With issue 231, the comic's title changed from Superboy to Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heores, acknowledging the reality of the Legion's takeover. (This was, oddly, the first time that the phrase "Legion of Super-Heroes" actually appeared in the title of a comic.)
The period of 1977 through 1979 saw enormous changes in the Legion, as the characters finally matured and started on the path to adulthood. (One story, considered all but non-canonical by later fans, even attempted to explain why characters in their 20s and 30s were still referred to as "Boy," "Girl," "Lad," etc.) In this period, too, the creative teams deliberately began to use elements of the Legion's 20-year history in stories, delighting long-time fans and sending newcomers scurrying to the back-issue bins at comic shops. Continuity became important, as the Legion's background became more complex and more believable. Science fiction elements were used more carefully and to greater effect.
Storylines that stretched across more than two issues became accepted -- in fact, the annual five-issue "big" story became an instant tradition. Founding members Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl got married, Earth was invaded, and Brainiac 5 went mad (setting a pattern that would recur repeatedly in the future).
Among the finest storylines of this era were #231's "A Day in the Death of a World," "The Millennium Massacre" in Collector's Edition C-55, "Murder Most Foul" in #239, the "Earthwar" saga in #241 - 245, and #247's "Once a Legionnaire."
| Comments | ISSUE | DATE | TITLE | Roll Call |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 231 | 77/09 | Day in the Death of a World | Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Emerald Empress, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Mano, Mon-El, Persuader, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Tharok, Ultra Boy, Validus, Fatal 5 |
|
| -- | JLA 147 | 77/10 | Crisis in the 30th Century | Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Lightning Lad, Mordru, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1977-9b |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 232 | 77/10 | The Disease That Wouldn't Die | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Doctor Regulus, Lightning Lad, Mon-El, R.J. Brande, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf | 1977-10 |
| -- | DC SUPER-STARS 17 | 77/11 | Secret of the Quintile Crystal | Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, R.J. Brande, Superboy, Saturn Girl | 1977-11b |
| -- | JLA 148 | 77/11 | Crisis in Triplicate | Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Lightning Lad, Mordru, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1977-11c |
| -- | KARATE KID 11 | 77/11 | Disasters of Yesterday | Karate Kid | 1977-11d |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 233 | 77/11 | Infinite Man Who Conquered LSH | Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Rond Vidar, Superboy, Star Boy, Wildfire | 1977-11 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 233 | 77/11 | The Final Illusion | Chameleon Boy, Dream Girl, Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Saturn Girl, Universo | 1977-11a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 234 | 77/12 | The Composite Legionnaire | Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Duplicate Boy, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Wildfire | 1977-12 |
| - | KARATE KID 12 | 78/01 | The Time of Your Death | Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl | 1978-1b |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 235 | 78/01 | The Legion's Super-Secret | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Light Lass, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shadow Lass, Timber Wolf | 1978-1 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 235 | 78/01 | Trial of the Legion Five | Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Lightning Lad, Princess Projectra, Superboy, Shadow Lass, Timber Wolf, Wildfire | 1978-1a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 236 | 78/02 | A World Born Anew | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Element Lad, Magnetic Kid (as Pol Krinn), Night Girl, Princess Projectra, Superboy | 1978-2 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 236 | 78/02 | Mon- El's One Man War | Mon-El | 1978-2a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 236 | 78/02 | Words Never Spoken | Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl | 1978-2b |
| A.1.30. | COLLECTOR'S EDITION C-55 | 78/02 | The Millennium Massacre | Brainiac 5, Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Color Kid, Colossal Boy, Duplicate Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Fire Lad, Ferro Lad, Elastic Lad/Jimmy Olsen, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Night Girl, Polar Boy, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, R.J. Brande, Rond Vidar, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Stone Boy, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Duo Damsel, Time Trapper, Timber Wolf, Tyroc, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-2c |
| Reference | COLLECTOR'S EDITION C-55 | 78/02 | The Origin and Powers of the LSH | -- | -- |
| -- | KARATE KID 13 | 78/03 | Tomorrow's Battle Today | Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl | 1978-3a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 237 | 78/03 | No Price Too High | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, R.J. Brande, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-3 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 239 | 78/05 | Murder Most Foul | Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Dawnstar, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Marla | 1978-4 |
| -- | KARATE KID 14 | 78/06 | Diamondeth is Forever | Karate Kid | 1978-5b |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 240 | 78/06 | Man Who Manacled the Legion | Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Phantom Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy, Timber Wolf, Grimbor | 1978-5 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 240 | 78/06 | Dawnstar Rising | Dawnstar, Jed Rikane/Power Boy, Laurel Kent, R.J. Brande, Shadow Kid Wildfire | 1978-5a |
| CAMEO | SUPERMAN FAMILY 189 | 78/06 | Memories of Menace | Mon-El, Brainiac 5 | 1978-5c |
| ALT-Kamandi | KARATE KID 15 | 78/07 | Bring Back My Future To Me | Chameleon Boy, Karate Kid, Superboy | 1978-6b |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 241 | 78/07 | Prologue to Earthwar | Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Mon-El, Ontiir, Phantom Girl, Ambassador Relnic, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shvaughn Erin, Shrinking Violet, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-6 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 241 | 78/07 | My Brother's Keeper | Lightning Lad, Lightning Lord, Light Lass, Timber Wolf | 1978-6a |
| ALT-Kamandi | KAMANDI 58 | 78/08 | Enter the Legionnaire | Karate Kid | 1978-7b |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 242 | 78/08 | Startarget: Earth | Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Mon-El, Ontiir, Ambassador Relnic, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-7 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 242 | 78/08 | Girls' Night Out | Dream Girl, Light Lass, Princess Projectra, Shadow Lass | 1978-7a |
| B.4.20. | SUPERBOY & LEGION 243 | 78/09 | Earth's Last Stand | Brainiac 5, Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Color Kid, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Fire Lad, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Night Girl, Ontiir, Polar Boy, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Ambassador Relnic, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shvaughn Erin, Stone Boy, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Duo Damsel, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-8 |
| B.4.20. | SUPERBOY & LEGION 244 | 78/10 | Dark Circle That Crushed Earth | Brainiac 5, Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Color Kid, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Fire Lad, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Mordru, Night Girl, Ontiir, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Ambassador Relnic, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shvaughn Erin, Stone Boy, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Duo Damsel, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-9 |
| B.4.20. | SUPERBOY & LEGION 245 | 78/11 | Mordru: Master of Earth | Brainiac 5, Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Color Kid, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Fire Lad, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Mordru, Night Girl, Ontiir, Polar Boy, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Ambassador Relnic, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Stone Boy, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Duo Damsel, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1978-10 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 246 | 78/12 | Will The Last One to Leave... | Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Shadow Lass | 1978-11 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 246 | 78/12 | A World For the Winning | Colossal Boy, Element Lad, Superboy, Mano, Persuader, Emerald Empress, Tharok, Validus, Fatal 5 | 1978-11a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 247 | 79/01 | Savage Sanctuary | Colossal Boy, Element Lad, Superboy, Persuader, Mano, Validus, Emerald Empress, Tharok, Fatal 5 | 1979-1 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 247 | 79/01 | Celebration | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Tyroc | 1979-1a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 248 | 79/02 | Beneath the Streets Lurks Death | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shadow Lass, R.J. Brande | 1979-2 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 249 | 79/03 | Capital Crimes of the Chemical Conqueror | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, R.J. Brande | 1979-3 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 249 | 79/03 | The Actoraan Jewel Case | Chameleon Boy | 1979-3a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 250 | 79/04 | This is Day the Universe Dies | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Mon-El, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Tyroc | 1979-4 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 251 | 79/05 | Man Who Destroyed the Universe | Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Dawnstar, Karate Kid, Matter-Eater Lad, Princess Projectra, Superboy, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire | 1979-5 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 252 | 79/06 | Postscript to Holocaust | Brainiac 5, Dream Girl, Lightning Lad, Mon-El, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Wildfire, R.J. Brande | 1979-6 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 253 | 79/07 | Night of the Super-Assassins | Blok, Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Phantom Girl, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Silver Slasher, Lazon, Titania, Neutrax, Mist Master | 1979-7 |
| B.4.20. | SUPERBOY & LEGION 254 | 79/08 | A Madman Shall Lead Them | Brainiac 5, Blok, Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Polar Boy, Princess Projectra, Superboy, Dream Girl, Shadow Lass, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Lazon, R.J. Brande, Chlorophyll Kid, Color Kid, Fire Lad, Night Girl, Titania, Mist Master, Neutrax, Silver Slasher | 1979-8 |
| -- | DC COMICS PRESENTS 13 | 79/09 | To Live in Peace Nevermore | Dawnstar, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Saturn Girl, Superman, Pete Ross | 1979-9a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 255 | 79/09 | The Super Spectacles Swap | Cosmic Boy, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Wildfire, Superboy, Gorgli | 1979-9 |
| CAMEO | ACTION 500 | 79/10 | Life Story of Superman | (statues only), Sun Boy, Mon-El, Chameleon Boy, Shrinking Violet, Tyroc, Phantom Girl, Light Lass, Ultra Boy, Element Lad | 1979-10a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 256 | 79/10 | This is Your Life and Death Brainiac 5 | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Matter-Eater Lad, Phantom Girl, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, R.J. Brande | 1979-10 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 257 | 79/11 | Who Stole the Legion? | Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, R.J. Brande | 1979-11 |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 257 | 79/11 | Once a Legionnaire | Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel | 1979-11a |
| -- | SUPERBOY & LEGION 258 | 79/12 | Mind Attack of Psycho Warrior | Chameleon Boy, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, R.J. Brande | 1979-12 |
| 
