Legion of Super-Heroes v3 #31

Legion of Super-Heroes vol.3 #31 (1987)
by Paul Levitz & Greg LaRoque
cover by Steve Lighle

“A blast from the past” indeed: this will be an untold story set after the introduction of the Jim Shooter recruits all the way back in Adventure Comics #346.

Our framing device begins with Sensor Girl reminiscing about the old days in the Hall of Heroes at Legion HQ, with the statues of the deceased Legionnaires.
There are only 5 statues left, while I’ve included 11 dead Legionnaires in my count.
I’m fine with most of them being absent… my criteria for including Dynamo Boy are weird, the 20th century members (Pete Ross, Insect Queen and Elastic Lad) are included because there are no more stories featuring them, and I totally understand skipping Nemesis Kid.
But why leave out Kid Psycho? Sure he was only a reserve member, but you’d think the Legion wouldn’t make such a petty distinction!

Invisible Kid II is also visiting the memorial, both because we need Sensor Girl to have SOMEONE to tell her story and because he does have a weird relationship with the original Invisible Kid.

Sensor Girl is the wrong person to talk about speaking with the dead, kid. All the way back in The ghost of Ferro Lad, she DID talk about how that was one of her jobs!

Anyway, that’s our framing device for an untold story.

It’s always a bit weird to see the Adventure Comics days drawn in a modern style.
Also, while Projectra is supposed to be much younger in the flashback, is it just me or that hairdo makes her look considerably older?

Her first mission is to just deliver something to R.J.Brande. Although if you’re going to use a superhero as your own personal courier, what’s the use for the guards?

The package is intercepted by Black Mace, who you might remember from Adventure Comics #374. Although, considering he wasn’t memorable enough to be called by the Legion of Super-Villains, I won’t blame you if you don’t remember him.

Black Mace is a D-list villain on his best day, but there’s a reason if Projectra eventually needed a power-up.

Although she survives being bludgeoned by a mace without a scratch, so maybe she’s tougher than she looks.

Karate Kid and Ferro Lad bump into Bouncing Boy (literally), who agrees to take their place at the monitor board. They don’t tell him they’re rushing to help Projectra.

Projectra reasons that Black Mace is going to sell whatever was in that package off-planet, so they rush to the Metropolis Spaceport.
I find it a little hard to believe there’s only one place with a ship headed for the asteroid belt on the whole planet…

Projectra forces the ship from delaying its launch by… actually I’m not sure what she does. Clearly an illusion, but of what?

Surely enough, someone carrying the package WAS on the ship.

Ferro Lad takes care of him while Karate Kid gets civilians out of the way.

Projectra’s role is… well this IS set in the 60s.

Even Karate Kid is shocked by this. Although I have to say that even on her worst days she might have been as effective as him, but she was never as boring.

Even she is aware that she used to suck. But she says it more poetically than me.

Back to the flashback, Karate Kid saves her with a kick. That’s no joke, we know for a fact that the same exact move can stop and reverse an earthquake.

Since Ferro Lad died so early in his career, we never got a chance to really see what he could do when teaming up with other Legionnaires.

A double reminder that A) Karate Kid was awesome B) Black Mace has always sucked.

Unfortunately the villains manage to escape with the old “endanger civilians so that heroes are distracted” trick.

A least the Legionnaires recovered the package.

Back to Legion HQ, is anyone really surprised that Bouncing Boy was aware of the whole thing?

Yeah she did the right thing calling for help, sure. But she was also completely useless afterwards, so I’m not sure compliments are THAT warranted.

She’s even more confused than me.

Again: it’s a nice sentiment, and it does make sense. But then don’t send Projectra on a solo mission!

Guys, if you’re so impressed by this, wait until you hear who he’s going to marry.

But the flashback is not over, because the thieves return to finish the job.

Time for another run, and this time Projectra is determined to be useful.

Not satisfied with just being the support, she fights Black Mace directly…

…proving to be WAY better at this than she actually was during the Adventure Comics days.

All in a day’s work!

Ooof. That’s a harsh blow at our feelings, Levitz. Well played.

Oh for f##k’s sake, Invisible Kid, you had ONE JOB in this story!!!

I know I’ve been harsh on him before, and I do accentuate this for comedy, but… COME ON!!!

You’re overthinking this, Projectra. He’s been sucking ever since the ending of the Great Darkness Saga.

And so we end our issue with everyone falling asleep. Despite the fact that this has been one of the LEAST boring issues of this volume!

Legion significance: 0/10
A fun trip down memory lane, but we don’t learn anything new.

Silver Age-ness: 7/10
Black Mace’s black mace eventually DOES hurt Karate Kid in the final fight, but Projectra doesn’t get a scratch.

Does it stand the test of time? 10/10
A continuity insert that can be done at any time, but which fits nicely with the character development Projectra is currently going through.
The praise she gets for calling for help is definitely too much, but she does eventually redeem herself. And it’s not like a story in the 60s would’ve gone much differently
I would’ve liked Invisible Kid II to provide SOME insight and generally not just be there to give Projectra someone to talk to, but it doesn’t hurt the story much.
And while Ferro Lad doesn’t get a ton of stuff to do, he was overdue more panel time.
If there were continuity hiccups, I didn’t notice them.

We are legion
23 active Legionnaires
8 reserve members
11 deceased members

Interesting letters: most of the letters talking about the resolution of the Sensor Girl mystery liked it.
A few were dissatisfied with the solution, but nobody was as hardcore as Andrew here.