#Shanghalla

[evilhorse]

We swore an oath on Shanghalla

[tinyawazzzo]

[sprockyeahlegion]

“The face of a devil, the soul of an angel”

[protytwo]

I’m a Legion fan for life. When I die scatter my Legion comics to needy fen, and send my rocket-urn to Shanghalla.

[nineplanetslegion]

This is how I imagine Kent Shakespeare was introduced to the Legion. Also I’m obsessed with Shanghalla and places like it (the Stark tombs in Game of Thrones and that graveyard ship that Optimus Prime’s body was on).

[thecomicsnexus]

Hostage on a Hostile Star

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #15 OCTOBER 1985 BY PAUL LEVITZ, GREG LAROCQUE, LARRY MAHLSTEDT AND GENE D’ANGELO

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

Wildfire returns to Legion Headquarters in order to acquire a new containment suit. He lost his previous suit while on a mission with the new Legionnaires. Fitted with a replacement, he now flies off to help his friends.

Meanwhile, a separate group of Legionnaires operate on a mission outside of the planet Imsk. A flock of space dragons attempt to nest on the planet, but Shadow Lass uses her powers to distort the animals' sense. Colossal Boy and Shrinking Violet set up a surrogate beacon that attracts the creatures and leads them away from Imsk.

Later, Element Lad consults with the Legion and tells them of Wildfire's missing team. They lost contact with them on a remote asteroid. The team takes a cruiser to the coordinates and finds that Doctor Regulus his holding the other Legionnaires hostage. He challenges Sun Boy to a one-on-one duel, and Sun Boy accepts. Regulus releases his prisoners and they return to the cruiser. Sun Boy and Regulus fight one another, but Sun Boy's powers are greatly weakened due to fiery creatures that inhabit the asteroid. He defeats Regulus by planting his Legion Flight Ring on him, and sending his body crashing into a pile of debris.

Back on Earth, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl attend the opening of the Legion Museum. The team's original clubhouse is now opened to the public, and officiated by Mayor Kahlid.

On Shanghalla, Timber Wolf pays tribute to his fallen comrade, the Karate Kid. He pledges to fulfill the Kid's last wishes by planting a flower at the Sacred Stones of Lythyl.

At the Time Institute, Brainiac 5 ruminates over what he considers to be the darkest day in Earth's history.

REVIEW

It is a bit strange that this is sort of a Crisis tie-in, considering that the Legion is present in the Crisis. We’ll see what happens in the following issues.

I couldn’t care much about Regulus (who I still insist, has a laxative name). But the character interactions in the rest of the issue are pretty good.

The sequence in Shangalla ends with an amazing panel, where we see Ferro Lad’s tribute and the Sun in the background.

I give this issue a score of 7

[thechronologicalsuperman]

The Chronological Superman 1967:

Ferro Lad’s grim sacrifice is reaffirmed in the subsequent issues of Adventure Comics. No sooner does the masked hero give his life to save the universe (or our corner of it, anyway) than Superman, traveling to the 30th century of the Adult Legion, passes and remarks on Ferro Lad’s memorial statue. One issue later, the Legion HQ is “haunted” by Ferro Lad’s ghost -- which turns out to be a fake, but the real Ferro Lad’s actual real Ferro Ghost makes an appearance at the end of the tale.

The ‘rule’ in comics used to be that the deceased characters whom you would never bring back were Jean Grey of the X-Men and Bucky Barnes -- both of whom have come back. Ferro Lad, however, stayed buried on Shanghalla until the reboots started happening, so I’d argue that he’s probably the only real adherent to that rule.

Also, it’s worth reiterating that Jim Shooter, more than any other writer working on the Superman titles at the time, unsurprisingly understood what the younger readers were looking for: A genuine sense of menace, continuity, world-building and the genuine sensation that the stories in question meant something and figured into the grander scheme of things. It’s no surprise that Shooter’s career takes him all the way to Marvel’s EIC-ship.

[multiverseforger]

Val Armorr was the son of one of Japan's greatest crime lords, Kirau Nezumi, also known as Black Dragon. When he was born, his mother, the American secret agent Valentina Armorr, tried to hide him from his father, but she failed and was killed for her effort. Japan's greatest hero Sensei Toshiaki (the White Crane) eventually killed Black Dragon for his crimes and adopted the infant Val. He raised Val as if he were his own son, and trained him in all manner of the martial arts. Val became the youngest warrior ever to earn the title Samurai, and he went to work for his local shogun. However, after trying his best and failing to please his supervisor, he quit and searched the galaxy for new forms of battle to master.

Legion of Super-Heroes

Main article: Legion of Super-Heroes

When Val returned to Earth, he found that the Legion of Super-Heroes was searching for new recruits to battle the Khunds. He applied, and, although he had no superhuman powers, was accepted when he challenged Superboy to single combat and so impressed the Boy of Steel with his unexpectedly formidable skill that Superboy vouched for his admission to the Legion. His Legion career almost ended ignominiously when fellow recruit Nemesis Kid framed him for betraying Earth to the Khunds, but Nemesis Kid's own treachery was discovered in time, and Val went on to become one of the greatest Legionnaires ever. As Karate Kid, Val was the Legion's leader for one term[4] and once took on the entire Fatal Five single-handedly, clearly defeating the Persuader, Emerald Empress, and Mano (though Mano was largely a matter of luck as the Kid admitted to himself). At one point or another he launched solo flying kicks at villains whose power level far exceeded Superboy, including Validus, Mordru, Omega and even Darkseid. Though they had little effect, they showed the degree of his fearless courage. Karate Kid's best friends in the Legion were Timber Wolf, Chamelon Boy, Dawnstar and Ferro Lad. Timber Wolf's acrobatic abilities made him a natural sparring partner against Val and Karate Kid had a calming effect on Brin Londo with his discipline.

Val fell in love with Princess Projectra, who joined the Legion at the same time he did. In order to prove his worthiness of the princess' hand, he took a leave of absence and spent about a year in the primitive 20th century (during his visit there, Karate Kid was featured in an eponymous, short-lived comic book series: Karate Kid #1 debuted in March 1976 and lasted for 15 issues). He returned to find Projectra's father dead. With Val's and the other Legionnaires' help, she won the throne from her cousin Pharoxx. Val officially became Projectra's consort soon afterward and resigned from the Legion.

Wedded bliss did not last long. He and Projectra returned from their honeymoon to find that her planet, Orando, had been taken over by the Legion of Super-Villains. Val, Projectra, and several other Legionnaires were captured by the villains. When the heroes escaped to oppose the villains, Val fought their leader, Nemesis Kid. Nemesis Kid beat Val almost to death, and Val wanted to continue to fight so that he could die in battle — the ultimate honor by his cultural standards. But at Projectra's urging, Val instead used his remaining strength to destroy the power source for the machines that were moving Orando into a strange dimension. In revenge, Projectra killed Nemesis Kid soon afterward. A memorial to Val was built on Shanghalla.

Myg of Lythyl, one of that planet's Three Judges, later applied for Legion membership and dedicated himself to carrying on the name of "Karate Kid." Like his predecessor, he possessed superior martial arts skills. He became a member of the second Legion of Substitute Heroes while training in the Legion Academy. Myg later joined the Legion during the "Five Year Gap", the gap in-between Legion books before he resigned.

During the "Five Years Later" storyline following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the Dominators, and withdrew from the United Planets. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. However, this version of Val Armorr was killed in battle (along with SW6's Princess Projectra and Chameleon Boy) fighting Dominion troops. Myg, however, resurfaced as one of the many people mindwiped by the Dominators. They unlocked his meta-gene, giving him sonic abilities.[5]

In his 2007 return in Justice League of America, Starman (Starboy) refers to Val having previously died without elaborating on how he returned from death

[vintagegeekculture]

Shanghalla, Cemetary World of the Superheroes, by Curt Swan.

[evilhorse]

Shangalla…the cemetery satellite whereu rest the mortal remains of scores of super-heroes from around the cosmos

[evilhorse]

Loss…

[thechronologicalsuperman]

The Chronological Superman 1966:

Jerry Siegel creates his Legionnaire magnum opus in Adventure Comics vol.1 No.340/341 when the Legion must survive a deadly battle with Computo, the world-conquering creation of Brainiac 5. 

So much occurs in these two issues that it’s hard to keep track. The hero’s graveyard of Shanghalla - complete with some previously unheard-of champions of right, including hapless Leeta 87 - The Weirdo Legionnaire (actually Proty in disguise), an army of Computos, the death of Triplicate Girl and the subsequent debut of Duo Damsel, the revelation that the Batcave continues to exist in the 30th Century and more. 

The Legion has been building to this kind of story, having set up all sorts of relationships, rivalries, cosmic conspiracies in assorted one-shots. That the menace comes directly from one of their own teammates’ hubris makes it all the more remarkable, and the full-page in-story splash pages carry some amazing impact. This is one of a half-dozen genuine classic LSH epics, and I personally rank it with The Great Darkness Saga as one of the Legions highest points.

[sebeth]

Legion Of Super-Heroes #12

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 Legion of Super-Heroes #12, “Rebirth”, by Keith Giffen, Tom & Mary Bierbaum, and Al Gordon.

The previous issue saw Roxxas ambush and decimate the newly-reunited Legion.

The Medi-Center of the Lightning Ring Plantation, Winath:

Brainiac 5 ruminates at Celeste’s bedside: “In a way, life makes perfect sense.  We open our hearts to the muses.  We follow our souls, find our own paths.  We respect the paths of others.  We celebrate their diversity.  It’s all so simple.  Life is good. Life works.  Yessir, Mr. Dox.  You’ve got life all figured out.  So how come you don’t have a clue about death?  Why does Celeste Rockfish have to die?  Why did Jo have to die?  How does any of this fit your neat little equation of life?  How can you apply a 12th-level intelligence for all these years…and still be so utterly incapable of dealing with death?”

Sorry, Brainy, death will remain the eternal mystery of life.

We see “Possibility of mystic treatment?  Powers of available mystics inadequate.”

Brainy’s grasping for straws if he’s willing to consult mystics.  I don’t think Mysa (the closest mystic) would be “inadequate” power-wise but she’s clearly unable to summon the mental focus a healing spell would require.

Brainy leaves the medi-center as a ball of green energy streaks downward.

Reep, clothed in the traditional Durlan robes, bemoans the Roxxas attack, believing it dooms the reformation of the Legion: “We just let him do it, we just let Roxxas waltz onto the plantation and slaughter us…we were so pumped up about staring down Mordru, we just lost our heads…we forgot that Legionnaires never stop being targets…now we’ll never get this damn group together.”

Rokk calmly interrupts Reep’s recriminations: “Listen, Cham, while you were under, we had to put together a plan of action so I split the team into two squads.  Most of us will protect the plantation.  Here’s the squad that’s gone after Roxxas (Ayla, Vi, Jan)”.

Reep is flabbergasted: “Bloody nass!  You sent them on a mission and they all went?”

“Absolutely.  We’re back, Cham.  The Legion is back.”

I’m going to put Cham’s defeatist attitude toward the physical traumua and extensive recovery ahead that he – and others - suffered at the hands of Roxxas – when has the Legion ever backed down from a challenge or given up after a defeat?

A comatose Celeste undergoes a few flashbacks.  It’s revealed Celeste is a cousin of Leland McCauley – she left the family and assumed the Rockfish identity because “we’re just not the same, Daddy…just can’t let money rule my life – like it has for you and Leland”.

Celeste went to an isolated planet after leaving the family.  A meteor, “or something”, hits the planet.  Celeste discovers an alien corpse with a familiar ring: “Some kind of weird ring…that glow…what’s happening to me?”

We switch to Kono and Devlin.

Devlin is under doctor’s orders to “lie low” until the allergic reaction subsides: “Those rose honey-bees pack a wallop, y’know.”

An impatient Kono wants Devlin to help find the missing Furball.

Devlin mentions the presumed deceased Ultra Boy.

Kono: “Jo? Dead? Nah. Couldn’t be. If he were gonna die, he’d a’ told me first.”

The green light flares through the building – heading towards Celeste’s room.

Kono and Brainy race to Celeste’s room.

Garth arrives and questions Devlin. Devlin informs Garth that Brainy has gone ahead to investigate.

Garth: “Well, then, we might as well just wait here. If anybody can puzzle it out, it’s Brainy.”

The green light dims and Brainy and Kono encounter a healed Celeste.

The location changes to the far side of the plantation. We see Furball for the first time in his human form: Brin Londo! The writers dropped hints in earlier issues but it is now confirmed.

Brin: “What is it…the phases of the moon…or what? Why does this happen to me? Ha! Some big mystery – the Zuunium. Dad had to play around with that damn Zunnium, had to use me as his guinea pig…Jo’s kept my secret this long. I’m not going to let them know now that their big, stupid Furball is really Brin Londo, the great Timber Wolf of the Legion of Super-Heroes! I don’t need their pity…don’t want to be another Legion tragedy.  I just want Ayla to remember me the way I was…They don’t need any help, not from their pet.”

Jan, Ayla, and Vi, along with the Science Police, are searching the Bloomfield District of Winath for Roxxas.

Vi finds Roxxas beside a pile of burning corpses. Roxxas’s face is sporting a “Harvey Dent” appearance after his encounter with Jo at the plantation.

Roxxas faints at the sight of the Legionnaires.

Jan: “Wow. Jo must have really pounded him.”

Ayla: “You know, if we don’t do something, he’s going to die right there.”

Vi: “After what he did to Blok and Jo, I really don’t think I give a damn.”

Ayla: “It is better than he deserves.”

Jan: “No. This isn’t about him, or his atrocities. Or even justice. It’s about us and how much of us would die in this room with him.”

Jan is too good for this universe. The intense discipline it must take not to murder Roxxas on sight! Roxxas is not only responsible for Blok’s murder and the Legion ambush – he massacred Jan’s entire race!

The missing Jo has realized he’s not on Winath anymore: “Vegetation’s all wrong…Constellations are out of whack…the moons are out of place.”

Jo discovers a vehicle: “Bloody grief! A Khundish 306 transport! I’ve only seen fossils of this baby! Must be a mockup…”

Jo encounters the owner of the vehicle: “Hmm…some kind of Khundish dialect. And those ears – maybe I’m on a Khundish outpost or something!”

Jo needs answers: “What the grief. Take me to your leader.”

The 5YL series does a great job of establishing Joe’s cunning and intelligence. Before this series, Jo was considered a powerful but not so bright hunk.

The news of Roxxas’s capture makes the interstellar news. Much to the dismay of the Dominators: “You – you and your discrete agent!”

Cham, on the other hand, has a much different reaction: “We did it, by damn!”

Cham congratulates Rokk: “Yeah, I gotta hand it to you, Rokk. You knew what you were talking about. We just picked up right where we left off.”

Cham shows Rokk the new uniforms he had Marla design.

Rokk: “These are not bad at all, Cham, but do you really think we’re gonna get anybody to wear ‘em?”

Cham: “Listen, Rokk, if you wear yours, they’ll wear theirs.”

The writers’ establishment of Rokk as the backbone of the Legion would carry on into the next three reboots.

Quarantine: The Persuader is attacking the lower levels. The Science Police hope the “ex-Legionnaire” can stop him.

The readers are introduced to Richard Kent Shakespeare, a.k.a. DC’s original Impulse.  Kent and Bart debuted very close within a year or so of each other. Kent pretty much never used his code name.

Kent has a super-strength, heightened durability, and regenerative healing powerset. He’s also a medical doctor.

The Persuader asks Kent to step aside: “I’m not after the Ranzz kid”.

Kent: “You know I can’t let you hurt anyone else, not as long as I’m still standing.”

Captain Gim “Hands On” Allon of the Science Police, aka Colossal Boy, arrives on the scene. Science Police Command isn’t thrilled when Gim goes all “Colossal Boy” during cases but he insists he’s “permitted a little discretion”.

Gim started out as a recruit for the Science Police. It makes sense he returns to the Science Police after the Legion disbanded.

The issue ends with the Persuader poised to behead Kent: “Give my regards to all the heroes on Shanghalla.”

The ending pages are a memo between Marla Latham and Murphy Caldwell – the production manager of the company that produced the new Legion uniforms. Cham’s notes are highlighted on the memo. Bottom line: “Just tell them to do it the way we told them to do it.”

The final page is an all points bulletin on Nyuen Chun Ti a.k.a. the Persuader.

Highlights of the A.P.B.:

The Persuader is the prime suspect in the murder of Char Burrane (a.ka. Starfinger II).

Underworld contacts have contracted the Persuader Char Burrane Jr, the son of the second Starfinger. Char Jr. is currently an inmate at the Luc & Perla Ranzz Memorial Clinic on Quarantine.

The Science Police suspect, but can’t prove, that Molock Hansom, the third Starfinger, is the individual who ordered the hits on the Burranes.

Burrane Sr. is believed to be behind the murder of Lars Hanscom, the original Starfinger.

This is a lot of death and vendetta for the lame moniker of “Starfinger”. It’s not even a good name.

Burrane Jr is believed to have a ring that contains the weaponry and data storage of the Burrane Family Crime Empire.

The Science Police believe the Burrane family has connections to the “Black Dawn” case on earth.

The Persuader is considered “extremely dangerous”. He has been convicted for “murder, extortion, racketeering, and other felonies”.

The Persuader obtained the Atomic Axe in mid 2960s at Minerstown settelement in the Rimborian asteroid belt. The Persauder killed Wolf Benback, the previous owner of the axe.

The Persuader became a mob enforcer and later joined the Fatal Five.

The Science Police state the Persuader stayed loyal to the Fatal Five due to his feelings for Sarya of Venegar, aka the Emerald Empress: “Suspect’s actions are more irrational and sadistic since the death of Sarya in 2989.”