SUPERBOY 201 (1974)
by Cary Bates & Dave Cockrum
It was only a matter of time before Wildfire showed up again.
After a looooong time, THE AUDITIONS ARE BACK!!!
The Legion must still have some reservations against the auditions, because now the process includes showing them the deaths of previous applicants!
After a retelling of Superboy 195, we find out what REALLY happened to the future Wildfire after his “death”.
His energy, which is invisible to everybody except the reader, tries to go back to the containment suit with pretty bad results.
And speaking of bad results: Porcupine Pete.
And next we have Infectious Lass, with a rather weird power for a good guy.
Also: is that stuff on her costume supposed to be mucus!?
Good thing she never became a villain because that would be a devastating power!!!
While this is going on, the future Wildfire tries to possess the body of Cosmic Boy and discovers that it’s not a possible option.
Final audition: Molecular Master, who has a less ridiculous name and power than Porcupine Pete or Infectious Lass.
Superboy is really growing into The Worst, isn’t he?
Since Molecular Master doesn’t have a Flight Ring, the future Wildfire tries to take over his body. Unfortunately for him, it turns out that SUDDEN ROBOT!
You might think that Molecular Master is supposed to infiltrate the Legion like so many before, but he’s actually designed to poison them with his breath!
There’s a real sense of dread since ERG-1 can’t do anything to help the Legion.
That is one smug android.
Everybody is knocked out by the poison, leaving nobody to stop Molecular Master from stealing the Miracle Machine.
Except, of course…
Molecular Master tries to stop ERG-1 with his giant atom, which turns out to be a very bad idea.
Ah, superhero comics. Where else can you see someone shoot a guy in the face with his foot?
As for HOW he’s back to his containment suit: his intangible energy was pretty useful to access the Miracle Machine! Also note that he used it to turn poison into sleeping gas.
I guess he could’ve also used the machine to give himself a real body, but give him a break, he’s been through a lot in just 2 issues!
And so we end with the Legion discovering that ERG-1 is still alive and still showing off his butt to the reader.
He’ll change his name to Wildfire next issue.
Bonus story: a Dream Girl – Karate Kid team-up!
It’s one of those stories where one of the less powerful members feels inadequate.
This is mostly a Dream Girl story so we HAVE to see her sleeping. Revolutionary for 1974 DC Comics: she’s not sleeping alone!
Remember that at this time they couldn’t even show married couples sharing a bed!
Although I suppose if the Comics Code was okay with what she’s (not) wearing, they were probably relaxing their guidelines already.
Two things of note.
First, the recurring theme of finding out a way to write around Dream Girl’s potentially story breaking power.
Two, Cockrum is one of the few artists who draws Karate Kid as at the very least partially Asian (he’s supposed to be half-Japanese, but good luck figuring that out with most pencilers).
Since she sensed doom in the monitor room, perhaps Karate Kid isn’t the one in danger.
30th century computer technology includes punch cards?
They really are in danger: they are facing a radioactive tornado. (!!!!)
Good thing lightning can stop tornadoes if they are radioactive. (???)
A very weird use of powers, but not as weird as Phantom Girl phasing inside Lightning Lad’s body to protect herself. FROM WHAT, if she’s intangible!?
Also: I sure hope Saturn Girl is okay with this!
(and yes, that is a new costume for Lightning Lad, but we don’t get a good view)
So… a Legionnaire in the room is in grave danger. If it’s not someone on the monitors and it’s not Karate Kid, then…
Nope!
Turns out that, at the beginning of the story, Karate Kid was actually hit by a laser knife!!!
Just how much of a badass is Karate Kid? Enough to be shivved and not feel it for hours!
And yes, that is as Japanese as Karate Kid will ever be drawn.
Historical significance
First story: 8/10
Plenty! Of course we have the return of Wildfire, who will technically join next issue.
Porcupine Pete is little more than a footnote, joining the Subs but without doing much.
Infectious Lass will prove to have much more staying power: she will also join the Subs, but she’ll have a bigger role after the Five Year Gap and get a lot of character development; she’s also a fan-favorite, appearing in several continuities and even has some delightfully weird adventures in the 21st century. Molecular Master will also appear again, and we will learn that he was actually a pawn of the Time Trapper.
Second story: 0/10
Unless you want to count the fact that Dream Girl doesn’t sleep alone. Which, come on, it’s Dream Girl.
Silver Age-ness
First story: 1/10
Wildfire’s energy being able to reach Earth after being abandoned is a little hard to swallow, but that’s peanuts in the Silver Age.
Second story: 4/10
Invisible laser knives and radioactive tornadoes!
Does it stand the test of time?
First story: 9/10
It’s a little rushed at times and could benefit from a couple more pages, but this is a heck of a story.
Second story: 10/10
Perfectly serviceable in any Legion era. Its only weakness is that it’s very short, but you can basically publish it now.
We are legion
24 Legionnaires
3 reserve members: Kid Psycho, Insect Queen, Duo Damsel
4 honorary members: Elastic Lad, Pete Ross, Rond Vidar, Bouncing Boy
1 resigned member: Command Kid
1 expelled member: Nemesis Kid
2 deceased members: Dynamo Boy, Ferro Lad
How much Legion is too much?
The total number of characters who have been members is 35.
Legion rejects: 30
FINALLY I get to update the count, adding Porcupine Pete and Infectious Lass!!!
Interesting letters: the Legion is now in its renaissance so it’s no wonder that the letters page is showing off an outpour of positive reviews and acknowledges the fanzines that were popping up everywhere.
Also one of the first instances of the LONG LIVE THE LEGION motto.
