Legion of Super-Heroes - Imaginary Stories

Strictly speaking, all comic book tales are imaginary but a story that has been subtitled an "imaginary tale" is defined as one in which past, present or future events are somehow different from the norm. An imaginary tale may be told to present a theme or lesson to the reader, or simply to entertain. The following tales all pertain to the Legion of Super-Heroes in some way.

"The Death of Superman"

The Legion of Super-Heroes salute Superman Appearance: Superman No. 149 (Nov. 1961)

Known Members: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad

Synopsis: In this imaginary tale, Lex Luthor pretends to have reformed and befriend Superman, only to reveal his true self and kill the Man of Steel.

Comments: The three charter members attend Superman's funeral and pay homage to their fallen friend.

"The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue"

Appearance: Superman No. 162 (July 1963)

Known Members: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Bouncing Boy, Supergirl

Synopsis: In this imaginary story, Superman splits into two bodies, Greater than the sum of the two parts, the two Men of Steel quickly solve all of the world's problems. Then Superman-Blue marries Lana Lang and they settle on New Krypton (the enlarged City of Kandor) to raise their family, while Superman-Red marries Lois Lane and stays on Earth to raise their super-family.

Comments: The Legion bids farewell to Supergirl, who plans to go live with her real parents in the enlarged city of Kandor. Though she has lost her powers, Supergirl remains an honorary Legionnaire.

The Legion of Super-Heroes helps establish New Krypton

"The Fantastic Story of Superman's Sons"

Legion sign on Time-Bubble Kal-El II uses a Time-Bubble

Appearance: Superman No. 166 (Jan. 1964)

Known Members: None specified. Only the Legion time-bubble is shown.

Synopsis: Superman marries (his wife's identity is not revealed) and has twin sons - Jor-El II, who has super-powers, and Kal-El II, who doesn't have any powers. Kal borrows a Legion time-bubble from his father's Fortress of Solitude and travels back in time to Krypton in an attempt to rescue his grandparents. His plan: to give Jor-El the time-bubble blueprints so that "if any disaster threatened... you could travel into the future and be safe there!" When Kal returns to his own time (circa 1979), however, the blueprints are drawn back with him and he learns that history can not be changed.

Comments: Like in our universe, this Legion also gave Superman a time-bubble.

"The Super-Life of Lois Lane"

Appearance: Lois Lane No. 47 (Feb. 1964)

Known Members: Sun Boy, Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, Krypton Girl (presumed), Polar Boy & Night Girl (as Subs)

Synopsis: Lois Lane uses the super-computer in Superman's Fortress of Solitude to learn what would happen if she and not Superman had come to Earth from Krypton. She quickly learns that she would adopt the identity of Krypton Girl and have Clark Kent constantly trying to prove her duo identity. The Legionnaires in this reality send Night Girl to pose as Krypton Girl in order to help Lois conceal her secret identity from Clark Kent.

Comments: Presumably, Lois was a member of this alternate Legion at one time. It is also worth noting, Night Girl posesses the ability to both jump through and survive passage through the time-barrier.

Night Girl helps Krypton Girl keep her secret identity

"Superman and Batman - Brothers"

Appearance: World's Finest Comics No. 172 (Dec. 1967)

Known Members: Cosmic Man, Sun Man, Superman, Batman and an unidentifiable hero wearing a blue and white costume (pictured below bottom-right panel).

Synopsis: In 1930s Smallville, the Kents adopt a teenaged Bruce Wayne, who was orphaned as a child after his parents were killed during a mugging. Later, Bruce inherits his family fortune and the Kent family moves to Gotham City. Clark soon gets a job as a reporter for the Gotham Gazette.

Following the murder of the Kents by Lex Luthor, Superman takes a despondent Batman to the 30th century to join the Adult Legion of Super-Heroes. After Cosmic Man makes an amendment to the Legion constitution, allowing non-powered members to join, Batman is welcomed into the team and moves permanently to the future. The last two panels of the story catch-up to the present day to show a 1967 Gotham City where Superman is the resident crime-fighter, and a 2984 Metropolis with Batman as a member of the adult Legion of Super-Heroes.

Comments: The life of this imaginary Superboy appears to have been much the same as our Superboy's up to the point in which the Kents adopt the orphaned Bruce Wayne. Lana Lang and Pete Ross are not shown to be residents of Smallville. Insterestingly enough, allthough the Superman of this reality did not meet Luthor in his teens, Lex still became bald and criminal-minded. This indicates that the accident that happened to young Lex in our reality might have happened regardless of Superboy's involvement.

Batman as a Legionnaire