Adventure Comics 307
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Contents
The Secret Power of the Mystery Super-Hero
Plot Synopsis
The Legion is called on to stop a band of space pirates who are raiding distant worlds, but, as several Legionnaires are away on missions, the team holds an open call for applicants. One applicant, Jan Arrah, refuses to reveal his power to anyone save one Legionnaire. Saturn Girl volunteers to learn his power, and, on her recommendation, he is admitted to the Legion as Mystery Lad.
As the Legion hunts the space pirates from world to world, Mystery Lad uses his power in ways that leave the Legionnaires guessing its nature. He causes an spear to disintegrate against his chest, leading Bouncing Boy to think he’s invulnerable. He pushes aside a large, silver statue, making Cosmic Boy think he’s super-strong. When he disintegrates a nickel asteroid heading straight for the Legion, Brainiac 5 thinks he has heat vision. Saturn Girl tells the Legionnaires they’re wrong, but won’t reveal Mystery Lad’s true power.
In an area near twin red suns, Mystery Lad flies ahead of the Legionnaires, ostensibly to make sure the way is safe. But he leaves a coded message for them on an asteroid, revealing that he is the one the pirates are really after. Mystery Lad surrenders to the pirates and their leader, Roxxas, who had slaughtered the rest of his people when they had refused to use their native power – to transmute one element into any other – to make him and his men wealthy. The pirates attempt to force Mystery Lad to use his powers for their benefit; they remove his space helmet so that if he uses his power against their ship, he’ll suffocate in space. Mystery Lad chooses to die rather than help the pirates; he transmutes the hull of their ship into gas. But as the pirates try to flee, they are rounded up by the arriving Legionnaires. The unconscious Mystery Lad is saved by Invisible Kid, who had tagged along incognito to spy on Mystery Lad.
The Legionnaires rename their newest member Element Lad.
Key Quotes and Catchphrases
Critique
Roll Call
In order of appearance:
Legionnaires
Villains
Supporting Characters
Other Characters
Planets and Settings
Technology, Gadgets and Other Neat Stuff
Notes
Errors and Oddities
First appearances
This issue marks the first appearance of the following characters and recurring key Legion story elements:
Powers and abilities
Reboot Reference Kit
| Post-Crisis | xxx |
| Glorithverse | xxx |
| Post-Zero Hour | xxx |
| Post-Infinite Crisis | xxx |
| DCAU | xxx |
| LSH cartoon | xxx |
Retcon Alert
Other
Other stories in this issue
There is an additional story that does not feature the Legion - "The Confession of Superboy"
Reprints
This Legion story has been reprinted in the following:
Adventure Comics #500 (June 1983)
