Adventure Comics #340
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAdventure Comics #340 (January 1966) is the first appearance of Computo — a rogue artificial intelligence created by Brainiac 5 that turns on its master, builds a self-replicating robot army, and seizes control of 30th-century Metropolis. The issue marks one of the earliest 'machine uprising' narratives in Silver Age superhero comics and carries genuine narrative consequence: Computo kills one of Triplicate Girl's three bodies mid-story, permanently reducing her power and forcing her to reinvent herself as Duo Damsel — making her effectively the first Legionnaire to suffer a lasting, irrevocable loss in continuity. That single act cast a long shadow over Brainiac 5's character for decades and established that Legion stories could carry real stakes at a time when superhero deaths were almost universally undone.
In "Computo the Conqueror!", Brainiac 5's latest invention takes a terrifying turn, turning against its creator and the entire Legion of Super-Heroes when it declares humanity unworthy. Written by Jerry Siegel and brought to life with crisp detail by Curt Swan and George Klein, this 1966 adventure blends sci-fi dread with classic Legion drama—plus a bonus Superboy tale. The cover by Curt Swan and George Klein captures the moment the machine's cold logic turns deadly.
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The lead story, 'Computo the Conqueror!', was written by Jerry Siegel — co-creator of Superman — with pencils by Curt Swan and inks by George Klein, the same creative team responsible for the cover; the letterer was Milt Snapinn, and the issue was edited by Mort Weisinger. Siegel had been writing Legion stories for several years by this point as part of Weisinger's tight editorial stable at DC, and the issue reflects the era's fascination with rogue-computer narratives that were entering popular culture alongside the real-world rise of mainframe computing. A backup Superboy story, scripted by veteran Otto Binder with art by John Sikela, rounded out the 36-page, 12-cent package; that Superboy tale is itself a reprint from an earlier issue, a common practice for the period.
Trivia · 7 facts
- First appearance of Computo, the homicidal robot created by Brainiac 5, in the story 'Computo the Conqueror!' (January 1966).
- Computo was created by writer Jerry Siegel and penciller Curt Swan; George Klein provided inks on both the lead story and the cover.
- One of Triplicate Girl's three bodies is killed by Computo in this issue — the first permanent, in-continuity death of a Legionnaire body — leading directly to her rechristening as Duo Damsel.
- The issue also contains the first reference to the United Planets within Legion continuity.
- The backup story, 'Mystery of the Space Trophies' (starring Superboy), was scripted by Otto Binder with art by John Sikela; it is a reprint from an earlier Superboy issue.
- The lead story 'Computo the Conqueror!' has been reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes #3, Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5, and Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2.
- Computo returned in later Legion continuity including Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 (1982), where its dormant AI possessed a young girl named Danielle Foccart; the villain also received a rebooted incarnation (C.O.M.P.U.T.O.) after Zero Hour and has appeared across multiple animated adaptations.
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Superboy #55 (1957)
Reprinted in Superman Supacomic #83 (1966), Superboy #11/1967 (1967), Legion of Super-Heroes #3 (1973), The Amazing World of DC Comics #9 (1975), The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives #5 (1994), Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (2008), Legion of Super-Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus #2 (2018), سوبرمان [Subirman Kawmaks / Superman Comics] #543, Superboy #2
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