The Great Karate Kid Yada Yada of 2017 (part 1)
Back in 2017, I put this together for a couple of episodes of the podcast, but this blog was on hiatus at that time and I never got around to posting it here. This is (retroactively) number 1 in a continuing series of Great Yada Yadas, where the motto is “We read them so you don’t have to”. Listen to it at Legion of Substitute Podcasters episode 463.
- 1 & 2: Karate Kid (broken down into 4 sections: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) in 2017 (18 issues), episodes 463 & 464
- 3 & 4: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse) (part 1, part 2) in 2019 (5 TV episodes plus 2 comics), episodes 583 & 588
- 5: Timber Wolf (1 part) in 2020 (5 issues), episode 624
- 6 & 7: Eclipso (part 1, part 2) in 2021 (20 double-size issues), episodes 638 & 651
- 8 & 9: Valor (part 1, part 2) in 2021 (11 issues) episodes 655 & 659
- 10: The New Golden Age (JSA/Stargirl and related) (1 part) in 2024 (all or parts of 49 issues), episode 844
At the time, we didn't want to do 15 episodes of Karate Kid's series, because frankly the series wasn't that good. But we did want to cover it for the show because it's a Legion book. (We did the same for Timber Wolf and Valor, and we'll be doing the same for Legion Science Police later).
The Karate Kid series was an attempt to cash in on the Bruce Lee kung fu/martial arts fad at the time, though by the time the first issue came out, the fad had already peaked. Karate Kid journeyed into the past (our present) for an unknown reason – the first hint came in issue 2, but it was several issues before we the readers found out. Towards the end of the series, with the fad long over, it became basically another superhero book, complete with a change in logo, and the reason for his journey to the past as stated in the beginning (he went to find himself) wound up being completely changed by the end of the series (to prove himself worthy to marry Jeckie).
A brief recap of the 3 issues we already covered in this podcast (episodes 311, 312, and 314), and then we’re going to yada yada the hell out of the rest of the series. Ordinarily we’d recap each issue with plot and dialog, but in the interests of not having the listeners sit through 13 more issues, I’ll just cover the highlights of the plot and focus on the stuff that’s relevant to the Legion as a whole. Since there are no sound effects, take a drink when I yada yada. Also, take a drink when a villain recalls his own origin story.
Issue 1 (March/April 1976), on sale 12/4/75
Levitz/Estrada/Staton
Nemesis Kid has escaped his prison cell by teleporting to the past since the last time he fought the Legionnaires (Superboy 208). Karate Kid went back to 1975 solo, and the rest of the Legion followed him, but he sent them back to the 30th century because he’s just a normal guy who developed his skills and he wants to do this on his own. He flies off to get his Time Bubble off the roof of a nearby building, but his flight ring got damaged and he lands in the classroom of teacher Iris Jacobs. Yada yada, he finally defeats Nemesis Kid, puts him in the Time Bubble and sends it back to the future with a note saying that he’s staying in the 20th century until he can find himself.
Continuity: Published same month as Superboy 215. After this issue, Val goes back to the 30th century to help recruit Tyroc (Superboy 216).
Issue 2 (May/June 1976), on sale 2/12/76
Michelinie/Estrada/Staton
Val shows up at Iris Jacobs’ school and tells her he’s looking for a place to stay and tries to tell her he’s from the 30th century, but she doesn’t believe him. Suddenly there’s Major Disaster, who wants the UN to vacate their building in 3 hours. Yada yada they fight, and Val beats Major Disaster’s goons while the boss gets away. Turns out MD took a contract from the neo-Nazis of Nurike to drive the UN out of the US “to enforce our America for Americans philosophy”. Val gets to go on TV and tell the city who he is, but Iris rescues him in a taxi, which is soon stopped by an earthquake. Val sees where the quake is being controlled from and runs into a building to confront MD, yada yada the building is destroyed and MD is missing. Iris invites him to stay in her apartment.
Continuity: Major Disaster hadn’t been seen since Green Lantern #57, in 1967. In the letters column, it is revealed that the mystery of why Val is in the past involves another character that Jim Shooter created. Published in the off-month between Superboy 216-217.
Issue 3 (July/Aug 1976), on sale 4/15/76
Jameson/Estrada/Staton
Val and Iris are at a bank, depositing a check that the city’s Good Samaritan Fund gave him. He’s been staying at her place for the last few weeks. Suddenly a bad guy with armor and a bolo whip named The Revenger breaks in and kills the bank manager, leaving a note that this is #1 of 3. He reminisces about his origin story while tending to his pigeons on the roof. Val and Iris visit Mrs Geichman, the landlady of her building, and she rents Val a room. Yada yada, the Revenger kills another guy. Val figures out who the third guy is and confronts the Revenger before he can act, and the building they’re in is conveniently the one where his birds are. They fight on the roof, but the Revenger is apparently killed trying to save his birds from a falling sign.
Continuity: Val goes back to the 30th century and is on duty when Absorbancy Boy tries to attack (Superboy 218). Published same month as Superboy 218.
Issue 4 (Sept/Oct 1976), on sale 6/10/76
Jameson/Estrada/Staton
Karate Kid is briefly back in the 30th century, helping the Legion fight a giant robot that is immune to the powers of Lightning Lad, Mon-El, Brainiac 5, and Princess Projectra. Brainy reminds Val that his powers aren’t super, that’s why he alone could defeat the robot, and Val mopes that he wants to be sent back to the 20th century where he feels he fits in better with “normal” people. He gets back to New York to find that a terrorist has taken over Iris Jacobs’ school, said terrorist being a horribly racist Japanese caricature named Master Hand (who’s got a sword for a right hand and a hook for a left), who wants all Western trade cut off with the Orient within a month or the streets of America will run red with blood, starting with Iris Jacobs if the US doesn’t agree in 24 hours. Val tries to fight his way into the building but is stopped by Police Commissioner Banner, who tells Val that he needs to stay out because it’s official police business. Master Hand recounts his origin, which is basically he doesn’t like Western culture’s influence on Japan, to Iris. Meanwhile, Karate Kid drops onto the roof via helicopter, beats up some ninjas, and confronts Master Hand by challenging him to a duel since killing kids isn’t honorable. Yada yada, they fight and Val wins, then stops Hand from killing himself in shame. Banner tries to arrest Val for interfering in official police business, but a guy from the Governor’s office shows up and says that Val has been awarded the status of Special Police Officer in New York, answerable only to the Governor. Banner’s pissed off.
Continuity: takes place between Superboy 218-219. Published same month as Superboy 219.
Issue 5 (Nov/Dec 1976), on sale 8/5/76
Jameson/Estrada/Staton
I own the original Ernie Chan/Mike Grell cover art, by the way. Val is the guest of honor at the 1976 Veterans’ Day Parade, and some bad guys are disguised as soldiers. They try to capture Iris, but before he can help, he gets beeped on his gauntlet and runs away to his apartment. He talks to a voice in a metal globe, we don’t know who it is, but he tells Val “You knew the rules when you agreed to this test, and one of those rules is to report to the monitor globe whenever the signal coil commands. Just how well you overcome your personal obstacles to follow these rules will weigh heavily in the final judgement, and the final verdict.” This is the first we’ve heard about there being another reason for Val being in the 20th century besides to find himself. And is that a crown or just some shading hash marks on the TV screen? His landlady Mrs Geichman comes in and thinks he’s watching TV. He leaves, and is handed a clue on where to find Iris. He ends up in a sub-basement in the Empire State Building and finds Commander Blud, who wants Val to give him the secrets of future tech so he can make weapons and prolong wars to change the future. Yada yada, they fight and Val wins, but Blud uses some knockout gas and straps Val into a pain/brainwashing machine, then Val is tortured into becoming a berserker. End of part 1.
Continuity: Published same month as Superboy 221.
(The podcast covered issues 1-10, but I'll stop here, and do 5 issues in each blog post.)
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