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Legion of Super-Heroes Archives #5
Legion of Super-Heroes Archives, Vol. 5
Collects tales about the Legion of Super-Heroes and its most legendary member, Superboy.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Edmond Hamilton
1,048 books138 followersEdmond Moore Hamilton was a popular author of science fiction stories and novels throughout the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania. Something of a child prodigy, he graduated high school and started college (Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania) at the age of 14--but washed out at 17. He was the Golden Age writer who worked on Batman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many sci-fi books.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 24, 2022
61-year-old Edmond Hamilton, a giant in pulp science fiction, ended his run on this title, and the regular writing duties were handed over to 14-year-old Jim Shooter, based apparently on unsolicited stories he submitted to DC when he was as young as 13. Oh, publishing was a different time in 1966! Did DC know Shooter's age, I wonder? Shooter was so inexperienced in the ways of comic book publishing that he not only wrote the first few stories, but drew the layouts and blocked out the word balloons, too. Nevertheless, Shooter's stories are at least as competent as Hamilton's, that is to say fairly bland but still worth reading for entertainment. Shooter immediately added some new Legionnaires and new villains that would become central to future stories. Shooter brought a youthful point of view to a team that was supposed to be composed of teenagers, and that helped the title become more relevant to its readers. Also helping Shooter's success was having superstar Curt Swan at the reins of the artwork.
April 4, 2016
The fifth Archive volume of the Legion of Super-Heroes finally sees the first Golden Age of Legion stories. Although prior Legion stories have been entertaining, the Legion finally comes into its own with multiple-part stories, better art, and strong characterization. Most of the silliness is also gone, although there's a fair share of Silver Age madness going on.
I'm not sure what happened entirely, but the first story in this book, "Computo the Conqueror," was written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, who had written many of the prior Legion stories. Siegel takes a sharp turn and starts giving the Legionnaires personalities, largely missing before. The Legionnaires are no longer completely interchangeable, and we even get a (partial) death of a long running member. Computo, of course, was created by Brainiac 5, and this story, where Computo breaks free of his creator's control and runs amok, is the first of many times when B5's creations get the best of him.
In following stories, we see Star Boy expelled for killing in self-defense and the notorious "Super Stalag of Outer Space!" It was Adventure Comics #346, though, that really brought the Legion to new heights: the first story by a thirteen year old boy named Jim Shooter. Shooter, of course, would grow up to be the (in)famous Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, but he got his start scripting and, in some cases, doing pencil art or layouts. Pretty impressive for a 13 year old! The story goes that Shooter's family was very poor, and this was his way to add to the family income to put food on the table.
Shooter's first story was a gangbuster: 4 (!) new Legionnaires, one of whom was a traitor, and the introduction of the Khund alien race. Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad, and Nemesis Kid all made their debuts, but they were a cursed lot, as three of the four were dead by the end of the "classic" Legion age in the mid-1980s. Still, they were a varied lot. Karate Kid had no real powers but fought Superboy almost to a standstill using his martial arts knowledge; Princess Projectra was a member of the royal family on a backwards, medieval planet; Ferro Lad, the Legion's first mutant, hid his disfigured face behind a mask; and Nemesis Kid was possibly the most powerful Legionnaire ever, as he could adopt any power to defeat any foe. Shooter built on previous attempts to bring the Legion into the modern age of 1966 (this issue was cover dated just one month after my birth!), and really added some much needed drama into the mystery of the traitorous Legionnaire.
Next up, Shooter gave Legion readers an origin for Sun Boy, as the villain that caused poor Dirk Morgna to become the super-radiant Sun Boy returns to kill off all the Legion. A lot of Legionnaires were super-powered because they had traits shared by people of their planet (Cosmic Boy came from a planet where everyone could manipulate magnetism, and all the inhabitants of Matter-Eater Lad's home planet of Bismoll - get it? - could eat any kind of matter). So Sun Boy having a specific origin was a nice departure from the norm.
Rounding off this archive is the story that introduced a major Legion villain, Universo, and the boy who becomes an honorary Legionnaire named Rond Vidar. Universo snakes his way onto the team (even though he's "too old!"), and makes the Legion travel through time to catch him, and Rond Vidar is a child prodigy who invented the time cube (not to be confused with the Legion's time bubble; the bubble was a vehicle to travel through time, whereas the cube merely transported a person or object). Universo was definitely a great addition to the cast of Legion villains, and he would reappear before long.
Although Shooter provided art or layouts, this volume is also notable because it's when legendary Superman artist Curt Swan joined the book as primary penciller. Swan was the George Perez for his day, noted for being able to handle large casts, and his backgrounds were pretty good representations of 30th century Metropolis. Although Swan was not fond of the strip, for most Legion fans he's considered one of the top four Legion artists of all time (IMO - Dave Cockrum, Mike Grell, and Keith Giffen being the others). His style was smooth and dynamic, and he helped develop distinctive styles for the Legionnaires.
A great volume of Legion stores. Some of the best ever.
I'm not sure what happened entirely, but the first story in this book, "Computo the Conqueror," was written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, who had written many of the prior Legion stories. Siegel takes a sharp turn and starts giving the Legionnaires personalities, largely missing before. The Legionnaires are no longer completely interchangeable, and we even get a (partial) death of a long running member. Computo, of course, was created by Brainiac 5, and this story, where Computo breaks free of his creator's control and runs amok, is the first of many times when B5's creations get the best of him.
In following stories, we see Star Boy expelled for killing in self-defense and the notorious "Super Stalag of Outer Space!" It was Adventure Comics #346, though, that really brought the Legion to new heights: the first story by a thirteen year old boy named Jim Shooter. Shooter, of course, would grow up to be the (in)famous Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, but he got his start scripting and, in some cases, doing pencil art or layouts. Pretty impressive for a 13 year old! The story goes that Shooter's family was very poor, and this was his way to add to the family income to put food on the table.
Shooter's first story was a gangbuster: 4 (!) new Legionnaires, one of whom was a traitor, and the introduction of the Khund alien race. Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad, and Nemesis Kid all made their debuts, but they were a cursed lot, as three of the four were dead by the end of the "classic" Legion age in the mid-1980s. Still, they were a varied lot. Karate Kid had no real powers but fought Superboy almost to a standstill using his martial arts knowledge; Princess Projectra was a member of the royal family on a backwards, medieval planet; Ferro Lad, the Legion's first mutant, hid his disfigured face behind a mask; and Nemesis Kid was possibly the most powerful Legionnaire ever, as he could adopt any power to defeat any foe. Shooter built on previous attempts to bring the Legion into the modern age of 1966 (this issue was cover dated just one month after my birth!), and really added some much needed drama into the mystery of the traitorous Legionnaire.
Next up, Shooter gave Legion readers an origin for Sun Boy, as the villain that caused poor Dirk Morgna to become the super-radiant Sun Boy returns to kill off all the Legion. A lot of Legionnaires were super-powered because they had traits shared by people of their planet (Cosmic Boy came from a planet where everyone could manipulate magnetism, and all the inhabitants of Matter-Eater Lad's home planet of Bismoll - get it? - could eat any kind of matter). So Sun Boy having a specific origin was a nice departure from the norm.
Rounding off this archive is the story that introduced a major Legion villain, Universo, and the boy who becomes an honorary Legionnaire named Rond Vidar. Universo snakes his way onto the team (even though he's "too old!"), and makes the Legion travel through time to catch him, and Rond Vidar is a child prodigy who invented the time cube (not to be confused with the Legion's time bubble; the bubble was a vehicle to travel through time, whereas the cube merely transported a person or object). Universo was definitely a great addition to the cast of Legion villains, and he would reappear before long.
Although Shooter provided art or layouts, this volume is also notable because it's when legendary Superman artist Curt Swan joined the book as primary penciller. Swan was the George Perez for his day, noted for being able to handle large casts, and his backgrounds were pretty good representations of 30th century Metropolis. Although Swan was not fond of the strip, for most Legion fans he's considered one of the top four Legion artists of all time (IMO - Dave Cockrum, Mike Grell, and Keith Giffen being the others). His style was smooth and dynamic, and he helped develop distinctive styles for the Legionnaires.
A great volume of Legion stores. Some of the best ever.
February 26, 2016
I am a huge LOSH fan. These collected volumes are prefect to be able to go back and read the older adventures of this Silver Age superhero team. Very recommended
July 17, 2020
First off, regular appearance of Curt Swan art in the interiors.... Yay!
Second, this volume is heavy on the hits: we get Computo, the Luck Lords, the Khunds, Doctor Regulus, Universo, and the introduction of Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, and Princess Projecta. The goofy is still present (Bizarro Computo?), but there's more emphasis on characters and a bit more on plot. (After all, this is the volume where Triplicate Girl becomes Duo Damsel due to death.)
Thirdly, the end of this volume brings in wunderkind Jim Shooter on scripts and layouts. The layout change is not my favorite; we move from a nice detailed six panels per page to a more action packed but information light four panels. And there are some strange bits in the story (e.g., Legionnaires using flight platforms instead of flight rings, a strange cover allusion to American weapons). But Shooter definitely brings the excitement.
Second, this volume is heavy on the hits: we get Computo, the Luck Lords, the Khunds, Doctor Regulus, Universo, and the introduction of Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, and Princess Projecta. The goofy is still present (Bizarro Computo?), but there's more emphasis on characters and a bit more on plot. (After all, this is the volume where Triplicate Girl becomes Duo Damsel due to death.)
Thirdly, the end of this volume brings in wunderkind Jim Shooter on scripts and layouts. The layout change is not my favorite; we move from a nice detailed six panels per page to a more action packed but information light four panels. And there are some strange bits in the story (e.g., Legionnaires using flight platforms instead of flight rings, a strange cover allusion to American weapons). But Shooter definitely brings the excitement.
November 15, 2017
Gems include "Computo the Conqueror!" 2-parter, "The Legionnaire Who Killed!", "Evil Hand of the Luck Lords!", "Super-Stalag of Space!" 2-parter, & "One of Us Is a Traitor!" 2-parter.
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August 25, 2017Tanque-Verde Swap Meet
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews