Although these pages have Superman as the main character, it would not be just not to mention The Legion of Super-Heroes collection, as its fame, its editorial success and the most important, the great number of followers that this collection has, made indispensable to speak about it. That is why we will explain here its editorial origin, the different ages that has have, its writers, artists, the influence of its fans and zines, in the permanence of this serie, its influence on the two collections dedicated to them, SUPERBOY and ADVENTURE COMICS, and so on. What we are not going to do is to give explanations about every legionnaire as it is something that is explained in numerous issues.
Speaking about THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES is speaking about ADVENTURE COMICS if we consider this collection since 1958, as it was born in 1935 with the name NEW COMICS changing to NEW ADVENTURE COMICS in 1937 in issue number 12, and to ADVENTURE COMICS in 1938, issue number 31. Nevertheless, it would not be until 1945, number 103 when Superboy appeared in this magazine. You can see it here: A DATE WITH DC.
We are speaking about Superboy because THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES was born into the Superman family issues, called The Adventures of Superman when he was a boy.
Although Superman was born in 1938, it went by some years until the adventures of his youth were told. It was in 1944 when the first story about an adolescent Superman appeared in MORE FUN COMICS NO. 101 dated on the cover January-February 1945 and he appeared on the cover for the first time in MORE FUN COMICS NO.104, July-August 1945 as you can see on the left.
The Superman adventures when he was a boy due its existance to Murray Boltinoff and Mort Weissinger as editors, but was Murray who put the rules in order that Superboy had its own magazine.
In the first Superboy stories, he appeared as a child. It Was Murray who made Superboy grow little by little and gaining powers, although the Superboy career will end in his meeting with the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The first Superboy story in MORE FUN COMICS NO.101 was drawn by Joe Shuster and it had the cartoon style with only 5 pages of adventure.
Afterwards, in NO.107, Superboy changed to AVENTURE COMICS NO.103 in May 1946. Later, in May-April 1949 Superboy got his own magazine. SUPERBOY NO.1 cover was drawn by Wayne Boring appearing an adult Superman and inside, in the first story entitled "The Man Who could See Tomorrow", to show that they are adventures of Superman when he was a boy, the story begins with an adult Man of Steel remembering the Smallville years. All the inside adventures were drawn by John Sikela, a friend and collaborator of Joe Shuster.
The Superboy adventures ran parallel in ADVENTURE COMICS and SUPERBOY since 1949, appearing one Superboy adventure in every ADVENTURE COMICS issue and three in the SUPERBOY magazines.
But in april 1958, Mort Weisinger, who was editor of the DC Comics tittles (then National Periodical Publications), with writer Otto Binder, created a group of Super-Heroes from the future who denominated LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, introducting them in the Superboy story of ADVENTURE COMICS NO.247 in April 1958. With that simple fact of creating a group for a Superboy script, they did not imagine then that that was going to implicate the creation of one of the most successfull collection with the most cuantity of followers in Comics History.
The LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES has been made with the collaboration of many writers, artists and editors with the pass of the years, so we can divide the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES history in several parts, countig the years and the magazines that published their adventures and we can see that this obey to different internal changes in the own Editorial and also with the influence of the readers who wrote to them and even with zines from most of the fans.
1. THE BEGINING (1958-1962)
The Superboy adventure in ADVENTURE COMICS NO.247 (April 1958), entitled "The Legion of Super-Heroes", introducted three founding members: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl y Lightning Lad (Lightning Boy in that first story) that, from the Earth of the XXX Century, visit Superboy in order to join with them. In his travel to the future, Superboy see his native city as a futurist town, but his parent's house is conserved as a relic from the past. When Superboy pass the texts put by the Legionnaires he is acepted as a Member. This first Legion story was drawn by artist Al Plastino.
As nobody hoped the success of this story it was not until 1968 in SUPERBOY NO.147, from the collection 80 PG GIANT, when it was explained the origin of the Legion in the first story of the issue entitled "The Origin of the Legion" drawn by Pete Constanza, where the three founder members save the life of R.J. Brande one of the richest men in the Universe who has the idea of their union to fight Evil.
The nowadys price of an ADVENTURE COMICS NO.247 (April 1958 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye) in NM condition is $6,300.00 in contrast with numbers 246 or 248 that is around &250,00. This issue enter Spain and other Latinamerican countries through the Mexican "Editorial Novaro" in its SUPERMAN NO.197 in July 1959 and the names of the legionnaires was "Cósmico", "Saturnia" and "Ray".
The Second appearance of the Legion was in ADVENTURE COMICS NO.267 (December 1959 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye) in a story writen by Jerry Siegel, who wrote most of the twenty first Legion adventures, with their covers always drawn by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye at the begining, George Klein afterwards and Sheldom Moldoff sometimes. The story is entitled "Prisoner of the Superheroes" drwan by George Papp who is in that age the regular artist for Superboy in the two mentioned magazines. In the adventure, Superboy is seen from the Legionnaires on a giant telescopic screen, making mistakes, so the Legion travel to the past to inprison Superboy and avoid its evil facts. But at the end they discover that they had misunderstood what they had seen on the screen. The main Legionnaires are the same as in the first adventure.
The Third appearance is in ACTION COMICS NO.267 (December 1959 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), on the second story of the issue entitled "The Three Super-Heroes" by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Jim Mooney, the regular artist for Supergirl. In it, the Legionnaires came to see if Supergirl can become a legionnaire too, but she fails the texts and has to wait for another oportunity. In this issue appear for the first time Chamaleon boy, Invisible Kid and Colossal Boy.
The Fourth appearance is SUPERBOY NO.86, (January 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), (NOVARO 312). "The Army of Living Kryptonite Men" by Jerry Siegel & George Papp. The Legion appears on the third story of the issue whose main character is Lex Luthor when he was a boy, who invents a device to destroy Superboy but he is saved at the end by the Legion who see trhough a screen what is happening and they send Lightning Lad to save him. The name of the legionnaire is Garth Ranzz, that NOVARO translated as Luis Landa, following the tradition of the double 'L' in the names of the persons related with Superman. In the last picture Luthor says": 'If there are Super-Herores in the future, there will also be Super-Villains' meaning in that way the seventh appearance of the Legion as adult members. The guest star legionnaires are the three founder members.
The Fifth appearance is in ADVENTURE COMICS NO.282, (May 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), (NOVARO 336). In the story entitled "Lana Lang and the Legión of Super-Heroes" writen by Otto Binder and drawn by George Papp, the main character is Star Boy, translated in NOVARO as 'El Joven Estrella' that is used by Lana Lang (Lina Luna in Novaro) to make jealous Superboy but at the end is Superboy with Star Boy's girl-friend who make jealous Lana.
The Sixth appearance is in another Supergirl story in the second adventure of ACTION COMICS NO.276, (May 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), "Supergirl's three Super Girl-Friends" by Jerry Siegel & Jim Mooney. This time, Supergirl is texted again to join the Legion of Super-Heroes and is accepted with a new legionnaire named Brainiac 5 who appears in this issue as well as Triplicate Girl (afterwards Duo Damsel), Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy as candidate, Bouncing Boy and Phantom Girl.
There is a comic, SUPERBOY NO.89 (June 1961) in which appeared Mon-El. In this moment he is not a Legionnaire, but he will be one of them in the future and that is why we include him here. The story is entitled "Superman's Big Brother" (First Part) and "The Secret of Mon-El" (Second Part) by Robert Bernstein (writer) and George Papp (artist). At the begining Superboy thinks that Mon-El is his big brother from Krypton but afterwards, when Mon-El recovers his memory, Superboy knows that Mon-El is from the planet Daxam and having been exposed to lead, the letal substance to Daxamites, he send it to the Phantom Zone in the XXX Century where Saturn Girl and Brainiac 5 will cure of his lead poisoning.
The Seventh appearance is in SUPERMAN NO.147, (August 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), in the third story of the issue entitled "The Legion of Super-Villains" writen by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Curt Swan & Sheldom Moldoff. In it, we see Lex Luthor travelling to the future looking for the Legion help in order to destroy Superman. At the end all go to the prison, Luthor as well as the Super-Villains who fight to the Adult Legion of Super-Heroes named Cosmic Man, Saturn Woman and Lightning Man. The Legion of Super-Villains will appear again in more issues as ACTION COMICS 282, 286 and so on.
The Eighth appearance of the Legion is in ADVENTURE COMICS NO.290, (November 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), "The Secret of the Seventh Super-Heroe" by George Papp in wich appear an impostor of Sun Boy. In this adventure, the real Sun Boy joins the Legion and appear the three founder members as well as Phantom Girl, Brainiac 5 and Chamaleon Boy.
The Ninth appearance is in SUPERMAN NO.149, (November 1961 cover by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye), (NOVARO 369). "The Death of Superman" by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye in a three part imaginary story in wich Luthor makes believe Superman that is changed becoming a good man, he is aclaming as a hero but at the end gets the death of Superman. The death body is visited and cryed by all of his friends in the Universe as well as the three founder members of the Legion of Super-Heroes who only appear in one picture in the third part of the adventure.
The issue cataloged as the Tenth appearance of the Legion is SUPERBOY NO.93, (December 1961 cover by George Papp). "Lana Lang's Superboy Identity Detection Kit" by Curt Swan & George Klein in which, as usually, Lana Lang suspects Clark Kent to be Superboy but she does not discover his identity because Chamaleon Boy impersonates Clark Kent confusing Lana Lang.
The Eleventh appearance is in GIANT SUPERMAN ANNUAL NO.4. In this issue the named of the Legionnaires is revealed. Cosmic Boy is named Rokk Krinn; Saturn Girl is named Imra Ardeen, Lightning Lad is Garth Ranzz, Triplicate Gril is Luornu Durgo, Phantom Girl is Tinya Wazzo, Invisible Kid is Lyle Norg, Colossal Boy is Gim Allon, Brainiac 5 is Querl Dox and Shrinking Violet is named Salu Digby.
The comic book considered as the Twelfth appearance of the Legion is ACTION COMICS 285, (February 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), "The World's Greates Heroine" Part I and "The Infinite Monster" Part II by Curt Swan & George Klein. Brainiac 5 is the legionnaire who appears but this issue is more valued than others not by the appearance of the Legion but for be when Superman reveals to the world the existance of his cousin Supergirl.
The 13th appearance is in ADVENTURE COMICS NO.293, (February 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), "The Legion of Super-Traitors" writen by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Curt Swan & George Klein. In this adventure appears for the first time the Legion of Super-Pets. Some aliens want to bring the Earth to their own solar system and for that they try to reduce mentally Superboy, but as they cannot with him, they do it with the Super-Heroes. But what they cannot do is to give mental orders to the animals and that is why appears the Legion of Super-Pets: Krypto, Streaky, Beppo and Comet who spoil the Alien's plans. The guest star legionnaires are the founder members.
ACTION COMICS NO.287, (April 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), is considered the 14th appearance of the Legion in the second story of the issue entitled "Supergirl's Greatest Challenge" by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. In it, appear the three founder members as well as Triplicate Girl, Chamaleon Boy, Brainiac 5, Sun Boy and Bouncing Boy that are substituted by chamaleon beings who imitate them since Supergirl discovers the facts and save them.
SUPERMAN NO.152, (April 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), is the issue in which the Legion appears for the 15th time. The story has the same tittle as the one from the cover "The Robot Master" by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan & George Klein. Superman discovers that his friends are robots and, with the help of Supergirl, they bring them to his Fortress of Solitude in order tu study them. They discover there that all is a joke from the Legion of Super-Heroes to celebrate the anniversary of Supergirl arriving to Earth. There is a surprise inside every robot. The guest star legionnaires are the three founder members as well as Chamaleon boy, Brainiac 5 and Sun Boy.
The 16th appearance is in ACTION COMICS NO.289, (June 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), "Superman's Super Courtship" by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. The plot is the trying of Supergirl to encounter a woman who married Superman. After trying with the adult legionnaire women, she find them all yet married. But then she encounters a woman with super-powers in a distant planet that is almost like her when adult. Her name is Luma Lynai and both Superman and Luma fall in love together, but Luma cannot live on Earth because of its atmosphere so they must separate and Supergirl learns not to interfere in his cousin's life.
ACTION COMICS NO.290, (July 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), is the 17th appearance of the Legion in the person of Phantom Girl who gives Linda Lee a Supergirl statue that without knowing it gets Red Kryptonite inside. After passing the effects on Supergirl, she covers the statue with lead powder in order to keep it as a gift and this way it cannot affect Superman or Krypto. The story is entitled "Supergirl's Super Boy-Friends" by Jim Mooney.
SUEPRMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN NO.62, (July 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), is cataloged as th 18th appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes. In the first story of the issue entitled "Superman's Phantom Pal" it only appears Jimmy Olsen as Elastic Lad finding Mon-El into the Phantom Zone, so he has not joined the Legion yet. In this adventure by Curt Swan & George Klein, Jimmy has the opotunity of discovering Superman's secret identity from the Phantom Zone but at the last moment he close his eyes respecting the confidence Superman has put on him.
The 19th appearance in in SUPERBOY NO.98, (July 1962 cover by Curt Swan & George Klein), (NOVARO 387). "The Boy with Ultra-Powers" by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan & George Klein is the second story of the issue and tell us the entering of Ultra Boy in the Legion. The text is discover Superboy's secret identity. In this adventure Pete Ross (Pedro Ruiz en NOVARO) gets his honorary member title.
And the 20th appearance is in SUPERMAN NO.155, (August 1962 cover by Curt Swan & Sheldom Moldoff), "The Downfull of Superman" by Curt Swan & George Klein and where appear Cosmic Man and Lightning Man disguised as Hercules and Sanson respectively.
We have been speaking about the begining until here, the birth of the magazines that published the adventures of Superman where he was a boy following with the birth of the Legion of Super-Heroes, their begenings and how they were entering in all Superboy publications, increasing litle by litle the number of Legionnaires.
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