Friday, June 23, 2023

President of whatever, Zaphod Beeblebrox couldn't pull off that outfit.

It's the first issue with the Legion sharing cover billing! It's the return of our boy T-Wolf! It's pretty much the usual nonsense! From 1973, "Timber Wolf: Dead Hero, Live Executioner!" Written by Cary Bates, art by Dave Cockrum.
On a pleasant 20th century afternoon in Smallville, Clark is sitting under the apple tree with Lana Lang, who wonders why he's never tried to kiss her. Cue the Legion signal, and Clark has to use heat vision to drop an apple on her head to give her a severe concussion harmlessly knock her out so he can race to the 30th century, where he's surprised to see a ghost: Timber Wolf, who had been believed dead since...just now? I don't think the events referenced appeared before, but six months prior Superboy and T-Wolf had been pursuing an "astral vulture" when a planetoid exploded: Superboy's invulnerability saved him, but T-Wolf was presumed dead, until he showed up on earth again the other day. Better wheel his statue out of the memorial! (They mention deceased members Ferro Lad and Erg-1, one of whom would also later return...)
Mon-El was keeping tabs on Timber Wolf, even watching him sleep; since he figured somebody couldn't disappear for six months without some effects. Sure enough, when the President of Earth shows up to give him a medal, T-Wolf turns on him, intent on murder! Supes and Mon stretch Superboy's cape, so T-Wolf can't throw the President away, and then catch him. Brainiac 5 runs him through the "mento-rehabilitation" machine to clear up any brainwashing, and T-Wolf remembers something: he had been saved, by a towering figure who blew up the planetoid in the first place but pulled him into another dimension. T-Wolf is cured, but later that night is roaming Legion headquarters, and sets their self-destruct mechanism! Saturn Girl senses what's up, but before she can do anything is shot by the newly arriving villain: Tyr! Hey, he's gotten action figures a couple times, but they were regular sized, and here Tyr seems twice as tall as a regular human!
Tyr has just enough time before the headquarters explodes to explain his scheme: a "double-brainwashing" of Timber Wolf. His assassination of the president was never meant to succeed, but to get him in position for sabotage. Still, Tyr's shot at Saturn Girl also hit T-Wolf, shocking him back to normal: he throws Tyr into a generator, shocking him, then switches off the self-destruct in the nick of time. But, while Tyr was captured, his cybernetic gun-hand was not: it escapes, and was orbiting earth, the whole world in its sights...
Also this issue: "The Slay-Away Plan" Written by Cary Bates, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Murphy Anderson. At a dedication ceremony for a collection of art treasures gathered by Superboy, a visiting speaker peps up a boring speech by shooting an audience member! He makes a daring, pre-planned escape; which Clark can't do anything about, since Lana refuses to let him run away like a coward as usual. Lana and Clark realize, they didn't recognize the victim; and even stranger, the arriving EMT's don't seem to be actually treating the victim, just hustling him out of there. Clark can see, the "victim" wasn't even injured, but can't get away from Lana to investigate, since she borrows a motorcycle for them to give chase!
The ambulance goes to an abandoned barn, and the "victim" gets out, and Clark can see the EMT's, the victim, and the "killer" playing cards! Lana doesn't have x-ray vision, though, so she tries to sneak up to get a look, but gets grabbed; which gives Superboy the chance to show up and catch them all. Lana had it figured out, though: the alleged killer's bullet had a homing device in it, so when Superboy took the treasures for safe-keeping, they could find them later. Superboy tells Lana he already took Clark home, and Lana's furious at that "mama's boy." All's well, I guess? 

Also, this particular copy bears the stamp of Armchair Family Bookstore in Portland; maybe I'll get there someday!

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid said...

And yet Lana sure as shit wanted to bang said mama’s boy, and then some. You just gotta love how often SA & Bronze Age Superman & boy casually gave their friends & loved ones brain trauma.