Cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

Superboy #125

Dec 1965 · DC · 0.12 USD

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★ 1st appearance — Kid Psycho

About this Issue

Superboy #125 (December 1965) is the first appearance of Kid Psycho (Gnill Opril), the sole survivor of the planet Hajor, whose membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes is blocked by a tragic biological fact: each use of his force-field powers costs him a year of his life. That premise — a hero who literally sacrifices his lifespan to help others — was a quietly radical departure from the invincible-teen formula that defined most Silver Age Legion stories, and it gave DC a ready-made martyr for the landmark Crisis on Infinite Earths two decades later, where Kid Psycho died defending London. The issue also codifies the concept of the Legion Reserve in-story, a structural idea that would shape how the franchise handled rejected or auxiliary members for years. As one of Otto Binder's rare Legion scripts, it sits in an interesting creative corner: Binder, who had defined Captain Marvel and co-created Supergirl, brings a melancholy grace to the Kid Psycho tale that distinguishes it from the era's punchier adventure fare.

In "The Bald Boy of Steel," Superboy takes a surprising trip to the 30th century when a time-traveling youth named Kid Psycho seeks his help in reconsidering his Legion of Super-Heroes membership petition. Written by Otto Binder and illustrated by George Papp, this 1965 issue explores loyalty and perception, with Curt Swan's cover capturing the moment the young hero stands out in a crowd.

Contains 4 stories

The Bald Boy of Steel

7.67 pp · Superhero

Trudy

Krypto's Super-Movie Stunts!

8 pp · Superhero

Dan DiamondJowls (Movie dog)

The Sacrifice of Kid Psycho!

7.67 pp · Superhero

Kid Psycho [Gnill Opril] (introduction, origin)

In a story that blends time-travel intrigue with teenage ambition, Kid Psycho—originally from the Legion’s future—makes a bold bid for membership, impressing Superboy enough to bring him back to the 30th century. When Superboy uncovers the true reason behind Kid Psycho’s rejection, he proposes a radical new role: the Legion’s secret weapon.

Untitled Humor story

0.5 pp · Humor

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (VG) $3

CGC 9.8 · 1 in census $910*

CGC 9.6 · 11 in census $270

CGC 9.4 · 8 in census $145

CGC 9.2 · 7 in census $132

CGC 9.0 none in existence

CGC 8.5 · 3 in census $55*

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CGC 8.0 · 6 in census $55

CGC 7.5 · 1 in census $24*

CGC 7.0 · 6 in census $24

CGC 6.5 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 6.0 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 5.5 · 3 in census $20*

CGC 5.0 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 4.5 none in existence

CGC 4.0 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 3.5 none in existence

CGC 3.0 · 1 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

GD $2.4 VG+ $5.57 VG $5.99 VG $8.8 VG $9.95 VG $9.99 VG $10.95 FN $12.99

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History

The issue was edited by Mort Weisinger, DC's imperious Superman-family editor throughout the Silver Age, with all three main stories written by veteran Otto Binder. Interior art on the Kid Psycho lead was handled by George Papp, with Al Plastino contributing to other segments; the cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein, the dominant artistic team of the Superman line. The on-sale date was October 7, 1965, with the December cover date following standard newsstand dating conventions of the period. The issue ran 36 pages under a 12-cent cover price, published by National Periodical Publications.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Kid Psycho (real name Gnill Opril, from the planet Hajor), a mutant born with psychokinetic force-field powers after his parents were irradiated fighting a space creature — created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp.
Kid Psycho simultaneously makes his debut and becomes the Legion of Super-Heroes' first designated Reserve member in the same issue, accepted as a 'secret weapon' to be called upon only in extreme emergencies because each use of his powers shortens his life by one year.
The issue contains three stories: 'The Bald Boy of Steel!' (Red Kryptonite renders Superboy bald, threatening to expose his Clark Kent identity to Lana Lang); 'Krypto's Super-Movie Stunts!' (Krypto becomes a Hollywood stunt dog); and 'The Sacrifice of Kid Psycho!' (the Legion lead).
The Red Kryptonite baldness story is explicitly set before Lex Luthor's own hair loss and his subsequent declaration of enmity against Superboy, providing a continuity peg for the Luthor origin.
Editor: Mort Weisinger. Cover art: pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. Interior art on the Kid Psycho story: George Papp. Additional interior art: Al Plastino. Writers: Otto Binder (main stories), Jack Schiff (UNESCO public-service piece).
'The Sacrifice of Kid Psycho!' was reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4 (DC, 1994), Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2 (DC, 2008), and Legion of Super-Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 (DC, 2018).
The Krypto story 'Krypto's Super-Movie Stunts!' was later reprinted in Superman Family #176.
Kid Psycho's pre-established Legion rejection — revealed here to stem from his lethal power cost — pays off 20 years later when he is killed by an anti-matter wave during Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 (1985), making his debut issue retroactively the origin of one of DC's first Crisis casualties.