Difference between revisions of "Best of DC 33"

From Legion Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
(Set up initial shell)
 
m
 
(4 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{issue
 
{{issue
−
|era_color=#cccccc
+
|era=precrisis
−
|issue=''The Best of DC'' #33
+
|reprint=yes
−
|image=[[Image:BestOfDC33.jpg|250px]]
+
|series=The Best of DC|issue_no=33
 +
|image=[[File:BestOfDC33.jpg|250px]]
 
|caption=Cover by [[Keith Giffen]] and [[Mike DeCarlo]]
 
|caption=Cover by [[Keith Giffen]] and [[Mike DeCarlo]]
−
|era=Pre-Crisis (reprints)
 
 
|story_title=Various
 
|story_title=Various
−
|previous=N/A
+
|publication_date=[[November 4]], [[Legion Publication History/1979-1982#1982|1982]]
−
|next=N/A
 
−
|publication_date=[[November 4]], [[Legion Publication History/1980-1989#1982|1982]]
 
 
|cover_date=February 1983
 
|cover_date=February 1983
−
|series_color=#c0c0c0
 
−
|writers=n/a
 
−
|pencillers=n/a
 
−
|inkers=n/a
 
−
|letterers=n/a
 
−
|colorists=n/a
 
 
|editors=[[Paul Levitz]] and [[Nicola Cuti]]
 
|editors=[[Paul Levitz]] and [[Nicola Cuti]]
 
|cover_artists=[[Keith Giffen]] and [[Mike DeCarlo]]
 
|cover_artists=[[Keith Giffen]] and [[Mike DeCarlo]]
−
}}  
+
}} __TOC__
−
__TOC__
 
−
 
 
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
−
With this issue, the '''Best of DC''' digest reprint series focuses entirely on Legion stories. While it hypes them as "six power-packed premiere appearances," at least two of the stories ([[Dawnstar/Pre-Crisis|Dawnstar]] and [[Lightning Lad/Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lad]]/[[Light Lass/Pre-Crisis|Light Lass]]) are not first appearances. Its publication is a testament to the Legion's popularity at this time (immediately post-Great Darkness), as the '''Adventure Comics''' series was already reprinting classic Legion tales on a monthly basis in a similar format. With the demise of ''Adventure'' half a year later, the ''Best of DC'' series would continue the chronological reprints on an occasional basis, beginning with [[Best of DC 44|''The Best of DC'' #44]].
+
This issue of the '''Best of DC''' digest reprint series focuses entirely on Legion stories, in particular, Secret Origins of some Legionnaires and villains. The "Secret Origins" theme was a common one in DC's line of digests, as were Legion reprints - the '''Adventure Comics''' series was already reprinting classic Legion tales on a monthly basis in a similar format. With the demise of ''Adventure'' half a year later, the ''Best of DC'' series would continue the chronological reprints on an occasional basis, beginning with [[Best of DC 44|''The Best of DC'' #44]].
−
 
 
  
 
==Reprinted material==
 
==Reprinted material==
Line 29: Line 18:
  
 
*"The Lone Wolf Legionnaire!" – [[Adventure Comics 327|''Adventure Comics'' #327]] (published [[October 29]], [[Legion Publication History/1950-1964#1964|1964]])
 
*"The Lone Wolf Legionnaire!" – [[Adventure Comics 327|''Adventure Comics'' #327]] (published [[October 29]], [[Legion Publication History/1950-1964#1964|1964]])
−
*"The One-Shot Hero!" – [[Superboy v1 195|''Superboy'' v1 #195]] (published [[March 20]], [[Legion Publication History/1971-1979#1973|1973]]))
+
*"The One-Shot Hero!" – [[Superboy v1 195|''Superboy'' v1 #195]] (published [[March 20]], [[Legion Publication History/1971-1978#1973|1973]])
 
*"Dawnstar Rising" – [[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes 240|''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #240]] (published [[March 20]], 1978)
 
*"Dawnstar Rising" – [[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes 240|''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #240]] (published [[March 20]], 1978)
 
*"Brotherly Hate!" – [[Superboy v1 172|''Superboy'' v1 #172]] (published [[January 7]], 1971)
 
*"Brotherly Hate!" – [[Superboy v1 172|''Superboy'' v1 #172]] (published [[January 7]], 1971)
Line 36: Line 25:
 
*"The Origins and Powers of the Legionnaires" - [[All-New Collectors' Edition C-55|''All-New Collectors' Edition'' #C-55]] (published [[December 12]], 1977)
 
*"The Origins and Powers of the Legionnaires" - [[All-New Collectors' Edition C-55|''All-New Collectors' Edition'' #C-55]] (published [[December 12]], 1977)
 
*"Secrets of the Legion" - [[All-New Collectors' Edition C-55|''All-New Collectors' Edition'' #C-55]] (published [[December 12]], 1977)
 
*"Secrets of the Legion" - [[All-New Collectors' Edition C-55|''All-New Collectors' Edition'' #C-55]] (published [[December 12]], 1977)
−
 
  
 
==The Story Behind the Stories==
 
==The Story Behind the Stories==
 
As with the Legion tales reprinted in ''Adventure Comics'', [[Paul Levitz]] provides some commentary here about the original issues in which the stories appeared. Years later, these commentaries are the primary point of interest for the digest (other than the reprinted stories themselves), so the full text is provided below:
 
As with the Legion tales reprinted in ''Adventure Comics'', [[Paul Levitz]] provides some commentary here about the original issues in which the stories appeared. Years later, these commentaries are the primary point of interest for the digest (other than the reprinted stories themselves), so the full text is provided below:
  
−
<!--
+
:''As I've been doing a running commentary on the chronological reprints of the Legion for ADVENTURE COMICS, the editors of this digest asked me to tell you a little bit of the background of this issue's tales.''
−
:''Fans who followed the Legion's chronological reprinting in the late lamented ADVENTURE COMICS DIGEST know that editor Nicola Cuti has had me do commentary on the stories, and he's asked me to continue that here. If you didn't read the ADVENTURE issues, take note that you're coming in on the middle of the first magic period in the Legion's own series - the hi-tech, plot-oriented stories of [[Edmond Hamilton|Ed Hamilton]] and [[Jerry Siegel]].''
 
  
−
:''[[Adventure Comics 319|#319's]] "The Legion's Suicide Squad" is a fair case of Hamilton's building of the mythos - the first case where the [[Legion of Substitute Heroes|Substitute Heroes]] work with the Legionnaires and gain recognition, the [[Science Police]], and such technological gimmicks as the "[[Planetary Chance Machine]]". At the same time we see a male chauvanist attitude creep into [[Brainiac Five/Pre-Crisis|Brainiac Five]] telling [[Saturn Girl/Pre-Crisis|Saturn Girl]] a mission's "too dangerous for a girl" - a note Hamilton hit before in LSH tales.''
+
:*''"The Lone Wolf Legionnaire" has to stand as the record for the longest gap between a Legionnaire's first appearance and his joining the team. Lone Wolf became [[Timber Wolf/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Timber Wolf]] and finally joined the team in [[Adventure Comics 372|#372]], almost four years after this story from [[Adventure Comics 327|ADVENTURE COMICS #327]] (December, 1964).''
  
−
:''Siegel's style, on the other hand, is well represented by [[Adventure Comics 320|#320's]] "Revenge of the Knave From Krypton". Here we link back carefully to a SUPERBOY story (from [[Adventure Comics 287|ADVENTURE #287]]-[[Adventure Comics 288|288]]), and to the [[Superboy/Kal-El/Pre-Crisis|Superman]] mythos... logical territory for Siegel to cover, as Superman's creator. Stylistically it also goes back to the first few LSH tales in ADVENTURE, when Siegel was the regular writer for the series, and the LSH was viewed as a spin-off series. This story's also worth noting for the debut of [[Radiation Roy]], who would return [[Adventure Comics 372|four years later]] as a member of the [[Legion of Super-Villains/Pre-Crisis|Legion of Super-Villains]] (like [[Spider Girl]] who debuted in the next issue), [[Dev-Em|Dev-Em's]] rejection of Legion membership, and the first appearance of the title "[[Legion Outpost/Letter column|The Legion Outpost]]" for the letters page.''
+
:*''"One-Shot Hero" from [[Superboy v1 195|SUPERBOY #195]] (June, 1973) was the last Legion story published before they took over the lead in [[Superboy v1|SUPERBOY]] and gradually began to change the title to [[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes|SUPERBOY/LEGION]] and finally [[Legion of Super-Heroes v2|LEGION]]. As loyal fans know, Erg-1 survived to be returned to his containment suit and joined the Legion as [[Wildfire/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Wildfire]] a few months later in [[Superboy v1 201|SUPERBOY #201]].''
  
−
:''Hamilton returns for [[Adventure Comics 321|#321's]] "The Code of the Legion" with his first major contribution to the LSH Rogue's Gallery, The [[Time Trapper]], battling the team for the first time. Also note the first of several "retirements" for [[Bouncing Boy/Pre-Crisis|Bouncing Boy]]... who will, of course, always bounce back.''
+
:*''"Dawnstar Rising" ([[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes 240|SUPERBOY/LEGION #240]], June, 1978) appeared a couple of years after [[Dawnstar/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Dawnstar]] joined the Legion in [[Superboy v1 226|SUPERBOY #226]]... and also has the distinction of being one of two stories actually showing the process of training Legionnaires go through. (The [[Adventure Comics 371|other one]] was reprinted in last year's Legion [[Best of DC 24|BEST OF DC]] issue.)''
  
−
:''"Lois Lane's Luckiest Day", from [[Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane 50|LOIS #50]] is a tangential LSH tale at best, harkening back to when they were only cameo stars in stories throughout the Superman family. The writer is unknown, and artist [[Kurt Schaffenberger]] wouldn't draw a Legion story again until this years [[Legion of Super-Heroes v2 300|LSH #300]] celebration.''
+
:*''"Brotherly Hate" tells perhaps the most re-told Legion origin, this time from [[Superboy v1 172|SUPERBOY #172]] (March, 1971)... the first in the series of Legion tales to appear in that title. When first revealed, [[Lightning Lad/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Lightning Lad's]] origin included neither his brother nor sister... then [[Lightning Lord/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Mekt]] snuck in and finally [[Light Lass/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Ayla]].''
  
−
:''Hamilton next took a leaf out of Siegel's notebook, and brought back the [[Legion of Super-Pets]], who Siegel had created [[Adventure Comics 293|two years earlier]]. [[Adventure Comics 322|#322's]] "The Super-Tests of the Super-Pets" brought [[Proty II]] into the group in a story that obviously was a one-note gimmick. Noteworthy trivia is [[Light Lass/Pre-Crisis|Light Lass's]] new symbol, a cloud, which tended to come and go until it was replaced permanently by a feather. ''
+
:*''"The Living Key" is from [[Superboy v1 221|SUPERBOY #221]] (November, 1976), one of [[Jim Shooter|Jim Shooter's]] last tales of the LSH from his second stint as writer of the series. Readers who have followed [[Grimbor/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Grimbor]] since know that [[Charma/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Charma]] died in prison, embittering him against the Legion and leading him to battle them several times again.''
  
−
:''Finally, the idea of doing stories centering around Legion leadership elections was a firm tradition as of [[Adventure Comics 323|#323's]] "The Eight Impossible Missions". Siegel again tied the storyline very much to his Superman mythos - the [[Phantom Zone]], Superboy's anniversary as the resolution, and most of all, the appearance of [[Jimmy Olsen/Pre-Crisis|Jimmy Olsen]] and [[Pete Ross/Pre-Crisis|Pete Ross]] in active roles in the 30th Century. Although both were honorary members of the Legion virtually from the beginning of the series' existence, this is the only case where either of them came to the Legion's time for anything more than a ceremonial appearance... and that remains true as of today.''
+
:*''"The Infinite Man Who Conquered the Legion" ([[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes 233|SUPERBOY/LEGION #233]], November, 1977) features a villain who has yet to return to challenge the LSH again, but you may rest assured that this will change in [[Legion of Super-Heroes v3 18|the next few months]]. Note that the [[Time Institute]] [[Infinite Man|Jaxon Rugarth]] teaches at is the same one we saw in [[Legion of Super-Heroes v2 295|LSH #295]] a few months ago, and [[Rond Vidar/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Rond Vidar]] is [[Universo/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Universo's]] son, awarded honorary membership in the Legion, despite his lack of powers, for saving them twice.''
  
−
:''Unmentioned in all this has been artist [[John Forte]], the first regular artist on the LSH series and illustrator of all but the Lois Lane episode. These issues represent Forte at his best, before illness began to affect his work, and show his distinctive style in every corner of the cosmos.''
+
:*''Finally, our origin pages have shrunk from DC's largest format to our smallest, having made their debut in the [[All-New Collectors' Edition C-55|ALL-NEW COLLECTORS' EDITION #C-55]] (1978) which featured the Legion's longest story, a 64 pager that married Lightning Lad and [[Saturn Girl/Preboot#Pre-Crisis|Saturn Girl]]. We thought it would be a nice idea to give you at least the basics on the other Legionnaires to round out this collection.''
  
−
:''If you've enjoyed these stories, may I suggest you join us for the new stories of the Legion in their own magazine? There's no time like the present to get into 30th century excitement.''
+
:''If you've enjoyed this digest, may we earnestly suggest that you try the current issues of THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES by ye writer and [[Keith Giffen]], and the ADVENTURE COMICS DIGEST issues which are reprinting the very early tales of the team. We think the 30th Century is a fascinating universe, and we'd be thrilled to have you join us there.''
  
 
::'' – Paul Levitz''
 
::'' – Paul Levitz''
−
-->
 
  
 
[[Category:Reprints (Pre-Crisis)]]
 
[[Category:Reprints (Pre-Crisis)]]

Latest revision as of 10:41, 9 October 2012

The Best of DC #33
Preboot » Pre-Crisis
Reprint
BestOfDC33.jpg
Cover by Keith Giffen and Mike DeCarlo
Story title Various
Publication date November 4, 1982
Cover date February 1983
Creators
Editor(s) Paul Levitz and Nicola Cuti
Cover artist(s) Keith Giffen and Mike DeCarlo

Background

This issue of the Best of DC digest reprint series focuses entirely on Legion stories, in particular, Secret Origins of some Legionnaires and villains. The "Secret Origins" theme was a common one in DC's line of digests, as were Legion reprints - the Adventure Comics series was already reprinting classic Legion tales on a monthly basis in a similar format. With the demise of Adventure half a year later, the Best of DC series would continue the chronological reprints on an occasional basis, beginning with The Best of DC #44.

Reprinted material

Original publication source is noted for each.

The Story Behind the Stories

As with the Legion tales reprinted in Adventure Comics, Paul Levitz provides some commentary here about the original issues in which the stories appeared. Years later, these commentaries are the primary point of interest for the digest (other than the reprinted stories themselves), so the full text is provided below:

As I've been doing a running commentary on the chronological reprints of the Legion for ADVENTURE COMICS, the editors of this digest asked me to tell you a little bit of the background of this issue's tales.
  • "The Lone Wolf Legionnaire" has to stand as the record for the longest gap between a Legionnaire's first appearance and his joining the team. Lone Wolf became Timber Wolf and finally joined the team in #372, almost four years after this story from ADVENTURE COMICS #327 (December, 1964).
  • "One-Shot Hero" from SUPERBOY #195 (June, 1973) was the last Legion story published before they took over the lead in SUPERBOY and gradually began to change the title to SUPERBOY/LEGION and finally LEGION. As loyal fans know, Erg-1 survived to be returned to his containment suit and joined the Legion as Wildfire a few months later in SUPERBOY #201.
  • "Dawnstar Rising" (SUPERBOY/LEGION #240, June, 1978) appeared a couple of years after Dawnstar joined the Legion in SUPERBOY #226... and also has the distinction of being one of two stories actually showing the process of training Legionnaires go through. (The other one was reprinted in last year's Legion BEST OF DC issue.)
  • "Brotherly Hate" tells perhaps the most re-told Legion origin, this time from SUPERBOY #172 (March, 1971)... the first in the series of Legion tales to appear in that title. When first revealed, Lightning Lad's origin included neither his brother nor sister... then Mekt snuck in and finally Ayla.
  • "The Living Key" is from SUPERBOY #221 (November, 1976), one of Jim Shooter's last tales of the LSH from his second stint as writer of the series. Readers who have followed Grimbor since know that Charma died in prison, embittering him against the Legion and leading him to battle them several times again.
  • Finally, our origin pages have shrunk from DC's largest format to our smallest, having made their debut in the ALL-NEW COLLECTORS' EDITION #C-55 (1978) which featured the Legion's longest story, a 64 pager that married Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. We thought it would be a nice idea to give you at least the basics on the other Legionnaires to round out this collection.
If you've enjoyed this digest, may we earnestly suggest that you try the current issues of THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES by ye writer and Keith Giffen, and the ADVENTURE COMICS DIGEST issues which are reprinting the very early tales of the team. We think the 30th Century is a fascinating universe, and we'd be thrilled to have you join us there.
– Paul Levitz
Retrieved from "https://www.legionwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Best_of_DC_33&oldid=21559"