SUPERBOY #203
(Cover by Nick Cardy)
Published and © by DC, Aug. 1974
“Massacre by Remote Control”
Synopsis: Validus attacks! Invisible lovers! The evil of Tharok’s mechanical brain! All this — and a Legionnaire dies!
Writer: Cary Bates
Penciler: Mike Grell
Inker: Grell
Review: It’s hard to imagine a time when a regular cast member’s death didn’t warrant a mention on the cover. Then again, heroes dying wasn’t anything new for the Legion. What was new this issue was “Iron” Mike Grell, taking over as penciller after a one-issue stint inking previous artist Dave Cockrum. Both gentlemen deserve a lot of credit for giving a visual overhaul to a feature that was starting to show its age. Writer Cary Bates does his part here, too, delivering a script rich with both action and characterization. A strong issue from one of the Legion’s better periods.
Grade: A-
Second opinion: Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition).
Cool factor: Mike Grell’s art. Truly one of the definitive Legion artists, along with Cockrum and, of course, Keith Giffen.
Not-so-cool factor: The “invisible world” concept is a little too convenient for the story.
Notable: Death of the Invisible Kid. … The “Super Talk” editor’s note makes it pretty clear the Legion powers-that-be weren’t very happy with Cockrum leaving the book; rumor has it the artist would go on to do alright at Marvel.
Character quotable: “Those gargantuan … powerful fingers — c-crushing the life out of me …” — Lyle Norg, the original Invisible Kid
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