TITLE: Adventure Comics Issue #334
YEAR: July 1995
COMPANY: DC Comics
Back in 1958 (with “Adventure Comics” issue #247), writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino would change the storyline for the series by featuring Superboy with the Legion of Super-Heroes. So, popular that the incorporation of the Legion of Super-Heroes would last for more than a hundred issues until issue #380 and would primarily feature Supergirl.
These are the stories I remember fondly growing up as digest versions were released in the ’70s and as a child, these were the stories I grew up reading when my parents were out working and was staying at my grandparents place. And that is why I have so much love for the Legion of Super-Heroes. No matter how cheesy or predictable the storylines were back then, I absolutely loved each issue.
With Issue #334, it was an issue that I found quite predictable but the storyline featured Braniac 5, Chameleon Boy, Cosmic Boy, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy and Supergirl.
As Superboy and the Legion are visiting the planet Antares, they see a statue of The Unknown Boy and the group reminisce of their first encounter with the person.
Supergirl had to go back home as Linda Lee Danvers had to return to Stanhope College in the 20th Century, meanwhile the Science Police informed the Legion that Dr. Norm Eldor had escape prison.
As the group headed to the Planet Antares, they remember seeing the Proteans disguised as people. And are learning that the Protean creatures are serving and protecting Dr. Eldor. But why?
Knowing that the Proteans can disguise even as members of the Legion, Braniac 5 creates a formula that when the gas is sprayed, it would prevent anyone from shapeshifting.
So, the group teams up to figure who is friend or foe but out of nowhere, the Unknown Boy comes out of nowhere and drives the Proteans from causing harm to the Legion but making sure the person doesn’t kill them. This leads to Superboy trying to figure out who the Unknown Boy is because the person has strength like Superboy and can see through his lead helmet.
But how will the Superboy and the Legion stop the Proteans being led by Dr. Eldor?
There is a second storyline and it looks like a reprint of a classic Superman story in which Superman must take on an entire All-Star baseball team at a baseball field in Smallville for charity.
While entertaining, predictable and bit cheesy, again, I grew up reading these stories and were entertained as a child. A wholesome superhero story, “Adventure Comics” was my goto DC Comic as a kid and each year I visited a convention or saw some swap meet, I would purchase them in the dollar bins.
Fortunately, people can still be entertained by these stores as DC Comics will be releasing the omnibus Legion of Superheroes: The Silver Age. Check it out!