Credits | Characters | Plot Summary | Comments | Reprinted In Supergirl Chronology | Legion Chronology Editor: Mort Weisinger Writer: Jerry Siegel Artist: Jim Mooney Feature Character: Supergirl (joins the Legion in this issue) Supporting Characters: Superman (in flashback from the Legion's perspective), Lori Lemaris, Jerro, Krypto Guest Legionnaires: Brainiac 5 (joins this issue), Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl (first appearance), Saturn Girl, Triplicate Girl (first appearance) Villain: Brainiac (flashback from the Legion's perspective) Other Characters: Elaine (an orphan at Midvale Orphanage), Janice (an orphan at Midvale Orphanage), Frankie Hudson (a TV star), Linda Lee Robot, Shrinking Violet (Legion applicant), Bouncing Boy (Legion applicant), Sun Boy (Legion applicant), Koko (in flashback from the Legion's perspective), citizens of 30th century Metropolis "Supergirl's Three Super Girl-Friends" (12 pages)
Supergirl recalls first trying out for the Legion last year (nine months ago), but from the Legion's point of view it was only several weeks ago (see Action Comics No. 267's write-up for details). This story features the first published appearances of Triplicate Girl and Phantom Girl, although in Superboy No. 147 we learn that they were actually the 4th and 5th members to join the team. Since Supergirl does not know Triplicate Girl or Phantom Girl in this issue, in hindsight we must assume that both Legionnaires were absent on missions at the time of her first application. Phantom Girl's costume is fairly different than the one she will later wear; this one has a double cape and pants with a black stripe down the each side. After Saturn Girl's great disappointment at Supergirl not making the Legion, the two girls were a welcome addition to the boy-heavy team (the details behind the inductions of both heroines is depicted in the origin tape recording presented in Superboy No. 147). This issue also features the first comic book appearance of Bouncing Boy, Shrinking Violet, and Sun Boy; they are all rejected applicants in this story.
While time-viewing Earth history has progressed to the point where the Legion now knows the details of most of Superman's life, Brainiac 5 does not yet know that he is, in fact, unrelated to Brainiac. This is because the time-viewing technology has so far only been applied to Earth history, and not the past of other worlds such as Colu. It is not until 2964 that it becomes known that the original Brainiac was an android and that the boy he forced to pose as his son was the real ancestor that Brainiac 5 is descended from (Superman No. 167, Adventure Comics No. 335 "Meet the Legionnaires"). It should be noted that many post-Silver Age chronologies assume that Brainiac 5 (and Supergirl) joined the team before Superboy. This misconception orginated with a scene in Adventure Comics No. 323. Saturn Girl has a flashback to Superboy's induction ceremony and Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Invisible Kid and Triplicate Girl are shown among the Legionnaire's present. (not only that, but the three charter members are shown wearing their more modern costumes). A later, Bronze Age story cemented the misconception by writing in Brainiac 5 as being a member prior to Superboy being approached for membership (Superboy No. 204). The most illogical part of accepting that Brainiac 5 joined before Superboy is that since Brainiac 5 was shown joining the Legion on the same day as Supergirl (Action Comics No. 276) it means accepting that Supergirl joined before Superboy! This is an illogical, unnecessary complication of the timeline. The fact of the matter is that the plot of the very next Legion tale in Adventure Comics No. 267 hinges on the very fact that the Legionnaires admit to knowing nothing about Superboy's life further than five years into the Boy of Steel's future. All historical records regarding the life of Superman (and therefore the existance of a Supergirl, his contemporary) simply did not exist to them; they were "lost in a fire," as Cosmic Boy says. It is not until time-monitoring technology progresses that the Legionnaires learn about Superman, and then Supergirl, and that is what prompts them to later induct Kara into the team. The 'future flashback' showing Superman destroying Brainiac is a foreshadowing that he is an android, as the Man of Steel would not willingly break his code against killing. Of course, Supergirl, hearing of this, still believes Brainiac to be human. Still, she does not question her cousin's ethics on this, probably because: 1) he gave Brainiac fair warning first, 2) he tossed Brainiac's ship into his own shrinking beam, and 3) Brainiac is not necessarily destroyed anyway, mere shrunk out of his universe. Superman's life up to this 'future' event is now known in the 30th century. What is not known is whether or not Brainiac was destroyed before or after Superman has married. On page 8, panel 6, Sun Boy and Bouncing Boy are shown demonstrating their powers but Shrinking Violet is not. In actuality she is, although she is too tiny to see in this panel. Proof that she was there and did not simply lose confidence and go home is seen in the flashback splash page of Adventure Comics No. 301, which clearly shows both her and Sun Boy standing by and watching Bouncing Boy demonstrating his power and being rejected. Brainiac 5 does not display any super-power in this story nor is there any mention of what his power may be. He begs not to be compared to his infamous ancestor and is accepted into the Legion for his "noble courage". He is said to be a "scientific genius" in Adventure Comics No. 307 but there is no evidence of him having a "super-brain". Reader confusion prompted the following missive in Adventure Comics No. 315's letter column:
This may have prompted the following issue's Origin and Powers feature, which stated that Brainiac 5 has a " 'computer mind' and can perform intricate calculations in seconds." The fact that Brainiac 5's force-shield belt is damaged from the trip back through the time barrier is a demonstration of fate's unalterable nature; Supergirl was destined to encounter numerous chunks of green- and red-K throughout her career. Brainiac 5 knew this fact intellectually but emotionally he was bound to want to try to help her. Supergirl calls the Legion time-viewer a time-scanner in this story. The Legionnaires are still using space-jets to fly. Superboy No. 147 (G-47) (May-June 1968) Supergirl Archives Vol. 2 Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1 Showcase Presents: The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1 Showcase Presents: Supergirl Vol. 1 |
Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl, and
Triplicate Girl journey to 1961 Midvale and, in a
surprise meeting with Supergirl a field near Cranston
Creek, invite her to the future to try out again for the
Legion of Super-Heroes. After time traveling to the
future in the Legion time-bubble, Supergirl is introduced
to four fellow applicants at the Clubhouse - Shrinking
Violet, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, and Brainiac 5, the
descendant of the original Brainiac. Supergirl finds
herself unsure whether or not she can trust the
"handsome, green skinned youth". The Legion is
now allowing one new boy and girl member to join. After
the other applicants demonstrate their powers, Supergirl
digs up three artifacts from the past - King Arthur's
sword, Excalibur, Achilles' helmet, and King Richard the
Lion-Hearted's shield. Suddenly, a green kryptonite
meteor flashes downward and Brainiac 5 quickly puts his
force-shield belt on Supergirl so she can destroy the
threat, protected from the deadly radiations. Both
Supergirl and Brainiac 5 are inducted into the Legion and
presented plaques in a colorful ceremony in Metropolis
Arena. Supergirl thinks Brainiac 5 is "sweet"
and he asks her to stay in the 30th century and be
"his girl". She returns home, but discovers
that travel through the time-barrier has greatly reduced
the life-span of the force-shield belt, making it
useless.
Brainiac 5
introduces himself as the
"great-great-great-great-grandson" of the
original Brainiac, Superman's arch-villain, though he
must have been flustered meeting Supergirl since that
phrasing would actually make him "Brainiac 7"
and not Brainiac 5. Even more strange for this
"computer-minded" lad is that he tosses all
logic of temporal determinism out the window by asking
Kara to stay with him in the 30th century and be
"his girl"!