ACTION COMICS 378 (1969)
by Jim Shooter & Win Mortimer
The Legion begins the Action Comics run with a story that Jim Shooter was reportedly rather fond of.
We begin with Timber Wolf showing off his super-acrobatics and summarizing his origin story.
He stops the robbery, but he’s hurt pretty badly until a bystander gives him some weird serum.
Light Lass is very worried about him, but he’s being kind of a jerk.
He does acknowledge his dickishness and there’s clearly something off about him.
For one, he’s beginning to develop a personality.
And he’s going on a trip.
And we soon discover why: the bystander that gave him the serum based it off the Lotus Fruit.
Yeah, it’s a pretty overtly a drug. It’s extremely simplistic today but revolutionary for 1969: even Spider-Man famous drug issues didn’t come out until 1971!
Timber Wolf is even trying to push this on Light Lass…
…and he’s REALLY obsessed with this fruit.
I wasn’t kidding about the fact that he goes on a trip!!!
He’s so addicted that he promises to his dealer that he’ll make the rest of the Legion become junkies.
But Light Lass has a pretty extreme way to convince him to quit: threaten to BLOW HERSELF UP.
There’s even some real tension about it!
But of course…
We only have 9½ pages to work with, so it’s already the end!
Legion significance: 5/10
I don’t think the fruit comes back, but this really the story that establishes the dynamics of the Timber Wolf – Light Lass relationship.
Silver Age-ness: 1/10
Despite the rushed method to deal with, well everything, this kind of theme was unheard of in the Silver Age.
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
Yes it was groundbreaking for 1969, but unfortunately today it’s almost childish. The extremely limited number of pages does the story no help at all because we jump from scene to scene VERY quickly. While this works to emphasize Timber Wolf’s addiction, it makes Light Lass decision to immediately threaten to blow herself up very rushed.
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.