Legionnaires 3
Encyclopedia
Legionnaires 3 is a four-issue comic book
limited series
published by DC Comics
in 1986, the second limited series to feature the Legion of Super-Heroes
. It was written by Keith Giffen
and Mindy Newell
, pencilled by Ernie Colón
, and inked by Karl Kesel
. The series pits the Legion's three founders against one of their deadliest enemies, the Time Trapper
.
plays a game of chess
with Brainiac
, the intergalactic android criminal from the 20th century. He interrupts the game to confront the Controller who once masqueraded as him and was captured by the Legion of Super-Heroes
. The Trapper previously saved the doppelganger from being destroyed in the Crisis
, only to now kill him. Obsessed with defeating the Legion, the Trapper observes the moment in time that gave birth to the team: the attempted assassination of billionaire R. J. Brande
, which is foiled by Rokk Krinn (Cosmic Boy
), Imra Ardeen (Saturn Girl
) and Garth Ranzz (Lightning Lad
). He decides that Lightning Lad is the group’s weak link, and that the plan to destroy the Legion will focus upon him.
In Metropolis, the Legion's three founders, now retired from active duty, enjoy an evening at the Ranzz home when they are attacked by the Time Trapper’s militia. While they successfully repel the soldiers (who are immediately killed by the Trapper), the heroes soon realize that the entire attack was a diversion which allowed one of the soldiers to kidnap Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl's baby son Graym Ranzz. In the child's place is a doll wrapped in a blanket containing a message: "Only four players in this game — any Legion interference and the child dies!"
Lightning Lad's twin sister Lightning Lass arrives for a visit, but he concocts a story to keep her away. Upon leaving to rendezvous with Cosmic Boy, he and Saturn Girl must avoid Colossal Boy
and his wife Yera
. Sneaking into the Time Institute, the three founders seek the aid of honorary Legionnaire Rond Vidar
in obtaining a time-travelling device, without revealing anything about Graym's kidnapping. When Rond refuses, Saturn Girl uses her mental powers to render him unconscious. The three of them steal the Time Cube, disappearing into the timestream. Unexpectedly finding a gap in the Trapper's Iron Curtain of Time, they arrive at the End of Time. They are soon captured by the Trapper's militia, with Lightning Lad imprisoned separately from his wife and best friend. Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl escape from their cell and — after a perilous journey through the Citadel — discover baby Graym, completely unharmed. It is only then that that they realize that the Trapper’s true target all along has been Lightning Lad.
The Time Trapper subjects Lightning Lad to a variety of psychological attacks, in an attempt to crush his spirit and his sanity. After a series of illusions fails to break the Legionnaire, the Trapper reveals that he caused the shuttle accident that killed Lightning Lad's parents years earlier. Rather than destroying the Legionnaire, the revelation allows him to call upon an inner strength that he did not realize he had, and vow to make the Trapper pay for his parents' deaths. In the very next instant, the three founders and baby Graym are all returned to the Ranzz home in 30th century Metropolis. At the End of Time, the Trapper concedes momentary defeat, noting that "there will be other games."
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in 1986, the second limited series to feature the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. It was written by Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
and Mindy Newell
Mindy Newell
Mindy Newell is an American comic book writer and editor.-Biography:A longtime fan of comics, particularly of Marvel's Spider-Man, Mindy Newell sent submissions to DC Comics in 1983 at a time when the company was actively looking for new talent...
, pencilled by Ernie Colón
Ernie Colon
Ernie Colón is an American comics artist, born on July 13, 1931,Colón was born in Puerto Rico and began his professional career at Harvey Comics as a letterer. He later worked, uncredited, as an artist on titles including Monster in My Pocket, Richie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost...
, and inked by Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics...
. The series pits the Legion's three founders against one of their deadliest enemies, the Time Trapper
Time Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
.
Plot
In his citadel at the End of Time, the Time TrapperTime Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
plays a game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
with Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, the intergalactic android criminal from the 20th century. He interrupts the game to confront the Controller who once masqueraded as him and was captured by the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. The Trapper previously saved the doppelganger from being destroyed in the Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, only to now kill him. Obsessed with defeating the Legion, the Trapper observes the moment in time that gave birth to the team: the attempted assassination of billionaire R. J. Brande
R. J. Brande
Rene Jacques "R. J." Brande is a fictional DC Comics character in the 30th and 31st centuries with the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Pre-Crisis:Originally a Durlan named Ren Daggle, Brande was frozen in human form by the deadly Yorggian fever...
, which is foiled by Rokk Krinn (Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
), Imra Ardeen (Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
) and Garth Ranzz (Lightning Lad
Garth Ranzz
Lightning Lad , also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
). He decides that Lightning Lad is the group’s weak link, and that the plan to destroy the Legion will focus upon him.
In Metropolis, the Legion's three founders, now retired from active duty, enjoy an evening at the Ranzz home when they are attacked by the Time Trapper’s militia. While they successfully repel the soldiers (who are immediately killed by the Trapper), the heroes soon realize that the entire attack was a diversion which allowed one of the soldiers to kidnap Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl's baby son Graym Ranzz. In the child's place is a doll wrapped in a blanket containing a message: "Only four players in this game — any Legion interference and the child dies!"
Lightning Lad's twin sister Lightning Lass arrives for a visit, but he concocts a story to keep her away. Upon leaving to rendezvous with Cosmic Boy, he and Saturn Girl must avoid Colossal Boy
Gim Allon
Colossal Boy , also known as Leviathan and Micro Lad, is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe who has gone by a variety of superhero names over the past several decades, although originally Colossal Boy. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He...
and his wife Yera
Yera Allon
Yera Allon, also known as Chameleon Girl, is a fictional character, a superheroine and Legion of Super-Heroes member in the DC Universe's 30th and 31st centuries.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
. Sneaking into the Time Institute, the three founders seek the aid of honorary Legionnaire Rond Vidar
Rond Vidar
Rond Vidar is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #349 , and was created by Jim Shooter, Mort Weisinger and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...
in obtaining a time-travelling device, without revealing anything about Graym's kidnapping. When Rond refuses, Saturn Girl uses her mental powers to render him unconscious. The three of them steal the Time Cube, disappearing into the timestream. Unexpectedly finding a gap in the Trapper's Iron Curtain of Time, they arrive at the End of Time. They are soon captured by the Trapper's militia, with Lightning Lad imprisoned separately from his wife and best friend. Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl escape from their cell and — after a perilous journey through the Citadel — discover baby Graym, completely unharmed. It is only then that that they realize that the Trapper’s true target all along has been Lightning Lad.
The Time Trapper subjects Lightning Lad to a variety of psychological attacks, in an attempt to crush his spirit and his sanity. After a series of illusions fails to break the Legionnaire, the Trapper reveals that he caused the shuttle accident that killed Lightning Lad's parents years earlier. Rather than destroying the Legionnaire, the revelation allows him to call upon an inner strength that he did not realize he had, and vow to make the Trapper pay for his parents' deaths. In the very next instant, the three founders and baby Graym are all returned to the Ranzz home in 30th century Metropolis. At the End of Time, the Trapper concedes momentary defeat, noting that "there will be other games."