Legion of Super-Heroes #283

Legion of Super-Heroes #283 (1981)
by Roy Thomas & Howard Bender
cover by Jim Aparo

I have been a harsh critic of Roy Thomas in many stories I’ve reviewed, and his stint on the Legion has been… not great. So it might surprise you that his last Legion story is one of my favorite Wildfire stories ever told.

We begin with Wildfire still training the three Legion wannabes from issue 272 (Crystal Kid, Nightwind and Lamprey).

Last time the two girls didn’t even get the chance to show what their powers are, but Nightwind controls the wind and Lamprey shoots electrical blasts.

These three have actually decent powers, but they don’t make the cut.

Despite his jackass persona, Wildfire is actually rather supportive of these three, making a real effort to encourage them to keep trying.
And also hitting on the two girls.

And his charm works surprisingly well! It’s the helmet, isn’t it?

However, in a surprising moment this triggers Wildfire’s PTSD, which almost gets Lamprey killed!!!

Wildfire feels so guilty that he begins to narrate his extended origin story. And what a surprise, he was a bit of a jackass all along!

He ended up working with Professor Vultan only because he had a hot daughter…

…even though he already had a girlfriend.

With dancing skills like that, he was destined to join the Legion!

He really was in love, though.

All seemed to go well, but this is a Wildfire story so it HAS to be tragic.

The professor has a plan that might save him… but the legality of it is so questionable that the hot daughter convinces him to declare Wildfire dead. His girlfriend doesn’t take the news well.

And so Wildfire gets transferred to the “ERG suit” that literally holds him together.

Wildfire (still named Erg-1 at this point) is bombarded with technical information regarding the suit…

…and then he just breaks. This is gut-wrenching, and Roy Thomas really sells this moment.

Having all the extra powers he had in his first story is a little consolation…

…but he’s still Wildfire.

You might expect him to hit on the scientist’s hot daughter, but remember that he DID love his girlfriend… so he tracks her down to reveal he’s not dead.
AMAZINGLY, this doesn’t work. AT ALL.

So to recap, Wildfire so far has:
1) lost his family
2) lost his body
3) turned his girlfriend into a vegetable

 

It’s a miracle he doesn’t turn into a supervillain!!!

Fast forward a little bit, after his first appearance in Superboy #195 and his return in Superboy #201…

…he goes back to the professor, only to be informed by the hot daughter that he’s dead now.

And why is he dead? Because the ERG suit was originally designed to save the scientist from the very deadly Mentor Figure Disease. So Wildfire also:
4) indirectly caused the death of his mentor

But at least the hot daughter is not TOO far gone, so Wildfire’s plea works.

Also, remember Wildfire’s girlfriend? She eventually came out of the coma and got herself a new boyfriend.

Wildfire still loves her, but figures out that revealing her boyfriend is just a disembodied energy field running around in a person-shaped suit would be too painful.

And that’s the extended origin of Wildfire. After going through THAT much drama, can you honestly blame the guy for having PTSD!?!?

Despite their great start, sadly these three will never amount to much.

It’s a good character examination of Wildfire. He doesn’t lash out because he’s a jackass… well he IS a jackass, but still, he’s far more complex than you might assume.

And if you ever wonder why the Legionnaires put up with his bulls##t… they know all this stuff already.

Honestly, if you can get through this story without wanting to give Wildfire a hug, I don’t think you’re human.

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Legion significance: 0/10
It’s the definitive version of Wildfire’s origin; other than a completely unnecessary brother introduced after the Five Year Gap, nothing has been changed or expanded… or really referenced.

Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really.

Does it stand the test of time? 10/10
I’ll admit my bias: Wildfire is my second favorite pre-Crisis Legionnaire. He hasn’t had much of a chance to shine so far, and he can be insufferable… but stories like this one explore just how more deep and complex he actually is. He’s a very flawed, tragic and angry character, and this story doesn’t shy away from that.
And it’s made even more impressive by the fact that Roy Thomas is writing this! I might give him a hard time, but he can be one heck of a great writer.

We are legion
23 Legionnaires
5 reserve members
1 on sick leave (Matter-Eater Lad)