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EARTH
Metropolis

ROLL CALL

Legion of Superheroes
Chlorophyll Kid aka Ral Benem: chlorokinesis
Comet Queen aka Grava: flight, gas generation
Cosmic Boy aka Rokk Krinn: magnetism
Dawnstar: translightspeed flight, interstellar tracking
Dragonmage aka Xao Jin: dragon magic
Dream Girl aka Nura Nal: Naltorian precognition
Elastic Lad aka Jams-Ols 5: super-elongation
Kid Computo aka Danielle Foccart: cyberempathy
King Canary aka K'rk T'wiiu III: sonic generation
Matter-Eater Lad aka Tenzil Kem: can eat inorganic matter in all its forms
Mon-El aka Lar Gand: Daxamite physiology
Neon aka Zoe Saugin: infused with Green Lantern energy
Phantom Girl aka Tinya Wazzo: leader; intangibility
Shrinking Violet aka Salu Digby: shrinking
Slug aka Kes Mtsto: inertron form and projectiles
Supergirl II aka Laurel Kent: invulnerability
Tellus aka Ganglios: telepathy and telekinesis
Transposition Lad aka Kappa Snarrk: teleportational transposition
Truth Girl aka Oliv Hollowai: truth sense, wields the Golden Perfect

Justice League of America
Atom aka Ray Palmer: size and mass control
Aquaman aka Arthur Curry: marine-adapted physiology, marine telepathy
Batman aka Bruce Wayne: martial artist, strategist
Black Canary aka Dinah Lance: martial artist, sonic cry
Elongated Man aka Ralph Dibny: super-elongation
Firestorm aka Ronald Raymond/Martin Stein: matter transmutation, atomic energy manipulation
Flash aka Barry Allen: super-speed
Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen: expert archer
Green Lantern aka Hal Jordan: Green Lantern ring
Hawkgirl aka Shayera Hol: flight, melee combat specialist
Hawkman aka Katar Hol: flight, melee combat specialist
Red Tornado aka John Smith: android body, aerokinesis
Superman aka Kal-El: JLA chairperson; Kryptonian physiology
Wonder Woman aka Diana: enhanced physiology, flight, Amazon weapons
Zatanna Zatara: sorceress

With Zoe Saugin and Hal Jordan providing light for their respective teams here within the trunk of this absurdly large tree, the two greatest superhero teams of their respective eras faced off against one another in a distinctly emerald setting.

"Are we gonna have one of those superhero misunderstandings and fight now?" Transposition Lad leaned down to ask Matter-Eater Lad.

"What?" Phantom Girl overheard and turned back toward her new teammate with a bemused smirk. "Don't be silly, Kappa - I don't know what they're doing here but the Justice League are legends, and some of us have known Superman since we were kids! It's so good to see you, Kal...although I wish the circumstances were better!" Tinya rushed forward and planted a kiss on Superman's cheek.

"It has been a long time!" Wearing a grin from ear to ear, Superman clapped a hand on Mon-El and Phantom Girl's shoulders. "More for me than you, I suspect!"

Shrinking Violet was just about to suggest that Tellus mind scan the ancient heroes who'd oh so conveniently just appeared before them (an idea that she knew wouldn't be well received for all its practicality) but Truth Girl saved her the trouble.

"It's really you!" Truth Girl stared open-mouthed at Wonder Woman. "Princess Diana, I can't believe...this is such an honour! I...oh grife, my girlfriend Bobbi won't believe this!"

With her arms held out before her and a warm smile on her face, Wonder Woman approached the starstruck young woman. "Hola, sister. I've heard Superman speak of the Legion of Superheroes, but I never thought I'd get to meet you all... from what I hear, your team helped our friend become the man he is today so the honour is all mine!" She gave Truth Girl a welcoming hug, then held her at arm's length so she could look her up and down. "I know you can't tell us too much about our future, but I'm overjoyed to see that Themyscira's legacy survives long after I'm gone. I'd recognise the Golden Perfect anywhere and if I'm not mistaken that armour you wear is Amazonium, yes?"

"It...it's an Amazonium alloy." Truth Girl's golden eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "Oh wow, I'm sorry...I just....I'm going to need a nano."

Wonder Woman gave a hearty laugh, and in that action the two teams felt any barrier to them interacting vanish.

**********

"Zoe!" Dragonmage hissed into Neon's ear. "Do you see that woman in the fishnet stockings?"

"There's two of them, Xao; you'll need to be more specific." Zoe Saugin shook her head with mild amusement as she examined Black Canary and Zatanna. "Old time fashions sure were weird, huh?"

"With the black hair!" Dragonmage continued urgently. "That's Zatanna Zatara! She's one of the greatest sorcerors in all of history!"

"So go say hi to her!" Zoe shot back. "You know this is probably the only chance you're ever gonna get!"

Dragonmage flushed beet red at the very suggestion, and while he was still struggling to find a response the JLA's Green Lantern walked over to introduce himself to the Legion's Green Lantern. "So the future of the Green Lantern Corps is pretty young redheads?" Hal Jordan said by way of introduction. "I can get behind that!"

Hal's presence reminded Zoe of her friends and allies in Sodam Yat's nascent Green Lantern Corps, and of the tragic fate that had befallen them all. Overwhelmed with unexpected emotion, Zoe's voice cracked as she grabbed Dragonmage and dragged him forward. "Come on, Xao....let's meet this legendary magician of yours."

Hal Jordan watched puzzled as the teenagers left him behind.

**********

"You're an android, but you're...you're alive!" Danielle Foccart circled Red Tornado in wonder. "How is that even possible? Are you Robotican?"

"I do not know what that term means, but I can feel your touch in my mind..?" Red Tornado cocked his head to one side. "Is this some kind of futuristic technology at work?"

"No, and I'm sorry - it's rude of me to just barge in to your head like that!" As much as she was curious to know more about the hero she now knew was called Red Tornado, Danielle withdrew the touch of her power. "My name's Kid Computo. I guess there's probably no name for it in your time, but I have a power called cyberempathy. It's basically like telepathy for computers."

"Thank you for seeing me as the man I strive to be, Kid Computo." A broad smile crossed Red Tornado's crimson face and he offered Danielle an open hand. "My codename is Red Tornado...but my friends call me Reddy."

Beside the two heroes, Tellus was having a similarly unique experience. With everyone else engaged in spirited conversation around them, the Hykraian Legionnaire sat immobile in telepathic communion with Aquaman. <You possess the ability to communicate mind to mind, Arthur Curry!>, Tellus shared with the blond Justice Leaguer. <I have rarely met a Terran with such gifts!>

<My power only works with marine lifeforms, and I rarely have the chance to communicate with any as evolved as yourself!>, Aquaman replied. <I'd love to learn more about your world and your people, Ganglios of Hykraius!>

<There are certain...protocols...I was taught when it comes to time travel>, Tellus responded, <But I am delighted to share with you what I can!>

The two men continued their discussion, the rest of their teams completely oblivious that they were interacting at all.

**********

Elastic Lad had started talking to Elongated Man about their shared powers, but that was two minutes and three topics of conversation ago for Jams-Ols 5. Ralph Dibny had decided the best course of action was to just go with the flow, and he watched his futuristic counterpart with a kind of impressed confoundment.

"--and that's why Wish Girl isn't allowed to leave Cadmu without an escort anymore!" Elastic Lad finished his little roundabout story. "Gosh, I don't know if I should be telling you all of this but really there's statistically a very small chance that knowing trivia about a random stranger on an alien planet who won't even be born for hundreds of years is going to impact the timeline in any way! Say Mr Dibny, don't the Justice League have a satellite in orbit around Earth? The Legion of Superheroes just built a mobile base and we all live in outer space now, that could be one more thing we have in common!"

Ralph finally saw his chance to play some part in this conversation and opened his mouth to speak when one of the other Legionnaires slapped a friendly hand on Elastic Lad's shoulder. "Kid, Brainy would have a conniption fit if he heard you telling someone from Kal's time all this classified future gossip!" Matter-Eater Lad lightly chastised his excitable teammate.

Tenzil suddenly realised who Elastic Lad had been talkig to. "Great galloping galaxies, you're the Elongated Man! I've got all your Enigmas of History holos!! I have gotta get your autograph before this is all over..!"

"Elongated Man?!" Slug and Transposition Lad piped up in unison and rushed over to join the spontaneous fan club.

"Slug loves Elongated Man's Enigmas of History!"

"Do the nose thing! Can you do the nose thing??"

Ralph glanced from one face to the next before he gave an oblivious Superman an awed stare.

If all his friends were like this when he was a kid, the stretchable sleuth thought, Maybe staying mild-mannered has been Clark Kent's real super-power all along!

**********

While the rest of their respective teams were introducing themselves to one another, Superman and Batman were off to one side with Phantom Girl, Cosmic Boy, Mon-El, Chlorophyll Kid and Comet Queen.

"It really is good to see you all again," Superman spoke, looking over the assemblage of heroes, "Although the Legion have obviously picked up some new recruits since Superboy was a member! But what could Ivy possibly have done to warrant the Legion of Superheroes' attention?"

"Ivy's my daughter," Chlorophyll Kid replied, slightly defensive. "Our daughter," Ral corrected himself as he squeezed Grava's hand.

"Don't go nova, Chlory!" Comet Queen returned her husband's affectionate touch. "Superboy couldn't be expected to glean all that, even if he is all grown up now! It might be all background radiation to us, but it's a big bang to them." She looked up into Superman's confused face. "Ivy's our little sprout," Grava tried to explain. "When Mordru sent his nasty shadow demons after us -- you still spark Mordru, right starshine? Anyway, good Glorith turned into bad Glorith and she's really pretty but she's just as mean as old Mordru; parse me to the C-span, she might even be meaner! Anyway, she took our little sprout away in time and photon quick she brought her back but she was all grown up now too! And ever since then, the two of them have just been aiming themselves at planet after planet like rogue binary stars just burning up everything they pass through! And now they've hit Earth!"

The nature of time travel being what it was, Superman generally only remembered broad strokes of his membership in the Legion until their presence brought those memories into sharp focus once more. He'd genuinely forgotten just how difficult it could be to understand Comet Queen's speech but even taking that into consideration, surely he couldn't have just heard what he thought he'd heard? "I'm sorry," he shook his head. "But Comet Queen, Chlorophyll Kid...you two are saying Ivy is your daughter?"

"Oh, we're all so dumb!" Phantom Girl slapped her forehead. "She's their adopted daughter, Kal. That's why she doesn't look like either Chlor or Grava...but you know we're not in your time, right? You've all come to our Metropolis!"

"I'm not so sure about that, Phantom Girl." Mon-El had that faraway look in his eye which Tinya had seen often enough to know that he was using one of his vision powers. "Our Metropolis isn't outside this tree trunk...and neither is the Metropolis of Superman's time. But I've been in enough time bubbles to know what is....I think we're in the timestream. I think this tree is somehow creating a link between our two time periods."

Batman suddenly snapped his fingers. "...They're different women."

Cosmic Boy was the first to realise what the Caped Crusader was talking about. "Of course! You and Superman are talking about Poison Ivy, right? One of Batman's rogues?"

"A clever deduction, Cosmic Boy." Batman gave the Legionnaire a nod of respect and Rokk felt uncommonly bashful. "Poison Ivy's plants took over Gotham City yesterday," Batman continued. "Wilder and hardier than they've ever been before. I don't know how familiar you all are with my era's criminals; from what I understand, a lot of your team aren't from Earth at all. But let me assure you, Poison Ivy has only ever been a minor thorn in my side if you'll pardon the pun. She's never shown the kind of power to devastate an entire city in such a short period like she's done this time around. When this strange tree sprouted up in Robinson Park, I knew that this was beyond the abilities of myself and Robin to deal with alone and I called in my colleagues in the Justice League. Zatanna detected that there was a mystical source of power behind the takeover of Gotham, and that's what led us into this tree where we met all of you."

"Glorith must be helping your Poison Ivy somehow," Phantom Girl reasoned. "But to what purpose? What's the point of getting the Legion and the Justice League of America on her back?"

Before anyone could answer that question, startled chatter erupted in the midst of the group. By the time Tinya phased her way through the assembled heroes to the source of the commotion, Hawkman was already helping a groggy Dream Girl to her feet. "Is your teammate unwell?" Hawkgirl leaned across to Dawnstar and asked discreetly.

"Don't concern yourself with Dream Girl," Dawnstar replied coolly. "I'm sure your husband's ministrations are doing wonders for her welfare."

Dream Girl flashed the winged Legionnaire a vexed glance, but it didn't escape anyone's notice that Nura was in no hurry to extricate herself from Hawkman's muscular arms either. "I just had a vision...a precognitive vision," Nura clarified for the Leaguers' sakes. "I saw us all working together to fight Verdant and Glorith in our own time, and Poison Ivy in Superman's home era...and there was something else, something of great importance but I didn't understand what it meant. Do any of you Justice Leaguers know someone named Louisiana..?"

"...Louisiana is not a whom, but rather a where."

This was a new voice, a deep and sombre tone that left some of the Legionnaires feeling vaguely unsettled. The heroes parted to reveal a man standing amongst them in a dark blue suit with a matching high-collared cape held around his shoulders by a golden clasp. An ornately patterned golden amulet dangled from the clasp on thin metallic links, and the brim of a fedora left his eyes in permanent shadow.

"Y-you weren't there a nano ago!" Dream Girl unconsciously recoiled from the newcomer. "...Who are you??"

"I am...a stranger," the man spoke gravely. "But fear not, Nura Nal, for I am a stranger who means you no harm. Your power has aided you well, the place named Louisiana is surely key to any altercation involving the Green."

Superman saw the looks of distrust and confusion on some of the Legionnaires' faces and realised he needed to step in. "The Phantom Stranger can be enigmatic," the man of steel announced to the gathered heroes, "But he's equally trustworthy...and if he's here, he's here to help. Right now I appreciate all the help we can get, so thank you Stranger."

"Okay then, it's settled!" Phantom Girl put on a cheery demeanour she didn't necessarily feel. "Sounds like we're gonna be fighting on multiple fronts; Glorith and Verdant together, Poison Ivy, and whatever's going on in this Louisiana place."

"We'll also need to devote resources to preventing collateral damage," Batman added. "I'm not letting Poison Ivy's plants run roughshod over my city while I'm taking the fight to her."

One of Slug's inertron eyestalks nudged Transposition Lad and the taller hero squatted down to his friend's level. "Transposition Lad knows what this means, yes?" Slug asked with barely concealed glee.

"Superhero team-up!"

**********

Somewhen else, surrounded by a seemingly endless plain of vegetation, Glorith of Baaldur allowed herself a self-satisfied smirk. Tracing the lines of Superman's broad shoulders in the scrying pool she'd created to spy on the heroes, her expression turned more sultry. "By all means, boys and girls," Glorith chuckled to herself. "Bring your big musclebound icons to me...I like a challenge."

She turned away from the pool to face Verdant behind her, who was clearly occupied with her own work. "How are you holding up there, dear?" Glorith asked the younger girl.

"I don't know if this sounds crazy, but....it seems to be getting easier?" Verdant replied. "It's like the longer I keep at this, the less I need to actively force my will on the Green to do what we want."

"It's not crazy at all, silly girl." Glorith stroked Ivy's cheek affectionately. "That was the whole point of our cosmic gambit. I just wanted to make things easier for you to help the Green gain the ascendance you've been wishing for." Ivy gave her a grateful smile, one which Glorith returned. "I'll leave you to it then, shall I?"

Glorith returned to the scrying pool and with a quick flick of the wrist changed the scene from the Legion and the JLA to a representation of the enormous tree towering over the 31st Century's Metropolis. An exact duplicate of the tree was mirrored below it, and both of their roots slowly but inexorably reached out toward the empty distance between them to meet in the middle...and when that happened, when those two impossible structures entwined...the first step to Glorith of Baaldur's reign over time would be complete.

**********

Just as the heroes of the Legion and the Justice League were unaware that they were being watched, Glorith in turn was unaware that someone watched her.

On a barren rock adrift in the lightless void that was the end of time, the Time Trapper and his surrogate daughter Decay viewed Glorith in the midst of swirling rainbow energies.

Decay looked into the faceless hood of the entity she believed to be her sire. "Is that her, my father?" she asked. "Is she the enemy that we must face?"

"That she is," the Time Trapper's sepulchral voice rattled. "Sneaky little Glorith may have avoided her fate at my hands once upon a time, but her time will come...

...and it will come soon."

TO BE CONTINUED!

hi Raz, what a major treat to read the next installment of your story!

nice to see the real names of the newbies. Kappa Snarrrk is very inspired! any way inspired on Legion World's own Kappa?

ooh the Satellite Era League! Fave era of mine, already super eager! thanks for including every one of the members at the time!

I also randomly had a thought: with King Canary providing sonic powers, is there room for your Tyroc to come back? I can't remember, and apologies for this, if your Tyroc had "just" the sonic powers or if he still had his magical sonic screams

haha loved T-Lad's call out to superhero misunderstanding fights... and though he didn't say anything, it's also a nice bit of characterization that T-Lad asked Tenzil! and also love the callout re some Legionnaires have known Superman since they were kids I do love that part of the Legion mythos.

also love Vi's practicality, and glad Truth Girl was able to save the group from that bit of awkwardness!

Truth Girl's awe at meeting Diana was great, and love that T-Girl has a girlfriend Diana greeting her so warmly is also so Diana!

hahaha at that fishnet stockings bit, and Zoe's comment re fashion - so her. and Xao's awe at Zatanna was great too. also that Hal/Zoe bit, nice reference to the tumultuous history of the Green Lanterns, and also poor Celeste and Jordana among others. (I was gonna say poor Hal, then I realized he was kind of hitting on Zoe! Bad Hal!)

Danielle and Red Tornado! an inspired scene! Also Tellus and Aquaman, and great point re there would be protocols when it comes to time travel. (sorry, just a teeny litle bit but it looks like a couple of words are missing in Aquaman's dialogue, I imagine this should be "My power (works) only with marine lifeforms,"?


also a big lol at Elastic Lad and Elongated Man, whose main commonality is their powers. and that bit re statistically insignificant chance of E-Man knowing about Wish Girl impacting the time stream... also like that Wish Girl did get her comeuppance for all the chaos she caused before! and what a hoot seeing so many Legionnaires swarm over Ralph, haha!

nice simple explanation for why Superman's memories of the Legion's time don't cause a time paradox or stuff like that, that they just naturally become hazy when he's in a different time.

hah, also that bit re being surprised that Ivy is Ral/Grava's daughter

oooh Poison Ivy is also involved! the plot thickens...

Dawnstar's snarky comment about Nura was comedy gold, as was Nura just basking in Hawkman's arms lol. I wouldn't mind being held by Carter for a bit, I gotta say!

also like how Nura has to interpret her visions, such that someone needs to explain what Louisiana is.

yay! the Phantom Stranger, nice way to work in another appearance! and of course, this will lead to Swamp Thing too I assume, makes sense where the Green is concerned!

T-Lad and Slug are such lovable nerds!

Glorith is creepy evil alright!

wow! The Time Trapper and Decay are involved now too! this is gonna be epic!

great entry raz, and love the division of everyone into multiple fronts = very nice superhero teamup!

Kappa is a happy coincidence really! I come up with a lot of names by just jamming different words together and hoping they sound name-like and I guess this one really did!

I think I am the only person alive who likes Tyroc's reality altering screams, I kept them when I was writing him....I have no plans to bring him back anytime soon, but he could share space with King Canary without anyone stepping on anyone's toes

I was editing Aquaman's dialogue while you were writing your review, you were too quick for me hahaha

The Phantom Stranger just popping up and being needlessly mysterious and melodramatic was always one of my favourite bits in the satellite-era JLA, I am glad I got to include him! In fact it occurs to me now that there's probably no reason he couldn't still be around in the Legion's time but I might have a think about that one....

T-Lad and Slug being big nerds is fun to write...we all know Cos is secretly squealing on the inside as well to be hanging out with the JLA, but he's too much of a stick in the mud to be as much of an obvious fanboy about it

Next up: some guest stars that you'd probably expect to see, and some you definitely wouldn't!

re Tyroc's reality altering screams, I find them cool - but I would struggle to write them without adding some limitations! Mysa at least has the Levitz-era precedent of needing time to research and prepare her spells, and only having a small repertoire at a time (commit only a handful to memory at a time, child...)

haha good job re Aquaman... I also always make typos, I just realized I misspelled Sizzle's surname in my fic and had to go back and edit all the roll calls and some of the recent posts where she appeared



I can imagine Cos being all "it would be so undignified to openly fawn over the League!"

and yay, more guest stars!!

THE 21ST CENTURY
Gotham City

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Black Canary aka Dinah Lance: martial artist, sonic cry
Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen: expert archer

Legion of Superheroes
King Canary aka K'rk T'wiiu III: sonic generation

On the other side of a shopfront window protected by steel bars, six televisions tuned to the same station played to a street quickly succumbing to animated plant life.

"--we cut to Bethany Snow down by the East River," a male voice finished announcing as the scene cut to reveal a blonde woman with harsh features standing with a microphone in hand. Behind her was an expanse of water, with a tower shaped like the letter T jutting out from a small island some ways further back.

"Thank you Jack," the female reporter spoke with a business-like brusqueness. As she continued, the cameraman panned away from her and zoomed in as much as he could on the chaos taking place at the strangely shaped tower. "Quite literally wild scenes are taking place all around Manhattan and beyond today. Vegetation seems to be sprouting to life of its own accord in more and more places, and while the cause of this bizarrely accelerated growth is as yet unknown it seems that the vigilantes who call themselves the Teen Titans are once again at the centre of the chaos enveloping this beleagured city."

The action was shaky at this distance but any New Yorker knew the enormous green pterodactyl tearing away at the vines crawling up Titans Tower had to be Changeling, just as they recognised the unnerving silhouette of Raven's soulself; Starfire too was there, taking strategic shots with her starbolts where she could. If any 31st Century natives had been in a position to see this broadcast they'd just as easily recognise Colossal Boy's giant form and Neon's emerald aura, though Diamond Damsel's relatively new and more feminine form might spark some curiosity.

The rest of the broadcast was rudely cut short as the golden form of King Canary darted by the television repair store's window just in time to avoid a stark white fist at least five times his size. With a thunderous roar, the villain known as Solomon Grundy smashed through the store's security grille and the television sets behind it like so much papier mache.

"I don't think the big fella likes my power much," the little bird quipped as he easily evaded Grundy's clutching hands to zip back over toward Green Arrow and Black Canary outside a bodega down the block. "Gotta be honest though, looks like he's more annoyed than hurt!"

"Don't feel too bad, uhh....Canary." Dinah Lance couldn't help but feel awkward calling a literal canary the codename she was so accustomed to using herself. "Grundy here can take on Superman when he's feeling his oats."

"Yeah," Green Arrow deadpanned as he notched up two arrows. "Lucky us." The archer aimed toward Grundy's legs and let fly, and as the arrows hit their mark they expanded into puffy clouds of swiftly hardening aerated foam. "We might not be able to hurt him, but maybe we can slow him--crap!" All three of the heroes ducked into a recessed doorway as Grundy walked through the ensnaremant like it wasn't even there and chunks of solidified gel exploded outwards. "You know," Oliver Queen grumbled, "When I volunteered to patrol Gotham for Bats, I figured we might come across Two-Face or Catwoman...not this guy!"

"I just bet you'd like to come across Catwoman, buster." Black Canary flashed her lover a stern look. "You know, individually none of us might be a match for him but what if we all put everything we've got into one combined assault against this big hulk?"

"Solomon smash Justice League!!" The raging behemoth swung one thick arm through the wall that was hiding the heroes, and all three of them scattered to avoid losing their heads as bricks filled the air around them.

"You'll have to do better than that, ugly!" Green Arrow jumped on top of a parked car and yelled to get Grundy's attention while the two Canaries got into position themselves, then the archer locked eyes with his lover. "Say the word, pretty bird!"

Dinah had come to a stop further down the pavement from her partner and though the word she started screaming was an affirmative go, it transformed into the ear-piercing shriek of her canary cry. Green Arrow fired a Greek Fire arrow straight into Grundy's open mouth and King Canary, as the only one of them who could fly, dived down toward Grundy's skull from above and let loose with his own destructive power. The glass in every car and building in sight shattered dramatically, and Solomon Grundy's head burst like a flaming watermelon. The villain's headless body took half a staggering step forward, then dropped like a sack of rocks.

"Grife!!" King Canary exclaimed. "You two didn't tell me that'd kill him! I don't know what things are like in the stone age here but Legionnaires don't kill!!"

Black Canary waved a hand in protest while she waited to recover her voice. "Grundy's not...alive in the conventional sense..." she rasped. "Trust me...he'll be back." She cleared her throat and continued in a voice that was closer to her much more becoming regular tone. "I'm more worried about that news report...Titans Tower is in Manhattan, if Poison Ivy's influence has spread that far already..."

"Bats will stop her," Oliver Queen jumped down effortlessly from the car he'd been standing on and gave Dinah a supportive squeeze. "We just gotta keep the havoc to a minimum out here while he does his thing." As if to accentuate his point, the archer stomped on a leafy tendril that was making its way toward them and crushed it to a pulp.

"Hey Arrow, can I ask you a question?" King Canary asked gruffly as he flitted overhead.

"...Is my translator sprocked or did you really call me a pretty bird back there?"

Despite her burning throat, Dinah Lance threw her head back and laughed while Green Arrow stumbled over himself trying to explain...

**********

THE 21ST CENTURY
Louisiana wetlands

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Aquaman aka Arthur Curry: marine-adapted physiology, marine telepathy
Firestorm aka Ronald Raymond/Martin Stein: matter transmutation, atomic energy manipulation
Phantom Stranger: JLA ally

Legion of Superheroes
Dream Girl aka Nura Nal: Naltorian precognition
Matter-Eater Lad aka Tenzil Kem: can eat inorganic matter in all its forms
Tellus aka Ganglios: telepathy and telekinesis

Scant seconds ago, these six heroes had been gathered inside a strange tree of Glorith and Verdant's creation. Then the Phantom Stranger had reached one gloved hand out theatrically and faintly cool mists surrounded them all until the rest of their comrades were obscured from view.

"Stranger?" Aquaman took command easily. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Yeah, what's the big idea?" Firestorm added. It was only the nuclear man's flaming head which cast enough light to allow him to make out the others in the group. The rest of the world seemed completely banished.

"Dream Girl foresaw that Louisiana would be a site of importance in the coming struggle," the Stranger decreed, "So to Louisiana we have come." He lowered his arm now and the mists dissipated as quickly as they'd formed.

All six of them were now standing on a decaying wooden pier half-covered in velvety moss. Still murky waters surrounded them on all sides, with a maze of elongated tree trunks stretching out of the water to create a canopy of green above them which let through sunlight in hazy shards. Thick cobweb-like strands of matted vegetable fibres hung from drooping branches, and the air was thick with humidity though not particularly hot.

Before she could stop herself, Nura Nal gagged and brought the back of her hand up to hide her mouth. Activating her transuit, she waited for the transparent sheath to cleanse her air supply and then took a deep grateful breath. Dream Girl saw a bemused Matter-Eater Lad looking her over, along with a far more confused Firestorm and Aquaman. The Phantom Stranger's expression was as inscrutable as Tellus's inhuman features; while Dream Girl didn't begrudge Tellus his lack of facial expression, she found the Phantom Stranger's stony face mildly annoying. "I am so sorry," the mortified young woman admitted to the others. "I suppose...I wasn't ready for the abrupt change in air quality. The smell alone..."

"The smell of...nature?" Firestorm ventured. "You don't have nature in the future..?"

"We live in outer space," Tenzil shrugged. "Not a lot of swamps in outer space...you gonna be okay, Dreamy?"

"Thank you, Tenzil." Dream Girl flashed him a brief smile. "I'll be fine now."

"I quite enjoy this environment," Tellus countered. "It is sad that Earth has sacrificed such a rich biome as this in the pursuit of lifeless technology between now and our home era."

Aquaman addressed the Phantom Stranger once more. "I know better than to expect a direct answer from you but can you at least give us a clue why we're here? You only appeared when Dream Girl mentioned Louisiana...what's here that's worth taking us so far from our friends, Stranger?"

"It is not what we seek but rather whom," the Phantom Stranger replied, twisting the words with which he'd greeted them all earlier. "Come now, let us meet our destiny." Taking a step off the creaking pier, the Phantom Stranger walked on the air itself just inches above the greenish waters.

Watching him with growing frustration, Dream Girl pouted. "Superman said he's on our side, but....is he always like this?"

"Aww come on Dreamy," Matter-Eater Lad teased, "You're just mad because someone's out-oracled you for once."

"Matter-Eater Lad, please call Phantom Girl and tell her where we are," Dream Girl commanded icily. Without another word, she used her flight ring to follow the Phantom Stranger.

While Aquaman took to the water, Firestorm turned to the other two Legionnaires. "She's uhh...the take charge type, huh?"

Matter-Eater Lad finished his brief conversation with Phantom Girl and smirked at Firestorm. "That's why we all love her!" Then the three remaining heroes took off after their comrades.

After a few minutes of flying over the bayou, Firestorm couldn't help but notice that as Tellus waded through the water by Aquaman's side the Hykraian kept casting him occasional glances. At first Ronnie Raymond had assumed that it was merely his strange appearance which was drawing attention; after all, even in a thousand years there couldn't be many sentients with a flaming scalp wandering around. As time passed he felt it was something more than that, but it was impossible to gauge anything from the alien's fishlike features and Ronnie was starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

Just when Firestorm finally decided to say something, Tellus lifted himself out of the water to come levitate by the nuclear man's side.

"Forgive me any impropriety," Tellus's spoke, "But while there were too many minds present at our initial meeting for me to notice, now that our numbers are less...Firestorm, I sense that you seem to be a gestalt sentience?"

Tellus felt the spike of panic radiating from Firestorm and was taken aback. "Ixnay on the eshta--geshtalt--you know what, just keep it on the downlow!" Firestorm hissed.

<My deepest apologies,> Tellus switched to telepathy for privacy's sake. <I did not mean any offence, I assure you!>

<Let me field this one, Ronald.> Now that they were in direct telepathic contact, Tellus clearly saw the astral heads of a teenage boy and an older bespectacled man superimposed over Firestorm's physical body. <My name is Professor Martin Stein and combined with young Ronald here we are...not quite a gestalt consciousness but something very similar. We must keep this a secret from everybody however, even our teammates in the Justice League.>

<Yeah!> Ronnie chimed in. <There's no way the JLA would let me stay on the team if they knew I was a high school kid!>

<I must admit I do not understand,> Tellus replied, <The Legion of Superheroes are the greatest gathering of champions in my time and they were formed by sentients younger than yourself, Ronald. I will respect your wishes however, and I hope that I have not caused you undue anxiety.>

"Hey, slowpokes!" Matter-Eater Lad's voice shook Firestorm and Tellus from their silent conversation and they realised the rest of the heroes had moved out of sight while they'd been in telepathic communion. It was easy enough for them to track Tenzil Kem's voice, and when they rounded a bend they found something far more surprising.

"I thought you two were gonna miss out on the swamp guy we found!" Matter-Eater Lad greeted them cheerily. They had found dry land once more, and hovering before Matter-Eater Lad, Dream Girl, Aquaman and the Phantom Stranger was a large egg-like violet forcefield; suspended within that forcefield was an unmoving humanoid figure well over six feet tall composed entirely of vegetable matter.

"If I'm not mistaken..." Aquaman approached the forcefield carefully, "...I think that swamp guy is the Swamp Thing. Am I right, Stranger?"

"You are quite correct," the Phantom Stranger nodded imperceptibly. "Alec Holland, the so-called Swamp Thing; a tragic figure if ever one existed...but also the Avatar of the Green."

"We need to get him out of there," Aquaman frowned. Looking around the perimeter of the forcefield, he saw a makeshift ring of animal skulls and fungi which simmered with occult power. "I don't want to touch any of that but Firestorm, can you transmute it into something a little less creepy?"

"Wait a nano," Dream Girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "If someone imprisoned that poor creature, then where is Swamp Thing's captor?"

The beautiful Naltorian never got her answer because a wave of eldritch force washed over all of them and left the heroes insensate and draped against trees or floating in the swamp waters.

A gaunt old man in anachronistic purple robes stepped forward from a dense copse of trees. "That time witch Glorith warned me that you children from the future might try to stop me, but you will fare no better than the vaunted Justice League...

...finally, Felix Faust stands triumphant!"

**********

THE 21ST CENTURY
Gotham City, Robinson Park

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Batman aka Bruce Wayne: martial artist, strategist
Green Lantern aka Hal Jordan: Green Lantern ring
Wonder Woman aka Diana: enhanced physiology, flight, Amazon weapons

Legion of Superheroes
Chameleon Boy aka Reep Daggle: Durlan shapeshifter
Night Girl aka Lydda Jath Krinn: photosensitive super-strength
Shadow Lass aka Tasmia Mallor: darkness generation
Timber Wolf aka Brin Londo: super-strength and super-agility

The tree which Poison Ivy had grown in the centre of Robinson Park was so impossibly huge that it disappeared into the clouds hiding Gotham from the afternoon sun.

"Air traffic has been diverted from the area," Hal Jordan reported to the other heroes gathered between two of the tree's subway tunnel sized roots. "Not that they wouldn't see this thing from a hundred miles away anyway, but better to be safe than sorry."

"Thank you, Green Lantern." Wonder Woman next turned to Batman. "Now that we've done what we can to prevent any other innocents from being caught up in this chaos, let's go find the woman responsible."

"Agreed." Batman began walking toward the dense forest of vegetation that filled the rest of the park. "Lantern, scan for Poison Ivy; Night Girl, from what you told me when I was familiarising myself with you Legionnaires I want you and Shadow Lass to cover our rear so we can keep as much distance between you and Green Lantern as possible."

"The Legion of Superheroes have a Green Lantern of our own," Shadow Lass retorted a little icily. "We're well aware of how to function to our strengths as a team, Batman."

Batman didn't respond, walking briskly into the undergrowth with Hal Jordan by his side reading some kind of grid displayed by his ring.

"Batman's so intense," Night Girl confided to Shadow Lass in a hushed tone as they followed behind the others. "I think I'm starting to see why Rokk says he's so legendary!"

"Well, I'm certainly not impressed," Tasmia Mallor responded huffily. "Honestly, the man doesn't even have any powers and he dresses like a flying rodent. Who is he to boss the rest of us around?"

A dragonfly with Chameleon Boy's tiny face flitted past Tasmia and Lydda. "Batman's one of the greatest detectives in history, Shadow Lass...and he's one of the only Terrans who can fight alongside powerhouses like Wonder Woman and Superman as an equal just with skill and smarts. Grife, he could probably beat everyone here in a fight if he had to."

While the other Legionnaires debated the Dark Knight's merits, Timber Wolf pounced easily through what was more like a jungle than a forest, strong enough to simply tear his way through anything he couldn't circumvent. Close by, Wonder Woman openly admired his easy physicality. "You're very agile, Timber Wolf! It's not often one finds such a combination of dexterity and power in one person."

"That's what got me into the Legion of Superheroes," Brin Londo gave the heroine a strangely boyish smile at the compliment. "I mean I'm strong too, but super-strength doesn't mean a lot when you got Superboy or Supergirl or Blok...well, I guess you don't know Blok, but anyway...super-agility is my real power. You're no slouch yourself, Wonder Girl!"

The Amazon lassoed an enormous thorny bush in their path and casually ripped it out of the ground, roots and all. Turfing it to one side, she laughed as she gave her attention to Timber Wolf again. "It's Wonder Woman," she reminded him.

Timber Wolf slapped his forehead as he swung from a branch with his free hand. "Sprock, sorry! My stupid brain's not as developed as the rest of me."

"No need to apologise," Wonder Woman replied graciously. "Wonder Girl is my sister and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be mistaken for."

Timber Wolf started to frame an answer, at the same time hurtling feet first toward a closed shell-like pod that was twice his size. Before he could get a single word out, he shattered the wooden pod and a shower of delicate dandelion-like seeds rained down upon them all. The spectacle took him by surprise and Brin nearly faceplanted into a gnarled tree root, but he recovered in time to spring off of one hand and land on his feet coughing.

"Timber Wolf, are you hurt?" Wonder Woman rushed to his side.

"I'm good!" Timber Wolf hacked up a couple of stray seeds. "Just took me by surprise is all!"

"Honestly, how can someone whose power is agility be so consistently clumsy?" Shadow Lass complained, brushing a fine coating of seeds off of her. Against the deep black of her costume, the white seeds stood out easily.

"More to the point, I thought your flight rings had environmental protection capabilities!" Batman chided the Legion. "Why aren't you using them?" It was only now he'd turned back to face them that they realised he had attached some kind of breathing apparatus to his mouth since leading them in here.

"Why would we?" Shadow Lass shot back. "None of us are Terran, but we've all spent plenty of time on Earth! This environment isn't dangerous to us, Batman."

"Not the environment," Batman countered. "Poison Ivy! I told you before we came in here that she's used toxins before to enslave others to her will...as powerful as she seems to be now, I have to assume that threat at least is still on the table!"

"Batman's right," Chameleon Boy resumed his normal form and activated his transuit. "And it's something we should have thought of ourselves." The other Legionnaires followed suit, and Hal Jordan was also suddenly surrounded by a thin nimbus of emerald light with a slightly sheepish expression on his face.

"Well, there seems to be no harm done and that's the main thing," Wonder Woman played peacekeeper.

Batman simply shook his head disapprovingly and turned back toward the task of finding Poison Ivy in this mess. "Green Lantern?" he asked, peering at the display Hal had generated. "Does this mean..?"

"Oh yeah!" Hal snapped to attention. "She's right through...here!" Two giant emerald hands formed, and shoved aside half a ton of different plants to reveal a voluptuous redhead sitting in a throne made of creepers and flowering branches above them all as though she were some kind of evil queen from a fantasy novel.

"It's about time you found me," Poison Ivy had a devilish gleam in her eye as she appraised the Caped Crusader. "And you brought old friends and new! How fun!"

"You have a warped idea of fun, Pamela." Batman carefully drew a batarang from its pouch on the back of his utility belt. "We don't want to hurt you, but...but we..." He leaned forward as if drunk and then fell flat on his face.

While Poison Ivy watched with a malevolent smirk, Green Lantern and Shadow Lass collapsed as well. Chameleon Boy and Night Girl were next, and though Timber Wolf and Wonder Woman managed to launch themselves at the villainess, they too fell short; Wonder Woman was only inches from grasping Poison Ivy's slender ankle when the Amazon succumbed.

"I met a witch named Glorith," Poison Ivy explained to the conscious but paralysed heroes. "And she showed me that I have sooo much more potential than just drugging and manipulating worthless men...I can be one with the plant world in a way that I never dreamed. I sensed your presence the minute you entered my park. Every step you took toward me was a step that I allowed to happen...and I placed that special little creation of mine in your way knowing that you'd blunder through it and let the precious neurotoxins of these seeds seep through your skin. Although I will admit, your little bat-rebreather is kind of cute, Batman.

Now I'm going to be the queen of a new world, but sadly none of you will be around to see it."

As she spoke, thick fibrous vines crawled across the green carpet of the park toward the paralysed heroes. To their mounting horror, the vines wrapped firmly around all of their unmoving bodies and started dragging them back away...away from Poison Ivy...

...and toward seven larger than life open-mouthed Venus Fly Traps.

**********

THE 31ST CENTURY
Metropolis

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Hawkgirl aka Shayera Hol: flight, melee combat specialist
Hawkman aka Katar Hol: flight, melee combat specialist

Legion of Superheroes
Color Kid aka Ulu Vakk: color manipulation
Mwindaji: tracker infused with White Lantern energy
Sizzle aka Teela Spuunvll: energy conversion

High above Metropolis in the luxuriously decorated cabin of a personal blimp, a news holocast showed several different scenes happening simultaneously.

On the main panel, Marella Tao described what was happening all around North America with impressive professionalism. On smaller panels all around her, different groupings of heroes could be seen fighting the plants that ravaged this country; Kid Computo and Red Tornado; Elastic Lad, Transposition Lad and Elongated Man; and assorted groups of Legionnaires and other heroes.

A moment later, the holograms warped and popped out of existence as the transmitter which created them sparked and melted along with a sizeable portion of the hull in which the transmitter had been housed.

"Les baby, what's wrong with the holothingie?" a glamorous blue-skinned woman with a mass of green hair tilted her head up from where she lay on a round bed draped in silk sheets next to one of the wealthiest men in the galaxy, Lester Spiffany.

On Spiffany's other side, a mostly naked young man with a shaved head visibly recoiled from the commotion before them. Animated tattoos of exotic animals crawled around the youth's body as he himself moved away from the edge of the bed. "The blimp's dissolving?!" he shrieked, his emotional state elevated by any number of stimulants the trio had been partaking in as they watched the Green reclaim Metropolis from their safe vantage point up here near the clouds.

"Not the whole blimp, stop screaming." A young blonde woman in a red and yellow outfit stepped through the hole in the hull which was now easily big enough to allow her access. She gestured at three approaching security droids and slagged them all with a blast of fire from her hand.

"Thanks, Inferno." A man in yellow and green followed her on board, and three more costumed individuals followed him. "Sentients, my name is Bile. We are the Legion of Substitute Villains and we've come here to liberate you of any valuables that might be weighing down this fine vessel. Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you."

"This is ludicrous!" Gathering his expensive sheet around him like a toga, Lester Spiffany stepped off of the bed while his two bedmates clambered for their clothes behind him. "Don't you know who I am??"

"Of course we know 'oo you are, M'sieu," a masked man with pale green skin replied. His hair was slicked back and he had a pencil thin moustache, with crude designs of tongues depicted all over his blousey white shirt. "Why do you think ze Legion of Substitute Veelains 'as targetted you today?"

"The Tongue is right, we know exactly who you are," a redhead in a leather jacket with exposed much of her ample cleavage had draped herself over Bile's arm. "Just give us what we're after and nobody gets hurt."

"Eet is pronounced Ze Tongue!" the green man protested. "Ze! 'Ow many times must I correct you, X-Bomb Betty?"

"The Science Police will stop you!" Lester whined. "Or the Cavalry! Or--"

"Seriously?" the final member of Bile's group of villains laughed, the woman named Chroma Queen. "It's the end of the world out there in case you haven't noticed, all of those do-gooders have got their hands full!"

"Enough chatter!" Bile snapped. "Legion, take everything that isn't pinned down. Inferno and I can can get anything that is pinned down. You other three, you just behave yourselves and maybe we won't have to take any of you hostage to get out of here."

"All this time and your go to move is still taking hostages, huh?" A new voice filled the cabin. "Some things never change I guess."

Everyone turned back to the makeshift entrance Bile's corrosive vomit had made and saw the woman who'd spoken, Sizzle. Color Kid and Mwindaji hovered alongside her.

"Ze Legion of Super'eroes!" Ze Tongue somehow exclaimed even as his elongated tongue shot forward from his mouth toward Mwindaji. "Not to worry, my 'atchet tongue will take care of zis one!" The end of Ze Tongue's tongue had taken on an axe-like shape, but Mwindaji easily evaded the attack and the fleshy hatchet instead smacked wetly into an archaic shield behind him.

Before Ze Tongue could retract his appendage, the shield's bearer revealed himself. Hawkman pulled the shield away and grabbed the tongue in his free hand. With one mighty yank, Katar Hol pulled the screeching supervillain right out of the vehicle.

"Oh yeah, we brought some friends too," Sizzle teased Bile while Hawkgirl made a beeline for him. "Meet Hawkman and Hawkgirl, guys."

"You think I'm gonna be scared of some Dawnstar wannabe with weapons from a medieval sim?" Bile sneered. He made some awfully loud retching sounds and then vomited on the mace that Hawkgirl was swinging at him; corrosive biofluids melted the weapon as if it were so much wax.

"That is truly appalling." Hawkgirl shook her head with disgust before she simply bopped him over the head with the short steel staff she'd been left holding. "And ineffective." Bile hit the ground like a sack of rocks.

"I've heard of you," Inferno sized herself up against Sizzle. "The bad girl who went good...you betrayed our Legion to become a cop and now you're a member of their Legion? No honor among thieves, I guess." She fired a stream of flame at the red-skinned heroine.

"You may have heard of me but you obviously haven't heard of my power," Sizzle retorted as she converted Inferno's flames into electricity and shocked the would-be villain into unconsciousness. "And helping Bile form this stupid group was a childish mistake on my part, one I've been making amends for ever since."

All of reality suddenly seemed to explode into a psychedelic void of ever-changing colors. Nobody left on the blimp could even see one another let alone anything else, and the terrified wails of Lester Spiffany and his two bedmates only compounded the chaos. The heroes were all soon overwhelmed almost to the point of catatonia by the sensory onslaught.

"You Legionnaires said I wasn't good enough for your team!" Chroma Queen ranted. "I might not be good enough to stand beside you, but I'll show you I'm good enough to--" Her diatribe abruptly cut off, and as everyone's vision returned to normal they saw Color Kid gently lowering her unconscious form to the carpeted floor.

"She's more powerful than me," Color Kid explained to the others as they recovered from their involuntary daze. "It took me years to master that stunt! But she did such a good job with the visual noise she didn't even see me walking right up to her in the middle of it all."

"All of your teammates are defeated," Mwindaji addressed the sole remaining member of the Legion of Substitute Villains. "There is no need for further violence unless you wish it to be so, Ms...?"

"X-Bomb Betty," the attractive redhead stated her name fearfully as she looked from one hero's face to the next. "I can...I can create an explosion of 150 million megatons..."

"Well you're obviously not going to do it a mile over Metropolis when we've already trashed the skysleds you used to get up here, right?" Sizzle asked pointedly.

X-Bomb Betty hung her head in defeat. "No...no, I'm not."

Once the heroes had ascertained that the blimp was still airworthy and nobody had been hurt, they gave a sulky Lester Spiffany a stern lecture about treating a disaster zone like a tourist attraction and instructed him in no uncertain terms to evacuate the city. Then Hawman and Hawkgirl gathered the Legion of Substitute Villains in two separate steel nets and the heroes carted them off to the nearest Science Police.

"Mwindaji?" Sizzle approached the white-garbed young hero as the two flew over the plant-infested city below. "I just wanted to say...thanks for tracking those losers down for me. I know the Legion said we should have just let them go, but those people could have been hurt if we weren't there and...well sprock it, it felt good to tie up some loose ends with Bile. I didn't really think about how it could hurt other people when I decided to be a supervillain; I've had to learn a lot about what good and bad means since I left my homeworld, you know?"

Mwindaji's brown eyes held a knowing look. "I was manipulated by the villain Universo into doing terrible things before I joined the Legion of Superheroes, Sizzle...I understand the imperative to redeem yourself for your past missteps. I heard what Inferno said to you, that there is no honor in thieves. Today you have shown that there is honor in you."

"Aw, thanks!" she gave him an unguarded smile. Gazing past Mwindaji and Color Kid toward the giant tree trunk which dominated the city a dozen miles away, Sizzle thought of her other teammates in the Legion of Superheroes.

"Let's just hope Phantom Girl and the others have as easy a time as we just did..."

**********

ELSEWHERE

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Atom aka Ray Palmer: size and mass control
Flash aka Barry Allen: super-speed
Superman aka Kal-El: JLA chairperson; Kryptonian physiology
Zatanna Zatara: sorceress

Legion of Superheroes
Blok: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Chlorophyll Kid aka Ral Benem: chlorokinesis
Comet Queen aka Grava: flight, gas generation
Dragonmage aka Xao Jin: dragon magic
Mon-El aka Lar Gand: Daxamite physiology
Mysa Marvel aka Mysa Nal: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Phantom Girl aka Tinya Wazzo: leader; intangibility
Truth Girl aka Oliv Hollowai: truth sense, wields the Golden Perfect

Thanks to Dragonmage and Zatanna, small luminescent dragons and cartoonish fairies provided light to the twelve heroes ascending the spiralling interior of the giant tree that dominated the Metropolis of two eras.

"I could scout ahead--" the Flash spoke while the tiny form of the Atom perched on one of the fins that adorned each side of Barry Allen's cowl.

Phantom Girl shut him down while still maintaining a friendly tone. "I know you Justice Leaguers don't need us to hold your hands, but Glorith and Ivy--Verdant--are way too dangerous to risk taking on alone. It's best that we face them together."

"If Phantom Girl says so I'd take her word for it," Superman backed her up. "Leadership suits you by the way, Tinya."

"Thanks, Kal." Phantom Girl gave the once and former Superboy a quick smile before her face grew more serious once again. "I just wish I could have bought more of my team with us...or yours for that matter. We're spread kinda thin trying to mitigate collateral damage in our time and yours while we face Glorith, Verdant and Poison Ivy as well."

"I understand your concern," Mysa Marvel joined the conversation. "I can't speak to Poison Ivy's threat, but Glorith and Verdant are each powerful enough to challenge any team of superheroes individually; and now, a mere dozen of us are confronting the pair together. We have a very powerful and diverse team here though, Phantom Girl. Obviously we have to be cautious, but I still feel optimistic."

"Well said, Mysa," Blok complimented his friend. "The small portion of the Wisdom of Solomon that I possess hasn't contradicted you at any rate."

Bringing up the rear, Comet Queen nudged Truth Girl. "Your armour's sure gleaming, starshine...are you gleaming? I bet you didn't parse things would be getting this intergalactic so quick as a baby Legionnaire!"

"Honestly?" The aptly named Truth Girl admitted in a hushed tone, "The biggest bad guy I ever faced before I joined the Legion was the Scavenger, but I think this whole situation is so unbelievably wild that the reality of how dangerous it all is hasn't really sunk in yet...I mean I've just met Earth's most legendary heroes and now I'm casually climbing up a tree that spans a thousand years with some of them...with Superman!"

"You're okay with the plan still?" Ral Benem asked perhaps a little too bluntly. "If you're not..."

"I am, really." Truth Girl's expression was resolute. "I won't let you down, Chlorophyll Kid."

"Good," Chlorophyll Kid replied. "I..." He seemed to become distracted for a moment, his eyes glazing over as he peered over the heads of the heroes before him toward the next spiralling turn. "Phantom Girl?" Chlor called out as quietly as he could. "I think we're close...I can feel Ivy near."

"There's a massive gathering of occult energies just ahead too," Zatanna confirmed. "We should be ready for anything."

"Agreed," Phantom Girl spoke. "Kal, Mon; I want you two up front with me. Let's be careful, everyone. We--"

Before Tinya could get another word out, the interior of the tree seemed to waver and unravel before them. The motion was dreamlike and surreal, and the display was more mesmerising than threatening. Soon though, instead of the tunnel-like interior of the tree's trunk the heroes found themselves standing on a forest floor covered in falling leaves with enormous hardy trees surrounding them in all directions. As they swivelled to peruse the unreal tableau, they saw Verdant standing before a particularly large tree trunk a short ways away.

Glorith of Baaldur was suddenly there before them as well, her posture completely relaxed. "Marvellous, I see you all finally made it!" she greeted them with sinister cheer.

"What's this all about, Glorith?" Mon-El stepped before his teammates in a protective stance. "What are you playing at?"

"Two very good questions, beefcake.

Why don't you come right this way and I'll give you all the answers your pure little hearts could desire..?"

NEXT: ANSWERS!

EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Legion of Substitute Villains is exactly what they sound like - a group of villains who aren't ready for the LSV but have decided to pursue their chosen goal anyway against all odds. Outside of Bile their roster is constantly changing, and Sizzle was one of their founding members for reasons which sound like they should probably be explored at some point as she's clearly a good guy now hmm?

Anyway their current roster is:
BILE: Legion reject, a Bismollian who can vomit super-corrosive stomach acid at will.
X-BOMB BETTY: Bile's girlfriend who can explode with the force of 150 million megatons, but she can only do it once
CHROMA QUEEN: another Legion reject, she successfully duplicated Color Kid's powers only to find the Legion of Superheroes doesn't need two Color Kids
INFERNO: my interpretation of the reboot Legion character
ZE TONGUE: also my interpretation of the reboot Legion character

They're all terrible and I have zero regrets

yay! more good stuff, raz! thoughts -

first, loving the old classic team-up "split into smaller teams" bit!

Hah, you write that horrible Bethany Snow as I imagined she would be like. I still remember how nasty she was in the Titans comics. LOL at Black Canary and King Canary, and their similar code names

also LOL at Dinah's bit of jealousy re Ollie mentioning Catwoman

Nice nod to the "death" of Grundy and the Legion's no-killing rule! LOL at Stone Age, and lol at Dinah needing to rasp for a bit (that canary cry of hers sounds unpleasant for her! is that why she prefers to fight with her fists?). I love these little details.

hahaha to the Pretty Bird misunderstanding!


So like the Phantom Stranger to just randomly and suddenly pull a bunch of heroes with him to wherever, lol! I also like his implied respect for Nura and her visions.

also a great convo re the "smell" of nature and the changes in present vs. future!

and hahaha at Nura getting mad because Tenzil was so spot on! I think Tenzil and Firestorm would make a great buddy pair too lol

ah-ha! nice bit, with Tellus picking up on Firestorm having two minds in one...

And also nice bit re the age differences. Sometimes I forget how young the Legionnaires were when they did start! I know I could not have handled superheroics when I was their age!

I love Nura being the brains of the outfit! also whoo, who knew Felix Faust had enough punch to knock Phantom Stranger out? Or... did he?

a big ha ha too, to Tasmia being all huffy about Batman, and Cham stepping in to soothe her a bit!

I love Diana too, she's just so NICE and kind. Like, even when she corrects you she does it so awesomely... and makes tons of sense that she would have an eye for - and appreciate - dexterity!

also a bit of a LOL at Batman being all crazy-prepared, and calling the Legionnaires out on it (and Tasmia snappily answering back, while Reep and Diana keep the peace). also nice bit with Hal also not preparing...

ooph. well, all that preparedness didn't mean a thing...! although, the Legion's transuits and GL's ring MAY have prevented this. eek!

some inspired pairings here, with Computo and Tornado; and E-Lad and E-Man!

Lester Spiffany! who-hoo! what a nice surprise cameo@ (also, figures Lester would be partying high like that...)

animated tattoos, cool!

hahaha Ze Tongue is always such a hoot!

Hawkgirl's reaction was gold!

also love the callback to Sizzle's time as a Sub Villain!


also love Color Kid using smarts to take out the more powerful Chroma Queen! (and great that Color Kid can also now do what she does!)

Love Sizzle's heartfelt gratitude at the end!

also love Tinya still taking charge, even in the presence of some Leaguers! and Supes complimenting her was great!

Truth Girl's starry-eyed breathlessness is so relatable!

I think I know what Truth Girl's role in this is use Golden Perfect on Ivy, amirite? let her see the truth about Glorith's lies! or on Glorith, so Glorith will tell the truth to Verdant.

super looking forward to the next bit!

Bethany Snow was the worst! I couldn't have a 1980s guest appearance without her slagging off the Titans at least one time hahaha

While I am glad that Dinah is treated more capably these days, I do have a soft spot for when her canary cry used to really take it out of her as well

And classic Wonder Woman is so fun to write, she would definitely be my top choice if I was writing a JLA team more regularly!

Speaking of fun to write, Ze Tongue is always a winner too

I shall neither confirm nor deny your guess about Truth Girl other than to say it does seem like a natural fit for her power, doesn't it..?

Next up: I am gonna get to write a scene that I have been excited about since I first decided to use this version of the JLA!

Hey Raz,
Well he begins my attempt to catch up on all that you have going on! So all my comments are as i read so bare with me as i know i have a lot to catch up on and realize a lot of my questions or comments will be answered.

The Myraid adventure is still underway from where i'm starting.

I like how Lu and Chuck are working with the subs. But i do wish the subs would have more faith in themselves.
i like the idea of Antenna Lad getting better with his powers. Meditation is an interesting way to try and boost that. i hope it works.
how could Rainbow girl help Myraid's plans??.

Myraid's candor with Dori is rather off putting. but it helps to keep the anger going for Dori for sure. So she's like a less focused version of Dr. Multiverse from the infinite frontier stuff going on in current DC? that's a pretty neat idea...but is it a connection thing that makes her connected to all of them or is it that she's like a Nexus being, like in marvel? This is soo intriguing to me. is it just powers she calls on or is it like actually swapping places with the other Dori/Dori's.

Wait Myraid knows Brainy? was that mentioned/shown before this? my memory is failing me at the moment. But also how would Brainy not see Myraid's preoccupation with all of it as a potential threat...
wait, so he's doing this because he wants to have knowledge no one else has?
As cool as it is that Dori is getting this "upgrade" i wish she didn't have to be captured for this to happen.
YAY! the Subs and Chuck, and Lu have arrived. loved the use of the Science police data and his own smarts. never underestimate Chuck!
wait transuits don't work for Quill? that seems odd to me. i thought they worked with the powers of the person much like a flight ring does...
Lu knowing which one is the real one was well done and makes sense. But love that you did the call back to Lu getting a force field belt from Brainy.
Really great Lu moment and loved her reminding him that she is much stronger than anyone knows and that he powers don't define her.

I really love how you've moved the Subs out of the shadows of the Legion and its true they aren't the same kids who wanted to be seen by the Legion. The Cavalry is born and i'm glad Lu and Chuck are joining them! i'm glad Lu doesn't want to give up helping people. but is she going to get her powers back or are they gone forever??

Otaki -
man Bina has had it tough since her audition but who is this benefactor? please let it not be a bad guy and someone who actually wants to help her...dang it. of course its a villain. Daughter of the Night stone...hmmm who could that be?

the flatland dimension..so they are all 2-D? but only some powers don't work...hmmm
Phantom Girl is connected to the Phantom zone? i don't remember this tid bit.. but kind of makes sense. definitely been too long since i've read your stories.
Ron-Karr is the big bad of this dimension. interesting and totally makes sense. But still kind of enjoyed Wildfire's amusement at it. forgot Ron-Karr was part of the Oversight watch.
love that Stone Boy and Color Kid are power houses here or at least seen that way.
wait what? Drura can't survive there? that''s not good.

i really love how well thought out this plan is and how it affects the team.
Poor E-lad, and damn Wildfire's powers could cause some problems.
Life Lass' powers are pretty neat in this dimension. being a healer of sorts.
ooo Cham's powers are very interesting in this dimension...and clever way of breaking a spell.
i enjoyed Cham taking Ron-Karr down. it is truly sad that he hasn't learned from his mistakes and blew his second chance.
Glad 89 and the watch did the right thing and returned him to prison without the knowlege of his powers. But i agree with Dev-em, not keen on the way Makkia Vie talks about him.
And that's where Brittle ened up hmmm ok. looking forward to seeing where that goes.

on that note that's all for tonight. but looking forward to whats coming.

Hey Raz,
I'm back for another round of catch up

Seeing Element Lad happy in any reality is a great thing. Especially since it seems he's one of the few in every reality we've seen so far to be fated to be the Sole survivor of his people.

Hahaha! Tinya scaring Shauvghn was cute. gave me a chuckle for sure.
Aww Lu's gonna stay as Una...but it makes sense i wouldn't want to be bonded to Myraid either. :X

Supergirl II calling Tel out was kind of funny. He really is a suck up. Love that Berta has to try and not laugh.
more searching for a Daughter of night...i can't believe Strut he makes me laugh. making the Daughters of night sound like some bad reality show or even an episode of Rupaul is great and i think we need that as a reality.

Wow Laurel really doesn't like Tel at all.
This section of Mars sounds like the small towns that only have one industry keeping them alive around the US. I guess even in the 31st century and on different planets things stay the same.
Strut's lines about being the mature one again made me laugh and Yeah, i'm with Tel on this one, Crystal Kid, what are you doing? this is a mission!

And of course there's corruption of the Science Police in this region.
Totally forgot McCauelly is dead in this reality. But they make an excellent point. how many names have we all kept because of brand recognition.
haha poor Tel always the butt of the joke. himbo lad.
i love strut but i'm not a huge insect person, so i'm with Bobb watching Strut search like that and in an place like that, i'd be on edge too.
So she's created a gang and a woman in black is after them? Bina's not the woman in black is she??
Crystal Kid, is making a really strong case for there to be a rule that no one should be on mission with their significate other.
Black Dancer...oh Earth Man's league...ugg.
Dang alright Strut, taking Black Dancer down. that was quick.
Loving the teamwork and Crystal kid cutting off her escape.
Your team is the quippiest team. i forgot how much they all have some kind of flare for it. But i think Supergirl II is taking the cake today. lol.
So how long has it been since that tryout? because agreed Nightstone is way more powerful now.
Why does everyone always feel the need to remind the "wind based" powered people of their limitations in doors. i swear everyone forgets there's more to air than just gust of wind.
Damn! No one but Crystal kid likes Tel it seems.

Some great action with the Nightstone and Nightwind find.
Did not expect that Gravity Kid came from that background. But if i recall He's on profem. So was that part of/is the reason his family let him down? was not expecting Tel to try the talking down method. Really well done. So i understand his anger. its too bad no one got to fully explain anything. Kid of wish Tel didn't let his anger get the better of him and maybe try and explain to his teammates.
Damn it! Bina and the Benefactor got to her. This isn't going to be good at all.

The Gym:
Iove how all these worlds have similar traditions and games without even knowing it.
Hahah Dragonwing makes a valid point who do they survive with so many monsters.
"Uggg Robots again" oh Lullaby Lad. He makes a point for those whose powers don't work on bots they should come up with other training exercises.
Glad Lullaby Lad is over Tel.


Thom and Nura's dynamic here was super cute and playful. A visit to Avalon hmmm..

Gim and Year tried to set up Cham? Tinya reaction. all of this was funny. and of course after all this in walks Tranquility.
Tinya is very much the teasing big sister in your series. Which is an interesting change of pace from mine own of dotting mother.
And agreed anyone who can accept all that gets thrown at the Legion but can't accept ghosts is plain silly.
The Weeping man...so i've been watching a bit of Scooby-doo lately and i feel like starting a new episode with this adventure. lol (that's totally a compliment by they. as cheese as Scooby-doo can be i absolutely love it.)
Its interesting how with Cham tinya is fine with him taking the lead but during the 2D adventure she took issue with Evolvo Lad taking the lead. is it because he's new to the team and Cham's an old friend? or was it stress?
The Weeping Man, makes his victims kill themselves? so he could be an empath...thank goodness Light Lad was there to stop him from finishing it.
ooo a villain from Tinya's home dimension. Don't see that too often. But so is the emotional manipulation something only he can do or something all from Btglz can do on some level?... Ahhh ok. due to treatments gone wrong...he's like the other side of the coin of Tranquility. love it.
Ok you scared me for a moment i thought Tinya was going to go through with it, once she realized "Jo" was actually Cham.
Hahah and Gim still got his buddy the date.

two Marla posts back to back? something must be up,
Ok, man i'm not exactly Tel's biggest fan. But man he can't catch a break. I agree Bobb deserves respect. But my heart broke a little reading Tel's reaction.
Much like Harbinger, you've done a great job in showcasing the different levels within the Legion. But i wonder if King Canary's demeanor change is because its royalty addressing royalty?
I'm honestly blanking on an Avalon mission with in your series. But the idea that Star Boy and Sun Boy are fond of dungeons and dragons is absolutely hilarious to me.

Shadow Lass brings up a good point. But it seems King Canary has a rather unpleasant view of the galactic version of "keeping up with the jones."
Clearing Mordru's influence from this world will be a huge task. But i hope its not leading where i think it could...
Harlark and Mysa? Ok good and i totally forgot that she was no longer the Black Witch in this reality. love that she's back!
Ayla recognizing her was super cute moment.
Blok was so sweet and agreed i think these two need a moment, if its been truly so long since they've talked.
I'm so glad this moment between them didn't turn sour off the bat. that Mysa got to say her piece. its hard sometimes with siblings to be there for each other depending on how one is raised and how Mysa laid it out was very thoughtful. Nura's confession was great too and makes so much sense as to why she would keep her distance to a degree.

Wait a black costume with a bolt on it...its gotta Black Adam! knew it! but this is a first that his nations name stuck that cord of fear and anxiety and not Black Adam himself from my understanding.
That is a switch, Black Osiris...wasn't expecting him. Wow he's pretty strong and is giving Blok and Diamond Damsale a run for their money. loving all the tactics used. Kind Canary might be the best weapon against him tbh...
loving the history lesson on Osiris and how he became Black Osiris.
Glad Dragonmage is ok. i thought for a moment that we were gonna lose him.
i like shadow lass' reaction to Blok and the mountain. whenever people who see things like that alot, it find it funny when they marvel at it. But she's like ahh yes, impressive anyway lets get going. lol.
DD has gotta come back soon!
Great job Dragonmage but please please get some medical help for him.

haha i know its mid battle but Shadow lass' response to Dream Girl was great!
I'm really surprised with how sharp and hard diamond can be that DD wasn't able to get more blood out of Black Osiris.
damn that was an intense battle and i loved all the asides. I was really expecting Tasmia and Ayla having to step in to buy DD some time. i really thought she was a goner too.
Wasn't expecting that resolution but i'm with King Canary and DD lets get them to the showers asap.

wait so is there another Black Osiris costume or did they steal the one that he was just defeated in? totally confused. But also not happy if its the same one. The Legion should have taken it with them or Mysa should have locked it up somewhere special.

Alright that's all the time i have for today. Some great stuff here raz! and i can't wait to continue this adventure and see what Otika, Nightstone and now Black Osiris are up to!

Hi Omni! Welcome back, I hope you enjoy the catch-up! I just realised you have got some EPIC events to look forward to!

There's some stuff you brought up that is gonna get explained further along in the story (or else I am going to explore it at some point coming up) so I won't spoil anything, but aside from that let's go!

This is the first I have heard of Dr Multiverse so I am not sure how close she is to Dori, but basically Dori is temporarily overwriting her powers with the Rainbow Girl from another universe - whether she's the only one who can do this or if it has any other implications is something we might find out one day when I clone myself so I can write a Cavalry series

I don't blame you for not remembering about Myriad's connection to Brainy. It was a very long time ago and he was just a background character then who popped up once or twice, but he was one of Brainy's colleagues at the Time Institute...and Myriad isn't a 12th level intellect, but he's smart enough not to have given Brainy a reason to think his interest was anything more than scientific curiosity.

re: Porcupine Pete and the transuits - my take is that you can program individual transuits to allow a particular energy frequency to pass through (so Sun Boy, Lightning Lass etc can still use their powers) but Pete's quills are a physical object....even 31st Century technology isn't advanced enough to create a forcefield which would allow his quills to pass through it without also letting the rest of his body or any other physical objects pass through.

Phantom Girl being connected to the Phantom Zone was more that even though we all think of her as turning intangible, her power actually allows her to dimensionally travel from Bgltz space through the Phantom Zone to Earth space and the intangibility is really a side effect of her partially leaving our dimension....if she's stuck somewhere that doesn't access the Phantom Zone then she can't either

I am glad you liked the Scooby-Doo vibe with the Weeping Man story

You are right about Tinya letting Cham take the lead - they have both been on the Legion and the Espionage Squad for so long I imagine they would have a super healthy working relationship. I have been trying to write Tinya as the kind of leader who is more of a people person than a commander, especially with the old-school Legionnaires because she's known them all so long and trusts them to know what they're doing. Evolvo Lad on the other hand has been on the team like 5 minutes so she's allowed to get her nose bent out of joint a bit with him hahaha


hahahaha that's exactly what I was going for

Oop sorry, maybe I should have been a bit more detailed with the Black Osiris costume popping back up when Nightstone and Otaki did their little jailbreak. There is only the one costume, they stole it back behind the scenes. And I agree with you that the Legion or Mysa should have done a better job of securing it, but it's in every superhero's contract that they have to play dumb occasionally when the writer tells them to

I am very excited to hear your thoughts on some of the stuff that is coming up very soon!

Hey Raz,
and here i am back for another round of review as i read. looking forward to seeing what's in store.

Now i've made myself clear that i'm not the biggest Dawnstar fan but i have to agree with Mon-El and that it is nice to see her getting some respect.
But i'm so with King Canary on this. why wouldn't the SP's have taken him in. Was it to respect the laws on Avalon?

I like Mon-El's thoughts about his teammates and how he respects them. its often easy to forget with how powerful the team has become that it is about more than just power and might.

Cham's date with Tranquility was well done and gave some good character moments. The chopsticks and use of "humanoid hands" explanation was well done. its easy to forget that Cham isn't like everyone else in a lot of way. same for how Durlarians are treated/seen around the UP. i will say after so many years thought you'd think the perseption would have changed a bit more.

Love the way he explains how he feels about spending more time with Tranquility and basically wanting to smell the roses more. But i hope this doesn't mean Cham's going to be thinking of leaving the Legion soon...

Off to Xanthu we go! here comes some faces i recognize well.
It's interesting to see how you write them and the differences (mostly that Konk is a new recruit where she's a hardened vet in my series.)
You also give more pomp and circumstance to the team. Which is something i never really thought about and is an interesting angle. i think its easy for me to forget that they are a Xanthugov sponsored team and don't focus as much on that as you have. I initially thought this was the Planetary Championship competition.

Thom's comment about handy reps made me think of how the winners from the hunger games were treated and that the team is more of a commodity that anything else.
Love that Knok and Candi have such great attitudes about supporting each other as well as Jazmin going to the academy.

Monstress's line "Atmos didn't tell us we couldn't have a superhero team-up!" such a Candi moment. love it.
ooo Dominators...and an exploding ship...seems like a trojan horse...But I'm still glad Thom was there to help make sure they did the right thing before shoot and ask questions later.
The Revenant...have we seen them before? Were they made by the Dominators and are now free and seeking revenge on all Dominators? or are they something else. The wings totally made me think of Dawnstar...and most of its powers seem something similar to the Legions...glad Thom's going to look into it. But there's trouble a head for sure. Glad no one was really hurt.

Damn Otkai is pretty powerful with her mysterious benefactors help.
Dawnstar thinks Black Osiris is creating a team...if only she knew...heck if only we knew. lol
wait they are headed to Legion headquarters...so whoever is leading them is inside? that's can't be good.

A very beautiful pic of Lydda. very old hollywood. reminds of Joan Crawford a little bit.
Cute moment on monitor duty. Gas Girl and Life lass seem like good friends and i like that. coming into the Legion alone seems like it would be hard. But Life Lass needs to loosen up a little bit.
Poor Grava, she's always a little bit the but of the joke.

So its the trio coming to get them?
I get it names have power but man Blok don't be vague. we have Dream Girl and now Glorith for that. lol.
Also Dreamy be more serious if Blok is coming to the multilab!
I still love Ral's power up and thank goodness Ivy isn't freaking.
Stop almost killing people off! lol

wait who's in the lab? Mordru? wait what? When was he locked into the headquarters. man i feel like i'm missing something.
Diamond Damsel! Nooo! So is she dead? Or is she like within each of the diamonds?
So was Mordru trapped inside the Rock of Eternity? Does he command that power now?
Of course Black Osiris would relish in this.
Agreed its a strategic retreat! Get the heck out of there!
Nightstone switch sides!
Damn it Bina!
I hope Glorith knows a spell to stop Mordru from following them.

Oh boy. Black Osiris is doing a heck of a number on the team. But this is the second time that a lightning caster has almost become pure energy...i wonder if that's something to come for the Lightning Twins!
Good job Amp and i think Saturn Girl needs to utilize the students specifically Chemical Kid and Lullaby Lad. they might be able to slow him down! (On edge here!)
This was a great character moment for Fire lass and glad she stepped up. i love that she felt pride in herself too! she's finding a sense of purpose that i think we all long for.
Saturn Girl's not doing so hot though... and now she's out dang it!
What!
Black Osiris killed Fire lass? can she die?

Seeing Mon-El be vulnerable is well done.
i know she's leader and trying to keep everyone's sprits up but man Tinya is just too cherry right now.
Gim and Yera was sweet.
i like that Dawnstar corrected herself and apologized. But i loved Vi's line that being self deprecating was her true super power.

Hold up! Wildfire's been transformed? this isn't good. But i love how you hand him come to the realization of it. the picking up of his face plate and the sense of smell. nice touches.
Firecrest is even more of a dragon? like has had his mind taken from him?
I knew it wasn't real and had to be a spell of some sort.
I'm glad Nightstone isn't 100 on board. but be careful
Damn Mordru is cruel!
Poor E-Lad. but at least Otkia is trying to sooth him. This wa something out of a horror movie as soon as i read "elongated flesh" :shudders: and he's the shackles? Raz what are you doing to me here. lol.

You do not make it easy to like Chemical Kid. i hate how he treats those around him. But Sojurn just saved your butts. maybe open up and don't be so judgmental. i thnk i just hate his snark.
wait so is Garridan becoming Validus again?
Ok good those who escaped are safe sort of as i think Avalon is where Mordru took the Legion's base.
Oh Dream Girl you have no idea how much he's damaged the HQ.
I agree with Nura and that Mysa doesn't give herself enough credit.
Ral has made the best decision!

Ok so maybe the castle isn't on Avalon. but on Zerrox...
Man poor Dragonwing. she really did care for Fire Lass.
I'm glad Amp spoke up. she has a point.
Gas girl to the rescue! or so we thought...so Mordru likes to just have the Legion torture each other. got it. this is not going to be any easier.
I do wonder if Mordur sensed Gas girl at all and if he's using Saturn girl's powers to manipulate the team...
that was uncalled for Gravity lad. even though he's being controlled, i have to wonder if those are his own thoughts just twisted...

I should have figured that Sojurn would have gone to Lamprey! glad she was able to help.
Still want to punch Chemical Kid. what a rude little sprock! He's so intolerant of well everyone. i just don't get how he made it into the Legion academy.
I enjoy Sojurn asking questions and the term bestie being used a 1000 years in the future made me giggle a little. its always interesting to think about what terms and slang survive the test of time, especially in our every changing world where slag is constantly changing.
Hahah Lullaby Lad's line to Sojurn had me chucking. and then again to Key Kid.
seriously, how many times are they gonna have/have they had their HQ destroyed?

This is not a good plan and see this going soo bad....and i was kind of right. The kids are not alright!
Gas girl, great tactic. But too bad it didn't work. i never would have guessed that Polar Boy could do that with her spread so thickly over a large area.
Well i guess its a good thing Black Osiris is planning on betraying Mordru at some point. just hope its sooner rather than later.
wow those are some serious tortures. Zoe being trapped by her powers by being forced to be the thing that grants it is pretty wild.
But the Sun Boy, Shadow Lass, and Laurel one is wow.

Of course their after Mysa. i thought there might have been some magical artifact.
Loved Jazmin's tactical observation.
Harlak and blood magic...never really a fan of it when used. But it seems to be the thing that works best.
Danng! poor Harlak!
Ok that was a pretty good reveal and one i think many suspected from the actual comics. But i'm glad you picked up that thread and/or threat....wait so do the Legion in this reality not know this version of Glorith??
Oh no...what has happened to Ivy?

all the small character moments on Tinya's ship were really well done.
Gald i'm not the only one who wants to wring Chemical Kids neck. But thank goodness for his rash behavior!
Poor Grava idk how she's gonna handle what's happened to Ivy.

interesting who got which sin. Life Lass being sloth is odd. But Crystal kid being envy totally makes sense. same for Garth being rage.
Great job Myra! she used some solid tactics.
Ooo that is a great tactic for Lullaby Lad. i never would have thought a transformation would over-write another on.
And of course here comes Gravity Kid...
wow dang Gluttony and MEL that one was scary. i could picture him salivating.
Gas Girl is doing great job and agree, don't care how prideful you are turning the ring off was stupid, but no one ever said the sins were smart.
Reinforcements!
Poor Zoe...and Blok...although i thought he was a man of gold at the moment and not stone and thought you were talking about Stone Boy.
Nightstone and Otkia i really hope they can do something soon before Black Osiris gets back. But maybe he'll turn the tide..
i feel like this is not going to end well for Mysa...but i don't think i've ever seen Mordru be that frightened before.

Oh damn, Dawnstar had to be the one to deliver that news to Wildfire? ouch. i don't know who i feel more sorry for in this moment.

Oh boy shadow demons and vegetation. Your not making this an easy rescue that's for sure.
Could Vi have found something that's harming/keeping Zoe in the state she's in?

Damn both great job and not soo good for Ral. but at least they survived the blasts. Too bad Kid Q couldn't have stopped some of it. buti never would have guessed that magic could mess with her powers.

So Glorith is a time witch of sorts? i know very little about her. But i thought this version of the team had interacted with this Glorith in the past. or is that confined to a different era and their history wasn't part of this reality? sorry i know i asked this but she really confused.

wait seriously? Nightstone just left? WTF!
Great job Vi! i never knew her and Drik had a bit of a romance. So much of the teams history i don't know. Such good moments and quick thinking. i'm glad Vi was able to get him free and save both Shadow lass and Laurel.

More reinforcements! Infectious Lass to the rescue. glad she was able to take the plants on. but when it goes back to the source does that mean it goes back to Ivy?

dang it here comes trouble! Wow! from Gim to Ultra boy and wildfire? i know the power of black Adam was powerful. but you'd think anti-energy would do something.
thank goodness Dawnstar got Dragonwing out of there. But idk if she's still gonna have her powers....
tellus and Amp mpv!! i'd gp farther and erase everything and not just the magic words though.
great learning moment for Mayra. i hope she sees that as a strength to come.

Damn it Glorith! now he's more verile than ever. that's not going to go well. The team is pretty decimated. But i'm glad everyone is technically ok.
Yay! Nightstone. so glad that she came back and he's afraid of the Rock of Eternity or just being trapped in it again?
Oh dang...i feel kind of bad for Otaki...
O and i didn't not see that coming. i thought Nightstone had said it! but i'm down for this power upgrade!
Go Mysa Marvel Go!

Alright bringing it back all the way to LO3W's and the Reboot Zoe! wait what! she's still there? damn i guess the Terrorformer thing wasn't a hugely bad story after all (to all the nay sayers. ) Wow the reboot universe is back to a degree! that's amazing! Infinite Frontier here we come!

Yay Diamond Damsel is back! But now she's more like Emma Frost from Xmen? I thought it would take a whole lot more to bring her back.

Let the healing being!
Mysa Marvel and DD seem so much happier and love it. but is DD still has durable and tough? i know size doesn't always matter but i thought it impacted how strong she was. (nevermind. DD question answered. lol gotta learn to keep reading before commenting.)

having a support crew is i think becoming a standard and something that makes sense for pretty much ever version of the Legion..(tbh i think my story is the only one who doesn't really have the support roles.) wicked happy with the transition to this for your team! M'Rissery always a fun character to have and from my understanding a great honor to a fallen Legion fan and if he can retort back to Timber Wolf like that with confidence he's got my vote!
oo another Teallian. this could be fun. But i will say this is a very small support staff. i hope it will be enough and they don't get burned out too.

So Star Boy's mission begins - and yes Thom you're getting old. But i'm glad he's giving them a chance.
oh boy...wait the Oversight Watch? so that entity from before was with them? new recruit?

This has been a wild ride so far and i can't wait to finish up and be all caught up. But that's it for me for now. keep up the great work!

Omni I particularly loved your comment re “I get it names have power, but Blok don’t be vague - we have Dream Girl and Glorith for that!” Made me laugh out loud

Hey Raz, back for another installment of read and review.

IB, i mean i speak the truth. lol

And we start off on a very somber note...Dawnstar and Wildfire. That was brutal to read. But again i don't know who i feel worse for in this moment. Dawnstar is watching the one person who knows her pull away, making the horrible things she experienced when it was revealed she was replace able, closer to reality. While Wildfire got his heart's desire. i'm not sure i fully understand him though. had he really accepted it whole heartedly that he was human again that easily? Like didn't he ever try to get his body back before?

Staq and Mayra's moment was super sweet and hard to imagine her blushing. Staq was so nice and i can relate to this line about just wanting to drink and sleep it off. Sometimes being numb is the best thing.

Man, Grava and Ral must be so hurt.
I'm with Mysa and just love to sit back and watch the interactions.
So did Halark get a statue on Shangralla? sorry, i know Dreamy mentioned not doing separate services but Mysa mentioning she has to take it back to the Khudian's (I'm assuming anyway.) made it not so clear. i hope he did get one though!
I hope Dirk and Laurel can work it out and i'm sure they will. she must know he can't truly be held responsible.
Damn, Jazmin was not expecting that. i had thought something else, mystical going on...maybe even Glorith returning...or Mysa receiving a vison like Dream girl.

the return of Revenant and the Oversight Watch...Raz you promised OSW vs Legion. how dare you miss lead us. hahah.
But honestly, glad it wasn't another good guys vs anti-hero battle.
DD makes a lot of sense and its true, Revenant wouldn't stop there i'm sure.
Also he's like a Legionnaire all in one.... so i'm going to cast my vote for being a BION as well.
I wouldn't mind seeing a sparing match between 89 and Evolvo Lad though. might be fun to see who wins there.

lol ok i had to laugh a little that Revenant found Makkia vie unsettling. (he's not the only one!)
Dang she's smart and wow ok, i can honestly say i wasn't expecting Revenant to be Duplicate Boy at all. i thought new threat all the way. good bait and switch there.

Why must you make me feel bad for Revenant?! Why??!
loved that its the combo of Amp and Evolvo lad's powers that got us to this point.
hah Jaques's line was awesome. true all the power and still can be fooled.
Good Job Evolvo Lad!

Didn't know Cham's people had a weakness like that. that is some useful info i might be stealing for ya.
I was hoping Brittle would join the Legion. But it makes sense he's still a bit rough around the edges and the OSW is definetly they place for hard edges.
Of course 89 wants to use Revenant as a tool/weapon. i'm with the Legion and just "GRrrr!"
ok not. do not let them take the Dominion Child.
Also i think Jan's suspicions are 100% on the money. The OSW totally called in the Legion.
Damn Makkai Vie. she's a very good manipulator i must say. But i don't know if 89 can be manipulated without her doing some of her own...

On to Nightstone...i was not expecting Ultra Boy to be the one to come see her. i thought maybe it would be Nightwind and getting back to that story. But now you have me intriged as to what Tinya wants with her. Jo makes some great points. But it's interesting that after all this time he's still the main team member whose seemingly lived on "the wrong side of the tracks". Jo is so protective it makes me barf sometimes. lol

back to Glortih...
i dont see Dream Girl and Jazmin having a very good working relationship after this...
Glorith is so flippant but i kind of love it. i haven't really read anything with her outside the Zero Hour issues in LHS vol 4 and Legionnaires title where she and Mordru joined forces. So this is rather exciting to see. And clears up my questions sort of. Was Mysa just not with the Legion when those adventures facing her happened or did they not happen and that's a different continuity? again questions get answered lol.
Although, i didn't know she was from the future i always thought she was from the Legion's time just a planet they hadn't gone to yet.
More "blood magic" or well soul magic..but that's a lot of children... :X
Mysa's struggle with being the Black witch and Mordru's power was really well done and i loved the imagery of the shattered mirrors. its hard to look oneself in the eye when your about to commit a horrible act...
love that the mirrors gave her the idea to look into the multiverse. Ok, not gonna lie kind of intrigued by some of those variants.
i'm torn i get what Jazmin is saying but i'm also maybe if you stayed with the Legion she and Mysa could work to find the Glorith they had come to know and make sure she's alright. But ultimately if Jazmin wants to leave she's going to leave.

Poor Grava. she totally needs some time to herself before trying to comfort her teammates. Losing Ivy and almost losing Ral has gotta be tough.
Awww super cute moment. (the super star aspect of the Legion is one that must be tough to juggle especially after all this tragedy.
dang...a tube of icecream? yeah Ral is in a bad way...
i had to laugh at Grava's line a little bit "So what? that's like the fourth time she's tried to kill you." This should be a Legion motto. "So what they tried to kill you." lol

i really do love Grava and Ral together. its a great pairing.

Jupiter has giant squids? why? just why? lol
loved Tinya confronting that rich nasshead while being still friendly and getting her point across. i guess her charm and cheer has its moments.
loved Mysa wanting to tryout some of her other powers. i can't wait to see them in action along with some of her more mystical attributes.
The have giant beaks? ok that's inventive. lol.

that was a really good fake out. i was so hoping that Laurel and Dirk were having a talk about how she was feeling. But i'm glad the good Dr. Jery is being put to good use. and that's honestly a great counseling tool that i wouldn't have thought of and use for Durlarian's in the wider galaxy as a type of therapist.

The symbol for pi, is helping to keep mystical forces at bay? lol. that made me chuckle.
Subwarden Thirteen? i'm guessing he's related to Traci 13? yup got my answer. lol. I always find it interesting with Magical families and how it can skip generations. same thing with Mutants over at Marvel.
loved the tour of this prison on TG and how it does what it does to stop the magic. i honestly thought there'd be more prisoners there. But i guess the Legion has faced that many magical opponents as i thought.
As much as i want to find Ivy, i'm not sure this is the best idea...

I like that Tinya acknowledges the teams beginnings and how imperfect they were. like she said its easy to justify their own bad behavior. But now its time to make up for it. i know the academy was part of that long ago. but its great to see that evolve.
Also even though i enjoy the students being there for storylines, it makes sense that they really should be separated from the main team to foster their gifts/training.

That bar fight was pretty good. i again, wasn't expecting it to return us to Vielmist. i thought this was for Harlark.
The Sisterhood of Sin? like it. Nimbus and White bat seem very formidable. Vista...is she a teleporter of some sort as well?... Ahh thank you for the note i had forgotten them and them being part of the Judgement League.
The League members sure are coming back in droves. First Black Dancer and now these three. are we gonna be getting a reunion of the whole team? i sure hope not.

The new HQ is looks like the old rocket ship club house? lol nice nod. i for a second thought we were about to get another Legion World. But it also reminds me of Outpost Allon from the Reboot. so nice nods all around.
Hahah the whole exchange with Brin was great. was this something that was in cannon or happened in your story as my memory doesn't not remember this reporter or the nights she and Brin shared...
the tour through the multilab was super funny. loved that the Sun boy crack from Dreamer.
Wow this tour sure is something. i love all the windows and views that everything has.
the new tech is interesting upgrade. The whole crown system is very inventive.

i can see why Gim would think Yera wouldn't be too comfortable watching this mission.
I'm slightly surprised that the Legion wouldn't try to do something more humain for Yaggardis. But at least we know its menacing.

haha poor Light Lad. i love Elastic Lad but listening to him prattle off those questions. :smacks forehead:
Looks like Light Lad is still getting used to all the craziness that comes with being in the Legion.
i would giggle a little too at the sight of a giant golem carrying Tomi and the rocks away.

Are we sure there's no way to not kill the sentient planet? Having Dawnstar and Color kid basically confirm its presence makes me feel bad for it. especially if it is something so ancient.
hmmm ancient technology sort of? interesting...and surgery hmm what are they trying to fix?...wait they took a peice of its soul and bound it to the rock tendrils? so are they rebirthing the planet?
Even Yaggardis has spirt dragons...that's pretty cool. makes me wonder how many other worlds have them. Awww that was a much sweeter mission that i thought. creating a companion for Yaggardis makes sense. is it Cannon? i've never heard of it before. (never mind, question answered in the comments.)

The meeting with Alec Arckane went much better than i thought it would. seeing Grava like this still breaks my heart.
Smart thinking Cham. use his own goals against him. the enemy of my enemy.

Dang, that's a pretty cruel fate Vista has for her captees.
I'm glad Vielmist isn't totally on board with these people is nice. even if it is only due to her exposure of her culture and the swift and violent nature of it.

Sadly, on that note i have to head out. But its been a great read and i'm hoping to finish up the little but left soon!
looking forward to more!

You're catching up with a quickness, Omni!

Cham and Tranquility might pop up every now and then, but have no fear about Cham leaving the team anytime soon!

Thanks! I always think of Lydda as having that old-school Hollywood quality!

Quick bit of background on Mordru and the Rock of Eternity - when Mysa decided to stop being the Black Witch she transferred all of her mystical essence into the Rock of Eternity and that included Mordru whom she had absorbed - so up until this storyline, he had been thought to be safely shut away in the Rock of Eternity in the Legion's HQ on account of his claustrophobia.

You know, I think you're the only one who mentioned this bit!! Let's just say Hadru was losing oxygen quickly at the time so he may have just been hallucinating....but also he might not have JUST been hallucinating...

And you know, when I think about it, it would probably have made more sense to have Blok revert back to being fully gold when Mordru used the magic word on him...that was a good observation, Omni! I think I'm gonna just say that when Mysa infused him with the power of Shazam it changed the way he looks forever but he can still be rendered inanimate again when someone uses the magic word on him.

To help put Evil!Glorith's backstory in context a bit - she only ever encountered the Legion once when she worked for the Time Trapper, and they were all much younger back then (this is way back in the 60s in real time, so Mysa joining as the White Witch was a long way off yet). That was one of the adventures where the team got turned into toddlers so even discounting any hocus pocus on Glorith's part it's likely that they just may not remember her that well after so many years.


This is also a really good observation, and all I will say to that right now is that I think you're asking some questions that should probably have been asked before now...

Ral and Grava have a pretty good moment coming up! They have become probably my favourite couple to write with Chuck and Lu gone

Separating the Academy from the main team was a difficult decision because I love having the Academy kids around for easy insertion into stories, but it was also one of those things where I find it hard to believe someone like Tinya would be okay with having a bunch of untested kids around to be cannon fodder the next time the Legion gets attacked. Which is not to say we're never gonna see them again, I have a very specific Academy-related story coming up pretty soonish actually!

Marella Tao and Timber Wolf was a thing from the 80s, although to be honest I remember reading about it in the DC's Who's Who more than from the actual comics.

It's interesting seeing a couple things you have come across in this batch of stories, because some of them are definitely about to rear their head again soon if they haven't already by the time you have caught up!

Raz, hi there, I've a lot to catch up on so will write as I'm readimng.

That's right, your team are with the Satellite era JLA in a giant tree - how fantastic! Am looking forward to what you bring to the JLA as they are just as odd as the Legionnaires. And also nice that you avoided the misunderstanding-leads-to-pointless-fight trope. Tinya's reaction to Kal, Vi's suspicion and Truth Girl's fan-girling on WW, and Diana's gracious response were all great.

Of course, plenty of the team will have heir own legacy heros to admire - it's not all about Superman, so it's great that Xao is star struck by Zatanna. Was Hal sleazing onto Zoe there? That was a bit uncomfortable, and of course Zoe would not want a reminder of the GLCorps fate hanging around - especially a creepy old (to her) man like Hal. Danielle and Red Tornado, Tellus and Aquaman - yup, very nice! Elastic Lad - always a favourite of mine - and he continues to be a joy to read. Impressed confoundment, indeed And then Tenzil, Slug and Transposition Lad fan-boying on poor Ralph was a delight!

"If all his friends were like this when he was a kid, the stretchable sleuth thought, Maybe staying mild-mannered has been Clark Kent's real super-power all along!" Haha, nice!

Superman struggling with Comet Queen's speech patterns and Rokk being bashful after Batman's compliment were cute moments. Dream Girl hangig onto Hawkman is perfectly understandable and Dawny's quip was funny. The Phantom Stranger - fantastic! I now virtually nothing about him - but then, does anyone? - but remember he tended to pop up when things were really serious. Louisiana? Does that mean the Nexus place and the Swamp Thing too?

Superhero team-up! Haha, loving their excitement!

I'm still wondering what Glorith's end plan is here as I'm certain it isn't to ensure the Green win. And the trapper watching Glorith watching the Legion - brilliiant! Reminds me of the Xman from the start of the run of the (first) new team when the Sentinel guy was being watched by Erik the Red. Nice way to amp up the stakes.

Okay... Teen Titans and Colossal Boy and Diamond Damsel who weren't in the Tree team, yet Neon was and is with them - so the time zones are merging? Am sure it'll make sense soon, as much as timey-wimey stuff ever does

nice scene with GA, Black Canary and King Canary - that was a hardcore way to deal with Solomon Grundy! Pretty bird, haha.

Very, very nice description of the Louisiana swamp! And Nura's reaction to the smell was about right - loved Tenzil's supportive response, he's a good egg not just the team joker. Tellus being inquisitive about Firestorm was genius - I'd have never thought of that! Felix Faust! Yay, you are bringing back a lot of characters here Raz, and it's fab! Am looking forward to the Phantom Stranger taking him apart - or, actually, I'd love to see Tenzil take him down Go Tenz!

Wonder Woman and Timber Wolf's moment was cute, and his sudden clumsiness afterwards was funny. Batman is so intense, and amongst all the lighter interpersonal moments, it's ood to see his character is still super pragmatic and direct. Tasmia's description of him was spot on, though Reeps views on his skill was the sobering thought they needed to get them back on track. And PIvy knew they were there the whole time and was playing with them - is it wrong that I love just how cruel all your villains are

Oh, my, I think I've just had a seizure! Lester Spiffany.... and the Legion of substitute Villains! And I thought this couldn't get any better! Hahaha, they are my favourite villain team. Nice little side mission, and the chat between Mwindaji and Sizzle at the end was sweet.

Flash being keen to run off is understandable. Was it Peter David who wrote that excellent issue of XFactor where they were psycho-analysed by Dr Samso and Quicksilver was open about how frustrating being a speedster was? It always comes back to me when I write characters with super speed. Supes agreeing with and complimenting Tinya's leadership was a nice way to show their shared past - and was sweet

And finally... Glorith and Verdant! Looking forward to hearing GlorithSpikyShoulderPads reasons and seeing how you tie all these storylines together and how the Trapper will fit into it.

Great stuff Raz, more, more, more!

Hey Raz,

I'm back for another read and review. I'm glad you enjoyed my last batches of reviews. I'm trying to get up to date before you post more. Also thank you for the background on some of my questions. like Evil Glorith. i honestly thought her history with the team was much more extensive than just the one off with the Time Trapper.

Is White Bat from the future? was she one of the one pulled back in time if my memory serves me right? with her description she sounds like a vampire wolverine.
The return of Scorn, a Khudian mystic if i recall...This is going to be a very dark sisterhood indeed.

it still tickles me that Star Boy and Sun Boy play DD and now Evolvo Lad too. That should be an fun campiagn but something tells me we're going to be getting a DD inspired adventure soon. Maybe someone's going to transport them to a DD local and control the game.

Poor Dirk and Laurel. At least he's tried and wants to talk. Hopefully Laurel will be ready after a few more sessions with the new counselor.
Its always interesting when you showcase the different levels of "friendliness" within the Older legion members like Mysa and Sun Boy here. maybe with Mysa's return they could have a new found friendship.

Mysa and Dragonmage off to Khudian space. That's good, i wasn't sure how long we'd have to wait for Harlark's last wishes.

Mardru:
It's interesting that the Green/ the remains of the Parliament of Trees retreated here. I wonder why they did that. But also something else that's kind of interesting that i just realized is how close the spelling of this world's name is to Mordru. Maybe in the past there was a connection which ended with the Parliament of Tree's moving here to safe guard it from Mordru after his defeat.
Grava patting the dorid was cute.

The giant face of tree branches would freak me out a bit. But Ral did great staring it down. But i'd be a bit annoyed with the Green if they knew this whole time where Ivy was and that she wasn't with the protector they placed her with. But now its how close is the connection the Green shares with Ivy? can they read her mind at will?
That moment with Ral and those wire vines was a bit horrifying. all it needed was lightning flashing. The green is so invasive.
This doesn't sound like a good thing if the rest of the Legion needs to be called in.
Wait so The Green's work being done...it means spreading plant life across the world unchecked?
Extinction level event? Damn..
Grava, always the Legionnaire first. Her heart is so big.
Poor Ral, he's hurting and the green is totally messing with him. Ral threating Cham was kind of scary. But i'm glad he was willing to listen to some reason.
liked the plan a lot. But Grava and Tellus did a great job.
Ral's armor sounds super cool and i love how versatile it seems to be.
The whole planet has been over run? But what does Glorith get from this? Is she stealing power from the Green or is the Green controlling her too?
The moment with Ral and Tellus was well done. i really feel for Ral but i'm glad he didn't take off after Ivy and Glorith...and apparently Cham? ooo not good.
Ral thinks this is because she hates him. But what if its not hate for him but part of the Green's plan to expand and bring back the green across the galaxy?

Stop making my heart ache for these worlds. 40% and climbing. Poor Mardru.
Cham, is ok, But i gotta wonder if they knew he was their the whole time.

Oh Right, Garth beat the snot out of Chemical Kid, i don't know how that relationship will be but i don't see it being too great. Assuming Hardu comes back...
89! my guess is she's here to drop off the Dominator child...

I think these blood stones sound a lot like Haurcruxes. lol. jk. But that is a pretty cool idea that his magical essence will become one with Xerox.
Dragonmage makes a great point. Magic was part of Mysa for so long. she must miss it like a limb or something.
Damn, another curve. i wasn't expecting the Sisterhood of Sin to be on Xerox. I thought we'd have to wait to get to being in Khudian space for that.
Vista follows the Legion's feeds clearly lol.
Dude! that visual of the Lighting dragon clawing its way out of Vista's implant was cool. Oh that's new, i thought he was just surrounded by the dragon not turned into the energy itself. I love when Dragonmage doesn't have to hold back. Dragon-Hyper storm was pretty cool.
Argg.,,Scorn. :X
Have you gotten into Body horror lately? cause there's definitely a lot of it. lol.
Ooo i love when Xao is tricky like that.
i chucked a little at the idea of the dragons bouncing Nimbus and Scorn around, But damn White Bat was close.
Mysa Marvel is here to save the day!
a good shock again. I wasn't expecting them to be there for Harlack. i thought maybe a mystical object...Vista clearly knows Harlack. but how?
Nimbus was willing to talk instead of fight so maybe she can convince Vista that might be the better option for their next run in.

I'm glad Tinya is having second thoughts about Ral. But i have to agree with Shadow Lass their going to need him to find Ivy and Glorith. But if he's on the team, can't she force Ral to go to Dr Jefry?

Dang it Dream Girl, just when we were having a quiet moment. But new recruits are always fun!

i enjoyed the bit about Cham's antenna and what he's capable of doing with them. it always seemed like he could call up the information when scanning. so its interesting how instinctual it is verse learned and controlled. Cham using his sense to figure out where he was, was well done. not everything has to be about their powers and i like how he relies on more than that.
Three worlds? i guess that's good. mean's Ivy does have some limits.
Man, of course the link works both ways. But maybe Ral will figure that out.

a lot of good personality moments with the Cadets. Marya is rather hard to get along with. But i guess after Fire Lass maybe the idea of losing anyone, even Kid Q is gonna be hard for her.
Amp ever the corrector. i wonder if her and Marya are going to end up going rounds in a ring soon.

Enigma Lass? ok, so this is kind of like a call back to when Dream Girl and Star Boy did this, right? The only thing i don't agree with is not knowing her powers due to the students will be training and sparing with her. But otherwise i'm looked forward to see what she brings to the table.
Glad i wasn't the only one who thought that.

Wait Hardu is gone? wow i don't know how i feel. i hate the little snot but i thought he'd still be coming back to the Academy.

So this is the new tryouts...not gonna lie not as exciting. But makes sense to scale it down. These are all new characters we haven't seen before? How come none of the Student's moved up? i would have thought maybe Dragonwing at the most might have been invited.

A Giant Slug...and metallic at that. interesting. i'm always a fan of the more exotic Legionnaires.
Night-owl is from King Canary's world or do other birds from other worlds recognize him as King? (got to the note. thank you. and makes sense.)
I think i remember Dogstar from the Cannine adventure.
Hahaha Quiz Queen worrying about her hair was funny. i guess we gotta give Nura a run for her money.
Sizzle. so nice to see you again.
I might be one of the few whose not always the hugest Tamaeran fan. (outside of Lexicon in Harbinger's stories.) But i'm open to seeing what this bubbly young sentient has to offer.

The Fatal Five have arrived and the Legion's down for the count? The test has totally started and loving it.
Truth girl with connections to Wonder Woman. we don't see that a lot. at least the lariat of truth any way. Usually its the whole Amazon stitch. is she an Amazon or just someone whose got the lariat? also i thought the Legion had to have innate powers? is the truth sense apart of her?
Night Owl's like Tasma a bit. but can they only create the darkness in flight?
ahhhh Transposition lad, a literal swapper. lol nice. loved the way you took out the Persuader and later used the same affect with Dogstar and the emerald Empress. although, i'd want to keep this power under wraps as much as possible.
Mirage Master seems pretty powerful to keep that going through all that damage.

I like who made it but surprised that Night Owl or Mirage Master didn't make it.

Wait fighting for time itself? Dreamer your such a buzz kill. lol

Slugs moment was cute and it was nice to see a sort of healthy obsession with Cosmic Boy and Magnetic Kid. i'm also kind of surprised that they didn't know who Magnetic Kid was. i figured Legion history was a must for members. Slugs reasoning was really nice to and how they relate with being from a poor world.

OOo the return of Firefist? i hope Mysa Marvel and Dragonmage aren't getting into another fight.

Returning to the hunt for Ivy and Glorith...I'm glad this world weathered the attack better.
Again slightly surprised Grava and Ral haven't taken off on their own to hunt Ivy down.
I wonder how each planet is going to deal with the new vegetation from other worlds being present after these attacks.
Nightwind hopefully will start learning to relax around the team a bit more. i know she's deputy leader but these aren't here idols any more. They are here teammates.
I love that everyone is changing their opinions of Grava and that Nightwind is seeing her friend for who she really is.
I hope Ral starts to forgive himself soon, once he realizes Glorith super aged Ivy and gave her false memories. (at least i hope their false)

I'm with Ral and really want to know why Ivy and Glorith are choosing certain worlds. maybe this will help with his connection with her if he can figure it out.
I'm glad Tinya is coming with backup. But this doesn't sound like its going to end well.

I'm glad the Academy kids want to check in on Hardu and make sure he's ok and leaving for the right reasons.
Haha. good job Amp and goading Marya into letting them go. I think they all need to start working together more and I'm glad Variable Lad isn't going to let anyone fall behind.

That view sounds amazing and i didn't realize it was Hardu's father who gave him the abilities.
Haha, couldn't help but giggle a little at Marya punching Hardu.
And of course someone attacks. But are these new foes?

Back to The Sisterhood of Sin. they broke up after really? that seems odd.
Oh ok so they are from the future. wasnt sure if they just had future tech. (been a while since i've read their stories clearly lol)
I'm with Scorn. Time travel always mucks it up.
I was not expecting that. I thought they had like a family tie to Harlack somehow. Great twist and good reason for them to be upset. But it does change or end their timeline...or they come from an alternate timeline and Earth Man did more than just pull people from time but from the Multiverse/Hypertime.

i think how you've shown the difference of the Khudian culture again and how expansive their empire is with the scene, especially with Flederweb's comment about it not being his culture.
Mysa Marvel is stretching/testing her powers still. glad she's enjoying it. I'm surprised that was the only condition for allowing them in to the Khudian Empire's space. But it makes sense. know thy enemy.
Mysa's new found confidence is really nice to see. especially her taking out Firefist.

Phlon -
Almost got a clue about Enigma.
i like how they have to explain "homesickness" to Sojurn.
I'm with Key Kid, i'd stay far from the ocean after that too.
Gambling debt and used power mods to get out of it? did he really think they wouldn't come back for more? when you can do stuff like that, the debt is never paid. :smacks forehead:
Wait, so first is it Alchemical Girl or Lass? or is time flashing here and changing her?
Also she has the same powers as Hardu but wants to take Hardu's powers to improve hers? so does she really have the same powers or not?
The bickering back and forth and Hardu being ignored was a funny moment. until Black Mace and Alchemical Girl and the third guy came back
Enigma Lass is dead already? i doubt it!
That was a good plan for the most part. Nice try Amp! great job Sojurn.
Variable Lad was inventive. An aluminum version of plastic man/e-lad. works well.
Ha! knew it! glad Enigma Lass isn't dead.

Man, Hardu finally makes the right choice and i totally get his reasonings/ Garth wasn't saying something he didn't think. i think he was just taken to the extreme. So they are going to have a talk i'm sure. But dang it Marya, you had to bring Hardu back into the fold.

A desolate planet revived? hmmm.
Seeing the new recruits interact was cute. So her power comes for the lariat. doesn't that make her not eligible for membership or is that not a rule any more?
Gas Girl telling Evolvo that he still needs to dumb it down was funny. Moments like these are ones i could see Brainy having all the time too.
A Pentagram in space?
Haha. loved Blok's response to Timber Wolf.

Tinya, i hope your right. But i hope they don't know you're coming know that Ral knows what's going on too.

Mysa and Xao's comments about the cloths were cute and made me chuckle. i really do wonder why white is used so often with heroes knowing how dirty it can get.
At least the Demon's Claw is good for something besides fighting.
Mysa's good by and confession about missing her powers was really well done. Loss is something that's so hard to deal with and no matter what we know on an intellectual level having reassurance is something i think we all want.

Dogstar and Wildfire was a fun moment before the giant marble golems. Of course Wildfire can't be out done.
Nightwind and Laurel are doing their own version of the cannonball special? nice!
I doubt Dawnstar is going to judge anyone Berta.
Grava is just so upset that she can't enjoy this battle? that is sad.
i chuckled at E-Lad wanting to explain to Polar Boy the plan and physics of the plan. which good plan. the bigger they are the harder they fall.

is Sherannee going to be getting a code name? Do like her response about Evolov Lad though.
She's almost as cherry as Tinya.
Dang Crystal Kid complains alot. But why doesn't he just use his flight ring getting through while still being under the treetops?
Evolvo Lad showing off? hmmm. lol. And she can reach him in devolved state. I think we might have a new romance blooming.
Of course there's a force field.
Hahah. love you too Big head.
Love that Gas Girl was able to get in there and help.
Glorith is using the people? hmmm, are they mages too? She's their queen? well if she's from the future she could one day be.
Korbal? interesting choice. But glad its giving Ivy some trouble.
Poor Strut but also thank goodness for Strut. loved his lines and honey i'm sure he'd still join even if he knew. lol
Slug's pretty tough and good work. So he can form projectiles at will? is he unique or is that something his species does?
I'm glad they were able to save the Lightning Beasts.
Wait what did Sizzle ask for?

Glad Cham is still alive and ok.
Nice. splitting up really did help. But also knew that connection had to have its limits.
Ivy has to be under a spell if not all of this is sitting well with her.
That battle is going well. i like Kappa's usefulness here. But he's right. probably won't work again.
YES! take Glorith down team!

I hope Ral can get through to her too. But the sneak attack was well done. Infectious Lass is the best subtle attack!
Dang it, i had hoped her attack would have taken Ivy down.
Hahah that was a good save for Cham although i thought Ivy would have ended up in the sphere.
Ahhh so thats what she asked him for. That's a great idea. i just hope she doesn't get over loaded to quickly.
Smart thinking Jo.
haha, loved both Ayla's line and Jo's reaction.
Brin, i know its not nice to kick when there down. But next time, Kick them when their down!
Glorith wins?? no way...

And the Time Trapper arrives with his Daughter? Decay. until i see a DNA test with Time anomalies in it, i think the Trapper's just using this poor girl.

Well that ends my review for now.
I'm looking forward to The Thousand Years of Green and then i should be all caught up,
This ride/battle for Ivy has had some really good twists and i'm really enjoying the new kids and the team work you've put into all this!

Hi all!

Omni, I will respond to your stuff first as it looks like you've still got a few chapters to go to catch up to where Harbi is

Glorith was really only ever a one-shot character until the 5YL Legion when she got made into the big archvillain that she clearly deserves to be


Is that a Harry Potter thing? I have honestly never read/watched a Harry Potter in my life lol...I pretty much ripped off homaged the bloodstone idea from Illyana Rasputin in New Mutants and adapted it a bit to suit what I wanted (and I do like a bit of body horror which probably comes through in my stories when things get nasty hahaha)

re: the tryouts and new recruits - just before all the stuff went down with Mordru, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad told Phantom Girl that none of the students were ready for the main team yet...of course, the students have gone through a lot since then so that could potentially change soonish....

I think the latest batch of newbies have been around long enough for everyone to get a general feel of them, so after this current storyline is over I will probably post the individual profiles I wrote for them all to explain their powers and background and such in a bit more detail as well. We are also getting lots more of the Sisterhood of Sin when this current story finishes, so that should answer some questions too!


Oh man, how embarassing! I didn't even realise I did that...her name is definitely Alchemical Girl! It's not a sign that time was flashing, but my brain might have been Thanks for picking it up, I have edited the post!

Okay, on to Harbinger!

- I am glad you liked the JLA/Legion interactions...I initially had the JSA in this story as well but seeing how hard it was to fit in most of the JLA/Legion bits and random background guest stars I wanted, I realised I would be biting off more than I could chew with the JSA there as well (somewhere in my drafts there is a pretty cool teamup between all the Green Lanterns, as well as Vi and the Atoms though!)

I probably should have explained this in the story, sorry for any confusion - but honestly the only reason JLAers and Legionnaires are appearing in different times than where they started is that I wanted to split some of them up into specific groups for the teamups...so you can just assume that the two teams came together in between chapters 2 & 3 and then split up into the era and place they thought they would do the most good. It's not really an in-character tactical thing so much as I just thought it would be fun to have King Canary and Black Canary team up for example

It was indeed Peter Davis who wrote that awesome X-Factor issue! The first time someone made Quicksilver a sympathetic character in pretty much forever!

Y'all have been very patient with Glorith and Verdant's mysterious machinations, and next instalment it is all gonna come out in the open!

And spoiler alert: it's not gonna go well for the good guys...

THE 21ST CENTURY
Louisiana wetlands

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Aquaman aka Arthur Curry: marine-adapted physiology, marine telepathy
Firestorm aka Ronald Raymond/Martin Stein: matter transmutation, atomic energy manipulation
Phantom Stranger: JLA ally

Legion of Superheroes
Dream Girl aka Nura Nal: Naltorian precognition
Matter-Eater Lad aka Tenzil Kem: can eat inorganic matter in all its forms
Tellus aka Ganglios: telepathy and telekinesis

Deep within some senseless miasma, Ronnie Raymond was dimly aware of an insistent buzzing noise. The noise quickly honed into a more annoying repetition of sounds, and as though sinking back to reality from some floating dream he soon realised those sounds were his name.

Ronald! Wake up!!

"Huh? Professor??" In the real world, the nuclear man Firestorm jolted into consciousness. It took him a moment to get his bearings, but he found himself suspended in some kind of dark purple field alongside all of the other heroes the Phantom Stranger had dragged here to Louisiana.

The man who'd been shouting inside Ronnie Raymond's mind for the past 90 seconds, Professor Martin Stein, was of course not physically present; when Aquaman and the Legionnaires from the future had heard Firestorm's confused exclamation, they'd all turned their attention toward him. Only the Phantom Stranger seemed unperturbed, as ever.

The Justice League and the Legion of Supeheroes weren't the only ones hovering motionless here either. The Swamp Thing was also here, as silent as he'd been when the heroes had first found him...and in a decidedly superior position outside of the occult fields which bound them all, Felix Faust had been in private conversation with the Phantom Stranger when he too had heard Firestorm's outburst.

"What am I to do with you all?" Faust asked wickedly, moving across to the newly awakened Firestorm. "It could be a delightful irony to turn you all into trees...you can all live out the rest of your unnatural lives with the Avatar of the Green you came to rescue perhaps?"

<My telekinesis will not function outside of these forcefields,> Tellus spoke in Dream Girl and Matter-Eater Lad's minds, <But my telepathy seems unrestricted. I do not feel overly comfortable dominating another's will, but perhaps I could--?>

<I wouldn't risk it, Tellus.> Dream Girl's dainty nose screwed up as she considered the matter. <Something tells me that nasty man's head is not a place you'd want to spend any time. Anyway, we all just have to be ready to act when Aquaman comes through for us.>

"Faust, how are you involved in any of this anyway?" Aquaman asked the villain out loud. "How is Swamp Thing involved for that matter? What does any of this have to do with what Poison Ivy's doing back in Gotham?"

"I may as well tell you," the ancient sorceror aquiesced. "None of you will be able to do anything with the knowledge after all. You see, Aquaman, a beguiling woman from the far far future enlisted my help to keep the Avatar of the Green here safely out of the way while she empowered Poison Ivy to do her bidding. She doesn't need this big lumbering fellow getting in the way of her thousand year plan."

"So you're Glorith's henchman?" Matter-Eater Lad raised an eyebrow beneath his ever-present sunglasses. "Man, that's gotta be a big step down from being one of the Justice League of America's big bad guys huh? Maybe Elongated Man's Enigmas of History had you pegged all wrong!"

"Faust has never been afraid to be a toady for anyone with any real power behind them," Aquaman said with clear contempt in his voice. "Dignity has never been one of your strong suits, has it Felix?"

"Dignity?" Faust threw his head back and laughed a cruel laugh. "That's rich coming from a man whose greatest achievement is talking to fish!"

"You know, Felix..." The corner of Arthur Curry's lip turned up into a small smile, "...It's not only fish that I talk to."

An explosion of motion occurred before the trapped heroes as four bulky alligators suddenly launched themselves at Felix Faust, taking him screaming and thrashing back down into the swamp with them. Distracted by the sudden violence, Faust's concentration waned and the fields surrounding the Justice Leaguers and Legionnaires faded into so much smoke on the air.

"How come Swamp Thing's still stuck?" Firestorm questioned.

"Faust had more time to prepare a trap for the Avatar of the Green," the Phantom Stranger answered knowingly. "As well as the spell components to make his trap more effective."

"Aquaman, thank you for the timely rescue." Tellus's pods shifted to a deep orange shade as the Hykraian dropped inelegantly into the swamp. "But now that we are free, is it wise to continue endangering your subjects so?"

"I'm way ahead of you, my alien friend." Aquaman too had plummeted into the swamp, crouching down to remain beneath the water's surface. Though he and Tellus were the only ones to see it happen, the alligators had already stopped their assault on Faust and sped away at Arthur Curry's command.

Furious, Felix Faust levitated back out of the murky waters and everyone else saw that his robes were tattered and he had great bloody gashes across his torso, legs and left arm. "Never mind transforming you into trees!" he raged. "I will murder you all here and now for this effrontery!"

Faust drew a heavy bronze pendant from beneath his robe and Tellus saw a flash in the sorceror's mind that this was the artifact which had so easily defeated them all before. Still half-submerged in the swamp, Tellus telepathically alerted Matter-Eater Lad while simultaneously using his telekinesis to break the thick gold chain which kept the pendant hanging from Faust's throat. Propelled by Tellus's telekinesis, the pendant flung itself across to Matter-Eater Lad's waiting hand and Tenzil casually took a huge chomp out of it.

"You...you..." Faust fumed impotently, but before he could take another move Dream Girl delivered a flawless high kick to his chin which knocked him back a few feet.

The sorceror recovered faster than his advanced age would indicate, and he glared at the heroes with incandescent eyes while he began to weave patterns into the air with outstretched fingers.

"I like your style, Dream Girl," Aquaman complimented the Naltorian beauty, "But Faust is a lot tougher than he looks." Leg muscles accustomed to swimming at the bottom of the ocean propelled Aquaman forward like a torpedo and he leaped from the swamp to tackle Felix Faust right through the engorged trunk of a cypress tree. When Arthur Curry emerged from the splintered wreckage, he was dragging Faust's limp form along the ground by the hood of his robe. "Firestorm, see if you can't stop him from being a nuisance when he wakes up again, would you?" Aquaman let Faust's form droop over the trunk of the tree they'd just felled.

"No problemo!" The nuclear man raised a hand, and an atom-like swirl of energy appeared around it. With a flash of light, Faust's robe along with any other mystical weapons he might be hiding within it were transformed into a frilly pink skirt, bodice and bonnet. Mittens bound tightly around his hands prevented him from being able to cast enchantments and a big pink ribbon with an oversized bow kept any spells emerging from his lips. Aquaman raised an unimpressed eyebrow at his young teammate and Firestorm simply shrugged. "The dude was gonna turn us into trees, I let him off easy if you ask me!"

"That still leaves us with Swamp Thing," Dream Girl pondered, hovering a few feet away from the ugly brute.

"Felix Faust took me by surprise earlier," the Phantom Stranger explained calmly while he descended to touch the ground next to the imprisoned Avatar of the Green. "I am not surprised now and these magicks are no match for my power." He simply touched the forcefield with a white-gloved hand and it popped out of existence.

Swamp Thing shuddered before he looked around with an oddly human expression of confusion. "Aquaman? The Phantom Stranger? Who are the rest of you? Is that man eating jewellery?? Wait, is that man dressed as Little Bo Peep??"

"We have freed you from your captivity, Alec Holland." The Phantom Stranger touched what would be Swamp Thing's temple were he a human being. "I have shared with you all you need to know about this current crisis, but right now you must act to liberate the Green, humanity...and perhaps time itself."

The Swamp Thing's blood red eyes widened as he telepathically digested everything the Stranger had to share with him. Without another word, Swamp Thing closed his eyes and the vegetable matter which constituted the form of Avatar of the Green in this time period disintegrated into a pile of mulchy green on the ground at the Stranger's feet.

"Okay," Tenzil mumbled with his mouth full of metal, "That was weird."

"We have done good work here today, my friends." The Phantom Stranger gestured at Felix Faust's unconscious form and the still unconscious sorceror floated up closer toward the Stranger. "Now that I am fully recovered, allow me to ensure that Faust is imprisoned in a matter more fitting to his menace." Mists similar to those which had brought them all here rose around the Phantom Stranger and Felix Faust, and in moments the two men were vanished as if they'd never been here.

"He's...gonna come back for us, right?" Firestorm asked Aquaman.

"I've already seen that he isn't," Dream Girl frowned bitterly. "Cassandra help me, that man is so infuriating I could just--"

...and the Louisiana wetlands echoed with Nura Nal's frustrated scream.

**********

THE 21ST CENTURY
Gotham City, Robinson Park

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Batman aka Bruce Wayne: martial artist, strategist
Green Lantern aka Hal Jordan: Green Lantern ring
Wonder Woman aka Diana: enhanced physiology, flight, Amazon weapons

Legion of Superheroes
Chameleon Boy aka Reep Daggle: Durlan shapeshifter
Night Girl aka Lydda Jath Krinn: photosensitive super-strength
Shadow Lass aka Tasmia Mallor: darkness generation
Timber Wolf aka Brin Londo: super-strength and super-agility

While thick ropey vines dragged seven paralysed heroes closer to carnivorous plants large enough to digest them all, Poison Ivy stepped down from her makeshift throne where she'd been sitting smugly above them all. Plant life obligingly cleared the way for Poison Ivy as she walked barefoot past her usual nemesis Batman and kneeled down beside his teammate Wonder Woman.

"I should have known that if anyone could fight my baby's toxin it would be you, Amazon." While Ivy spoke, Wonder Woman's body shuddered with the effort of resisting the paralysing poison they'd all been subjected to.

One of Wonder Woman's defiant fists snapped the vines constricting her, and the Amazon looked directly into Pamela Isley's vibrant green eyes. "I...will get out...of here, Pamela," Diana struggled to form words, "And when I do...you will regret that...you did not meet us with...compassion...when you had the chance."

"I don't think I will, but it's nice of you to be concerned." Poison Ivy stood again, gazing down at the ensnared woman at her feet. "It is clear that you'll need a little more attention though." Even as Diana freed her right forearm entirely, some more delicate vines crept in to reinforce their hardier brethren. While these secondary vines were far thinner and nowhere near as strong, they were far better with the kind of fine manipulation it took to entwine themselves around Wonder Woman's golden lariat and they used Diana's own indestructible weapon to tie her up more securely.

Satisfied that Wonder Woman had been properly subdued, Poison Ivy realised she probably shouldn't assume that these others were any less capable. Green Lantern wielded the greatest weapon in the universe, Batman somehow always found a way to bounce back against ridiculous odds, and she knew nothing at all about any of the other heroes they'd brought along with them. The one called Timber Wolf did in fact seem to be not much weaker than Wonder Woman, and Ivy responded by coccooning him almost entirely in vines. She wasn't sure if he'd break out given enough time, but she didn't plan on giving him that time. The girls called Night Girl and Shadow Lass seemed just as helpless as Ivy wanted them to be, and the weird orange-skinned one they'd called Chameleon Boy...a cold look of realisation dawned on Poison Ivy's face as she realised that Chameleon Boy was nowhere to be found!

Just as quickly, a bee that had been hovering nearby suddenly switched into the full-size form of Reep Daggle and leaped from mid-air to tackle Poison Ivy to the ground. While she was still winded, Cham held her arms down to either side and straddled her so she couldn't writhe away. "Your plant toxins might work just fine against Terrans," Chameleon Boy explained, "And I guess my teammates are close enough biologically that they're affected too...but I'm a Durlan and it looks like that worked in my favour this time, wouldn't you say? Now I don't actually want to hurt you if I can avoid it so why don't you--ack!" Vines came out of nowhere and constricted around Cham's throat, dragging him up and off of Ivy.

"I don't know what a Durlan is," Ivy retorted as she climbed to her feet, "But not hurting me is going to be the last mistake you ever make, shapeshifter."

Cham instantly morphed into insect form again and flew through the now gigantic loop that had been his makeshift noose. "I strongly doubt that, Ivy." She was ready for him now though, and he had to switch form again to a hummingbird to be fast enough to avoid two giant plates of wooden bark smashing together where he'd been a second ago.

In contrast to Reep Daggle, Bruce Wayne was the most ordinary man in this park and by all rights he should have been more affected by Ivy's toxin than any of the others. Despite his lack of powers however, Bruce Wayne was also far from any other ordinary man. Part of the torturous training he'd subjected himself to before he ever became Batman involved granting himself as much control over his body's functions as it was possible to gain. Using a tremendous amount of energy, Batman painfully rasped out six small words: "Green Lantern...you can...stop this."

Hal Jordan did not have Bruce Wayne's uncanny self-discipline, and he had to telepathically instruct his ring to speak for him. "The ring is purging that toxin out of my bloodstream," a surprisingly accurate representation of Hal's voice spoke. "But it'll take another couple of seconds."

Sweating profusely from the effort, Batman turned his aching neck to face his teammate. "GL...you don't need...your body...ring is controlled by..."

"My willpower..." Hal realised. "The ring is controlled by my willpower!" His body still completely motionless, the aura surrounding Green Lantern grew countless blades on its surface to cut through the vines dragging him to his doom. He commanded the ring to levitate him to a position where he could see the others, and while Poison Ivy was busy chasing a frantic Chameleon Boy through Robinson Park, Green Lantern summoned emerald gardening shears to very carefully cut through Batman's vines.

As Green Lantern moved on to Shadow Lass, they all heard Wonder Woman grunting as against all odds she finished freeing herself from the combined trap of the Golden Perfect and Ivy's vines.

"Diana?" Green Lantern's artificial voice asked. "How did you--"

"Please," Wonder Woman chuckled as she gathered her lariat in large coils. "I've been restrained by experts. A couple of seasons on Transformation Island could teach our Ivy a trick or two."

As Green Lantern and Wonder Woman were about to turn their attention to finding and freeing the others in this overgrowth of vegetable life, a six-armed gorilla wearing Chameleon Boy's face came back to their small clearing carring a dazed Poison Ivy. "I'm afraid she didn't leave me any choice," Chameleon Boy admitted to the others regarding her injured state. "Say, where are Night Girl and Timber Wolf?"

As if on cue, tearing sounds called everyone's attention over to two of the enormous carnivorous plants which had been grown to devour them all. Two of the plants had clearly taken their victims, but they didn't hold them for long. Timber Wolf and Night Girl both ripped their way free from their gruesome prisons at roughly the same time, both of them covered from head to toe in a sticky mucus.

"Took me a little longer to get over that poison or whatever than I would have thought," Brin Londo spoke as he shook the gel-like coating off like a dog might do. "But if years of Zuunium treatments couldn't do me in, no stupid Earth plant's gonna do it!"

"...And as soon as those petals closed over me and cloaked me in darkness I was fine," Lydda added as she squeezed the gooey mess out of the long black mess her hair was now that her beehive had collapsed. "But it's going to take me forever to get my hair clean and I think I might just disintegrate this outfit...yuck!"

Poison Ivy had recovered while all of this was happening, and she struggled fruitlessly against the six arms of the Slith that Chameleon Boy had become. "Do you think you've won??" she ranted. "I was going easy on you, I'll fill this whole damned city with manchineel and gympie--"

"You will do no such thing!!" a new voice roared.

The voice sounded as though it were coming from the park itself, and piece by piece before the eyes of the astonished heroes the imposing figure of the Swamp Thing formed from the very plants that Poison Ivy had birthed here in Gotham City. Weaving a new body to house him after leaving his old one behind in Louisiana, the Swamp Thing stomped with purpose toward Poison Ivy. Green Lantern had by now put his ring to work flushing any remnants of the toxin from himself and the others, and the gathered heroes were prepared to leap into action if necessary even though all of them had some strange sense that this new entity's business with the villainess in their midst transcended any conflict they might have with her.

Completely ignoring everyone else present, the Avatar of the Green grabbed Pamela Isley's frail human jaw in his rough hand and tilted it up so that he could look her in the eye.

"We need to talk, May Queen..."

**********

ELSEWHERE/WHEN

ROLL CALL
Justice League of America
Atom aka Ray Palmer: size and mass control
Flash aka Barry Allen: super-speed
Superman aka Kal-El: JLA chairperson; Kryptonian physiology
Zatanna Zatara: sorceress

Legion of Superheroes
Blok: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Chlorophyll Kid aka Ral Benem: chlorokinesis
Comet Queen aka Grava: flight, gas generation
Dragonmage aka Xao Jin: dragon magic
Mon-El aka Lar Gand: Daxamite physiology
Mysa Marvel aka Mysa Nal: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Phantom Girl aka Tinya Wazzo: leader; intangibility
Truth Girl aka Oliv Hollowai: truth sense, wields the Golden Perfect

Only a moment ago, twelve heroes were climbing some esoteric tree-like structure created by Glorith's sorcery and Verdant's link to the Green....now all of them were face to face with the two villainesses in some deceptively peaceful forest setting. The ambient light was good enough for them to see their immediate environment quite clearly but beyond endless rows of trees there was nothing but misty darkness, and no sun hung in the formless sky above.

Sensing suspicion from all of the heroes, Glorith gave a superior laugh. "Oh come on, if I wanted to turn you all into toddlers I could do it. I've been dying to explain my master plan, won't you all just gather around and let me?"

While Blok and Mysa Marvel surreptitiously took sentry positions at the back of the group to look out for any surprises, Phantom Girl, Superman and Mon-El stepped out in front (notably between Chlorophyll Kid, Comet Queen and the two women they'd come here looking for).

"You want to tell us your big plan, Glorith?" Phantom Girl placed her hands on her hips. "We're listening."

"What is there to gain from all of this senseless destruction?" Superman added. "You're not even from my century, do you know how many innocent people you're hurting?"

"They're only people, Big Blue." Glorith gave a dismissive wave. "If there's one thing a good empress is never lacking for, it's replaceable servants." She turned her back on them all and with her cape billowing dramatically behind her she began walking back toward the scowling Verdant.

"This is a mistake, Mistress!" Ivy Arcane spoke out. "We're so close!"

"Dear, you have your strengths." Glorith smiled coldly at her younger charge. "Why don't you concentrate on those for now?"

"Glorith--" Mon-El began.

"Oh for badness sake!" Glorith spun on her heel to face the heroes again. "For someone who spent a thousand years floating in a non-realm, you're so impatient, Lar Gand! But you asked for an explanation, so let me give you one." She conjured up a vision of what everyone recognised as the Earth in front of everybody and then with a flourish, split that Earth into two almost but not quite identical planets.

"The Earth of the Justice League and the Legion of Superheroes' time," Superman noted curtly.

"Very clever," Glorith ran a gloved finger down his chest. "Now I just want you to know that I have nothing against your little Justice League and while I do hate the Legion of Superheroes quite passionately this plan is only really circumstantially about annoying them so let's everyone not take this personally, hmm? But now that you've recognised your little mudball, let's see if any of you can tell me what this means. You don't have that adorable little crackpot Coluan with you these days so don't be embarassed if it's beyond you." She added an oversized tree to both worlds, and the roots of those trees reached down between their respective worlds toward one another in the centre somewhere.

"We already know this tree of yours links both of our eras, Glorith." This was the Flash, and he didn't sound any happier about having to play along with this than Superman had been.

"But what's the point?" the diminutive Atom joined in from where he stood on the left fin of Flash's cowl.

"You two are infinitely less fun than Wally West or Ryan Choi will be," Glorith gave a disappointed sigh. "But I'm to blame for choosing your home time I suppose." Before Barry Allen or Ray Palmer could query her strange remark, Glorith continued. "You all may have heard of the Green...one of the elemental forces of this universe, the collective life force of all plants in the universe. Well, my darling Ivy over here is of course the Avatar of the Green and she positively despises humanoid life outside of yours truly. It made me think...maybe I could help her bring the Green to prominence throughout the universe and at the same time serve my own ends. You see, this is just a stepping stone...once I've ensured that the Green rule over a thousand years, I can use them to channel my own power. And once I have a thousand years under my corset, I can encourage the Green to take over another thousand years and extend my rule out a little further, and then a little further from then...and before you know it, I'll have enough of this timeline under my power to finally get my revenge on the bastard who set me on this path to begin with."

"The Trapper..." Mysa Marvel gasped. "You're killing all these people...engaging in all of this destruction...purely to get revenge on the Time Trapper??"

"I told you the first time we met, Mysa." Glorith hovered, mystical energies building about her. "There's no need to say his name out loud. But I know a word that might mean trouble for you and Blok over here. Shaz--"

Superman reacted before she could complete the magic word, flying up to clamp his hand down over her mouth. "I think you've said enough, Miss. If you're an enemy of the Time Trapper though, I can assure you that we're not fans of him either. We can work togeth--"

Interrupting him, Glorith shot a black bolt of mystical energy straight into the Kryptonian's gut. He flew back several metres, knocking poor Dragonmage over before Superman hit the ground unconscious.

"Seems you forgot the part where I mentioned I hate the Legion of Superheroes as well," Glorith sneered, "Just like you forgot your own vulnerability to magic, man of steel."

"Damn it Glorith, if you've seriously hurt him--" Mon-El flew up and wasted no time trying to restrain her, instead landing a punch straight on her cheekbone. The sorceress flew back through several tree trunks before she came to a stop, and while Zatanna helped Dragonmage to his feet the other heroes moved toward either Glorith or Verdant to end this.

The time witch came storming out of the endless forest of trees, blood streaming down her face. Before she could make another move though, a red and gold blur became the Flash carrying Truth Girl and they stood right behind Glorith. The scarlet speedster let Truth Girl find her feet, and then Truth Girl ignored the pounding of her own heart and called on the skill of Diana of Themyscira to wrap Glorith in her golden lasso. Truth Girl had to ignore that this woman had just taken Superman down; Oliv Hollowai had told Chlorophyll Kid she could do this, and she wasn't going to let him down now. "Tell us the truth!" the Kenyan heroine commanded. "You're just using Ivy Arcane, aren't you? All of this is about nothing but advancing your own goals!"

Wrapped in the Golden Perfect as she was, Glorith had no choice but to admit the truth. "Of course I'm using my darling Ivy!" she laughed. "Isn't that just what I told you? I want to destroy the Time Trapper utterly, and I won't forget that you made me say his name...the need to humble him overrides everything else in my life, but that doesn't mean I don't genuinely want Ivy to succeed as well!"

"Ivy--?" Chlorophyll Kid looked at his adopted daughter helplessly.

"Was this meant to be some kind of Hail Mary gambit?" Verdant looked with disgust upon Ral Benem. Chlorophyll Kid wasn't wearing his wooden armour and the despair was plain on his exposed face.

"My mistress has never made a secret that she has her own agenda," Verdant continued, "But at the end of the day, she can help further my needs while working toward her own. I don't care how humanity fares from now till the end of time, Benem. What I care about is that you and that golden-skinned witch are punished, and that the needs of the Green are furthered. I know my mistress Glorith is going to pursue her own goals no matter what...but at least she never hid that from me, and she never abandoned me because it was the easiest path."

"Ivy, I--"

"Little sprout--"

"Shut up," Ivy shut both her parents down. "We've tolerated you all more than enough. You need to accept that you've lost."

Ivy Arcane allowed herself to be distracted from her primary task long enough to concentrate on all the heroes here. Vines of various length and thickness wrapped themselves around almost every hero present, and despite all their protests they found themselves dragged deep deep beneath this strangely constructed forest floor.

Intangible, Phantom Girl watched with mounting horror as every other hero here was pulled beneath the surface of the ground.

"Don't you worry too much," Glorith spoke to the leader of the Legion of Superheroes. "I have spells that will leave you suffering for eternity too..."

**********

ELSEWHERE/WHEN (again)

On a cratered rock that was the last surviving piece of matter at the end of time and space, the Time Trapper watched through some kind of time portal as these Legionnaires were pulled beneath the ground by crawling vines.

"Daughter," the Time Trapper's sepulchral voice intoned, "It is almost the right locus for action."

"Then we will leave here soon?" Decay asked with an audible hint of excitement. As much as she felt fulfilled that her father had finally acknowledged her existence, she was beginning to come to terms with the fact that existence at the end of all reality was....well, kind of dull. She craved some kind of activity.

"I will leave here soon," the Time Trapper corrected his alleged daughter. "But fear not...you serve me by waiting here at the end of time, and you will soon have the chance to serve me more directly."

"Thank you, Father." The Titanian woman named Decay tried to hide her disappointment at being left behind.

"You are welcome, my dear daughter. Stand ready, and you will be able to serve me in....no time at all."

Dusty motes rose up around the purple-cloaked form of the Time Trapper, and soon his equally purple-cloaked daughter was left standing at the end of everything on her own.

**********

NEXT: CONCLUSIONS!

EDITOR'S NOTES:
* I haven't really come out and said it yet, but the 21st century era of this adventure is set when Poison Ivy was still a regular supervillain who wore green stockings and had lipstick that controlled men. The idea is that Glorith here has given her the idea she has more potential than that, which is what leads to the eco-terrorist Poison Ivy that we know and love.

* Ivy being called the May Queen is something I stole from the comics; she's not the Avatar of the Green, but she's very connected to the Green!

* I assume everyone knows who Wally West is, but Ryan Choi is the legacy Atom in case that wasn't clear.

* the first time Glorith met Mysa was when Mysa called herself the Black Witch, and that story is here: https://www.legionworld.net/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1014596#Post1014596\

yay!! more good stuff, raz! what a treat after a long day at work!

I like Tellus' initiative and Nura's tactical sense. also, love Aquaman just tricking Faust into that old villain bit of declaring his plans and his victory prematurely lol

a beguiling woman from the future... Glorith, indeed!

I love how you have Tenzil wearing sunglasses too!

so cool that anything living in water, like alligators, can be reached by Aquaman! And also Tellus' thoughtfulness that the alligators would be in danger. and that was awesome teamwork with Tellus, Tenzil and Nura taking Faust down for good! (also, that bit re Faust being tougher than he looks - some magical enchantments eh?)

and I love Firestorm's sense of humor lol


also lol at the Stranger just up and leaving the rest of them there in the swamps! If I were Nura, I'd scream too!

Love how Diana is the one being able to resist Ivy's toxins!

I also like that Ivy was smart enough to reinforce her traps... not in time though

loved this awesome scene. we get to see Cham's shapeshifting in action, while Bruce has a role to play re his greater discipline, and of course Hal's willpower and ring still come into play!

and Diana freeing herself was icing on the cake!

oh wow, Brin and Lydda freed themselves too, hah! That is one nice pro of Lydda's power!

well well, what a cliffhanger - Swamp Thing will set Ivy in her place!

and now to the main big bad...

I like how Verdant is all so careful and focused, while Glorith is just so annoyingly blase and confident.

nice nod to Glorith's time magics, referencing a future Flash and a future Atom!

I love the opening fight scene! And yes, Truth Girl and the Golden Perfect, hah! Also nice that Truth Girl is from Kenya!

oh @(!@(_)@!, well. I didn't foresee that Ivy wouldn't be fazed by Glorith's admission. For that matter, I didn't foresee Glorith's admission exactly.

Also, I like how you're using this to turn Ivy into the eco-terrorist shades of grey bit she is these days!

looking forward to more more more more!

Hi IB, glad you enjoyed!

Tenzil wearing sunglasses is top 5 good costume choices in any incarnation of the Legion for me

Writing Nura and the Phantom Stranger has been surprisingly fun! They can go on my list for a buddy comedy straight after Elastic Lad and Flederweb

I am happy that scene with Truth Girl and Glorith hit the right way! I wanted it to be a shock when people discovered that while Ivy isn't as needlessly sadistic as Glorith, she's not completely naive about Glorith's true nature either.

And for the other Ivy in the story, she actually took on a bigger role once I decided not to have a three-way teamup with the JSA...I felt like it's a nice kind of bridge between her original femme fatale depiction and her later eco-terrorist depiction (and given the state the environment is in currently, maybe "terrorist" is a bit strong tbh!).

One more chapter to go! More surprise cameos! Some fighting! A brutal ending!

And then after that....a leadership election!

But would Nura’s sanity survive the adventure with the Stranger? Lol I would so read that

Ooh Color me excited for what comes next! Have to think carefully who to vote for leader (if you’re opening it again)! And if not, I’m still along for the ride of course so no pressure

I am actually not sure about how I am gonna manage the election this time around....I was thinking of using a random number generator to just pick two characters for leader and deputy, but I have been playing with a few different ones online and while there are definitely some interesting results I also came up with Strut and Slug once which made me break out in a cold sweat

If y'all want to throw in your two cents worth I am open to making it a write-in vote again though!

hahaha yeah, I used a random generator to pick teams for my upcoming posts, but I'm too terrified of the results to use that for leadership elections! It's coming up with potential explanations for loony results that scare me!

I'm ok either way, if you want to open it up or not, it's your show! I'm here for the ride whatever happens, raz

Hey Raz,
I'm back again for a read and review.

Yeah, the horcruxes thing is from Harry Potter. But i'm familiar with Magik and the New Mutant. and i can see the connection now that you've pointed it out.

The moment with the cadets was nicely done.
Slightly surprised that Sojurn wants the translator on. But loved how you described how it feels on him and that he enjoys the tickling.
i swear its the telepathic way and they constantly are revealing things they shouldn't. But hopefully Enigma Lass will get over it quickly.
Variable Lad is so sweet to everyone.
The Tornado Twins return? that's crazy! this mess with Glorith and Ivy really has caused trouble.

The Cavalry has returned!
But wait...Earth has been attacked for weeks and it was the target after all? Hmm.
Great teamwork Dori and Chuck and that Una is able to help the team and people. But i do wish they had a few more players on the team to help.

Strut and Sherannee to the rescue!
Nightwind sure drew the short end of the stick to have to be with Bobb and Tel right now if the people their saving can feel the tension.
Ha! i liked Nightwind trying to explain and being like i'm not Dragonmage.
So, is Glorith taking the power of the green for herself?
Gas Girl is super versatile when used with other members of the team.

I forgot Power Boy wasn't on any team. but a new fit is always entertaining. Tel sure thinks so. Looks like Tel may have found his next victim. Although i was hoping hee'd stay single for a while and figure his stuff out before trying with someone new. Or maybe Bobb might get the chance.
Lol of course he's oblivious.
Hmm attack through time..so she's attacking over the course of the last thousand years or into the future for a thousand years? hmmm...

I'm enjoying these small moments while the team tries to save people.
I like how it was broken down to Sizzle and that its all about priorities on missions and saving people is more important. liked how Sizzle realized she has more to learn about being a hero as well.
Also like the realness that villains would take advantage of this moment.
Sprint and Golden Boy helping out to save people? that was shocking for sure.

Tinya's moment with the SP's sounds like maybe the Legion needs to improve their relationships with the SPs beyond Shavugn.
Loved the Legion showing up and then wow the JLA! so time is being messed with going backwards for sure.
But i'm glad its actually Kal and not some imposters again!

I giggled a little bit at the Kappa mentioning a "super-hero" brawl. as fun as that could have been these small moments of them meeting have been entertaining.
I'm glad Vi wanted to do a Psychic scan on the JLA.
Hal getting rebuffed by Zoe was funny. But also sad.
the old timey fashions comment was a chuckle, especially considering some of the outfits we've seen the Legion wear into battle. (looking at you Saturn girl and Shadow Lass)

why does anyone left E-lad talk at all? he totally gave away stuff he shouldn't.
Elongated Man was funny and i think he's right about Kal. with that kind of adoration coming his way, his humbleness is definitely a super power of his.

Truth Girl and Wonder Woman's moment was nice.
loved Tellus and Auqaman having a little telepathic convo and no one noticing.

haha, yeah Kal we all have that problem with Grava, just takes a little getting used to.

So the JLA think they are dealing with Poison Ivy? could we be? Could Glorith kidnapped her too?
Cosmic Boy ever the history buff and blushing from Batman's compliment was cute.

So the tree is actually in the Timestream? does that mean Earth is as well?

I can't really blame Dream Girl for not wanting to leave Hawkman's arms. lol
The Phantom Stranger is here? it must be bad if he's here.
Dream Girl recoiling from him is kind of odd thought. i wonder if her power tells her something about him the rest don't know, including Superman...
Slug and Kappa (he really needs a new code name, lol) are funny. super hero team-up. glad someone is still excited by those lol.

Glorith's plan is to fuse the two ear's together using the Green to entwine them? but how does Poison Ivy fit into this?

The Legion and the Titans? The two eras really are almost merging!
King Canary, Black Canary, and Green Arrow in Gotham fighting Soloman Grundy? it was cute. But was not expecting Grundy to "die" like that or see Black Canary be that flippant out it.
The trick arrows are fun. But maybe he needs a cement one, like a quick dry cement for the feet. that might have stopped Grundy at least a little.
King Canary asking about the pretty bird comment was funny.
Sometimes the lingo of different times is the most entertaining part of these team-ups with the Legion.

Louisiana -
The Phantom Stanger and Dream Girl probably have a lot in common.
Tenzil's comment about her being out-oracled was funny.
Not too surprising that Tellus would pick up on whats the deal with Firestar. I forgot that the team doesn't know his deal in most continuities.
So Glorith has gone into cahoots with Felix Faust? And Swamp thing has been captured?
This isn't looking good for any of the heroes.

Batman taking charge...that's so unheard of lol.
Shadow Lass being offended was kind of funny. But i would think she'd have more respect for Batman because he doesn't have powers. For a warrior i would think she'd find lots of value in him.

Timber Wolf and Wonder Woman flirting? hmmm
Lol a giant dandelion was funny., especially it blowing up on Brin. But super agility and clumsy is an odd combination.
Not gonna lie, Batman has a point. I honestly thought it was activated as soon as a mission starts. Its interesting how much they are treating the past as almost a non-threat. Its all that regular time hoping, lol.
Damn, Poison Ivy has gotten the drop on the them. But they should have noticed how easy it was going for them.
Giant Venus Fly traps? yikes!

The Legion of Sub Villains attacks. lol
Inferno is always a fun one to see.
The Tongue! man idk how you're going to make him a decent villain. But i'm here for it.

I'm glad Sizzle and the other Legionnaires showed up. it felt kind of wrong that they ignored their thievery. But i get it.
Bhahahah! second rate Dawnstar from a medieval fair. love it.
Surprised by Hawkgirl's mace melting like that though. i thought she had one made of Nth metal?
Nice use of Color Kid. overconfidence does them in every time.
Inferno vs Sizzle was quick. i was hoping for a little back and forth with them. next time i'm sure.
Sizzle and Mwindaji's moment was well done and they have more in common than thought. Maybe a new friendship will form. I'm glad she was backed up! just because there's a I disaster going on doesn't mean they still can't take care of other villains who aren't helping.
I was hoping for a bit more of a battle, but it was still entertaining.

Tinya's team is pretty powerful it seems.
Tinya is a good leader and its interesting seeing the adult Legion with Kal, as its been a long while since they've seen him in this form if i remember right. He was Superboy with them during your time travel stuff right?
Of course the flash wants to speed ahead. lol.
I hope Truth Girl makes it through all of this. its exciting but there is a lot of danger coming.

Ooo, lucky me for when i started reading again. a new post already!
Faust took the team out quickly.
Dream girl's right. i doubt Tellus would like what he sees in Faust's mind.

Haha of course we just gotta get the villain to monologue.
Oh how history records can be so wrong.
I'm guilty of this too but i always underestimate Aquaman. loved the use of the gators and Tellus being worried about them.
Ahhh i was wondering how he got the jump on all of them.
When is Tenzil going to learn to not eat mystical objects. lol
Hahah the outfit Firestorm gave Faust was a great touch. Aquaman's reaction even better.

Phantom Stanger is understandably infuriating. like what are his powers? how did he make that force field disappear? Where or when did he take Faust.
So i'm guessing Swamp thing is off to Gotham and to face Poison Ivy?
lol of course he's not going to come back for them. lol was not expecting her to actually scream out. Glad she's getting a bit of a taste of her own medicine though.

that is probably the best and only way to deal with Wonder Woman. She can break through anything else it seems.
Poison Ivy, doesn't feel too worried...until Cham's no where to be found.
I was wondering if he was truly affected or not.
Cham doing somewhat well. i love when he does quick changes.
Gl and and Batman i just want to laugh. like come on Hal.
Loved that Wonder Woman freed herself.
Was not expecting the plants to almost get Brin and Lydda or Cham to show up with the win. i was expecting this to go a lot worse for our heroes.
Swap Thing arrives! The May Queen...that sounds familiar. is this not the real Poison Ivy? (Ahhh saw the editors notes. makes sense. and love that this is how Poison Ivy has learned to evolve. Something had to start it i guess.)

Glorith being confronted was well done. She has no fear of any of the heroes and clearly thinks she has won the day. her taunting them about turning them into kids was good. i wonder if it sparked a memory.
Glorith makes a point about Mon-El though. he does have an impatient streak for someone who was trapped for so long.
The taunting of the Flash and Atom with their future was interesting. Makes me wonder just how much Glorith knows and who else she's faced.

So if she rules with the Green at her side she thinks she'll gain some sort of temporal powers for being alive so long? her plan's not 100% sound to me.
Wait so Glorith never lied to Ivy/Verdant? i think Truth Girl needed to ask a better question like who threw Ivy into the time stream or something like that.
things are not looking good at all. Superman....Superman. you know magic is a weakness. but at least he stopped her from saying the magic word for Mysa and Blok.
Tinya is in trouble now...

Seeing the JLA and the Legion has been entertaining. Wonder Woman seems to be the standout from the JLA with Batman and Aquaman being close seconds.

the Time Trapper cometh? ooo this isn't going to go well for anyone.

I can't wait for more!

Hi Omni,

Good work on catching up so quick!

Sojurn wearing a translator is more about Sojurn's writer getting tired of always having to remember to use the <telepathic speech> brackets when they talk to anyone hahaha....but it also does make sense from an in-story point of view as they don't have any way of communicating over comms without it and their telepathy is pretty limited (which reminds me, I should write up a profile for them!)

My version of Sizzle actually comes from an interesting place in the way her ethics have been formed...it's all background stuff I haven't had a chance to put into the story yet, but hopefully I will get a chance to spotlight her a bit more soon!

And I see Sprint as having been a....I don't wanna say good influence exactly, but maybe a less psychotic influence on Golden Boy than some of Earth-Man's original crew were...the two of them are still bad guys and will hurt people in the pursuit of their goals but they're not complete monsters either. Actually, I might write them up next as well!

Transposition Lad having such a clumsy superhero name is my favourite thing about him hahaha...half the time when I'm designing new characters I'm like okay their name has to be at LEAST as bad as "Matter-Eater Lad" or they're out

You have got a good point about Shady and Batman actually! I feel like writers enhanced the warrior stuff with Umbra's character a lot more than classic Shady every showed, but it is a valid argument that she would respect Batman being able to hold his own on the JLA just through pure fighting skill. Thanks for bringing that up, it is food for thought!

I have no intention of ever making Ze Tongue a decent villain, I love how awful he is hahahaha

There is one other thing you mentioned which I am not going to bring up because it is a pretty huge plot point for the resolution of this storyline, but I feel like you have been reading my mind!

NEXT UP: Couple more 21st century cameos and the big wrap-up!!