Continuing to protect the universe in the 31st Century, the Legion of Super-Heroes have gained strange new members in more recent years, including Wildfire, Dawnstar and, most-recently, reformed villain Blok. But now, they’re about to face an ancient and very familiar foe who’s still be able to overcome their ever-expanding numbers. Superboy of the 20th Century is now only assisting the team sporadically – with his most-recent and stint being the bizarre adventure in which he was merged with Ultra Boy to become Reflecto.
With an inconsistent roster, members going rogue and relationships becoming strained among the Legionnaires, now would be the worst possible time for the rise of a threat the likes of which they’ve never faced before…
Minor Crossover: The Legion’s adventures veer into their very first annual; I’ve included the issues that add elements to the story that come into play by the time ‘The Great Darkness Saga’ officially begins in Legion of Super-Heroes #290.
Must-Reads: Issues marked with a ✔are essential to the story.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- PSYCHO WAR (1980) – Superboy takes a less-active role in the Legion
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Legion of Super-Heroes #284-286 (tie-in)
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #287 [1/2] (tie-in)
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #287 [2/2]
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #288-289 (tie-in)
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #290-292
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #293 [1/2]
- ✔ Legion of Super-Heroes #294
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| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #284 (tie-in) Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel decide to retire from the Legion of Super-Heroes. Karate Kid also requests time out. The Organleggers raid the Medicus One null-gravity hospital. Light Lass and Timber Wolf are already on the scene. The rest of the Legion arrive and prevent the Organleggers’ getaway. When the Legion leave, Timber Wolf completes his secret surgery to look human again. A creature called Organus drains Light Lass of her energy and steals her powers. Element Lad leads a small team back to Medicus. Organus is defeated by Blok. On Earth, Dream Girl returns to the team, hoping to prevent one of her dreams coming true. 1st appearance: Gym’ll, Organleggers, Organus, Medicus One | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #285 [1/2] (tie-in) The Khunds sabotage the Nullport Drydock before stating a full-scale invasion. Shadow Lass uses her darkness powers to hide Nullport before Mon-El moves it to a new location. On Orando, King Voxv dies unexpectedly… 1st appearance: H’Hrnath | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #285 [2/2] (tie-in) Dream Girl returns to her homeworld Naltor where the population recently lost their ability to glimpse the future. She realises the planet’s new gyrostabiliser is disrupting their powers, so she quickly alters its frequency. 1st appearance: Cyfril | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #286 [1/2] (tie-in) Intent on killing Sun Boy, Doctor Zaxton Regulus attacks RJ Brande’s planetoid home. Regulus sets off a reactor that threatens to destroy that world. Visiting from the past, Superboy helps Sun Boy repair the reactor. Later, Lightning Lad is enraged when Chameleon Boy leads the Timber Wolf and Shrinking Violet on an unapproved mission to the Khund world… 1st appearance: Kharlak, ‘Shrinking Violet’/Chameleon Girl/Year Allon | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #286 [2/2] (tie-in) Projectra is crowned ruler of Orando and asks Karate Kid to leave the Legion and stay by her side. Projectra’s cousin Prince Pharoxx accuses them both of killing Voxv. He defeats both Projectra and Karate Kid in trial by combat to claim the throne himself. And he begins his rule by ordering their deaths… | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #287 [1/2] (tie-in) Chameleon Boy, Timber Wolf and Shrinking Violet sneak onto Khundia. They accidentally upset the Khund Kharlak and must face him in battle. They win but their cover’s blown. The trio are forced into a trial with Kharlak. The Legion are ordered not to head to Khundia, causing Lightning Lad to quit as leader and pass the role to Element Lad. Saturn Girl and Colossal Boy fly into Khundia and rescue their friends. But the ship crashes into an asteroid… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #287 [2/2] Shadow Lass and Mon-El’s leave of absence from the Legion of Super-Heroes is cut short when they’re called to investigate a planet set adrift. But the planet’s automated defences force the duo to retreat. The machines retreat in response to Shadow Lass’s darkness. They flee and mark the planet off-limits. On the other side of the planet, a dark figure rises from slumber… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #288 (tie-in) Dream Girl, Mon-El, Shadow Lass and Ultra Boy stage a rescue mission on Orando, but Pharoxx and Hagga (Projectra’s magic-using grandmother) quickly defeat them and prepare to burn them all alive alongside Projectra and Karate Kid. Dream Girl’s ingenuity grants the team their freedom. Karate Kid defeats Pharoxx. Projectra is crowned Queen again, and Karate Kid decides to remain on Orando. Near Khundia, Saturn Girl’s team huddle on the icy remains of shattered world. Their flight rings are dead and their ship is destroyed… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #289 [1/2] (tie-in) Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy and the others are stranded on an asteroid and running out of oxygen. Shrinking Violet rejects Colossal Boy’s advances. The rest of the Legion search for their friends. Dream Girl, Mon-El, Shadow Lass and Ultra Boy return to Earth. Dawnstar and Light Lass find the lost Legionnaires, but Light Lass is jealous of Timber Wolf’s closeness with Saturn Girl. Halfway across space, the dark figure prepares to spread his evil. |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #289 [2/2] (tie-in) Brainiac 5 and new Legion leader Element Lad’s efforts to cure Matter-Eater Lad’s insanity lead them into a trap set by Doctor R’xalim. Brainiac figures a way to escape. He takes Matter-Eater Lad back to Earth… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 Shvaughn Erin starts her new job as Science Police liaison to the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5’s attempt to cure young Danielle Foccart of a rare energy-overload on her nervous system goes wrong, resulting in Computo taking over her mind. Moving on to take over the Legion’s entire headquarters, Computo then tries to kill the Legionnaires. From across the galaxy, the dark figure on the barren world senses the power of Computo and sends a dark emissary to claim it. Under Brainiac 5’s direction, Danielle’s brother Jacques Foccart obtains the means to shut down Computo by becoming the new Invisible Kid. Brainiac has to keep Danielle in stasis to prevent Computo from reawakening, though it seems it won’t be long… 1st appearance: Danielle Foccart, Invisible Kid/Jacques Foccart |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #290 A winged Servant of Darkness easily overpowers Superboy and members of the Legion to steal the Wand of Metachem from the Museum of Mystic Arts. Another Servant steals Excalibur from the Tower of London. Finally, three Servants steal the Orb of Orthanax from Talok VIII, but Superboy takes one Servant prisoner. Element Lad catches Timber Wolf and Saturn Girl sharing their feelings for one another while Lightning Lad recovers. Dream Girl, Element Lad and Ultra Boy make a bid for leadership of the Legion. The female Servant of Darkness is taken to Legion HQ where her presence alone gives Computo a nightmare. The Servants’ master uses the stolen magical items to power himself up… 1st appearance: Servants of Darkness |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #291 [1/2] Mon-El discovers the captured Servant is a clone of Shadow Lass’s ancestor, Lydea Mallor. Elsewhere, the Servants’ master frees the magician Mordru from captivity on Avalon. The Legion are alerted to three crises at once. One team deals with the prison-break on Takron-Galtos, narrowly repelling an assault by an Astro-Force-wielding Servant. Like Time-Trapper on Takron-Galtos, Mordru is found robbed of his powers by the darkness on Avalon. The Legion protect the White Witch from another Servant on Naltor. Invisible Kid is left unconscious after meeting the master. Dream Girl sees the Legion losing their next fight… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #291 [1/2] The ‘Lydea Mallor’ Servant wakes up in Legion HQ and attacks Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl. Lightning Lad wakes from his comatose state long enough to defeat the Servant. News comes through that Dream Girl has been elected leader of the Legion of Super-Heroes… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #292 Chameleon Boy has just arrived on Takron-Galtos to serve his time. The Legionnaires all head to the Sorcerers’ World where they’re devastated by the Servants of Darkness. Their master leaves Mon-El comatose. White Witch tries to summon help, instead, a baby emerges from a portal. The master steals all the magic from the Sorcerers’ World. On Earth, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy deduce two of the Servants to clones of Superman and a Guardian of the Universe. Cosmic Boy summons all the reserve Legionnaires… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #293 [1/2] Superboy rejoins the Legion. The Servants’ master arrives on Daxam. He mentally enslaves the population and switches the entire planet with his dead world, bringing Daxam into the proximity of a yellow sun – powering them up, much like Kryptonians. The master makes the Daxamites burn their own world so he can absorb its energies and be restored. The infant in the Legion’s care begins to age rapidly. The Legion repel the Servants’ next attack and Brainiac 5 discerns that their master is Darkseid! And he has an army of three-billion super-powered Daxamites at his command… |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #294 Supergirl, Dev-Em, the Heroes of Lallor, the Legion of Substitute Heroes and the Wanderers join the fight against Darkseid and his Daxamite horde. The ‘Orion’ Servant steals the child from the Legion of Super-Heroes. White Witch transports some of the Legion to Darkseid’s location. The child rapidly ages to become Highfather of the New Gods, who then turns the Orion Servant into a version of the true Orion. Darkseid is hurt by ‘Orion’ but ultimately destroys him. Before vanishing, Highfather powers up Superboy, Supergirl and the original Legion who attack in force. Darkseid loses his hold on the Daxamites who join the assault on him. The defeated Darkseid teleports away, transporting the ruins of his homeworld Apokolips with him. Light Lass quits the Legion. 1st appearance: Ol-vir |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #296 (1983) Light Lass officially quits the Legion, though Timber Wolf remains with the team. | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #299-300 (1983) The new Invisible Kid faces the original in battle in a dream dimension; Supergirl’s role with the Legion becomes more official. | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #303 (1983) Brainiac 5 decides Supergirl is a problem because she’s too distracting for him. | ||
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (1983) Karate Kid and Projectra are married. | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes #304-305 (1983) Bouncing Boy takes a new role at the Legion Academy; ‘Shrinking Violet’ is revealed to be an impostor – the shape-shifting Durlan Yera Allon; the real Shrinking Violet returns after having been abducted by Imskian radicals. | ||
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #307-311 (1984) The Khund – allied with Prophet and Omen – finally make their move against the United Planets; Computo is reactivated, regaining control of Danielle Foccart; Element Lad retakes the role of leader of the Legion of Super-Heroes; Brainiac 5 tames Computo and it becomes the Legion’s majordomo. | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (1984) Karate Kid returns to the Legion. Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #3 (1984) Mordru is revealed to have regained his magical abilities; Darkseid returns to remind the Legion of his curse. Legion of Super-Heroes #2-5 (1984) Karate Kid sacrifices himself to save Orando; Projectra has her revenge on Nemesis Kid for killing her consort. | THE CURSE |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #15 (1985) Doctor Zaxton Regulus returns, taking members of the Legion hostage; Sun Boy defeats Regulus once again. | |
| ✔ | Legionnaires 3 #1 (1986) The Time-Trapper who was imprisoned on Takron-Galtos is revealed to be a proxy for the true Time-Trapper | |
| Swamp Thing #49-50 (1986) A primordial entity called the Great Darkness makes itself known and becoming a threat to all magic. | A MURDER OF CROWS | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (1986) Darkseid’s curse finally catches up with the Legion. | |
| Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #336-337 (1986) Light Lass returns to the Legion of Super-Heroes. | ||
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #21-24 (1991) Darkseid returns to antagonise the Legion of Super-Heroes. | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #31 (1992) It’s revealed that Shvaughn Erin was originally Sean Erin and was raised on a planet where same sex relationships are outlawed. | |
| ✔ | Legion of Super-Heroes #41 (1993) Following her kidnapping by the Dominators, Danielle Foccart joins the SW6 Legionnaires as Computo. | |
| Superboy #19 (1995) The post-Zero Hour version of Mon-El is placed in the Phantom Zone (just as Computo predicted) when he suffers from lead poisoning, seemingly with no cure. | ||
| ✔ | The Legion #25-30 (2003-2004) The Legion face Darkseid when he threatens to take control of the universe. | FOUNDATIONS |
| Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #16-17 (2006) Supergirl officially joins the Legion of Super-Heroes. | ONE YEAR LATER | |
| ✔ | Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1 (2008) Yera Allon is revealed to have taken on the codename Chameleon Girl. | FINAL CRISIS |
| ✔ | Booster Gold #32 (2010) Rip Hunter sends Booster Gold to the 30th Century, during the time of the Great Darkness Saga. | |
| ✔ | Justice League vs the Legion of Super-Heroes #1-6 (2022) The Legion of Super-Heroes face the actual Great Darkness. | THE GOLD LANTERN SAGA |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga | Legion of Super-Heroes #287 (part), 290-294 Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 (part) 3 |
| Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga – The Deluxe Edition | Legion of Super-Heroes #284-296 Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2024
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