Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #1
Published 1991
Cover Price 39.95 USD
Pages 256
Editing Michael Charles Hill
Notes ISBN 1-56389-020-8. Table of Contents page mistakenly omitted; included with second volume. All lettering credits from other indexes and sources.

Cover Details

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Superboy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Murphy Anderson
Colors Rick Taylor
Notes ISBN 1-56389-020-8. Table of Contents page mistakenly omitted; included with second volume. All lettering credits from other indexes and sources.
Reprinted in World's Best Comics: Silver Age Sampler (DC, 2004 series) #nn [figures only, reformatted]

1 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Legion of Super-Heroes Archives: Volume 1"

Letters typeset
Notes teaser on dust jacket flaps (inside front and inside back)

1 page Legion of Super-Heroes story

Characters Lightning Lad [as Lightning Boy]; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #247 (April 1958) [from cover, used as a spot illo]

5 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Foreword"

Characters Bouncing Boy (spot illo 1); Legion of Super-Heroes [Superboy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy; Triplicate Girl] (spot illo 2)
Script Mike Gold
Pencils John Forte (spot illo 1); John Byrne (spot illo 2)
Inks John Forte (spot illo 1); John Byrne (spot illo 2)
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters typeset
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #301 (October 1962) [spot illo 1]; from Interlac (the Legion APA) [spot illo 2]

2 page Legion of Super-Heroes character profile "The Origin and Powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes"

Characters Phantom Girl; Triplicate Girl; Brainiac 5; Lightning Lad; Bouncing Boy; Invisible Kid; Shrinking Violet; Cosmic Boy; Chameleon Boy; Saturn Girl; Colossal Boy; Sun Boy
Synopsis Origins and powers of 12 of the Legionnaires.
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Superman Annual (DC, 1960 series) #4 (Winter 1962)

12 page Superboy story "The Legion of Super-Heroes"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad [as Lightning Boy]; Saturn Girl]; Jonathan Kent (cameo)
Synopsis Three teens from the future offer Superboy membership in their super-hero club. But when Superboy fails to complete three simple tasks, the Legionnaires pretend to reject him, until they reveal that the three tasks were merely intitiation pranks which proved he is a good sport.
Genre superhero
Script Otto Binder
Pencils Al Plastino
Inks Al Plastino
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Notes First appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Lightning Lad is called Lightning Boy in this story only and all three Legionnaires appear in these costumes in this issue only. Several other unidentified Legionnaires appear in this story, including one who is colored to imply he is Brainiac 5.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #247 (April 1958)

11 page Superboy story "Prisoner of the Super-Heroes"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl]; Krypto; Martha Kent; Jonathan Kent
Synopsis The Legion returns to 20th Century to discredit Superboy and exile him from Earth.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes Second appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #267 (December 1959)

13 page Supergirl story "The Three Super-Heroes"

Characters Supergirl; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Chameleon Boy; Colossal Boy; Invisible Kid]; Superman
Synopsis The Legion comes to the 20th century to meet Supergirl and invites her to come to the 30th Century to apply to join the Legion.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Jim Mooney
Inks Jim Mooney
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes Third appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes; first appearance of Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, and Invisible Kid.
Reprinted from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #267 (August 1960)

8 page Superboy story "The Army of Living Kryptonite Men!"

Characters Superboy; Lex Luthor; Lana Lang; Jonathan Kent; Krypto; Lightning Lad; Cosmic Boy (cameo); Saturn Girl (cameo)
Synopsis Luthor lures Superboy into a kryptonite trap, but he is saved by a timely appearance of Lightning Lad.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes Luthor speculates about the existence of a Legion of Super-Villains, and their future first appearance is plugged in the final caption of the story.
Reprinted from Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #86 (January 1961)

13 page Superboy story "Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes"

Characters Superboy; Lana Lang; Star Boy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Chameleon Boy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy] (in flashback)
Synopsis Lana uses Star Boy in an attempt to make Superboy jealous.
Genre superhero
Script Otto Binder
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes First appearance of Star Boy, who has powers similar to Superboy's in this story only. Story is re-written version of story from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #195 (December 1953).
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #282 (March 1961)

12 page Supergirl story "Supergirl's Three Super Girl-Friends"

Characters Supergirl; Legion of Super-Heroes [Saturn Girl; Phantom Girl; Triplicate Girl; Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Shrinking Violet; Bouncing Boy; Sun Boy; Brainiac 5]; Brainiac; Koko; Lori Lemaris; Jerro; Krypto
Synopsis Supergirl again travels to the 30th century to tryout for the Legion, and this time is inducted alongside Brainiac 5.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Jim Mooney
Inks Jim Mooney
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Notes First apprearances of Phantom Girl, Triplicate Girl, Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, and Brainiac 5.
Reprinted from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #276 (May 1961)

9 page Superboy story "Superboy's Big Brother! [Superboy's Big Brother! Part 1]"

Characters Superboy [Kal-El]; Mon-El [also as Bob Cobb]; Martha Kent; Jonathan Kent; Krypto (cameo); Jor-El (flashback); Lara (flashback)
Synopsis When a space ship crashes outside Smallville, Superboy finds an amnesiac super-powered youth who might be his older brother. He christens him Mon-El and sets him up with a secret identity, but he soon finds evidence that Mon-El is not in fact Kryptonian.
Genre superhero
Script Robert Bernstein
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes First appearance of Mon-El. Story is re-written version of "Superman's Big Brother" from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #80 (January-February 1953).
Reprinted from Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #89 (June 1961)

10 page Superboy story "The Secret of Mon-El! [Superboy's Big Brother! Part 2]"

Characters Superboy; Mon-El [Bob Cobb; Lar Gand] (origin); Martha Kent; Jonathan Kent; Lana Lang; Miss Joyce; King Mycerinua; Rhodopis; Jor-El (flashback); Lara (flashback); Phantom Zone
Synopsis Trying to prove Mon-El isn't actually Kryptonian, Superboy accidentally exposes him to lead, which both poisons him and returns his memory. He remembers that he is a space explorer from Daxam named Lar Gand, who visited Krypton, meeting Jor-El and Lara, before arriving on Earth. To save his life, Superboy sends Lar Gand into the Phantom Zone until he can cure him of his lead poisoning.
Genre superhero
Script Robert Bernstein
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Reprinted from Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #89 (June 1961)

11 page Superman story "The Legion of Super-Villains"

Characters Superman; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Man; Cosmic Man; Saturn Woman]; Lex Luthor; Legion of Super-Villains [Cosmic King; Lightning Lord; Saturn Queen]
Synopsis Luthor contacts and teams up with the Legion of Super-Villains from 30th Century.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Sheldon Moldoff
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Notes First appearance of adult Legion of Super-Heroes and Legion of Super-Villains
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #147 (August 1961)

13 page Superboy story "The Secret of the Seventh Super-Hero!"

Characters Superboy; Tom Tanner; Martha Kent; unnamed Sun Boy imposter; Legion of Super-Heroes [Brainiac 5; Saturn Girl; Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy; Cosmic Boy; Phantom Girl, Sun Boy]; Lana Lang; Krypto
Synopsis An imposter Sun Boy has Superboy help him assemble a robot.
Genre superhero
Script Robert Bernstein
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes Story is in part a re-written version of "The Two Clark Kents" from Adventure Comics (1938 series) #191 (August 1953). Writer credit from index of original issue. Credited as "Unknown" in Table of Contents.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #290 (November 1961)

14 page Superboy story "The Legion of Super-Traitors!"

Characters Superboy; Lana Lang; Jonathan Kent; Martha Kent; Krypto; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Lad; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl]; Jax-Ur; General Zod; Mon-El; Legion of Super-Pets [Krypto; Streaky; Super-Monkey; Super-Horse]
Synopsis The Brain-Globes of Rambat attempt to use the Legion in their plan to take over Earth, but the Legion gather the Legion of Super-Pets who can't be mind-controlled.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Notes First appearance of the Legion of Super-Pets. Also first appearance of Supergirl's Super-Horse, before his first appearance in her series.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #293 (February 1962)

14 page Supergirl story "Supergirl's Greatest Challenge"

Characters Supergirl; Fred Danvers; Edna Danvers; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Sun Boy; Bouncing Boy; Brainiac 5]; Whizzy
Synopsis During a trip to the 30th century, the Legionnaires seemingly lose their powers and Supergirl must cover for them, but it is really a trap to send her into the Phantom Zone.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Jim Mooney
Inks Jim Mooney
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Reprinted from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #287 (April 1962)

12 page Supergirl story "Superman's Super-Courtship!"

Characters Supergirl; Fred Danvers; Edna Danvers; Superman; Helen of Troy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Man; Cosmic Man; Phantom Woman; Triplicate Woman?; Chameleon Man; Sun Man; Saturn Woman]; Luma Lynai
Synopsis Supergirl tries to find the perfect mate for Superman.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Jim Mooney
Inks Jim Mooney
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Reprinted from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #289 (June 1962)

13 page Superboy story "The Boy with Ultra-Powers!"

Characters Superboy; Ultra Boy [Jo Nah, also as Gary Crane], Marla Latham [also as Ben Crane]; Pete Ross; Jonathan Kent; Krypto; Lana Lang
Synopsis Ultra Boy must discover Superboy's secret identity as an initiation test for entrance into the Legion.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Notes First appearances of Ultra Boy and Marla Latham.
Reprinted from Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #98 (July 1962)

11 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "The Face behind the Lead Mask"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Lightning Lad; Sun Boy; Superboy; Chameleon Boy (statue); Bouncing Boy (statue); Shrinking Violet (statue); Invisible Kid [Lyle Norg] (statue)]; Lex Luthor; Urthlo; Mon-El
Synopsis At a regular meeting of the Legion of Super-Heroes, the Legionnaires lose control of their powers. Urthlo arrives and announces that he now controls the Legionnaires' powers and there is nothing they can do about it. But Saturn Girl comes up with a serum to temporarily cure Mon-El and immunize him against lead, and Superboy releases him from the Phantom Zone to knock out Urthlo, who turns out to be an automaton created by Lex Luthor sent into the future to destroy the Legion.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte; Al Plastino (page 4 and some Superboy and Luthor faces only)
Inks John Forte; Al Plastino (page 4 and some Superboy and Luthor faces only)
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Notes Mon-El becomes a member of the Legion in this story.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #300 (September 1962)

12 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "The Secret Origin of Bouncing Boy"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Bouncing Boy; Sun Boy; Cosmic Boy; Shrinking Violet; Lightning Lad; Chameleon Boy; Saturn Girl; Triplicate Girl; Colossal Boy; Phantom Girl; Ultra Boy]
Synopsis Bouncing Boy tells a group of applicants how he got his powers and gained acceptance into the Legion.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte
Inks John Forte
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #301 (October 1962)

11 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "Sun-Boy's Lost Power!"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Sun Boy; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Superboy; Ultra Boy; Bouncing Boy]; Pete Ross
Synopsis Sun Boy loses his powers and has to find a way to recharge them.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte
Inks John Forte
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Milton Snapinn
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #302 (November 1962)

11 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "The Fantastic Spy!"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Sun Boy; Lightning Lad; Brainiac 5; Matter-Eater Lad; Bouncing Boy; Chameleon Boy; Shrinking Violet; Superboy]; Dr. Landro
Synopsis The newest Legionnaire, Matter-Eater Lad, is accused of being a spy.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte
Inks John Forte
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #303 (December 1962)

11 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "The Stolen Super-Powers!"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Shrinking Violet; Bouncing Boy; Sun Boy; Cosmic Boy; Chameleon Boy; Colossal Boy; Saturn Girl; Triplicate Girl; Brainiac 5; Invisible Kid; Matter-Eater Lad; Lightning Lad; Ultra Boy; Mon-El; Superboy; Supergirl]; Lori Lemaris; Zaryan the Conqueror
Synopsis Saturn Girl tries to sacrifice herself after she finds out that a computer predicts the death of a legionnaire fighting Zaryan, but Lightning Lad dies instead.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte
Inks John Forte
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Notes Saturn Girl is elected Legion leader.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #304 (January 1963)

11 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes story "The Secret of the Mystery Legionnaire"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Sun Boy; Shrinking Violet; Bouncing Boy; Cosmic Boy; Mon-El [as Marvel Lad, the Legionnaire Lemon]; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Colossal Boy; Brainiac 5; Superboy (in flashback)]
Synopsis In tryouts to replace the fallen Lightning Lad, Marvel Lad wows the Legionnaires, who reveals he is Mon-El, now cured by Brainiac 5.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils John Forte
Inks John Forte
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Joe Letterese
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #305 (February 1963)

1 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Cover Gallery"

1 page Superboy cover reprint (on interior page) "The Legion of Super-Heroes!"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad [as Lightning Boy]; Saturn Girl]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #247 (April 1958)

1 page Superboy cover reprint (on interior page) "Prisoner of the Super-Heroes!"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Lightning Lad]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #267 (December 1959)

1 page Superboy cover reprint (on interior page) "The Secret of the Seventh Super-Hero!"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Sun Boy; Brainiac 5; Cosmic Boy; Phantom Girl; Chameleon Boy; Saturn Girl; Lightning Lad]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #290 (November 1961)

1 page Superboy cover reprint (on interior page) "The Legion of Super-Traitors!"

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Lad; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #293 (February 1962)

1 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes cover reprint (on interior page) Superboy in "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes!"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Superboy; Sun Boy; Saturn Girl; Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad, Triplicate Girl; Mon-El]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Ira Schnapp
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #300 (September 1962)

1 page Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes cover reprint (on interior page) "The End of Sun Boy!"

Characters Legion of Super-Heroes [Superboy; Sun Boy; Ultra Boy; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw; Rick Taylor
Letters Ira Schnapp
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #302 (November 1962)

1 page Superboy (backcovers) *do not use* / *please fix*

Characters Superboy; Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Saturn Girl; Sun Boy; Brainiac 5; Phantom Girl; Chameleon Boy; Triplicate Girl; Mon-El]
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye; George Klein
Colors Tom McCraw
Notes Four small cover reproductions.
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #247 (April 1958); from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #267 (December 1959); from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #290 (November 1961); from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #300 (September 1962)