ADVENTURE COMICS 380 (1969)
by Jim Shooter & Win Mortimer
cover by Curt Swan
This is it: the last issue of Adventure Comics to star the Legion of Super-Heroes, who have been on the series since issue #300.
We begin with Superboy receiving an emergency communication from Dream Girl, but we don’t learn what she tells him until later.
Then the alarm goes off, warning that the Legion HQ is about to be hit by something… and then the room explodes!
Actually it turns out that was a teleport ray, transporting the Legionnaires to another planet.
Nice to see Ultra Boy has stopped calling his power “Penetra-Vision”, at least when he’s using it as telescopic vision.
The team is attacked by a dinosaur with Kryptonite teeth. (!!!!)
Then dinosaur EATS SUPERBOY ALIVE.
First order of business is to build a monument to Superboy.
Then they make a shelter for the night, while Superboy’s death hits Duo Damsel particularly hard.
This is really the beginning of their future relationship.
He’s simultaneously cheering her up, reassure her that her powers aren’t useless, and while he’s at it he’s also flirting a little bit.
Bouncing Boy is the best.
This is also one of the very, VERY few times that pre-crisis Invisible Kid shows off his scientific abilities. Considering it’ll be the greatest contribution of his reboot version, that’s always interesting to see how little it showed up in the original.
Bouncing Boy gets to be useful by scouting the planet to look for materials.
Nice use of powers and abilities to contribute to the construction of the spaceship.
I’ll admit that it was really hard to find something for Duo Damsel to do.
Having Ultra Boy around sure saves up a lot of fuel for the takeoff.
Unfortunately the Legion doesn’t get very far before they run into some meteors and need to make an emergency landing on a different planet.
It’s not a particularly hospitable world, but at least they find a Legion cruiser there!
And they even find Superboy!
Or not… it turns out that there’s something on this planet that messes with your mind.
I’m really liking Mortimer’s artwork here!
Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel are saved by a mysterious whirlpool.
This gives Ultra Boy an idea on how to get everybody home: SLINGSHOT THE SHIP FASTER THAN LIGHT.
AND IT WORKS.
Story’s over, right? Well, not exactly, because the Legionnaires are denied permission to land.
Ultra Boy checks on the Legion HQ, where he discovers doubles of the Legion… until they all blow up!
The real Legionnaires are suddenly cleared for landing, and they discover that Superboy is actually still alive.
Okay… this is the last scene of the Legion’s run on Adventure Comics, folks.
A run that has included some crazy stuff, from Urthlo to planet Femnaz to Prince Evillo, so let’s go out with a final bout of sheer insanity!!!
But why all this? What was Dream Girl’s prediction? It was about a sailboat. In 2969.
A sailboat ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUN.
The sailboat is made of indestructible Inertron and piloted by space criminals Skyzznx and Alrrk.
When the Legion shows up, THEY KILL THEMSELVES.
“One of our strangest cases”. You can say that again!!!
I will miss you, you insane Adventure Comics run. I truly will.
Legion significance: 6/10
One of the greatest romances of the Legion lore, Duo Damsel / Bouncing Boy, begins here.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Super-pets! Ultra Boy throwing the ship into hyperspace! A ship sailing the Sun!
Does it stand the test of time? 5/10
Is it just me or Jim Shooter has trouble with finales in this period? Everything was going great until the final plot twist; if the story had ended with the team returning to Earth (and with Superboy having survived somehow), it would’ve been a very solid 8/10. But once again, the finale ruins everything.
We are legion
26 Legionnaires
2 reserve members: Kid Psycho, Insect Queen
3 honorary members: Elastic Lad, Pete Ross, Rond Vidar
1 resigned member: Command Kid
1 expelled member: Nemesis Kid
2 deceased members: Dynamo Boy, Ferro Lad
How much Legion is too much?
The total number of characters who have been members is 35.
Interesting letters: a rare glimpse on the religious worldbuilding of the 30th century.
