Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Re-reading the Legion: Archives Volume 19

304:
What surprised me most while re-reading this issue was how the Shrinking Violet impersonation was worked into the story. I had misremembered it being revealed in 305, when the Legionnaires trick and capture the impostor, but to see it revealed this way threw me in a good way. It’s a quiet reveal, almost matter-of-factly dropped into the story. However, it’s nonetheless effective in how it's presented (the shadowy conversation between Jan, Shvaughn, Brainy and Cham). The Legionnaires weigh and reject various options and then deceive Vi and Gim into boarding a Legion cruiser. Nice build-up to next issue.

The rest of the issue consists of good ideas, but most seem underdeveloped or didn’t really go anywhere. It’s great to see Chuck and Lu as instructors again, but little is done with them. Instead, Wildfire becomes the center of attention just as he did the last time an issue featured the Academy students (283). It’s a bit disconcerting how he hogs the spotlight even when he’s not present. The female students get into a fight over him. Brin starts to spout off but says he can’t help but feel sorry for the guy, and the penultimate scene consists of an invasion of Wildfire’s privacy. Yep, it’s all about Drake.

It’s not so bad, really, as it gives the story some focus; otherwise, the various subplots would seem all over the place. But his role in being the subject of all these conversations seems as artificial as his containment suit.

However, I appreciated one subtle touch. When Shady tells Brin, “I suppose you would be able to understand” (p. 14), it left me scratching my head. But the ending makes it clear that other Legionnaires know about Drake’s feelings for Dawny. Apparently, his love for her is the worst kept secret in the Legion. And Brin would understand because he just lost his own lover.

Another nice touch: The story started out as a recruitment drive, leading readers to expect one of our long-serving Academy students to graduate into the Legion. But the ending delivers a twist when the Legionnaires conclude none of students are ready. The last few panels, showing statues of deceased Legionnaires, added a sobering effect.

304 is another “marking time” issue, but one with a lot of good character interactions and the advancements of several subplots.

Now that you mention it, I had also forgotten the reveal scene in this issue, remembering the cancellite spray (in 305) as the big moment. This issue should leave a first-time reader with curiosity as to how she'll be exposed and how Gim will react.



There must be a novel or short story somewhere in which a central character is discussed, described, referred to yet never seen, or only seen at the end. Our perceptions of this character and his life would be built entirely through the eyes of the other characters. Not what happens here, but your comment brought the idea to mind. And it is funny how Drake makes himself the center of attention when he's really just a side issue to the main storylines.

I am reminded of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or The Great Gatsby.

Also, Waiting for Godot, a play by Samuel Beckett.

Those are good examples. I don't recall if Gatsby had a universal image or if different people gave a different view of him. What also comes to mind is the introduction of Sensor Girl; although we see her right from the start, she's sort of built up through the other members' musings about her.

...and a pulse came forth through space and time... what would the future say... Swan like utopia or shadowy Giffenverse? what form would the message take ... a beam of light? someone form Starhaven paid through the nose to look like an angel? >slap< no it's >slap< taken the form of a slapping hand >slap< and the message is from Cramer saying "Git postin' varmint!" And so it came to pass...

Right you've done 304. I liked 304 so I'm not reading any of those posts till I've read it again myself. So there.

Wondered what happened to you, thoth. A good ol' slap from Cramer is good for keeping us in line.

Good to see you back from that higher dimension you clearly inhabit. Another week and I would have sent the Re-read Goon Squad er... I mean Christmas Elves after you.

At least it wasn't the Mon-Elves. They're all so bloody *earnest* "Oh, let me do all your chores, Mr thoth" or "Let me eradicate all war and lead mankind out into the galaxy, Mr thoth." They make me sick.

At least the Mon-Elves are better than the Kal-Elves, who never look where they're going while driving.

The Mon-Elves took my power out for three days, so #305 is delayed. Or maybe it was the Kal-Elves, crashing their cars into electrical poles.

It will have been the Kal-Elves. The Mon-Elves would have been all "Can we transmit your review around the world using our super ventriloquism, Miss Cramer?" Sickening.

LSH #305 Violet’s Story by Paul Levitz & Keith Giffen, Kurt Schaffenberger guest Inker, Carl Gafford Colors, John Costanza Letters



The Legion cruiser approaches Imsk, which, according to Encyclopedia Galactica, has had a number of disputes with the U.P.. Brainy announces that it is time to proceed and see if Element Lad is right; Violet and Gim are confused. Brainy apologizes to Gim just before Jan encases his hands in restraints and Cham sprays Violet with something. Brainy says he will apologize if Violet returns to normal size, but she is unable to, having been sprayed with Cancellite (which removes Durlans’ power).

At Legion HQ, Shady and Tinya watch Wildfire, Jo, Brin and Lar work on their fighting technique and discuss the doomed relationship between Dawnstar and Wildfire. Thom approaches and says he hopes Jo will run for leader and win, so he and Nura can get back to cuddling.

On the cruiser, Gim watches, devastated, as the others prepare a psych-probe of the Violet imposter. They learn that she’s a Durlan actress named Yera who took a job to impersonate Violet, hired by some characters in a cave. Jan claims that it was her falling so quickly for Gim and forgetting Duplicate Boy that made him suspicious. Gim is angry that he was the last to know and slugs Jan.

On a peaceful medieval-style planet, a strange off-worlder appears and demonstrates his fire-breath by burning down part of a village and calling for surrender to that world’s new masters.

On Imsk, Violet (imposter or real version?) greets admirers in town. A woman shrinks down and tells her (the Yera imposter) that she shouldn’t be there and to come meet with the Committee. The two of them take a miniature tube system to ensure that no Legionnaires may have followed, and arrive at Liberation Headquarters. Yera learns that she’s been part of a plan to “break free of those fascists” of the United Planets. Yera is imprisoned in a plasti-seal to keep her from escaping. She learns that the real Violet has been held in a tank and secrets stolen from her brain.

On Starhaven, Dawnstar bids farewell to her parents and takes off on her journey to find her soul-mate.

On Imsk, Yera protests the treatment of Violet – then turns out to be Cham. Although the rebel leader thinks he is powerless within the plasti-seal, Cham surprises them by changing into a variety of beasts and breaks free, wreaking havoc. The other Legionnaires arrive; Gim is the most destructive. Brainy sprays the miniature escaping rebels with a modified Cancellite, which freezes them in small size. They surrender.

The Science Police arrive and take over as the Legionnaires evacuate the real Violet.

Epilogue: Gim sits at the hospital bedside of Yera, who claims that she really did fall in love with her. He tells her that he really loves her, not “Violet”, and is certain he can get used to having a Durlan wife – but wonders what he’ll tell his mother.

Comments:

Yera is revealed as the Durlan imposter but the real shocker in this issue is the one panel of Salu Digby, gaunt, naked, eyes wide as if in shock, wired in a sens-tank. She looks like she’s become a zombie, not the flesh-eating kind, but just totally out of it. Catatonic. At the end, we learn, via Gim, that she’s going to be okay, but presumably she’s been months in that state, so you have to wonder just how okay she’ll be.

Yera herself is presented as an innocent dupe but you have to wonder how naive she was to have taken a job from a group of people in a cave – and why she didn’t get to meet the real Violet for some coaching tips.

Her employers turn out to be an Imsk rebel group, wanting to detach from the United Planets and Science Police and put themselves in sole charge. The head of the group is Micro Lad, a sourpuss who himself tried to take Violet’s place in the Legion many issues ago. He claims they have an army and navy ready to go, but this sounds more like the ravings of a madman. The Galactica entry at the beginning of the story suggests that Imsk is politically unsettled, but it seems unlikely that an entire rebel military force could be hidden from the authorities. However, coups do happen and their headquarters are impressively large, so who knows? I do like the fact that not all is universal peace among the United Planets, since it’s realistic and creates some drama.

Cancellite is the defensive weapon du jour, now in two flavours, Durlan and Imskian. I don’t believe the product line was expanded further and just as well: too easy to take out any super-powered villain by just cancelling his powers.

Gim’s reaction to events is well done. He’s angry at his team mates for keeping this vital information from him, he feels deceived and betrayed and takes it out on the rebel base. His power of destruction is really quite impressive! Yet he is never shown turning on Yera; in fact, he asks that they treat her gently. In the end, all is forgiven and accepted; he truly loves her. The guy is besotted. It’s sort of sweet, but you have to wonder at this point how the rest of the Legion will react. Levitz and Giffen manage to get in a mother joke for Gim. No mention of concern for what Dad thinks; Marte Allon is the power in that household - and/or Dad's very easy-going. I suppose they wanted to avoid a Jewish mother joke, but wonder if the subtext joke was worry that Yera's not Jewish, rather than she's Durlan.

In other plots, Thom reminds us that another election is soon and he favours Jo for leader. Dawnstar meets with her parents and starts her soul-mate journey. If all Starhavenites follow this path to find a mate, are they marrying outside their race more and more often? How likely would it be to find your soulmate and a fellow Starhavenite off-planet? We’ve never been given any indication that the people of Starhaven have migrated throughout the United Planets; they are presented as a uniform society (as are most planets in the Legionverse).

The other storyline that’s beginning is the fire-wielding man trying to take over the medieval world. He’s unnamed, as is the world and neither immediately registered with me until thinking ahead – he’ll turn out to be Sun Emperor and the world is Orando.

A good story, with a partly upbeat resolution to the Violet story, but, as Levitz himself writes, never the end.

305:

This, to me, is one of the single most satisfying issues of the Levitz/Giffen run. After a long build-up, the Violet story line comes to a complete and satisfying resolution. The ending works on many levels.

The first level is how the Legionnaires expose the imposter. It really is good to see our heroes formulate a plan and carry it out, even though they must deceive Colossal Boy in the process. This aspect, in fact, increases the emotional stakes. CB is their friend and teammate, but they can’t risk tipping him off. CB understands this, but nevertheless lets Element Lad know what he thinks of their deceit.

The second level in which the story satisfies consists of the circumstances of the real Violet’s abduction and fate. “Satisfies” probably isn’t the best word here, as the revelation that she has been subjected to torture for months is truly horrifying—as is the image of her naked, shaven body in the sens-tank. The fact that this could happen to a Legionnaire drives home just how vulnerable people are to terrorists. The story resonates today even stronger than it did in 1983.

The third, and perhaps most significant level of satisfaction consists of the Legionnaires’ reactions when they learn Violet’s fate. They cut loose. The Imskian revolutionaries, like the fireballers back in 298, provide little challenge for our heroes, but the latter express their feelings even as they maintain control of the battle. Cham’s outrage is palpable, and the image of him bursting out of the plasti-seal bubble as a Jovian montressor had me rooting for him. Colossal Boy lets out his anger and frustration, and delivers some understandable if self-righteous lecturing to the Imskians.

(I say “self-righteous” because his comment—“You little tyrants thought you’d take over your world—did anybody ever tell you what an old stupidity that is?”—comes off as rather naïve and stupid itself. Though their methods are deplorable, the Imskians’ concerns about liberating their world from the “fascist” UP go unexamined. It’s been well-established that Imsk has had political problems with the UP for some time, so dismissing the revolutionaries as “tyrants” reduces these political tensions to mere caricatures.)

In spite of these pluses, 305 does have some minuses. For me, the biggest drawback consists of the numerous subplots, which simply interfere with the main story line. This was most noticeable in the segment when Vi/Yera (really Cham) meets the revolutionaries (pp. 11-14). Of course, we don’t learn it’s Cham until a few pages later, which jars the reader as to why Yera is suddenly free. Did she agree to help the Legionnaires or something? As a reader, I’m willing to suspend my disbelief for a short time, but when I have to change moods and now pity Dawnstar in her quest to find her mate, it disrupts the flow of the story. And, really, nothing of value happens in these subplots which couldn’t have been postponed for an issue or two.

The second aspect which bothers me: Yera gets off scot free. Even though she’s a dupe, it must be against some kind of law to impersonate a Legionnaire, just as it’s against the law to impersonate a police officer. Yet the only consequence she will apparently face is her mother-in-law.

The ending is also a bit hard to swallow. Gim, who rails against his teammates for deceiving him, has no problem staying married to a woman who deceived him all these months. Love is not only blind; it’s simpleminded.

I feel almost duty bound to say something about the art, since Lardy praised my comments on the art some time ago, but I really have nothing new to add. Giffen impresses throughout, and veteran inker Schaffenberger complements Giffen’s pencils perfectly. Some shots which stand out: The splash page, with its multi-colored image of Imsk (kudos to colorist Carl Gafford); Vi/Yera’s tearful expression on p. 3; and, of course, the shocking images of the real Violet in the sens-tank.

For me, 305 is also the last truly outstanding Levitz/Giffen collaboration. Although next issue’s Star Boy spotlight provides a fun breather, the following storyline (Omen/Prophet) is among the worst Legion stories ever made and marks the beginning of a long, slow decline in series quality.

He Who, at one time I would have rushed to defend Omen/Prophet, as my most recent memories of it were of something akin to one of those batshit-crazy, so-bad-it's-good summer blockbusters, but when I recently re-read it in anticipation of rejoining this ongoing Re-Reads project, it was just...BAD! Not guilty-pleasure-bad, not funny-bad, not even morbidly-fascinating bad! If it conjures up any images these days, they are of Levitz and Giffen at each other's throats, with Berger unable to effectively mediate their fussing and fighting. Of course, Levitz and Berger are too polite to admit such things publicly, and Giffen is...Giffen, but the drama behind-the-scenes must have been at least as amped-up and grating as the story that resulted from it.

Which is one of the reasons that my return to this project will have to wait until Baxter #14.

Good point. I never thought of it that way.

One of the wonderful blessings of science fiction is that it always takes present-day situations and extrapolates them into futuristic or alien settings. This was done with the lotus fruit addiction back in Action Comics # 378. (You couldn't use a real drug like cocaine, but you could make one up and get it past the code to boot.) The prejudice against Durlans stands in for any number of real-world prejudices. Yera even alludes to this when she suggests she took the role as Violet because Durlans were barred from drama guilds since shape-changing was believed to be their only real talent (p. 7).



Poor Thom. All he wants to do is some "serious cuddling," but saying this just gives Tinya an excuse to cut him down. Thom seems like an odd man out during Levitz's run. His comments are taken the wrong way, his girlfriend doesn't have time for him, and even the role as deputy leader doesn't appear to suit him--which is just as well since he won't have it for very long.

LoSH 302

The cover of this one gave me a little sigh, as I remembered it’s another issue where Mekt and a sibling fight it out. It’s on a satellite where Garth and Imra seem to spend so mu of this period, separated from the Legion. That’s partly an issue because read the early Baxter issues, which have very similar scenes, before this story. Fortunately, the issue is much better than just that.

Just over half the issue is taken up by Mekt looking to find out where his sister, Ayla, has left for. A number of Legionnaires intercept him before he confronts Garth. But they are really just super powered obstacles to get in Lightning Lord’s way. Dawnstar shows a flash of power, but goes down far too easily again. Not as easily as Shadow Lass, but it’s refreshing to see some collateral damage from a dodged blast for a change. Later Phantom Girl would also be defeated too easily, Imra shut down so she couldn’t use her powers, while Blok seems to have forgotten to take his flight rings.

Timberwolf is an interesting character throughout this issue. When confronting Mekt, he feels confident of victory, based on past success, only to be swatted aside on more than one instance. While Dawnstar tells Mekt that Garth and Imra left in a cruiser some hours ago, it’s not explained how he knew to check Medicus One.

His confrontation with Garth on the satellite (and surely it *must* be related to the JLA satellite!) has all the makings of a better lightsabre duel than we ever got in the Star Wars movies. There’s a distinct visual and tactical approach to each duellist; Mekt revelling in the confrontation, and his power, while Garth is looking at wider issues such as protecting people, including his brother.

It’s another Ranzz fight that we’ve seen before and would see versions of again. However, it’s interesting to note that this plays into the start of the Baxter story, which is why it’s here. Also, Garth and Imra work as a team to take down the villain. I read this as a sign of the strength of his marriage and his maturity. They are a team within the Legion.

For all the enjoyment there is in the later Live Wire interpretations, Garth is a hero all the way through this issue. It isn’t just in his actions, or his words. It’s in his convictions. He protects the privacy of his sister, because he respects her wishes.

And this is where Timberwolf comes back in. At the start of the issue he’s continuing his light comedy routine with Blok. But the reason he’s there is because he’s not with Ayla and his attempts at dating have failed. He’s a bit sulky and a bit frustrated. He’s happy to take some that out on an opponent. Especially one he thinks he can beat.

But when the villain does fall, it’s Brin who oh so casually, but utterly blatantly, asks after Ayla himself. Garth’s response is that Garth never knew, and he had enough respect to give his sister her space to make a new life for herself. “She deserves her peace and quiet, undisturbed by him,” says Garth before the kicker “or anyone.”

The “anyone” in question is Garth referring as directly as possibly to Brin. The victorious couple of Garth and Imra walk away arm in arm, finally resolving their parts in the fall out of the Khundian mission, and they are stronger for it. Brin, looking on, is back to knocking lumps out of gym equipment in frustration at all the events that have led to this. Despite Garth’s words on Ayla, Brin clearly doesn’t respect her enough to give her that space, as we’ll see.

While there will be follow ons from this main story, they won’t quite be as immediate as some of the other developing plots.

The second storyline, of around four pages, follows Gim, Vi, Querl and Kara as they continue their tour of Webers World with Ontiir. Interspersed with the lead story, the easy pace of this one stands out. But there are layers within it too. Gim and Vi are lost in their own relationship. Although Querl is more focused on the task in hand, it ends up being he and Kara who fall behind. There’s a lovely exchange regarding trust between the tow that showcases their personalities well, and also the respect for each other’s opinions.

He’s not that focused, which is something he’ll come back to a few issues from now, and the team fall into the trap he’s been expecting. But when you have Supergirl… ah… it’s the Emerald Eye and the threat that was always there with Ontir, comes into full focus when the Empress makes her move.

We get a nice look at Querl/Kara and Gim/Vi while giving them a plot that will test the power of even Supergirl. But that’s all just a parallel plot to Jan (exposition Lad on his origin again) and Shvaughn;s continuing investigations. Later books would have a huge fanfare about what has gone wrong inside the Legion. But it’s still very understated here, as the investigator’s approach things cautiously. Poor Gi Gi is a casualty of that investigation, just like the so many sources in detective stories, but fortunately, she’s only an administrative one.

To finish off the interweaving plots, we also get a few pages on Daxam. It still looks just like Darkseid, reminding readers of the shadow the Great Darkness has cast. While Dreamy provides leadership, powers and fun the real development is with Lar. He’s watching the virtual quarantine of his race, and it’s not something that’s sitting easily with him.

In summary, the main story is well choreographed and visually interesting. It’s also a link in a longer storyline. But it still felt a bit like a villain-of-the-month story. Fortunately, with Levitz, there’s always loads more going on. There are some excellent character moments, both individually, and even more so concerning their relationships. It’s a combination of all this that raises the issue up to being a thoroughly enjoyable issue. We know next issue is going to be against the Empress too…

LoSH 303

The cover is a classic death-trap, but enclosed within the Emerald Eye. It’s nice although Querl and Vi are reduced to punching it, rather than showing off their powers more fully.

The Emerald Empress could have let the heroes go on their way last issue. She could then continued with her take over, only then prompting a Legion response. But Sarya just can’t resist confronting them directly, despite the impact it will have on her long term plans.

This immediacy, reminds me of some similarities with last issue. Two powerful villains, both formerly of teams, confronting the Legion fairly directly. Both conflicts would be the main storyline, but the depth lay in the relationships and subplots going on around them.

Having captured five Legionnaires, Sarya loses no time in commanding Ontiir to dispose of them. Well, she gets a bit of regal grandstanding in first, as is her privilege, but then it’s all about the murder showing her true colours (other than Emerald of course).

Escape from Ontiir’s firing squad comes in classic silver age fashion, by combining powers, in this case Kara and Querl. It’s followed with a combination of Kara and Dirk’s abilities because no neutraliser pod can withstand both powers! Don’t believe what that neutraliser pod brochure. They just can’t.

As the others chase down the Empress, the plot almost tips over into the Kara and Querl show. Which is lovely, until you realise that the Vi and Gim show is pretty good too. Supergirl and Brainy manage to stop the movement of Weber’s World having figured out that the Empress plans to use it as a mobile weapon. Planets will cringe under the threat of the Red Tape Cannon! A Kryptonian tackling world sized problems is another treat from a past age.

But the others play a part too, as the pair don’t get everything their own way when facing the Empress.

Giffen shows the pluses of Gim’s powers as he gigantically dispatches Dark Circle guards. But also the downsides as he makes for a colossal target. Vi gets to identity the central towers, information that delights and surprises Gim. Almost as if she wasn’t supposed to know it >cough< She also uses a Durlan manoeuvre to take care of the Empress as a further clue to another plot.

The Empress will surely look back at this storyline and wonder where it all went wrong. Both she and Ontiir tipped their hands far too early.

We get to catch up with Chuck and Lu, who enjoying their time on monitor duty with things surely not in the regs. They make a great couple. They also provide (nicely done) links to the cruisers departing for the Jeckie/Val wedding; The group on Webers World, and when that’s threatens the UP; Dream Girl’s team on Daxam.

So we get to see that Timberwolf is not really on his game and a snark between Tinya and Shady. Leader Dreamy is quick thinking and decisive, as well as being fun. But it’s too much for Ultra Boy who sulks, and quits as deputy leader, when he’s not chosen for a mission. While Wildfire puts up his usual token resistance to going too, it’s nicely played off against the dutiful Lar.

As Val and Jeckie prepare for their wedding, Gi Gi is taken to task by her superior for lending Jan and Shvaughn the file on Durla, connecting a few more dots.

The big plus this issue was the growing relationship between Kara and Brainy. After all this time, there’s still that uncertainty about sharing their feelings, knowing the commitments that might follow. Actually, Brainy was pretty sure of things in his first appearance, but his personality had drifted away from there. Seeing him relax into the effects of what’s distracting him is a big character moment for him. He didn’t even have to create a world destroying creature to do it. Kara more confident in expressing herself usually, but is feeling a bit out of place in every era at this time.

Garth and Imra showed last issue, and Val, Jeckie, Kara, Brainy, Lu and Chuck show in this one, that the Legion is a team of adults now. I’ve always thought that Kara was a better fit in that dynamic than Superboy. She has a strong relationship with one of the team, in a way that the teenage inspiration of Superboy could never have. Seeing how far Lu has moved on, reinforces that. Of course, I did read these issues first. It doesn’t hurt that, in all the styles that Giffen manages to seamlessly merge together this issue, Kara has never looked better.

LoSH 304

Who doesn’t want to see the potential future of the Legion? Of course I’m going to step inside, Mr Cover Blurb, and find out! Above the logo they do say “Who will be the next member,” and a couple of them are in there so the issue does pay off.

What seems like a filler issue, is actually an intake of breath before a cliff hanger that has been hinted at for quite a while. Before that, Levitz and Giffen update and add a great deal to the team.

The premise is a sound one. It takes the comic cliché of new members joining after a battle, and upends it by telling us that this doesn’t mean that they will be able to cope with everything the main team does. Recent Legionnaires Jacques and Mysa are taken by Wildfire to the Academy to get some formal Legion training.

There, they interact with the students who are under the tutelage of Chuck and Lu. This issue firmly establishes the pair within the structure of the Academy which will last all the way through to the Legion’s final issue. The Academy has been seen on several occasions previously, but this is the issue that broadens the scope of it.

We not only get to see the students at the Academy, some new some previously seen, but there’s the added spice of Lu telling them that the team is below its 25 limit and that there are places up for grabs.

This issue also continues the trend for all students having to face escaped exotic animals as part of a test. We see a team of students, with Jacques and Mysa, take on the creatures. They succeed, but it’s telling that there were some low scores around, as monitored by Lu back in the Academy. Giffen’s introduction of holo screens, everywhere, really pays off in issues like this.

Chuck provides a lot of support, but also guidance to everyone involved. He’s always been a lot more than a morale officer for the team, as seen in issues where he’s had face plenty of threats. As befitting someone who has to work angles to use his powers, he’s very tactically minded.

This is really a Wildfire spotlight issue, beneath the surface. He has been linked strongly with the Academy in the past. Wildfire shows off to annoy Chuck on entering, but is on the receiving end when Gi Gi calls him out over him having contrary opinions over the academy’s function. One the one hand he thinks that those who don’t want to be Legionnaires should be trained by the SP, but is also the first to cry foul at the first hint of interference.

From brining Dawnstar into the team, Drake has been shown developing the likes of Nightwind and Lamprey. He shared his origin with them, and the two have seen a side to him that not many others have. Following the training mission, the opinions of the pair are so at odds with Comet Queen and Laurel Kent that a dorm fight breaks out.

Drake is also the focus of a conversation between Brin (who shows an animalistic look when angered here) and Shady. Clearly there’s an issue with Drake as he vents his frustration against some crooks. It’s not one that Brin is willing to discuss, as he’s still sulking over Ayla.

The White Witch is the one to show the students what the problem is. In another example of the Legion maturing, Dawnstar is taking a leave of absence to travel and find her soul mate as per her culture’s tradition. She shares her feelings with Drake.. Perhaps had Drake told her how deeply he cared for her at that moment, rather than whispering it when she left, things could have turned out differently. Perhaps she would have stayed. But her decision is then made, and she leaves. Drake’s reaction to Dawny’s departure will mirror Brin’s to some degree and neither of them are pleasant.

His immediate reaction is one of frustration, and he bursts his containment suit (with a visual “Damn”). That will leave him as a ball of energy, a non-human form he recently had for an extended period. It’s a shame that we don’t see the reaction of Jacques, who is watching along with the students. He was the one who dragged a human Drake back into this world, taking him away form possibly the only happiness he could have hoped to have.

The long running resignation of Dreamy’s deputy’s intertwines with the story. With places on the team up for grabs, Star Boy (the new deputy) chairs a meeting to discuss the students. He upsets a touchy Jo very easily. Jo really is in ahuff over Dreamy, that he’s taking it out on her partner too. There’s a lovely segue form Thom talking about the qualities that make Laurel a contender to seeing her threaten Lamprey to a fight in the dorm

In the end they decide that no one is quite ready. “Better no new Legionnaires tan another dead one.”

Beneath the HQ, a Legion conspiracy comes to some conclusions. The reader is allowed in on their secrets. There’s an impostor in the Legion and it’s a Durlan impersonating Vi!

While there wasn’t any real threat this issue, it stands out for the refinements to the Academy, the introduction of a number of student including Pol Krinn following the firebombing issue, and new looks for others. The cliques within the class are just what you’d expect to see. There’s hope that Dawny may have a romantic future beyond a doomed, clingy relationship to Drake. Despite the issue focusing on non Legionnaires, there’s still development for Brin, Drake and Dawny. Then there’s that cliffhanger…

New Year's Resolution: find something good in Omen/Prophet.

The Durlan prejudice idea is one that I don't recall encountering before this story. Did Cham encounter prejudice in any previous tale? It was raised in a 5YL annual, that he joined the Legion to show people that Durlans were not to be feared. (Just as in the reboot, Titan telepaths were regarded as anything from suspicious to pariahs.) It seems like a Star Trek approach, in which an alien social issue is the stand-in for a contemporary problem. Durlans can represent just about anything we fear or hate: race, religion, different social structure and in our current time, the uncanny valley of something not quite human.




Of course it must be related to/based on the JLA satellite. Why didn't I see that before? Maybe R.J., with his penchant for all heroic 20th century things (to be revealed in 5YL), funded it. Garth really does play the hero here, all his actions are for the greater good. Garth and Imra are one of the few Legion couples (or only?) who really work their power sets together. Others - Lar & Tasmia, Jo & Tinya - may be on missions together, but seldom deliver that one-two punch.



Good point, at super-size, he is hard to miss. Probably takes an extra-large blast, but one doesn't see him dodging bullets. And even small blaster shots must sting.



Too true. What a disappointment that they didn't keep Kara in the Legion as the primary super-cousin. I guess Mark Waid thought so too and tried to rectify that in the threeboot.

LSH #306 Born Under a Lucky Star by Paul Levitz & Keith Giffen, Flashback art by Curt Swan, Larry Mahlstedt Inker, Carl Gafford Colors, John Costanza Letters



Thom and Wildfire relax in Legion HQ as the voting results begin to tally. Thom has cast his vote for Jo as Wildfire tells him to stop complaining about his relationship problems. Wildfire has voted for Nura himself, which distresses Thom, who figures she wouldn’t run again unless she knew she’d win. He says his whole life has been a run of bad luck and proceeds to recount his backstory.

Born in a space observatory, he acquired the power to draw mass from stars. As a baby, he nearly crashed the observatory by increasing its mass, but his parents escaped with him and Thom became the subject of much medical study. Thom felt like a freak and ran away from home at 16. He flew through a comet’s tail, crashed his ship back onto his home, yet survived. Not only was he unscathed, he had acquired a range of super powers, which led him to join the Legion. Wildfire points out that write-in votes for Jan are matching Jo’s votes and outpacing Nura’s. Thom, still convinced that it will turn out badly for him, continues his story.

He was sent on a mission to Takron-Galtos, where inmates had taken over the prison. Among the Science Police held prisoner were Lt. Zendak and new recruit Gigi Cusimano, who worry about the massive arsenal of weapons. Gigi hopes that the Legion will help out; Zendak says they must solve their own problems. Thom fakes a crash landing and confides to Gigi and Zendak that he’s a Legionnaire. His story is interrupted by new votes, which show Nura tied with Jo, followed by Jan. Thom grouses more about his relationship with Nura.

On Takron-Galtos, he was taken to Golgoth, the inmates’ leader. Golgoth hit him, Thom felt the pain and realized that he had suddenly lost his comet-induced powers. He had to rely on his mass-drawing power, which he used to make the building collapse, suffering considerable physical damage himself. Zendak regained control of the prison. Thom was hospitalized, but was asked by new leader Imra to return to the Legion once he healed. More votes have come in by now, with Jo in the lead, Nura and Jan tied for second. Thom mentions that Nura broke tradition by making this election an open vote.

Thom continues the story of meeting and falling in love with Nura, her resignation from the Legion, his murder of Kenz Nuhor and his post-trial expulsion. The votes continue, only the ones from Nura’s diplomatic mission team remain to be registered. Thom continues with his and Nura’s time with the Subs and their return to the Legion, claiming it was Nura who wanted back in for the glamour and excitement. The remaining votes come in; Jan has won. Thom lets loose with a blast of power skywards and brings a billboard crashing down, which Wildfire disintegrates. Thom says his luck might be turning around.

Comments:
This is the first time we’ve known who voted for whom in a Legion election. The tally, if I got the Monitor Board symbols right, is as follows:
Element Lad: Violet, Cham, Brainy, Invisible Kid, Shadow Lass, Sun Boy, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl
Ultra Boy: Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Element Lad, Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy, Timber Wolf
Dream Girl: Wildfire, Superboy, Mon-el, White Witch, Dawnstar, Blok, Dream Girl

Despite his bitchiness to Nura, Jan wins the majority support, including that of the three founders and some of the longer-term members. Violet manages to get her vote in, despite being in what one assumes to be a wretched condition, no doubt highly appreciative of Jan’s role in rescuing her. Dawnstar and Wildfire, despite frequent criticism, supported a second term for Nura. Mysa votes for her sister. Did Mon-el support her for her Daxam relief mission? I wonder to what degree these votes were thought out; they don’t for the most part seem all that surprising – apart from the whole write-in thing itself.

That the results are posted on an external advertising billboard either demonstrates the importance with which the Legion is regarded by the greater society, or the fact that they're celebrities and can help sell space-soap.

Breaking up Thom’s backstory with vote results makes the issue more interesting. The Curt Swan art clearly delineates the past from present; his simple artwork would seem dated for an entire issue but works really well to recount Thom’s history.
The story remedies the problem of Thom’s initial appearance, in which he had multiple powers. Lucky he didn’t turn into Comet King and start valley-girl talking instead! It’s a bit of a kludgy explanation, with the powers suddenly disappearing as opposed to graduallly weakening, but it works for comic books.

Another new tidbit is that Nura was the one who really wanted to rejoin the Legion – or possibly that’s just Thom’s version, coloured by his disenchantment with the current state of their relationship.
It’s a nice twist that Thom brings the advertising billboard crashing down and Wildfire averts potential disaster; it’s usually Wildfire blowing off energy that causes a problem. It’s also a switch that Wildfire is calmly listening to Thom gripe about Nura and offering some support, without making mention of his own sorrows over Dawnstar.

I hadn’t thought of Thom as particularly given to bad luck, as he portrays himself. If anything, he struck me as kind of boring. He did have bad things happen to him in the past, but so have many of the other Legionnaires. He’s clearly got a serious case of poor-me syndrome – yet tempestuous Wildfire deals with him very kindly.

This issue is like one of those dramas in which two characters just talk - or perhaps akin to a session with a psychologist, with Thom doing most of the talking and Wildfire prompting him. Very little reference is made to on-going sub-plots, other than the election.

Nice cover, too, with Thom's suit blending into the background stars that give him his power, and Earth with its polymer shield (or atmosphere?) below. One might think that he's leaving the planet... which he might have done, had Nura won the election.

LoSH 305

Having reached their conclusions regarding Vi, Jan, Cham and Brainy volunteered Gim and Vi for a trip to Imsk last issue. The completely unsuspecting Gim (too busy with his costume changes ) is eager for Vi to help her people. It’s only when the shuttle is safely away that Gim’s arms are shackled by Element Lad and Chameleon Boy fires cancellate at Vi. It’s a nice nod to Supergirl’s invention. “Vi”, being from Imsk should be immune to the effects of it, since it only woks on Durlans. But she can’t change her size. She’s a Durlan, and she’s been caught.

Considering the circumstances, Giffen makes the impostor look as sympathetic as he possibly can. Likewise, Levitz doesn’t write her as a cackling villain shouting “and you’ll never see Violet alive again!” or anything like that.

The Legion are clearly not going to take the impostor at her word. Since we get all the information about her from a psych-probe they don’t seem to bother asking her anything at all.

I wonder if every Legion ship has a psych probe, or perhaps they planned to have an awkward prisoner to contend with. One who for some reason didn’t want to be telepathically probed. While Cham is concerned with Legion security, it’s Brainy who’s thinking about Violet herself. A nice touch.

In the background Gim goes through disbelief, anger, denial and a possible realisation that he still cares very much for the person who has been deceiving him.

Yera was to take the role of Vi, so that the Legion would not realise Vi was really working with an Imskian resistance group. At least, that’s the story Yera fell for. She didn’t even meet the real Vi. Instead, she let herself believe in a higher goal not only for the Imskians but for the Durlans. I’m sure the acting parts that would come her way never crossed her mind. At least she drew the line at spying. Considering the political fall out, it’s not certain that things would have gone well for Yera either way.

I wonder if the Imskians’ plan was to have Vi return to the group only to find a way of taking a leave of absence. That way the Legion would know where they thought Vi was, while their own plan proceeded with less risk. Perhaps it was the mission to Khundia, stranding the group and bringing Yera close to Gim, that scuppered it. Or perhaps the Imskians encouraged the romance. All the better to twist their agent into the group.

Yera returns to Imsk, alarming the resistance group. She’s promptly captured by them, as they feel that she has served her purpose. While Yera has been with the Legion, Micro Lad and his cohorts have been removing secrets form the real Shrinking Violet, while keeping her in a sens tank. Their goal is simply to have control of Imsk for themselves.

It’s never revealed how they actually captured Vi. Her wide eyed terror from the tank is harrowing. It certainly upsets Yera, who reveals herself to actually be Chameleon Boy. Identity swapping used to be all the rage in Silver Age Legion stories, like the escape from the Emerald Empress’ trap last issue.

Thinking they have captured another Legionnaire, the Imskians are quite smug. Their logic is sound enough in the world of comics.

However, Cham bursts out of their Durlan trap anyway. “All Durlans aren’t the same” It makes sense that Cham, having so much more experience than your average Durlan, would be able to escape. But I’d now expect to see it between members of other races. So, no more traps for Superboy/ Supergirl for example as surely “All Kryptonians aren’t the same” either.

The cavalry arrive to help Cham, not that he’s needing it. Probably feeling betrayed, Colossal Boy goes nuts in a few panels that show off the sheer power he has when he grows. Gim’s reminded about the no killing rule, and seems to have taken it on board. But there are lots of Imskians dropping through all the sharp wreckage.

As the dust settles, Brainy oversees the care of Salu. Jan tells Shvaughn it will be a long road back for her, after so many months in the tank. Gim’s dark state of mind is illustrated by showing his face in shadow. In another nice touch, it’s the same posture as we see him in the epilogue. There, he brings Yera up to date on what happened on Imsk. He tells her that he fell in love with her, not Shrinking Violet. The two restate their feelings for each other. And so, we have another Legion marriage, one without all the usual comic fanfare.

I’d have liked to have seen more about Shrinking Violet’s recovery in an epilogue. There’s always another story around the corner, and with this one done, and in need of recovery, I got the feeling that Vi was pushed firmly into the background. It’s not helped by a focus on Gim and Year’s relationship. As the issue go on, I'll no doubt be mentioning the lack of repercussions

Elsewhere, we get Shady and Tinya having a gossip and sharing some snark with Star Boy. While providing some character insight, it’s also an excuse to remind readers about Drake and Dawny and the upcoming elections, all in a single scene. This issue shows Dawny begin her people’s tradition of soaring the galaxy in search of a mate. It's a powerful scene.

I wonder if there’s any cynical/practical academy student looking at the dwindling number of Legionnaires, and thinking that their own chances of entry have just increased after this issue.

The issue continues the feeling that the Legion are growing rapidly. There are lots of key relationship decisions occurring.

A final interludes shows a fiery being landing on a sleepy world and incinerating a village. Although it doesn’t seem like it, this actually links to Mekt’s attack and the Val/ Jeckie wedding.

In summary, it’s a fine issue with the Legion starting subtly before letting all Tartarus break loose when taking down the Imskians. Salu’s predicament is more terrifying every time I read the issue.

Kurt Shaffenberger is the guest inker on the issue. It provides a glimpse into the various styles of Giffen that the inker on the book has to contend with, and polish into a seamless look. Not only are there different styles, but there’s a glimpse of the style Giffen would shortly adopt more fully as well as panels that come from a much earlier style of his. There are some beautiful panels, building up my view that this is one of the book’s best visual spells (Mysa pun!).

306:
I’ve been reading books about Stoic philosophy and moral psychology, and they reinforce an idea I’ve believed for years: Events themselves are neither good nor bad; it’s what we make of them that matters. I’m sure there are exceptions—it’s hard to find anything good about a concentration camp, or anything bad in helping to feed someone—but, as a general principle, it works: We create our own reality through the narratives we tell ourselves about our lives and what events mean. An article which will be required reading of a course I will be teaching goes further by articulating the difference between “creator” and “victim” mindsets.

Thom Kallor has a classic victim mindset. No matter what happens to him in life, he looks on the negative side. He expects bad thing to happen to him, and they usually do—or at least that’s how he interprets them. There is also a bit of selfishness in his narration. He’s madly in love with Dream Girl but wants to her to lose the election. Why? Not for her benefit, but for his own. After reading 306, I want to feel something for Thom and to root for him, but I just can’t. He’s too much of a whiner—and careless to boot.

When I first read this story, the fanboy in me loved it. 306 ties several past Legion stories into a cohesive whole, and adds a lot to our understanding of Star Boy’s back story and the Legion’s universe (such as Takron-Galtos starting out as a Science Police base). These elements still hold up, and they are unveiled in a quiet, entertaining fashion: Just two guys talking with the results of the election providing suspense. I love these kinds of stories. They enable us to get to know our heroes while they simply relate to each other as human beings. Wildfire serves the story well as someone who listens to Thom and shows his concern for a fellow Legionnaire, yet who tells Thom to stop whining about himself. I came away from this re-read admiring Drake much more than Thom.

The artwork is outstanding—both Giffen’s present-day sequence and Curt Swan’s flashbacks. I miss the clean simplicity of Swan’s work. To me, his art doesn’t seem dated; it’s just clear, straightforward storytelling with well-proportioned faces and figures. Giffen’s artwork would rarely ever again approach this level of attractiveness, clarity, and mood. This issue makes the loose and unstructured style he employs beginning next issue even more disappointing.

The Nitpicker’s Guide to 306: There are few areas that could be improved. For example, Thom and Drake are on the roof of one of the Legion HQ buildings, but this isn’t clear until late in the story. (The first clear image of the building is the silhouette on p. 19.) Until then, I wasn’t certain where they were or what they were doing there. They could have been on monitor duty for all we know. Also, is the glowing totem pole which shows the election results part of a public announcement (as Cramer thought) or is it just for Thom and Drake’s convenience?

In the flashback sequence on p. 17, it is not explained that Thom arrived on the planet Karak to visit his parents, who had been vacationing there, and no tree is ever shown above Kenz Nuhor’s head. Long-time fans would already know these things, but new readers might have been confused.

The big twist in 306 is that Element Lad wins election as leader even though he wasn’t running. It’s about time, Jan boy. His victory and recent sniping at Dream Girl reminded me of something Father Mulcahy said on “M*A*S*H” after finally being promoted to captain: “The meek may inherit the earth, but it’s the grumpy who get promoted.” To be fair, it was likely Jan’s investigation of the Violet case which won him the election, not his sour disposition. Even so, it was well-earned.

I loved seeing who voted for whom, and one can speculate why each Legionnaire voted a certain way. This story earns additional kudos for playing on my fanboy sensibilities while telling an engaging tale which fills out the back story of a so far underdeveloped Legionnaire.

Perhaps Garth and Imra posted it on their Spacebook page. Mekt should check his notifications more often.



Great point! Also a great call about Garth acting heroic in this story. I prefer this depiction of Garth as a seasoned pro who occasionally lets his emotions get the best of him to the overt hothead of later eras.



Super-villains are not known for self-reflection. Likely, she'll put the blame squarely on Ontiir.



You know, she really was decisive. And her choice of Wildfire and Mon-El makes sense as they could travel the vast interstellar distances much quicker than other Legionnaires. Yet the whole broken-nail business undermined the very image of a competent leader she should have been projecting. I also think she could have been more sensitive to Ultra Boy's feelings as her deputy and addressed them before he lost his temper and quit. But, yes, she made good calls as leader.

I also appreciate your comments on my man, Mon. He's been an understated presence in these stories, but, as you pointed out, his devotion to duty provides a nice contrast to the drama of the others.



Well, let's not get into fantasy.

LoSH 306

Pulling this out of the binder shows me that the Prophet story is up next. I always think that’s around #312 for some reason.

A special spotlight on Star Boy, which also doubles up as instructions on how to build a wooden wardrobe. The poor guy has never been the most interesting of heroes, but perhaps we’ll learn more as we go.

The cover certainly isn’t dull. It hasn’t any action in it, but Thom strikes a heroic pose, possibly flying off to defend Earth, or at least visiting the toilet on Medicus One. Giffen gets points for showing off that this isn’t just Earth, it’s Future Earth. Sure, there are payoffs a plenty for the Polymer shield. From Mekt dropping Blok through it last issue, a weakened Mon El not being able to break through it to the events at the end of the Baxter series. But it really adds to futuristic tone of the cover.

As does the starfield in both Thom’s costume and in a background so space fieldy it can be seen through the Legion logo. Sure, Spidey will be improbably swinging on thin air between boring buildings in this month, and Superman will be slugging it out with someone in Metropolis. But this is a guy made and named for space adventures! Lovely stuff.

The box on the bottom left says “Get the Giffen Legion poster! Another DC first!” and nearly the last Legion thing Giffen will be able to do without screaming!

From a spiffy cover to a spiffy issue. We’ve seen Levitz’s ability to shift the pace in subplots and across issues. This issue shifts effortlessly across time, showing us the history of Star Boy through a framing sequence of two guys sitting over a drink watching election results come in. There’s a lot of comfortable confidence in books of this time. Wolfman and Perez were happy to have day in the life stories over in the Titans. Levitz and Giffen are assured enough to have Drake and Thom sit over some refreshments.

Framing sequences were far from new, as (sadly) were retconned origin issues. But Levitz and Giffen combine to weave the text and art into the flashbacks beautifully. The segues between present and past don’t follow the standard cut off at the end of a page as the work is parcelled out to each artist. Instead, the first or last panel may be by Giffen while the rest is the guest penciller. Page 22 even combines them both in one panel, reminding me of the Douglas Nolan visions from issue 300. Levitz has half of Thom’s sentence drawn by Giffen as a set up for the other artist.

It doesn’t hurt in the slightest that the other artist in question, drawing the flashbacks, is Curt Swan, which is an absolute treat. It may be because they can focus on fewer pages, or it may be that with such a tight focus on two characters Giffen can’t get distracted, but this issue shows some of the best of the Giffen/ Mahlstedt partnership.

From reading some interviews with Giffen, I’d be stunned if a fair bit of the effort taken to knock it out the park wasn’t down to knowing that Swan would be in the same issue. The two have such distinct looks, but both stand out in the same issue. With the quieter moments, Giffen gets to play with page composition, perspective and what he’s learned of making the characters physically believable. We get to see Swan’s classical mastery of action sequences, figure drawing and the expression of emotion through events such as the key ones in Thom’s (and as a bonus, Nura’s) life.

Mahlstedt looks as though he had a great time with this issue, really bringing out the best in Giffen while adding in flourishes of his own.

The flashback story fills in blanks in Star Boy’s history. Mainly concerning what happened to Thom when he vanished after joining the Legion, returning with more limited powers. Here, he has to recover from injuries he heroically sustained when his once Superboy-like powers waned.

In truth, they had completely forgotten about him in those early Legion days, and gave his powers to an Ultra Boy who had started out only with Penetra-Vision. Zendak and Gi Gi make a ret conned appearance in there too.

There’s a little throwaway line about Thom having told people a fib on how his ship crashed in front of his parents house. In the original, it was an engine failure. Here, he just can’t control it and considers it a failure in order to link in with the story Levitz is trying to tell. It’s this kind of thing that means I can really take or leave such retconning.

This sense of failure is undoubtedly the reason why we don’t get to see the lovely Zynthia, his girlfriend from Xanthu. It doesn’t fit with the mood Levitz wants Thom to believe his history supports.

Likewise, Xanthu is also the place where the people have donated a laboratory to him due to his heroism. In this story, Xanthu is a place he wants to get away from, due to all the tests he underwent when he got his powers. Originally, he was much more like Superboy. His father conducted lots of tests and both his parents gave him his Star Boy persona, swearing to keep his identity secret.

The revised story moves the Legion another step away from the Superboy mythos. His first meeting with Superboy also involved a scheming Lana Lang whose plan backfires (“Let Superboy go… you hussy!” is a key panel for Legion Worlders ).

It also moves away from Star Boy’s initial appearance being a retelling of the Marsboy story in Adventure 195, back in 1953.

It’s not as though this is Thom’s first retcon. He didn’t have his ability to make things super heavy until the editors were reminded about him, and brought him into #317. Thom also had his share of what the Legion thought was bad luck, and his expulsion was part of a story including the Luck Lords. But the unluckiest Legionnaire tag would become Garth’s.

This story does provide some interesting parallels. A link is established between Thom’s desperate, last gasp, action to bring down the house on space pirates and his similar desperate, last gasp, action that killed Kenz Nuhor.

Furthermore, the storyline in the present concerns the election for Legion leader. The panel space devoted to it is very similar to the voting on Thom’s trial, when he was expelled.

Both had unexpected twists. Thom thought he was going to be acquitted back in the Adventure days, and he’s sure that Nura will win here.

When he’s wrong, he thinks that his luck might be turning around. It would take a while, but…

Votes for Thom’s Expulsion:-
Not Guilty (9) – Lu, Kal, Tinya, Ayla, Salu, Lar, Jo, Garth, Kara,
Guilty (10) - Querl, Reep, Jan (bloody cheek), Imra, Dirk (enjoys failing people), Rokk, Gim, Jimmy Olsen (?!), Tenzil (had Thom consumed the guy…), Lyle

Votes in the Election –
Ultra Boy (6) – Thom, Jan, Gim, Tinya, Jo, Brin
Dream Girl (7) – Drake, Kal, Lar, Mysa, Dawnstar, Blok, Nura
Element Lad (9) – Reep, Querl, Salu, Tasmia, Jacques, Rokk, Imra, Garth, Dirk

Like the Legion Academy issue, where there’s speculation to be had about who would make the team, there’s the extra fun of figuring the voting patterns here.

Jo and Nura voting for themselves seems unsporting, but possible, for them. Unlike Jan who is an above the board leader bridesmaid. As Jan is never going to vote for Nura, Jo is his only choice.

Jan’s perpetual deputy status and long service with few outside interests gets him the backing of the founders over Nura, and certainly Jo. I’d also speculate that, since the founders have become a little separated from the main team (Cos with family concerns and Lydda/ Garth and Imra constantly on satellites for various reasons) they reached back to a more solid connection to the earlier Legion they were the centre of in Jan.

Jan also gets the nod of the team sent to rescue Vi as well as Vi herself. Notably Gim doesn’t vote for him. It’s either through guilt about the whole thing but likely that Jan hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him about the Salu impostor (Gim punching Jan in the face as a result).

Tinya is always going to back Jo, but Thom wants Nura back so much he’s willing to put up with the arguments to come when not voting for her. I think Dirk voted for anyone but Nura, just to get Thom to stop moaning and get on with a D&D game.

Four of the five newest voting recruits went with Nura. Sure, she’s Mysa’s sister but I think they went with her partly because of the freedom they felt under fresh leadership and how impressed they were with her during the GDS. That was also when Mysa joined the team. Jacques might have spent too much time listening to Querl in the lab.

Finally, I wonder if the person Thom was talking to was supposed to be Dirk for a while before being switched. Dirk and Thom are good friends and socialise together. Dirk would also have the powers to add the visual flare (ouch!) that Drake shows to add a little action to the present plot and there’s a “be calm” comment which is very odd coming from Drake. But by virtue of being close to Thom, he’d already know all of his background and couldn’t act as the sounding board for Thom’s story. Oh, and there was the little fact about Dirk having his jaw wired together after his run in with the Empress. Which seems rather deliberate in light of this story coming up.