So “the girl Legionnaires” all come down with a fever which turns their skin crimson. What else it does isn’t really specified, but the illness is apparently fatal, and Superboy, of all people, tells the girls they’re doomed and have to go to the quarantine world. Not really Superboy’s style, telling people they’re just gonna die.

Phantom Girl is back in this issue, but doesn’t say a word. She turns red and sits in a wheelchair. Readers who missed her one appearance years back don’t even have any idea why she’s called “Phantom Girl.”

The remaining (male) Legionnaires are taunted by the arrival to Satan Girl, who has the power of a Kryptonian on Earth, and brashly demands Legion membership. When the boys pretty much say, “Uh, waitaminute…” she announces that she caused the Crimson sickness, and now she’s going to kill all the female Legionnaires.

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This is something of a “filler” story. Nothing particularly relevant to Legion history happens, although it seems we’re finally in the 30th Century to stay. The villain is a bit boring and derivative of Tarzan and similar jungle heroes. Indeed, before taking on the name “The Monster Master” he calls himself “Jungle King.” And yet, at 17 pages, this is probably the longest Legion story to date. (Mon-El’s first appearance is longer, but not an actual Legion adventure.) Seems the Legion was catching on, and was given two thirds of the book, instead of just half.

Given the power to control all beasts by his animal trainer father, Jungle King tries out for the Legion. Unfortunately, while bragging on his abilities, he loses control of an animal. He suffers the same fate as Rainbow Girl—rejection. Unlike the placid maid of the spectrum, however, Jungle King leaves mad. He doesn’t even pick up his complimentary flight belt!

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The vultures are here. Lightning Lad is dead, and the first thought on the minds of the people of the 30^th Century is apparently, “Can I have his job?” A number of teenagers show up at the Clubhouse to apply for his open membership in the Legion.

Wow.

This is the second occurrence of “throwaway applicants,” and this one is more detailed than the last. We see Antennae Boy, who can pick up and share radio transmissions from the past. We hear that Kennedy was elected President again. That’s ADORABLE. And morbid, because, well, the creative team had no idea what was coming in just a few months. Kennedys being elected President was something of an in-joke in the science fiction community through the late Sixties. Even after JFK’s assassination, authors continued to list as “future history” that a Kennedy was in office for most of the rest of the 20^th Century. Kinda shows the futility of being so certain in your knowledge of the future. Anyway, Cosmic Boy’s kind of a dick to AB, but, honestly, it’s not a useful power, now is it?

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This is the beginning. This is the day. After four years as guest-stars in other strips, the Legion of Super-Heroes begin their own regular series in Adventure Comics. This tri-centennial issue proudly proclaims on its cover, “Featuring Superboy in ‘Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes!'” Of course, there is only one such tale in this issue, and it’s the second feature. Ah well…

It doesn’t begin well: “Inside this Metropolis clubhouse, in the 21^st Century…” Sigh… Jerry and Mort, once again couldn’t keep track of what time period these kids lived in. Or maybe they just didn’t care. Or maybe they were deliberately screwing with readers, just to see if anyone noticed. At any rate, this is the first Legion story that begins with the Legion, and in the 20^th Century with Superman or Supergirl. Although, just as in Superboy and Supergirl stories, our first glimpse of the Legionnaires is of statues of them, not of the actual people. But the “Hall of Heroes” shows us, for the first time, that Shrinking Violet is now a member. She hasn’t been seen or mentioned since her first appearance as a candidate. Nor, ironically, does she appear in this story.

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