into a Bee-Woman, and the three of them attempt to stop the Master’s plan.

They slowly descend into the hangar and find themselves staring at what appears to be a giant space-ark. They presume that whatever the Master is planning, he wants to take along the entire Legion along with him.

Suddenly Lana Lang buzzes off in the other direction and Superboy instructs Ultra Boy to follow her. Giving chase, he finds her in another room, stiff and lifeless, for she is now under control of the Master who appears for the first time. The Master chides Ultra Boy and informs him that he is the Master of the entire Legion of Super-Heroes and instructs Insect Queen to capture Ultra Boy in her web.

Ultra Boy quickly switches to ultra-strength and bursts out of the trap. But Lana turns into a deadly wasp woman and stings UB with poison, who collapses. At this time Superboy flies in and comes to Ultra Boy’s aid. But the Master warns Superboy that it is no use, if he dare attack him out of revenge, he will instruct the Insect Queen to destroy herself. The Master then tells the story about himself, how he’s the last of his kind, who has lived for centuries. And by using his Mind Melder, the helmet on his head, he now has full control over the Legion.

His plan is to take the Legion in the arc they are building, find a small planet, where he will command the Legion to procreate and make little Legionnaire babies. Then after a time, he will have a whole army of Legionnaires at his command and will rule the galaxy. He then commands the entire Legion to enter and kill Superboy!

Suddenly Ultra Boy appears behind him and quickly lifts off his helmet making the Master powerless. The Master is shocked because he thought Ultra Boy was dead! And then Lana Lang appears and tells him that despite the fact that she couldn’t resist his command, she was still able to transform into a less poisonous wasp whose sting wouldn’t be fatal.

Superboy then grabs the Master and announces that he will be sure to place him in a triple-security cell until the authorities pick him up. The rest of the Legion then enter the room, confused and wondering where they are. Their minds are blank and they have no recollection of what they have been doing for the past few days. Which is fine, because Superboy is going to tell them all about it.

The Creative Team

Cary Bates really knocked it out of the park this issue, with this incredible story that had some really nice twists and turns, especially following Invisible Kid’s death last issue, though we don’t address it in this one. It was nice to see someone go against the grain and the majority, which had me convinced in the beginning that something was definitely wrong with Ultra Boy.

My only complaint was the villain was too much a product of its time, a simple ‘unknown’ alien who was the cause of the mischief. Plus he was disposed of a little too easily and Bates wrapped up the third act a little too fast for my tastes. Plus the Master ended up not being such a big threat after all despite being able to take down the most powerful super-hero team in the universe.

Nevertheless, I am happy that we’re getting a bit more story on some of the other Legionnaires that have been pretty much absent up to this time. I think this is the first big Ultra Boy story since they launched the series. With the inclusion of other members in the Lore of the Legion section I do hope we can venture to some more of the ‘unknown’ and less frequently used members.

Mike Grell is the star of the show and his art continues to impress. Again, he really excels at putting a lot of movement and fluidity to the characters. A lot of the DC stuff at the time could be considered a bit stiff, so it really set him apart from other artists. Also seeing this movement it made sense that he was a natural for Aquaman.

My favorite panel is of Superboy sitting in the windowsill, surprising Lana Lang. It’s a neat little depiction of the Teen of Steel that is playful and reminds us that he’s a teenager. Grell really was able to make his characters ‘act.’

Super-Talk

We have some fun this time around in Super-Talk but nothing too revealing in future plans or reasons for things being the way they are. One thing is for sure, it does sound like Mike Grell is here to stay for a while.

First off, our dear editor decided to name Dave Cockrum whose name was missing last issue, albeit to prove that Mike Grell is a suitable replacement. We then go into a whole lot of Cary Bates and Mike Grell praise, reaffirming that we are still on track. To give you a sample of some of the stuff that was being said, I turn to none other than legendary superstar and future Legion of Super-Heroes artist, Dan Jurgens.

“I almost had a heart attack. Why? Because I just finished reading #203. The story was OK, but Grell was even better. I suggest that you sign him to a long-term contract. Don’t let him go. It’s not that I like Grell’s art because it’s like Departed Dave’s; he’s got a quality all his own.”

It sounds like Jurgens also drank the Grell Kool-aid and proving that we both have great taste.

Also apparently they were getting a flood of mail for ideas on who should be the new member of the Legion that the editor also politely asks readers to desist sending them. I always like these little pleas in the older issues, because it one, shows how fanatic the fanbase was, and two, how the editor or at least someone, had to read every piece of mail that came in. Which is nice because it gives you the feeling that these people actually cared. But either way, I think we can safely say that this new book is a big hit at this point, and I am wondering when we’ll finally go monthly.

Elsewhere in this issue we have a neat biography of “Iron Mike” Grell. Well I guess I could say autobiography because he wrote it himself and also provided a few fun self portraits, some in a cartoony style. It’s a really nice write up and Grell comes across not only very modest but also very thankful for his big break. He also was drawing Aquaman at the time, which, if memory serves, is ramping up to the death of Andy in Adventure Comics. Whoops spoiler alert!

Finally, we do have some new entries in Lore of the Legion, which is like the Who’s Who at the time. This time they showcased a whole bunch of characters that were mentioned in the reprints, including our pal Jimmy Olsen, as well as Lana Lang and Pete Ross who also made it in this issue. We have:

1. Mon-El
2. Element Lad
3. Dream-Girl
4. Karate Kid
5. Princess Projectra
6. Shadow Lass
7. Timber Wolf
8. Chemical King
9. Wildfire (our first entry!)
10. Ferro Lad
11. Elastic Lad
12. Insect Queen
13. Kid Psycho
14. Pete Ross
15. Rond Vidar

The Legion Medallion of Merit

Superboy has come a long way since he knocked Lana Lang out with that apple in issue #197. He not only remembered Lana’s birthday, but he also showed thoughtfulness in that he actually gave her a present.

Plus, he could have easily went with the majority of the Legion who asserted that Ultra Boy was crazy. Instead, he saw the sign and went against the grain. He not only ended up saving Ultra Boy, but also the entire Legion that were almost forced into joint coitus on a massive scale just for the sake of making super-powered babies that would turn into an army and rule the galaxy. Why someone hasn’t turned this into an alternate Earth is beyond me.

In short, Superboy proved that he is more than just the muscle and despite being literally out of his time, he helped his fellow Legionnaires. For this he deserves the Legion Medallion of Merit.

Congratulations Superboy! May you continue to save the Legion’s bacon while also staying away from acts of domestic abuse.

And that’s it for this week folks and…

LONG LIVE THE LEGION!