Superboy 215

SUPERBOY 215 (1976)
“The Final Eclipse of Sun Boy” by Cary Bates & Mike Grell
“The Hero Who Wouldn’t Fight” by Jim Shooter & Mike Grell

Not a bad cover, but the amount of space taken over by the title is starting to annoy me.

We begin with the Enterprise the Legion Cruiser going back to Earth…

…except it’s actually headed for Phantom Girl’s planet, the unpronounceable Bgztl.

Bgztl is a strange case for the Legion lore. It works ALMOST exactly how the pre-Crisis Multiverse used to, but it was firmly established to be in the same universe of Earth-1.

This is the first time we visit the planet and our first interaction with Phantom Girl’s brother.
He has one or two cameos here and there but he’s so obscure that even I had completely forgot he ever existed.

Phantom Girl is here because she accidentally witnessed a murder. Despite the fact that everyone on Bgztl can turn intangible, they still found a way to kill each other.

This would be a story-breaking weapon if it could also kill normal people, so it has a drawback: it can only affect intangible people.

Once the Legion takes Phantom Girl back to Earth, however…

I’m disappointed Sun Boy isn’t called Eclipse Boy in this story. Come on, it was right there!!!

This is a problem because “Eclipse Boy” can absorb solar energy, meaning Superboy only makes him stronger.

What do you think this is, Element Lad, a Human Torch story?

Your regular reminder that Element Lad can be ridiculously overpowered when written well.

So… what’s the cause of Sun Boy’s transformation?

Sounds legit.

Turns out there’s an intangible assassin out to get Phantom Girl, hitching a ride inside Sun Boy’s body!

“It makes sense” indeed.

Then SUDDEN MULTIPLE PHANTOMS!

You get a phantom inside your body! Everybody gets a phantom inside their bodies!

Weird to have such a spotlight on Phantom Girl’s never before seen brother instead of Phantom Girl.

I can totally see Sun Boy ask to never speak of this again.

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That was interesting but without lasting consequences.
Let’s move to something truly historical and hysterical: the debut of Cosmic Boy’s corset!

That costume is the basis of several of Cosmic Boy’s future costumes. I believe this started out as a coloring problem: it’s not SUPPOSED to have the same color of his flesh, but the result really makes it look like he’s wearing a corset with an incredible amount of cleavage.

We truly begin with Emerald Empress discovering Chameleon Boy is spying on her, with what I believe is the first instance of the Eye talking.

Also the first instance of Emerald Empress ditching the rest of the Fatal Five and trying to establish herself as a solo villain. It’ll happen A LOT.

Back to the Legion, they’re not fans of Cosmic Boy’s new costume.

He teleports the Legion to Emerald Empress in an attempt to save Chameleon Boy…

…just to see Light Lass be teleported back seconds later, revealing it was all a trap.

She asks Cosmic Boy to go save the team with his powers… except it turns out this is the only day when his people are forbidden from using their powers.

Why does this tradition exist? Why is it so incredibly important?
NEVER EXPLAINED!!!

I can’t believe THIS GUY is one day going to become the heart and soul of the Legion.

To be fair he’s not a COMPLETE a##hole in that he’s still willing to die to save the Legion, but since we’re never told WHY his people can’t use their powers this doesn’t really absolve him.

Cosmic Boy sneaks into the Empress’ dungeon, finding the Legionnaires.

He does manage to free his friends…

…and even takes a bullet for them.

I wonder why Emerald Empress is typically unsuccessful as a solo villain.

Turns out Cosmic Boy didn’t use his powers to save the Legion.

So we’re trusting EMERALD EMPRESS now? WHY!?!?

I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.

But everything turns out okay in the end because WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST READ!?

I cannot believe Jim Shooter wrote this crap.

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Historical significance
First story: 0/10
We’ll basically never see Phantom Girl’s brother again, but we will visit Bgztl for a surprising amount of time.
Second story: 1/10
Cosmic Boy’s stripperific costume is infamous enough to warrant something.

Silver Age-ness
First story: 4/10
Guns that kill phantoms and a rushed resolution.
Second story: 7/10
Cosmic Boy’s incredibly important “powerless day” comes absolutely out of nowhere.

Does it stand the test of time?
First story: 6/10
Kind of a wasted concept. Just imagine the chaos that a good villain could cause by using phantom powers this way!
Second story:  -15/10
I don’t care if it’s a religious thing or whatever, any tradition that compels you to needlessly put lives in danger is not worth keeping.
This only the second time the Legion received a negative score (both times thanks to Cosmic Boy and Jim Shooter!). This even lower than any score Jimmy Olsen ever got!

We are legion
22 Legionnaires
6 reserve members
3 honorary members: Elastic Lad, Pete Ross, Rond Vidar
1 resigned member: Command Kid
1 expelled member: Nemesis Kid
3 deceased members: Dynamo Boy, Ferro Lad, Invisible Kid

How much Legion is too much?
The total number of characters who have been members is 36.