Superboy and the LSH #250 (1979)
by Jim Starlin & Paul Levitz
cover by Joe Staton
Jim Starlin signs this with the pseudonym Steve Apollo (for “story and layouts”, with Levitz being credited for “words”).
Starlin did not sign with his name since the story used was originally scheduled for something else; thanks to the wonderful people of Legion World for providing this CBR article that provides the full background.
So… yeah, the 250th issue is signed with a pseudonym and wasn’t even scheduled as an anniversary… we’re not exactly off to a great start.
We begin with Chameleon Boy finding evidence that a friend is planning to destroy the entire universe. (!!!!)
He gets murdered for this by “The Man Behind The Executioner’s Mask”…
…except not really.
While Chameleon Boy is in the hospital, Wildfire summons all the Legionnaires (even Tyroc makes an appearance!!!) to reveal what the shapeshifter told him: the man behind the murder of An Ryd from #239 (also a Jim Starlin story) was actually a Legionnaire!
“The Man Behind The Executioner’s Mask” (that’s a mouthful!) shows up as a hologram to provide an incredibly vague threat.
The story was written, and originally considered for publication, before Lightning Lad’s election as the newest Legion leader. There’s some lip service to Wildfire being his deputy, but for this entire storyline he’s going to act as the leader.
You summoned the entire Legion, to the point that Tyroc shows up, but Lightning Lad is nowhere to be seen!?
The menace picked up is the villain of the anniversary: Omega, the living embodiment of all hatred in the universe. Whatever the heck THAT means.
Omega looks very generic and a bit silly, but he’s a powerhouse stated to be stronger than Validus.
Omega is so powerful than even Superboy runs away, after flatly stating Mon-El is straight up stronger than him.
Superboy flies back to Earth to inform the Legion that Omega is coming there, with the stated goal of destroying the entire Universe once he arrives.
Wildfire points out that this plot makes no sense.
Based on that he deduces who is behind Omega: it’s *gasp* Brainiac 5!
Yeah, uhm, even with the subplot of Brainy being increasingly callous during the previous issues, this comes out of absolutely nowhere.
Brainiac 5’s rant is something else.
When I encounter this kind of sheer nonsense I usually revert to using a meme.
This time the Legion itself provides the best commentary I could possibly give.
Well at least things can’t get any worse, right?
Oh crap.
Superboy and the LSH #251 (1979)
by Jim Starlin & Paul Levitz
cover by Joe Staton
Oh good, because ONE Omega didn’t suck enough. We definitely needed two of those!
You might be wondering why the heck Brainiac 5 would create something that can destroy the universe. And keep on wondering because his explanation still makes no sense.
I’m just saying, if explaining your plan gives you an aneurysm, maaaaybe that’s a bad plan.
While this is going on, the rest of the Legion is fighting Omega. How is that working out?
That might explain why the Legion is so desperate to have Princess Projectra trying to wake up the comatose Brainiac 5 to tell them how to defeat Omega.
It DOESN’T explain why the heck Saturn Girl is nowhere to be seen. What is she doing!?
Once Brainiac 5 wakes up we learn what his plan REALLY is: blackmail the entire universe.
This is so stupid it hurts. What, he expects the entire universe to unilaterally declare him emperor!?
That is ALMOST as stupid as Wildfire refusing to use the Miracle Machine because “the risk is too great”. Compared to Omega destroying the universe?!?!
Perhaps the only moment I really appreciated is Brainiac 5 declaring that the only Legionnaire capable of defeating the invincible Omega… is Matter-Eater Lad.
As bad as the story is, at least we get some creative Jim Starlin paneling.
Omega has reached Legion HQ, and the whole reason for having two Omegas on the cover… is an illusion by Projectra that lasts a whole two panels.
Well that was absolutely necessary.
Wildfire is the last Legionnaire standing, and he unleashes everything he has against Omega…
…resulting in this GORGEOUS splash page!!!
That still doesn’t stop Omega. Turns out his target is the Miracle Machine, which he intends to use to destroy the entire universe. Not only that, we discover that Brainiac 5 used the Miracle Machine in order to create him.
Talk about an anticlimactic finale.
The Miracle Machine WAS indestructible, yes, but apparently it could still be EATEN.
Sooo… now we have two Legionnaires who have gone completely insane.
Unsurprisingly, this is NOT going to help the Legion’s popularity.
At this point you might be wondering what the hell caused Brainiac 5 to go completely insane, to the point of wanting to either destroy or rule the entire universe.
And it’s because A) he was overworked B) he lost an election.
OH COME ON!!! That borders on character assassination!!!
Next you’re going to tell me Omega’s rampage didn’t kill anyone!
I WAS KIDDING!!!
Let’s just get this over with.
Legion significance: 7/10
While not explicitly said, this is pretty much the reason Brainiac 5 never gets to be leader again, unless it’s for a specific mission.
The creation of Omega is a major stain on Brainy’s reputation, although it’s barely ever referenced… Computo is typically the go-to reference when talking about him going nuts.
Even if we believe the LUDICROUS idea that Omega didn’t kill anyone, the fact that Brainiac 5 was behind the assassination of An Ryd creates so many moral issues that it will eventually be retconned to be someone else’s fault entirely.
Silver Age-ness: 9/10
I mean, we have hatred incarnate being defeated by a guy who can eat anything…
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
What a mess. The artwork is nice and there are a couple of cool moments… the destruction of the HQ being a prime example… but the plot holes are so gigantic Validus would fit through them.
First of all: this has NOTHING to do with the murder of An Ryd. Zero, absolutely nothing.
The confrontation with Chameleon Boy makes no sense either: he suspects Brainiac 5 is behind everything, then the masked man shows up to shoot him… with Chameleon Boy doing nothing? And why would Brainiac 5 put on the disguise in the first place!?
Where are the missing Legionnaires? Why not even attempting to use the Miracle Machine? How can Matter-Eater Lad eat something indestructible? Can he eat Inertron at this point!?
And don’t even get me STARTED on how little sense Brainiac 5’s insanity makes!!!
We are legion
I’m moving both Brainiac 5 and Matter-Eater Lad in the “sick leave” category.
22 Legionnaires
5 reserve members
2 on sick leave (Brainiac 5 and Matter-Eater Lad)
There were a couple of bits here I liked: Wildfire casually flicking his visor open and unleashing hell; Wildfire’s treatment generally – more leader-like and less hotheaded than before; the final scene with the officer (Wildfire) and the dependable NCO (Superboy) discussing the future. I especially like Superboy’s “So what?” answer to Wildfire’s concerns.
Everything else was pretty awful. I wonder what happened between plotting and production?
I’ve updated the review to reference an article that provides more behind the scenes stuff, if you’re interested.
I was actually proud of myself for figuring out that Brainy was the culprit before the Big Reveal. And I was willing to believe he had gone so far off the deep end that he had actually murdered someone. It was the late ’70s, the period of Jim Jones and the wake of Richard Nixon. Our heroes had clay feet, if they had feet at all.
In hindsight, the story doesn’t hold up well at all. Matter-Eater Lad had been so long out of the series that bringing him in to save the day was a huge deus ex machina. And Omega is a nothing villain. Why didn’t Brainy just use the Miracle Machine to summon Validus? We already know the latter is unstoppable. Plus, he’s already killed a Legionnaire. Lots of emotional angst there.
Makes me wish we could have seen Starlin’s original story.