The teen hero honored today sprung from the mind a real teenaged boy...Andrew Nolan, Ferro Lad, was the creation of a 13 year old Jim Shooter. Shooter became the youngest star of the Silver Age, when in Adventure Comics #346 (June, 1966) he took over the writing chores (not to mention some art layouts) of the Legion of Super-Heroes. This issue introduces a quartet of new Legionnaires- Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, the traitor Nemesis Kid, and of course Ferro Lad.
What made Ferro Lad unique was that his features were obscured by a metal mask. Aside from an occasional gimmick story, Legionnaires never concealed their identities. We were told that Andrew Nolan was a mutant with the power to transform his body into living iron (a precursor to Colossus), but the mutation had left his face disfigured. What we didn't know was that Shooter had originally intended for his masked man to be black under his helmet. Jim, being a kid, lost that battle to his crotchety old editor Mort Weisinger. Mort told Shooter (who would gain a reputation as a tyrannical editor himself) he feared that they would lose distribution of the book in the south if they introduced a black hero. Shooter lost passion for Ferro Lad, and plans were laid to get rid of him just a few issues later.
In Adventure Comics #353, Nolan sacrificed his life by flying a bomb into the heart of the destructive Sun-Eater. Despite his short tenure on the team, his death enshrined Ferro Lad's place as one of the most legendary members in Legion lore.
Another Legionnaire birthday tomorrow, just don't call our honoree Logan...
What made Ferro Lad unique was that his features were obscured by a metal mask. Aside from an occasional gimmick story, Legionnaires never concealed their identities. We were told that Andrew Nolan was a mutant with the power to transform his body into living iron (a precursor to Colossus), but the mutation had left his face disfigured. What we didn't know was that Shooter had originally intended for his masked man to be black under his helmet. Jim, being a kid, lost that battle to his crotchety old editor Mort Weisinger. Mort told Shooter (who would gain a reputation as a tyrannical editor himself) he feared that they would lose distribution of the book in the south if they introduced a black hero. Shooter lost passion for Ferro Lad, and plans were laid to get rid of him just a few issues later.
In Adventure Comics #353, Nolan sacrificed his life by flying a bomb into the heart of the destructive Sun-Eater. Despite his short tenure on the team, his death enshrined Ferro Lad's place as one of the most legendary members in Legion lore.
Another Legionnaire birthday tomorrow, just don't call our honoree Logan...
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