Legion of Super-Heroes #311 (1984)
by Paul Levitz & Keith Giffen
“Destruction by design”
Kind of a weird cover, since it looks like a zoomed-in panel and the perspective is a little weird.
Said explosion is blowing up Legion HQ, which seems to be a recurring thing with the team… how many HQs have exploded, across multiple continuities!?
Witnessing the explosion with Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel is Flynt Brojj, who you might remember from Superboy #209.
He’s the guy based on real-life Legion fans Mike Flynn and Harry Broertjes, creators of the fanzine Legion Outpost. Kind of weird seeing him pop out after so much time… did something happen in 1984 to the guys he’s based on?
I always forget Duo Damsel was given heterochromia in this period; it’s a trait I typically attribute to her Reboot counterpart.
The explosion is caused by Brainiac 5’s attempt to cure Invisible Kid’s sister from Computo’s possession. Specifically, this is FIFTEENTH try!
Well, in for fifteen, in for sixteen I guess.
This is going to be a rematch from the Annual, with Brainiac 5 having no external assistance this time.
Computo is almost as terrifying as it was in that story…
…but apparently turning into a homicidial maniac doesn’t make you a more effective foe.
This is Brainiac 5 at his best. Few panels distill his character this well.
Despite his failure in curing the girl, Brainiac 5 has made SIGNIFICANT improvements: he’s able to fully isolate Computo very efficiently.
This results in ANOTHER explosion… a recurring theme with Brainy’s experiments… with him being thrown out of the crumbling HQ.
He’s saved from a very nasty landing by Bouncing Boy.
I kind of regret not reviewing this together with the Omen storyline, because this panel would’ve been a perfect description of its ending.
Brainiac 5 does explain exactly what happened. Normally I wouldn’t like this kind of rushed infodump, but this time I think it fits because it goes to show just how fast Brainy thinks.
He basically came up with this in a few seconds at most!
This accomplishes two goals at once: defeating Computo and curing the girl.
That would be a nice ending on its own, but there’s still the matter of the ruined HQ right?
Except Brainiac 5 used Computo to completely redesign the HQ into a new VERY futuristic form, which we are shown in a two-page spread!
Lost in the spectacle of the two-page spread is the fact that Brainy didn’t even plan to use Computo to rebuild it… he’s basically beein doodling the blueprints and gave them to Computo as an afterthought! That’s AWESOME.
And the cherry on top? Brainiac 5 reprogrammed Computo TO BE THE LEGION’S BUTLER.
An appropriate response.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why Brainiac 5 is my favorite Legionnaires.
While this was going on, the rest of the team is returning from the underwhelming Omen storyline, which Wildfire does not care for.
I feel you buddy.
He’s going to miss the rest of the story to star in the second part of the book.
Legion significance: 10/10
This is the end of the evil version of Computo for this incarnation of the Legion, remaining in his new helpful persona: Brainiac 5’s reprogramming was THAT good.
We’ll see Danielle as a kid a couple times, but the reason why this is important is that once she’s grown up she’ll be Legion material. 
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
While I suppose there’s some Silver Age-ness in Brainy’s stuff constantly blowing up, that’d be a stretch.
Does it stand the test of time? 10/10
My bias towards Brainiac 5 is probably showing, I know. It does lower Computo’s threat from being an adversary for the whole team to being defeated by only one Legionnaire, but I think it still works since it’s the payoff of showing Brainiac 5 working on this for multiple issues.
It highlights Brainy’s tenacity and his quick thinking, and turning the omnicidial maniac into his personal servant at the press of a button is one of the most awesome things he’s ever done.
Levitz typically struggles in shorter stories, but at 12 pages (two of which are dedicated to showing off the new HQ) this time he manages to find a good equilibrium.
We are legion
22 active Legionnaires
6 reserve members
1 honorary member (Rond Vidar)
41 people have been members
Interesting letters: did Levitz really plan the whole Shrinking Violet storyline in advance?
The answer is apparently “Kinda?”.
