LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES

   COMIC-book series about a group of superpowered youths in the 30th century, published by DC COMICS. The LOS-H first appeared in Adventure Comics \#247 (April 1958) in a Superboy story written by Otto Binder (Eando BINDER) and then featured in various SUPERMAN titles (ed Mort WEISINGER) before gaining their own series in Adventure Comics \#300. Writers have included Jerry SIEGEL, Edmond HAMILTON, Paul Levitz and Jim Shooter, whose first story appeared when he was only 13, a logical extension of Weisinger's policy of incorporating reader suggestions. Many LOS-H characters were designed by fans, and its leadership was regularlydecided by readers' votes. LOS-H appeared in Adventure Comics \#300-\#380 (Sep 1962-May 1969), then in Action Comics \#378-\#392 (July 1969-Sep 1970);it then became a regular back-up feature in Superboy, appearing Mar 1971-Aug 1977 in \#172-\#173, \#176, \#183-\#184, \#188, \#190-\#191, \#193, \#195and \#197-\#230. At this point there was a title change. Superboy became Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes from \#231 (Sep 1977), and thisbecame just Legion of Super-Heroes for \#259-\#313 (Jan 1980-July 1984). Then there began a new "deluxe" series, produced on higher-quality stock;also called Legion of Super-Heroes, it ran from \#1 to \#63 (July 1984-Aug 1989). The older title of the same name was from \#314 renamed Tales of theLegion of Super-Heroes, featuring new material to \#325 (July 1985) and thereafter reprinting the "deluxe" title on a one-year-behind schedule. A new series, again called Legion of Super-Heroes, began with \#1 (Nov 1989) 3 months after the last issue of the old, and (1991) is current. Thepresent writers are Tom and Mary Bierbaum.Much of LOS-H's sf content was quaint even when it first appeared, but sf continues as an important and evolving part of the series, even if in uneasy balance with its SUPERHERO basis.

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