It’s kind of disheartening to know that teenage cliques will remain alive and well in the 30th century, and few are as snobby as the one on display in SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: VOLUME 1.
Like a malt-shop arm of the Justice League, the Legion is comprised of vibrant Aryan youths with incredible crimefighting powers. For instance, Bouncing Boy can, um, inflate and bounce; Triplicate Girl can, er, divide into three versions of herself; and Cosmic Boy can … well, I can’t remember, but I’m sure it’s awfully keen and strikes danger in the hearts of bad guys everywhere.
The Legion first appeared in ADVENTURE COMICS, when – via time warp – the group recruited Superboy to be a member. And thus is established a template for many, many Legion stories to come:
• The Legion needs a new member.
• The Legion auditions a hero for consideration.
• Hero doesn’t quite pass the test.
• The Legion reveals that actually, yes, Hero did pass the test, because their members pulled some sort of mean-spirited scheme.
• Congrats, new member!
As the years went on – this collection reprints stories spanning 1958-1964 – the Legion stopped being a supporting element for Superboy and started leading their own tales. Membership grows, crazy space exploits are had, and – when the members can tear themselves away from belittling peers not good enough to join their team – villains are conquered.
All of this, of course, is why you should read this SHOWCASE. It’s everything a Silver Age DC title should be: silly, nonsensical and chock full o’ cameos from the likes of Super-Monkey, Super-Horse and Streaky (the cat in a Superman cape). There’s even a stretchable Jimmy Olsen, giving up a sure shot at poon so he can moonlight as Elastic Lad.
As with most titles of this era, it comes with unintentionally funny moments, such as page 373, in which all the female Legion members are shown seated around a table, writhing in pain, and this conversation occurs:
Mon-El: “Every girl in our Legion has become the victim of a strange, crimson virus … and we can’t find a cure!”
Superboy: “This is terrible news!”
Yep, you read right: Even in the 2960s, science hasn’t figured out a way to de-synch menstrual cycles. And guys are still clueless about it. You need no further encouragement to pick this baby up. –Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ELONGATED MAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN ARROW: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HAUNTED TANK: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS JONAH HEX: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE PHANTOM STRANGER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM!: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT: VOLUME 1
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yeah I had to deal with that curse growing up in a house full of women. Nothing like being two years apart from both my younger and older sisters. Sadly I did not have a super power to drown them out.
Nor a super horse, I presume.
Haha! Yes, I got that Crimson Virus joke, too (my buddies didn`t though?!?).
I love the old Legion as drawn by Curt Swan and co. – such a full on blast of nostalgia and innocence (like the early Lee/Ditko Spider-Mans`).
Good review there, dude!