Self-Indulgent Tuesday!

Would you indulge me for a moment?

I hate science fiction. Many folks think that if you love comics, you must also love sci-fi, and I am living proof that isn't the case.

Mind you, that's more of a reflection on me than the genre. I think many talented people write sci-fi, and many great folks have an appreciation for it. I think you have to be fairly smart to truly enjoy sci-fi, so that's probably what disqualifies me.

But I love the Legion. I have never been able to reconcile what works for me with the Legion where other stuff like Star Wars falls flat for me. I don't know what sci-fi fans think of the Legion, but it's about as sci-fi as I care to get. Ever.

This was the first Legion comic I ever read - Superboy & LSH #214:


I barely knew there were tales of Superman as a boy when I was a young 'un, much less this Justice League-like group of heroes he hung out with. But when I picked this off the rack at Safeway, I learned many things.

First, and foremost, they kicked ass to the degree that Superboy was almost tolerable at times:


I am brave enough to say I was a big fan of Karate Kid (and I must not have been alone because he was the first Legionnaire to get his own solo book). He had some moves, not to mention an awesome costume.

But even more so, I fell in love at first sight with Wildfire.

Do you know why? Because he actually had the stones to stand up to Superboy:


That's right, Supersuck! No one pushes Wildfire!

Now, granted it didn't last long. After all, it wasn't Wildfire & the Legion of Super-Heroes, was it?


But the fact that he was willing to challenge someone who everyone else cowed to made him the most awesome character ever. That, and the fact that he had no face.

And, back in the 1970's, "Wildfire" was a cool name and his chest emblem was bitchin'. Hey, it was the 70's. The Trans Am was popular! If you weren't there, you'll never get it.

It wasn't particularly noteworthy and totally irrelevant in Legion history, other than the fact that this issue made me a lifelong fan. Thanks for letting me share it with you.

And check out the very next issue, where Cosmic Boy smacks Light Lass!:


Cosmic Boy, I thank you on behalf of Timber Wolf, who I'm sure wanted to do it many times.

Surprisingly, Cos wasn't smacking her for making fun of his horrible new costume:



Which was introduced the same time as Colossal Boy's all-time worst:


Yeah, hang your head in shame, son! And for crying out loud, go find some pants!

Thanks to everyone for their nice e-mails and comments telling me how much you enjoy the site. I read every one and it keeps me going! See you tomorrow.