X-Men MasterworX, Episode 2

X-Lapsed MasterworX, Episode Two

The Essential X-Lapsed, Volume 2
(00:00:00) Tales of Suspense #49: "The New Iron Man Meets The Angel!"
(00:26:25) Strange Tales #120: "The Torch Meets The Iceman!"
(00:40:10) Fantastic Four #28: "We Have to Fight the X-Men!"
(01:14:10) X-Men #7: "The Return of the Blob!"
(01:46:56) Journey Into Mystery #109: "When Magneto Strikes!"
(02:13:59) X-Men #8: "The Uncanny Threat of... Unus the Untouchable!"
Writer/Edits - Stan Lee
Pencils - Steve Ditko & Jack Kirby
Inks - Paul Reinman, Dick Ayers, & Chic Stone
Colors - ???
Letters - Sam Rosen & Artie Simek
Cover Price: 12¢ per

For our second MasterworX compilation, we x-plore the X-Men's first crossovers... having them cross paths with the likes of the Fantastic Four and Iron Man... while Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants has a run-in with The Mighty Thor!

We also advance the X-Men's own story... including an episode that has some sort of weird temporal anomaly... not sure if y'all can help me out with this, but - during X-Men #8, the pages get a bit fuzzy... and the art and writing style changes a bit for a blink of an eye.  Hmm... it's probably nothing important!

All that, plus the original letters pages, the proto-Bullpen Bulletins, and much more!

--

https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

The All-New, All-Different chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

The Essential X-Lapsed, Episode 007 - Tales of Suspense #49 (1964)

The Essential X-Lapsed, Episode Seven

Tales of Suspense #49 (January, 1964)

"The New Iron Man Meets The Angel!"

Writer/Edits - Stan Lee

Pencils - Steve Ditko

Inks - P. Reinman

Letters - S. Rosen

Cover Price: 12¢

Today we head off the beaten path for the first (but not last!) time ever during our dip into the silly Silver Age, with the first X-Men guest-spot outside their own Marvel Mag!

Here we will focus on Angel as he invades an Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense... and also gets hit in the face with an ATOMIC BOMB!  It's a seminal look at the old Marvel Method of hero on hero violence... back before it was something we'd see every month (if not week)!  A fun little story, and I hope you'll check it out!

--

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

X-Lapsed Origins - Amazing Adult Fantasy #14 (1962)

Amazing Adult Fantasy #14 (July, 1962)

"The Man in the Sky!"

Writer/Edits - Stan Lee

Art - Steve Ditko

Colors - Stan Goldberg/Matt Webb

Letters - Artie Simek

Cover Price: $0.12

Waitasec... I thought we were talking about Captain Britain ova hea'!

Well, yeah - we are... and we will be again very soon, but I just couldn't resist sharing this one.  As I say on the air, X-Lapsed Origins is all about discussing seminal moments in X-History that are still relevant today... and well, you can't get much more "seminal" than this story... I mean, it's even referred to (in the slim X-Men Rarities (July, 1995) trade paperback) as: "Marvel's seminal mutant adventure..."

Now, what is it we're going to be discussing then?

Well... Marvel's first mutant!

I... I know what you're thinking -- "that strange man in the super-professional-looking X-Lapsed Origins bubble atop this page doesn't look like Namor", and no, dear reader... he does not.  That's because, at the time this story was produced... Namor hadn't yet been referred to as a Mutant!

Namor may have been on the board since the late 1930's... but, it wasn't until Fantastic Four Annual #1 (July, 1963) that it was suggested that he might just be a Mutant (this Annual, it's worth noting, shipped two months before X-Men #1).  Here, check it out:

Fantastic Four Annual #1 (1963)
Stan Lee (w) / Jack Kirby (a)

So, who in all hells are we going to be talking about today?  How bout I stop vamping so we can dig into the most important (and certainly the most valuable) issue of Amazing Fantasy ever!

--

We open with a young man flying... this is Peter Parker Tad Carter.  Let's learn a little bit about him before we move on, yes?  Ya see, Tad's dad is Brad... and Tad's Dad Brad was irRADiated by his job as an Atomic Scientist.  While he researched, his body would absorb bits of radiation -- not enough to kill, or even harm him... but, it would allow him to pass some unexpected abilities to his Son.  Remember, this is why they call 'em Children of the Atom, eh?

So, young Tad becomes pubescent Tad... at which time, his strange and uncanny powers begin to appear.  He can move things with his mind... he can read other peoples' minds.  His first thought is to try and use these amazing powers to help humanity... in fact, he even tries to think of ways in which he can teach others to do the same!

After class, he decides to try out his powers on his friends... who, at first - find them to be incredible.  Then... they find this whole thing to be a bit creepy.  After all, who wants some weirdo kid pokin' around inside your mind, right?  Before this kid can take a swing at Tad, our hero levitates him... which, ya know - if the other kids weren't freaked out already... they sure as hell are now!

They declare him to be a Mutant... and decide to, ya know... fear and hate him.  Also, beat him up real good.

Before they can, however... they are flung about by an unseen force.  That same unseen force then grabs our hero and yanks him into the sky.

Tad's mind is then filled with the voice of another... a man who promises him that he's not alone.  There are many mutants out there... and, in fact - Tad's on his way to meet them right now!  This voice informs our hero that they are the next step in human evolution... and yet, they stay hidden because the world... ya know, fears and hates them.  Tad cannot understand why humanity would hate them so much... with all the help they can provide, it doesn't make any sense to him.

We wrap up with The Voice (it's not Professor X... or Magneto, in case you might be wondering... though, I doubt you were) telling our lad that humans are too primitive and savage.  Well, he's not entirely wrong, is he?  Mutants will band together and wait... until mankind comes of age.  Or, ya know - the Summer of 1963... whichever comes first!

--

Well, okay... maybe Tad Carter isn't actually the first Marvel Mutant... I mean, there was that guy who popped into his head... and he said there were already many, many mutants.  I guess Tad's just the first Marvel Mutant we were ever meant to actually meet!

I tell ya what... this was something of an eye-opener for your humble host here.  I think many of us have heard the story that Stan Lee originally wanted to launch the X-Men as simply "The Mutants"... but Martin Goodman, or whoever was cashing the checks at the time wasn't keen on it... didn't think anyone would know what a "mutant" was.  He was probably right.

It's clear from this story, however, that Lee was very excited about this "mutant" idea and concept.  It's also clear just how much of the X-Men mythos comes right outta this little five-page ditty.  The "Children of the Atom" being born out of the Atomic age... the uncanny powers... the world that "fears and hates them" -- it's all right here!  Absolutely amazing.

To be completely honest, I wasn't aware of this character until picking up the X-Men Rarities trade out of a dollar box earlier today.  I might just have to turn in my Fake-Ass Comics Historian badge.  What's more, I didn't even pick this up for the "seminal adventure" either!  I snagged it because Generation X is on the cover... and, I thought maybe I might be able to add to my pal Jesse DeJong's Generation X continuity list with something totally new (it's not, by the way... the GenX story included within is just a reprint of the 1994 San Diego Comicon promotional story "Open Volley").

So, we met our hero... now, we ask: where in all hells is Tad Carter, the first Marvel Mutant we were Meant to Meet today?  Is he on Krakoa?  Is he stuck in the Resurrection Queue?  Is he chillin' in Moira's No-Place?  Is he in a jar of formaldehyde at XENO's chop shop?

Well... I don't think we can answer that... all's we can do is talk about what we do know, and friends - it's not much.

Who can we turn to for any of these answers?  Well... I'll answer that question with a question -- can you think of any prominent X-Men creators who loves and appreciates Marvel lore and continuity enough to dig this guy up?

Maybe... John Byrne?

Well, of course John Byrne.

It's been literally a lifetime since I read any of these stories, and I can tell you with 100% certainty that when I did, I had zero idea of the significance of this character.  John Byrne decided to flesh out Tad's story in the pages of... X-Men: The Hidden Years!

Why, he even gave the "mysterious benefactor" in Tad's head a name and story -- he's Tobias Messenger, the founder of a group of Mutants called "The Promise".  This was an idea so groundbreaking that... it's never been referred to outside of Hidden Years.

As for Tad Carter himself... well, he was saved by Tobias and the Promise... and was swiftly thrown into suspended animation!  He wakes up once every decade to try and search for new members of the Mutant Movement... ever waiting for Humanity to "come of age" so they can reveal themselves.

I wonder if he survived M-Day?

These are the things that keep me up nights...

Anyhoo, I hope you enjoyed this installment -- I hope you, like me, learned something new about our favorite heroes!

ACW #642 - Chapter 2 (of 4)

Action Comics Weekly #642 (Chapter II)
"Where There is a Will...!, Chapter II: The Decline"
Writer - Elliot S! Maggin
Pencils - Steve Ditko
Inks - Art Thibert
Colors - Glenn Whitmore
Letters - John Workman
Editors - Mark Waid & Brian Augustyn

Funny thing about this issue... this, final issue.  As I was familiarizing myself with this run back in the early-mid 2000's, I did a usual amount of obsessive internet research.  One of the common things said regarding the procurement of these issues was: Action Comics Weekly #642 will be the only one a would-be collector will have trouble finding.

Turns out, that wasn't exactly the case for me.  ACW #642 might not have been among the first issues of the run I came across... but, I did find it pretty quick... for like 50-cents.  It resulted in one of those situations where I was perhaps a bit too excited to find a particular comic... as in, my level of excitement was befuddling to the dude behind the counter, who saw this is just another crappy DC Comic from the late-80's... and not the "hidden gem" I'd been conditioned to see it as!

It's always interesting when ya experience a little bit of that comictive dissonance when you're collecting a series or run!

Anyhoo, today's Part II of that issue... featuring art from, of all people, Steve Ditko.  If you need to catch up, click'em here for Part I.

--

Chapter II: The Decline opens in the present day.  Hal Jordan is having a sort of homecoming, flying over that same salt flats he'd been summoned to by Abin Sur all dem years back.  Turns out someone has been storing some stolen nuclear materials at a lone farmhouse here.  Hal proceeds to bash through the barn to see what's what... and somewhat surprisingly, doesn't find anything.  At least not right off the bat.  Just then, a couple of goofs begin unloading their pea-shooters in his direction.

Hal's right leg gets winged by a bullet... which is odd, considering his ring is supposed to protect him.  He wonders just why his ring "winked out" on him, but keeps fighting the good fight.  After fighting off his would-be attackers, Hal goes ahead and peels the floor outta the farmhouse... revealing a full-blown military installation below!

As a helicopter approaches, Hal attempts to scan the area for the nukey stuff.  As he makes his way to it, he tries to psyche himself up... and clear his mind of all of his troubles.  Ya know, the Guardians splitting, his love-life woes both with Arisia and Carol.  He thinks his muddied mind might be what's messing with his ring.  Anyhoo, he finds the motherlode of "boom" stuff.

Before he can get a closer look, however, he is approached by Major William Easterly.  Easterly makes it crystal clear that he is the law round these parts, and suggests Hal just "move along" before things get out of hand.  Hal's a bit conflicted... he ain't exactly looking for any trouble, while at the same time... dem nukes are dangerous!

As Hal is marched to the helicopter (in cuffs), he attempts to reason with Easterly.  He tells him that with that much nukey-stuff, there is a big possibility for "nuclear blackmail".  The Major has zero idea what the hero is going on about.  He doesn't have any notion that there's anything "nuclear" going on.  To which, one of the underlings reminds him of his Plutonium stash.  Whoops.

That's all Hal had to hear... he busts out of his bindings, and goes to grab them canisters.  Major Easterly, however, has other ideas... as in, he shoots Hal point blank in the chest.

As Hal lay dying... his ring begins scanning the Earth for his replacement.

--

So, Hal's dead huh?

Well, when the cover copy (which I've obscured with the Action Comics Daily "branding") offers the question "If Hal Jordan Dies... Who Will be the New Green Lantern?", I suppose it stands to reason that Hal's gonna bite the dust.

What a way to go though, eh?  Not in a battle to the death with a supervillain... not having his ring swiped from him in the vacuum of space... not even by sacrificing himself to reignite the Sun... but by a shot through the heart (and Easterly's to blame).  Seems such a weird "ending" for Hal Jordan, dunnit?  Well, I don't wanna bury the lead... but, c'mon... he's gonna be fine.

Now, a question about Hal's winky ring.  He attributes his ring disregarding his safety as a result of his mind being muddled.  His focus being on the Guardians and his love life.  That may very well be the case, but part of me wonders if this has to do with the fact that he's wielding Malvolio's ring.  Was that already wiped away here?  We know that it will get a mention a couple years later in Green Lantern (vol.3) #25 (see below)... but, considering the relative continuity "upheaval" of this era, I gotta wonder if that had already been all but swept under the rug here?

Again... continuity was kind of up in the air here... heck, continuity restructuring is the entire reason we're getting this story (and not the one we'll talk about in a few days) to begin with!  Who's to say?  Certainly not this guy.

So, overall... decent chapter, and I found myself enjoying Steve Ditko's take on Hal Jordan.  There might've been a bit too much in the way of "introspection" and exposition here, but it's all in service of what's to come.

Tomorrow: Chapter III - The Summoning... Who Will Wield the Ring?

Legion of Super-Heroes #274 (1981)

Legion of Super-Heroes #274 (April, 1981)
"The Exaggerated Death of Ultra Boy"
Writer - Gerry Conway
Penciller - Steve Ditko
Inker - Frank Chiaramonte
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Gene D'Angelo
Editor - Jack C. Harris
Cover Price: $0.50

Last week, we witnessed (discussed, even!) the apparent death of Ultra Boy at the hands of Pulsar Stargrave... but c'mon, we know better... right?

--

We open with a decidedly not dead Ultra Boy aimlessly floating through the cosmos.  Elsewhere, the Legion of Super-Heroes are already holding a funeral (before an empty grave)... they sure don't mess around!  Lightning Lad, who we just learned knows a thing or two about dying reads the eulogy, before leading the Legion back to headquarters where Jo's main squeeze Phantom Girl dedicates an Ultra Boy statue in the Legion's Hall of Heroes.

We return to floatin' Jo Nah as he passes through a Sun/solar flare.  He then passes into the view of a yellow spacecraft... which snares him in its tractor-beam and pulls him on board.

Back with the Legion, Saturn Girl approaches Tinya to give her condolences.  Phantom Girl lashes out, calling her concern empty... and even referring to Imra as "the Ice Maiden".   She then recounts the story of Jo's murder while sobbing.  Saturn Girl then helps her by stirring happy memories of her time with Jo... which finally brings her around.

Meanwhile, Jo Nah is splashed in the face with water... quite the rude awakening.  As he pulls himself up, he realizes he's surrounded by quite the gaggle of aliens... and they're looking for a fight.  Ultra Boy lives up to his name, and beats them up but good.

The aliens redouble their efforts and dog-pile the poor lad.  We then meet Captain Frake... the Punky Brewster of space pirates, and she seems to have taken a liking to our handsome Legionnaire.

The next morning, the Legionnaires assemble at their Metropolis headquarters.  Lightning Lad offers Phantom Girl time off if she feels she needs it... she insists she feels okay.  Suddenly a space alarm sounds... there's something going down roundabout the Pluto orbit.

Elsewhere... perhaps roundabout the Pluto orbit... we rejoin Captain Frake as she welcomes a new-look Ultra Boy, complete with a sorta-kinda Puffy Shirt!  He shares with her as much as he can remember about being blasted to atoms at the hands of a certain green-skinned fella... and how he knows the ring that he wears is very important to him... even though it's (conveniently) been melted to slag.  Frake decides to test Jo's invulnerability by blasting him square in the chest with her ray gun... and wouldn'tcha know it, he's pretty invulnerable!

She then asks him to test his strength by punching a stone bust (of herself).  Bada-bing bada-boom... he pulverizes it to powder.  Then... they make out!

We rejoin the Legion as they approach... roundabouts Pluto.  They find a freighter about to be attacked by space pirates, and so Cosmic Boy takes aim and fires off a salvo at a certain yellow spacecraft.  Frake instructs Jo to don a space pirate outfit (which looks like something a radioactive Jimmy Olsen might wear), and take care of their assailants.

On board the Legion ship, Karate Kid responds to the breach... and finds Cosmic Boy has already been kayoed.  He then walks directly into Space Pirate Ultra Boy's fist.  At command, Lightning Lad issues an order for Phantom Girl to intervene... while Saturn Girl stands by, with a rather shocked look on her face.

Tinya responds, suiting up in a pink spacesuit.  She phases through the hull and sneaks up behind the invading space pirate.  She then phases her hands into the "baddie's" back... but gets back-handed before she can fully solidify.

Jo turns and gets a good look at his would-be attacker, and... hmm... maybe some memories begin to stir?  He leaves her laying, and zips back to Frake's ship.

Some time passes, and we join the Legionnaires in the medic beds... seems like they spend a lot of time there!  While her teammates convalesce, Saturn Girl can't shake the feeling that she recognized that invader from earlier.  We wrap up with Ultra Boy laying in Captain Frake's lap... still unsure of who or what he was.

--

Being a long-time Soap Opera fan viewer guy whose wife watches them... ahem... this felt very much like a cosmic version of same.  Having Ultra Boy... an amnesiac Ultra Boy, floating through the cosmos while his friends mourn his passing... that's something straight out of Days of Our Lives... minus the cosmos, of course...

We get the "near-miss" of Jo and Tinya here... which I really dug.  Also, Saturn Girl sorta-kinda knowing what's going down... but her relationship with Phantom Girl is kinda strained... so, is it her place to say anything and risk getting her hopes up?  Really good stuff here!

The S.S. Punky Brewster bunch was pretty fun.  Having Jo take down the crew of geeks was neat... and his unconscious (?) ability to use his "one superpower at a time" when needed was cool to see.  I mean, he doesn't know what his powers are at this point, right?  It's just lucky for him he was able to become invulnerable when Frake blasted him in the chest!

Overall... I'm having a lot of fun checking out this era of Legion.  If I were to pick nits... the Ditko art leaves a bit to be desired.  Reaction shots here felt a bit sterile and unfeeling... I can't help but to think that certain scenes here would have come across far better with added facial-emotion.

Still, though... I'd say this is definitely worth a read!  This issue has been collected as part of the Steve Ditko Omnibus, Volume 2 (2012) and is also available digitally.

--

Letters Page:

--

Interesting Ads:

631

Legion of Super-Heroes #281 (1981)

Legion of Super-Heroes #281 (November, 1981)
"Madness is the Molecule Master"
Plotter - Roy Thomas
Script - Paul Levitz
Penciller - Steve Ditko
Inker - Bruce Patterson
Colorist - Gene D'Angelo
Letterer - Ben Oda
Editor - Mike W. Barr
Cover Price: $0.60

Still being a complete Legion neophyte, it's not terribly often that I get inspired to chat up a book simply from its cover.  In seeing the issue in particular, I couldn't help but to be curious... I mean, it's the Legion... in the present... or, ya know... Smallville in the late 60's/early 70's.

Having a bit of trouble truly "connecting" with stories occurring in the far-flung future (outside of character pieces, anyway), this kinda story might be more my speed.

Cracking it open to find Steve Ditko art is... curious.  I'm sure we'll discuss that more below.

--

We open with a... confused Superboy flying over a field in Smallville.  Ya see, he's not entirely convinced that he's actually Superboy.  Due to what the Legion called a "memory overlay", he believes himself to be Ultra Boy!  He flashes back to showing up in the future under the guise of the hero Reflecto to save the Legion... Jo Nah's main squeeze Phantom Girl in particular.  This was likely Superboy's first trip back to the future since his "conditioning" during Legion of Super-Heroes #259 (January, 1980)... buuuuut, I could be/probably am completely wrong about that.  He continues his flashback... recalling traveling back to the present with the Legion via a Time Bubble... only to get badda-binged by the Time Trapper, which left them stranded in the 20th Century.  Oh, and also... the gang materialized in the middle of an atomic bomb test, so the military is after them as well!

Superboy flies over to a mountain (in Kansas?) and cuts it to pieces.  You might be thinking "that seems pretty pointless and random", and, for the most part you'd be right!  However, he's doing so to illustrate that he can use several superpowers at once (and he's not even wearing a Legion Flight Ring)... meaning, he couldn't possibly be Ultra Boy, who can only use one superpower at a time.

After reassembling (!) the mountain, he thinks to himself that while the Legionnaires might be stranded in the present... relying on his "Ultra Boy memories", he knows he has the power to break the time barrier.  And so, he attempts to return to the future where he can be of aid to the rest of the Legion.  But, not so fast kemo sabe... the Time Trapper's already put the kibosh on all that nonsense.

We shift scenes to the Kent farm house, where the time-lost Legionnaires are holed out.  Luckily Ma and Pa are on vacation... though, hopefully not in the Caribbean.  The gang includes Blok, Lightning Lad, Dawnstar, Karate Kid, Phantom Girl and (in a costume I don't recognize in the slightest) Saturn Girl.  They're all bored, and hungry... and want to hit the town to grab some eats.  Unfortunately, they're all dressed like people from the future... or are covered in rock... or have wings protruding from their back.

There's a sudden knock at the door.  Lightning Lad fears this to be the Time Trapper... but, I dunno... I don't think he's the type'a dude to knock before entering a room.  Saturn Girl scans... and er, looks out the window.  We learn that this is the Kent's nosy neighbor... looking to sell Girl Scout Cookies?  Really?  Okay.  Anyhoo, they answer the door... and the nosy woman sticks her head in... accusing the kids of being up to no good.  They lie and tell her they're in costume to rehearse for a school play... but she's not buying it.

Luckily Clark enters the room, and lambastes her for not acting "neighborly"... unluckily, he forgot to put his glasses on before doing so, which proved to only set her off more that something wonky was amiss.  After she leaves, Clark blames his inattention to detail on his Ultra Boy memories.  Once the "dust" settles, the gang... minus Dawnstar and Blok, head into town to do a little grocery shopping.  I should probably mention that the boys are all wearing Clark's clothes... while the girls are still in their skimpy uniforms.  They're quite the sight.

Heading down Main Street... or whatever it's called, they come to Kent's General Store.  Before them, they see the military has set up camp on the street to try and find Superboy... remember, they "interfered" with that nuclear test upon arrival.  While they plan their next move, the Legionnaires hear a (presumably shrill) voice... it's Lana Lang, and dammit she's got questions!  Having been to the future, she recognized the Legion of Super-Heroes... but isn't sure why they'd be hanging around with Clark Kent.  That is... unless he's, oh you don't think... do you?  They more or less tell her to beat it... and she storms off in a huff.

Back at the Kent house, Dawnstar is... for some reason... enjoying a shower.  While bathing, she hears an explosion.  She and Blok head out to see what's what... and do so right in plain view of the nosy neighbor.

We learn that the ka-boom originated from the Molecule Master, irritating android from the future.  He's making a real nuisance of himself... and cuts quite the gaudy figure to boot.  Clark attempts to use his penetra-vision, er... x-ray vision to take a look into the baddie's head, finding much of it to be encased in (un-see-through-able) lead.  There's another point for him actually being Superboy and not Ultra Boy!

Saturn Girl recalls that the Molecule Master had originally been sent by the Time Trapper to procure a whatzit called the Miracle Machine... and suggests he might be behind this attack as well.  Molecule Master is all "no duh"... and a fight is on!

Things look pretty dire right out of the gate... the Molecule Master appears to have the Legion's number.  Clark decides it's time to "supe up"... and begins doing so right in the middle of the street!  Whoops.  Thankfully, he remembers that Superboy's civilian identity is actually a secret, and so he ducks into an alley to change clothes.  He emerges in perhaps the most Ditko-y panel I've seen in awhile!

After the Molecule Master proved to be able to hold off the heroes one at a time, it's decided (or duh-cided, because really now... this is a no-brainer) that the super kids all attack at once!

And they do!  Causing the baddroid to implode... which sends the Legionnaires flying, right to the feet of the waiting military... who begin snatching them up with the quickness.

We shift down the road a way to Phantom Girl recovering.  She is with a downed Dawnstar and Superboy... and the soldiers are headed their way.  She is unsuccessful in her attempts to rouse her teammates... and worse yet, unable to access her phasing powers to facilitate an escape.  And so, she refocuses... and attempts to transport the trio to her home world of Bgtztl (gesundheit!).  Whattaya know, it works!

We wrap up with Blok, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl being loaded into the back of a truck by the military.  The General Ross looking fella sees a bunch of gears and machine bits (likely the remains of the Molecule Master) scattered, and doesn't think much of them.  We conclude with the Time Trapper celebrating his pending victory.

--

Well, that was certainly fun... and weird!

Not sure why, but I wasn't expecting this to be as "involved" as it was.  I mean, the Superboy/Ultra Boy memory mix-up is pretty interesting, but also kind of obtuse if you're not following along with the series.  Still makes for a fun story though, so that isn't a complaint.

I certainly appreciate how Superboy is acting protective of Ultra Boy's squeeze Phantom Girl... that's a cool and (relatively) subtle way of playing up his Ultra Boy-ness.  Actually... ya know what?  Thinking about it... I really like the way they did this.  Having Superboy test his powers to see how many he can handle at once... using his x-ray vision and noting that he cannot see through lead... all that on top of being there for Phantom Girl... really well done!

Seeing the Legionnaires in the present is often a treat, and not entirely for the fish out of water aspect of it all.  Like I mentioned in the preamble, I have trouble connecting with stories in the future... I feel like there are no (or lesser) stakes... and it feels like it's too easy for things to be "undone" without much in the way of consequence.  Having the Legion in the (nebulous) "present" grounds them for me in a way where I can actually "invest".

We get a bit of "comedy" here... with the classic sitcom nosy neighbor poking about the Kent House.  She came across as annoying as I believe she was intended... though, I'm not sure why she would think Clark not wearing his glasses were a sign that things were wonky.  I mean, as a dude who wears glasses from the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed... if someone were to see me without them, they'd probably assume "contacts" or "must've left them on the nightstand" and not "you must be up to something"... but, whattayagonnado?  She served her purpose... assuming she had one.

Now, the art.  It's Steve Ditko... and perhaps the most Ditko-y Ditko I've seen in quite some time.  While it's a lot of fun seeing him draw characters like Superboy (who I never realized he drew), it just didn't feel "right".  Not sure why... perhaps I'm projecting.  I never saw Ditko as drawing the mainstream characters at DC... always the odd fringe folks.  Maybe that's how people felt when Jack Kirby came over too... I dunno.  It's not bad by any means (though, that panel where Superboy emerges from the alley is a bit "iffy"), but for whatever reason I can't make it "fit" in my own head.  Call it artistic dissonance... call it me being a goofball.  Dunno.

Overall... I had a lot of fun with this issue... more than I'd ever expected.  It's weird, every time I finish with an issue of Legion it's like I can't wait to dive into another... and then I don't for several weeks/months!  I'd definitely recommend checking this out... it's a fun story, and for the novelty of seeing Ditko draw Superboy I'd say it's worthwhile.  This has been collected as part of The Steve Ditko Omnibus, Volume 2 (2011) and is available digitally.

--

Letters Page (featuring Barbara Randall?):

--

Interesting Ads:

622