Cover: Mike Grell

Superboy #216

Apr 1976 · DC · 0.30 USD

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★ 1st appearance — Tyroc

About this Issue

Superboy #216 (April 1976) marks the first appearance of Tyroc (Troy Stewart), the Legion of Super-Heroes' first Black member — a character whose debut arrived a full year before DC's Black Lightning (1977), making him one of the earliest Black costumed superheroes in the company's publishing history. The issue dropped into a mid-1970s industry moment when both Marvel and DC were under pressure to diversify their rosters, and it became an enduring case study in how well-intentioned representation efforts can be undermined by the very creative choices made to deliver them: Tyroc's backstory, which explained the absence of Black characters in the Legion's 30th-century world by segregating them onto a dimensional island, drew immediate criticism from within the creative community and has continued to generate serious academic and fan discussion for decades. Despite the troubled execution, the issue's historical weight is genuine — it cracked open a door to racial diversity in one of DC's longest-running ensemble franchises. The lead story, 'The Hero Who Hated the Legion,' also stands as a time-capsule snapshot of how mainstream superhero comics wrestled with the politics of race, identity, and assimilation in the Bronze Age.

In "The Hero Who Hated the Legion," Superboy faces a rare challenge that tests his loyalty to the Legion of Super-Heroes, all while navigating a mystery that begins with a mysterious signal from the future. Written by a team known for their classic DC style and illustrated with crisp precision by Curt Swan and Vince Colletta, this 1976 issue offers a compelling look at a young hero's identity. The cover by Mike Grell captures the moment with bold, dynamic flair.

Contains 2 stories

The Hero Who Hated the Legion

12 pp · Superhero

Tyroc (first appearance)

Tyroc, a young man with a deep distrust of the Legion, refuses their help, convinced they harbor racist attitudes. When the Legion steps in to save him despite his hostility, he begins to question his assumptions and confronts the prejudice he’s been carrying.

The Private Lives of Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel: 1 + 1 = 3

6 pp · Superhero

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Fine) $6

CGC 9.8 · 4 in census $229*

CGC 9.6 · 4 in census $68*

CGC 9.4 · 10 in census $39

CGC 9.2 · 5 in census $28*

CGC 9.0 · 6 in census $23*

CGC 8.5 none in existence

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CGC 8.0 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 7.5 none in existence

CGC 7.0 none in existence

CGC 6.5 none in existence

CGC 6.0 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 5.5 none in existence

CGC 5.0 none in existence

CGC 4.5 · 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

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GOOD $3.75 VG $4.95 VG $4.99 GOOD $5.27 VG $6.3 VG+ $6.99 VG $7 VG $8.1

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History

The issue was written by Cary Bates and both penciled and inked by Mike Grell, who had taken over art duties on the Superboy/Legion title beginning with issue #203 and was simultaneously launching his creator-owned The Warlord for DC. Grell had previously tried to introduce Black characters into the Legion but was blocked by editor Murray Boltinoff; when Tyroc finally arrived, Grell was vocally unhappy with the Marzal concept, describing the segregationist rationale behind it as one of the most racist ideas he had ever encountered, and later admitted he deliberately designed Tyroc's costume to be as ridiculous as possible in protest. Jim Shooter, who had himself been prevented from making Ferro Lad a Black character back in the 1960s, also condemned the characterization publicly, calling it 'pathetic and appalling.' The result was a character born of genuine diversity pressure but shaped by deep creative ambivalence — and it showed in Tyroc's nearly nonexistent Legion career, as subsequent writer Paul Levitz actively avoided the character throughout his landmark multi-year run.

Trivia · 7 facts

First appearance of Tyroc (real name Troy Stewart), created by writer Cary Bates and artist/inker Mike Grell; cover date April 1976.
Tyroc became the Legion of Super-Heroes' first Black member, predating DC's Black Lightning by approximately one year (1977).
The lead story is titled 'The Hero Who Hated the Legion'; a backup story, 'The Private Lives of Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel,' also by Bates and Grell, appears in the same issue.
Tyroc's superpower is a reality-warping sonic scream capable of producing a wide and inconsistent range of effects — teleportation, force fields, pyrokinesis, dimensional portals, and object transmutation — keyed to intonation and pitch.
Mike Grell physically modeled the character on NFL player and film actor Fred Williamson, and intentionally gave Tyroc an outlandish costume as an act of creative protest against the character's concept.
The issue was reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 12 (DC, 2003) and in Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 5 (DC, 2014/2015), as well as in international editions including Norwegian and Australian printings circa 1976–1977.
Tyroc was the only Legionnaire introduced before 1989 who never appeared in a single in-continuity story during Paul Levitz's initial 15-year run writing the Legion — not even in a flashback.