Superboy and the LSH #258 (1979)
by Gerry Conway & Joe Staton
cover by Dick Giordano
We have reached the end of the “Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes” era: starting next issue the series will be re-titled simply as “Legion of Super-Heroes”.
We are finally, FINALLY doing something with the subplot of R.J.Brande going bankrupt.
Notice Superboy being so candid about breaking the law, I can’t imagine Silver Age Superman to be so casual about it (oh he would DEFINITELY break the law, but he’d find a way to rationalize why he wasn’t actually breaking the law).
The Science Police show up to arrest the Legion… except they’re not the actual Science Police, as Saturn Girl quickly discovers.
Take a guess who wins the fight.
Despite this, the Legion manages to bring the case to the President of Earth himself.
Considering future revelations, it’s interesting that Chameleon Boy is the one trying to clear R.J.Brande.
And the President IMMEDIATELY confesses everything…
…and he did it because he wanted to save Earth from poverty!!!
There’s A LOT to unpack there.
First of all, it’s clear the United Planets are not the utopia we were lead to believe.
Second, the impact of the Khund War was way, WAY worse than what was actually depicted on-panel.
Third, R.J.Brande is SO fantastically rich that his wealth ALONE is enough to make a difference on a planetary level!!!
But by far the most surprising thing is Brande’s reaction: he’s okay with giving all of his fortune away!!!
Is this ridiculously naïve, optimistic and even more unrealistic than an intergalactic team of superheroes? Sure it is!
But damn it if this isn’t a cool moment!!!
Now… that SHOULD be where the story ended.
But while this was going on, someone escaped from the mental institution where Brainiac 5 was being kept until a couple issues ago…
…and now he’s coming back as the super-villain Psycho-Warrior.
His suit allows him to basically do whatever the plot needs. Convenient!
Well at least that’s how it looks at first, but actually he’s able to show the Legionnaires “their darkest fears”. Which for Sun Boy means literally being afraid of the dark (WTF!?) but for Saturn Girl means something more personal.
Lightning Lad’s worst fear is living the cover of this issue, and that’s where we end!
Psycho-Warrior will return next issue. But since this is the last one of the era, at least according to my somewhat arbitrary definition, that means we will first go through the latest Legion Awards.
Legion significance: 2/10
Next issue is VERY significant and this is technically the first part… but you can skip most of it to understand the second part. The only real significance is the resolution of the bankruptcy subplot.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
As awesome as the moment is, R.J.Brande just accepting giving away his fortune because it’s the right thing to do is sadly a very silly idea.
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
The bankruptcy plot has its charm, but considering how long it’s been going on its resolution is lackluster. The fact that the President of Earth doesn’t even try to hide what he’s done is way too anticlimactic. And the plot having nothing to do with the Psycho-Warrior one doesn’t leave enough room for subtlety in a 17 page story.
We are legion
23 Legionnaires
5 reserve members
1 on sick leave (Matter-Eater Lad)