"The Adult Legion" is a story arc that was 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...

, and presented in Adventure Comics #354-355 (March–April 1967). It was written by Jim Shooter

Jim Shooter

James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...

, pencilled by Curt Swan

Curt Swan

Douglas Curtis Swan was an American comic book artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 1950s through the 1980s.-Early life and career:Curt Swan, whose Swedish...

 and inked by George Klein

George Klein (comics)

George D. Klein was an American comic book artist and cartoonist whose career stretched from the 1930s and 1940s' Golden Age of comic books...

. The story arc features one of Superman

Superman

Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

's encounters with 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....

 as adults, and foreshadows several plot twists which occur in the years that follow.

The story arc includes the first reference to Brin Londo as Timber Wolf

Timber Wolf (comics)

Timber Wolf is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He comes from the planet Zoon . His powers are enhanced strength, speed and agility...

, and the first references to Chemical King

Chemical King

Chemical King is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. The first was Mr. Lambert, who was murdered by Alfred Stryker in Detective Comics #27...

, Reflecto

Reflecto

Reflecto is a fictional superhero from DC Comics who first appeared as a statue of a dead Legion of Super-Heroes member in Adventure Comics #354 in the "Adult Legion" story, which purported to depict the Legion farther in the future than the regular Legion series...

 and Shadow Lass

Shadow Lass

Shadow Lass is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Adventure Comics vol. 1 #365 , and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...

 (who appears as Shadow Woman).

Plot

Superman

Superman

Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

 is contacted 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 30th century team which he joined years earlier as Superboy

Superboy (Kal-El)

The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...

. Upon reaching Legion Headquarters (now much larger than before), he walks through a hall of huge commemorative statues honoring deceased Legionnaires, including Ferro Lad

Ferro Lad

Ferro Lad is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth...

, Chemical King

Chemical King

Chemical King is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. The first was Mr. Lambert, who was murdered by Alfred Stryker in Detective Comics #27...

, Reflecto

Reflecto

Reflecto is a fictional superhero from DC Comics who first appeared as a statue of a dead Legion of Super-Heroes member in Adventure Comics #354 in the "Adult Legion" story, which purported to depict the Legion farther in the future than the regular Legion series...

 and Shadow Woman

Shadow Lass

Shadow Lass is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Adventure Comics vol. 1 #365 , and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...

. In another hall devoted to married Legionnaires, he observes statues of several wedded members: Shrinking Violet and Ord Qelu (the former Duplicate Boy

Duplicate Boy

Duplicate Boy is a fictional superhero in the first appearing in a story by science fiction writer Edmond Hamilton in Adventure Comics #324...

), Saturn Woman

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 Lightning Man

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...

, Light Lady and Timber Wolf

Timber Wolf (comics)

Timber Wolf is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He comes from the planet Zoon . His powers are enhanced strength, speed and agility...

 (once known as Lone Wolf), and Night Woman

Night Girl

Night Girl is a fictional character in the 30th century of the DC Universe. She is a member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes, and of the most recent incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes...

 and Cosmic Man

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...

. After Brainiac 5

Brainiac 5

Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...

 gives Superman a tour of Legion HQ, the Man of Steel becomes reacquainted with Ultra Man

Ultra Boy

Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...

, Phantom Woman

Phantom Girl

Phantom Girl is a fictional comic book superhero who appears in books published by DC Comics. In the Post-Zero Hour continuity, she is known as Apparition, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...

, Polar Man

Polar Boy

Polar Boy is a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe, initially suggested by reader Buddy Lavigne of Northbrook, Illinois in the letters page of Adventure Comics #304, January, 1963.-Fictional character biography:...

, and Element Man

Element Lad

Element Lad is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.-Pre-Zero Hour:...

, as well as the former 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...

, Matter-Eater Lad

Matter-Eater Lad

Matter-Eater Lad is a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes and possesses the power to eat matter in all forms, as do all natives of his home planet, Bismoll...

, Star Boy, Dream Girl, Bouncing Boy

Bouncing Boy

-Fictional character biography:Bouncing Boy is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century. He is Chuck Taine of Earth, and he has the power to inflate like a ball and bounce. He received his powers when he accidentally drank a super...

, and Duo Damsel.

The team is perplexed when their headquarters is breached, with everything in the lab, arsenal and spaceport hangar destroyed. After two more break-ins, the saboteur is captured and revealed as Douglas Nolan, Ferro Lad’s twin brother who shares his mutant power to transmute his body into iron. The Legion soon comes to realize that he was acting under the mental control of Saturn Queen

Saturn Queen

Saturn Queen is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics. She debuted in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...

, and that the Legion of Super-Villains

Legion of Super-Villains

The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future...

 has been attacking them from afar.

Superman returns to the 20th century, after which the Super-Villains kidnap Brainiac 5. The Legionnaires seemingly avoid a series of traps, but are later captured by Echo, Saturn Queen, Lightning Lord

Lightning Lord

Lightning Lord is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. The older brother of Lightning Lad and Lightning Lass of the Legion of Super-Heroes, he first appeared in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan....

, Beauty Blaze and Cosmic King

Cosmic King

Cosmic King is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...

. Unexpectedly, two armored figures arrive, defeating the villains and freeing the Legionnaires. They soon reveal themselves to be descendants of Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...

 and Mr. Mxyzptlk

Mister Mxyzptlk

Mr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...

, two of Superman’s greatest enemies. The grateful Legionnaires vote them onto the team unanimously.

Aftermath

For years, subsequently Legion storylines are consistent with the Adult Legion tale's vision of the future. Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel are married, soon followed by Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. Lone Wolf becomes Timber Wolf and joins the Legion, and Chemical King dies preventing World War VII. However, it is eventually revealed that the Adult Legion depicted in this story inhabits a parallel Earth, freeing writers to ignore the story altogether.