Difference between revisions of "Adventure Comics 502"

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{{issue
 
{{issue
|era_color=#cccccc
+
|era=precrisis
|issue=''Adventure Comics'' #502
+
|reprint=y
|image=[[Image:Adventure502.jpg|250px]]
+
|series=Adventure Comics|issue_no=502
|caption=Cover by [[Ed Hannigan]] and [[Klaus Janson]]
+
|image=[[File:Adventure502.jpg|250px|Cover artwork by Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson]]
|era=Pre-Crisis (reprints)
+
|caption=Cover artwork by Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson.|previous=[[Adventure Comics 501|''Adventure Comics'' #501]] (previous chronological reprints)
|story_title=Various
 
|previous=[[Adventure Comics 501|''Adventure Comics'' #501]] (previous chronological reprints)
 
 
|next=[[Adventure Comics 503|''Adventure Comics'' #503]] (next chronological reprints)
 
|next=[[Adventure Comics 503|''Adventure Comics'' #503]] (next chronological reprints)
 +
|publication_date=[[May 5]], 1983
 
|cover_date=August 1983
 
|cover_date=August 1983
|series_color=#c0c0c0
+
|writer=[[Edmond Hamilton]]
|writers=n/a
+
|penciller=[[John Forte]]
|pencillers=n/a
+
|inker=John Forte
|inkers=n/a
+
|letterer=[[Milton Snapinn]]
|letterers=n/a
+
|colorists=???
|colorists=n/a
+
|editor=[[Nicola Cuti]] (reprint), [[Mort Weisinger]] (original material)
|editors=[[Nicola Cuti]]
+
|cover_artists=[[Ed Hannigan]], [[Klaus Janson]]
|cover_artists=[[Ed Hannigan]] and [[Klaus Janson]]
 
 
}} __TOC__
 
}} __TOC__
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
 
Adventure Comics was the birthplace of the Legion and its longtime home. After almost 500 issues of publication, it became primarily a series of reprints. Featured each month was a chronological re-presentation of the Legion's earliest tales, two in each issue, beginning with their first appearance.
 
Adventure Comics was the birthplace of the Legion and its longtime home. After almost 500 issues of publication, it became primarily a series of reprints. Featured each month was a chronological re-presentation of the Legion's earliest tales, two in each issue, beginning with their first appearance.
  
==Reprinted material==
+
==Reprinted Legion stories==
Original publication source is noted for each.  
+
{|border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
 +
|-
 +
|valign="top"|[[File:Adventure316.jpg|30px|Cover art by Curt Swan (pencils) and George Klein (inks)]]
 +
|1st reprint of '''The Renegade Super-Hero!''' – [[Adventure Comics 316|''Adventure Comics'' #316]] - [[November 27]], 1963
 +
|-
 +
|valign="top"|[[File:BlankCover.jpg|30px|Cover art by Curt Swan (pencils) and George Klein (inks)]]
 +
|1st reprint of '''The Menace of Dream Girl!''' – [[Adventure Comics 317|''Adventure Comics'' #317]] - [[December 26]], 1963
 +
|}
  
 +
 +
==Other Stories in this Issue==
 +
This digest also contains additional stories with no Legion content, including:
 
*Plastic Man, untitled story - ''Adventure Comics'' #470 (April, 1980)
 
*Plastic Man, untitled story - ''Adventure Comics'' #470 (April, 1980)
*The Legion in "The Renegade Super-Hero!" – [[Adventure Comics 316|''Adventure Comics'' #316]] (January, 1964)
 
 
*Captain Marvel and "The Human Hawks" – ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #143 (April, 1953)
 
*Captain Marvel and "The Human Hawks" – ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #143 (April, 1953)
 
*The Spectre in "The Parchment of Power Perilous" – ''The Spectre'' #8 (January/February, 1969)
 
*The Spectre in "The Parchment of Power Perilous" – ''The Spectre'' #8 (January/February, 1969)
 
*Aquaman in "The City on the Edge of Nowhere" – ''Aquaman'' #50 (March/April, 1970)
 
*Aquaman in "The City on the Edge of Nowhere" – ''Aquaman'' #50 (March/April, 1970)
 
*Zatana, untitled story - ''Adventure Comics'' #413 (December, 1971)
 
*Zatana, untitled story - ''Adventure Comics'' #413 (December, 1971)
*The Legion in "The Menace of Dream Girl!" – [[Adventure Comics 317|''Adventure Comics'' #317]] (February, 1964)
+
 
  
 
==The Story Behind the Stories==
 
==The Story Behind the Stories==
Line 37: Line 44:
 
:''We all have our favorite stories, and this issue our chronological reprinting of the Legion comes to two of this writer's favorites. Both are written by [[Edmond Hamilton|Ed Hamilton]] and illustrated by [[John Forte]], and represent some of their best work on the series.''
 
:''We all have our favorite stories, and this issue our chronological reprinting of the Legion comes to two of this writer's favorites. Both are written by [[Edmond Hamilton|Ed Hamilton]] and illustrated by [[John Forte]], and represent some of their best work on the series.''
  
:''"The Renegade Super-Hero" ([[Adventure Comics 316|ADVENTURE COMICS #316]], January, 1964) is a landmark issue on several counts...most importantly, it's the first time the Legion ever appeared as the sole feature in a comic. The 19-page lead was backed-up by a special feature listing origins and powers for all the members, an expansion of the same feature from [[Superman Annual v1 4|an early SUPERMAN ANNUAL]]. The story was the first major treatment of [[Ultra Boy/Pre-Crisis|Ultra Boy]] since his introduction, and began the relationship between Ultra Boy and [[Phantom Girl/Pre-Crisis|Phantom Girl]] which has turned into one of the Legion's great romances.''
+
:''"The Renegade Super-Hero" ([[Adventure Comics 316|ADVENTURE COMICS #316]], January, 1964) is a landmark issue on several counts...most importantly, it's the first time the Legion ever appeared as the sole feature in a comic. The 19-page lead was backed-up by a special feature listing origins and powers for all the members, an expansion of the same feature from [[Superman v1 Annual 4|an early SUPERMAN ANNUAL]]. The story was the first major treatment of [[Ultra Boy/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Ultra Boy]] since his introduction, and began the relationship between Ultra Boy and [[Phantom Girl/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Phantom Girl]] which has turned into one of the Legion's great romances.''
  
:''Two other developments in this issue are worth noting: the off-hand introduction of [[Proty II/Pre-Crisis|Proty Two]] in the opening scenes of the story, and the scene of the Legionnaires in council at the bottom of page six, which is the most reprinted panel in Legion history. How so, you ask? It was used as the letter column heading when the "[[Legion Outpost/letter column|Legion Outpost]]" title was introduced (at this point the letter column was still "Smallville Mailsack").''
+
:''Two other developments in this issue are worth noting: the off-hand introduction of [[Proty II/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Proty Two]] in the opening scenes of the story, and the scene of the Legionnaires in council at the bottom of page six, which is the most reprinted panel in Legion history. How so, you ask? It was used as the letter column heading when the "[[Legion Outpost/Letter column|Legion Outpost]]" title was introduced (at this point the letter column was still "Smallville Mailsack").''
  
:''"The Menace of Dream Girl" ([[Adventure Comics 317|ADVENTURE COMICS #317]], February, 1964) continued the trend of making the Legion the dominant feature in ADVENTURE. [[Superboy/Kal-El/Pre-Crisis|Superboy]] returned as the star of the back-up tale, but now they would be "Hall of Fame" reprints. There was no question at last that this was the Legion's book.''
+
:''"The Menace of Dream Girl" ([[Adventure Comics 317|ADVENTURE COMICS #317]], February, 1964) continued the trend of making the Legion the dominant feature in ADVENTURE. [[Superboy/Kal-El/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Superboy]] returned as the star of the back-up tale, but now they would be "Hall of Fame" reprints. There was no question at last that this was the Legion's book.''
  
:''The story introduced [[Dream Girl/Pre-Crisis|Dream Girl]] who returned [[Adventure Comics 350|several years later]] as a team member, and sparked the romance between her and [[Star Boy/Pre-Crisis|Star Boy]], which still continues. It also served to re-introduce Star Boy, who had been off on detached duty of some sort since [[Adventure Comics 282|his introduction]]. This was the first story in which his powers were shown as their modern version - the ability to make things super-heavy - rather than their original Suberboy-clone abilities.''
+
:''The story introduced [[Dream Girl/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Dream Girl]] who returned [[Adventure Comics 350|several years later]] as a team member, and sparked the romance between her and [[Star Boy/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Star Boy]], which still continues. It also served to re-introduce Star Boy, who had been off on detached duty of some sort since [[Adventure Comics 282|his introduction]]. This was the first story in which his powers were shown as their modern version - the ability to make things super-heavy - rather than their original Superboy-clone abilities.''
  
:''The [[Time Trapper/Pre-Crisis|Time Trapper]] made his debut in this story as well, and went on to become the heavyweight villain of the early stories...though mostly by implication, as his actual appearances were brief.''
+
:''The [[Time Trapper#Pre-Crisis|Time Trapper]] made his debut in this story as well, and went on to become the heavyweight villain of the early stories...though mostly by implication, as his actual appearances were brief.''
  
:''One last noteworthy bit is the change in [[Light Lass/Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lass']] powers - a clear necessity since [[Lightning Lad/Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lad's]] revival - both to serve the [[Legion Constitution/Pre-Crisis|Legion constitution's]] requirement for unique powers and story points.''
+
:''One last noteworthy bit is the change in [[Light Lass/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lass]]' powers - a clear necessity since [[Lightning Lad/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lad's]] revival - both to serve the [[Legion Constitution/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Legion Constitution's]] requirement for unique powers and story points.''
  
:''Finally, I'd like to mention a letter from Ken Eade of Campbell Rover, British Columbia in Canada. He points out that several stories are mentioned in the [[Overstreet Price Guide|Price Guide]] as being early Legion appearances but have been eliminated from our reprint series. That's true, but we disagree with the Price Guide...the issues in question do include appearances by the Legion or Legionnaires, but in cameo roles where they don't really contribute to the stories. Obviously, that's an opinion, but we had to draw the line somewhere. For die-hard collectors' use, here's Ken's list: [[Superman v1 149|SUPERMAN #149]] (Legionnaires appear for one panel as mourners at Superman's funeral in Imaginary story); [[Superboy v1 93|SUPERBOY #93]] ([[Chameleon Boy/Pre-Crisis|Chameleon Boy]] appears in a couple of panels filling in for Clark Kent to save Superboy's identity); [[Superman Annual v1 4|SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4]] (two pages of pictures of the Legionnaires with a half-page text on origins); [[Action Comics 284|ACTION #284]] ([[Mon-El/Pre-Crisis|Mon-El]] appears in [[Phantom Zone]]); [[Action Comics 285|ACTION #285]] (LSH appears in four panels so [[Brainiac Five/Pre-Crisis|Brainiac]] can send [[Supergirl/Pre-Crisis|Supergirl]] a shrinking ray); [[Superman v1 152|SUPERMAN #152]] (LSH cameos as givers of robot gifts to Superman - debatably the closest to a true LSH appearance of the batch); [[Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane 33|LOIS LANE #33]] ([[Lois Lane|Lois]] meets Mon-El in the Phantom Zone); [[Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen 62|JIMMY OLSEN #62]] (Mon-El in Phantom Zone again); [[Superman v1 155|SUPERMAN #155]] (cameo by [[Adult Legion|Adult Legionnaires]] as part of hoax). If you'd like to see one or more of these tales, write in and let editor [[Nicola Cuti|Nick Cuti]] know!''
+
:''Finally, I'd like to mention a letter from Ken Eade of Campbell Rover, British Columbia in Canada. He points out that several stories are mentioned in the [[Overstreet Price Guide|Price Guide]] as being early Legion appearances but have been eliminated from our reprint series. That's true, but we disagree with the Price Guide...the issues in question do include appearances by the Legion or Legionnaires, but in cameo roles where they don't really contribute to the stories. Obviously, that's an opinion, but we had to draw the line somewhere. For die-hard collectors' use, here's Ken's list: [[Superman v1 149|SUPERMAN #149]] (Legionnaires appear for one panel as mourners at Superman's funeral in Imaginary story); [[Superboy v1 93|SUPERBOY #93]] ([[Chameleon Boy/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Chameleon Boy]] appears in a couple of panels filling in for Clark Kent to save Superboy's identity); [[Superman v1 Annual 4|SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4]] (two pages of pictures of the Legionnaires with a half-page text on origins); [[Action Comics v1 284|ACTION #284]] ([[Mon-El/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Mon-El]] appears in [[Phantom Zone]]); [[Action Comics v1 285|ACTION #285]] (LSH appears in four panels so [[Brainiac 5/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Brainiac]] can send [[Supergirl/Kara Zor-El/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Supergirl]] a shrinking ray); [[Superman v1 152|SUPERMAN #152]] (LSH cameos as givers of robot gifts to Superman - debatably the closest to a true LSH appearance of the batch); [[Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane 33|LOIS LANE #33]] ([[Lois Lane|Lois]] meets Mon-El in the Phantom Zone); [[Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen 62|JIMMY OLSEN #62]] (Mon-El in Phantom Zone again); [[Superman v1 155|SUPERMAN #155]] (cameo by [[Adult Legion]]naires as part of hoax). If you'd like to see one or more of these tales, write in and let editor [[Nicola Cuti|Nick Cuti]] know!''
  
 
::'' – Paul Levitz''
 
::'' – Paul Levitz''
  
 +
 +
{{Prevnext
 +
|era=precrisis
 +
|reprint=y
 +
|series=Adventure Comics|issue_no=502
 +
|prev_continuity=[[Adventure Comics 501|''Adventure Comics'' #501]]
 +
|next_continuity=[[Adventure Comics 503|''Adventure Comics'' #503]]
 +
|prev_series=[[Adventure Comics 501|''Adventure Comics'' #501]]
 +
|next_series=[[Adventure Comics 503|''Adventure Comics'' #503]]
 +
|prev_publication=[[Legion of Super-Heroes v2 301|''Legion of Super-Heroes'' v2 #301]]
 +
|next_publication=[[Legion of Super-Heroes v2 302|''Legion of Super-Heroes'' v2 #302]]
 +
}}
 +
 +
[[Category:Adventure Comics (Pre-Crisis) issues]]
 
[[Category:Reprints (Pre-Crisis)]]
 
[[Category:Reprints (Pre-Crisis)]]

Latest revision as of 14:35, 4 November 2012

Adventure Comics #502
Preboot » Pre-Crisis
Reprint
Cover artwork by Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson
Cover artwork by Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson.
Previous story Adventure Comics #501 (previous chronological reprints)
Next story Adventure Comics #503 (next chronological reprints)
Publication date May 5, 1983
Cover date August 1983
Creators
Writer Edmond Hamilton
Penciller John Forte
Inker John Forte
Letterer Milton Snapinn
Colourist(s) ???
Editor Nicola Cuti (reprint), Mort Weisinger (original material)
Cover artist(s) Ed Hannigan, Klaus Janson

Background

Adventure Comics was the birthplace of the Legion and its longtime home. After almost 500 issues of publication, it became primarily a series of reprints. Featured each month was a chronological re-presentation of the Legion's earliest tales, two in each issue, beginning with their first appearance.

Reprinted Legion stories

Cover art by Curt Swan (pencils) and George Klein (inks) 1st reprint of The Renegade Super-Hero!Adventure Comics #316 - November 27, 1963
Cover art by Curt Swan (pencils) and George Klein (inks) 1st reprint of The Menace of Dream Girl!Adventure Comics #317 - December 26, 1963


Other Stories in this Issue

This digest also contains additional stories with no Legion content, including:

  • Plastic Man, untitled story - Adventure Comics #470 (April, 1980)
  • Captain Marvel and "The Human Hawks" – Captain Marvel Adventures #143 (April, 1953)
  • The Spectre in "The Parchment of Power Perilous" – The Spectre #8 (January/February, 1969)
  • Aquaman in "The City on the Edge of Nowhere" – Aquaman #50 (March/April, 1970)
  • Zatana, untitled story - Adventure Comics #413 (December, 1971)


The Story Behind the Stories

The two Legion reprints included in each issue of the digest-sized Adventure Comics were the feature attraction. As an added bonus to Legion fans, a running commentary about that issue's reprinted Legion stories was provided each month by Paul Levitz, who was the writer of the Legion's current series while the Adventure digests were being produced. Years later, these commentaries are the primary point of interest (other than the reprinted stories themselves), so the full text is provided below:

We all have our favorite stories, and this issue our chronological reprinting of the Legion comes to two of this writer's favorites. Both are written by Ed Hamilton and illustrated by John Forte, and represent some of their best work on the series.
"The Renegade Super-Hero" (ADVENTURE COMICS #316, January, 1964) is a landmark issue on several counts...most importantly, it's the first time the Legion ever appeared as the sole feature in a comic. The 19-page lead was backed-up by a special feature listing origins and powers for all the members, an expansion of the same feature from an early SUPERMAN ANNUAL. The story was the first major treatment of Ultra Boy since his introduction, and began the relationship between Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl which has turned into one of the Legion's great romances.
Two other developments in this issue are worth noting: the off-hand introduction of Proty Two in the opening scenes of the story, and the scene of the Legionnaires in council at the bottom of page six, which is the most reprinted panel in Legion history. How so, you ask? It was used as the letter column heading when the "Legion Outpost" title was introduced (at this point the letter column was still "Smallville Mailsack").
"The Menace of Dream Girl" (ADVENTURE COMICS #317, February, 1964) continued the trend of making the Legion the dominant feature in ADVENTURE. Superboy returned as the star of the back-up tale, but now they would be "Hall of Fame" reprints. There was no question at last that this was the Legion's book.
The story introduced Dream Girl who returned several years later as a team member, and sparked the romance between her and Star Boy, which still continues. It also served to re-introduce Star Boy, who had been off on detached duty of some sort since his introduction. This was the first story in which his powers were shown as their modern version - the ability to make things super-heavy - rather than their original Superboy-clone abilities.
The Time Trapper made his debut in this story as well, and went on to become the heavyweight villain of the early stories...though mostly by implication, as his actual appearances were brief.
One last noteworthy bit is the change in Lightning Lass' powers - a clear necessity since Lightning Lad's revival - both to serve the Legion Constitution's requirement for unique powers and story points.
Finally, I'd like to mention a letter from Ken Eade of Campbell Rover, British Columbia in Canada. He points out that several stories are mentioned in the Price Guide as being early Legion appearances but have been eliminated from our reprint series. That's true, but we disagree with the Price Guide...the issues in question do include appearances by the Legion or Legionnaires, but in cameo roles where they don't really contribute to the stories. Obviously, that's an opinion, but we had to draw the line somewhere. For die-hard collectors' use, here's Ken's list: SUPERMAN #149 (Legionnaires appear for one panel as mourners at Superman's funeral in Imaginary story); SUPERBOY #93 (Chameleon Boy appears in a couple of panels filling in for Clark Kent to save Superboy's identity); SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4 (two pages of pictures of the Legionnaires with a half-page text on origins); ACTION #284 (Mon-El appears in Phantom Zone); ACTION #285 (LSH appears in four panels so Brainiac can send Supergirl a shrinking ray); SUPERMAN #152 (LSH cameos as givers of robot gifts to Superman - debatably the closest to a true LSH appearance of the batch); LOIS LANE #33 (Lois meets Mon-El in the Phantom Zone); JIMMY OLSEN #62 (Mon-El in Phantom Zone again); SUPERMAN #155 (cameo by Adult Legionnaires as part of hoax). If you'd like to see one or more of these tales, write in and let editor Nick Cuti know!
– Paul Levitz


« Previous    Next »Adventure Comics #502
Reprint
Adventure Comics #501 
By continuity
Adventure Comics #503

Adventure Comics #501 
By series
Adventure Comics #503

Legion of Super-Heroes v2 #301 
By publication
Legion of Super-Heroes v2 #302