Superboy and the LSH #249 (1979)
“Capital Crimes of the Chemical Conqueror!” by Gerry Conway & Joe Staton
“The Arctoraan Jewel Case” by Paul Kupperberg & Joe Staton
cover by Joe Staton & Dick Giordano
Will Brainiac 5 redeem himself after being a dick last issue?
He better figure out something, because the garbage monster is immune to Sun Boy’s powers.
We don’t often see an offensive use of his force field, but it’s enough to crush the monster.
Apparently Shadow Lass wasn’t put into a coma by bumping her head really hard: the garbage monster is SO toxic that it can knock out anyone it touches.
Continuing the plot about something being wrong about Brainiac 5, he reacts to Mon-El refusing to help in a rather worrying way.
Meanwhile, the Legion reaches the R.J.Brande headquarters, where the garbage monster has made quite a mess.
Lightning Lad easily takes care of yet another manifestation of the monster, and it’s time for his first act as the newly elected leader… and quite tellingly, he’s not very sure of himself.
This leads into yet another fight with the garbage monster… and his friends.
Turns out the garbage monster is actually the creation of Discount Sivana Mantis Morlo from Adventure Comics #363, in his last appearance.
If Chemical King had THAT kind of power, why did he always suck!?
And so Brainiac 5 saves the day in the most anticlimactic way possible.
Surely this will redeem him in the eyes of his comrades, right? Unless he keeps being a dick.
Next issue is advertised as being written by Levitz and Jim Starlin… but Starlin will use a pseudonym in protest of… honestly my research came up short on that.
Next we have a Chameleon Boy solo story, where he’s trying to catch a thief.
He won’t be alone, though, being joined in the investigation by Ambassador Sideboob.
She’s a former smuggler, and the thief has been trying to blackmail her.
The reason why the Legion is involved is that the stolen components could be used to build a Super-Spy Monitor ™.
This is an underwater installation, but that won’t stop Chameleon Boy from investigating.
The underwater cables are being sabotaged with microwaves (!!!!), but he can transform into an animal evolved to withstand them. This is pretty awesome!
It’s still not enough to get track the saboteur, so Chameleon Boy suggests a different strategy: have Ambassador Sideboob pay the blackmailer!
The precious jewel is teleported to the blackmailer, who is actually a corrupt Science Police officer, who is genre-savvy enough to guess that Chameleon Boy turned himself into the jewel.
Guess again!!!
The bad guy is arrested and Chameleon Boy gets a date with Ambassador Sideboob out of it.
Let’s hope he doesn’t turn into a fish during the date.
Legion significance
First story: 3/10
Still part of the Brainiac 5 subplot, but increasingly less important.
Second story: 0/10
A cute distraction.
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really.
Does it stand the test of time?
First story: 4/10
While the first part was equally short, at least it had some good characterization. This time we’re very light on everything, with Lightning Lad’s stage fright being the only highlight. Having the lackluster Mantis Morlo being behind everything, instead of mysterious horror monster, really hurts the creepiness factor.
Second story: 10/10
Not exactly a masterpiece, but you could easily publish this in any era. Better artwork would help, though.
We are legion
23 Legionnaires
6 reserve members