RETRO REVIEW will look back at Legion tales of the 60s. Everyone is encouraged to pull out your back issues or archives and post comments on the topic issue!
ADVENTURE # 368
"The Mutiny of the Super-Heroines!"
First and only appearance of Thora of Taltar.
The issue starts out with Karate Kid and Superboy doing a little practice drill, but the Legion is called into action when Thora-- a visiting ambassador from the recently contaced planet Taltar-- is placed in peril when her ships' engine fails.
Star Boy is so shocked to see a femme ambassador, he utters this little gem: "Gasp! The AMBASSADOR... a WOMAN!" Eventually Thom learned to speak complete sentences, but that's another thread altogether.
Anyhoo, the chick Legionnaires find their powers beefed and brains controlled by Thora, who wants Earth to be a matriarchal society like Taltar.
The girls delight in making buffoons of the boys for several pages, but it is LIGHT LASS who first uses her powers in anger against the boys. Possibly because she's got a twin brother and an older brother and was raised fighting boys?
Supergirl discovers what's up with Thora-- because we all know it has to be a member of the Super-Family that saves the day-- and thwarts her evil plans, as Supergirl was wont to do.
Thora commits suicide by swallowing poison kept in a fake tooth and Brainiac 5 lets everyonw know that Taltar has overthrown it's Matriarchal system during Thora's absence, because everyone knows silly girls are only good for one thing... shopping!
MAKE IT SOUND FUTURISTIC DEPT.
Thora mentions the UP's "robot space probes" that had recently contacted her planet.
Tinya, ever the domestic, makes use of a "robo-sewing machine".
Thora's quite the artiste with her "ray-chisel".
Brainiac 5 assumes the girls have contracted a "rare space disease" at first.
ALLITERATIVES
Ultra Boy uses the following: 'Spinning Stars!' and 'Swirling Satellites!'
Noteworthy:
The Curt Swan art is delightful as always, but he leaves off both Thom and Jo's chest emblems in separate panels, not like him to do that.
The one Legionnaire who might have saved Thora is absent from the story. Element Lad could have turned the poison into oxygen.
Did the UP re-think its Robot Space Probe policy after this fiasco? Perhaps they weren't so quick to contact unknown cvilizations after this.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
I've always thought that one of the most interesting scenes in this issue was the one where the girls are sitting around talking about enslaving the males, and Shady picks Brainiac Five as her slave. Is this an intentional reference to her crush on Brainy from her first appearance?
Posted by MLLASH on :
I believe it is, Eryk.
Duo Damsel notes in the very next issue that Shady realized her crush on Brainiac would go nowhere with Supergirl in the picture, explaining her putting the mack on Mon-El.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: Duo Damsel notes in the very next issue that Shady realized her crush on Brainiac would go nowhere with Supergirl in the picture, explaining her putting the mack on Mon-El.
That's probably Luornu being catty. While Tasmia may be been attracted to Brainy initially, her feelings for Mon-El were genuine, I believe, as attested by their long relationship and eventual marriage (while he was dying, no less).
Fun review, Lash. Keep 'em coming.
This was one of the first ADVENTURE issues I ever read. It was owned by a friend of mine who graciously gave it to me when he moved away. So, it's hard for me to separate the fond feelings I have for the manner in which I acquired it from the inherent silliness and old fashioned values of some of it. (This is the future, and Star Boy is surprised that a woman could be an amabassador? One can only wonder what he later made of Marte Allon.)
Thora, with her Moe haircut and anti-male bias, seemed intimidating to me when I first read it. The story also played on some pre-adolescent insecurities of mine: Boys don't like being picked on, especially by girls. But, in the end, it is a girl (albeit, a supergirl) who saves the day, proving once again that love conquers all ... or something like that.
Posted by Fat Cramer on :
Too bad they didn't pursue that aspect of Shadow Lass thinking Brainiac 5 needed some "re-educating" in future issues - I don't recall any such attitude from her in following stories. She was the only one in the story who targeted a specific guy - Supergirl fought against Superboy, but that was a natural given their powers. There was also a fight scene with Saturn Girl socking Lightning Lad in the jaw and Projectra elbowing Karate Kid in the chest - wonder if that was intentional - I forget who paired off with whom at what point in Legion history.
Great review, Lash - with some unique perspectives!
Posted by The Man From Cargg on :
I remember a real "heart in mouth" reaction to the panel that showed Duo Damsel chatting with her 3rd self. At first I thought that her 3rd body had come back from the dead - but then the kicker - Lu was now able to multiply herself many times over. I always thought that was a very clever set-up - to tease us with the 3rd body before revealing the truth of the matter.
Posted by jimgallagher on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: Noteworthy:
The Curt Swan art is delightful as always, but he leaves off both Thom and Jo's chest emblems in separate panels, not like him to do that.
Curt also committed another art omission in that issue. Much to my chagrin, given my fondness for the Legion figurines, he omitted Shadow Lass from the girl statuettes used as voodoo dolls by Thora.
Posted by MLLASH on :
One other thing I wanted to note about Swan's wonderful art-- once the girls have decided to revolt, there is a panel of Supergirl, Shadow Lass and Projectra. Swan has given them the mot deliciously charming evil grins.
I'm not sure who inked this issue, but Swan's art is so clean and crisp. Unlike the Mordru 2-parter the next 2 issues with inks that seem to be by Jack Abel. That 2-parter is darker and heavier and fits the story well.
Posted by MLLASH on :
A little bump to co-incide with the second RETRO REVIEW.
Posted by deanlegion on :
I have to re-read this story in order to give a good response/review. I'll be back!
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I don't own this story yet
But it's great hearing about it from you, Lash !
Imra decking Garth? Poppin' planets! The diva strikes again!
Posted by Jorge Martinez on :
MLLASH love the retro reviews! great job!
Posted by MLLASH on :
And now I'm bumping it 3 years later so YOU can give us one, Jorge!
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
Adventure Comics # 357
"The Ghost of Ferro Lad"
This issue we get the first appearance of a Controller!
Superboy, Cosmic Boy, Princess Projectra, and Sun Boy go pay their respects to Ferro Lad on Shanghalla. These were the members that were part of the Fatal Five/Sun Eater story.
These same five members being seeing visions/dreams of Ferro Lad's ghost. They panic a bit and call Brainy along with Saturn Girl for help. Brainy ofcourse things this is insane and suspects Projectra. But he proven wrong when he notices the members seeing the ghost and Saturn Girl confirms they believe they are seeing it.
Projectra decides to have a seance. Ferro Lad appears and blames the Legionnaires for his death. He tells them they must banish themselves. So they do. Brainy believes the Legion cannot survive without these members and sends a mass message to the others to disband.
Superboy is then kidnapped by a Controller who has him in some type of stasis ray making him immobile. "Somehow" Superboy's Legion ring sends a distress call to the other Legionnaires who show up in a panel. The Controller goes to use some more of his machinations to defeat the Legion but a "voice" tells him to stop. The Controller dies of a heart attack/fear. We see Ferro Lad's ghost walk the hall way and the narrator suggests maybe the ghost sent the distress call.
Why I liked this? Well I like that right after Ferro Lad's death they have a few issues to follow up to such a powerful story. The Adult Legion story and now the Ferro Lad's Ghost story rock! Readers must have been loving this at the time. The artist makes Ferro Lad look great as well.
Also the scene with Superboy and the Controller is the same exact scene recently in the cartoon. I had no idea this actually took place in a comic. I'm a big fan of the Controllers and this was great for me.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: I don't own this story yet
But it's great hearing about it from you, Lash !
Imra decking Garth? Poppin' planets! The diva strikes again!
I own this now! Yay! Posted by jimgallagher on :
These are 2 of my favorite stories from the Adventure era, even though it's hard to overlook some of the plot silliness.
Why did Supergirl go to all the subterfuge of making a charm-bomb for Thora's bracelet after she discovered her to be the villain? And then she just waits for her to use the bracelet again to set it off, while her male comrades are getting pummelled? Why didn't she just yank the bracelet off her and smash it and fly Thora off to the clink?
And in #357 the whole Legion disbands because 4 members quit? Why would they all just lie down and die like that? What happened to the old never-say-die team spirit?
Posted by jimgallagher on :
P.S. That ray chisel sure would've come in handy when I was making my figurines. I wonder if it only makes girls though? Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
Hey Lash, just read it. I think I misunderstood. You probably wanted me to comment on #368 (not the latest Adv. I had read).
Well it was cute. Nice to see the chicks get a power increase. Heck, Thora needs to show up and whip the WaK Legion girls into shape.
I actually liked Thora. I liked her visuals. Wouldn't mind seeing her again.
Posted by Korbal on :
Levitz mentions the "Taltar Matriarchy" during the Earthwar saga so apparently the planetary revolution at the end didn't stick...
Posted by MLLASH on :
Y'know, I was perusing some old threads for giggles, as I am wont to do on days I don't go to work due to inclement weather.
I reread this thread and it struck me that Thora's suicide must certainly have been a shocking thing to be in a DC comic book of the 60s.
In fact, the 60s LSH has a pretty good amount of suicidal-ey stuff... there's that LSH Suicide Squad business in the early run, Ferro Lad's suicidal self-sacrifice, Thora...
Posted by MLLASH's back on :
I demand that I do more retro reviews!!
Posted by Fanfic Lady on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH's back: I demand that I do more retro reviews!!
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