Adventure Comics #319
Adventure Comics #319
Cover Credits
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Sheldon Moldoff

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Title: "The Legion's Suicide Squad"
Pages: 18

Feature(s):
Legion of Super-Heroes (of Earth-1)

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Artist: John Forte

Reprinted In:
Best of DC #44 (1984)
Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 3 HC (1993)
Showcase Presents:Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1 TPB (2007)
Legion of Super-Heroes:The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017)

Feature Character(s)

Supporting Character(s)

Villain(s)

  • Two unnamed inhabitants of planet Throon (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

  • The President of Earth (no further appearances)
  • Dr. James Bannon and Mr. Tim Vare (an archaeologist and an interplanetary trader; no further appearances)
  • An unnamed planetologist, an unnamed Earth spaceport employee and two spaceship crewmen (no further appearances)
  • Science Police officers (no further appearances)
  • The inhabitants of an unnamed alien world and citizens of 30th century Metropolis (no further appearances)

Comments:
Part 2: "The Charge of the Substitute Heroes"

Fire Lad is erroneously shown shooting fire from his hands in this story.

Following this story, Sun Boy and Ultra Boy bring Jimmy Olsen to the 30th century so that Light Lass, Saturn Girl, and Triplicate Girl can play a trick on Lucy Lane in the first story of Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76.

Synopsis:
The mysterious jungle planetoid, Throon, is inhabited by beings who reside, unseen, inside a single colossal citadel. When ships passing by in space are disabled by rays projecting from that world, followed by an announcement that its people will destroy all ships coming within 30 million miles of it, the Science Police Chief and the President of Earth call upon the Legion to destroy the ray-projectors, lest all space-traffic be stopped. Using a device called a planetary chance-machine, seven Legionnaires, Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Bouncing Boy, Superboy, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, and Invisible Kid are chosen for the task.

Upon arriving on Throon, however, all are defeated by the terrible weaponry in the citadel. The Legion then selects five more members, Star Boy, Cosmic Boy, Ultra Boy, Triplicate Girl, and Matter-Eater Lad, to rescue their comrades. They also fall in defeat, and the remaining Legionnaires, Mon-El, Element Lad, Phantom Girl, Colossal Boy, Light Lass, Sun Boy, and Shrinking Violet go to Throon, only to meet the same fate as the others.

All of this has secretly been watched on monitors by the Legion of Substitute Heroes. They go to Throon themselves, and while Polar Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad, and Stone Boy launch a suicide attack on the citadel, Night Girl infiltrates the building. After searching through its many empty rooms and halls, she finally finds two old men, the last survivors of their race, who had wanted to protect themselves from possible conquest.

After destroying their weaponry but otherwise leaving them in peace, the two Legions, now fully recovered, return to Earth. The Substitute Heroes are given a triumphal welcoming parade in Metropolis for their daring rescue, with the Legionnaires themselves standing on the sidelines and cheering.

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