ADVENTURE COMICS 349 (1966)
by Jim Shooter & Curt Swan
This one introduces yet another classic villain, but also one of the most important supporting characters of the Legion.
The Legionnaires are the judges at the Metropolis Student’s Science Fair, where one of the boys has invented a time machine.
This is Rond Vidar, and to say that he’s a prodigy is an understatement.
The Legion then has to fly back to headquarters because someone is trying to break in. Hilariously, they are there to greet him once he gets inside!
This is Universo, and he improvises by saying he’s here for an audition.
But the Legion is like “what do you think this is, the Hamilton era? We’re not that dumb anymore!”
Unfortunately, Universo is a super-hypnotist capable of controlling even Saturn Girl.
But not Brainiac 5!
Last issue, his force field wasn’t enough to stop one of the robots of Dr. Regulus. Now it’s already enough to stop Superboy.
However Universo does reach his goal: he steals one of the Time Bubbles and destroys the others.
Well no problem, Superboy can just follow him right? Nope!
Another addition to the Legion lore: the “Chrono-Research Lab”, clearly a predecessor of the Time Institute, who tells the Legion where to find Universo.
But wait, didn’t we introduce a new time machine at the beginning of the story?
Sounds legit.
However it has some MAJOR drawbacks when compared to the Time Bubble:
Chameleon Boy goes to Peru in the year 1300, where he saves some locals from a falling boulder by transforming into a giant lens!
He tries to pose as an Incan god. Unfortunately the Inca had one way to check if you’re a god: throw you into a volcano!
This part is barely 2 pages long and already Chameleon Boy has used his powers more than in over 40 previous stories combined.
Shrinking Violet is in Ancient Egypt, where she’s intercepted by one of Universo’s spies.
Not that it matters much.
Unfortunately being microscopic has its disadvantages.
Check out the caption calling for a minute of silence for her fake death.
While Colossal Boy is in 693 England fighting a siege tower…
…Saturn Girl is in 1812 France, where her powers don’t work on someone already brainwashed by Universo.
Not really sure we needed this scene.
Brainiac 5 is in China, where it’s pretty hard for him to go unnoticed.
He does manage to escape by provoking one of the guards into activating his belt.
He has a harder time with the mechanical dragon provided by Universo. (!!!)
Meanwhile in the 30th century (uh?), Universo goes to the Inner Council of the United Planets to hypnotize them. No, we never hear about these planets again (Earth aside of course).
Except these are the Legionnaires!
Fine reveal, but why does Chameleon Boy need a mask and a costume!?
And so it turns out that:
1) Universo lead the Legionnaires into those traps to get rid of them
2) Rond Vidar is the one who saved each one of them
3) Rond Vidar is Universo’s son
Superboy breaks out of his hypnosis, and we have a bittersweet ending on Rond Vidar.
Legion significance: 8/10
Universo is a recurring villain but not a terribly important one. Rond Vidar, on the other hand, will prove to be a fantastic supporting character for decades, mostly thanks to his friendship with Brainiac 5.
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
Let’s go through Universo’s plan, shall we? He steals a time machine so that he can lead the Legionnaires, which he can easily defeat with his own powers, into several traps in the past. All of this so that he can go to the Inner Council and hypnotize them. Any other era when this would work?
Does it stand the test of time? 5/10
While the story does some interesting things with the various Legionnaires, Universo’s plan makes little sense and he’s very one-dimensional. Rond Vidar doesn’t have yet the complexity that he will develop. It’s often said that he’s something of a Shooter equivalent, thanks to the whole child prodigy thing, but it’s not prevalent here.
We are legion
6 Legionnaires active in this story
15 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
2 expelled member: Star Boy, Nemesis Kid
1 deceased member: Dynamo Boy
How much Legion is too much?
The Legion currently has 21 active members and the total number of characters who have been members is 29.
Interesting letters: a formal acknowledgment of Jim Shooter’s first story, which was understandably an instant hit.
I only read this story in the last year or so.
The Baxter era 4-part story featuring Universo is one of my fave stories as it highlighted Dream Girl’s (amongst others’) willpower.