Adventure Comics #331
Adventure Comics #331
Cover Credits
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein

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Title: "The Triumph of the Legion of Super-Villains"
Pages: 17

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

Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Jim Mooney
Letterer: David Huffine

Reprinted In:
Best of DC #64 (1985)
Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4 HC (1994)
Showcase Presents Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2 TPB (2008)
Legion of Super-Heroes:The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2018)

Feature Character(s)

Supporting Character(s)

Villain(s)

Other Character(s)

  • Golden Boy, the Polecat, Animal Lad, and other unnamed rejected Legion applicants (no further appearances)
  • The Tusker (a rejected Legion applicant; next appearance in Legion of Substitute Heroes Special #1)
  • Unnamed guards in the Super-Science Museum, a jewel-bird of Gemovia, Science Police officers, and various citizens of Metropolis (no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

  • Lightning Lass (in flashback)
  • The lightning monsters of planet Korbal (in flashback)
  • The inhabitants of planet Venus (in flashback to Cosmic King's origin)
  • An unnamed construction worker and a robbery victim (in flashbacks)
  • A matter-dissolver beast and the inhabitants of a tropical island ()

Comments:
Part 2: "The Revolt of the Super-Villains"

This story is continued from Adventure Comics #330.

The Science Police are referred to as the Space- Police in this story.

The Adult Legion of Super-Villains that appeared in the third story of Superman #147 comes from a time-line different than the teenage Legion of Super-Heroes depicted in this story, as is part of an "alternate future," according to Legion of Super-Heroes #300 and other evidence. Consequently, this Cosmic King, Lightning Lord, and Saturn Queen are treated as different individuals that the ones who appear in the third story of Superman #147, Adventure Comics #354, and Adventure Comics #355.

Following this story, Saturn Girl appears in a 20th century parade in the second story of Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #56.

Then the Legion visits the Antares star system, as seen in flashback in Adventure Comics #334.

Synopsis:
Dynamo-Boy interviews applicants who have answered his call for new Legionnaires, but all prove unsuitable, and he orders them to leave. Then a craft materializes and its occupants, Cosmic King, Saturn Queen, and Lightning Lord, tell Dynamo-Boy they are the reformed members of the future-dwelling Legion of Super-Villains, seeking to join the Super-Hero Legion at a time when they are not known as criminals. Dynamo-Boy's super-belt reveals otherwise, but as they are the kind of members he wants, he accepts them into the group.

When the three villains later go on patrol, the Legion of Substitute Heroes appears to battle them, but they are ordered away by Dynamo-Boy. Back at the Clubhouse, Dynamo-Boy tells the three villains he has known of their evil natures all along, and proposes that they do good deeds during the daytime and secretly rob the universe at night.

While the Super-Villains carry out Dynamo-Boy's scheme, he returns to the Pirate Planetoid and deposes his leader. Back on Earth, the Super-Villains tell Dynamo-Boy that they have destroyed the former Legionnaires in a trap, and that Superboy is the only survivor. When Superboy suddenly appears, they help Vorm escape in their time-machine. Too late, he discovers that the villains have used Saturn Queen's super-hypnotism to fool him, and have rigged the time-machine to strand him in a far-future era when Earth is barren and abandoned.

As the villains gloat over this victory, the real Superboy challenges them to a confrontation on a distant asteroid. They accept and arrive to face Superboy, Mon-El, and Element Lad. The villains' powers prove ineffective against the former Legionnaires, and when the asteroid threatens to explode, they surrender and are taken into custody.

The Super-Villains are returned to their own time to stand trial, and the real Legionnaires regain their old status.

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