Showing posts with label Legion of Super-Heroes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Legion of Super-Heroes. Show all posts

Friday, December 01, 2023

The 1978 2017 2023 DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters: December Destiny

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published December 1, 2017.

Happy Holidays (because we've gotten over that War on Christmas nonsense) from one thousand years in the future! That's either 3023, 3017 or 2978, depending on whichever version of the DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Speculative Future Disasters calendar you're using. Of course, if you're talkin' a whole millennium from now, you're clearly tuning your Time Bubble in on Brane Taylor, Batman of the Year 3000 The Legion of Super-Heroes!

"December: The Legion of Super-Heroes" in The 1978 Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters; artwork by Jim Sherman and Jack Abel
(Click picture to Colossal Boy-size)

Why are the Legion at Toys "Я" Us in Times Square? Well, as some quick datebox captioning tells us, they went back to Christmas 1978 to spend time with Karate Kid who was living there in his miniseries at the time, getting ready to star in a motion picture with Pat Morita...look, just read this:


Meanwhile, it's the beginning of December, so what does that parapon of programming, the Justice League Computer, have to tell us about the identity of the Mastermind of '78?


HEY THAT'S NOT FAIR oh wait, since technically the computer doesn't get done with its computing until December 31, I guess we'll have to wait until then for the solution, huh? Talk about the answer coming at the last minute, huh? Well, at least we can comfort ourself with the clue given in the grid of the calendar itself, right?


NOW CUT THAT OUT!

(See you back here on December 31, kids!)

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Today in Comics History, September 24, 1997: Shvaughn Erin works on her LiveJournal


from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #98 (DC, November 1997), co-plot and script by Tom Peyer, co-plot and colors by Tom McCraw, pencils by Lee Moder, inks by Ron Boyd, letters by Pat Brosseau

Many thanks to pal Greg A for suggesting these panels!

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Today in Comics History, September 13: Happy birthday, Mike Grell!

Born on this day: comics writer/artist Mike Grell (Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Warlord, Superboy, Action Comics, Jon Sable: Freelance, Legion of Super-Heroes, Starslayer, and much more)! He co-created Jon Sable, Warlord, Dawnstar, the Calculator, Shado, and Tyroc (we won't hold that last one against you, Mike).


from 1st Issue Special #8 [Warlord] (DC, November 1975), self-portrait by Mike Grell




Thursday, July 13, 2023

Today in Crisis History, July 13, 1985: I was born to bring trouble wherever I'm at / With the number "13" tattooed on my neck


Well, it's July 13, and luckily it doesn't fall on a Friday. For that we can thank Roy Thomas Pope Gregory XIII for our current calendar, although hey, while we're here, let's just put any blame on Mxyzptlk. He's probably responsible!

Crisis on Infinite Earths is a complicated crossover event, so let's review the plot to date:


Crisis on Infinite Earths #3

Well, that about sums it up.



Monday, June 19, 2023

Today in Comics History, June 19: Happy birthday, Thomas Fuller!

Born (or hey, at least baptized) on this day in 1608: Thomas Fuller, churchman and historian, author of Worthies of England, and probably the first professional writer, but not of Superboy, who quotes him:


from "Brotherly Hate!" in Superboy (1949 series) #172 (DC/National, March 1971), script by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils and inks by George Tuska, letters by Joe Letterese

Happy birthday, Thomas Fuller, and even if you can't actually appear in a comic book, feel honored that you've been name-dropped by the one and only Kid Kal-El, teenage teen of the thirtieth century, who is obviously reading ahead of his class level! Geez, Clark, stop showin' off. Read some Hardy Boys once in a while.

Also, he lived in the seventeenth century, ya gigantic superdweeb.

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Today in Comics History, December 27, 3019: Legion of Super-Heroes forget to pay the electric bill for their headquarters


from Doomsday Clock #9 (DC, May 2019), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Today in Comics History, November 23: Happy birthday, Carl Gafford!

#BoTD: comics writer, editor and colorist Carl Gafford (Legion of Super-Heroes, Justice League of America, All-Star Squadron, Suicide Squad, World's finest Comics, What If...?, Savage She-Hulk, Micronautsand more)!

Carl is on this photo cover! I believe he's the guy in blue (not Supes)...?


cover of Superman #289 (DC, July 1975), photograph by Jack Adler, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Bob Oksner, colors by Tatjana Wood




Thursday, November 17, 2022

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2994: Press "more" to read a contrasting rebuttal from the Emerald Empress



from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #3 (DC, January 1990), text by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Today in Comics History, September 27: Happy birthday, Jim Shooter!

Born on this day: America's tallest comic book editor/creator/writer/publisher and even artist, Jim Shooter!



from (top, L-R) Mighty Marvel Calendar 1978 and 1979 (Marvel, 1977-1978); Marvel Age #57 (Marvel, December 1987); text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors Paul Becton;(bottom) Marvel Age #33 (Marvel, December 1985); text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips




Saturday, August 20, 2022

Today in Comics History, August 20: Happy birthday, Element Lad!

Born on this day sometime in the thirtieth century: Jann Arrah, who we know as Element Lad! You know, the giant Legionnaire with the big ears and the long trunk and...sorry, I've made another one of my silly mistakes. That's Elephant Lad.


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda




Thursday, August 18, 2022

Today in Comics History, August 18: Happy Unity Day!

Hope you're havin' a fine Unity Day! What's Unity Day? Um....

from Superman (2018 series) #14 (DC, October 2019), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils by Ivan Reis, inks by Joe Prado and Oclair Albert, colors by Alex Sinclair, letters by Wes Abbott
(Click picture to Legion-size)




Monday, August 15, 2022

Today in Comics History Future, August 15: Happy birthday, Chlorophyll Kid!

Born on this day sometime in the late 30th Century: Ral Benem, better known as Chlorophyll Kid, one of the Legion of Substitute Heroes!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda




Monday, August 08, 2022

Today in Comics History, Second Week of August: Happy Klordny Week, everybody!

Klordny Week! It's a tradition 1,000 years from now, in the future of the Legion of Super-Heroes! It generally takes place the second week of August, so we're in Klordny Season now! (I missed Klordny Eve, sorry.)



from Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes #232 (DC, October 1977), cover by Mike Grell, script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Ric Estrada, inks by Jack Abel, colors by Elizabeth Safian, letters by Clem Robins

So, whadaya do during Klordny Week? I think the answer to that is...what don't you do during Klordny Week?



Ha ha! It's fun to make the boy from relatively medieval times guess and guess and never tell him the answer! Stop hazing Superboyu, Legion.


So, Klordny Festival means peace and love and freedom and understanding between all the United Planets and its beings and HEY STOP THAT RIGHT NOW


(Bored with drawin' the story, Ric Estrada?)


Oh, and don't forget: do it for the frunt of it! Frunt, everyone. Frunt, won't you?


Yes indeed, 1,000 years in the future, everybody loves Klordny Festival!

EXCEPT SALU DIGBY*, MISS BRING-DOWN of 2977.


*Shrinking Violet's real name is Salu Digby. — Editor.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Today in Comics History, June 22: Happy birthday, Al Gordon!

Hey, Al Gordon! You were born on this day! Happy birthday to you, scripter and inker (Legion of Super-Heroes, Legionnaires, Tom Strong, Justice League International, Captain Carrot, Ambush Bug, Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, Invasion!, and much more)!

But who the heck are you, Al Gordon?


from letters page of Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #3 (DC, January 1990

Well, thank you, Al Gordon, that answers lots of my questions. Except maybe this one: why do I need to call you?



from Ambush Bug Nothing Special #1 one-shot (DC, September 1992), plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, script by Robert Loren Fleming, inks by Al Gordon, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by John Costanza

Should I call you before you call me, Al?


Yes, even teens in the future are not exempt from getting their very own phone call from Al Gordon!


from Ambush Bug Nothing Special; Legionnaire pencils by Chris Sprouse

Still, you can't deny the practical usefulness of a really good call from Al.


Thanks for stopping by, Al Gordon, and happy birthday!


Wednesday, June 08, 2022

Today in Comics History, June 8: Happy birthday, C. C. Beck!

Born on this day in 1910: C. C. Beck, co-creator and artist of Captain Marvel (you kids know him today as Shazam!) and many of the foundational supporting characters of the Marvel Family like Mister Mind, Doctor Sivana, Black Adam (hmmm, haven't heard much about him lately), Ibac, and the Sensational Character Find of 1947, Mr. Tawky Tawny, America's only tiger!!


from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli




Friday, April 22, 2022

Today in Comics History, April 22: Happy birthday, Larry Mahlstedt!

Born on this day: comics inker Larry Mahlstedt (Flash, Green Lantern, Spider-Man, New Warriors, but my favorite of all, The Legion of Super-Heroes!)


from Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1994

Can You spot Larry in the Legion of Super-Heroes Class of 2983 yearbook portrait? (Hint: he and other creators on the LSH book — Keith Giffen, Paul Levitz, Karen Berger — are pictured underneath the Roll Call!)



from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #300 (DC, June 1983), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
(Click top picture to United Planetsize)

Happy birthday, Larry, and 1,000 more!

Saturday, February 05, 2022

Today in Comics History, February 5: Happy birthday, Shadow Lass!

It's a dark day, a very dark day indeed. But that's no reason not to celebrate, because it's the one-thousand-years-in-the-future birthday of Shadow Lass, Damsel of Darkness Tasmia Mallor out of the Legion of Super-Heroes!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda




Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Today in Comics History, January 12: Burning the ground, I break from the crowd / I'm on the hunt, I'm after you

Happy birthday to the hairest dawg of the 30th and/or 31st century, that lupine luminary of the Legion: Brin Londo, Timber Wolf!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda