Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Dev revisits the 5YL era

Issues 21 - 24, Aug 91 - Dec 91 - ...the quiet darkness.

Gonna cover all these in one since it is a story arc. While somewhat interesting, I was never really taken with this arc. It felt off for some reason that I have never been able to figure out. It's not terrible or anything, and Giffens work here is pretty clear for most of it.

One highlight was the Jason Pearson art on the back up stuff. Different and unique, I do like that the SW6 has finally been revealed by the end of this.


Issue 21

We meet 2 young girls. Lori and Aria. They are on the run from someone or something. They run into some thugs looking for them, as well as Furball. Furball taked care of them but is hurt in the process.

It turns out we are on Zuun. Querl and Furball are there to run some tests on Furball. Now they are stuck on a planet under martial law.

an interlude with Kent having trouble with the food computer.

Darkseid is revealed to be running tests with Aria's father, and needs Aria for something involving the anti life equation.

Lobo shows up on the last page.The Dominators lament the loss of Batch SW6, and decide to activate Project Champion. Soon to be known as B.I.O.N. BION proceeds to kill Atmos (never really liked the character, so was not sad to see him go.

Devlin makes a comment to hint at who he is with.

Universo talks with Grinn about joining forces with Foccart.

Text piece on Dominion rules for Earth.

Issue 22

The plot plods along. Querl catches up with Furball, and we are finally told 100% that Furball is Brin. Lobo is a human wrecking ball on Zuun...plowing through the leads he has like bowlong pins.

Rokk and Cham discuss the Legion...code names and uniforms.

Kono discovers that Mysa is gone. And Nura has left 27 messages.

Dominators are counting on BION to collect the SW6 Batch.

Lar discovers that there may be clones of the Legion out there...and they me be "us."

Tasmia's Journal and an SP report make up the text pieces.

Jo Kent and Celeste make it to Zuun. Beat up some "interference, and Celeste glows Green and turns transparent. Lobo gets Aria and beats the snot out of Brainy and Furball.

Jo and Kent end up in their old Unifornm tops. Cool to see the Ultra Boy logo again.

Some minor updates on the Underground Jacques has, Circi meets with Bounty and Laurel.

Devlin is getting really ill, and we see Vi's face for the first time.

Lar leaves Shady to deal with what he found out last issue.

Disaster Repercussion Studa and a SP blotter on Sussa appear as text pieces.

Issue 24

The Life Equation Matrix (The Gemini Matrix) is completed. Darkseid changes Brin back to normal...and it will kill him.

Aria changes.

Darkseid is dispatched (I think, not sure.)

BION goes after SW6, but ends up confronting Laurel.

The SW6 reveal themselves to Devlin.

Querl's journal on what has happened and BION's Dominator directives are the text pieces for this one.

Quiet Darkness... TMK's "Legion on the Run"/"Space Circus"/"Emerald Vi"/"Dream Crime"...

Quiet Darkness was the storyline running through Legion when I first started buying DC comics. It was not an ideal jumping-on point for new readers, to say the least. L.E.G.I.O.N. was much more accessible, and packed with more straightforward space opera thrills, so I focused on that book instead.

But it wasn't until a few issues later that I gave up on the Legion altogether. I'll reveal the reason (some LWers already know what it is) when we reach that point in Dev's chronology.

Annual #2, 1991 - The Legend of Valor

Was never really taken with this issue. It seemed a necessary tale to tell given that Valor(Lar) was now in need of a new history.

This is his story of how he stopped a second invasion of Earth and seeded a lot of worlds that end up in the U.P.

The art is better here from Peterson. The story flows alright, especially since it has a lot of dialog and story to it.

HWW: I thought Peterson's layouts were alright even from the Khund war issues...I just did not like his line work there. Not sure if it was him or the inker.

Not much else to say about this issue really. Way to in depth to go into fully. Not enough time to summarize every little thing that happens.

I have also extensively reviewed Annual 2 here .

Great review HWW. I agree with just about everything you said.

Thanks, Dev.

Issue #25, Jan 92 - Legionnaires Ho!

This is where the book really takes off for me. Not that everything is perfect, or that I even love everything that they (Tom/Mary/Keith) do from here on out. It's just that the SW6 Legion is fully introduced here. The Terra Mosiac begins next issue, and some of the best rethinking of characters is really about to hit. Funky but good art by Dusty Abell in this issue as well.

Devlin finally sees the entire SW6 Legion for the first time and they bring him up to speed on what has happened to him since they awoke from their pods. Naked.

They are discovered by the Dominators, and with the help of Devlin, work out a way to get to the Underground resistance.

Devlin develops his Reflecto power in this issue, much to the dismay of one of the Dominators.

Matter Eater Lad is a joy in this issue and has all of the best lines. My favorite being this exchange:

Invisible Kid - "Legionnaires? Maybe. Or people claiming to be Legionnaires. We've been impersonated before."

MEL - “It doesn’t take much, really, a few colorful costumes, an upside-down rocket ship…”

Vi's journal is the text piece.

Issue #26, Feb 92 - The Terra Mosaic

I loved this issue. Still do. It turned the Subs into characters that needed to be taken seriously for once. Also Jason Pearson takes over the art chores here.

Two main stories in this issue...the fight and the Weisenger Chamber attack.

Laurel and BION slug it out. Laurel takes the worst of it and eventually retreats to the HQ, thinking that she was not followed. BION follows from a very safe distance.

The SUBS (now with folding Ronn Karr action), with Grinn (who is just an interesting visual character) take the Weisinger chambers from the Dominators. Mostly thanks to Chlorophyll Kids powers, which allow him to communicate with the Dominators plant based technology. We also see some Tech from another Legion...

Also in this issue: Kono and Brin have a talk. Rokk and Cham talk about the situation on Earth...and Laurel arrives.

We also get a two page layout of the new Legion HQ with Loomis' notes.

Issue #27, Mar 92 - Showdown

Not a bad issue here, but not much besides the wrap up of the BION story happens...the rest of it is kind of in a holding pattern.

BION shows up at Legion HW and mayhem ensues. Rokk, Loomis and Kono play the big role in stopping him using their heads, and in Kono's case...powers. Nicely handled overall.

The only real thing that happens with the Subs is they discover the pods. We discover that the Dominators have people in the pods that they are experimenting on and that these have not been mindwiped yet.

We also see that Sussa is now a thief.

Text pieces on Spider Girl (Sussa) round out the issue. One is "by" Dvron.

Issue #28, Apr 92 - Sun Boy Setting

I'm of two minds of this issue, and this plot-line as well.

This issue is beautifully drawn by Jason Pearson, and I do not think for a minute that it would have worked as well if anyone else had drawn it. He twists images as needed during Dirks mental torture here. The floating mouths are creepy. The transition images, revealed at the end to be Dirk himself screaming a disturbing...especially on multiple readings.

We do learn a little bit of info on the 5 year gap, albeit Dirks view of what happened, but it does start to fill in some blanks.

The descent of Dirk from "horny" hero to Dominator puppet, through some manipulation by Circe dressing up as all of his old female teammates is disturbing. No two ways about it. Throw in a little retconn shenanigans by dear old dad and you have your "justifications" if you will.

Obviously Dirk was taken by being wanted and got in way over his head until it was too late. Tom says this in his blog about this issue..."Dirk is really down on his luck when he’s seduced by Circe into accepting a Faustian bargain — a life of wealth and hedonism in exchange for his services as a front man for Earthgov. The lies he’s forced to tell become increasingly egregious, until finally his spirit is broken when he has to justify the executions of Dawn and Don Allen."

One thing that also gets me is what is yet to happen between Circe and Dirk. More on that when it happens.

I don't love this issue, and I do not hate it.

The subs find out it is him at the end of the issue, and are shocked that he's still alive.

Interestingly enough there are no text pieces in this issue. Maybe due to the topic itself.

My thoughts on # 19 and 20.

A lot happens in these issues, and Giffen cuts new readers no slack. If you haven't been keeping up with the series (or if you've missed a couple of issues), you're totally lost. Only the short recaps on the letters pages and Dev's own reviews in this thread helped me make sense of much of these two issues.

Number 19 begins with earth in chaos. The moon has been destroyed, and the fallout causes widespread devastation and millions of deaths. Much of this is well presented for what it is, but I couldn't help feeling this wasn't the Legion's book anymore. It seems to have been taken over by events beyond the scope of their activities. Unless I've missed somebody, no Legionnaires even appear for the first 10 pages.

The rest of the book is devoted to Ultra Boy's sojourn to earth in the distant past. I agree with Dev that this arc does flesh out Jo's character, though, as I was reading it, I kept wondering where the arc was going. We have a plotline with Nabu (who, as longtime DC fans know, is the source of Dr. Fate's mystical helmet) and a character named Marta, with whom I'm unfamiliar and who seems to have no role in the story other than to announce Jo's arrival on earth. Then Jo falls in love with a woman who, unbeknownst to him, is a Lord of Chaos.

Accepting his fate of being stranded in the past, Jo builds a life with her and she gets pregnant (or so she says)--only for Jo to watch her cut down before his eyes by Nabu, who doesn't bother to explain things to Jo! If Jo wasn't ready for the loony bin before, he should be now.

However, it's all a setup so Nabu can magically send Jo back to the future. My, how convenient that Jo ran into a "good" wizard instead of a bad one!

At least Jo does come to a personal understanding, which culminates in him allowing himself to cry over Tinya. That alone salvages the most bizarre and unlikely arc Giffen and crew have thrown at us yet.

# 20:

With earth falling apart, the Legionnaires occupy their time with trivial (though somewhat funny) matters. While there were some great character moments in this issue, I couldn't help feeling that it marked time. Giffen seems to be more enraptured by the Dominators, or at least in advancing their plot, than by the Legionnaires.

I also didn't undertand the Celeste scene on Page 8. She addresses a woman she calls "Laurel," but if this is Laurel Gand, why does she look like Celeste (which even Celeste acknowledges). In a previous issue, we saw Laurel disguise herself as a Khundish slave woman. If Laurel is employing a disguise here, as well, Giffen doesn't bother to tell us so or why.

A huge chunk of the issue is devoted to Rokk's flashback of Venado Bay. Much of this we already know, although a couple of interesting details are added. One is Kent Shakespeare's involvement in the war. The other is the revelation that Rokk gave Vi her scar, though he apparently remains unaware of doing so. While this helps us understand why Vi refuses to have the scar removed, I'm not sure why it was necessary to devote so much of the issue to the flashback.

Giffen makes a lot of really drastic changes to the Legion's universe in these issues--the destruction of the moon, the Dominators' control of earth, Dirk Morgna's fate, etc. I honestly have no problem with any of these events--in fact, I applaud Giffen and crew for taking such gutsy chances. However, Giffen's obscure storytelling style once again gets in the way of story clarity.

Example 1: I did not know that the character on Page 6 was Devlin O'Ryan until I read Dev-Em's review on this thread. There's a reason why comics editors used to require writers to mention each character's name at some point in the story.

Example 2: Enough with the Dominators' dialogue, already! The repeated "r"'s I can take, but the overuse of "ah" makes it sound as if the Dominators don't know Interlac (or whatever language they're speaking) well enough to comminicate with each other. Such dialogue makes the scenes a chore to get through.

Example 3: I'm confused about Circe's role. I understand that she works with the Dominators and was Dirk's lover/boss, but she also is in command of troops? Not only that, but she cares enough about the troops being slaughtered that she turns on the Dominators? I don't have a grasp of her character at all.

Overall, I feel that both of these issues were not as good as they could have been, which is a shame considering the enormity of the events that occur within them.

Issue #29, May 92 - Sade (and not the singer)

A lot of little things happen this issue. Some of which actually move the plot along. A good issue overall.

Rond tries to talk to Querl, but is blown off. Then gets advice from Brin.

Lar tells Reep what he found out about the SW6er's...although they do not know they are out and about yet. Also brings up the "they could be us" thing. Nice playful Jo and Lar reunion. Brings out the "jock"aspect of their friendship.

The Dominators attack the Chamber and get a read that the Subs are in there.

A relatively pointless page with Jacques, Tenzil and Drura. Outside of Tenzil cracking a few jokes...not sure why this is even here.

Grinn opens a pod and oput pops Sade...literally. She can teleport. Grinn also sounds like a demented Yoda here. Staq convinces Sade to work with them. Color Kid (cannot remember his name at the moment) tries, but fails to cut off Dirks life support.

Devlin convinces the Legionnaires, specifically Saturn Girl, to read Universo's mind. They find out the Dark Circle is involved. The Legionnaires have no idea how powerful the Circle is...

President Tayla Wellington goes on a broadcast and looses it to a moment of clear conscious. It costs her her life on live TV.

Brainiac 5 and Vi's journals give us our text pieces.

Oh yeah...the Dominators put together their own Fantastic Four.

Ulu.

Issue #30, Jun 92 - Ambush! ---or, The FF attack

This is a good issue that moves several plots along quite nicely. I like the way that the Subs are portrayed here.

The UP decides to move against the Dominators with the death of the President of Earth. The Dominators twist the situation for their own ends.

Lar volunteers to go to Earth to help.

The Legionnaires find "evidence" that the Dark Circle is trying to get them and decide to strike out on their own...to Devlins dismay.

Valor leaves to try to contact the UP.

The Faux Fantastic Four attack the Subs. They are beaten in a well thought out and rendered battle with the Subs and Sade.

Circe and Bounty are sneaking into Pinnacle Command as well.

Newspaper feature in front and back of issue replaces any text pieces.

That's what I thought it was...but I wasn't 100% on it.

I'm trying to refer to all of the regular characters by their real names and the SW6 group by their code names. Helps avoid confusion for me anyway.

Annual #3, 1992 - Timber wolf and the reunion that started something...

I always liked this Annual. It focuses partly on Brin and sets up a fun romp through the 20th century for him. The other half of the issue is one that still has fans talking... There are a lot of really good character moments in this issue. A lot to like.

Brin is dying and there is nothing Querl or anyone can do. He has a heart to heart with Kono, and then sees an Angel. Aria (from the quiet darkness) shows up and takes him to the past...healing him in the process. He turns into a half version...somewhere between normal and Furball. Querl's notice at the end of a 20th century hero puts his mind at some ease it appears. As is noted by the text page found after: There is a preview of Timber Wolfs mini here, but I will touch on that when I review the entire mini issue by issue soon.

The reunion on Winath happens here. Lots of great little moments happen in this tale. Reep/Proty II's reunion is funny. The things with Garridan are touching if a bit cliched. Yera avoidance of Salu is understandable. Thom and Nura...just hilarious to me. The birth of Rokk and Lydda's son.

There are touching things like them around the staues of fallen friends. Again we see the statue we do not know...although it ties directly into other aspects of this issue. Jo in the bar when Kent inadvertently mentions him and Tinya.

The thing that didn't quite make sense...Luornu's behavior still makes me scratch my head.

And then there's Garth. Garth is Proty...or at least Proty is in Garth's body. It can make sense if you want it to. It can be a slap in the face if you don't. It never really bothered me because Garth was never one of my favorites. So, I had no great opinion one way or the other.

Issue #31, Jul 92 - Young LSH Romance

Another issue that sparked a firestorm of opinions. Again, not really a big thing for me, as Jan and Shvaugn were background characters for me.

I find the Element Lad story much more compelling here. He kills some Dominators, or is it an accident? I like that the question is never fully answered. He has to deal with what he has done, and as Saturn Girl tells him...he's strong and he has a family with the LEgion to help him through it.

The whole Shvaugn/Sean thing is what it is. Jan accepts her/him for who he is. Sean seems to have a more difficult time with the whole thing, which I guess is understandable.

I both love and hate it! Or at least admire and hate it. I agree with your comments about the art and the intricacies of the characterization. I think the mood is set terrifically and everything that happens follows in horrific inevitability.

It's an issue that prompted a visceral reaction, at least for me. Maybe that's just because Dirk's one of my favorite characters? Though it fits in perfectly with the reality of the 5YL universe following the Mon-el/Time Trapper punch and the Glorith replacements, I can't reconcile this Dirk with the Sun Boy I read previously.

I found Tom Bierbaum's comments on his blog regarding this issue pretty illuminating. I was kind of glad that he had mixed feelings about it.

I think it a strong piece of work, can't deny that.

I'm enjoying your comments, Dev! I'm sure it's caused several LWers to dig out their old issues and reread them-- I think I'll do that soon. If only they were available in trade paperback...

My thoughts on # 21-24:

This is the first time I've read "The Quiet Darkness" in one setting. Previously, I read the issues piecemeal and out of order, and they made no sense whatsoever. Taken together, they are actually quite good.

Could it be that fans' dissatisfaction with this story is that it doesn't top or even equal "The Great Darkness"? I don't think it was intended to do either, and, if accepted on its own terms, I think the story is brilliant.

For one thing, the dialogue between Aria and Lori seems authentic. They act like 12-year-old girls. In spite of being thrown for a loop about who these characters were and why I should care about them, I found myself caring quite a bit once they encountered Furball (Legion frame of reference) and ran for their lives. Yes, it's shameful manipulation to have the girls buddy up with "Frisky," but it works.

I like it that Al Gordon (credited as the primary writer) doesn't tell us up front what is happening or what Darkseid is up to--Gordon lets the story unfold at its own pace--but, by the end, everything makes sense.

Well, almost everything. We're left to wonder what happened to Darkseid and Aria's brother, Coda. Did they become part of Aria or did they die and go to "heaven"? I like to think the latter. It seems that it was Darkseid's plan all along to create a half-god who could kill him and end his eternal life of boredom. I have no problem with this whatsoever: It rounds out Darkseid's character and makes him less one-dimensional as a villain. (The story actually leads up to this by having Darkseid show concern for Francis Campbell, the children's scientist father. It's true that Darkseid still uses Francis to further his own ends, yet it's striking that Darkseid treats him much better than he's treated minions in the past.)

Jo and Brainy are true to character--both exhibit intelligence and resourcefulness. Kent and Celeste develop as personalities and heroes. (We knew all along that Celeste was going to get powers; what took them so long?) I loved the action sequences, particularly between Jo and Kent and the Zuun security force. The action moves quickly but makes room for humor("Hey! . . . There isn't any Tango" . . .). Jo's grin at the bottom of page 2 of # 23 says it all: though they vastly outnumber the Legionnaires, the Zuun security force is in for a major ass whooping!

The only thing I didn't like was Lobo--a character I've never cared for--but Gordon even addresses that in a palatable manner by revealing "the main man" to be nothing more than a Darkseid-improved probe.

The backup story running in all four issues leads up to the big SW6 reveal. Again, this works better if read in one setting. The Valor sequence in # 22 does a particularly effective job of tying in the SW6 scheme with several past Legion stories.

I enjoyed this storyline as much as the earlier Khund war. It was extremely well paced, clear, and thoughtful. Like most of 5YL, it challenges our preconceptions of what a Legion story can be--i.e., there is no knock-down, drag-out fight with Darkseid--yet it delivers the goods.

Hooray! Positive comments about "The Quiet Darkness". I've never understood all the negativity about the story. I always thought that is was clear and subtle, original, interesting with solid art and good characterization. I must be the only person in the world who loved the use the Lobo probe.

I liked Lobo better as a probe than the real Lobo.

Jumping ahead, my thoughts on # 31 are presented on pages 3 and 4 of this thread .

Like I said, the quiet darkness isn't necessarily bad for me...I just never liked it all that much in the grand scheme of things. It felt jarring for the arc to be where it was. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and did not really move the main plot of the book along. Kind of the same issue I had with the Khund war/Dark circle issues before it.

They just felt off in their flow from the main narrative. But, that's just me.