Chris Batista's art is really beautiful in this issue. If he keeps on putting out work like this that continues growing in excellence, I may have to update my personal "Legion Greatest Artists" poll!
The story begins on Apokolips with a large horde of fanatics throwing themselves into a firepit with the express purpose of awakening the Dark Lord. A somewhat hackneyed plot device, but HERE? In the 30'th century? This juxtaposition of future time and ancient mode of worship keeps it very fresh and exciting, and sets the tone for a good issue. (More on the Servants later)
Ah... Kon-El, Kon-El, Kon-El... is there any hero more incessantly irritating than thee? At least he doesn't disappoint in his irritatingness. I really enjoyed having Cosmic Boy around to share the irritation with. As far as Superboy, Cos was really a POV character in this ish, and I liked that. I also thought it very apropos that Cos would be so irritated with Kon as most everyone else seems to more or less adore him (even though there should be plenty pf Legionnaires who have experience with Kon-El.) Rokk IS a great hero, and frankly, Kon-El is not, but wears the colors of the greatest or maybe second-greatest hero of all time. (Valor being the greatest to the denizens of the 30'th century, of course. Where WAS Mon-El in this ish, anyway?) I would be irritated too.
I'm a bit frustrated with the "5 weeks later" pacing. Cute title, but there are a few subplots that got lost in the wake. I'm really irritated that I didn't get to see Ayla's initial response to Jarth. Or Mekt, for that matter. I guess he's back on Winath, now? And what about Cub Nah? It's 5 weeks later, shouldn't he be like 26 now, what with his hyper-crazy aging? I know I'm exaggerating, but other than a cute attempt to be all TMK on our collective asses (which I'm sure was the intent of that "5 weeks later" panel,) DnA really ought to keep their plot-balls bouncing more nicely than they seem to do. I'm not knocking this story, as far as I'm concerned, it was a great second ish to the arc.
The new Servants of Darkness! I recognized Barda, Orion, Supes (duh!), Hawkgirl, FIRESTORM???, some Green-Lantern powered armor guy, and an alien who I think is supposed to be J'onn J'onzz in his martian form. Whooooo! It will be interesting to see if they're all plucked throughout time like Clark and brainwashed, or if they're clones, or whatever. Also of interest are the three who got the young Clark Kent from the past, who we briefly saw again. Who are they?
It was great to see Brainy and Lyle working on a science project together again.
One last thought... the scene on the command deck... included were Imra, Rokk, Jazmin, Lu, Nura, Querl, and Lyle (sexily sitting backwards in the chair again! LOVE that pose for Lyle!) Could those 7 be kind of the ad hoc Legion leadership? We have represented there 3 ex-leaders, a pre-cog, a Coluan, the current leader, and the situations exec. I thought the choice of those 7 cnaracters in that scene was dead on.
Well, just in case it seems like I'm heaping too much praise on our much-beleagured-of-late writing team, does it come as any surprise to anyone that one month after introducing the 21 Legion cadets, not a peep was heard out of them? It doesn't surprise me at all.
Still, good job on the main story, guys. Let's work on picking up the loose ends, and we'll have a great comic book on our hands.
-------------------- White. A blank page or canvas. His favorite. So... many... possibilities.
From: Birmingham, AL | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
My favorite panel AND line is the top panel when Blah-El gets socked past the Legion "could you switch to a power OTHER than ultra-sarcasm?"
There were a couple other really good lines.
The issue, like #25 carried more story and characterisation than usual efforts, though DnA still struggles with pacing. They pick up and drop more balls than Harvey Fierstein.
Poor Ferro is still the projectile.
Coz, Coz, Coz, not the ol reach with the lips buss! Get your face in there and lay the smack on.
Hmmmmm, have we ever seen a Neck-rub in Legion?
Last page!
HATED IT!!!! hated the costume, hated the belt.
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: Ah... Kon-El, Kon-El, Kon-El... is there any hero more incessantly irritating than thee? [/QB]
No, yet I had hopes that DnA might find a way to make hime refreshing. Honestly, I did not enjoy much of this issue except the premise. Well to be more positive, it didn't exactly bowl me over. The story however marches on.
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: Rokk IS a great hero, and frankly, Kon-El is not, but wears the colors of the greatest or maybe second-greatest hero of all time. [/QB]
Reason #1: Kon is NOT even a major player either from the POV of the DCU nor fandom. Unless the gushing has to do with something he has not yet done, assigning the S legacy to him, him waking the Church of S, is not grabbing me as credible.
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: The new Servants of Darkness! I recognized Barda, Orion, Supes (duh!), Hawkgirl, FIRESTORM???, [/QB]
Reason #2 with reservations: One of them looked alot like Lobo.
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: It was great to see Brainy and Lyle working on a science project together again. [/QB]
Okay, I did like the promenade invisibly through the crowd routine.
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: Chris Batista's art is really beautiful in this issue.
One last thought... the scene on the command deck... included were Imra, Rokk, Jazmin, Lu, Nura, Querl, and Lyle (sexily sitting backwards in the chair again! LOVE that pose for Lyle!) [/QB]
Reason #3: I've been a fan, but other than the servants, I've not liked the much. Not the tech, not the blank stares on the characters. The scene to which you are refering is TOO posed for my taste, given it is a non-action shot. And is Triad going japanesa?
[ November 12, 2003, 02:54 PM: Message edited by: Blockade Boy ]
From: East Toledo | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
i liked #26, even if i did think i missed a whole issue. the whole 5 week jump was a bit jarring for me. a lot of things could have been developed better if there was a #25.5 or something. since when are jazmin and rokk so intimate? and we really could have gotten more of a reaction from everyone about the garth/jan's return. apparently no one cares, or is bothered by it other than imra. it would've been nice to see cham's reaction, especially since he's buds with live wire and also saw the progenitor "delete" montress. great opportunity for a story there, and it was just totally skipped.
at least we get to see a little more of vi.
and i see umbra's in her <shudder> shadow tramp outfit.
i, also, hated the superboy uniform. i like superboy as a character, but not in a mini-super suit. it's tacky. he's made it a point to not be superman jr. why throw him in that outfit? and i know the athramites have better taste than that.
here's to hoping we get to see the batman and wonder woman versions of darkseid's servants. yeeha!
-------------------- it was the ether that knocked her out cold.
From: 31st Century | Registered: Aug 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
I enjoyed the issue, but I keep getting the feeling that everything is not as it seems.
I found the "Five Weeks Later..." a bit jarring, though DnA seem to be purposively playing on elements of the Legion's past for this story (I take it the entire "Foundations" arc is supposed to be a continous celebration of the 45 years of Legion history, and this is their TMK reference).
What's utterly perplexing is the fact that Superboy has visited the 31st century before, and it was explicitly stated that his return was not a big deal (especially compared to Valor's), as if he wasn't really remembered. Plus this whole Cos as a member of the "Church of the Last Son" seems to come out of nowhere as well.
My theory is that the "temporal anomolies" are ultimately playing more havoc than is obvious thus far.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Okay I'm still reading it, on the first page with *shudder* Jarth and Imra but I had to comment on the previous pages.
I love Batista. His work is great and is quickly growing on me. He is definitely now one of my top 10 Legion artists. If he keeps refining his work at this pace he'll be signed to an exclusive contract with Marvel by year end.
BUT, and to me this is a big but, he need to work on his continuity. Or consistency, whichever you want to call it. The moment Jo switched to Ultra-vision he was a dead man. He had already been shown on a previous panel not wearing a transsuit arm band. Then he conveniently had one on during the battle and then after it was missing again. Also, and keep in mind I'm not finished reading yet, one of Jeka's new powers seems to be that of surviving in space with out a sealed system of some sort. She was not once show with a transsuit band. And come to think of it neither was Tasmia. But Kon had one proudly displayed to remind us he can't breathe in space.
It is this kind of inconsistency that drives me crazy. But it also forces me to focus as much on the art as it does the story.
I'll post more later after I've finished reading the issue.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by STU: From whom did Superboy get that T-shirt? Mano?
Isn't there a group in the DCU called "The Black Hand?" Or is that a real thing?
The Black Hand is otherwise known as La Casa Nostra or the Mafia. Whether you believe in them or not they've been around since the 19th Century. I've not heard mention of them in the Legion. There was a group called the Black Heart and in Legionnaires #1 there was a group called The Hand. The latter is probably the one you are remembering.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: There was a group called the Black Heart and in Legionnaires #1 there was a group called The Hand. The latter is probably the one you are remembering.
Oh yeah, now I remember. Poor Mega... she found out the hard way what happens when you turn against Mano...
(And now I also remember in that issue, after Saturn Girl probed Mega's mind, she felt really nauseated and actually vomited. I guess they conveniently -- and wisely -- stopped addressing that aspect of Imra's power...)
Registered: Jul 2003
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Just for fun, I'm going to say that's the Batman dark-servant to the left of the throne.
Wow, I so missed that Five Weeks Later/Five-Year Gap parallel. Cool.
I didn't mind it either. Though, frankly, having to focus any more than minimally necessary on the whole Jarth thing is something I'd prefer to avoid, so skipping ahead a few weeks was a great way to let me do so.
I loved the whole bit with them investigating and fighting at the stargate. It was like everyone had personalities--and you got to see them wear those personalities for more than just a page.
I have grown to very much appreciate Chris Batista's work. Sometimes the characters' faces can look a bit static, but I grow to appreciate that as well. I hope he's having fun with it.
The time blips weren't something I expected to be a major part of the plot, but have become quite intriguing.
Still miss Jan. Still hate Jarth. That's all for now.
From: Portland, Oregon | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Random thoughts: -- Batista's art is looking great! I particularly like the way he and "Sno Cone" handle Ferro. -- The new crop of Dark Servants are also looking really good (esp Orion). The GL one is a mystery if it's supposed to be one that we've seen. If not, it's an interesting new design. -- If it's five weeks later, *why* would "Jarth" still wear Element Lad's uniform?? Having his appearance would be disturbing enough, but there's no reason for him to wear the suit other than to tell readers "he's in Jan's body". -- I also agree that it was odd to not show the team's reaction to "Jarth". Then again, it seems DnA write this book in a kind of "random access" style -- stuff's going on all the time off-panel (like the Rokk/ Jaz romance), and we just get glimpses that make us have to play catch up all the time. -- The Lyle/ Brainy scene was very cool, but only made me wish Brainy were consulting with Rond. It seems Lyle has not only taken over Cham's role as head of espionage, but Rond's role as Brainy's scientific collaborator (which explains why DnA haven't reintroduced Rond I guess). -- The elevation of Superman (and by extension Superboy's) role in the 31st century seem odd to me. I thought M'on replaced Supes as the "inspiration"? Guess the Superman office strikes again...
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I loved this issue! Batista's art is really improving and the colors seemed to leap off the page. I think the unexpected Jazmin/Rokk intimacy has something to do with Jaz's random time-jumps. Perhaps she missed the start of her own romance? I bet the dark servant that ripped off Kon's emblem is the Clark we saw in #25. Ferro seems to be holding on to his more agressive attitude. Finally, it was nice to see the Athramites again.
From: sprouting from 3rd rib | Registered: Aug 2003
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