Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Re-Reading the Postboot Legion! (LSH 110, L*67)

I've only read a couple of issues of Superboy, so I can't really comment (though in the ones I did read where he fought Silver Sword and the Female Furies, he certainly seemed like he had more depth than in LSH 74 and L*31!).

I read a handful of Valor issues as well, and he certainly seemed a lot younger there. His exile in the Phantom Zone really changed him.

And in a few issues, Legion fans would get even busier with the addition of two new members and the return of several more

Legion of Super-Heroes 74
Prisoner of the Super-Heroes, Future Tense part 2 of 3

Issue information

Summary:

The Legionnaires and Superboy return to the 30th century, much to Superboy's annoyance. Brainiac 5 realizes that the Phantom Zone Projector's parts are too primitive to replicate with the materials he has on-hand. A team of Legionnaires, plus Superboy and Ultra Boy, travel to planet Korr to search its technological archive only to find that the piece they need has been stolen... by the Scavenger! The issue ends with the Scavenger using the Philosopher's Stone to vanquish the entire team!

Plus, a careless Superboy inadvertently reveals the Valor rescue mission to the UP public, stirring up extreme reactions from believers of different worlds.


Thoughts:

This issue was a pretty good read. It ably handled the series of conflicts - Triad's internal disagreements; Superboy's conflict with Brainiac 5 and much of the Legion; and the debate on how to handle Valor's rescue mission.

Superboy has every right to be annoyed at Brainy; as Future's review told us, Brainy had already asked Saturn Girl to link him to Superboy's mind, and had already realized how obsolete they were:



Yet Brainy pulls the specs AGAIN this issue. Ah well, the writers had to make sure Superboy was "needed" in the future, or this wouldn't be much of a crossover. I actually think Superboy's reaction was justified, and though he used machinery to attack Brainy, it was mild compared to what, say, Wolverine would do. And Superboy's right - you need help, just ask!

Having Triad be the Legionnaire whose belief in Valor is strongest is a good move. Her three personalities allow us to see just how extreme these feelings can get. It's also a way to further develop her, as we see that their emotional and mental differences extend even to their faith. Ooh, blasphemy. Triad must be really mad at Purple now. (By the way, the panel of Imra frowning in the background as Superboy is distracted by Triad's lust, is priceless).

Speaking of, Superboy's inadvertent Valor slip is unfortunate but not unexpected. He picked up on Triad Purple's interest and tried too hard to impress her. He got careless. A lot of teenage boys do that.

We don't see much of the UP's reaction to the Valor rescue mission, but we don't need to. Triad's reaction and Chu's call with Cos are enough to drive the point home. The writers also took a good opportunity to look in on the Ranzzes; it seems Winath is also a world of believers. The reactions of Spark and Live Wire are not nearly so extreme as Triad's though. Spark even chooses to stay home on Winath, and nobody admonishes her for it. Even if she were just humoring Garth, I'm sure her dad at least would have told her to go. If this were really the "most important event of their lives", of course. No, Triad's beliefs are a lot stronger.

Imra also knew about Valor's religious significance, though it doesn't seem as though she believes in him as a religious figure. And none of the other Legionnaires we see show signs of it.

By the way, Leviathan's explanation to Superboy on page 10 - "Sure, we're all from other worlds, except me", is a bit misleading. To Superboy's, and the readers', perspective, it makes it sound like Gim is from Earth while Lyle is not. Superboy, for all intents and purposes, sees himself as an Earth native. Or Kryptonian. Either way, Gim is from Mars; even if he had come from Earth, Lyle is also from Earth. But eh, it's a minor quibble and Gim is hardly the best at seeing things from others' perspectives.

Finally, we see quite a bit of action at the end. Interesting that Scavenger is still alive after a thousand years. His collection is amazing - I see two versions of the Batmobile, a Preboot Legion clubhouse, a ball with coloring matching that of Plastic Man's, Ray's helmet, Blue Beetle's bug and costume, Luthor's battlesuit, Brainiac's ship, Batman's giant penny, McDonald's arches, Guardian's shield, Hawkman's helmet, Flash's ring... and this is besides Superboy's jacket, Steel's staff, New Genesis aero-disks, Blue Devil's trident, the Philosopher's stone... and is that Captain Cold's gun that he uses to freeze so many Legionnaires?

Oh, and on page 19, 2nd panel... is that the Emerald Eye that bounces away from the shattered display case? UH-OH. Boy, I hope this is just a replica, and not the REAL eye...

The battle itself is well-choreographed. Things happen really quickly, though most of the Legionnaires get something to do and we do see them engage in some teamwork. The storytelling also makes it just abut plausible that Scavenger can easily take down 7 super-powered youths all by himself. The artwork gives us a sense that he's moving really quickly, and he does have access to a huge arsenal of weapons (thankfully most of them non-lethal). The only element that didn't go well? That one panel where Superboy and Ultra Boy go "where did he go?" Um, he seems to be right there in the panels before and after; you can see him in the foreground with Leviathan in the background, and he's close enough to zap Ultra boy too. Also, Triad doesn't get any action.

All in all a good second part to the crossover. The ending definitely leaves me wanting more.

Legionnaires 31
One Thousand Years of Solitude, Future Tense part 3 of 3

Issue information

Summary:

The away team manages to beat Scavenger without any casualties. The Legionnaires make a big show of activating the Phantom Zone projector to release Valor, only for the projector to fall apart in front of the gathered crowd and the news cameras!

A while later, the Phantom Zone spits out Valor - Brainiac 5 had triggered a time delay so Valor could exit the Zone in secret! The lead serum is successful and Valor is finally free, though he is forced to lie low due to his status. An upset Valor turns on Triad, who is consoled by Superboy. Superboy is made honorary Legionnaire before being returned to the 20th century.

Thoughts:

This was another fun issue with effective storytelling. The layout of the panes in the battle with Scavenger us superb, as is the teamwork: Chameleon gets Scavenger to drop the Philosopher's Stone, Triad catches it, Leviathan coaches her to use it to save Violet, who follows and defeats a shrunken Scavenger. And Ultra Boy's penetra-vision finds the missing piece they need, with Superboy's guidance. The pacing was just right and the excitement was kept up all throughout.

The Legion's solution to the Valor mess is inspired, and the storytelling is very effective. We don't get a hint at all that the Phantom Zone projector is meant to fall apart; the only clue is the last panel on page 14 where Superboy and Brainiac 5 grin as they run away, and that's already after the projector fails. That is good writing.

I do feel a bit bad for Brainy. He probably doesn't care much, but Cos yells at him a lot this issue. He's pretty much the only one Cos yells at! I do share Cos' concern for XS though. "XS is lost in time, and you're making toys?" Yeah, it's not like Brainy's forcefield is urgent. But I guess Brainy is just that confident about being able to find XS.

Superboy really redeemed himself this issue! He shows a lot of the depth that Future stated was present in his own series. I wouldn't call him manipulative, but he certainly knows how to make amends. Telling Saturn Girl he's a screw-up, apologizing to and flattering Brainiac 5, and consoling Triad at the end. And, as I forgot to mention in last issue's review, his budding friendship with Chameleon - who actually cries when he leaves.

Valor's anger at Triad and his disappointment at being asked to lie low is very realistic. After being trapped for so long, he must be itching to explore again; in the 20th century, he had the same lust for exploration. As someone who eagerly trawls through the Internet to find cheap flights and to research on far-off lands, I can relate. It's worse for Valor, as he easily has the powers and means to explore; the only reason he can't go out is because of his believers! His outburst is right in that the believers do use him to add meaning to their lives, but of course we can't blame them. His legend has been built up for over a thousand years, after all; and his deeds were great. It's nice to see the world seeding still a part of continuity too.

More Easter Eggs in Scavenger's lair - Quislet's ship, a GL power battery (?), Data's (from Star Trek's) head, and Atom's belt.

Scavenger's cybernetic enhancements also help explain why a) he's so tough, and b) why he's so long-lived.

I'm also pleased by how the creators managed to show - in one panel on page 8 - the gravity of the Valor leak. The two beings from different worlds arguing about how Valor looks like? Comedic AND effective.

The issue also has some choice comedic bits, like:

1) The ongoing flirtation between Purple and Superboy. When Purple whispers something to Superboy, Triad Neutral's and Orange's are much less violent. "Valor's watching!" I wonder how they knew what she was whispering to Superboy? Does she have some sort of telepathic link, or is it just from experience? Also, when Superboy whispers (possibly the same thing) back to an integrated Triad, her "WHAT did you say?!" line is priceless.

2) Chu asking who Superboy is. When Cos says he's a friend of Brainy's, Chu goes, "Brainiac 5 has friends?!"

3) The initiation prank at the end, where the Legion pretends that the time machine failed. A nice homage to the Adventure Era.

All in all, this was a nice, fun issue and helped us forget for a while just how bad the political climate around the Legion has gotten. It was a welcome break from the doom and gloom immediately following the White Triangle saga's conclusion.

By the way, I have edited the first post. It now contains links to each issue that we have reviewed as well

Legion of Super-Heroes 75
2-Timer
Underworld Unleashed Tie-In, Part 1

Issue Information

Summary:
We finally find the missing XS, who herself finds the 20th century villain Chronos! Like other villains at that time, Chronos has been powered up by the demon Neron as part of the Underworld Unleashed event. And like other villains, Chronos suffers a drawback. In exchange for being able to time travel at will, Chronos ages every time he uses his power. He has managed to temporarily stop the aging by transferring its effects to others; mostly young children like Lori Morning.

Lori, the daughter of Chronos’ henchman Ronald, befriends XS despite the language barrier. They discover that Chronos has kidnapped several children and aged them several decades. They manage to stop Chronos in the 20th century, only for another version of him to appear and bring Lori to the 30th century where he attacks the Legion in order to steal Brainiac 5’s time platform! And XS remains in the past, though it seems that events will lead her to the current Flash, Wally West.

Thoughts:

Tie-in issues to company-wide crossovers are hit or miss at best, but this one is a hit. The linkages to the Underworld Unleashed event are minimal, and no additional knowledge of the event is needed to understand or appreciate this story.

The action is fast-paced and few panels are wasted. XS, despite us not understanding her speech (unless you have the Interlac guide handy) shines. She manages to understand Lori’s coaching and she also figures out how to use Chronos’ glove. And like the hero she is, she risks remaining aged bin order to restore the five boys that Chronos kidnapped first. Of course, she restores herself next before Lori, but I don’t hold that against her; Lori’s been aged only a few years at most and Lori doesn’t mind the aging at all. I also like the scene where XS is still lost in the timestream, and she uses the memory of Cosmic Boy’s encouragement to calm herself. XS’ heroic journey is nearly complete; she comes across as a very mature young hero. It’s also a nice reminder of Cos’ excellent inspirational leadership, which has sadly been waning in recent issues.

On to XS’ new friend Lori. She enjoys being physically aged because she wants to be taken more seriously. But she doesn’t realize that the aging doesn’t come with mental or intellectual maturity. She does decently though, coaching both XS and the 30th century Legionnaires about Chronos’ glove. Her nicknames, Speedy and Barbie, were cute and descriptive. And to her credit, Lori doesn’t fall apart even though she sees her dad die. Nor does she have any misplaced loyalties towards Chronos.

Chronos’ aging shtick reminds me a bit of Glorith, though his is out of necessity. True to his villainous nature, he isn’t the least bit apologetic when Ronald catches him aging Lori. His villainy is characterized more by selfishness than sadism; besides his one-panel mention of destroying the Atom, all his actions are towards the goal of obtaining a time machine so he won’t age anymore.

We don’t get to know Ronald Morning enough to mourn him, though his belligerence towards Chronos – even before he realizes what has happened to Lori – puzzle me. Why exactly is he working for Chronos in the first place? He doesn’t seem to have any respect, much less actual loyalty, for Chronos. Ah well. Lori, of course, is distraught when Ronald dies but things happen so fast she doesn’t really get to mourn him.

On to the 30th century. Enter Rond Vidar! This Rond seems older and more “nerdy” than the Preboot version. His history with Brainiac 5 is a nice touch.

The Legionnaires in the 30th century do their best against Chronos. They do manage to stop him, but sadly not the effects of his glove. It’s great how five of the seven Legionnaires get to do something in 4 pages (2 pages, if you consider that only half of each page takes place in the 30th!).

The juxtaposition of 20th and 30th centuries is interesting, but confusing. I do like how the events mirror (but don’t completely copy) each other. Raises a lot of questions though. Chronos (unsurprisingly) and Lori (a little more surprisingly) have the same lines. I’m still confused as to where the second Chronos came from though. This one doesn’t seem to have any memory of fighting XS or of “dying” in the 20th century, yet remembers his mission to get the 30th century time machine. His dialogue also indicates that he just left for the 30th. What crazy time loop is this?

The art is good, though Lee Moder’s deaged kids seem a bit too old. Lori talks like she’s maybe 10, the boys seem to be in their preteens. Maybe they’re not in the same year. The action was very easy to follow though, and the layouts (especially for the pages with the battles against Chronos) were good.

All in all a solid issue, and a good setup for future development for XS. Sadly, I don’t have copies of her adventures in the 20th century, so if anybody else does, go for it!

Legionnaires 32
Here and Now
Underworld Unleashed Tie-In, Part 2

Issue Information

Summary:

The Legionnaires survive their battle with Chronos, though he doesn’t. Lori is now aged to early adulthood. The Legionnaires seek Rond Vidar’s assistance, but a slip by Cosmic Boy leads to Chu ordering the Science Police to shut them down! The Legionnaires barely manage to extract Brainiac 5 from the timestream, and the issue ends with him arrested for time travel.

We also revisit Kinetix after about 10 issues (5 months of real world time). She’s close to death, but a white glow surrounds her ship and apparently teleports her away. To safety? Time will tell.

Thoughts:

Much like the previous issue, this one manages to pack in a lot of fast-paced and easy to follow action. It also gives almost every character a chance to shine despite limited panel space and a cast of over a dozen.

The opening scenes are very well-done and heighten the tension and suspense. Does everyone make it? Having the scene be from Valor’s point of view keeps us guessing, and also gives some much-needed panel time to our new character. It’s really a testament to his power (and maturity) that he saves the Athramites and Shvaughn without them realizing it is him; he also keeps himself hidden despite wanting to burst free and explore his new world. I can empathize; I daydream about and make plans for travel a lot, and these restrictions can chafe. Valor’s inclusion also helps bridge the language gap with Lori.

The succeeding scenes are well-paced, and each furthers the plot along. Cos’ inadvertent slip leads Chu to send the Science Police down on everyone; Lyle’s tinkering brings Brainy back and Rond’s tinkering leads him to the Time Institute. And somehow, the chronal energy resurrects Chronos. What?I don’t get it myself, but at least Chronos gives a one-panel guess that it must be Neron’s work. Lori, once again, proves she is someone great to have in a crisis. She gives Brainy the key to escaping the timestream, and gives the Legion the key to defeating Chronos. Lobe her stamping his foot too. Well done!

There’s a teensy error on page 5 though. Valor is speaking in Interlac in the first two panels, but Lori somehow understands him. Why does he have to switch to English in the next few panels then?

Triad’s suspicion of Lori is a nice touch, and might hold some jealousy. I’m sure she must be glad that Valor helped her first though, and that he doesn’t seem to be mad at her anymore.

Lyle’s “friendship” with Brainy, though not really seen before this, is refreshing. It looks like Lyle respects Brainy after all, despite their early rivalry (in Planet Hell, when Lyle invented the flight ring, and to an extent during the Composite Durlan battle) it does seem a bit odd that Lyle would think of Brainy as his pal (“he hasn’t said two words to me since Andromeda died” – why? It’s not like they were particularly friendly before, despite being the two smart guys on the team!). And true to form, Lyle doesn’t follow orders and isn’t afraid to tinker with things by himself.

This Rond is definitely more “nerdy” and research-minded than the Preboot Rond. His history with Brainy is a nice touch. I’m VERY interested in why Chu seems to be so eager to clamp down on time travel, and share Cosmic Boy’s surprise that you can’t talk about time travel in the Time Institute! I’m also glad that Rond, though definitely not Brainy’s equal, is capable enough to enable Brainy to “bounce” to the Time Institute. Good job! And it looks like Lori likes Rond’s brains, too.

I’m also very annoyed at the gung-ho, by-the-books actions of the Science Police this issue. Except for Shvaughn (good girl, siding with the Legion like that! And a good continuation of events in LSH Annual 6), they don’t even seem to care that blasting the equipment could kill Brainy or innocent bystanders. Excuse me? Surely there are better ways to shut down equipment than by blasting them. I don’t mind them obeying orders to shut down experiments with time, but doing so in such a careless way is just moronic.

Lori is easily distracted, like many children her age. I barely understood her explanation myself, especially at the end. And this comes from me reading the previous issue! (Rond’s “you lost me” line is comedic and perfectly executed by the way).

Cos’ concern for XS is on-the-spot, and Jenni would surely have been happy to know that Cos was concerned. Sadly, he doesn’t seem to be at all concerned for Brainy. First time I read this issue I was perplexed; Cos is the leader! Didn’t he authorize Brainy’s invention? Of course, reading all the issues in order made me realize that Brainy invented the time machine himself; but it just seemed odd that Cos wouldn’t defend Brainy. President’s orders, huh? But how will they find XS now with Brainy in jail and time research outlawed? Surely he could have tried to explain that?

Imra’s a bit like a Mama Bear here. “Cos, give it a rest! Lori, SPEAK!” Heh. That is so Imra.

Gim is the quintessential soldier here. I don’t begrudge him his siding with the Science Police; surely he didn’t know they would shut down the machinery so violently, and potentially kill Brainy. I do agree with him though – don’t mess with things you don’t understand, especially when the Legion is already consulting an expert who could possibly properly extract Brainy.

Brainy is, as usual, smart and arrogant. He shines in his scenes here.

Finally, we devote one page to Kinetix. Poor Zoe, she looks in dire straits here. I’m surprised she survived so long myself; maybe the Stargate space warped time somehow and she exited some time in the future. I mean, we last saw her in LSH 71, before the White Triangle members attacked Earth. That has got to be at least a few weeks in Legion time (since then, they buried their dead, fought Dr. Regulus, Garth and Ayla defeated Mekt, and they freed Valor from the timestream). In any case, it’s good they haven’t forgotten totally about her.

Violet certainly hasn’t forgotten; her few panels show she’s still very much worried about Zoe. I think this is the first we’ve seen (of actual worry, I mean) since the White Triangle war. Good to know Vi’s continuing her search; looks like their friendship remains strong.

All in all, a good and enjoyable issue. The art is good, the action is easy to follow, the characters are developed further with the cast being juggled well. Of course, more and more questions arise – why does Chu hate time travel so much? Why is Cos acting the way he is? And how the heck is the Legion supposed to survive, with a wrecked HQ and a dwindling membership? Since LSH Annual 6, we’ve lost Kinetix, Apparition, Andromeda, XS and now Brainiac 5! The memberships of Live Wire, Element Lad and Ultra Boy have also been blocked, and Spark is on Winath – we’re down to only 7 Legionnaires from a peak of 13. Grim times, indeed…

Wow, this is pretty cool, Invisble Brainiac! I love the post-Zero Hour Legion so I'll be sure to follow this thread.

Now to go back and read this thread from the beginning...

Thanks, Braal Janitor! Nice meeting a fellow Post-Zero Hour team fan please, feel free to add your own comments and reviews to the thread!

Legion of Super-Heroes 76
Bouncing Back

Issue Information

Summary:

New members Star Boy and Gates, as well as architect Chuck Taine, meet a frosty reception at Legion HQ. The team's morale is at possibly its lowest point yet, as Leviathan comes to blows with Cosmic Boy while Invisible Kid pulls Triad, Chameleon and Violet together into an Espionage Squad.

Spark returns and is punished by Cos. Valor leaves, frustrated at having to remain in hiding. Violet has a crisis of confidence after feeling ignored and searching for Kinetix in vain.

Kinetix awakens on the Sorceror's World, tended to by an old hag called Mysa who hints about power!

Winema Wazzo confronts Ultra Boy, who confesses his love for Tinya and wished that he had died instead. In a fit of emotion, she urges him to destroy Legion HQ to prevent more teens from dying.

President Chu shuts down the Time Institute in order to clamp down on time travel, and the issue ends with the Institute being attacked by a villain who looks like Starfinger... and who was sent by a mysterious woman!

Thoughts:

A lot happens in this issue - most of it unrelated, but at the same time there is a sense that many plot threads (the Xanthian member mentioned in LSH 66, Kinetix's fate, Lyle's dissatisfaction with Cos, Valor's fate) are starting to progress. But the threads are discrete enough that it feels like a jumbled mess with too much going on. It's easy to empathize with the overwhelmed Legionnaires.

The issue itself reads like a mish-mash of fleeting scenes with little true resolution. Lyle, Cham and Lu are together in one scene; suddenly, we see Lyle alone in one scene and Lu alone in another; then the three are together again. Gates and Star Boy join together but don't do anything. We don't get any hints as to what Lyle is planning.

On the plus side, there were plenty of little character moments. I know I was tickled pink by the introductions of Chuck Taine and Star Boy, and the return (and membership!) of Gates!

Gates easily stole the show, his snarky and opinionated comments had me cracking up (. And teleportation is way up high on my list of cool, tactically advantageous powers.

Chuck looks to be on his way to becoming unofficial Chief of Morale yet again (a moniker he took early in the Preboot!), and it's a welcome ray of light in these depressing times. Having him be an architect adds a nice dimension to the character. And his speech at the end - "We'd all be dead if not for the Legion!" - made me cheer. Come on Legionnaires, get your act together!

Finally, Star Boy's intro also is a nice nod to his Preboot days - the space-cruiser accident (which caused him to miss out on a lot of action!) and his friendliness.

Leviathan vs. Cos - Cos at least had the wits to stop the fight. At least he's still not a total wreck (though he does diss Marla and yells at the other Legionnaires). I don't side with his decisions, but he came out better here. Gim pushes an innocent Cham without provocation, and I'm sure he threw the first punch. Gim does have a point, though. Poor Marla tries unsuccessfully to diffuse the tension; it seems the Legion's adult advisor doesn't hold much sway here.

Kinetix is safe (thank grife!), but is still intent on power. Let's not forget that her lust for power caused her to be depowered in the first place, and nearly got her killed. Having her be found by the magical Mysa is a slight confidence booster, but doesn't soothe my fears entirely. Remember, Mysa as the Hag was one of the bad guys. So it remains to be seen - will she ultimately be evil in this reality?

Poor Violet is burning herself out with worry over Zoe. Vi seems to be the only one who IS worried; she was closest to Zoe, but I'd still expect the others (including the besotted Gim!) to worry about her a little bit. To add to her inner turmoil, Gim remarks that he should be the one worrying about Zoe, because of the way she used to smile at him. An annoyed Violet shrinks away with the classic line - "maybe she was laughing at your hat!", which causes Gim to remove his headgear.

Anyway, poor Vi's feelings are sad AND realistic; her closest friend is missing, Spark gets so much attention, and it looks like Vi has a crush on Gim - who has a crush on Zoe! Oy! She knows they are her friends, and she knows she has to be more assertive. I look forward to seeing a more confident Vi.

The Spark secret admirer subplot is revisited again, though all we really know is that someone is going through a lot of effort! Tenzil? Lyle? Someone else entirely? I don't mind Cos' punishment of Spark too much, though the unspecified duration IS a bit harsh. But we can't have a superhero team whose members just go running around without at least keeping the leader informed.

Touching moment between Jo and Winema is ruined by Winema's deep-seated anger and hatred. She accepts that Jo loved Tinya, but then urges him to destroy Legion HQ. Whooo. Say... wasn't there some other powerful being who is being used as a puppet by someone? Someone who wants to take the Legion down?

The mysterious Starfinger is eerie AND terribly powerful, and like in the Preboot seems to be a puppet. I'm interested to see where this goes.

The hormones are flying! Lori hates being treated like a kid, but still acts like one. Rond is devastated by the Time Institute shutdown, but we know he'll be okay.

And of course, the Science Police are being a tad bull-headed. Ah well.

Overall, this story was a big jumble. There's a sense of movement, but it's all confused. Too much is happening, and it's a big change of pace from the last few 2-parter stories. I got the sense that the writers were making up for lost time, so to speak; they just finished a couple of tie-in/crossover stories which they were forced to tell, and as a result a lot of the other scenes and developments they had been meaning to work on were bumped to this issue.

On the plus side, the massive number of developments does make me excited to see what happens next. It also gives a feeling that - maybe - there will be some sort of grand culmination of all these plot threads soon.

The art is serviceable, and Lee Moder is doing a good job helping us follow the action.

It's interesting how DC had Alan Davis do a lot of the LoSH covers during this period. I wonder why they never just had him do the interiors as well?

I think Alan Davis started doing the covers for the LSH series as early as issue 70. He would continue to do so almost until the end of the series!

and let's not forget his gorgeous Legionnaires 50 pullout poster!

Gosh, I haven't done a review in a while! Been focusing on my own Legion fiction.

Although, I did reread the last couple of issues of Legion Lost just a while ago. Before Legion Lost, I didn't really care much for the likes of Kid Quantum II, Ultra Boy, Chameleon, Umbra, Wildfire, Monstress or even Brainiac 5 (the Postboot version was too snippy and snobbish for me). That's more than half the cast of Legion Lost right there!

Imagine my surprise when DNA, in a 12-issue maxi-series and the 8 issues immediately preceding it, made me care about pretty much the entire Legion more deeply than I had before. They made me like every single Legionnaire.

The last two issues of Legion Lost were among the last published comic books that made me really feel something more than mild interest. I literally cried when those last two issues came out. I have a couple of friends who became Legion fans because of me, and when they read these issues, they cried too.

And even though I have reread these issues a zillion times, I can still remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing, when I read the last pages of Legion Lost 11 and 12.

Brrrr. Gives me goosebumps.

On Alan Davis - his long-time inking partner, Mark Farmer, was a BIG Legion fan. If I'm not mistaken, more than one Legion assignment (Superboy's Legion as well as maybe the Postboot covers) were due to Farmer's desire to work with the characters. By the time the chance would have come in for the duo to do interiors when Lee Moder left, they were getting progressively busier at Marvel.

Interesting notes on Legion Lost, IB. That was an exciting and interesting time as a Legion reader after taking the series for granted during the end of the "Archie Days." I too recall where I was when I first read the last two Legion Lost issues. I didn't really realize the impact they must have had on me until you brought that up.

You know, while I was never his biggest fan before or during Lost, I will say postboot Ultra Boy was handled very well in Lost. DnA matured him out of a rut with Tinya that was completely holding the character back for me. Chameleon also shined for me only under DnA's pen. Monstress was always fun but became more two-dimensional, her head less in the clouds.

I had always had a fondness for Kid Quantum II and Umbra. Legion Lost tried my patience on Umbra, though I thought she never looked more stunning under Coipel's pencils. Jazmin I actually liked MORE due to the series, though by the time she got elected I was starting to lose interest. I think Jazmin DOES have leadership capability, but serves better as a conscience or field leader rather than public figurehead.

Future! Good to have you back.

Davis and Farmer were stellar together, and they turned in some of the best Legion covers ever.

Like with you, I only started really liking Cham and Jo under Lost.

I found Jazmin interesting before Lost, but nothing much had been done with her. I agree that she was a great conscience/field leader; while her "public figurehead" role was given to her much too abruptly. It didn't feel like she had grown into it.

And like with you, there were portions of Lost which made me irked at Umbra. Issues 6-8 in particular. I'm still a bit troubled by how she only became reasonable because of the restoration of her doubts and fears, though I CAN accept that she only went nuts because Imra had been tampering with her mind in the first place.

I've always found Davis and Farmer's work to be charming. I think working on a book of teenaged adventurers suits the whimsical style Davis has.

Reeps in most realities tend to start slow for me but get better over time. The exception is threeboot Reep, who I enjoyed from the get-go despite his changes. Apparition is actually my least favorite Tinya and I'm afraid even the "Tinya" we got in Legion Lost wouldn't have done much to change my opinion of her had she been the genuine article.

I think part of my love for Jazmin before Lost was a mix of her design, being a legacy member, and atypical personality. Ironically as soon as she joined the Legion, her contrary and hot-headed personality subsided.

Umbra was rather irksome in those issues, though I will say her fleeing the others made far more sense than her sulking dramatically about the Outpost. It's just a shame they depicted that as part of her "mental breakdown" rather than a "moment of clarity." In truth, we spent pretty much all of Legion Lost putting Umbra back to where she was before the Blight, which is a nice restoration but I don't feel did anything new for the character.

Apparition-Tinya and SW6-Tinya, who were both quite strong-willed, if a little too sharp-tongued at times, were my favorites. I agree though that the Tinya in Lost was not all that, outside of Legion Lost 4 she didn't do too much. (Of course, she was also absent for nearly half of Lost, so... :p)

While Lost made me like Umbra a bit (a very teeny bit) more, it was The Legion series that made me like her a lot more. Specifically, the moment in Legion 2 when she quite emphatically comes to Wildfire's defense after he is voided by Abyss; then Legion 24 when she FINALLY confronts her own fears and insecurities and decides to grow up. She was much more balanced and stable after that, while still retaining her snarkiness.

XS is another character who DNA got "right", though sadly she would appear a lot less after Legion of the Damned. Too bad, because they made her more mature and less airheaded, kind of like with Monstress.

Brainy is another one who blossomed under DNA. He still knew that he was so much more intelligent than everyone else, but he didn't lord it over them all the time. Plus, he didn't act like a toddler emotionally, but had the emotional intelligence to actually work well with others.

Finally, Wildfire under DNA was still gung-ho and one of the first to jump into any fight, but he was so much less arrogant and infuriating than Preboot Wildfire.

Live Wire had always been a favorite, but DNA made him so much more mature now. I liked that, and found it refreshing to see him bring in a lot of stability into his relationship with Imra.

Oddly, I quite like SW6 Tinya! I think Apparition of the Postboot had that same potential, but it got quickly derailed. I think having meddlesome Winema and seeking after Jo kind of put Tinya in a corner. She's more, in my mind, a cheerleader and confidant for the team so having her frequently deal with her own problems rather than others' diminishes my enjoyment of her. Especially since it was clear from the beginning she would get with Jo and that Winema would never change.

I did enjoy Umbra's return to snarkiness and also her capability she displayed, even without her powers for that long spell in The Legion. I think that, plus her planetary champion background, paved the way for threeboot Shadow Lass to be such a hand-to-hand opponent.

I agree that DnA "got" XS when they used her. She was great in Damned and her Legion Worlds special - I'm still to this day startled they rarely used her in The Legion series. Waid is probably still my favorite person to pen Jenni.

Brainy's strength under DnA I believe is they inherited him right as he returned to typical, smug Brainy. They utilized him well, though if he still had his "cheerful 5.1" personna at the on-set I'm sure he would have been tougher to digest. I was pleased they frequently put him in situations where he had to relate to other Legionnaires or grow as a social person to work more effectively with them (such as finding the time to comfort Umbra and his slow support of Shikari).

I actually found DnA's Wildfire to be a pretty straight translation of the previous Drake. I think a lot of his humility came from logistics. This Drake was still new to the group, never had to overcome Legion rejection (well, as Drake), and Shikari is far more fawning upon him than Dawnstar ever was. He had a lot less to prove. I think having Drake's bosom buddy be sociable with him rather than keep him at arm's length really changes Wildfire's priorities.

Live Wire was really night and day from previous writers. Even in Damned, they straightaway depicted him as competent and selfless and continued that to his death. I enjoyed their work with him and I think they recognized a lot of his whining and self-governed priorities were holding him back.

To redirect back to the last issue reviewed, LSH v4 #76:

I'm surprised it took Star Boy and Gates so long to join the team, especially considering both were referenced or drafted ten issues prior. Gates could be easily explained away as an effective draft dodger, though Star Boy being sidelined for his injuries is a bit silly in retrospect when it's later established he healed fast in Legends of the Legion. I think the President throwing those two into the fray after shooting down Jo and Jan's membership offers during Tinya's funeral would have been more on point.

Despite all that, I'm glad they were included. I'm sure many people didn't actually expect Gates to ever show up again, but I'm glad he did. He would go on to be a gem of a character and great Legionnaire for his powerset and unique viewpoints. I also like that Chuck was introduced as a supporting cast member, cementing his place in this new Legion's history even if it was just to sideline another "silly Legionnaire."

By this issue, I think the writers had the endgame for the Chu administration more or less planned out. Many of the closing plots leading to that story are started or hinted at here, including the Espionage Squad being up to something. While Zoe is still a red herring for the next Emerald Empress, Violet's actions in this issue show the informed that the Emerald Vi plot was kicking off.

Not a fan of Lyle's mullet. Lee Moder did tend to draw Lyle's hair longer than Jeff Moy did.

Re Star Boy and Gates, my reading is that Chu enforced their memberships. In fact, it was them being shoehorned onto the team that led to Gim blowing up at Cos like that.

I'll have to see if I can find it, but I recall reading somewhere that Gates was not intended to be a Legionnaire at all. But fan response to his appearance in LSH 66 was so positive that he eventually did become a Legionnaire in LSH 76!

I agree that Gates was a great Legionnaire, so great in fact that he (and XS) were the only Postboot-exclusives saved after Legion of 3 Worlds. His sarcasm certainly added a lot to the team.

I was also very glad to have Chuck reintroduced this issue. Although he would not play a particularly critical role in the plot just yet, he added a touch of positive energy to the increasingly depressing atmosphere around the Legion. It certainly helped keep MY spirits up back then.

All this has got me excited to review the next half-dozen issues. The Chu endgame is one of my favorites. Perhaps I'll be able to get to it before the holidays...

I agree with you completely. Your description of Tinya is exactly what DNA did with her in Legion Lost 4. My fave Tinya is still the early Reboot Tinya (before Jo showed up and before the drama with Winema reached a crescendo) and during the DNA days.



Waid dealt with Jenni's "heroic journey" really well. It was great seeing her blossom into a competent and confident hero. Too bad that after Waid left, she regressed a bit.



Good point on Wildfire. And this Wildfire seemed like part of the team from the get-go, whereas Preboot Wildfire had to deal with an initial rejection for membership. This Wildfire's issues with becoming an energy being were also not quite as front-and-center.



Word. As recently as three issues before DNA took over, Garth was still whining over Imra not spending enough time with him. Although, he did get over it under the pen of the previous creative team so it was not that much of a stretch. But nearly all his self-pity disappeared under DNA, and even when he complained about it (like in Legion Lost 4 or 9) he came across as a very mature guy. Garth had already been a favorite before that, but DNA cemented him as one of my Top 5 faves of all time.

Imra is another character whom I liked a bit better after Lost. She was a bit more fallible then, but I think it made her more human.

The biggest tragedy of all? DNA "got" both Kinetix and Gates, but did very little with them!

In Kinetix's scenes in Legion Worlds 1, Legion 4 and 6 (the last time we see her in her original form and personality), DNA got the right mix of exuberance, carelessness and insensitivity. She wasn't so much ditzy as she was just a tad thoughtless, but you could tell she was sharp and intelligent. Alas, they had to go and terrorform her...

As for Gates, his line in Legion 4 upon being rescued says it all. "It's about time!"

Having Drake have issues with his energy state would probably mean frequent references to Wildfire's origin, which I don't believe DnA wanted to do at all since it wasn't well-received in the postboot. Wildfire was fairly enjoyable, though there really wasn't much to him with all the preboot nuances and his struggles with Dawny dropped. Had the reality continued, I think dealing with his depleting energy state would have brought out a more headstrong Wildfire.



Garth seeking engagement soon after could easily have read as part of that clingy nature wanting Imra's time, but DnA treating it as something that was embraced by Imra rather than something she wavered on kind of sealed the deal. Garth was my favorite growing up and although that's no longer the case, I'm still fond of the Live Wire era and aesthetic.



I think DnA did well with Kinetix, considering she was largely in the background but still got some progress that poked fun of her ever-changing life. The failure with Zoe's plot was not wrapping her Terrorform status up when the Robotica plot finished or with Xanthu's restoration. That left the character a stiff, deus ex machina that no longer had a story point. No wonder they abandoned her. Had she reverted, I'm sure she would have been back to her exuberant self like nothing had happened.

I think they could have worked around it. In Legion Lost 10 for example, they had Wildfire reflect on his energy state without referencing that he was a merger of two individuals.



The proposal scene between Garth and Imra was great. DNA touched on the issues they were experiencing before, about Legion work getting in the way, but they showed that both Garth and Imra wanted to make their relationship work.





Yes, the Terrorforming was fine as a temporary thing. Too bad, really; her exuberant self added a lot of personality to the team.

I hated the post-ZH Wildfire until DnA got their hands on him. The new origin was just terrible!

It also made me wonder why he had to be a combination of TWO individuals, instead of just being either Atom'x or Blast-Off reconstituted. There was nothing in his origin or in his powers that needed him to be made up of both their energies.

I mean, sure, having him be made of two people was useful in getting Umbra to freak out, but it wasn't essential to his rebirth.

I think the writes who created that origin for him, had more planned for him but porbably had to scrap the plans due to DNA's take over.

plus i think they thought it might be an interesting development to come out of the Mordur battle. I wouldn't be surprised if there was supposed to be an element of magic in the story to come for Wildfire and take it into a completely different direction and thumb their nose at the reader, which from what i've read on here they were known for that.