Legion of Super-Heroes #276 (1981)
by Gerry Conway & Steve Ditko
cover by Rich Buckler
There are only three Conway stories left, but the Ultra Boy storyline will have to wait. Not that I’m complaining.
You might think from the cover that this is set on Orando, a.k.a. Princess Projectra’s planet. But it’s actually the very similar, and rarely seen, planet Avalon.
The Legionnaires really stick out… I don’t think those cloaks really work for you guys.
Yeah maybe don’t drop by a planet straight out of the Middle Ages without taking into consideration the fact that these people have never seen an alien before.
The locals think Star Boy is the leader because he looks like the locals the most. It would’ve been more impactful if Sun Boy wasn’t also there. Not to mention Chameleon Boy could LITERALLY look exactly like any one of the locals if he wanted to.
Dude, that’s not cool… you don’t bring superpowers into a horseback duel! Unless you’re fighting the Black Knight or something, that’s cheating.
The locals try to arrest the Legionnaires, and it’s an incredibly one-sided fight.
That’s when Princess Projectra pulls her rank and gets those people to listen. It’s a good use of her background, but it’s a bit forced that this planet follows the same societal rules. It was already weird to have Orando mimic Earth’s feudal age (or at least its pop culture version).
When they reach the king, he’s not really all there.
Alright, so far the story has been incredibly boring. But since we have Steve Ditko drawing, at least now he gets to go nuts!
This is Romdur. I still have no idea what his deal is, or what he’s doing in a Legion story.
Evil overlord of evil with an evil horde of evil zombie shadows. Gotcha.
The Legion goes along this little quest. You might be wondering why they’re going along with it, and you’re not alone!
Okay I’m glad there’s SOME explanation, but… that’s the best way you have to search for some missing explorers? With all the 30th century technology and entire planets with people with superpowers? Really!?
I would joke about the local fauna, but 
Ditko is not at his best, but I have to admit he’s still got it. That is some Saturn Girl level reaction shot!
Projectra is taken out by the plant, and the rest of the team is busy fighting… fog.
The fog is actually some kind of artificial creature, as discovered by AAAAHHH!!!!
I can see why some Legionnaires find Chameleon Boy’s power creepy because yeeesh.
Eventually the team discovers the headquarters (or maybe I should say the evil lair) of Romdur: the most ridiculous fantasy castle you have ever seen.
Ah yes, the best place to avoid “an absence of air”: the top of a mountain. Famously a place with lots of oxygen to breathe freely. (WTF!?)
And with that mention of someone being afraid of being buried, it can only mean one thing in a Legion story.
That is one clunky exposition dump, Conway. You’re a way better writer than this!
How has Mordru fallen. He used to be able to fight the Legion, the JLA and the JSA combined, and now he’s relegated in such a throwaway story that this ragtag bunch of Legionnaires (which doesn’t include a single real powerhouse) is actually a threat.
Plus who would’ve though that building a castle on stilts would be a colossally stupid idea? Oh wait, that would be ANYONE WITH HALF A BRAIN!!!
And that’s not even the most embarrassing part. It’s the fact that Mordru is even injured by the non-superpowered knight that has been following the Legion!
How long is it going to take before Mordru gets another story where he doesn’t suck? So far the vast majority of his appearances has been embarrassing.
I don’t think I could possibly care about this story any less.
What a bunch of .
Legion significance: 1/10
Avalon does show up again. And I still have no idea WHY, since Orando is infinitely more interesting!
Silver Age-ness: 9/10
Why is there yet another middle age planet when we already introduced a perfectly good one? WTF is Mordru doing here? Why does the Legion have to go through any of this?
Does it stand the test of time? 2/10
This was bad. There’s nothing wrong with mixing genres, in fact I love it when a sci-fi character ends up in a fantasy world… but this is barely a Legion story, and once again a very bad use of Mordru. Saved from a 0/10 from some interesting Ditko artwork here and there, but you can tell he’s phoning it in.
We are legion
21 Legionnaires
6 reserve members
1 on sick leave (Matter-Eater Lad)
1 presumed dead (Ultra Boy)