As most of you know by now, the Legion of Superheroes cartoon will premiere on September 23rd. Various sources on the web have posted an episode list--chiefly Comics Continuum and Michael Grabois' Legion blog.

Here's a short breakdown of the episodes:

SPOILER WARNING!!!!

Episode 1: "MAN OF TOMORROW," Written by Amy Wolfram and directed by Ben Jones.

When fearsome villains the Fatal Five set their sights on the newly formed Legion of Super Heroes, three of the Legion's members go back in time to get help from the greatest hero of all time: Superman. Instead they find Clark Kent, aware of his powers but not yet of his grand destiny. The pilot episode.

Episode 2: "TIMBER WOLF"

A mysterious scientist asks the Legion to help capture a dangerous creature. They succeed, only to discover the creature is nowhere near as dangerous as the scientist himself.

Episode 3: "LEGACY"

Superman unknowingly saves the life of Alexis, one of the wealthiest people in the galaxy. Alexis and Superman become fast friends, but when Superman's Legion responsibilities get in the way of their friendship, Alexis decides to do something about it.

Maybe a Luthor thing. Can you have a Superman series without a Luthor?

Episode 4: "FEAR FACTORY"

During a cosmic storm, the team takes refuge in a creepy, derelict space station. On board, one-by-one, each Legionnaire faces his or her deepest fear--and then disappears.

Episode 5: "CHAMPIONS"

While supporting Lighting Lad as he competes in the challenging Galactic Games, Superman and Phantom Girl uncover a sinister plot by the Fatal Five! Lightning Lad has troubles of his own when he finds his biggest competition from someone close to him.

Back in June, we learned that Mekt Ranzz, Lightning Lad's brother, will appear in an episode." This sounds like it, unless it's Ayla here.

Episode 6: "PHANTOMS"

When Superman accidentally opens a gateway to a phantom dimension, a young man with powers identical to his is freed in the process. Now Superman must not only stop this destructive visitor, but also rescue the Legionnaires when they become trapped in the vistor's dimension.

Make way for Mon-el, stuck in the Phantom Zone!

Episode 7: "CHILD'S PLAY"

A young sorcerer arrives on Earth and causes a heap of trouble. In an effort to send him home, Superman learns of his vulnerability to magic, while Phantom Girl puts her diplomatic skills to the test as she travels to the sorcerer's secretive world to ask for help.

A "young sorcerer" could theoretically be Mordru.

Episode 8: "LIGHTING STORM"

Much to the Legion's disappointment, Lighting Lad accepts an invitation to join an older, "cooler" team. Once there, however, Lightning Lad realizes these new heroes aren't exactly what they seem. Now, caught between the Legion and his new friends, Lighting Lad must decide once and for all where his loyalties lie.

Episode 9: "BRAIN DRAIN"

A major malfunction sends Brainiac 5's genius IQ plummeting. To obtain the rare element needed to save him, Superman and Timber Wolf must travel to the most inhospitable planet in the galaxy--and thanks to a transporter accident, they have only Brainy's head to guide them.

Episode 10: "THE SUBSTITUTES"

It's that time of year again -- Legion Auditions! This year's crop is hardly promising, with most hopefuls turning out to be comic duds. But when the Legion is overwhelmed fighting a mysterious foe in Earth's upper atmosphere, a group of rejects takes it upon themselves to save the world below... with outrageous results.

Holy crap! The Legion of Substitute Heroes! Legion rejects! Please have Arm-Fall-Off Boy! I have a suspicion we'll see Ferro Lad in this batch. See the season finale for why.

Episode 11: "CHAIN OF COMMAND"

When disaster strikes Lightning Lad's home planet of Winath, the Legion is called to help. Lightning Lad's efforts to take charge are thwarted however when long-absent Legion leader Cosmic Boy arrives with an enigmatic new hero in tow.

At the San Diego panel, we were promised "familial Ranzz," so who's that with Cos here, Ayla?

Episode 12: "SUNDOWN, PT. 1"

The Legion is put to the ultimate test when an ancient weapon known as a Sun Eater comes to life. The Legion mounts a heroic defense, but the Sun Eater proves too powerful. Now at full strength, the unstoppable Sun Eater sets its sights on Earth. Part one of a two-part episode

Episode 13: "SUNDOWN, PT. 2"

With the Sun Eater on a direct course for Earth's sun, the Legion has no choice but to ask bitter enemies for help to stop it. Superman meanwhile has his toughest battle yet when he discovers the stealthy alien controlling the sinister machine. In the end, the Legion triumphs... but at a terrible cost. Part two of a two-part episode.

The Legion panel revealed that we'd see "Cosmic Boy for 3 episode arc at the end" so he must be in these two as well. I had figured we would not see the Sun-Eater saga--maybe Computo or Mordru instead--because of Ferro Lad. But what if he joins during tryouts in episode 10?

Here is the promo video from the San Diego Comic Con. Audio quality is awful so turn off your sound.

CLICK HERE

I made this video using public domain footage from the Perlinger Archive and wonderful Stereo Deluxe song "Uncle Sam."

In another life, many, many years ago, I was the elected moderator of fidonet comics. The internet was around, but at that time it was primarily a tool for academics and it was a precious few that had access to the real internet. It was kind of a geek "holy grail" that the rest of us wanted to get ahold of.

In those days, online life consisted of networks of BBS (bulletin boards) that traded messages and posts in a bizzare hybrid of today's message boards and what we call "list-serves" now. In those bygone days the biggest net was one called fidonet

The fidonet "node" I logged onto was a board called the Red Phoenix BBS, run by a dude named Rudy Rothemund. I quickly found out that in addition to downloading adult personals, you could join various fidonet forums. A kid from New England named Dave Thomer had started a fidonet comics forum and I quickly became an active user and eventually, his co-moderator.

Fidonet was a unique democracy in that many of the forum moderators were "elected" by the forum users. I eventually became the fidonet comics moderator and remianed so until AOL and the internet lured me away from fidonet. Since starting this blog, many old friends from those days have looked me up and corresponded with me through my blog comments and emails.

Though there are a million comics-oriented bulletin boards out there, none have captured the magic for me of that early fidonet comics community.

My tastes have broadened far beyond comics now and I've become a consumer of all mass media though comics, like a first love, will always be special to me.

I hope that this message forum can blossom into the haven of geekdom, and repository of obscure trivia that I used to love so much.

If your reading this and you remember those days, or if you're a closeted geek dying to debate the merits of Facts of Life vs. Different Strokes, I ask you to pass this link along to the geek-centric friends in your address book and let's populate the hell out of this place!