ADVENTURE COMICS 320 (1964)
Writers: Jerry Siegel & Otto Binder
Pencilers: John Forte & Sheldon Moldoff
It’s very strange to see a collaboration both for the writers and the artists; I suppose it’s because of the extensive flashback.
We begin with Superboy dropping by in the middle of the audition of Radiation Roy.
He’s either a tragic figure or an idiot.
Or both… both is a possibility.
As you might imagine, “I can paralyze people around me and I have no control over it” disqualifies him from membership.
The Legion has been working on ways to prevent people from sneaking into their headquarters, from a device that makes humans glow to the Character Analysis Monitor ™.
Turns out that there’s already an intruder: Dev-Em.
He’s a minor Superboy villain, a Kryptonian juvenile delinquent.
We’re shown a rather extended version of his origin story, which includes this gem of a panel: Jor-El wearing a bathrobe and slippers, throwing Dev-Em out of the back door of his house.
Also notable from Dev-Em’s origin story: he escaped from Krypton with his parents by stealing the blueprints of Jor-El’s rocket.
Which means that Jor-El could’ve easily saved himself and his wife if he was as competent as this kid.
Dev-Em ended up in suspended animation until he reached Earth, causing all kinds of trouble for Superboy until he left to travel to the future.
You might think that Dev-Em is here to commit more crimes, but no, he has reformed!
In fact, he’s been recruited from counter-intelligence to capture “Molock the Merciless”.
In a reversal of Dev-Em’s original story, where he disguised himself as Superboy, this time it’s the other way around.
I don’t know what’s going on with the coloring of Superboy’s face.
Considering his name, you might expect “Molock the Merciless” to be a homage to Ming the Merciless. Instead, he looks like Evil Bouncing Boy.
“Dev-Em” (it’s actually Superboy in disguise, remember) manages to convince Molock that he has completed his mission, but Molock double-crosses him.
But instead of grabbing Gold Kryptonite, Molock was fooled by Proty II.
Good job, Proty. I still hate you.
Dev-Em is even offered to join the Legion… but he refuses, being the very first to do so.
Sadly, “I’ll be a three-eyed Kryptonian babootch” won’t become Superboy’s catchphrase.
Legion significance: 1/10
Dev-Em will return a couple of times, but he won’t be a significant part of this incarnation of the Legion.
Silver Age-ness: 3/10
Despite having Gold Kryptonite and a time-traveling Kryptonian (well, ANOTHER one), it’s relatively grounded in established Legion lore.
Does it stand the test of time? 2/10
The story is primarily a retelling of Dev-Em’s origin, which I mostly skipped. What’s left is the story set in the 30th century, which is not particularly interesting… Dev-Em goes from being a zany jokester in the 20th century, to a serious and professional crimefighter in the 30th. Meaning that the original parts are very, very dull.
We are legion
8 Legionnaires active in this story: Superboy, Sun Boy, Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, Mon-El, Saturn Girl, Element Lad
12 not shown but officially members
1 resigned member: Dream Girl
1 honorary member: Elastic Lad
How much Legion is too much?
The Legion currently includes 21 members. The total number of characters who have been members is 22.
Legion rejects: 17
Radiation Roy joins this not-so-exclusive club.
As testament to the fact that the Legion is already surpassing Superboy in popularity, the letters page changes from “The Smallville Mailsack” to “The Legion Outpost” from this issue.
