Superboy v1 199
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Contents
The Gun That Mastered Men
Synopsis
Following the defeat of Tyr, Superboy bids the Legion goodbye and returns to the 20th century. But just as he vanishes into the time stream, Legion Headquarters is surrounded by an energy beam projected from space. Only five Legionnaires remain on duty: Brainiac 5, Princess Projectra, Chameleon Boy, Dream Girl, and Star Boy. Brainy, Cham, and Star Boy break out weapons from the Legion Arsenal use against the force field, but to no avail: The Legionnaires are trapped inside their headquarters.
However, Superboy had seen the force field appear just before he entered the time stream; he returns to the 30th century and follows the beam into space, where he discovers that it’s being projected by Tyr’s automated gun-hand, which separated from him before his capture. Superboy sneaks up on the gun-hand in an attempt to destroy it.
Meanwhile, the Legionnaires discover that Tyr has escaped from his cell in the Legion brig. The villain gloats that his gun-hand will keep trying to rescue him until it succeeds. This causes Princess Projectra to doubt that the Legionnaires can win – they are the five “weakest members,” she says. Brainy reminds her that by using their minds and working as a team, they can overcome this crisis.
The force field suddenly disappears, and the Legionnaires rejoice as they see Superboy approaching. They believe he has destroyed the gun-hand. But when Superboy arrives, they are shocked to see that the gun-hand has overcome him and attached itself to him. Now thinking independently, the gun-hand intends to abandon Tyr in favor of Superboy as its power source. Though Superboy strains to stop the weapon, it emits a blast that destroys the five Legionnaires.
As Superboy sinks to the floor in defeat, Tyr appears, wearing a glove coated with artificial kryptonite. He overpowers Superboy, forcing the gun-hand to surrender, its energies spent. But “Tyr” reveals himself to be Chameleon Boy in disguise – the real Tyr having been locked in another cell. The remaining Legionnaires appear and reveal that the gun-hand had destroyed an illusion of them created by Projectra.
As Superboy returns to the 20th century for real, Projectra realizes that Brainy was right: By working as a team, the Legion can overcome menaces too formidable for any single hero.
Key Quotes and Catchphrases
Critique
It’s mildly disappointing that Timber Wolf plays no part in this story (except for a brief flashback). After Tyr robbed him of six months of his life and then used him to try to destroy the Legion, it would have been nice to see Timber Wolf participate in the villain’s ultimate defeat.
But, otherwise, this is a very well done story that makes a significant point that powers and abilities can be useful, even if they don’t appear to be impressive (a theme that plays out in this issue’s backup story, as well). These specific Legionnaires were clearly chosen to illustrate that point. Oddly, however, Dream Girl and Star Boy have very little to do. Dream Girl makes one prediction that tips the Legionnaires off to Tyr’s attempted escape, but Star Boy never once uses his powers. (Dream Girl perhaps makes a second, off-panel prediction. See Errors and Oddities, below.)
It is curious that this story is a sequel to issue #197, but does not immediately follow it. Some of Brainiac 5's dialogue suggests that it does, ignoring the fact that Brainy, Cham, and Projectra had helped save Superboy from the Fatal Five in the previous issue. Perhaps this story was written first, but rescheduled so that that #198 could take advantage of the Legion’s new co-star status by presenting a full-length story.
Another interesting tidbit: Star Boy and Dream Girl are referred to as “Thom” and “Nura” without the omnipresent footnotes reminding us that these are their real names. Perhaps the editor simply forgot to include footnotes this time, but it’s nice that the reader’s intelligence is respected enough that we are allowed to figure that out for ourselves.
Roll Call
Legionnaires
Cameos
- Saturn Girl
- Timber Wolf (both in flashback to issue # 197)
Villains
- Tyr and his automated gun-hand
Planets and Settings
Technology, Gadgets and Other Neat Stuff
- A solar stunner from the moon Titan (the weapon resembles a Klingon disrupter)
- A retro-rifle
- Three unidentified weapons from the Legion Arsenal
Notes
Errors and Oddities
- Brainiac 5 thanks Superboy for being there when Tyr attacked the first time (in issue #197) – but Superboy wasn’t! He had returned to the 20th century before Tyr made his appearance.
- Why is Superboy “long overdue” to return to the 20th century, when he can return to the exact moment he left?
- Sexism rears its ugly head even in the 30th century: Note that neither of the girls uses a weapon against the force field.
- It is unclear why Projectra took the precaution of creating an illusion of herself and the other Legionnaires before Superboy arrived. The most obvious answer is that Dream Girl had foreseen the gun-hand’s victory over Superboy, but this is not explained in the story.
- Chameleon Boy is shown looking through a periscope at Legion Headquarters.
First appearances
This story marks the first appearance of the following characters and recurring key Legion story elements:
- Star Boy’s starfield costume
- Dream Girl’s metallic costume
Powers and abilities
Reboot Reference Kit
Retcon Alert
Other
- As a further indication of the Legion’s growing popularity, this issue takes place solely in the 30th century and features no appearances of Smallville or Superboy’s regular supporting cast (e.g., Ma and Pa Kent, Lana Lang, etc.). Most subsequent issues would follow suit.
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The Impossible Target
Synopsis
While returning from a mission in space, Bouncing Boy is forced to land on a jungle planet, where he is greeted by the son of Otto Orion, the famous hunter who once tried to hunt down the Legionnaires. Blaming the Legion for his father’s death, Orion has decided to hunt down and kill one Legionnaire at a time, starting with Bouncing Boy, whom he deems the “weakest, sorriest, most slow-witted” member. He shows Bouncing Boy an anti-gravity chamber, where he intends to vaporize the Legionnaire with his rifle. But, like his father before him, Orion gives his prey a sporting chance: He allows Bouncing Boy to evade him on the jungle world for one day before coming after him.
When Orion catches up with Bouncing Boy, the Legionnaire formulates a desperate plan and dives into icy spring water. Orion captures him with a grappling hook and takes him back to the anti-gravity chamber. There, as Bouncing Boy floats helplessly in the air, Orion takes aim. But, as Bouncing Boy had planned, diving into the icy water has left him with a cold. He sneezes, causing him to ricochet backwards into the cavern wall. Bouncing Boy then uses his knowledge of angles to control his trajectory until he bounces into the villain, knocking him down and disarming him.
Key Quotes and Catchphrases
Critique
As with the lead story above, “The Impossible Target” explores the idea that every super-power has its uses, even though it may at first seem weak or even silly. This has been a recurring theme of Bouncing Boy’s entire career, and his usefulness has never been better demonstrated than in this story, where he singlehandedly and cleverly defeats a villain.
What makes this story even more meaningful is the fact that Bouncing Boy uses his wits as well as his powers. He formulates a plan and then uses his knowledge of angles to control his trajectory inside the anti-gravity chamber. (It is not clear how he manages to stay on the ground in the final panel, since he is not wearing gravity boots, as is Orion, but that’s a minor gaffe.) The story sends a powerful message about the benefits of developing a talent (metaphorically represented as a super-power) and knowledge without preaching to the reader. It’s the kind of story that best represents what the Legion is all about – even though it features only one Legionnaire.
Ironically (and somewhat hypocritically on the writer or editor’s part), this would be Bouncing Boy’s swan song as a Legionnaire for many years. In the very next issue, he is written out of the Pre-Crisis Legion for good, as part of a house-cleaning effort to discard Legionnaires with less impressive powers (Duo Damsel, Invisible Kid, and Matter-Eater Lad ). How ironic that this fate should befall Chuck after he has just vividly proven his worth as a Legionnaire.
Roll Call
Legionnaires
Feature role:
Villains
- Adam Orion (first appearance; first name not revealed in this story)
- Otto Orion (flashback to Adventure Comics #358)
Planets and Settings
- An unnamed jungle planet
Technology, Gadgets and Other Neat Stuff
- The Legion minicruiser
- Radar-repellor waves (cause objects to bounce off of them)
Notes
Errors and Oddities
First appearances
This story marks the first appearance of the following characters and recurring key Legion story elements:
Powers and abilities
Reboot Reference Kit
Retcon Alert
Other
Reprints
The Gun That Mastered Men and The Impossible Target have been reprinted in the following:
- LSHArchives10.jpg
See also
- Legion Publication History - Other issues published 1971-1978
- Legion Publication History - Other issues of Superboy
- Pre-Crisis Chronology
- Quick index of links to other Superboy v1 issues
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