posted
This was indeed an awesome story, but the writer made a major booboo which detracts from the success of the story IMHO. White Witch used a spell to transfer all of the protagonists back to Apokolips, which was now under Daxam's red sun. Later, Darkseid gives up because the Legion's allies are leading the Daxamite army against him. Hello? The Daxamite army would've been unable to enter the red sun system without dying in space and therefore posed no threat to him. If they'd simply left out the White Witch casting that spell, the plot would've held together better.
-------------------- Buy my new graphic novel! http://www.dodeka12.com
From: Champaign, IL | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
I always thought the reshaping of Daxam into Darkseid's image was way over the top. Even in the "Superman Under a Blue Sun" story that inspired it, they don't literally re-shape the whole planet into the guy's image, but just dig a giant trench visible from space in the shape of the guy.
I always find myself wondering about all of the lifeforms on Daxam. I assume they would gain super-powers under the yellow sun as well, and so weren't just wiped out with the destruction of Daxam's ecosystem, but it would've been nice to have some kind of reference to them.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: One must remember that this came out at a time before Crisis and Legends and other epics. Darkseid had only appeared briefly in JLA and Superman up until now. He was fresh and terrifying and coming into his own as a DCU player.
Good point about the historical perspective, Cobie. I had only encountered Darkseid previously in the short-lived Return of the New Gods series and the JLA story you mention. I think "GDS" is where he really stepped up to become one of DC's major villains.
quote:Highfather coming to them as a baby was brilliant as well. Not a new concept, but one new to comic books.
The idea had also been used with Immortus in Avengers Annual # 10, which came out a year or two earlier. Of course, that story was much more controversial ...
quote:But the main star was the Legion mythos. Superboy and Supergirl’s battle with Darkseid showed that at its most blatant, but we also saw the Subs, the Wanders, etc. We saw the election as a prominent theme. RJ Brande was a player earlier in the story with Cham. Darkseid using their own fears against them brought back themes over the previous 20 years.
Indeed. It's amazing how many characters, settings, and nods to past stories were woven into "GDS". And most of it wasn't distracting, as would happen in some of Levitz's later stories.
The only parts I found distracting, in fact, were highlighting the founders, as I mentioned above, and Duo Damsel mentioning twice that she felt guilty for not aiding the Legion during the recent Computo scare (LSH (v.2) Annual # 1).
quote:Great review HWW!
Thanks.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: This was indeed an awesome story, but the writer made a major booboo which detracts from the success of the story IMHO. White Witch used a spell to transfer all of the protagonists back to Apokolips, which was now under Daxam's red sun.
Actually, the final battle takes place on Daxam, as indicated by the caption on page 20 of # 294.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: I always thought the reshaping of Daxam into Darkseid's image was way over the top. Even in the "Superman Under a Blue Sun" story that inspired it, they don't literally re-shape the whole planet into the guy's image, but just dig a giant trench visible from space in the shape of the guy.
I never read "Superman Under a Blue Sun." Did Darkseid have access to a planetful of slaves who could reshape the world in that story?
You make an excellent point about the animals, vegetation, and other lifeforms of Daxam, Eryk. One would imagine that reshaping a world would destroy many species and completely disrupt the food chain. It should therefore take Daxam much longer to recover than shown.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
It's not about Darkseid. Superman is trapped powerless on this planet ruled by this evil Hitler-esque dictator who has the planet's population enslaved and working on some mysterious project, which turns out to be basically carving his visage on the planet's surface so that it's visible from space.
Levitz acknowledges in the GDS TPB that this is where he got the idea for having Darkseid do something similar.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Darkseid had been featured prominantly in the Return of the New Gods, which extended into Adventure Comics. He played a role in the late 70's Mister Miricle revival. Other appearances included Secret Society of Super Villians, Super Team Family, JLA, and the Teen Titans/X-Men team up. Not long after Great Darkness, he was used heavily in the Super Freinds cartoon.
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had forgotten about Darkseid's appearances in SSOSV, Jerry. That book started out with such promise and then degenerated into DC's version of Super-Villain Team-Up. The Darkseid story wasn't satisfactorily resolved. Darkseid tried to leave in a Boom Tube and the Manhunter jumped in after him, then everything went kablooey! Next issue (or actually the rest of the same issue): different story line, different purpose, everything.
But Darksy got around more than I thought. I just didn't follow most of those series.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, Secret Society was pretty weak. I can understand you not having Super Team Family, but come on, you've got to have the Teen Titans/X-Men...
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I do have TT/X, but it came out after "The Great Darkness Saga," didn't it?
My main memory of that story is that I was disappointed that it took place on a "parallel earth" where the Titans and X-Men coexisted. I was looking forward to the "real" Titans and X-Men meeting.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
THE GREAT DARKNESS brought me back to comics. When I went to college, I thought I'd 'outgrown' superheroes (and I was broke). I still stopped by a comics shop whenever I was near one for other reasons (Ha!), and leafed through LSH, Teen Titans, X-men, Avengers and Fantastic Four.
Giffen's depictions of the Teachers of Sorcerer's World, that world itself, the massive swarm of Wanderers, Lallorians and Daxamites in flight prompted me to buy a comic again for the first time in a couple of years. Of course, I had to get the prologue issues, the Computo annual and the first couple of GREAT DARKNESS chapters.
I was re-hooked, and have been ever since.
When I think of this storyline, I first remember Gas Girl in flight, of all things. Then I think of the sheer inventiveness of the visuals of the Teachers. Next, I recall how impressed I was with Light Lass and Shadow Lass when they faced Darkseid.
Dream Girl as leader? 'Bout time Saturn Girl had someone from the girls' side of the clubhouse to join her in the leader's circle.
Shrinking Violet in the Shadow-thingie's bloodstream-- too bad it turned out to be Yera, since that was one of Vi's coolest moments ever.
I guess Darkseid'd been around a bit then, but he wasn't nearly as overexposed as Luthor or Joker. I remember being surprised. Actually, the identities of his Servants was the mystery I was most interested in. I'm still waiting for the heroine that's Shadow Lass's ancestor to step up and earn her place in the line-up of Servants of Darkness. (The gals in L.E.G.I.O.N. haven't done anything significant to warrant Darkseid's notice, that I know of...)
Here's hoping the Legion gets an epic on a par with this one in its 50th anniversary year.
From: Knoxville, TN | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: This was indeed an awesome story, but the writer made a major booboo which detracts from the success of the story IMHO. White Witch used a spell to transfer all of the protagonists back to Apokolips, which was now under Daxam's red sun.
Actually, the final battle takes place on Daxam, as indicated by the caption on page 20 of # 294.
Yes, but on the bottom of page 22, the White Witch transfers everyone to Apokolips. I guess so the prophecy about Orion killing Darksein on Apokolips could come true. Superboy even says that they're under a red sun. Also, Element Lad uses lead to shield Superboy from gold kryptonite while using it to depower the Superman clone. But hasn't it been long established that Superboy/man is immune to kryptonite when under a red sun?
-------------------- Buy my new graphic novel! http://www.dodeka12.com
From: Champaign, IL | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: Yes, but on the bottom of page 22, the White Witch transfers everyone to Apokolips. I guess so the prophecy about Orion killing Darksein on Apokolips could come true. Superboy even says that they're under a red sun.
You're right, Jim. I completely missed that.
Don't know about the kryptonite question, though.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
Hadn't Superboy been granted the gift of powers under a red sun? Presumably that would also make him vulnerable to kryptonite as well.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic | Subscribe To Topic
