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Legion of Super Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus #1
Legion of Super Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1
Now collected in an oversize omnibus edition for the first time, DC proudly presents the LEGION OF SUPERH-HEROES: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS!
Originally introduced in 1958, the Legion of Super-Heroes is a team of super-powered teenagers from the disparate worlds of the 30th century's United Planets. Each hero had his or her own powers, unique to their planets of origin; together, they stood against evil across the galaxy. Together with 20th century hero Superboy, this team--originally made up of Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy, but soon numbering in the dozens--fought for justice as they dealt with adolescent insecurities.
Collects ADVENTURE COMICS #247, #267, #282, #290, #293, #300-328; ACTION COMICS #267, #276, #287 and #289; SUPERMAN #147; SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4 and SUPERMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN #72, #76; and SUPERBOY #86, #89, #98 and #117.
Originally introduced in 1958, the Legion of Super-Heroes is a team of super-powered teenagers from the disparate worlds of the 30th century's United Planets. Each hero had his or her own powers, unique to their planets of origin; together, they stood against evil across the galaxy. Together with 20th century hero Superboy, this team--originally made up of Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy, but soon numbering in the dozens--fought for justice as they dealt with adolescent insecurities.
Collects ADVENTURE COMICS #247, #267, #282, #290, #293, #300-328; ACTION COMICS #267, #276, #287 and #289; SUPERMAN #147; SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4 and SUPERMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN #72, #76; and SUPERBOY #86, #89, #98 and #117.
684 pages, Hardcover
Published August 8, 2017
9 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Otto Binder
395 books15 followersOtto Oscar Binder. Used these alternate names: Eando Binder (together with his brother Earl Binder -E and O Binder-), John Coleridge, Gordon A. Giles, Will Garth, Ian Francis Turek, Ione Frances Turek and Otto O. Binder.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 19, 2022
Legion of Super Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 collects the earliest appearances of the Legion of Super Heroes.
I loved the Levitz-Giffen run of the Legion of Super-Heroes as a kid so I jumped on this when I saw it for half cover price. I did not love this.
I read some of the stories when they were reprinted in Adventure Comics digest when I was a kid so this was mostly a nostalgia buy. While I love the DC house style of the 1960s, here displayed by Curt Swan, George Papp, and John Forte, most of the stories were crap.
Story after story featured Legionnaires lying to each other to drive the stories rather than conflict with super villains. I realize these were Silver Age stories written for a younger audience than today's comics but it's no wonder Marvel eclipsed DC around this time. They felt more like teen humor stories without the humor than actual super hero stories.
Still, the art is slick and the book is interesting in a historical sort of way. Most of the Legion is introduced here, including elements like the Time Trapper and the Sun Eater, which will play much bigger parts down the road. Some stories were funny, albeit unintentionally. My nostalgia circuits were activated quite a few times and the debut story of the Legion of Substitute Heroes gets my nod for one of the top DC stories of the Silver Age.
Legion of Super Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 was just good enough not to land in the pile destined for Half Price Books. 2 out of 5 stars.
I loved the Levitz-Giffen run of the Legion of Super-Heroes as a kid so I jumped on this when I saw it for half cover price. I did not love this.
I read some of the stories when they were reprinted in Adventure Comics digest when I was a kid so this was mostly a nostalgia buy. While I love the DC house style of the 1960s, here displayed by Curt Swan, George Papp, and John Forte, most of the stories were crap.
Story after story featured Legionnaires lying to each other to drive the stories rather than conflict with super villains. I realize these were Silver Age stories written for a younger audience than today's comics but it's no wonder Marvel eclipsed DC around this time. They felt more like teen humor stories without the humor than actual super hero stories.
Still, the art is slick and the book is interesting in a historical sort of way. Most of the Legion is introduced here, including elements like the Time Trapper and the Sun Eater, which will play much bigger parts down the road. Some stories were funny, albeit unintentionally. My nostalgia circuits were activated quite a few times and the debut story of the Legion of Substitute Heroes gets my nod for one of the top DC stories of the Silver Age.
Legion of Super Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 was just good enough not to land in the pile destined for Half Price Books. 2 out of 5 stars.
February 14, 2021
I got into Legion of Super-Heroes with the Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen run back in the 80s and got to read the epic monthly issues of The Great Darkness Saga.
I picked up the copy of this omnibus from the local library.
What's good? - The omnibus is big with large thick quality pages and vibrant colors. If it's between the paperbacks and these large hardcovers I would recommend the hardcovers due to the high quality. This is truly the best way to read a part of comic book history because to buy the originals would take a fortune.
What's bad? - The omnibus is absolutely huge, heavy, and expensive. It's not something I would travel with but kept home to read. Although there is a cool factor to finally being able to read these classic stories, the stories are very bland and the art work is both bland and static. The other thing is that the art looks fairly the same from artist to artist.
For me it was a very slow slog to get through this book and could only read a story at a time then walk away and get back to it.
Ultimately I am glad that I was able to read a part of comic book history but I am definitely glad that I got to read it for free from my local library and not spend the cover price of $75 for the book.
Will I read the other volumes?
Hell yeah! I love comics!
Would I ever read the stories again?
Once is definitely enough.
Stories and art work I would give the book 2 stars but the DC Omnibuses are so well done that for that alone I pushed it up to 3 stars.
I picked up the copy of this omnibus from the local library.
What's good? - The omnibus is big with large thick quality pages and vibrant colors. If it's between the paperbacks and these large hardcovers I would recommend the hardcovers due to the high quality. This is truly the best way to read a part of comic book history because to buy the originals would take a fortune.
What's bad? - The omnibus is absolutely huge, heavy, and expensive. It's not something I would travel with but kept home to read. Although there is a cool factor to finally being able to read these classic stories, the stories are very bland and the art work is both bland and static. The other thing is that the art looks fairly the same from artist to artist.
For me it was a very slow slog to get through this book and could only read a story at a time then walk away and get back to it.
Ultimately I am glad that I was able to read a part of comic book history but I am definitely glad that I got to read it for free from my local library and not spend the cover price of $75 for the book.
Will I read the other volumes?
Hell yeah! I love comics!
Would I ever read the stories again?
Once is definitely enough.
Stories and art work I would give the book 2 stars but the DC Omnibuses are so well done that for that alone I pushed it up to 3 stars.
August 26, 2019
I remember when I was a kid that there was an intriguing story arc in John Byrne's Superman and Action Comics (the latter always featuring a Superman "team-up") where Superman and the Legion of Super Heroes crossed paths, which eventually lead to a confrontation between Superman and Superboy. Byrne had a loose plot thread that needed to be tied up--in the post Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot Man of Steel, Byrne removed Superboy from the Superman mythos, and yet, the Legion of Super Heroes was reliant on Superboy's existence, as thirty years of comics, starting with Adventure Comics #247 in 1958 had made clear. Then Legion writer Paul Levitz and Byrne conspired to deal with this, using the Legion villain the Time-Trapper to make this possible in a four part arc that I only ever read parts 2 and 3 of for the longest time, because Legion of Super Heroes was a prestige format series that you could on get a comic shops, unlike Superman and Action Comics which I could get on the newsstand at the convenience store. But once I had read Byrne's part of the arc, I was hooked--I wanted to know more about the Legion of Super Heroes.
The Legion was just intended to be a one-off, created by Otto Binder to be the foils for Superboy in Adventure Comics for that story. But I think the idea of a group of younger heroes, living in a bright future and doing heroic deeds was probably very appealing to the target readers and as such the Legion kept coming back, first to support Superboy and later Supergirl--eventually taking over Adventure Comics as their own. This omnibus contains the Legion stories up to 1965 and while some of the stories are a bit clunky (or to be honest chauvinistic) there is enough "classic" material here to show why the Legion became so popular in the first place. While Binder created the Legion, most of the early Legion stories were written by Jerry Siegel, and the Legion grew in popularity in his capable hands (he created Superman after all.) Of course, since the prevailing wisdom of the time was that "comics are for kids" leads to more simple storytelling, it is not bad storytelling. The Legion took over Adventure Comics precisely because the stories didn't suck. There would be better and more mature storytelling in the future (no pun intended), but the foundation laid here is solid.
Of course, because the Legion takes place in the future (and in this volume it can't get it straight if it is 100 or 1000 years into the future) it is likely always going to run afoul of DC continuity and it has suffered several reboots that I am trying to catch up on. But the core is here, and I think this is the best place to start with those super heroic teens from the future.
The Legion was just intended to be a one-off, created by Otto Binder to be the foils for Superboy in Adventure Comics for that story. But I think the idea of a group of younger heroes, living in a bright future and doing heroic deeds was probably very appealing to the target readers and as such the Legion kept coming back, first to support Superboy and later Supergirl--eventually taking over Adventure Comics as their own. This omnibus contains the Legion stories up to 1965 and while some of the stories are a bit clunky (or to be honest chauvinistic) there is enough "classic" material here to show why the Legion became so popular in the first place. While Binder created the Legion, most of the early Legion stories were written by Jerry Siegel, and the Legion grew in popularity in his capable hands (he created Superman after all.) Of course, since the prevailing wisdom of the time was that "comics are for kids" leads to more simple storytelling, it is not bad storytelling. The Legion took over Adventure Comics precisely because the stories didn't suck. There would be better and more mature storytelling in the future (no pun intended), but the foundation laid here is solid.
Of course, because the Legion takes place in the future (and in this volume it can't get it straight if it is 100 or 1000 years into the future) it is likely always going to run afoul of DC continuity and it has suffered several reboots that I am trying to catch up on. But the core is here, and I think this is the best place to start with those super heroic teens from the future.
September 7, 2024
Adventure 247 features Superboy being taken to the future, where they visit an ice cream shop offering Nine Delicious Flavors from Nine Planets. I wonder what the 9th planet was?
You lost out on your first tasks… and to a girl!
Prisoner of the Super-Heroes. “Those Super-kids from the Future have got it all over you Superboy!” Once again, Superboy cries.
THREE CHEERS FOR SUPERBOY!
The Three Super-Heroes! is a story staring Supergirl!
THE PLANET KRYPTON Home of Superman’s birth which exploded moments after he left as an infant in a rocket ship
”Yes! Machines do all our heavy physical work! Man is free to labor mainly with his mind!” Women however, still do laundry.
In "The Army of Living Kryptonite Men," Lex Luthor uses a "Mind-Helmet" to telekinetically manipulate kryptonite rocks on an asteroid, creating kryptonite figures to attack Superboy. Superboy is poisoned by the kryptonite, and Luthor, thinking he's won, turns off his super-telescope to celebrate.
Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Let Superboy go you hussy!
Supergirl’s Three Super Girl-Friends
”Greetings, cats! This is your pal Frankie, once again bringing you the Frankie Hudson Show…
Superboy’s Big Brother!
By overtaking light rays from the past I learned that I was the son of a great scientist on the planet, Krypton…
Krypton explode? Nonsense, Jor-El! Your brain has weakened from too much scientific research!
The Secret of Mon-El!
Hmmm… with my super-intelligence I can easily answer all the questions within a few seconds!
It’s a Jack-in-the-Box Monster… probably left behind in a space wreck by a weird race of space people who make crazy toys!
The Legion of Super-Villains! begins with Lex Luthor inventing a time-travel radio to summon villains from the future, who break him out of jail to help destroy Superman.
The Secret of the Seventh Super-Hero! features an imposter who looks exactly like Clark Kent. Superboy skips school, activating his Clark Kent robot from a closet filled with robots of Ma and Pa Kent, three Superboy robots, and even a Lana Lang robot. However, the evil Clark impostor takes over the real Clark's life...
The Legion of Super-Traitors!
Where does this mere mutt get off, looking down his wet nose at the mightiest boy in the universe!
Though she’s as super-powerful as Superman, Supergirl is, after all a mere girl…
The mind-tape pictures are being projected into your “third-eye” pineal gland by cerebral induction!
I hear a mental voice! What is it?
”Superman’s Super-Courtship”
I’m so happy for Superman. But how strange that the woman he is finally going to wed looks exactly as I will when I grow up!
Every man prefers to pick out his OWN wife!
Some day, when you’re married, it’ll be your wife who will do your housecleaning!
The Boy with Ultra-Powers!
Thieves won’t dare try to rob us! This metal vault door is equipped with an automatic device which will explode and injure any criminals forcing open the locked door!
The Face Behind the Lead Mask!
What’s happened to the three of you? Have you gone mad? I’ll look into your minds mentally to see if you’re villainous imposters who have substituted yourselves for Legion members!
I wouldn’t dare! I originally projected him into the Phantom Zone because he was dying from too much exposure to radiations from the substance lead!
Look at these Hate Tapes inside his chest compartment! No wonder the automaton loathed us!
The Secret Origin of Bouncing Boy! highlights an early take on body positivity, with some playful dialogue, including the underused term "Swankiest" and a character's outburst, "You’re stupid, all of you! Stupid!! Stupid!!”
ROBOT GLADIATOR TOURNAMENT
Savage - Exciting - Yet Harmless.
Sun-Boy’s Lost Power! tells the tale of Sun-Boy losing his super-powers. A twist of fate reveals that both Sun-Boy and another character had parts of their tapes damaged, which were supposed to reveal they were robots.
The Fantastic Spy!
We’re going to have to put on a “Lovey-Dovey” act to fool everyone, but don’t overdo it, buster, or… POW!
The Stolen Super-Powers! begins in the year 2963 during the Legion's annual meeting to elect a new leader. Saturn Girl uses mind control to ensure she's elected leader, then makes everyone wear medallions with her face on them.
The Secret of the Mystery Legionnaire! kicks off with a tribute to Marvel Lad!—and, of course, another Legion tryout. In the far future, news is apparently delivered by microfilm! This story also introduces the 'sun-eater,' which plays an even bigger role in Legion history.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes!
If we can do that, I’ll regain my self-respect!
The Secret Power of the Mystery Super-Hero!
”And I also got a vague thought of a huge ship beyoond a double sun! Then they quickly closed their minds to me!” — Saturn Girl
The Return of Lightning Lad!
"We’re somewhere near Saturn."
"Mon-El and I are off to help a world battling destructive space-fungus!"
The Legion of Super-Monsters!
Yes, the Legionnaires, no matter where they are, get their schooling by closed TV!
I agree! He’s jolly and we like him but bouncing won’t conquer those mighty monsters!
They’re too far away from me to contact them telepathically! So I wonder what Saturn Girl’s range actually is?
We’ll draw lots for the job… excluding Saturn Girl because it’s too risky a mission for a girl!
Last Stand of the Legion!
He powers are unlimited, remember! We have to devise every defensive weapon we can to resist him!
The War between the Substitute Heroes and the Legionnaires!
”This gift from that planet Xalla we helped is really unique… it’s a time-mirror that reflects people not as they are, but as they will be when they age!” Just what EVERY teenager wants!
The Super-Sacrifice of the Legionnaires! follows the quest to bring Lightning Lad back to life—an idea that seems pretty far-fetched! Among the odd Legion science, the concept of a 'live' android reviving a 'dead' android is especially puzzling. They're both dead, right? This story also explains that only a living human can revive another by 'transferring' their 'life force'—because, you know, science.
The World of Doomed Olsens! is from issue #72 of Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. Seventy-two issues—really?! Also, “Proty” somehow became “Proty II,” the new version of Chameleon Boy’s dead shape-shifting pet.
And somehow, this led to Jimmy Olsen, as Elastic Lad, being inducted into the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The Condemned Legionnaires!
Superboy, we’ve all become victims of the Crimson Virus! Can you save us?
I’m sorry, Saturn Girl… but all the girl members of the Legion are doomed! You must spend your last days on Quarantine World!
The Super-Villains of All Ages!
I feel evil! To think that for years I’ve wasted my powers helping others, instead of crushing them!
”Hmm… I hope you know what you are doing, Alaktor!
”Hitler’s right!” You’d think they’d have more trouble printing that in a comic book…
The Legionnaires Super-Contest! The story features the Universe-Monitor, which alerts them to trouble across various worlds like Earth, Wind World, Tree World, and Ring World.
The Renegade Super-Hero! focuses on Ultra-Boy, who is revealed to have a criminal past, leading to his expulsion from the Legion. In response, Ultra-Boy swears vengeance, as many ousted members do. The scientist’s experiment mirrors one conducted by a Kryptonian criminal in Action Comics #307. In the end, the scientist vows never to repeat the rash experiment.
The Menace of Dream Girl!
”Her conceit is insufferable, but I’ll pretend not to notice it!”
The Mutiny of the Legionnaires!
Sun Boy suffered a pressure on the brain from too many space missions and became a victim of space-fatigue! It affected his mind! But with our scalpel-rays we can easily remove the pressure!
The Legion’s Suicide Squad follows the Legion as they battle the formidable "Citadel of Doom," only to be defeated.
In The Charge of the Substitute Heroes!
”Father, why do we have nothing to eat today?
”Because of a famine. Our food comes from other worlds in ships… and no ship can travel in space now!”
The Revenge of the Knave from Krypton
Here’s another secret device we created… this character analysis monitor. Focused on suspects without their knowledge, it reveals if their psyche is good or evil! See — I’ve focused it on that girl tourist and it reveals her psyche to be. Evil and sinister looking!
”Now I’ll do my stuff with this pen like the one we all carry! It’s used for luminous writing which is visible in darkness, right?”
The Code of the Legion! begins with Superboy using the word "lest," adding an old-timey flair. Triplicate Girl escapes a trap by splitting into three bodies, a clever move similar to how Captain Marvel sometimes uses his transformation lightning as a weapon.
Look… since I’m slender, girls don’t laugh at me anymore… they like me! Meet my girl friend Iresa…
The Super-Tests of the Super-Pets
I’m concentrating my thought-casting power, not only to explain, but also to make the Super-Pets temporarily telepathic, so they can communicate with each other while they guard the clubhouse!
The Eight Impossible Missions!
It works!! Thank you Garf-Og!
The Legion of Super-Outlaws!
We’re tired of wandering in space homelessly!
By cutting this tape-recording of their words and rearranging them, I can make their conversation sound quite different! It may take a while using reel-to-reel tapes, however.
”We must punish you. The Frozen-Sleep Lamp will put you in a coma. Perhaps you’ll wake later, reformed! Don’t give me any more lies!”
”I wanna be just like him when grow up!”
”Billions will die! So what, eh? Ha, Ha!”
”Bah! Your mutual admiration is sickening!”
”We’ll soon see who saved us! I can hardly wait!” (I hope he’s cute!)
”Thanks for tripling yourself, Triplicate Girl! Now your kisses are three times as sweet!”
The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires!
The cellular trim-ray treatment to get rid of unwanted extra pounds quickly will have to wait!
Sorry I must leave the Knowledge Condensotron class, but…
Nothing puts a boy more off-guard than flattery, so here goes!
You’re getting much tinier than your big, fat male conceit, fool!
”Why it’s Queen Azura— the ruler of the planet Femnaz!”
”Femnaz is inhabited only by women!”
"Superboy and the Five Legion Traitors!"
”I’ll concentrate on my Mentazo Ring which will project my mental pictures of them!”
”Many similar universes co-exist in the same space, but in an infinite number of different dimensions! There’s no limit to the variations. Chief Parker may be a criminal in one world, an ape-like being in another… or even a woman!”
"The Menace of Superboy’s Father!"
”Our moon has exploded... it will rain destructive debris on our world!”
‘Don’t get interested in me because I’m not a human being at all!’
”Shortly, elsewhere on Zoon…”
With the element Zuunium I could generate a ray that would give humans Super-Powers!
"The Lad who Wrecked the Legion"
”This Ancestor-Visualizer Machine some friendly aliens gave us is sensational, Sun Boy! The faces of all my ancestors are being projected from my supraconcious mind onto the screen!
5 stars definitely and a keeper.
You lost out on your first tasks… and to a girl!
Prisoner of the Super-Heroes. “Those Super-kids from the Future have got it all over you Superboy!” Once again, Superboy cries.
THREE CHEERS FOR SUPERBOY!
The Three Super-Heroes! is a story staring Supergirl!
THE PLANET KRYPTON Home of Superman’s birth which exploded moments after he left as an infant in a rocket ship
”Yes! Machines do all our heavy physical work! Man is free to labor mainly with his mind!” Women however, still do laundry.
In "The Army of Living Kryptonite Men," Lex Luthor uses a "Mind-Helmet" to telekinetically manipulate kryptonite rocks on an asteroid, creating kryptonite figures to attack Superboy. Superboy is poisoned by the kryptonite, and Luthor, thinking he's won, turns off his super-telescope to celebrate.
Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Let Superboy go you hussy!
Supergirl’s Three Super Girl-Friends
”Greetings, cats! This is your pal Frankie, once again bringing you the Frankie Hudson Show…
Superboy’s Big Brother!
By overtaking light rays from the past I learned that I was the son of a great scientist on the planet, Krypton…
Krypton explode? Nonsense, Jor-El! Your brain has weakened from too much scientific research!
The Secret of Mon-El!
Hmmm… with my super-intelligence I can easily answer all the questions within a few seconds!
It’s a Jack-in-the-Box Monster… probably left behind in a space wreck by a weird race of space people who make crazy toys!
The Legion of Super-Villains! begins with Lex Luthor inventing a time-travel radio to summon villains from the future, who break him out of jail to help destroy Superman.
The Secret of the Seventh Super-Hero! features an imposter who looks exactly like Clark Kent. Superboy skips school, activating his Clark Kent robot from a closet filled with robots of Ma and Pa Kent, three Superboy robots, and even a Lana Lang robot. However, the evil Clark impostor takes over the real Clark's life...
The Legion of Super-Traitors!
Where does this mere mutt get off, looking down his wet nose at the mightiest boy in the universe!
Though she’s as super-powerful as Superman, Supergirl is, after all a mere girl…
The mind-tape pictures are being projected into your “third-eye” pineal gland by cerebral induction!
I hear a mental voice! What is it?
”Superman’s Super-Courtship”
I’m so happy for Superman. But how strange that the woman he is finally going to wed looks exactly as I will when I grow up!
Every man prefers to pick out his OWN wife!
Some day, when you’re married, it’ll be your wife who will do your housecleaning!
The Boy with Ultra-Powers!
Thieves won’t dare try to rob us! This metal vault door is equipped with an automatic device which will explode and injure any criminals forcing open the locked door!
The Face Behind the Lead Mask!
What’s happened to the three of you? Have you gone mad? I’ll look into your minds mentally to see if you’re villainous imposters who have substituted yourselves for Legion members!
I wouldn’t dare! I originally projected him into the Phantom Zone because he was dying from too much exposure to radiations from the substance lead!
Look at these Hate Tapes inside his chest compartment! No wonder the automaton loathed us!
The Secret Origin of Bouncing Boy! highlights an early take on body positivity, with some playful dialogue, including the underused term "Swankiest" and a character's outburst, "You’re stupid, all of you! Stupid!! Stupid!!”
ROBOT GLADIATOR TOURNAMENT
Savage - Exciting - Yet Harmless.
Sun-Boy’s Lost Power! tells the tale of Sun-Boy losing his super-powers. A twist of fate reveals that both Sun-Boy and another character had parts of their tapes damaged, which were supposed to reveal they were robots.
The Fantastic Spy!
We’re going to have to put on a “Lovey-Dovey” act to fool everyone, but don’t overdo it, buster, or… POW!
The Stolen Super-Powers! begins in the year 2963 during the Legion's annual meeting to elect a new leader. Saturn Girl uses mind control to ensure she's elected leader, then makes everyone wear medallions with her face on them.
The Secret of the Mystery Legionnaire! kicks off with a tribute to Marvel Lad!—and, of course, another Legion tryout. In the far future, news is apparently delivered by microfilm! This story also introduces the 'sun-eater,' which plays an even bigger role in Legion history.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes!
If we can do that, I’ll regain my self-respect!
The Secret Power of the Mystery Super-Hero!
”And I also got a vague thought of a huge ship beyoond a double sun! Then they quickly closed their minds to me!” — Saturn Girl
The Return of Lightning Lad!
"We’re somewhere near Saturn."
"Mon-El and I are off to help a world battling destructive space-fungus!"
The Legion of Super-Monsters!
Yes, the Legionnaires, no matter where they are, get their schooling by closed TV!
I agree! He’s jolly and we like him but bouncing won’t conquer those mighty monsters!
They’re too far away from me to contact them telepathically! So I wonder what Saturn Girl’s range actually is?
We’ll draw lots for the job… excluding Saturn Girl because it’s too risky a mission for a girl!
Last Stand of the Legion!
He powers are unlimited, remember! We have to devise every defensive weapon we can to resist him!
The War between the Substitute Heroes and the Legionnaires!
”This gift from that planet Xalla we helped is really unique… it’s a time-mirror that reflects people not as they are, but as they will be when they age!” Just what EVERY teenager wants!
The Super-Sacrifice of the Legionnaires! follows the quest to bring Lightning Lad back to life—an idea that seems pretty far-fetched! Among the odd Legion science, the concept of a 'live' android reviving a 'dead' android is especially puzzling. They're both dead, right? This story also explains that only a living human can revive another by 'transferring' their 'life force'—because, you know, science.
The World of Doomed Olsens! is from issue #72 of Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. Seventy-two issues—really?! Also, “Proty” somehow became “Proty II,” the new version of Chameleon Boy’s dead shape-shifting pet.
And somehow, this led to Jimmy Olsen, as Elastic Lad, being inducted into the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The Condemned Legionnaires!
Superboy, we’ve all become victims of the Crimson Virus! Can you save us?
I’m sorry, Saturn Girl… but all the girl members of the Legion are doomed! You must spend your last days on Quarantine World!
The Super-Villains of All Ages!
I feel evil! To think that for years I’ve wasted my powers helping others, instead of crushing them!
”Hmm… I hope you know what you are doing, Alaktor!
”Hitler’s right!” You’d think they’d have more trouble printing that in a comic book…
The Legionnaires Super-Contest! The story features the Universe-Monitor, which alerts them to trouble across various worlds like Earth, Wind World, Tree World, and Ring World.
The Renegade Super-Hero! focuses on Ultra-Boy, who is revealed to have a criminal past, leading to his expulsion from the Legion. In response, Ultra-Boy swears vengeance, as many ousted members do. The scientist’s experiment mirrors one conducted by a Kryptonian criminal in Action Comics #307. In the end, the scientist vows never to repeat the rash experiment.
The Menace of Dream Girl!
”Her conceit is insufferable, but I’ll pretend not to notice it!”
The Mutiny of the Legionnaires!
Sun Boy suffered a pressure on the brain from too many space missions and became a victim of space-fatigue! It affected his mind! But with our scalpel-rays we can easily remove the pressure!
The Legion’s Suicide Squad follows the Legion as they battle the formidable "Citadel of Doom," only to be defeated.
In The Charge of the Substitute Heroes!
”Father, why do we have nothing to eat today?
”Because of a famine. Our food comes from other worlds in ships… and no ship can travel in space now!”
The Revenge of the Knave from Krypton
Here’s another secret device we created… this character analysis monitor. Focused on suspects without their knowledge, it reveals if their psyche is good or evil! See — I’ve focused it on that girl tourist and it reveals her psyche to be. Evil and sinister looking!
”Now I’ll do my stuff with this pen like the one we all carry! It’s used for luminous writing which is visible in darkness, right?”
The Code of the Legion! begins with Superboy using the word "lest," adding an old-timey flair. Triplicate Girl escapes a trap by splitting into three bodies, a clever move similar to how Captain Marvel sometimes uses his transformation lightning as a weapon.
Look… since I’m slender, girls don’t laugh at me anymore… they like me! Meet my girl friend Iresa…
The Super-Tests of the Super-Pets
I’m concentrating my thought-casting power, not only to explain, but also to make the Super-Pets temporarily telepathic, so they can communicate with each other while they guard the clubhouse!
The Eight Impossible Missions!
It works!! Thank you Garf-Og!
The Legion of Super-Outlaws!
We’re tired of wandering in space homelessly!
By cutting this tape-recording of their words and rearranging them, I can make their conversation sound quite different! It may take a while using reel-to-reel tapes, however.
”We must punish you. The Frozen-Sleep Lamp will put you in a coma. Perhaps you’ll wake later, reformed! Don’t give me any more lies!”
”I wanna be just like him when grow up!”
”Billions will die! So what, eh? Ha, Ha!”
”Bah! Your mutual admiration is sickening!”
”We’ll soon see who saved us! I can hardly wait!” (I hope he’s cute!)
”Thanks for tripling yourself, Triplicate Girl! Now your kisses are three times as sweet!”
The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires!
The cellular trim-ray treatment to get rid of unwanted extra pounds quickly will have to wait!
Sorry I must leave the Knowledge Condensotron class, but…
Nothing puts a boy more off-guard than flattery, so here goes!
You’re getting much tinier than your big, fat male conceit, fool!
”Why it’s Queen Azura— the ruler of the planet Femnaz!”
”Femnaz is inhabited only by women!”
"Superboy and the Five Legion Traitors!"
”I’ll concentrate on my Mentazo Ring which will project my mental pictures of them!”
”Many similar universes co-exist in the same space, but in an infinite number of different dimensions! There’s no limit to the variations. Chief Parker may be a criminal in one world, an ape-like being in another… or even a woman!”
"The Menace of Superboy’s Father!"
”Our moon has exploded... it will rain destructive debris on our world!”
‘Don’t get interested in me because I’m not a human being at all!’
”Shortly, elsewhere on Zoon…”
With the element Zuunium I could generate a ray that would give humans Super-Powers!
"The Lad who Wrecked the Legion"
”This Ancestor-Visualizer Machine some friendly aliens gave us is sensational, Sun Boy! The faces of all my ancestors are being projected from my supraconcious mind onto the screen!
5 stars definitely and a keeper.
August 21, 2017
A collection of all the Legion tales from its inception in 1958 until January 1965.
On superior stock with better color saturation than was possible in the original comic books.
A keeper for all the fans of this section of classic DC comics.
On superior stock with better color saturation than was possible in the original comic books.
A keeper for all the fans of this section of classic DC comics.
September 14, 2020
They're very hokey at times, but there's a certain charm if you're a fan of later Legion incarnations or a devotee of Silver Age silliness. But skip the weird misogyny of the rebellion of the girl Legionnaires (the planet Femnaz? Really, Jerry Siegel?!).
January 9, 2025
For the continuity addict that I am, this book is absolutely stacked with relevant first appearances.
Legion members: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Invisible Kid, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, Ultra Boy, Mon-El, Matter-Eater Lad, Element Lad, Lightning/Light Lass, Dream Girl, Timber(Lone) Wolf
Proty and Proty II
Substitutes: Night Girl, Polar Boy, Stone Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad
Villains: Cosmic King, Saturn Queen, Lightning Lord, Time Trapper
All appear for the first time here.
Obviously, if you don't know the Legion then you are just seeing a list of silly names that mean nothing. Emphasis, silly names. But if you know the Legion, you realize that the vast majority of their essential members are introduced in this volume.
But this is Silver Age DC which means the storytelling has a particular model that is not everyone's tea. It is all gimmicky puzzle-box stories that introduce a ridiculous circumstance and then the writer has to reveal the oddball way that circumstance came to be and then the more ridiculous and Deus-Ex-Machina way it will get solved.
The first page shows us that Bouncing Boy has turned evil and is wreaking devastation bounding through 30th Century Metropolis: How could this happen? Well turn the page to find out. He inhaled a gas that made him evil? Gasp! But Mon-El knows of a fruit on the planet Krkrll that cures the Sekelo gas and Bouncing Boy is saved! That's a lot of Silver Age DC. It's fun and ridiculous, but can wear on you when every story is this way.
I was thinking a lot on the particular way Marvel was using villains during this time and noting that so often in the Legion's adventures (and the Superman Family tales) the conflict is a character acting out of type. Which at the end of the day means it is a fake conflict. We're battling a Red Kryptonite changed Supergirl who is going to revert in 48 hours. No one is developed because you are ultimately confronting a fake character. Now character development and distinct characterization are essential not a thing in DC Silver Age: they would need to learn that from the upstart Marvel, but still it is hard to feel substance to a conflict when the impetus is a head bonk that made Ultra Boy want to push the Earth into the Sun.
There are villains, but they are often tacked on to the bizarre plot puzzle than being the driver. At this same time, as Marvel was getting their legs under them, they were driving the conflict by their villains. Did they have great motivation? Rarely. But the conflicts ultimately had more substance and lasting effect.
The exception in these tales is the Time Trapper backstory that runs through a number of later issues in this volume. The serial approach of his menace is exciting and builds anticipation.
Similarly, the Legion of Super-Villains who come up fairly early have more personal connection, but their one appearance in this is marred by the fact that the continuity was still very fluid. Their first appearance ultimately proves errant and discontinuous because of later Legion developments.
Oh and that reminds me of the time travel. As per usual, time travel is screwed up. Don't think about it. Honestly. It is unhelpful. For some reason their time travel is locked synchronously. Except when it isn't. *Shrugs
But there is a lot of fun silliness here—the ridiculous time travel a part of that. I exhausted friends likely to disown me by sending them ridiculous DC Silver Age-isms.
And for the continuity worm, this is necessary stuff for the Legionnaire fan. Not where I'd start someone. Not what I would recommend to someone. But if you like the Legion and can survive DC Silver Age and just have to read the first appearances, you gotta read this.
Legion members: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Invisible Kid, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, Ultra Boy, Mon-El, Matter-Eater Lad, Element Lad, Lightning/Light Lass, Dream Girl, Timber(Lone) Wolf
Proty and Proty II
Substitutes: Night Girl, Polar Boy, Stone Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad
Villains: Cosmic King, Saturn Queen, Lightning Lord, Time Trapper
All appear for the first time here.
Obviously, if you don't know the Legion then you are just seeing a list of silly names that mean nothing. Emphasis, silly names. But if you know the Legion, you realize that the vast majority of their essential members are introduced in this volume.
But this is Silver Age DC which means the storytelling has a particular model that is not everyone's tea. It is all gimmicky puzzle-box stories that introduce a ridiculous circumstance and then the writer has to reveal the oddball way that circumstance came to be and then the more ridiculous and Deus-Ex-Machina way it will get solved.
The first page shows us that Bouncing Boy has turned evil and is wreaking devastation bounding through 30th Century Metropolis: How could this happen? Well turn the page to find out. He inhaled a gas that made him evil? Gasp! But Mon-El knows of a fruit on the planet Krkrll that cures the Sekelo gas and Bouncing Boy is saved! That's a lot of Silver Age DC. It's fun and ridiculous, but can wear on you when every story is this way.
I was thinking a lot on the particular way Marvel was using villains during this time and noting that so often in the Legion's adventures (and the Superman Family tales) the conflict is a character acting out of type. Which at the end of the day means it is a fake conflict. We're battling a Red Kryptonite changed Supergirl who is going to revert in 48 hours. No one is developed because you are ultimately confronting a fake character. Now character development and distinct characterization are essential not a thing in DC Silver Age: they would need to learn that from the upstart Marvel, but still it is hard to feel substance to a conflict when the impetus is a head bonk that made Ultra Boy want to push the Earth into the Sun.
There are villains, but they are often tacked on to the bizarre plot puzzle than being the driver. At this same time, as Marvel was getting their legs under them, they were driving the conflict by their villains. Did they have great motivation? Rarely. But the conflicts ultimately had more substance and lasting effect.
The exception in these tales is the Time Trapper backstory that runs through a number of later issues in this volume. The serial approach of his menace is exciting and builds anticipation.
Similarly, the Legion of Super-Villains who come up fairly early have more personal connection, but their one appearance in this is marred by the fact that the continuity was still very fluid. Their first appearance ultimately proves errant and discontinuous because of later Legion developments.
Oh and that reminds me of the time travel. As per usual, time travel is screwed up. Don't think about it. Honestly. It is unhelpful. For some reason their time travel is locked synchronously. Except when it isn't. *Shrugs
But there is a lot of fun silliness here—the ridiculous time travel a part of that. I exhausted friends likely to disown me by sending them ridiculous DC Silver Age-isms.
And for the continuity worm, this is necessary stuff for the Legionnaire fan. Not where I'd start someone. Not what I would recommend to someone. But if you like the Legion and can survive DC Silver Age and just have to read the first appearances, you gotta read this.
October 4, 2017
The LoSH is one of my guilty pleasures - especially the early adventures. Are these the best written stories? Not really, but they make up for it with the imagination and the creation of one of the most unique super hero teams of all times. Unique because of their powers but also because of the way the group is added to any time a writer thinks of a new character )although someone must have been insane to think Matter Eater Lad would EVER be useful on this team). Although Otto Binder created the idea of the LoSH as a one off I have to say it is Edmond Hamilton (who due to some oversight is not included in the bios at the end of the omnibus) who is the the writer that brought them to life and added the key ideas and characters that we now associate with them. What I have to praise Edmond most for is his ability to think of creative ways of coming up with challenges for this team. It is not easy to think of a story that has a menace for someone as powerful as Mon-el and Ultra Boy but won't kill the light weight like Bouncing Boy. These are fun, inventive stories that are classics in comics. To me the biggest shame in modern comics is that nobody has been able to recapture the magic of these early stories (the Levitz Giffen run and the Mike Grell issues are many decades ago).
For me - this collection was a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane.
For me - this collection was a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane.
April 2, 2022
As usual for Silver Age stuff, this is very YMMV.
The Legion of Super-Heroes was a unique group back in this era. The first super-team of the Silver Age, they operated out of the 30th century with members who (unlike the JlA or Avengers) didn't have their own solo books. Unlike the X-Men or the Fantastic Four, they had well over a dozen members. That made it easier to kill one — Lightning Lad dies in one of their stories — than in most series (he got better; other heroes, later in the series, didn't).
The stories are a very mixed bag, particularly before the Legion had their own series (they guest-starred in different Superman books for a couple of years first). My four-star rating is strongly infused with nostalgia. But it is sincere.
The Legion of Super-Heroes was a unique group back in this era. The first super-team of the Silver Age, they operated out of the 30th century with members who (unlike the JlA or Avengers) didn't have their own solo books. Unlike the X-Men or the Fantastic Four, they had well over a dozen members. That made it easier to kill one — Lightning Lad dies in one of their stories — than in most series (he got better; other heroes, later in the series, didn't).
The stories are a very mixed bag, particularly before the Legion had their own series (they guest-starred in different Superman books for a couple of years first). My four-star rating is strongly infused with nostalgia. But it is sincere.
October 22, 2018
Hokey but relatively fun
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