Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Favorite Single Issue Story

What is your favorite single issue Legion story?
Mine would have to be Vol. #4, issue 5, the Mordruverse.

I remember being in college at the time and thinking how wonderfully complex the stories were getting and that particular issue had it all!

Rond Vidar!
Glorith!
Doug Nolan!
Mysa!

If TMK did one thing well it was matching up various characters from the LEgion's rich history and mixing them up in strange permutations.

Whenever this question comes up, I always cite "The Fatal Five Who Twisted Time" from SUPERBOY # 198.

It was one of the earliest Legion stories and the first full-length one I read. It starts in Superboy's time, with Clark Kent taking Lana Lang to the circus and running into two members of the Fatal Five in hiding. The encounter goes badly for Superboy, who is near-fatally injured.

Cut to: Four Legionnaires arriving in a time bubble. Brainiac 5, Element Lad, Princess Projectra and Karate Kid console Lana and search for the missing Superboy (who has been carried off by the villains). Brainy and E-Lad are ambushed by the Persuader and Mano, who destroy their time bubble, trapping them in the past. KK and PP have also have a run-in with the Emerald Eye.

Meanwhile, in the 30th century, the Legionnaires are pondering the Five's moves, when Legion headquarters -- and everyone inside-- suddenly vanishes! It's a result of time manipulation going on in the past.

The story had action, suspense, adventure -- and it was all resolved in a single issue! Though there have probably been many better Legion stories in the 30 years since then, none has come closer to defining to me what the Legion is all about.

Waitaminnit -- that was *Doug* in the Mordruverse? I don't have the issue with me here to look it up, but for some reason I always thought it was Andy.

My favorite story wasn't even a full issue -- it was the one with Dawnstar's Grand Journey and Wildfire interupts just as her soulmate is supposed to be revealed to her. It was the highlight of their relationship. Levitz didn't seem to know where to go with it after that other than to repeat the same old issues.

Runner-ups would be:
-- the ghosts issue where Projectra is telling Jacques about Lyle and Ferro Lad
--- Brin's quest to fulfill Val's last wish (was that only one issue?)
-- LSHv4 #2 with Jo and Kono fighting the Khund android assassins

Probably LSH v4 #1 - because it was all new and different and exciting and I couldn't wait to see the next issues.

What comes to mind first: the first half of v4n50. This one looked in at just about everyone (although it just occurred to me - not Projectra!), which I liked. (Especially since I hadn't and still haven't read all of the 5YL and didn't know what everyone was up to.) And the Tenz marries in royalty! Yow!

I may have a different answer tomorrow.

You are right! I must have been tired yesterday, it was Andy!

I think mine's "A Dark, Cold and Lonely Corner of Hell."

Don't know why, it just is.

Without going back and perusing through my issues, I would have to say...

LSH Baxter # 14 -the induction of 5 new Legionnaires including 2 of my all time favorites.
Besides having flawless art, this issue added Tellus and Quislet to the Legion. It had a nice little meeting between the founding 3 and RJ Brande. Shady got a new do (on camera even). We got to see several characters in action, including Comet Queen, and we got to see several Legionnaires evaluating them in the comfort of Legion HQ. This issue also added Sensor Girl to the team, who turned out to be another favorite of mine, Projectra.

Another that comes to mind is Baxter #13. Timber Wolf's mission on Lythyl for Karate Kid.

I'm trying to think hard of one for the reboot, but all ofthe issues that come to mind were multiple issues.

One reboot issue that I really liked was the girls' night out story entitled "Flight".

v3 14 has to stand out as one of my favorites as well.

A lot of the spotlight issues have been pretty good. v3 45's spotlight on Garth sticks out in my mind.

oh, toughy!

Devilfish comes to mind, though I really want to give Legion Worlds #1 its due. No message in Legion Worlds but it was one of the most exciting single issues that I remember. The cover was perfect. The opening scene between Monel and Tharok was magnificent. The ending cliff hanger moved beautifully to say, "we're back for the long haul." Extra credit because it's really tough to pull off a story when all the readers know how it is going to end (the reason I so like "Apollo 13").

You nailed it for me KP. Cold and Lonely is my favorite stand alone issue. It had everything:

Suspense - The scenes leading to the Great Darkness.

Drama - Brin and Imra's embrace and Ayla's breaking heart.

Love - Gim finally telling Vi of his love for her (too bad it was Yera).

Action/Comedy - Dirk and Blok interrupting and beating up a family on vacation thinking they had found the lost Legionnaires.

All around, one of my favorite issues ever.

If I'm to judge by the number of times I've read any single issue, I'd have to say Legion Lost # 12. I was absolutely stunned to see two of my favorite characters go down in flames. I'm still stunned today and keep reading the same issue over and over again to make sure what I saw on those pages actually happened. Hell, wtf did happen? I'm still not sure.

I like Legion Annual # 1 (the first one). The return of Computo, a new Invisible Kid, every single Legionnaire appeared...

I wonder when I reread it last?

My all-time favorite Legion issue was v4# 36, the conclusion of the Terra Mosaic, despite its awful cover. ("Because YOU demanded it: Bounty vs Sade")

The liberation of Earth was the single greatest victory in comics history, IMHO. And the death of Sunboy was quietly sad and showd that, as in the real world, people can't always achieve the redemption they deserve.

Another good one from the preboot was the election issue between Dream Girl and Ultra Boy (and Element Lad wins on a write-in) where Starboy relates his origin to Wildfire. Levitz did a great job with Thom and his refelctions on his relationship with Dreamy. I also thought the election bits were really interesting with the open ballot that helped define or reinforce some of the relationships within the team.

I don't remember the characters he refers to, but Thom comments at one point (after a series of Ultra Boy votes) that "Those guys never liked Dreamy anyway." which added a level of realism to the team -- with so many members not everyone is going to "like" everyone. Not that there's enmity in any overdramatized way, but some members simply didn't like others and during that time you could kinda figure out where personal alliances fell.

Also, all of the 'spotlight' issues from the Levitz era were gems. My particular favorite was the Cosmic Boy spotlight from V2# 297.

I loved how Levitz would resolve the subplot of each character spotlighted and seamlessly work in their origin all in one issue. (and before the archives came out many of those origins were hard to find)
And they all had great covers too!

Geez, I miss Levitz on the Legion

As Legion Lad has spoken, so shall it be written:

Annual # 1 (v2) flat out rules! I've waxed nostalgic about it in the thread about annuals already, so I'll let it go at that.

Oooh Ooooh!

Legion Lost 8! I had no previews of what was going on or anything, and the Umbra & Singularity plots seemed to just interesting enough. Then more legionnaires appear!, and then they battle!, and then they disappear!

It was spectacular-fabulous!

I loved "Who Will Save the Princess" from S/LSH # 209.
The surprise appearance of DUO DAMSEL at the end blew my 11 year old mind!
I also liked how IMRA followed VAL into the locker room while he changed into his new outfit!

shameless hussy!
lil'rhino

I think I'd have to go for the Tom and Mary Annual #1. It just really fleshed out Jo, made him seem a real character with depth and intelligence. Its one of the few Legion comics that I've worn out and had to replace due to too many re-readings.

Can't think of an absolute favorite, but LSH (v.4) #49 was a really fun issue! Tenzil was always a joy when he appeared in that volume and I must admit a fondness for Policy Pam, Spaceopoly Lad, and all the others just because of how hilarious the issue was. It might be hard to take it serious, but it's easy to love.

How convenient. Folks have already mentioned by two favorites.


My first Legion issue. Not sure how many times I've re-read it, but it feels fresh every time out.

The annual was my first Legion book, but this was the one that really had me set as a Legion reader. You're right about the Lightle/Mahlstedt art on this one; perfect. Unfortunately, this was the last full issue for this combo, if I recall correctly. Steve did #16 and the Mon-El issue, but with different inkers.

For a single stand alone issue, I'd have to go further back and say SB/LSH #239, the fugitive Ultra Boy issue by Jim Starlin. Very memorable characterization, interaction, and drama.

Too bad DC jerked Starlin around like they did Dave Cockrum. He would have been a helluva successor to Jim Sherman. Imagine 2-4 years in the late 70s of Starlin & Rubinstein (instead of Staton & Janes) doing the League of Assassuns, the Dark Man saga, and the Odyssey of Reflecto. These might have become classics with Starlin's art and strorytelling input.

My favorite is the much maligned v.4 Annual #3 featuring the Legion reunion on Winath. I really didn't care for the Proty revelation or the fact that everyone was partying while Earth was at war. But I thought the characterization for most of the Legionnaires was spot-on. After all the depressing events in the series so far, this one issue almost made you feel like you could go home again.

I just looked at my Top Ten Legion stories topic and realized that in this topic right here, I had forgotten two single story issues that have been lifetime faves of mine and which were ranked ahead of my pick here of SB/LSH 239. I guess I didn't recall them because they're both early Adventure, and all the picks I had reading thru here were from 1980s or later. Kinda amazing to me that they didn't immediately spring to mind.

Gettin old.

My real single issue favorite is Adventure 312, the Revival of Lightning Lad. When this issue came out it was a big deal because 1) no superhero had ever died and stayed dead, and as important 2) none had ever came back from "real" death. So it was kinda quasi-religious. Even the cover scene evoked a religious ceremony. Like I said, a big deal back then, and the issue is one of the few that still feels "big deal" to me. Like Adventure 300.

The other fave single issue is Adventure 316, the Renegeade Ultra Boy story, and also the inspiration for SB/LSH 239. This was probably the most exciting issue of the early Adventure years and gave Ultra Boy new powers and was the basis for his supposed bad boy rep, as well being Phantom Girl's first real story involvement as well.