Legion of Super Heroes: The Early Years Quiz

Answer: Adventure Comics #247

Their first appearance was in April 1958 in Adventure Comics #247. It was 20 months before their second appearance (in Adventure Comics #267, December 1959), another 8 months before their third (Action Comics #267, August 1960), and only 5 months before their fourth (Superboy #86).

Answer: Save a cosmic lamp tower at the South Pole.

While he did all of these tasks during the storyline, he used Lightning, Magnestism and a Mind Reading trick (the powers of the three original Legion members) to fix the tower, after he had already been accepted as a member of the Legion.

Answer: Lightning Lad

In their first appearance Lightning Lad was called Lightning Boy. His name was changed before the second appearance, probably to fit in with the L. L. pattern (Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Lucy Lang etc.) which was a big part of the Superman titles

Answer: Superboy Planet.

As hokey as it sounds, the Legion of Super Heroes created an artificial Superboy Planet, to honour Superboy. Xanthu was the home planet of Star Boy, Saturn the home planet of Saturn Girl (surprise, surprise) and Korbal the planet on which Lightning Lad received his powers.

Answer: Freeing a horrible monster by tunnelling under Smallville.

In fact, Superboy has been asked to destroy the air strip, aircraft carrier and factory by the U.S. president to 'erase all traces of a poison gas too horrible ever to be used'. He did free the monster as well, but only while trying to impress the people of Smallville who had temporarily turned against him.

Answer: Individual jet packs.

While at different stages in their history the Legion used each of the other methods for flight, in these early issues it was individual jet packs which saw them flying around.

Answer: They are the children of the original Legionnaires.

For some reason, despite the fact that the Legion could go backward in time to any period, the writers decided that the Legionnaires who met Superboy could not be the same ones who met Supergirl (many years later). Of course, later in their history this aspect was changed.

Answer: Two asteroids collided.

The asteroids collison would have thrown Superboy and Krypto clear even without Lightning Lad's involvement. Makes you wonder why he bothered going all the way back in time. Mind you, it allows to Luthor to find out about the Legion's existence, and speculate that there might also be a Legion of Super Villains.

Answer: Star Boy

It's Thom Kallor from the planet Xanthu. At this stage his powers are very like Superboy's, but Superboy thwarts Lana by pretending to be in love with Zynthia from the planet Xanthu (Star Boy's actual girlfriend at the time). Incidentally, in another continuity slip Lightning Lad is called Lightning Boy again in this issue.

Answer: Red kryptonite temporarily made her older.

While digging a tunnel through the earth to prevent over-crowding in the skies of the future, Supergirl went past a Red Kryptonite boulder which made her older than 18 (the age limit for Legion members) so someone else joined instead. However, the effect only lasted for an hour or so, but by then it was too late.

Answer: Shrinking Violet

In this issue Shrinking Violet is still only an applicant for Legion membership. Indeed, she misses out because Supergirl is finally accepted. However, Violet will later join the Legion and become a vital member of its Espionage Squad.

Answer: Brainiac 5

Despite her initial mistrust because of his relationship to the original Brainiac, Supergirl becomes close to her fellow Legion inductee. As a consequence Querl Dox (Brainiac 5) goes through years of suffering as he pines for Supergirl (especially after she is killed in the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' series many years later). Questions about Violet's sexuality are only raised much later on in the Legion's history.

Answer: Mon-El

Although Mon-El was from Daxam, he had been on Krypton just before it exploded and befriended Jor-El and Lara (Superboy's real parents). They gave him gifts which caused the confusion, along with Mon-El having lost his memory. When Mon-El turns out to be allergic to lead, Superboy places him in the Phantom Zone until a cure can be found.

Answer: 30th Century

Aah yes, early Legion of Super Heroes continuity. No wonder they needed the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' to sort it all out many years later.

Answer: Sun Boy

Superboy detects the impostor by means of the (hitherto unrevealed) secret Legion of Super Heroes hand shake, although given that Sun Boy wasn't yet in the Legion, and it was a secret, there would be no reason that he would actually know the handshake. This is comics, it doesn't have to be logical.

Answer: The Legion of Super Pets

In Adventure Comics #293 (February 1962,) Streaky the Super Cat, Krypto, Super Horse, and Super Monkey are animals, and hence unable to be controlled by the Brain Globes. The Substitute Heroes don't appear until Adventure Comics #306, the Super Monsters (controlled by Monster Master) in Adventure Comics #309, and The Super Villains are already in prison (from Superman #147, August 1961).

Answer: Whizzy

Best of all, evolution has allowed Whizzy to gain telepathic powers so that he is able to communicate with Supergirl, even if his main concern seems to be to ask for some milk. Evolution apparently can only achieve so much.

Answer: Luma Lynai from the planet Staryl

Yet another L. L. appears in Superman's life. But our Yellow Sun makes her sick, so she and Superman decide not to continue their relationship. Helen doesn't fall for Superman, Saturn Woman is already married, and by the time she thinks of Cleopatra, Supergirl has decided to give up matchmaking.

Answer: #300

In September 1962 in Adventure Comics #300 they began their run as lead feature (ousting Bizarro World). #290 was the aforementioned Sun Boy impostor story, #310 saw Mr Mxyzptlk try and destroy the Legion, while #320 was the first appearance of Dev-Em.

Answer: Matter-Eater Lad

Sadly (he is my favourite Legionnaire of all) Matter-Eater Lad doesn't appear until Adventure Comics #303. Ultra Boy's first appearance is in the last issue before they become a regular feature in Adventure (Superboy #98). Chameleon Boy and Colossal Boy appeared way back in Action Comics #267 (although neither of them actually do anything for a long time).