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Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) - TV Tropes

️Sun Aug 18 2024

Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) (Comic Book)

Smile and say "Long Life the Legion!"

Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) was DC Comics's second series featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, published from January, 1980 to December, 1987. However, the genesis of the book must be found in "the adventures of Superman when he was a boy". Superboy (1949), which DC started publishing in the late 40s, gradually morphed into a Legion book through the 70s (the title was renamed Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes with issue #197, and then Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes with issue #222). In 1980, the original Superboy title was cancelled and replaced with two new books: Superboy (1980), and a full-fledged Legion book which retained the former book's numbering (thus starting with issue #259).

The event which kicks off both the book and the franchise's new era is Superboy -who had been a Legioinnaire since The Legion of Super-Heroes! (1958)- quitting the Legion in issue #259 (although he would return every so often). Paul Levitz took over writing duties with issue #281 (November, 1981) and Keith Giffen became the main artist with issue #285. Their run (issues #281-313) is widely considered the Legion's classic era.

The series became so successful that DC started publishing a second simultaneous ongoing titled Legion of Super-Heroes (1984), renaming the older book to Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes with issue #314 (August, 1984). The Legion's second book continued with original stories until issue #325 and afterwards switched to reprints, concluding with issue #354, totaling nine-six issues and five Annuals. Meanwhile, the third volume continued publication intil its cancellation in August, 1989.

Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) story arcs with their own pages include:

Tropes found in other issues of Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) include:

10-Minute Retirement: Superboy quits (or it would be better to say he is forced to quit) the Legion and return to the 20th century in issue #259 and rejoins the team in #280, when one of the Time Trapper's plans drags back to the third millennium.
Alliterative Title: Issue #281 is titled "Madness is the Molecule Master".
Art Imitates Art: The cover of issue #301 is a homage to the cover of Adventure Comics #300, wherein the Legion became the regular feature: both covers feature a Legionnaire flying by the Legion HQ, surrounded by six mini-panels showing other Legionnaires showing off their powers.
Behemoth Battle: In issue #298, Colossal Boy -who can make himself giant- and Duplicate Boy who can duplicate any power- have a literal big fight during which they grow so immmense that Colossal Boy smashes down a mountain by falling onto it.
Between My Legs: The cover of issue #298 shows Wildfire, White Witch and Blok between the darkened legs of a mysterious villain (Kharlak, champion of the Khund Empire).
But Now I Must Go: Subverted in issue #259 -the end of the "Psycho War" saga-, Superboy learns about his parents' future deaths, which he will be unable to prevent. So that he is not reminded of -and subsequently torturing himself about- it every time he visits the 30th century, Saturn Girl mentally pushes him into quitting the team and going back to his own time permanently.
Capture and Replicate: Shrinking Violet is kidnapped by Imsk-native radicals and replaced in the Legion by Yera, a Durlan actress who used her native shapeshifting abilities to assume Violet's identity (the radicals had told her that Violet wished to go on a secret vacation). Legion deputy leader Element Lad and Science Police liaison Shvaughn Erin became suspicious of the fake Violet when Yera, wearing Violet's form, suddenly fell in love with Colossal Boy, who harbored an unrequited crush on the real Violet for years. Yera's charade is exposed and the real Violet rescued.
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: In The Earthwar Saga, several Legionnaires who are overseeing a conference between the United Planets and the Dominators are finding security chief Ontiir's behavior highly suspicious, but they come to the conclusion that he is not attempting to sabotage the peace talks, and Ontiir is cleared of charges...until Those Emerald Eyes Are Shining when it is revealed he was secretly working for the Emerald Empress...because he was manipulating her before betraying her at the behest of his real bosses, the Dark Circle. Finally, in issue #314 "The Trial of Ontiir", the United Planets accuse Ontiir of being a mole sent by the Dark Circle. Ironically, the Dark Circle believes Ontiir infiltrated their cabal at the United Planets' behest. When Ontiir replies he earned the United Planets' trust just so that he was assigned to infiltrate the Circle as a perfect cover for their talks, the Circle's members accuse him of playing both sides.
Cock Fight: In issue #298, Colossal Boy and Duplicate Boy get into a -literal, since they have size-changing powers- giant fight over the woman who they believe to be Shrinking Violet. After much property destruction, Duplicate Boy decides that woman is not the Violet he fell in love with, and flies off.
Continuity Nod: Brainiac exposes Shrinking Violet's impersonator by dousing her with Cancelite, a gas invented by Supergirl in Adventure Comics #326 which cancels out a Durlan's powers.
Continuity Porn: Issue #300, written by long-time fan Paul Levitz, features a string of alternate bad futures calling back to iconic storylines as Computo the Conqueror, The Earthwar Saga...
Demoted to Extra: The Legion completes their takeover by kicking Superboy off his own book and relegating him to a secondary book.
Electronic Telepathy: In issue #300, Rond Vidar develops a device which lets them see a comatose patient's visions.
Exty Years from Publication: In the first panel of issue #300 (June, 1983), Superboy ponders he has returned "to the year 2983 A.D."
Foreshadowing: Issue #305 reveals Shrinking Violet was replaced by a Durlan spy in issue #287. Going back and read again those issues revels that Levitz was dropping subtle clues and hints -such like "Shrinking Violet" suddently falling for Colossal Boy, and her ex-boyfriend Duplicate Boy sneering in issue #298 that she is no longer the woman he knew).
Green Around the Gills: In issue #325, a Kryptonian called Dev-Em develops a sickly-green complex after being exposed to Kryptonite for too long.
Hologram Projection Imperfection: In issue #298, Doctor Larsh's hologram consists in a blue-outlined transparent head.
Interplay of Sex and Violence: Issue #316 opens with Cosmic Boy and the Legion of Substitute Heroes storming a smuggler ship. Once the smugglers have been taken down, Night Girl pounces on his lover Cosmic Boy and starts kissing him passionately.
It's All My Fault: In issue #315, "Judgment", the Legion tries to capture Ontiir when he flees from his trial, but he gets killed in the ensuing chaos when the Legion and Space Police fight the Dark Circle. Supergirl blames herself because she was absolutely determined to find Ontiir and drag him back to the courtroom, to the point she decides to quit the team and fly back to her own time.
Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Issue #313 shows a shot of Captain America holding his shield while waiting in line, his face obscured to prevent any legal action from Marvel.
Lightbulb Joke: Issue 306 has a variant where Element Lad alludes to a joke about how many Denebians it takes to dust a hologram.
Mental Picture Projector: In issue #300, Brainiac 5 and other Legionnaires watch a comatose patient's dreams thanks to a telepathic device (whose display screen for some reason resembles a pink crystal sphere).
Mistaken for Cheating: In issue #289, Saturn Girl and Timber Wolf have become stranded in a remote, icy asteroid. Timber Wolf is giving Imra -who is sobbing over the possibility of never seeing her husband of her family again- a reassuring hug to calm her down when they are found by several Legionnaires -including Timber Wolf's girlfriend Light Lass- who right away jump to the wrong conclusion. Several issues later, Timber Wolf's teammates still think he was cheating on his girlfriend with said girlfriend's sister-in-law.
My Own Private "I Do": Issue #305 reveals that Colossal Boy and -who he believed to be- Shrinking Vilet secretly got married in a Himalayan hideaway-. He is quite shocked to learn Violet had been replaced, but he decides he has fallen in love with Yera.
New Season, New Name: Superboy (1949) had changed its cover title to Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes with issue #197, as it shifted focus to Superboy's adventures with the 30th-century superhero team. As of issue #222, the title officially changed to Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, and then changed again to Legion of Super-Heroes with issue #259, as Superboy left the team.
Numbered Homeworld: In issue #298, Wildfire and his team investigate a consul's sudden death in Asteroid 73-Q, which houses a mining town.
Omnidisciplinary Scientist: Defied. In issue 315, "Judgment", the second Invisible Kid (Jacques Foccart) asks Doctor Gym'll if he can help the first Invisible Kid (Lyle Norg) overcome thir psychological issues brought about by getting revived after his death at the hands of Validus. Angrily, the Legion's resident medic replies he is not a psychiatrist.
Our Graphics Will Suck in the Future: Issue #300, set in the year 2983 AD, features several Legionnaires looking over the Legion HQ's monitors...neither of which are able to display more than two colors at once.
Platonic Kissing: In issue #300, Phantom Girl greets a returning Superboy with a peck on the cheek. Superboy jokes that Ultra Boy will now punch him back to his own century, but Ultraboy knows his girlfriend is only being friendly.
Powerful and Helpless: In issue #259, Superboy learns that his parents will get ill and die before he comes of age, and he cannot prevent it.
Properly Paranoid: Issues #263-264 show that the parents and family members of the Legionnaires have been given personal weapons, communicators and force-field devices in case villains try to go after them. Unfortunately, in that story, the villain (Dagon the Avenger) was aware of these measures and knew to counter them.
Sadistic Choice: In issue #325, the Dark Circle demands the Legion's immediate surrender or they'll kill their hostage Dev-Em.
Sequel Series: To Superboy (1949) and Legion of Super-Heroes (1973).
Shout-Out: The Wizard of Oz is indirectly mentioned by Phantom Girl in issue 281 when she attempts Dorothy's method of going home by chanting "There's no place like home".
There Was a Door: In issue #315, "Judgment", when three Legionnaires want to storm the Dark Circle's HQ, Supergirl smashes herself through the ceiling.
Vanishing Village: Issue #265 "The Brigadoon Syndrome" is set in Marzal, an island located in a dimensional pocket which causes it vanishing from Earth every 200 years before reappearing for a short while.
Villain: Exit, Stage Left: In issue #314 "The Trial of Ontiir", since his trial is not going how he would like, Ontiir opts for triggering a distress call. One ship of the Dark Circle crashes into the courtroom and makes off with Ontiir.
Villain Teleportation: In issue #315, "Judgment", when the Legion storms their headquarters, the members of the Dark Circle teleport themselves and their planet's whole population away. The only thing left is their robes.
Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing: Played for laughs in an alternate timeline seen in issue #300. Lex Luthor is holding Lana Lang and Pete Ross hostage, threatening to kill them if Superboy tries to stop him, but Superboy replies he can stop him without doing anything. Right then, the Legion appears, releases Lana and Pete and destroys both Luthor's robots and his teleporting device. Enraged, Luthor calls Superboy a coward who called for reinforcements because he knew he couldn't win on his own. Superboy points out that he said he didn't need to do anything to stop him, and he didn't. It was Pete who called the Legionnaires.
You Killed My Father: In #297 "Mettle", Cosmic Boy, usually one of the most level-headed and rule-abiding members and their leader, leaves the team seeking revenge after his mother is killed in a terrorist attack that also badly wounds his father and little brother. He's only prevented from murdering in revenge when his girlfriend knocks him out with super-strength when he has the terrorists, who are in police custody when he catches up, at his mercy.