ADVENTURE COMICS 343 (1966)
by Edmond Hamilton & Curt Swan
So… we just went through one of the best Silver Age stories. How about we go back to something stupid?
We begin with Sun Boy and Brainiac 5 returning to Earth after a solo mission, flying through the Gorilla Nebula.
Let me repeat that. The GORILLA NEBULA.
They crash when they return to Earth, thanks to a piloting error by Sun Boy.
Leave it to Curt Swan to turn this throwaway detail into an exciting two-panel landing!
All because the Gorilla Nebula is somehow bad luck.
Yes, as you might have imagined from the cover, this story is all about luck and superstition.
As always, Saturn Girl’s no-nonsense persona is the voice of reason.
Even Chameleon Boy’s planet has a superstition about Jinx-Stones who bring bad luck.
The Legionnaires reassure him that’s stupid. But since this isn’t an actual Jinx-Stone but Proty II in disguise, I have a different solution: just kill Proty.
I don’t believe in bad luck so that wouldn’t solve anything, but it would get rid of Proty so it’d be a definite improvement!
Except Chameleon Boy then hurts himself while flying, and that confirms that the jinx is true.
Other Legionnaires confirm that bad luck is real: from Bouncing Boy…
…to Lightning Lad…
…to Duo Damsel…
…to Star Boy, who actually DOES have a real concern.
Interesting thought: Calamity King proves that, in the Legion universe, it IS possible to bring bad luck. And yet we don’t learn anything about the origins of Calamity King; in fact this is his last “real” appearance!
Saturn Girl has had enough of this.
Except both Shrinking Violet and Invisible Kid are affected by “the jinx”, finding themselves unable to control their powers.
Since things are quite serious (well, relatively speaking), Saturn Girl investigates about bad luck by… studying globes.
As for Lightning Lad’s idea that unlucky Legionnaires are immune from further trouble… they’re not, but cool panel!
Saturn Girl has left on her own mission, and the Legion follows her with the Super-Pets because maybe animals are immune from bad luck.
Sounds legit.
But unfortunately they find the wreckage of her ship, meaning Saturn Girl is dead.
Or she killed the Fantastic Four.
Following her tracks they land on planet Thaun, which is all about luck and scamming people.
But mostly scamming people.
It’s pretty easy for the Legion to figure out that the Luck Lords are up to something weird.
And it’s even easier to find Saturn Girl.
And the Luck Lords now reveal themselves, after keeping themselves a secret for… reasons, I guess.
The Legionnaires aren’t particularly impressive here.
Time for the Super-Pets to save the Legion, because they are not affected by bad luck!
Or not.
Turns out that the Luck Lords have nothing to do with luck, but they are only scam artists with hypnotic powers.
Sorry, I’m too distracted by Comet the Super-Horse staring down one of the aliens. Don’t you just love those little details that Curt Swan puts here and there?
Soooo… bad luck doesn’t exist in the Legion universe, but Calamity King still has the power to bring bad luck? What kind of sense does THAT make!?
Legion significance: 0/10
The Luck Lords do have a few appearances here and there in other continuities, but nothing major. The gambling planet of Ventura is more important, but it’s barely mentioned here.
Silver Age-ness: 5/10
Props for the idea that bad luck doesn’t exist, even if it doesn’t make much sense within the series.
The idea of scammers with hypnotic powers is intriguing, but this kind of plan could’ve worked only in the Silver Age. No wonder future interpretations of the Luck Lords will hinge on magic powers.
Does it stand the test of time? 2/10
One Legionnaire being this superstitious could work. Nearly all of them, to this extent? They come off as utterly ridiculous.
We are legion
12 Legionnaires active in this story
6 not shown but officially members
2 reserve members: Bouncing Boy and Kid Psycho
2 resigned members: Dream Girl, Command Kid
1 honorary member: Elastic Lad
1 expelled member: Star Boy
1 deceased member: Dynamo Boy
How much Legion is too much?
The Legion currently has 18 active members. The total number of characters who have been members is 25.
Interesting letters: I’m glad I wasn’t the one confused about the current leadership!!!
