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

whew! Okay, so the reviews have mostly been in issue order so far. But now that the storylines of LSH and Legionnaires are going to diverge, I will do the next few reviews in a more momentum-driven order.

Because of the cliffhanger ending of LSH 91, I'll continue with LSH 92 and 93 to see where the missing Legionnaires went. Then, it's off to Legionnaires 48-52 to wrap up Emerald Violet and Mordru. Then, LSH 94-96 to catch us up to Legionnaires. Because there will be some overlap between Legionnaires 56 and LSH 100, I'll continue to reread LSH and L* alternately.

Oh, and I also have to sneak LSH Annual 7 somewhere. It's the Dead Earth event tie in, so it doesn't impact the story at all. I'll probably slip that in after LSH 100.

Keep your eyes peeled too for the following LSH appearances before LSH 100:

Supergirl Annual 2
Inferno 1-4 (yes, she gets her own mini!)
Superboy 45
Action Comics 741
and what may be an out-of-continuity appearance in Unlimited Acces 2, where Team 20 bumps into... the X-Men from the Sentinel future?

Then, after the Legion reunites in LSH 100, we will have

Adventures in the DCU 10
Legends of the Legion 1-4 (solo origins for Ultra Boy, Spark, Umbra, Star Boy)
Green Lantern 98-99 (Kyle Rayner's turn to travel in time!)

The Legion gets a bit of a breather after that, thankfully

Legion of Super-Heroes 92
Swan's Way
Issue information

Summary:

Remember the unidentified third portal at the end of last issue? Well, it looks like the Legionnaires got sent to the USA in the 50s!

In Curt Swan's art class, we see recognizable versions of our heroes: Rick Crane, Imra Arden, Earl Docks, Ella Rand, Joe Knotts, Sandy Anderson, and Laura, Lorna and Lauren Dugan. Three guesses as to who's who. Oh, and a "visitor from beyond". Mr. Swan uses Joe's drawing of Earl as an alien to say that an artist's job is to see, not dehumanize. He reminds detention kids and volunteers to meet at the bandshell in the afternoon.

As the "kids" walk home, we see some similarities - almost everyone has a personality close to their "real" selves, and Rick and Irma are a couple. But we see some differences too. Earl is not green; Ella is an only child; Sandy Anderson MUST be Inferno as she's the only one unaccounted for, but she's a cheerleader and is Miss School Spirit. When Joe flirts with Sandy suggestively (Hop in and I'll take you wherever, if you know what I mean!), Irma even goes "She doesn't KNOW what you mean, Joe! She's a good girl!" Lauren Dugan flirts with Joe, but Lorna and Laura spirit her away. Joe follows and uses his x-ray vision to see the Dugans merge into one girl "just in the nick of time". Joe realizes they're "freaks" like him. A man in a suit watches Joe, as Joe loses it and breaks his steering wheel.

There are slips in the cracks, though. When a pebble thrown by Ella hits Rick on the head, Irma says "Rokk!". Lauren also slips by using the term "Brainiac".

At the bandshell, the kids are helping Mr. Swan with decorations for the President's speech later. Joe and the triplets come careening in, and one of the Secret Service guys points a gun at them. When Mr. Swan stips him, he spouts some drivel about freaks who want to stop normal people from fitting in. It's quite bad, honestly - see thoughts section for a quote. Suddenly, Gates appears - AND he has his full memories! The government agents shoot at Gates, who recognizes Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl. He teleports in front of Rick calls him "boss". Gates teleports away, while the kids are arrested by the man who was watching Joe earlier. He's a Secret Service Agent.

As they are held in a lighthouse, Joe makes a crack about him and the Dugans not being normal. The Agent picks up on it, and tells Joe he can prove his loyalty by going out and catching Gates. Joe does just that, finding Gates hiding underneath the bandshell and accusing him of trying to murder the President. Gates teleports away, but bring Joe with him. Joe KOs him.

The Secret Service Agent brings the kids to the hospital, where Gates is about to be vivisected. Earl remembers Mr. Swan's speech and pleads for the agent to spare Gates. The Agent loses it, accuses Earl of being a commie and punches him. The punch removes Earl's makeup, showing green skin underneath. The agent accuses the kids of being monsters too (as if he didn't already know that Joe had powers?) and calls in some cops. Rick says he has powers too, and rallies the kids in fighting back. We see that everyone is aware of their powers, except for Sandy - her fire powers manifest for the first time. The kids take out the cops and look for a way out. Gates tells them to look at their fingers; they see the flight rings, and their memories come back.

Gates explains they are in 1958, and says the whole thing seems like a social experiment. He suspects someone threw them into the time on purpose, as they are used to championing cooperation and diversity in a time that supports these ideals. So what would happen if they were stuck in a time and place that champions hatred and fear instead? Gates credits Mr. Swan for teaching them his liberal ideas. Imra remembers that Rokk was unconscious, and his mind suddenly goes blank and he falls.

Mr. Swan watches the kids fly away from the ground, and looks on in pride. Then the reality around them fades to white.

Thoughts:

A lovely issue with a clear message that isn't delivered in a too ham-fisted way. Doing this in homage to Curt Swan is genius, and it's quite well done.

Growing up as a gay man in a conservative AND religious Asian country, I can completely relate to the themes explored here: being different and being forced to hide it; having to deal with people openly expressing their opinions on fitting in and conformity, and having to rise up above that and embrace diversity. The kids' relief at finally being able to use their powers out in the open (Ella goes, "I'm just glad it's all out in the open! It's like being let out of a closet!") Hah, oh Ella.

One dislike I do have is the jingoistic drivel spouted by the government agents. I wonder, did people really talk like that back then? "Our modern world is infested with outsiders. Some flaunt their freakishness. Some choose to hide it. All of them are dangerous. The rest of us - the loyal, homeowning, churchgoing majority - possess a treasure so precious they can't fully comprehend it! Our treasure is: We fit in! They want to take that away from us!" There's a lot more of that from the government officials throughout the issue.

Another dislike is we never got to see anyone punch out the Secret Service Agent. I loathe that guy, manipulating the kids for his purposes and trying to vivisect Gates. Personal feelings are definitely involved here.

I like the cleverly Americanized names for everyone.

Art-wise, Lee Moder is in his element. The Legionnaires' looks match their personalities - Brainy in glasses and with a nerdy haircut, Jo wearing a muscle shirt, and each of the Triads wearing a different outfit based on her personality. Inferno as a cheerleader is priceless - she's the only one whose personality totally changed!

Fave Moment: Mr. Swan telling the kids that an artist must humanize. "Search my face and you'll find some dignity, some strength, some tenderness and some intelligence. Can you put those things on a page?"
And his comment to himself after: "They ARE good kids... I just wish to God there weren't so darned many of them!" I can just imagine him saying that to himself while drawing the Adventure Era Legion!

Other thoughts:

1) A weakness in Gates' teleportation is highlighted. Anything in the area of his teleport discs gets ported, so he can't escape from Joe's grip by teleporting.

2) It's easy to see why the cast was chosen. Gates is there because they used him as the obvious monster. Brainy is in because his "otherness" is fairly easily covered up; unlike Ferro, who would not have the technology to disguise his face. And he couldn't very well walk around with a mask. Tinya isn't here because she's intangible all the time, and Shvaughn wouldn't really have a role as she's not "a freak" like the others.

Swan's Way was a favourite from that period; it was a lovely tribute to Curt Swan and a good message for any period, but especially powerful as set in that time of greater conformity. I don't know how authentic the jingoistic drivel might have been, but it was just after the McCarthy era and the rhetoric from that was pretty bad.

Thanks, FC. I had no idea the rhetoric around that time was so bad. Guess I shouldn't be surprised though, even today I still see jingoisitc messages that are terrifying and upsetting.

Legion of Super-Heroes 93
Knight Shift
Issue information

Summary:

We finally catch up with Ferro's twin brother, whom we glimpsed in a flashback in Ferro's Reboot introduction (Adventure 540). Poor Douglas Nolan lives in an institution that experiments on their "freakish" inmates. One of Doug's fellow inmates rails at the staff for purposely keeping them tired and disoriented by flashing the bright lights on intermittently through the night. Said inmate accuses the "owner"/chief honcho, Doc 30, of stealing their insurance money and public assistance while treating them like animals. The inmate is put down quickly by a group of metahuman enforcers - Taser (shoots energy from his face - I thought it was eyes, but the placement of the hole in his mask suggests mouth), Psych (telepath with a "flaming" energy head), Kritter (big strong type), Rockslide (controls rock, body of rock), Fangg (feral wolf type). The enforcers threaten the inmates, who are cowed into submission.

In the cave they call home, Shvaughn, Apparition and Ferro are trying to find their missing companions. A frustrated Apparition phases through some equipment, destroying it - to Shvaughn's annoyance. "Go rattle your chains elsewhere, you bloody spook!" Suddenly, the missing Legionnaires reappear, except for Cosmic Boy, who got sent to the hospital. Saturn Girl and Shvaughn take the medi-kit and go fetch him. Inferno wonders why Triad is so happy despite now being stranded "in the Stone Age"; Triad is just happy to have her memories back. Gates expresses gratitude and joy that their teammates in the future risked everything to come rescue them (L* 47 and LSH 91), saying that the Legion offers such a degree of support and loyalty that makes him rethink his calls for its abolition. Inferno is annoyed that "even the communist is turning into a goody-goody" and walks off.

Ferro sulks. When Apparition checks on him, he says he was inspired by Gates' "stick together" speech. Now he's thinking of someone he left in a horrible place. Tinya offers the Legion's help, but Ferro says he needs to do it alone. She gets Ultra Boy to lend Ferro his flight ring.

At the hospital, the seniors that Brainy deaged have turned into teens again. They are absolutely thrilled by the development. Shvaughn examines Cos, saying she doesn't detect any physical damage, meaning they don't have anything to fix. An attending doctor, Doc Midwich, becomes curious about how they can do that - Shvaughn is forced to sidestep the question so as not to reveal their origins. Imra asks Rokk to come back, and he suddenly wakes up.

Ferro flies to the institution called "The Threelove Company" (in New England!), triggering alarms. He is met by the enforcers from earlier, called the Knight Shift. Ferro says he's here for his brother, and the Shift lets him in. Doug is surprised, as he was told Ferro (Andy) was dead; they were supposed to escape together, but Doug chickened out last minute and Andy was forced to leave alone. Doug declines to escape again with Andy. Andy is surprised, saying he thought Doc 30 was taking care of them because their mom couldn't. Doug says he found papers in Doc 30's office; that Doc 30 paid judges off to get legal custody of every inmate, that the government is paying him to give them therapy, but that Doc 30 steals it all. Doug tells Andy that Doc 30 is only getting away with it because the rest of the world turns a blind eye. And if he stays, at least he has a chance of becoming part of the Knight Shift and living comfortably. He's even thought up a codename - Ingot. Andy asks why Doug wants to profit from such an evil place, and is interrupted by Taser yelling that Doug is smarter. Taser binds both brothers in his energy beams. Andy has "ironed up" but Doug refuses to, as it might hurt his chances of becoming a Knight Shifter. Doc 30 arrives, praising Andy for escaping and coming back. He offers Andy a place on the Knight Shift (especially as he didn't report Andy's escape, so he's still earning from him). Doug loses it, saying he was the loyal one who stayed. He rampages. Doc 30 reveals his power - the ability to make anyone believe anything for 30 seconds. He makes Doug believe he has to power down, and Fangg kills him. Ferro loses it too, and irons up to free the other prisoners. They overwhelm the Knight Shift, but Ferro is knocked unconscious in the melee. Ferro wakes briefly to call for help on his borrowed flight ring, then collapses again...

... only to wake and see Cosmic Boy stopping the fight by wrapping everyone up in metal.

The Legionnaires and the prisoners attend Doug's funeral along with Ferro. Doc 30's institution has been shut down; the Justice Department investigated. They call Ferro a hero, and Cos leaves him with a box containing a flight ring and a note, "When you're ready." Ferro clutches it to his chest as he cries.

Thoughts:

This was a decent spotlight on Ferro. Not my favorite issue, but it does explore his past, and his relationship with his twin. It fills in the gaps in his origin nicely, while showing how even twins can react differently to years of abuse - Ferro found the courage to escape, but Douglas decided to turn his back on an uncaring world. Doug's anger is sad but it seems realistic; he pinned his hopes on becoming a member of the Knight Shift, after all. He endured abuse to be able to get that spot, and it was given to Andy, who escaped.

I remember reading a letter from a fan, who said everyone acted stupidly here. Andy going alone indirectly led to Doug's death. It is true that Andy was hopelessly naive; how did he imagine he could walk out without a fight? Ah, but naivete is part of Ferro's character. Sometimes I wonder. He has some measure of canniness and street smarts, seeing as how he was able to escape before. Yet he's just so kind-hearted and hopeful. It's quite a mixture of traits.

Michael Collins is back, and I love his art. He draws some very attractive characters. And even the "freaks" are drawn well and realistically; though different, the facial expressions are clear. His action scenes are gorgeous, too.

Little insight into Ferro: he left a sewing machine behind, which Doug broke when he thought Andy was killed escaping.

Likes:

1) Shvaughn's Catholic/Irish heritage continues to be hinted at. Besides "Saints preserve us", she uses "bloody" to swear. A nice bit of differentiation, as everyone else in the 30th century uses "sprock" or "grife" or "nass" (except RJ Brande, who uses "By damn!")

2) Spark ordering pizza and the Legion being all confused. Brainy says pizza "stretches like hatch sealant on an Imskian freighter, and tastes like sealant on a Rimborian freighter", making me very afraid suddenly. Jo wishes Tinya could taste it. Gates wishes he could smother it in dralgo dung.

3) Seeing the Legion in civvies. Why am I not surprised that Gates is wearing a Greenpeace hoodie?

4) The revelation that Kritter is really a nerd in an exoskeleton. Cute and funny.

Other thoughts:

1) Apparition continues to thoughtlessly use her powers - this time destroying the equipment Shvaughn is studying. Get your act together, Tinya! This has been a consistent pattern!

2) The elders going back to their teens. They're happy now, I wonder how they will react once they try to pick up their lives? Although, they do live in the DCU... I'm sure they can easily get a medical certificate attesting to how they were deaged. I wonder what their families would think though? They're physically younger than any kids they might have had.

Good news, Ibby. I've finally managed to put together all but two of the L* and LSH issues relevant to this re-read. That should give you some idea of what a state of perpetual disorganization my collection is in. LOL

Anyhow, the issues that I still haven't located are both LSH (91 and 93,) so since I have so much more positive stuff to say about L*, I think it's all going to balance out.

I hope to have at least a couple posts in this thread before bedtime.

That's great, Fanfie! And just in time, as we're about to reach L* 48-52 - the Emerald Violet/Mordru storyline, which I still hold as one of the best in all the Reboot Legion.

Legion of Super-Heroes 94
22 Pages About the Legion
Issue information

Summary AND Thoughts:

This is more like a "day in the life" type of issue, with a series of one or two-page vignettes. Each "story" has a different penciller and inker, so I will list them here. Each also comes with its own title. I'll also give my thoughts per vignette immediately, while saving overall thoughts for the end.

1) Ferro Springs A Surprise: Ferro announces presents for the team. They demur, saying his friendship is enough. Ferro apologizes if he has offended them, but is happy that he designed and sewed them all by himself - he has given them new costumes! (his sewing was hinted at last issue; Doug broke his sewing machine). The Legionnaires participate in the best roll call ever, as they imagine what the costumes might look like.

Pencils - Lee Moder, Inks - Ron Boyd

Lee Moder hits a new high in this issue, with one of the best roll calls ever (the Legionnaires imagining Ferro's costumes for them). You have to see it to believe it: Cos' has giant magnets on the shoulders, Imra's has a gazillion rings everywhere, Brainy's has spectacles and a drawing of a giant brain, Jo's is a jungle man outfit, Shvaughn has a police baton and handcuffs in her belt, Gates has an icon of a gate and is inexplicably sitting in a little red wagon, Inferno's is a flaming bikini. Spark's is less creative in comparison, just a giant dress with a bolt of lightning. The reactions are priceless too, Brainy is burying his face in his hands while clutching at his hair; Inferno's hand is on fire and she has an angry face, Jo's mouth is scrunched up. I'm only disappointed that Apparition (despite appearing in a panel while Ferro was announcing his surprise) and Triad are not included!

2) Trouble in the Hangar: Shvaughn Erin and Ultra Boy work together to build a cruiser/ship for the Legion. They work together well and engage in friendly banter. Apparition barges in, wrecking some of the equipment. She expresses her jealousy to Jo, and flies off with him in hot pursuit. Shvaughn thinks Tinya is being a witch. (the jealousy first manifested in LSH 85, when Jo saved Shvaughn from falling by carrying her, and held her hand as she got used to her new flight ring - Apparition's old one). The dialogue works well:

Jo: "It's great to have someone to get all greasy with!"
Shvaughn: "Anyone'll do, huh? Hand me that screwdriver."
Tinya: "Ohhhh Shvaughn, it's still great to have someone to get all greasy with. Ohhhhh Jo, anyone'll do, huh?"
Jo: "Tinyaaaa, waiiiit!"
Tinya: "Drop dead!"

Pencils - Jason Armstrong, Inks - Ron Boyd. Frankly, I could leave Jason Armstrong's work. Though his faces are decent here, they aren't consistently good. And his art style is not my cup of tea.

3) An Inquisitive Physician: Doctor Midwich returns as Shvaughn continues examining Cosmic Boy. She is reading odd brain patterns that are out of place, yet familiar. Cos posits that it's because of his expanded abilities; he's doing things with his magnetism that he hasn't before (like magnetically disassembling a machine while holding its components in place). He also uses magnetic resonance imaging to detect a money belt under Doc's clothes. Doc tries to look at Shvaughn's tools, but Saturn Girl stops him, saying they've given it a lot of thought but their technology cannot be shared. Doc Midwich pleads, as it could do a lot of good, but Imra stands firm. As they argue, we see Cos staring blankly again.

Pencils - Philip Moy, Inks - Drew Geraci. Philip Moy has an art style very similar to his brother Jeff! Philip's is a tad more angular, though. And I prefer Jeff's, but only by a little.

4) L.E.G.I.O.N. '97: on planet Cairn, Captain Comet is leading a search for Phase's touchstone (she first began looking for it in LSH 87). Comet tells Phase not to worry, as she's held the organization through tough times and this is their way of saying thanks. Phase glumly says she's beginning to think she left it on Earth. Comet calls off the search and tells Phase to take his cruiser. Nice, I'm liking Comet a lot here! His reaction when Phase said the touchstone is probably still on Earth was hilarious.

Pencils - Derec Aucoin, Inks - Ron Boyd. Aucoin's backgrounds are meh, but he does draw a pretty good Captain Comet. Phase, on the other hand, isn't very well-drawn.

5) The Touch: Jo continues chasing Tinya. Jo can't understand the problem; Tinya tells him to stop being a moron and think about it. She escapes through a billboard. Jo thinks that she's taking advantage of the fact that she can't touch anything, and then realizes the issue as he looks at his hand. Nice background work here, as Tinya escapes through a billboard advertising some kind of cream with a slogan "She's got the touch!"

Pencils - Jason Armstrong, Inks - Ron Boyd. Still meh art overall, but props for the background billboard.

6) A Head for Trivia: The Legionnaires watch TV (interview of a senator). Imra uses her telepathy to predict the next words, prompting Spark to playfully slap her with a pillow. Ferro says it's okay, as his brother used to do the same thing during Jeopardy. I got confused with this as a kid, as I thought it meant Doug was a telepath. Now I realize he probably just knew all the answers.

Some hilarious Gates dialogue again:

Gates: "Unbelievable! Even over the airwaves, this senator person emanates evil as if it were musk!" (oh Gates, you should see some of the senators from my home country!)
Spark: "Come off it, Gates. You said the same thing about that little military kid. What did she call herself?"
Cosmic Boy: "A scout girl."
Gates: "Well, those cookies she was offering were loaded with toxic refined sugar!"

Pencils - Stuart Immonen, Inks - Ron Boyd. I've always found Immonen's art to be a bit bland, and his facial features less well-defined. It works here though, as the setting is darkened while the Legionnaires watch TV.

7) Koko! Koko! Koko!: As Brainiac 5 sleeps, Koko climbs out of his room. He takes charge of a group of white monkeys like him, leading them in a chant of Koko! Koko! Koko! He returns to Brainy's side with a rather ominous look on his face. A rather pointless page that is never followed up on.

Pencils - Lee Moder, Inks - Ron Boyd. I love the little purple eye-cover that Brainy wears to sleep. Also notable that he still wears his question... and that he snores.

8) Anti-Social Science: Gates teleports in to Brainy's lab, saying that he was told Brainy wanted to borrow something. Brainy acknowledges him by saying "mmm-hmm". Gates calls Brainy out, saying the only time Brainy spoke to him was while they were stuck in the timestream {LSH 91). Brainy replies that it's not his habit to converse with political zealots. What follows is one of the best take downs ever:

Brainy: "Whenever you open your beak, I think: There are so many facts to be discovered. Why does he waste his intelligence on mere opinions?"
Gates (as he teleports out): "Oh? Is that YOUR opinion?"

Brainy's look of surprise and consternation is PRICELESS.

Pencils: Val Semeiks, Inks: Ron Boyd. Semeiks' pencils make this scene absolute gold. He draws a great Gates, and Brainy's facial expression is delightful.

9) Lost in the Supermarket: Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Ferro are at the supermarket. Ferro keeps getting weird looks from people, and we even see a little girl cry. Imra expresses her annoyance at Doc Midwich for hassling them about the medi-kit. Cos says that maybe the Doc would understand if he knew about the time travel issues. Ferro asks Cos if the medikit can fix his face.

I love the initial conversation here, with Cos saying that ice cream is "pure poison". Imra defends it by saying it's good, and that in the short term, fat and sugar keep one alive.

Pencils: Phil Jimenez, Inks: Drew Geraci. Jimenez has gorgeous art as always. The way he draws Imra's hair is delightful.

10) Inferno Gets Carded: At the mall, Triad and Spark pester Inferno over her real name. Shvaughn drags them off to get a soda. Inferno tries to get beer, and is asked for her age. She gives it as May 20, 2977; the bartender takes her beer back as she has to be born before 1976. Poor Sandy.

Some fun dialogue here:

Shvaughn: "Come on you kids, I'm parched! Let's get a soda or someting."
Inferno: "Oh, fun. After that, can we go watch Polliwogs?"
Triad: "So what do you want to do, tough guy? Go to the dock and beat up sailors?"

Pencils - Lee Moder; Inks - Ron Boyd. Moder has a good idea of what the Legionnaires would wear in civvies; Inferno has ripped jeans, Ayla has a hoodie, Shvaughn is smartly dressed in a button-down, Triad has a losse polo and leggings.

11) Triple Ex: In the 30th century, Winema Wazzo misses Tinya. Her ex-husband, and Tinya's dad, visits saying he misses Tinya too. Winema snaps, saying her never even spent time with Tinya. She gives him his 1000 credits and tells him to leave. Tinya's dad asks for 3,000, and Winema angrily gives it to him. After he leaves, he reveals his secret - he's a Carggite!

Like mother, like daughter? Tinya's dad is the rough-and-tumble type, and even has an earring like Jo does. Maybe that's why Winema hated Jo so much. Also helps explain why she was so protective and overbearing.

Pencils - Jeff Moy, Inks - Drew Geraci. Moy and Geraci don't make a good combination; the art is a bit rough here. Still good facial expressions though.

12) Triad Drops In: Triad flies to Hawaii to look up Superboy. Only Purple is particularly eager, though. Superboy's friend Roxy Leech (tall, statuesque blonde) answers the door in a bathrobe. Triad spots her wearing Superboy's flight ring and flies away without a word.

Pencils - Paul Pelletier, Inks - Ron Boyd. Great art! All three Triads have very different facial expressions and stances, showing their different personalities. Roxy is stunning, as is the Hawaiin scenery.

13) To Serve Man: Gates and Ultra Boy are in a homeless shelter, cooking food for the customers (a nice follow up to Jo suggesting to Gates they do something together, in LSH 86). The staff is terrified and huddles in a corner. Finally, the homeless come in. As Gates serves one, he cries in fear. The oblivious Gates and Jo mistake it for tears of joy, and leave feeling happy and fulfilled.

This is probably the most humorous vignette yet! I love how Gates and Jo remain oblivious all throughout!

Gates: "Eat, Earthling, eat!"
Man: "W-whatever you say, just don't hurt me..."
Gates: "Helping the downtrodden certainly gives one a good feeling."
Ultra Boy: "I'll say! Did you see that old guy that was crying, he was so grateful? I almost lost it myself!"

Pencils and Inks by Walter Simonson, who does a good job - though his faces aren't so good. It looks a bit like scribbles in fact. But the panel with the old man crying in fear was gold.

14) Ferr's New Belt: Ferro sews a Legion utility belt for himself, all the while singing and narrating as if he were a superhero on TV. It's cute, but did we really need a whole page? Ferro has been in focus a lot already.

Pencils: Val Semeiks, Inks: Ron Boyd. I like Ferro's heroic pose at the end.

15) The Ring: Triad, Gates and Cosmic Boy teleport into Roxy's house and retrieve the flight ring. They voice their displeasure at Superboy giving it away. They teleport out, telling Roxy to tell Superboy they need to talk. Roxy calls Rokk buttface, in annoyance at their intrusion and rudeness.

Pencils: Paul Pelletier, Inks: Drew Geraci. Another good bit of art. Gates and Triad being annoyed at Superboy was well done.

16) Resistant to Flames: Ferro springs his costumes on the Legion. Inferno is first; Ferro eyes her as he shows off hers. He even thinks he made it too big on top. Inferno thinks Ferro is being pervy, and loses her temper, setting all the costumes on fire. Cos and Jo put it out. Inferno stammers an apology; Ferro explains that he made hers fire-proof.

Well, Inferno was right that Ferro was eyeing her, but maybe not in a pervy way. Her temper gets the better of her again... But Ferro is so nice, he's cool with it.

Pencils: Lee Moder, Inks: Ron Boyd. I am a bit disappointed we never got ot see the rest of the costumes.

17) The Crush: Inferno tries on Ferro's costume. Ferro compliments her. She asks him if he likes her, but shushes him and walks away before he answers. We see Inferno shed a tear.

This was an odd scene. We never really find out why Inferno acted that way; is it because she doesn't like Ferro? She doesn't want to love? She still plans on making a life in the future? Who knows!

Pencils: Lee Moder, Inks: Ron Boyd

18) A Previous Engagement: Ferro thanks Cos again, and offers to return the flight ring. Cos declines, and also playfully says soon he and Imra will be wearing another ring. Ayla spits out her drink, and all the Legionnaires stare in shock.

Pencils: Tom Grummet, Inks: Ron Boyd. Not the prettiest art, but Tom does a good job showing Ayla's shock.

19) Lost in the Department Store: As they shop for wedding gifts, the Legionnaires are accosted by a belligerent mall cop who accuses them of shoplifting. Shvaughn heads him off, telling him off for implementing leash laws for teenagers. Spark thanks Shvaughn, and empathizes with her for being the only adult in the group, and the only cop. Spark insightfully thinks that it must be hard for Shvaughn, as she doesn't really have much in common with the rest (though she forgets that Saturn Girl used to be a Science Police Cadet). Shvaughn says she gets by somehow.

I feel that the belligerent cop is sadly too common in the present day...

The last page has Shvaughn making journal entries of her experiences, including the titles we have seen. We see that her work includes many of the vignettes taking place in the 20th century, that either she was present at or would plausibly have heard rom the others. She types in, "I keep sane... somehow."

Pencils: Mike Collins, Inks: Drew Geraci. More stunning art.

Thoughts:

Although this issue didn't do much to move the overall plot (Legionnaires trapped in 20th century searching for a way home) forward, I still did like it. It was a realistic take at how people stranded 1000 years before their time cope. It delves into each of the characters rather well, as all of them get some nice development - big points especially to Shvaughn and Gates, who finally get more of a spotlight.

I love how they had the same artist draw related scenes! Paul Pelletier for anything Superboy-related, Jason Armstrong for the jealousy of Tinya.

Tinya/Jo is an interesting thing, as Tinya's been jealous of Shvaughn in LSH 85, but hasn't since (that was 9 issues ago, and the Legion have appeared in a few other issues too!), and now the jealousy is re-introduced and developed in one issue. I feel for Tinya though; she's intangible, Jo's not, and if I were in her place I would feel a bit insecure too, despite Jo's professions of love! To Jo's credit though, he doesn't even give any indication of a wandering eye. I feel more for Jo here, as he's doing his best to reassure Tinya. It's a tough situation...

I do feel though that Triad, while getting her share of screen time, didn't get as much depth as other characters. Her major scenes were mostly in the context of her crush in Superboy, and we learn very little new about her.

I'm so happy that the writers are using Gates' alien-ness in a different way from Tellus and Blok in the Preboot. The latter two were hopelessly naive and curious and boring; Gates is witty and opinionated. All are unused to "humanoid" ways, but Gates is just so much funnier about it.

I also gained a new respect for Ultra Boy here. Despite his rough origins, he comes across as one of the more emotionally mature Legionnaires (in stark contrast to his Superman Plus appearance, rampaging through the Fortress of Solitude when Tinya disappears). He's patient with Tinya, and he works with Gates at the homeless shelter. Good job, Jo, and a nice change from the dumber Ultra Boys of other Boots (I'm especially looking at you, Levitz Jo and frat boy Threeboot Jo).

Shvaughn finally gets more focus in this issue, and the writers point out that she has little in common with the rest. It was clever showing her using a journal as a means to keep sane, and having her record many of the happenings!

Legionnaires 48
Dawn of the Dark Lord
Issue Information

Summary:

On planet Anatac, Mordru tries to enlist his grandson in his plan to take over the galaxy. He kills his son and daughter-in-law for resisting; his grieving grandson attacks, and Mordru kills him by absorbing his considerable power. Mordru next plans to reclaim the Emerald Eye.

The Eye senses this event, and tells Violet that Mordru once possessed IT as a tool in his galactic conquest. Violet questions why the Eye has no empathy for those it enslaves, like her; the Eye says it is Violet's friend.

At Legion HQ, Star Boy continues to test his enhanced powers, which include strength, invulnerability, speed and electric vision. Dr. Gym'll can only figure out that Thom's powers date from the time he crashed his ship on an asteroid (mentioned way back in LSH 66 as causing the delay of his Legion membership). It must have been the accident, but nobody knows what about it gave Thom his powers.

Invisible Kid gets a call from RJ Brande; he wants to brief the Legion on their investigation of the tomb on Asteroid Yuen (found in L* 44). All the Legionnaires, except Umbra (who refused to leave her assigned Monitor duty despite Kinetix's offer), enter the meeting room. XS is now over Cosmic Boy (because of his romance with Saturn Girl - explained in L*45) and has began crushing on M'Onel. Brande explains that the "Mord" tablet Magno found most likely refers to Mordru, a ruthless conqueror who ruled over a bunch of star systems over a century before the UP was founded. Mordru was a sorceror with tremendous power over matter and energy, and could travel across interstellar distances. He was eventually defeated by former followers who were powerful magic users themselves. As this happened before the discovery of methods of economic star travel, researchers are only now unearthing these stories. Mordru was entombed on a remote planetoid, which UP scholars believe is now Yuen. The tomb discovered was empty, and because of Mordru's power, Brande thinks he might still be alive. He has ordered UP personnel to report all mystical events on him, and has learned about the absorption of magical crystals at Biel (L* 45) and the murder of Evisceratronic for an arcane gemstone (L* 47). Because of the gem, M'Onel wonders if the Emerald Eye is involved. Brande confirms that some legends described a glowing orb. Finally, he adds that Dragonmage was reported on Yuen (L* 46). This triggers Lyle's memory of Dragonmage arriving at Legion HQ with a warning of Mordru (L* 47).

On Binder-7, Mysa and Dragonmage find that Mordru has retrieved the magical talismans that Mysa hid away. Mysa says that they must approach the Legion for help.

Lyle explains his encounter with Dragonmage and apologizes for not listening. Brande reassures him, saying he himself only learned about Mordru that morning. Umbra calls in with reports of the murders on Anatac; Mordru spoke a different language that only the victims understood; the killer projected energy from his body; and the grandson killed was a mystic and skilled healer. Kinetix recognizes a tattoo on the grandson's cheek, which looked like her own tattoo while she was a "cat-girl" transformed by Mysa! (L*34 to 42). The Legionnaires explain to the new members about Mysa and her involvement with Kinetix and the search for the Eye, prompting Star Boy to tell Kinetix about Dreamer's vision of her being grabbed by an arm in a tomb (L* 46). Kinetix brushes it off, saying she doesn't have time to go on a dig.

On Anatac, Mordru reappears behind the Science Officers who reported to Brande, implying they will be murdered.

On Sklar, a poorly-disguised Mordru lands in a Science Police cruiser (probably the one belonging to the Officers on Anatac). He tells the officials he is here for his grand-daughter, and demands to see her. The Sklarians find him arrogant and refuse.

Kinetix replaces Umbra on Monitor duty, and immediately receives a call from Sklar warning the UP that their actions will be treated as an act of war. Brande immediately brings a Legion team (Element Lad, Live Wire, Magno, M'Onel, Sensor, Star Boy) to stop the "rogue SP officers" while Brande uses diplomacy to "mend trade ties with Sklar". Brande stays behind on UP Outpost Delta, and learns that a UP Marine patrol sent after the rogue SPs has been lost. M'Onel finds the roge SP ship, which is blasting the surface of Sklar. THe crew has been murdered. M'On stops the ship's blasting, and the Legionnaires prepare to go to Sklar.

Mordru notices the SP cruiser has stopped firing, and sneers at the technology. He is trying to reach the core of Sklar.

What follows is one of the most exciting battles in a while. M'Onel, Live Wire, Magno and Star Boy attack Mordru quickly, and Sensor uses her illusions to disguise their attacks. The result is Mordru being kept off-balance, unable to adjust to their moves. Sensor does warn that Mordru is so powerful, her only advantage was surprise. Unfortunately, Live Wire sustains his next attack a little bit too long, allowing Mordru to regain his footing and blast Garth. He also turns Sensor's illusions back on her, knocking her unconscious with feedback. Mordru tosses Garth, and Magno manages to save him from crashing into jagged rocks with millimeters to spare. Mordru quickly knocks out M'Onel and Star Boy; and he turns Element Lad's powers back on himself, transmuting Jan into pure crystal.

On Earth, Kinetix receives a call from Brance telling her to mobilize the rest of the Legion. Before she can relay the orders, Dreamer's vision comes true, somewhat: a hand (recognizable as Mysa's) reaches out of the monitor screen, grabs Kinetix by the neck and draws her in!

On Sklar, Mordru decides to spare the Legionnaires. He tells them to go into the galaxy and tell of his actions on Sklar, and that he will destroy any planet that fails to surrender. He teleports them back to their ship, and seconds later, the horrified Legionnaires see Sklar exploding.

Thoughts:

This was an excellent issue! The threat of Mordru is escalated - he can absorb energy from people, and he's powerful enough to destroy a planet. The Emerald Eye and Mysa are confirmed to have connections. I also love how professional the UP and the Legion are shown to be. As soon as Brande receives information on Mordru, he calls in the Legion and they act quickly. No idiocy here (except perhaps for Live Wire's fatal mistake in the battle on Sklar). Finally, the battle against Mordru was one of the most amazing I have seen in the Reboot reality (oh but wait, it gets better soon!)

Art-wise, Jeff Moy continues to rock. Comments:

1) I do have a problem with this roll call. It's great art, it's creative, but it seems a bit all over the place in terms of the Legionnaires' reactions. Invisible Kid and Kinetix are the only ones reacting to the scene where Mordru confronts his son and grandson. M'Onel is doing a Batman by using his cape to hide his face, XS looks like some cute anime character, and the rest of the Legionnaires are reacting to Sensor's serpentine body draped over them. But that aside, it's a cute roll call.

2) Anatac is an interesting planet. Here, the males have hair and the females are bald. It seems rather primitive for the 30th century though, as I see few traces of technology.

3) Cover-wise, Moy has male Sklarians as well. But the interiors make it seem as though Sklar is an all-female planet. What's the truth, I don't know... But the cover is still amazing, and captures the danger that is Mordru.

4) The battle against Mordru and the destruction of Sklar were beautifully drawn.

Fave moments:

1) Sensor being in awe of RJ Brande's presence. And Chameleon explaining that, though Brande is extremely wealthy, he was never interested in power and had to practically be drafted as UP President. An interesting point; Brande was never a politician, but the books imply that his support for the Legion and its symbolism of diversity and cooperation was what got him the job.

2) Kinetix being snippy - she's close to Gates for most sarcastic. After downplaying Dreamer's vision, she says "Tell your spacy girlfriend to cultivate a useful talent, Star Boy! Her little visions are no help in telling us how to stop Mordru!" Oh, Zoe...

3) Mordru disguising himself as an SP officer by wearing only a helmet, and the Sklarians' reactions. Most of them find him arrogant, but one gazes lustfully at his "nice shoulders"! Well, Mordru IS quite buff for an old man...

4) The battle vs. Mordru. Seriously. It was just that good.

Other Thoughts:

1) I do wonder why Mordru decided to abandon his grand-daughter on Sklar and instead destroy the planet. Perhaps he felt that the planet's core would give him more energy; and also he wanted to punish the Sklarians for ignoring his request? Also, shades of Starbreaker - destroying a planet to absorb its energy!

2) As an aside, I'm probably not the only one pissed off at Lori Morning for not having the entire Legion be here for this story. But, ah well...

Legionnaires 49
Let the Call Go Forth
Issue Information

Summary:

RJ Brande addresses the galaxy to explain the threat of Mordru. He calls on all super-powered sentients who want to help, and can be spared from defending their homeworlds, to join the task force he is forming.

On Xanthu, Prefect Lamar thinks some Amazers can be spared. Shown are Atom'x, Kid Quantum II, Monstress, Insect Queen and Atmos.

On Vyrga, the Matriarch thinks it's a tragedy they can't send anyone as the Legion helped quell a civil war/rebellion (L* 45). Matriarch decides to donate supplies and serve as a hospital ward for the wounded.

On Lallor, an unnamed official insists that their three special forces not answer the call as Lallor can't afford to be undefended. Legion reject Splitter (who failed the finals in L* 43) is disappointed. Unnamed, but clearly recognizable, are Gas Girl and Beast Boy.

On Luna, McCauley thinks he can sit tight for better profits later on. New recruits Radion and Blast-Off think they can show up the Legion. Particon is also there (all 3 joined in L* 43). Spider-Girl, Karate Kid and Evolvo are also present.

In Guyana, Earth, Polar Boy and Night Girl think their team of Substitutes isn't ready. Two other Subs are pictured in silhouette, falling over each other. One has long hair - Fire Lad?

On Orando, the King worries that princess Sensor is putting herself in danger. Sensor's brother Prince Wyllm (William?? British royal family?) and the raccoon servants have faith in her though.

Lori Morning and Marla Latham are left in Legion HQ. Lori expresses regret that her actions (L* 47 and LSH 91) left the rest of the team stranded in the 20th century. Marla says that Violet's possession by the Eye caused them to be stranded anyway, and tells her that we all make mistakes - just don't repeat them.

In space, Mordru watches the broadcast and laughs at Brande for his lack of imagination. He conjures up an image of the Emerald Eye, his last remaining tool, to track it. The Eye senses Mordru's search, and Violet takes advantage of its distraction to attack it. The Eye admonishes Violet, as using its energy will draw Mordru. It stops Violet's attack by showing her an image of "Mordru's putrid soul". Violet is shocked into submission, thinking her case is hopeless.

M'Onel and Star Boy brief Brande, Invlsible Kid, Chameleon, Umbra and XS on their encounter with Mordru. Lyle asks Brande to check on Live Wire. In sickbay, Element Lad is being treated. Live Wire, Magno and Sensor watch glumly. Garth blames himself for ruining their plan against Mordru (L* 48) - and IMO, rightly so. Sensor and Brande cheer Garth up, saying that Mordru was so powerful he would have won anyway. Brande even takes it on his shoulders, saying they should have sent a more powerful force in the first place. Garth takes it to heart, and thanks Magno for saving his life on Sklar. Element Lad suddenly wakes up; his body is still crystal, and he has trouble moving, but he can talk.

Kinetix floats in an alternate dimension, skeptical of Mysa and Dragonmage. Dragonmage fumbles his talk (Lady Mysa is no liar! She may be arrogant, but..." Hah! Mysa explains her tale: she led her friends into battle against Mordru a century ago; all her friends were killed, and Mysa was aged to her appearance today. She buried her friends and Mordru's talismans, but the Emerald Eye was lost. Zoe is willing to help now that the Eye and Violet are involved. Mysa teleports the trio to RJ Brande, UP Fleet Admira; Everett and UP General Hol, offering their help. They begin their plan: to track the Emerald Eye from its last encounter with M'Onel (L* 45), to begin fabricating containment vessels for Mordru, and to address the task force.

The task force's full membership is revealed:

1) Legionnaires: Chameleon, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, Magno, M'Onel, Star Boy, Umbra, XS
2) Uncanny Amazers: Atom'x (flight and energy blasts), Kid Quantum II (stasis fields), Monstress (The Hulk in drag)
3) Workforce: Blast-Off (super-speed flight, durability - think X-Men’s Cannonball), Particon (energy projection, an energy lance that disrupts energy), Radion (emits radiation)
4) Mysa and Dragonmage

Key points in this scene: Element Lad insists on going despite being disabled; Radion and Atom'x compete for Kinetix's attention. The task force will split into two ships, for security's sake (wise move; if one ship is destroyed, half remain. I notice they split up people with similar powers too, with M'Onel and Star Boy being separated, same for Dragonmage and Mysa).

Star Boy thinks of Dreamer's last prediction. "Thom? The old man... seal his fate! He can't be killed!"

In space, Sister Andromeda tracks down Violet. She confronts the Eye. The Eye pleads with her to let them go, as Mordru is coming. Andy won't stop, and is blasted by Mordru for her efforts. Mordru takes the Eye and Violet elsewhere,leaving Andy to die. Thankfully, the UP task force comes up and rescues Andy, who tells them that the Eye sounded desperate. Mysa conjures up a vision of Mordru battling the Eye while Violet cowers. Mysa counsels letting Mordru and the Eye expend energy to soften them up, and says that Mordru likely won't destroy Violet. The Eye thinks her useful, so Mordru will too. Kinetix pleads with RJ Brande to do something to rescue Violet. Atom'x takes his chance, and asks Radion if he can phase through walls. Radion says no, and Atom'x jumps through the ship's walls despite Kinetix and Brande telling him to stop! The foolish young man zaps Mordru and the Eye, thinking he can stop them. They both turn on him, and Mordru absorbs Atom'x's energy to attack the Eye. As Mordru kills Atom'x, the Eye tells Violet they have no choice. They merge into one being, calling themselves Veye, and present themselves to Mordru as a consort - to the horror of the UP task force.

Thoughts:

Another thrilling issue that ups the ante significanlty! This one had me on the edge of my seat, despite the bulk of it being Brande and Lyle planning and various people's reactions to Mordru's news. Yet so much happened in such a short time.

I love the title. "Let the Call Go Forth" just seems so fitting, onsidering the magnitude of the threat and Mordru's status as former galactic emperor.

The supporting cast continues to shine as much as the main Legionnaires. RJ Brande, the UP leadership (Admiral Everett, General Hol), Marla Latham, Lori Morning, Mysa, Dragonmage, all get their moments. This issue really ups the world-building that I love about the Legion.

Art-wise, it's amazing again.

1) The cover - showing Emerald Violet and Mordru in a giant Emerald Eye, while the Legion tries to breach it - is easily one of my faves of the entire Reboot. Emerald War, indeed!

2) Moy draws some amazing action scenes. Any time he shows Mordru or the Eye throwing off energy, it's beautiful!

3) Facial expressions and little bits. When Veye present themselves as a consort to Mordru, Mordru holds her hand like a suitor; Veye looks sufficiently demure; everyone n the task force looks shocked. Magno looks sad, and Radion is clearly guilty over Atom'x's hormones getting him killed. Both Mysa and Dragonmage conjure up viewing portals, but the magics used are different: Mysa's is wispy blue energy, Dragonmage's take the form of dragons.

Fave moments:

1) RJ Brande. Any scene he's in makes he like him more and more. He's a true leader; his address to the galaxy was extremely well-done, and follows all the principles I've learned studying leadership, Crisis Management and Communications during my MBA.

2) It doesn't erase what she did, but I'm glad Lori expressed remorse for the failed rescue of the stranded Legionnaires in the 20th century!

3) Dragonmage trying to convince Kinetix to listen to Mysa. "Lady Mysa is no liar! She may be arrogant, but..." Hah!

4) Star Boy thinking of Dreamer's prediction. "Her predictions usually mean something!" Umbra: "Uh-huh. They mean you're obsessed. Men!"

5) Atom'x and Radion fighting over Zoe. Heh. I always thought she was cute, too.

Radion: "And you're Attaboy, right?"
Atom'x: "Atom'x!"
Radion: "Well, I'm Radion. Same idea, better package."

And when Atom'x jumps ship to impress Zoe, he goes "Now who has the better package!" Oh dear, someone isn't up on his 21st century gay slang for men's genitals....

Other thoughts:

1) 3/5 of the Heroes of Lallor have now been rebooted - Evolvo (in McCauley's Workforce), Gas Girl and Beast Boy (unnamed, but easily recognizable from their costumes, on Lallor). Only Life Lass and Duplicate Boy are missing. Life Lass has often been compared to Kinetix, whose powers used to manifest themselves as "animating inanimate objects". But Zoe has already blossomed into full-blown telekinesis. My hunch is that the writers wanted to have a Life Lass-like powerset for Zoe without the historical baggage, and that's why Life Lass continues to be omitted. As for Duplicate Boy, he's probably just too darned powerful. As a writer, I wouldn't want to be saddled with that powerset either!

2) In another reality (think Preboot), Live Wire might have been court-martialed for breaking ranks and allowing Mordru to equilibriate during their battle on Sklar. He has no punishment or inquiry here. Sometimes I wonder if this was swept under the rug too quickly? Brande and Sensor say that Mordru was too powerful, and they would have lost anyway. But who knows? It is clear that he ignored the plan. I like Garth, but it's right that he shows remorse.

3) Poor Dreamer seems to have a Cassandra cruse. Cassandra was a mythological character blessed with prophetic visions, but cursed so that nobody would ever believe her. Marla Latham (LSH 84), Kinetix (L* 48) and Umbra (L* 49) have all ignored her, though Star Boy and Invisible Kid at least think there's something to it. And in her tryout (L* 43), she was able to prove that her visions do come true. It's too bad that her visions are often too grainy or vague to be of immediate use!

4) Atom'x has energy blasts and can phase through walls. Shades of Firestorm! No transmutation though. Atom’x was supposedly a miscolored Atmos, and with both of them existing I can understand why Atom’x was killed off - the sudden appearance of his phasing power wasn’t probably done to facilitate that.

On LSH 87:

Not much to say about this one, and not entirely sure why, because I've always liked Deadman. I suspect my distaste for it might have something to do with its similarities (homages?) to a 1990 horror-mystery-suspense-comedy movie titled "Ghost," starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. That was my junior year of high school, and the ubiquity of that movie in the mass media was simply nauseating to more discerning viewers like me. I remember one of the very few journalists who dared criticize the movie said something to the effect that Whoopi's role (which the Tiffany character is analogous to) was basically a new, state-of-the-art update of demeaning roles for blacks and other ethnic minorities. Anyhow, I'm going to have to agree to disagree with you on this issue, Ibby.

On L* 44:

Now this one is fun! Something else else of a throwback to the lighter side of the Adventure Era Legion, but it doesn't feel saccharine or stale like such tributes often do. And it works as a stand-alone, which is something that I've been valuing more and more in recent months about superhero comics. As for Ze Tongue, I totally "hear" the voice of John Cleese in his memorable role as the unctuous French maitre'd in "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life." Or maybe Cleese's ornery, argumentative medieval Frenchman in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" would be more on point. And, yes, I am pleased as punch that Umbra gets to be a bad-ass here in a way that Preboot Tasmia rarely was allowed to be. Magno, as I said in my review of L* 43, is a character I liked a lot, and the contrast between his cheery outlook and Umbra's jaded one prevents said cheer from becoming a bit much. As for Sneckie, she has good verbal give-and-take with Umbra as well, and I think it's a pity that she's already showing a more likeable, more well-defined personality than her humanoid Preboot counterpart, which only shows up the whole cheapness of the snake thing as being wholly unnecessary. I give this one a solid 4 out of 5 Umbras:

Legionnaires 50
The Bride of Mordru
Issue Information
Pull-out Poster

Summary:

Mordru considers Veye's proposal of marriage. They form a magical dome so they can discuss the terms undisturbed. Because Mordru can absorb energy weapons, The UP Fleet fires concusive and projectile missiles at the dome to weaken it. The dome's magic makes most of the missiles miss; the fleet admiral orders a random attack pattern, which scores more hits.

The UP forces are in shock at Atom'x's death and Veye's proposal to Mordru. Sensor checks on an injured Sister Andromeda, and recaps the story so far. The task force deploys, though Element Lad and Sister Andromeda have to stay behind as both are still recovering. Particon senses a weakness in the magical dome, to Dragonmage's annoyance and jealousy. As Mysa, Kinetix and Dragonmage protect the team, Lyle orders the non-energy casters to get ready. Particon shatters the dome, XS runs in to separate Veye from Mordru. Mysa, Sensor and Kinetix transport Veye to an alternate dimension out of Mordru's reach, while the non-energy casters (Blast-Off, Magno, M'Onel, Monstress, Star Boy, XS) hit Mordru physically. Kid Quantum II slows Mordru down in a stasis field, and Star Boy plays havok with Mordru's gravity. Live Wire and the energy casters are frustrated, but Particon reminds Garth that they can't let Mordru absorb their powers. Mordru begins growing, straining Kid Quantum's and Star Boy's powers. The good guys manage to knock Mordru down, and Radion pushes Umbra out of then way just in time (not that she’s impressed).

Brande thinks that the only reason Mordru hasn’t destroyed the planet yet - as he was powerful enough to do so when the battle started - is he doesn’t want to risk losing the Eye.

Sensor, Kinetix and Mysa try to convince Vi to abandon the Eye. The Eye preys on Vi's insecurities to stay. Vi and the Eye manifest astral forms, signalling Vi's growing resistance. Sensor reminds Violet of her strength of character even before the Eye (discovering Andromeda's ties to the White Triangle in LSH 70, beating and capturing Micro in LSH 66), and tells her Leviathan would have wanted her to resist. Vi is convinced, and begins taking control back from the Eye.

Mordru realizes that Kid Quantum is casting a stasis field on him. He uses a force-wave to fell Blast-Off, M'Onel, Monstress, Star Boy and XS, and drops some rock on Kid Quantum II. He prepares to crush her to death. Invisible Kid turns Kid Q invisible at the last minute, saving her life. He orders the energy casters (Chameleon?, Dragonmage, Live Wire, Particon, Radion, Umbra) to join the battle. Mordru blasts through Umbra's darkfield, felling her and destroying Radion's face. Radiation leaks from it, and only Umbra’s darkfield contains it. Mordru takes down Chameleon, Particon and Dragonmage, blasting them into a recovering Monstress. Live Wire, Magno and a recovered Blast-Off are all that's left. Mordru explodes, and Garth barely saves Magno from the blast; Blast-Off is sadly incinerated, turning to ash.

Vi continues to separate from the Eye. Before she can finish, Mysa magically grabs control of the Eye; Kinetix and Sensor remain in shock as Violet seemingly disappears.

Mordru grabs Dragonmage, the only remaining hero left to face him, and tortures him for the whereabouts of the Eye. Dragonmage, to his credit, refuses to tell. Mysa uses the Eye to attack Mordru, and Dragonmage begins draining Mordru of energy but gets lasted for his trouble. A distraught Mysa presses her attack; Mordru deages her to depower her. He reveals Mysa to be his daughter, and asks her to join him - to the consternation of the Legionnaires. Mysa says "NEVER", getting blasted in the process. Mysa finds that her spells aren't working well, because of her restored youth. The Eye loses it, saying it will never be controlled again. It begins blasting indiscriminately, destroying some of the equipment the task force brought. Brande is worried, but Element Lad says he can fix it - his transmutation abilities are returning. Sister Andy offers her help too.

Violet reappears, having shrunk down to hide on the Eye. She takes charge, telling the Eye to focus its blasts. Mordru blasts her, and Violet decides to send the Eye away and out of his reach. Mordru threatens to kill her, but Kinetix saves her. Umbra confuses Mordru using her darkfield, and the conscios Legionnaires and allies (Live Wire, M'Onel, Particon, Star Boy, XS) press their attack. Magno's magnetism isn't working. Element Lad and Andromeda alert Lyle to their presence, and Lyle tells everyone to begin the final phase.

Mordru spies the Eye floating nearby. He grabs it and seemingly kills everyone, reducing them to skeletons. His energy spent, he kneels down and goes dormant. Watch closely; in between panels, Mordru's magical talismans begin to disappear (revealed to be courtesy of XS), and the Eye begins thinking that the plan worked. As a containment sphere closes around Mordru, we see that his victory was an illusion by Sensor, who again takes advantage of Mordru's arrogance Mysa, Kinetix and Particon deflected his blast, Chameleon impersonated the Eye, the strong people (Andromeda, M'Onel, Monstress, Star Boy) are closing the sphere around Mordru, and Element Lad seals it in intertron! Mysa confirms that Mordru has finallygone dormant, as he did when Mysa sealed him away a century ago. Lyle thanks everyone, and they retreat to recover.

Violet, Kid Quantum II and Dragonmage are injured, but expected to recover fully. Violet explains that, as Veye, she intentionally left a flaw in the dome so it could easily be shattered. Magno is healing, but the doctor warns Brande there may be a problem. The leaking radiation from Radion's face can be contained, but the doctors can't tell how well he will heal or whether his face can be regrown. Mysa is in perfect physical health, though the doctor acknowledges they cannot predict if it will affect her magical abilities. Sister Andromeda has led a memorial service for Atom'x and Blast-Off (causing Monstress to cry). Star Boy tells Umbra that Dreamer's prophecy (to seal the old man's fate) must have meant the sealing of Mordru in a tomb; it has been stated several times that destroying Mordru's body could have meant him survuving as an energy being. Lyle tells Brande that he doesn't feel fit to lead the Legion, as many task force members were injured or died. Brande tells him he did his best,that Mordru was a dangerous opponent and all knew the risks, and that the best way to honor the fallen is to carry on, "for there will always be a need for heroes."

Thoughts:

THE BEST BATTLE EVER. A long, strategic one. The final defeat of Mordru was well thought out, and used available tech and the powers of the task force to the fullest! So many excellent moments throughout, and nearly everyone got their moment - even supporting characters and non-Legionnaires. In fact, at some point I felt like non-Legionnaires got somewhat more focus (i.e Monstress had funnier lines and recovered earlier than M'On or Star Boy; Blast-Off got his sacrifice; Kid Quantum II standing up to Mordru; Particon breaching the magical barrier; Mysa and Dragonmage had their moments too). Brains and brawn went into this! I remember reading this as a kid, I was so hooked I barely touched my lunch, I couldn't wait to get to the end.

The switcheroo at the end got me - for a moment, I thought Mordru HAD KILLED everyone! To find out moments later that it was all an illusion - amazing, and probably the best use of Sensor's illusions ever.

In fact, I feel this may have been the best Mordru story ever. High stakes, a compelling battle, real consequences (two deaths and lasting changes for some survivors,plus the destruction of Sklar), the wrap-up of several subplots such as Mysa and Emerald Violet. Just amazing.

Again, the interior art was amazing. I'm so happy Jeff Moy (penciller) and W.C. Carani/Philip Moy (inkers) did this issue; it looks great. Action scenes, facial expressions, layouts, all amazing. Colors were bright, but that just made the battle stand out even more. I also appreciated the little touches, such as Moy drawing little floating cameras in the background of battle scenes to show how Brande monitors the battle.

Cover was pretty, but relatively disappointing. Veye and Mordru getting married - Veye throwing away a bridal bouquet was a nice touch. But then we have some Legionnaires getting sucked into a black hole, and not even that many. I feel like the cover could have captured the epic scale of the battle better.

The dialogue was amazing as well - some choice bits in my fave moments.

Fave moments:

1) Everyone's reactions at Mordru/Veye. Star Boy thinks Mordru snuffed the powerful Atom'x like a candle. Umbra goes, "More like a dim bulb, Star Boy. Atom'x did something stupid and got what was coming to him." Radion is guilty that Atom'x only did that to compete with him in impressing Kinetix. Monstress thinks, "Violet has a marvelously eclectic taste in clothes, but her taste in men could get us all killed!"

2) Monstress needling Mordru as he grows. "Hey More-dud! Aren't you getting a little too big for your britches?"

3) Particon breaching Mordru's barrier and reminding Live Wire that they are energy sources for Mordru. Her performance in this battle impressed me, and I was disappointed she didn't get a flight ring. I made sure to rectify that in my fanfic, where Particon is now a valued Legionnaire.

4) Andromeda suppressing her xenophobic reaction to Sensor.

5) Fleet Admiral Everett being all, "oh, so the dome's magic disrupted my fleet's targetting systems? Then we'll just fire randomly!" I did laugh at the missiles being from McCauley Industries... never imagined McCauley would probably quality goods.

6) Dragonmage is still focused on proving to the Legion that he should get a flight ring! He does prove himself useful though, but gets drunk on leeching Mordru's power - getting a head-on attach in the process.

7) XS being too fast for Mordru to hit, even without Kid Quantum's stasis field. Her complimenting Blast-Off on "using his head"! Blast-Off is a regular Cannonball

8) Star Boy remembering to use his gravity powers n Mordru, instead of relying solely on his physical powers.

9) Mordru revealing that Mysa is his daughter.

Mordru: "I knew the day would come when the Eye would be delivered to me by my first-born! Our feud was always pointless, child. Join me, and together we can rule this galaxy!"
Live Wire: "First-born? She's his daughter?!"
Invisible Kid: "..."
Umbra: "Oh, fine! This gets better and better!"
Star Boy: "it.. can't... be..."
XS: "Wha...?"
M'Onel: "Mysa... no... don't... give... in..."
Dragonmage: "Sh-she... used... us?"
Mysa: Join you, father? Never."

10) The brilliant final plan. We see Mordru kill everyone; then panels later, we see the outline of a containment sphere close in on him. As it does, his amulets slowly disappear, courtesy of XS. The fake Eye is revealed to be Chameleon! Visual storytelling at its best!

1) Despite being injured and possibly powerless, Magno is all like "I knew we would win!" His positivity is refreshing, which is why I brought him back in my fanfic too!

12) Violet taking an active role - freeing herself from the Eye, guiding it in attacking Mordru and then sending it away to prevent it from falling into his clutches, and creating the flaw in the magical dome that Particon exploited

Other thoughts:

1) The recap took about 2 pages. A bit too long, but since this is a double-sided issue, I'll let it slide. And after all,a lot has happened.
On the poster:

2) It was a bit weird that Sensor of all people convinced Vi to separate from the Eye. I mean, personality-wise she gives a good pep talk, but she references many events from way before she joined. Kinetix would have been the better choice as she and Vi joined together, and they were best friends.

3) The second wave was supposed to be energy casters or others whom Mordru can absorb, yet Chameleon is there inexplicably. Umbra too, but I guess her shadows can be explained as a form of energy./ I got nothing for Cham though.

4) Monstress and Blast-Off recover before M'Onel, Star Boy and XS do. Is Monstress more invulnerable? Blast-Off I can understand, it's literary license as he recovers just in time to die...

5) Dreamer's prophecy is proven true, though it also seems like it didn't play a role in dveloping the plan. Ah well...

6) There were moments in the battle where Magno disappeared. We see him attacking Mordru in the first wave, but he’s not among those who fall to Mordru’s attack then. Yet he isn’t part of the second wave when they rush into battle, but attack some Mordru again after.

Alan Davis does beautiful work, as always. I love that their are mini-bios (basically just height, weight, hair color, eye color, and powers/abilities, but still) on the back.

Some things that stood out (bear with me, I don't have the poster with me so for comments on the back, I'm going by memory):

Front:

1) Some notable absences. Of support staff, we have RJ Brande, Marla Latham, Shvaughn Erin, Tenzil Kem and Chuck Taine. Absent are Inferno (odd because she's so prominent) and Rond Vidar and Proty.
2) Hints of future members: Monstress is here, as is Thunder (who won't join for another 15 months real time!). Kid Quantum II and Karate Kid will join 7 months before her, but are absent. I wonder how many fans were disappointed to see that Dirk Morgna, Mysa, Dragonmage aren't here either.
3) Between Magno and Tenzil is a yellowish bit of energy that isn't given a bio... A clever way to foreshadow Wildfire!
4) The mysterious girl with a mask and green hair. We will find out later it's Lori Morning in an H-dial guise!
5) Fave moments: Cham giving M'On rabbit ears, to Sensor's amusement; Garth and Ayla frowning as Cos and Imra look happy while facing each other; Tinya sitting in Jo's lap; Thom holding up the Legion symbol as Triad Purple musses his hair; Monstress being smitten by Brainy, who acts bemused; XS zipping into view last minute; Umbra scowling; Lyle fading into view in front of an annoyed Gates; Magno is frowning; and Ferro looks shy while Vi looks confident; Jan's crystal form makes his costume look wavy.

Back:

1) Garth is TALL! 5'10. M'Onel is 6' or 6'1. But most of the Legion males are short - I think the next tallest is Ultra Boy at 5'8.Tenzil is 5'10 if I remember right.
2) Andy is tall too - 6'! Sensor is 12' in length. Gates is less than 5' upright but his entire length is quite tall.
3) Chuck is huge - over 200 pounds! Heavier than RJ Brande.
4) Vi is tiny - 5' flat.

It's cool how Magno and Umbra have such opposite personalities! And we're in total agreement about Umbra being allowed to kick butt.

I also agree about Sensor's personality. Adventure-Era Projectra under Shooter was cool, but later writers (including Levitz) seemed to turn her into a whiny girl scared of her princess status. But this Sensor wants to give up her title yet still wants to contribute to the galaxy at large, and honestly I feel like she would make a wise queen given how she talks and acts. I agree, it just makes her rebooting as a snake sad; I feel like she would have been a popular version of Jeckie if only she remained humanoid.

Legionnaires 51
Picking Up the Pieces
Issue Information

Summary:

RJ Brande addresses the galaxy once more, this time reporting victory against Mordru. He thanks those who participated, super-heroes and UP forces alike. News has spread of the deaths of Atom'x and Blast-Off (real name Jahr Ningle; Particon and Radion won't get real names!) Xanthuan Prefect Lamar Zandoz, and Leland McCauley, both send messages of condolences.

On Planet JS-1967 (site of the battle versus Mordru), Mysa, Kinetix, M'Onel and Sister Andromeda destroy Mordru's talismans by melting. Kinetix expresses regret that their power can't be used for good. Lyle uses his Omnicom to check that the talismans are just dust. Mysa is annoyed that Lyle sought to check, and apologizes for snapping; she's nervous that her magic isn't working properly, and that it might weaken their imprisonment of Mordru.

Several UP Marines complain that they had to sit out the battle. General Hol tells them to "stow that nass", and show respect for those who were killed or injured. He also points out that Mysa had to fight against her own father.

Radion is in decent physical health, but has to wear a helmet to contain the radiation leaking from his face. We see that his entire left side is destroyed, and he looks like half a Ghost Rider. Monstress tries to cheer him up by saying he's still quite a hunk; Radion tells her to stay away for her safety. Monstress says she can absorb radiation harmlessly, though it does little for Radion's mood.

Invisible Kid tries to talk SIster Andromeda into rejoining the team by pointing out how "together" she is and how she's grown. Andy declines, saying the Sisters of the Eternal Cosmos are her true calling. She does promise to help out if they need her. M'Onel escorts her to her ship, leaving Lyle hopeful that he can still change her mind.

Mysa tests her magic, but her spells misfire. She blames Mordru's deaging of her for ruining her powers. Brande reassures her, but Mysa is still annoyed as she wants to ensure Mordru won't return. Kinetix feels some sympathy, but confronts Mysa over the tattoo. It is shared by Mordru's grandson on Anatac, Zoe herself when Mysa had transformed her, and Mysa herself. Mysa explains that it's a mark of kinship to Mordru. Kinetix is horrified, but Mysa assures Zoe that she herself isn't related; Mysa gave Zoe the mark reflexively. Mysa's own tattoo didn't show while she was the hag because of her aged skin. Kinetix gives Mysa grief for manipulating her into searching for the Emerald Eye (as explained in L* 42). Mysa explains that she lost all her friends, and everyone she could trust, fighting Mordru, causing her to behave that way. Mysa plans to continue searching for the Eye.

Leland McCauley appears, Spider-Girl and Karate Kid in tow. Brande plans to watch McCauley, but is interrupted by Winema Wazzo. She yells at him for never consulting her about the mission and accuses him of trying to hide something. Mysa and RJ explain some of the precautions they will take, and remind Winema that Mordru lay dormant for centuries before his tomb was disturbed. In a truly evil move, RJ explains that Mordru was reminded when mining opened a crack in his tomb - and shows Winema that it was HER office that approved the mines!

McCauley yells at Radion and Particon for joining the task force and getting Blast-Off killed. Particon has enough and quits. McCauley tells Spider-Girl and Karate Kid to bring them in by force, as their contracts won't expire for 2 years. Umbra is enraged and cloaks the Workforce in her darkfield; Monstress runs through it and knocks them down. Umbra and Monstress give McCauley a talking-to. Brande comes by and offers to buy out their contracts, like he did with Live Wire. McCauley knows he's lost amd cuts them loose. Karate Kid and Spider-Girl apologize; Particon asks why the Kid puts up with McCauley, and he merely says he owes his allegiance. Radion reveals that he and Spider-Girl "had some fun", why am I not surprised? But Spider-Girl also makes it clear that it was just fun for her.

Monstress tells Prefect Lamar she intends to join the Legion. He tries flattery to get her to stay with the Amazers on Xanthu, then tries to assert his authority. Monstress counters by reminding him how much influence her family has on Xanthu. She goes to find Lyle, and is 100% convinced they will accept her.

In Legion HQ, we see Lori's first use of the H-dial. It's not shown, but implied. Chuck Taine spies a strange redhead in a cape with stars in her hair. She rounds the corner, but when Chuck follows all he sees is Lori.

The task force departs. Brande has placed Particon and Radion in the care of Winema Wazzo, and to arrange for their passage home. XS looks for M'Onel, and Zoe teases her on her new crush. Chameleon and Star Boy sit with Violet, trying to figure out where the Emerald Eye could be. Violet says all she could do in battle (L* 50) was to tell the Eye to go, and it could be anywhere. But she affirms that she's free from it for now.

Mysa visits Dragonmage, and a romance blossoms; Mysa thinks he looks so much like "her dear Xao", while Dragonmage thinks she's beautiful. It's not clear how Dragonmage's magic is, as he just says the doctors cannot say "when he will truly be whole".

Sensor and Live Wire visit Magno, who is afraid that his magnetic powers don't work anymore. He covers it up, but Sensor reads his fear. They both encourage him to talk about his feelings, but he still hides it.

Kid Quantum II gets a clean bill of health, and is eager to return to Xanthu to help with the memorial services for Atom'x. Prefect Lamar is relieved, as he's already lost two Amazers (Atom'x dead, Monstress leaving for the Legion). Kinetix runs in to get the doctor; Violet is convulsing AND growing. Violet tells everyone to get out. Star Boy flies Chameleon out of the room just in time, as Violet turns into a giant and destroys it!

Thoughts:

Another issue that's more on conversation and relatively quiet moments. But there are so many characters that it's a treat to catch up on it all. A few loose ends are tied up too, such as the mystery of Kinetix's tattoo (which Mysa has too!) I did like this issue, as I had become so invested in the characters through the entire Mordru battle.

The cover art is gorgeous as usual. I remember when I bought this issue. I only had enough money for three, and I had to choose between issues 48, 49, 50 and 51. And I was mesmerized by this cover; I thought 50 might end in a cliffhanger or that there would be some doubts about the fates of some characters. So I gave up 48 (thinking I could get a recap!) and got 51. That shows how beautiful and haunting the cover was.

But it brings me to my annoyance: it's a tad false advertising. The cover blurb reads, "in the wake of disaster, who will be among the survivors?" If you've read the previous issue, you already know exactly who survives. Though this issue gives some "closure" into their fates - like Violet's trauma, Radion's face, and Magno's powers, and Mysa's new youth. Ah well, it's also my fault. The cover shows nearly the entire surviving cast, except Element Lad and Mysa! There's also an unidentified pair of legs wearing blue boots and orange/brown pants, that seems to be crushed under a boulder. Who was that supposed to be? Mysa wears a dress, Jan's pants are white/black, Blast-Off had yellow boots and Atom'x had hot pink leggings.

The interior art is great, though. Moy gives the ruined planet a haunting quality, despite it being full of rocks and destroyed trees.

Fave moments:

1) I was trying to see if the planet was named in an earlier issue, but couldn't. I may have missed it. But I was thrilled to realize that JS-1967 is a reference to Jim Shooter, who wrote the Legion in 1967! Cool!

2) The good guys learning from their mistakes. Instead of simply hiding the talismans, they destroy them, knowing Mordru can track them down.

3) Monstress continuously thinking that so-and-so is so sexy. "Mmm, M'Onel is so sexy! All that strength, and energy powers, too!" Watch out for her - as time goes on she'll say the same about Lyle and even about Marla Latham (who does seem like quite a silver fox, tee hee)!

4) Kinetix comparing McCauley to Mordru. "McCauley is sort of what Mordru might've been if he'd gone into industry instead of sorcery!" Hah!

5) It's really clever how the Reboot worked in Mysa's Hag phase too! And Zoe's sigh of relief after being assured that she's not at all related to Mordru.

6) RJ guilting Winema. After explaining that Mordru was revived because of a hairline crack in his tomb caused by mining, he goes, "And do you know whose UP Bureau approved those new mines? Why, it was YOUR bureau, Winema!" RJ's devilish grin and Winema's utter shock are so well done!

7) Umbra and Monstress defending Radion and Particon, and giving McCauley hell. Umbra: "You know, I wondered how Radion became so impulsive and arrogant - but now I see who was setting the example!"

8) Chuck singing to Mordru's victory. "Happy days are here again! The Legion's won, let's cheer again! We have no Mordru to fear again, happy days are here again!"

9) Sensor thinking how expressive mammalian faces are. It's certainly something that a reptilian would think!

Other thoughts:

1) I have since become a fan of Monstress, but I can understand why many questioned here membership. When I first read this issue too, I thought that others (Kid Q II, Particon, Dragonmage) would have been more deserving.
a) She didn't have the biggest contribution in the battle. Oh, she hit Mordru hard, but her role wasn't as crucial as, say, Kid Quantum II slowing Mordru down or Particon breaching the magical dome and helping deflect Mordru's final blast.
b) Her powers are formidable and useful. But from a teambuilding perspective, they don't add much diversity. She's strong and tough and can absorb radiation (so she says), but versus M'Onel and Star Boy (who also has gravity powers), and even Ultra Boy, this isn't very new. Again, Kid Q II, Particon or Dragonmage would have added more diversity.
c) Even personality-wise, Monstress is very close to Sensor - from a rich and influential family, very sweet, but able to assert themselves in the face of injustice. Though, Monstress at least isn't above pulling rank, citing her family's influence to stop Prefect Lamar from objecting to her desire to join the Legion.

Lyle clearly thought the same way. He made a beeline for the best recruit, from an HR perspective: Andromeda is the most powerful (except perhaps for the magicians, but their powers don't work well now!), and is an ex-Legionnaire to boot.

2) I was a little perplexed at Andromeda becoming a space-nun. But hey, it doesn't stop her from battling Mordru, so I don't mind too much. It was cool that they worked her in, too! She's the only retired Legionnaire in this reality, so far.

Legionnaires 52
Big Trouble
Issue Information

Summary:

M'Onel thinks that he couldn't convince Andromeda to rejoin the team. He does think that she's happier now, and is doing a lot of good while traveling. XS runs to fetch him. Violet is convulsing and growing and shrinking uncontrollably. The Legionnaires and the attending physician, plus Monstress, attend. The doctor asks Mysa if the Eye could be trying to reclaim Violet; Mysa says she senses no trace of the Eye, and that this is likely an aftereffect of Violet's possession. Kinetix thinks it might have to do with Leviathan, as when Violet first revealed her possession (LSH 83 and L*39), she tried to bring him back to life. Zoe and Cham wonder if Gim's spirit is in Violet (like how Apparition's spirit was anchored by Ultra Boy). Mysa says she only senses one spirit within Violet, but thinks the Eye might have given Vi Leviathan's growth powers as a way of fulfilling her wish to bring him back. Sensor tries reading Vi's thoughts, and finds an image of her hugging Gim and saying "I love you" (Complete with heart-shaped bubble). Kinetix is stunned that Vi felt so strongly (and remember, Zoe and Gim were flirting a lot around that time too!)

Violet lapses into a coma, but her body keeps changing size. The doctor doesn't dare give her any medication, as the dosage for big Vi could prove fatal for little Vi. Sensor can't read her thoughts, and says they would need an 8th-level telepath at least. Zoe says Saturn Girl is a 10th-level telepath, and Cham shushes her before she can blurt out that Imra's stuck in the past (much to Lyle's relief). Brande agrees to set a course for Titan, but reveals that he has some telepathic abilities too. Lyle is stunned at this revelation and begins to regard Brande with suspicion.

The plan: Brande and Sensor will pool their telepathy to reach Vi, while Kinetix provides light and the doctor monitors. Umbra will cloak them for privacy and focus. Brande asks Chameleon and Element Lad to stand by, and Lyle sends XS to find Jan. He has turned his flight ring off and is meditating among scavenged metal parts, pondering the transmutation he went through (Mordru turning him to crystal in L* 48). She yanks him back to sickbay. Mysa and Dragonmage's romance continues to blossom. Magno continues being frustrated over his lost magnetism; Live Wire finally gets him to tell the truth. Garth thinks that he used to think Magno was a second-rate Cos, but no more, and assures Magno he will always have a place with the team.

Sensor helps Brande reach Violet's subconscious, but can go no further. Brande encounters an afterimage of the Emerald Eye, and is relieved when it fades away. It is linked to Vi's memory of Leviathan's death. Brande finds Vi, curled up and believing that Leviathan is nearby and alive. He tells her that she only feels his powers, and she must let go as his death wasn't her fault. Vi doesn't want to go back without Gim, but Brande gently tells her that Gim would want her to live. This convinces Vi, who wakes up. Whew.

In the aftermath, Monstress bids Kid Quantum II goodbye; Lyle says they will vote on Monstress' membership en route to Earth. Mysa and Dragonmage leave together, and Live Wire comments on how nice Mysa is now. Magno says bye too; he's going back to Braal to seek help for his powers. The Legionnaires bid him a sad farewell.

Back on Earth, Brande presents the Legion, including new member Monstress. And finally, long-lost Shrinking Violet... who wows the crowd by growing large and taking the code name LeVIathan!

Thoughts:

A good wrap-up to the Emerald Violet storyline, it also draws closure on many of the supporting cast members. Brande being a telepath and pep-talking Vi to health is interesting. This issue sets up a number of plot elements which don't actually come to fruition in the Reboot, but it's a good transition point.

Giant Vi on the cover! Kinetix being the one trying to talk Vi down is a nice touch.

Fave moments:

1) Kinetix remarking that Vi's plight has touched Umbra. And it has: she even says they will pray for her.

I don't really have any other fave moments. I do think this issue was more somber than usual, no quips and stuff. But it fits the tone of the story; the Legionnaires (especially Violet) are in a stage of healing and recovery from one of their toughest battles. Sarcasm wouldn't have worked very well here.

Other thoughts:

1) I wish the attending doctor had been named! She's such an important character and has a good bedside manner. "I'm being attended by a humanoid telekinetic, a serpentoid mentalist, and a telepath who also just happens to be President of the United Planets. This is one for the memoirs, that's for sure."

2) I know many people disliked Vi's perceived focus on growing larger in future issues. I had little problem with it, as she continued to use her shrinking often anyway.

3) As far as I remember, the “Brande is secretly a telepath” development is never followed up on. This issue may have been the beginning of the “Is Brande secretly the Martian Manhunter” theory, combined with his demonstrated love of 20th century heroes and the model of a Martian city he has on his hideaway (L*37)

4) Kinetix comments that Monstress is as strong as Star Boy; and Monstress says she's even stronger. Hmm, I wonder which is true.

Legion of Super-Heroes 95
The Emerald Doom
Issue information

Summary:

This version of the Metal Men continue from the 1993 self-titled mini-series. What you need to know to appreciate this Legion issue: Doctor Will Magnus is now Veridium, a robot made of alien metal, and leader of the Metal Men. The remaining members are Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum and Tin. Gold has died and is not referenced. These Metal Men are former humans living in robot bodies, and retain memories of being human.

Spoiler space for those who want to read said mini on their own.



Veridium gives the Metal Men their "annual check-up", when his equipment short-circuits.Tin acts first and tries to shield the others, but Iron and Lead say their properties make them better shields. They, and Platinum, reassure Tin that even though he wasn't the best choice for this task, the team depends on his alertness and courage. Veridium finds that the culprit is Tin's pet Mousey, a mechanical mouse. Mercury loses it and tries ti destroy Mousey; Mousey runs off, with Tin in pursuit. The others give Mercury grief for picking on Tin.

Ferro enters, reading from an Omnicom. He demands their responsometers. The Metal Men say no, and Ferro takes Mercury's responsometer by force. When the others fight back, Ferro is surprised, as Brainy had told him robots can't hurt humans. Veridium and Platinum take Fero's Omnicom and trace an energy signature to Lab 23; Iron and Lead continue attacking Ferro. Platinum and Veridium share a kiss before storming the lab, to find Brainiac 5 about to drill into Tin. Veridium detects a tiny flaw in Brany's forcefield, large enough for Platinum to shapeshift through. Tin is okay. Brainiac 5 smugly says they are only robots, and Veridium explains again that they're formerly human. They discover that Brainy has a remote control, and was the one responsible for Mousey's acts of sabotage. Ferro, Lead and Iron crash into the lab. Brainy is about to step on Mousey, and Ferro tackles Brainy to save it. After locking Brainy and Ferro up, the Metal Men do their homework on the Legion, and debate whether they are heroes or villains.

The Legionnaires realize Brainy is missing, and scramble. Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy are all lovey-dovey, making Apparition jealous over her intangibility's effect on her own relationship, to Ultra Boy's dismay.

In their cell, Brainy fruitlessly tries to escape. In a rather interesting "teaching moment', Ferro asks why Brainy doesn't just cut Koko up if he doesn't like him. Brainy explains that animal experimentation would be barbarism, not science. Ferro tries calling Legion HQ on his flight ring; Brainy stops him as he knows the Legion would disapprove. Too late; Gates has teleported the entire team in. Cos tries to budge the bars, only to find out that it's non-magnetic Lead! Lead calls the rest of the Metal Men. As the brawl escalates, Brainy once again says the Metal Men are just robots; Mercury protests they're human. Imra telepathically scans them, acknowledging their electronic minds are complex, but can't determine if they're truly human. Shvaughn and Imra agree that they seem very human, though.

Things come to a head when Platinum wraps herself around Jo, complimenting his muscles. Tinya gets jealous, saying at least Jo can touch Platinum. Platinum and Veridium empathize that they're also a frustrated couple. Hearing this, Brainy tells Spark to break up the fight. Brainy apologizes to the Metal Men, saying that they must be human, as they could identify and empathize with Tinya and Jo's frustrations. Veridium accepts, and asks why Brainy wanted their responsometers anyway. Brainy explains he planned to upgrade them for his super-computer (without explaining the time travel angle), and Veridium is intrigued.

Back at Legion HQ, Brainy mutters that there is no available technology powerful enough to time travel. Veridium sends his responsometer over with a note - "Brainiac 5,please educate me."

Thoughts:

A nice, fun story. There's a debate that touches on scientific ethics (which Brainy does demonstrate by refusing to experiment on living beings), a bit of a debate over the Metal Men's identities, some nice action. The fight between the Legion and the Metal Men was set up well, with both sides acting reasonably enough, and had some good action scenes. The resolution felt natural, and tied into the Tinya/Jo relationship subplot. One of the better Team 20 issues.

It's a tad interesting to have the issue start from the Metal Men's perspective. It doesn't surprise us readers, but it does look at things from a fresh angle. I like that the issue doesn't do a massive info-dump on us about the Metal Men, besides the essentials. They're robots, each is made of a different element, the responsometers give them "life". Done.

Fave moments:

1)The title. I snickered at "Emerald Doom". Brainy's green, and... The roll call and first page is so Silver Agey.

Iron: "Someone opened Tin like a tin can and stole his responsometer!
Mercury: "And there's the creep who did it!"
Platinum: "Blazing alloys! Not him!"

2) Ferro reading his entire script from Brainiac 5's Omnicom. Leave it to Brainy to not trust anyone else to do the thinking. The script itself is funny. "I am a human. That is all you need to know. You are mere robots, operated by miniature computers called responsometers. If I am mistaken, I order you to correct me now. If I'm correct, I order you to surrender your responsometers now." Even when allowing for being mistaken, Brainy is arrogant!

3) I sympathize with the Metal Men of course, but Brainy's line is just toogood. When asked why he is taking their responsometers by force, Brainy goes "What am I supposed to do, ask? You have to admit,that's a bit like asking an automobile for permission to remove its carburetor."

4) When Ferro tackles Brainy to save Mousey. Brainy: "Congratulations, Ferro. You saved the toy."

5) The running gag of the Legion having their "Code Green" or "Code B", to signal that Brainiac 5 is "off the premises and acting on his own". It's so funny watching everyone scramble to run after him.

6) Spark's reaction to Brainy telling her to end the fight. "You're kidding, right? No, I guess you can't be kidding. Nobody was insulted." And when Brainy apologizes to the Metal Men: Cos - "Did Brainy really just apologize?" Imra: "I'd answer you but my brain's busy melting."

Other thoughts:

1) I can't help but sympathize with poor cantankerous Mercury. I've often been in that position - exasperated by the illogical antics of my colleagues. Maybe that's why I often sympathize with Brainiac 5, too.

2) I still don't know how Brainiac 5 subdued Tin. I thought the Metal Men only shut down when their responsometers were removed, and Tin's wasn't. Ah well, he's a genius, he must have thought of a way.

3) This issue helps establish Gates' teleportation limits. We see him taking only two others at a time (this would be ignored later though).

4) I find it telling that Brainy tells Spark to break up the fight, not Cos. Power-wise, Cos would have been effective too, and he is the leader. A sign of Brainy's growing friendship with Ayla, and perhaps resentment at Cos hampering his freedom of research?

5) Something else else both Legion books fail to address is why Rond Vidar can't simply rebuild the time machine, as Brainy gave him the specs. Ah well, we need some way to postpone the Legion's reunion until the big issue 100...

Quick detour to:

Supergirl v4 Annual 2
I Lied for Love
Issue Information

Summary:

Unlike many other guest appearances, this one gives at least equal billing to Brainiac 5. Spark gets a lot of screen time too, and the rest of the Legionnaires appear. There are two stories in this issue, but I'll only cover the one with the Legion appearance.

This is the Matrix Supergirl, NOT Kara Zor-El. Matrix is some sort of angel/lab-grown life form hybrid, who has strength, speed, durability and flight but also telekinesis, invisibility and shapeshifting. Her usual form is the blonde Supergirl we all know. She has merged with a human called Linda Danvers, but Mr. and Mrs. Danvers don't know she's also Supergirl. The Kents know her as Mae.

Supergirl narrates the first page, where she kisses Brainy. She thinks she didn't REALLY lead him on; that she asked for help, but that Brainy was totally obviously checking her out.

Spark and Gates watch a superhero gossip show featuring Supergirl. Brainiac 5 stops in his tracks. Spark quips that everyone was expecting him to notice Supergirl eventually.

At the Danvers home in Leesburg, the laws of physics are being broken. Hot water explodes out of the stove, and Mr. Danvers is trapped in a shrinking car. Supergirl saves them and brings them to the hospital,only to see more crazy events. Supergirl looks up reports of the events, and finds they all happen in her vicinity. She decides to leave her hometown to keep it safe. She calls Superman, asking who the smartest person he knows is. Clark recommends Brainiac 5, saying he's even smarter than the nasty super-smart villains he fights.

Supergirl seeks Brainy out. Brainy is pleased that Supergirl got Koko to stay behind. They investigate, and another bizarre occurrence happens. Brainy realizes it's magic, and refuses to help as magic is uncontrollable and dangerous. A desperate Supergirl uses her charms to sweet-talk Brainy. He loans her his force-field belt and sends her to fetch some items.

Brainy narrates the next page, blaming himself for interpreting every move Supergirl makes in the most romantic light possible. Spark dresses up as Supergirl, teasing Brainy. She reveals to the rest of the Legion what Brainy told her: Brainy is fascinated by big, strong blondes, as they remind him of his mother, who abandoned him as a baby. That's why he was fascinated by Andromeda. She tells the others that Supergirl has been playing Brainy; at which point Supergirl walks in and confronts Spark for talking behind her back. Spark tells Supergirl to stop toying with Brainy. Supergirl denies it. Saturn Girl calls for peace, saying that even if Supergirl were leading Brainy on, he's too smart to fall for it. Brainy walks in wearing this goofy sorceror's outfit, and brings Supergirl to conduct a magical spell (!) to trace the demonic entity he believes is causing the weirdness. It (predictably) fails, with Brainy saying he only felt emptiness. Things get weirder again, as Supergirl's hometown appears to vanish. Brainy tells her to stop, as her powers aren't working. He suggests a passive approach. He concludes that no entity is behind this; it's a purely natural-yet-unnatural phenomenon. Hypothesis: it's AF's Syndrome, an "unreality-fatigue" in areas where magic has grown routine. The only cure is to "invoke enough raw truth to punch a whole in the world." Supergirl tries a physics textbook, only for Brainy to laugh at it. As the phenomenon gets worse, Supergirl theorizes that scientific truth isn't enough, and suggests literary or emotional truth. Brainy tries isolating Supergirl again by enclosing them in his forcefield; Leesburg recovers, but the field goes nuts, squishing the two together. They can't turn the field off. In desperation, Supergirl uses her truth: telling Brainy she was leading him on to get his help. He's cute, but not what she's looking for right now. The forcefield begins to expand, but Brainy still can't turn it off. He tells his own truth: he's been ignoring the possibility that he isn't truly interested in Supergirl, and is just out for any long, blonde-haired super-heroine because of his mommy issues.

Supergirl and Brainy part ways, though not without Brainy asking what Supergirl IS looking for in a mate. She kisses him, and says it's honesty. They part ways, though Brainy spends the rest of the evening in a state of happiness.

Thoughts:

It was a cute issue. I liked the emotional exploration. However, I felt the writing got a bit lazy in terms of the logic of the "magical investigation" plot.

Like, how did Brainy suddenly become an expert on magic? He does this goofy spell with voodoo dolls of himself and Supergirl to track the demonic entity he believes is causing the weirdness! He even chants some gibberish. His magician's outfit is laughably goofy, complete with a purple robe, magic fairy wand and magician's hat. Also, when Brainy goes researching, he turns to... the nearest library? Why not the Internet? Or at least a magical library? I still don't understand how Brainy reached the conclusions that he did. I can buy that it's magic, but not that Brainy of all people knew so much about it.

On the other hand, Brainy's self-examination was good. It deepened his character a bit, showing he does have enough self-awareness to understand his own feelings. Finally, after years, we hear Brainy articulate the cold truth about his "crush" on Andromeda: it's pure fascination, because her tall and blonde self reminds him of his mother, who abandomed him at birth and whose face he can't remember. This helps explain why Brainy was so broken up by Andromeda's "death" (LSH 72), yet so cold when she turned up alive and left the Legion (L* 37).

Spark also had good moments; her friendship with Brainy deepens both characters.

Fave Moments:

1) When Supergirl walks into Brainy's lab, he loses it and spills chemicals on his pants, revealing he wears tighty-whities. I'd make a joke about him being uptight, but... Spark finds it hilarious, and leaves them alone, saying "I've got this sudden urge to call a meeting!" Brainy solves the fashion disaster by wearing a pair of shorts (not trunks, but shorts!) outside his costume!

2) Spark teasing Brainy (wearing a red cape and a yellow mop-wig!), but also telling Supergirl not to mess with his feelings. When Brainy and Supergirl walk off while flirting, all the Legionnaires are shocked - except Ultra Boy, who gives a thumbs up. Men!

3) Supergirl offering a physics textbook as a source of truth. One look and Brainy drops it, laughing.

Legion of Super-Heroes 96
'Til Death
Issue information

Summary:

Spark's dreaming. She's back on 30th century Korbal with Live Wire. She relives his tragedies: big brother Mekt destroying Garth's arm after Garth tries to save him from himself; love interest Saturn Girl and best friend Cosmic Boy breaking his heart by forming their own romance; and the accident with the Emerald Eye stranding Spark, "the last person Garth can count on", 1000 years in the past. Saturn Girl telepathically projects herself to talk to Ayla; theintensity of the dream woke Imra up (so it wasn't spying!). Spark "doesn't know what to say." Imra says she doesn't need to; that they didn't choose to abandon Garth; and that because Ayla shares his looks and powers, in many ways Garth is with them. Spark snarks, "Then you can invite him to watch as you marry his best friend." A horrified Spark tries to apologize, but Imra blinks out.

On wedding day, Inferno prepares to leave for good. She pointedly tells the others that she's not a Legionnaire; that she doesn't like them very much; and that she's sick of them "sprocking around in side trips" and hiding in the cave, instead of either finding a way home or becoming involved in the present. Triad takes charge, saying to not bother Cosmic Boy; she'll have Brainiac 5 assess Inferno's potential damage to the timestream, and sends fireproof Apparition and Ultra Boy after Inferno. Ferro volunteers, but Triad tells him his rented tuxedo isn't fireproof! Apparition declines to go, much to Jo's sorrow ("I'm not chasing after this jerk while Tinya's heart's breaking!") Brainiac 5 tries to talk Inferno into staying by citing the threat to time; she takes off her flight ring and zooms off.

Iron and Platinum watch over Brainiac 5 as he uses Veridium (Doc Magnus)'s responsometer for his super-computer. Veridium's consciousness appears in Brainy's monitors. Shvaughn and Platinum yank Brainy off to get ready for the wedding.

Ultra Boy confronts Apparition over her jealousy. He tells her that he hasn't touched any other female, because she touches him in ways nobody else can. Tinya says she knows that, but that she can't expect Jo to stick with this situation forever. Jo said he wishes he could prove his words, and Tinya mutters that so does she.

Shvaughn watches the Monitor board, as she's on security detail. She notices the meeting room monitors, where Imra and Cos are sharing a last kiss. After Imra leaves, Cos becomes catatonic again, to Shvaughn's shock.

In space, L.E.G.I.O.N. members Phase and Officer Taptree make their way to Earth to find Phase's touchstone (See LSH 87 and 94 for the origins of their quest; Taptree also appeared in the Showcase two-parter with Brainiac and Vril Dox).

Wedding guests arrive, including Dr. Kitty Falkner of STAR Labs (who housed the Legion for a while) and physician Dr. Midwich (who treated Cos). The minister and other guests are the former elderly patients deaged by Brainiac 5 (LSH 91 and 93. Apparition greets Tiffany Cross warmly (she helped save her essence in LSH 87); she notices Tiffany is wearing the touchstone similar to hers, and "touches" it. Feedback erupts, and Apparition turns solid while Phase turns intangible for a few moments, to Tinya and Jo's disappointment.

Shvaughn talks to Imra, gently reminding her about the encounter with Dr. Psycho. She apologizes to Imra for being tactless, but urges her to listen. Imra declines and asks her not to ruin her wedding. At the ceremony, Cos begins to shimmer... and turns into Live Wire! Garth acts surprised that everyone thinks he should be Rokk; only Ayla approaches him. Garth tells her that something is wrong, and they escape - but Garth uses magnetism! Imra begins wailing in guilt, saying she didn't mean it. Shvaughn comforts her while tough-talking her into asserting control. Despite the minister's protests, Shvaughn is firm; she respects Imra, but Imra has to face the fact that when Dr. Psycho freed her full powers (LSH 90), Imra must have subconsciously latched onto the catatonic Cos for structure. Imra protests that she cured Cos, but Shvaughn says she saw htat he isn't because of the Monitor logs. Shvaughn lays it out: Imra manipulated the catatonic Cos, but her mind changed him into Garth because she really loves Garth!

Rokk-as-Garth is panicking that they are lost in an alternate reality, scaring Ayla. Imra finally asserts herself, gently withdrawing her control from Cos and turning his appearance back to normal. Spark quickly brings his body back; Triad, Shvaughn, Brainy and Doc Midwich treat him, and Cos finally wakes up for real. He wonders that Triad is here, and that everyone is dressed up. He thinks it's for a funeral. When he learns it's a wedding, he assumes it's Tinya and Jo. Imra gently explains that it was supposed to be them. Rokk asks for privacy; Imra confesses the whole thing, and apologizes for manipulating his comatose body for weeks. Despite doing it subconsiously, she takes responsibility. And she says he was only saved because she realized her love for Garth, not for him (remember, the romance started before Cos became comatose!). Cos takes it like a champ, vowing to not rest until Imra is reunnited with Garth.

Outside, Tinya and Jo took Cos' words to heart.... taking advantage of the minister to become husband and wife.

Thoughts:

Wow, this issue was HEAVY. In a master-stroke of story-telling, the tensions between Tinya and Jo, and the love triangle between Rokk, Imra and Garth, are resolved! I like how Triad takes charge and Shvaughn's detective skills help Imra realize what happened. It does raise a lot of shades of grey, but... that's real life, isn't it?

On Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl (and Live Wire):

Man, oh man. I understand that Imra was animating Cos subconsciously, but boy! Cos is a stand-up guy for a) not attacking her (I don't how how I would feel, knowing someone has been animating my body for weeks at least!); and b) calmly accepting that she really loves Garth, and promising to bring her home to him. Imra, to her credit, does not dodge her responsibility in the whole matter (but boy, does she have to work on controlling her powers!)

On Apparition and Ultra Boy:

Poor Tinya. And poor Jo. Jo definitely doesn't deserve Tinya's reactions, as he has never once shown any real interest in another female. Yet I can't help but empathize with Tinya. I've been jealous before, in a situation where my other half looks at and compliments other men, but not me (even though I was right there). So imagine Tinya's frustration and fear: though Jo doesn't do anything, it's impossible for them to touch. It's a catch-22, as there is no way for Jo to prove he cannot cheat, and no way for Tinya to soothe her own doubts about that matter. It's a sad state for both of them.

On Inferno:

I don't miss Inferno. I didn't loathe her, but she never seemed to fit in. Though she is snarky and angry and sarcastic like Umbra is, Inferno doesn't seem to share any of the Legion values. And it was hard for me to get past her earlier examples of killing people (way back in L* 21), and threats to burn people alive, and trying to incinerate Brainiac 5 when they were first thrown back in time (LSH 85). Even her presence didn't make much sense. She found her way to Legion HQ in LSH 84 after she first saw Violet as the Emerald Empress, because... she was curious? Her motivations never really made sense.

Inferno does raise a good point though. Besides Brainiac 5, nobody else seems to be actively looking for leads on a way home. Nobody is shown doing any research, calling on Oracle or Superman like they did before, nada. I guess things have been hectic, but it ties into Spark's earlier fear (LSH 89) about never finding a way home.

This is one of the more creative and dramatic covers of this era. Live Wire and Cosmic Boy (who are both blue-eyed!) merge into one being!

Nice touch on the word balloons: I like how sarcasm is clearly denoted by making the balloon itself a bit wavy.

Lee Moder continues to improve. A clever touch is his drawing of Tinya's room, which highlights her intangibility in a depressing way. Her room's furniture consists of nothing but a single lamp.

Fave Moments:

1) Brainy and Shvaughn's continuing ribbing over their stands on science: the need to advance scientifically versus the need to regulate research.

Brainy gushes about Veridium:
Shvaughn: "I've never heard you pay anyone a compliment before."
Brainy: "Gee, Shvaughn, I wonder why."
Shvaughn: "So what's the mad scientist up to?"
Brainy: "You think all scientists are mad."
Shvaughn: "So prove me wrong someday."

2) Veridium is clearly deferring to Brainy as the superior intellect, to Iron's chagrin.

Brainy (being pulled away by Platinum): "Veridium! I'll return as soon as I can escape! In the meantime, scan the contents of these Omnicoms!"
Veridium: "All right."
Iron: "You're letting that kid tell you what to do?"

3) Glimpses into wedding customs. On Braal, it's bad luck for the couple to see each other before the ceremony. On Titan, the couple must see each other or else death will come.

4) Wedding reactions. Ferro cries as soon as the ceremony starts. Gates goes: "I don't understand any of this. Are they married yet?"

5) Triad taking charge. She does so when Inferno leaves, and again at the wedding. You go, girl (and remember, she came in 3rd in the reader-voted elections (L* 45)!) It looks like the writers are conscious of this, and have been giving her a chance to shine. Imagine if she had beat Lyle; perhaps she would have been in the 30th century still, elading the battle against Mordru. LSH 91 would have changed too, as Triad was responsible for getting the medikit back to the 20th...

6) Shvaughn uses her police training and skills to figure out what Imra did, and talk her into shutting it off.

7) When Rokk-as-Garth lets loose with his magnetism, Spark has the presence of mind to incinerate the debris before saving Rokk.

8) Tinya and Jo's impromptu wedding. Dr. Falkner and Doc Midwich are there, crying. And the vows:

Minister: "Til death do you part?"
Tinya: "Way beyond that."

Other thoughts:

1) Inferno can fly unaided! I double-checked, and I don't think this has been shown before. She's pretty fast too, as Jo can't chase her once she takes her flight ring off.

2) Tiffany Cross mentions that she continues to study magic. She will appear again, but I always thought it a shame that the team gets an interesting new supporting character, only for her to remain behind in the 20th century. Hmm...

Legionnaires 53
Fitting In
Issue Information

Summary:

We follow newest Legionnaire Monstress, ex-Legionnaire Dyrk Magz (Magno)... and Lori Morning with an H-Dial!

The Athramites are distraught while helping Monstress design her official Legion costume. Monstress is pleased that the Legion accepted her on her own merits, without considering her family's political clout (despite her using said clout to convince Xanthu's Prefect Lamar to not oppse her leaving the Amazers in L* 51!). Marla shows her to her room, apologizing for the delay. Shockingly, it's Sensor's room - and Sensor is in the middle of shedding her skin! Marla apologizes, and Sensor accepts. Marla finally locates a suitable room - Andromeda's old and damaged room. Monstress gets the Athramites to repair the room (in a few hours, even), and finally decides on a costume to try out. Exploring the HQ, she finds Violet mourning in front of Leviathan's statue. She apologizes for intruding and offers Violet some companionship; Violet thanks her with a hug. Monstress thinks she'll keep an eye on Violet, to make sure she's dealing properly. Monstress and Sensor bond over Tenzil's cloned roast pig and their similarities (i.e. praying to the animal gods before meals), and Monstress amazes the others in the cafeteria (M'Onel, Umbra, XS, Element Lad, Tenzil Kem) with her cheerfulness. Invisible Kid teaches Monstress about the Mission Monitor Board; for some reason they miss an alert about a warehouse break-in... but Lori Morning uses her "cute kid act" to distract them and takes off with the information.

Lori, for the first time, shows us her H-Dial. She transforms herself into Fireball, who can fly and controls little fireballs. To her credit, she looks before she leaps, confirming that the "guards" are Sklarian pirates in disguise. The real guards are unconscious. She attacks, but is knocked out and tied up. She burns through her bonds and visualizes the H-Dial in her hand, transforming herself into Slipstream - the green-haired mystery woman on the team poster in L* 50! Her speed and wind powers make short work of the Sklarians. Lori ensures the guards are safe, then runs away as the Science Police arrive. Her plan: to use the H-Dial to help the Legion secretly, until she feels she is ready to join.

On Braal, poor Magno worries about the loss of his powers. It's especially painful being on a planet where everyone else has some abilities, especially considering he was more powerful than most Braalians. He bumps into Pol Krinn, Cosmic Boy's little brother. Magno maintains the cover story that Cos is on a secret mission, explaining his lack of communication with the Krinn family. Magno's parents are supportive, and younger sister Trin is especially broken up as she idolizes Magno. Older brother Omar, a Science Police officer, is an arrogant jerk about it and seems to be the favorite sibling; little sibling Lev (has long hair so I'm not sure if female or male) insensitively comments that Cosmic Boy still has HIS powers, causing Trin to snap. Magno sees a series of doctors, who try all sorts of tests; not one can conclusively diagnose his power loss. Sister Trin offers some comfort, but Magno can't bear to speak to anyone from the Legion (despite Live Wire calling). Poor Magno cries himself to sleep.

Subplots: XS is threatened by Umbra getting close to M'Onel, racing to sit between the two. Umbra's thought bubble doesn't reveal whether she is romantically interested, but she does see right through XS. Element Lad hovers in a corner changing himself into various elements, thinking about their properties (crystal.. strong, but so rigid; metal... strong, yet malleable).

The Sklarian raiders mention their hatred of the Legion for failing to stop the destruction of Sklar (L* 48).

Thoughts:

What a roller-coaster of emotions in this one issue! It's another good "aftermath" issue, and does its job of making me feel for most of the characters here.

Monstress is a breath of fresh air. Her personality is a step up on even Sensor's, and certainly balances Umbra out, for example. It also makes her distinct personality-wise.

Ah, Lori with an H-Dial. Her outing her is decent, with two cool forms in Fireball and Slipstream. As of this issue, I think she got appropriate screen time. But in later issues... well... I do sympathize with Lori's desire to be a Legionnaire. I felt similarly as a kid, thinking how cool it would be to be one of them (and escape the drudgery of my miserable real life :p)

Poor, poor Magno. This issue really made me feel for him, more than any of his previous appearances. It's very realistic though, and shows that not everything is perfect even in this bright and shiny future. I do wonder why he was written out by the writers. Did they have him join just to have a Legion tragedy in the Mordru battle? Were they planning to take him in a different direction? I hope it's not the power-redundancy; we have both Live Wire and Spark, and even new Legionnaire Monstress doesn't have any NEW powers. Ferro's ability to turn into iron is distinct, but basically makes him strong and tough too.

Fave Moments:

1) Monstress not being shy about appreciating the men around.

To Marla Latham, who is showing her to her room (! who I admit seems like quite the silver fox ) - "Oh, you ARE a dear man! Charming and handsome, as well as efficient!" And Marla goes, "Eh-hem! Well, here we are!"

Then, thinking about Lyle: "Lyle is just adorable... and blissfully unaware of it."

2) The Athramites finally meet their match... in Monstress! Their comical reactions to her outfit suggestions made me laugh; we see Athramites laying down in defeat and pleading with Monstress to make up her mind.

3) Monstress again, being all caring and warm. She compliments Sensor on her shedding, saying it gives her a radiant new complexion at once. And invites her to share a roasted pig. She compliments Kinetix's fashion sense ("that outfit would make me look like a waltzing hippo, but on her it's just charming!") She offers comfort to a mourning Violet. She gushes at and compliments everyone she meets. It's just so nice and positive, and brings me back to why I read comics: to see a better world and hope ours can be just as good. The budding Sensor-Monstress is cute, as both are high-society elites with magnanimous personalities. Monstress even raises her pinky while dabbing at her lips with a napkin.

Other thoughts:

1) It irks me a bit how cavalier the Legionnaires are about membership debates. Flashback:

Monstress (in sing-song voice): "Well-ll?
Invisible Kid: "Fine by me. Live Wire?"
Live Wire: "Sure. Kinetix?" (whil shrugging his shoulders)
Kinetix: "She has a good sense of humor and can lift a Legion cruiser with one hand. What's not to like?"

I know it's played for laughs, but the Legion Constitution excerpt is shown too. "Membership: New Legionnaires shall be voted in by a majority of the current team, after REASONED and THOROUGH debate."

I don't have anything against Monstress - in fact, I've come to love her as a character and as a Legionnaire. But as an HR person, I feel that the Legion should have been a bit more serious about their recruiting after the Mordru battle. Kid Quantum II and Particon performed solidly against Mordru; why not ask them too? We only saw Sister Andromeda get an invite. Yes, Kid Q would eventually join and become a valuable member, but it's a bit of a waste. And Particon never gets a flight ring in canon. Oh well, Monstress would go on to have a solid tenure, so there's that at least. But recruiting should be about getting the best team members to fit your needs, and it's a shame that such diverse and different powers as Kid Q's stasis fields and Particon's energy manipulation almost slip through the cracks here.

2) I was a tad surprised at how disorganized things are in Legion HQ. Somehow the room occupancy records get mixed up; Marla has to ask Kinetix if Violet has moved back into ther old room, and doesn't know Sensor's is occupied. Andromeda's room hasn't been repaired since her tantrums way way way back (latest was in Legionnaires 28). How could things have been so chaotic? It's not like the Legion has been in a constant state of crisis.

3) Element Lad finally gets some more development, but he becomes "spacy" (a term even the other Legionnaires use). He spends most of his time meditating and transmuting himself. Head in the clouds, indeed.

4) Not a fave moment, but a realistic one. Magno's family dynamics are so much like real families I know. Omar, the eldest, is a jerk who has not one ounce of sympathy for Magno. Trin snaps at Lev physically for making an insensitive remark about Dirk's powers, and both Lev and Trin are asked to apologize. Magno thinks "funny how nobody ever asks Omar to apologize." Man, his brother is a nasshead.

5) Magno coping with his power loss is painful and real. He has to stop himself from subconsciously trying to use them; he withdraws from his Legion friends; and slowly loses hope as doctor after doctor cannot figure out what's wrong with him.

Legion of Super-Heroes 97
Dwarfing the Infinite
Issue information

This is the Genesis event tie-in issue. At the end of this point I'll talk about that horrible mini, but I won't even bother to do a full review. Unlike with Final Night, the Legionnaires barely get any scenes in Genesis. And even the ones where they do are inconsequential. The gathered DC heroes make a big to-do about drawing straws to see who enters the Source, and Spark and Saturn Girl are among those chosen. But as far as I know, it didn't matter one bit: in the mini itself, we see the chosen heroes enter the Source.... then get spit out of it immediately. Almost no scenes take place inside, and in those that do, they could have used anyone (except New God Takion) and it would not have mattered one bit.

The only things that impact the Legion? In Genesis, Spark's powers change from lightning to gravity nullification (continuity error, as LSH 97 makes it seem like it happens here!). And Ultra Boy seems to use more than one power at a time both in Genesis and in this issue; but this is never referenced again in the Legion books, with future issues clearly indicating he can only use one at a time.

Summary:

In the Genesis event, the Godwave (Big Bang in reverse) speeds towards the Source, threatening to erase or alter existence. The New Gods and the heroes of Earth unite to stop Darkseid from seizing the opportunity to remake reality.

Apparition and Ultra Boy share a kiss, then wade into battle against Parademons alongside Ferro, Gates and Triad. They turn the tide, making the demons flee. They regroup on an asteroid with Spark and Saturn Girl (who joined the team entering the Source), and Cosmic Boy and Shvaughn Erin. Brainiac 5 studied the Mother Box worn by Saturn Girl (a gift from the New Gods to protect her in the Source). New God Metron appears, and tries to learn about the Source by linking with Saturn Girl, to find a solution to the Genesis crisis. Imra agrees, but cuts off the connection when she realizes Metron's only goal is to satisfy her own curiosity.

The parademons awaken someone from a giant pod in the forest. It releases a large stream of energy; most of the Legionnaires check it out to find Mantis. Spark tries to blast him with lightning, only to find that she now nullifies gravity! Back with Metron, Brainiac 5 convinces Cosmic Boy to let him stay with Metron, as he believes the Mother Box can help them return to the 30th century. Cos leaves to join the battle, leaving Saturn Girl and Shvaughn with Brainy. Brainy brokers a deal with Metron: Imra will link with him, and Metron loans them a Mother Box indefinitely.

At Tiffany Cross' apartment, Officer Taptree distracts her while Phase tries to steal the touchstone. But Phase ends up being absorbed!

Mantis has beaten most of the Legionnaires. Mantis tells the Parademons to guard his pod. Gates realizes the pod is the key; he tells Cos it reminds him of the Imskian Globeetle, which uses the pod to absorb energy but must recharge. The plan: Gates and Ultra Boy will find the pod, while the rest of the team makes sure Mantis expends his energy.

Metron breaks his mind-link with Imra, saying he can't experience the Source through her "paltry intellect". He leaves, and Shvaughn teasingly criticizes Brainy: if Metron is dissatisfied, will he still loan them a Mother Box?

Gates and Jo find the pod. Gates distracts the demons while Jo races for it. Mantis finally expends his energy, thanks to Spark: she levitates a giant block of soil that Mantis destroys. Mantis teleports back to his pod, to find that an invulnerable Ultra Boy has absorbed its energy. Jo knocks him out and blasts the rest of the parademons. The Legionnaires recover. A morose Brainy is comforted when a Mother Box suddenly teleports to him. Brainy is confident he can finally travel forward in time. The Legionnaires rejoice briefly before racing off to rejoin the rest of Earth's heroes.

Thoughts:

Fave Moments:

1) Mantis seeing the Legion. "Enemies of Darkseid? Those scrawny urchins? Ha! They look more to me like victims of Mantis!" It's just so corny and arrogant that I couldn't help but laugh. It works!

2) Gates snapping at Tinya and Jo for kissing instead of fighting the Parademons.

Gates: "Hey, newlyweds! If your tawdry mammalian instincts can wait, we could use a hand against these parademons!"
Apparition: "Grife! I give my husband a peck, and you talk like we're animals!"
Gates: "Please! I have a beak! I know a peck when I see one, and that was no...
and after they drive the demons off due to Ultra Boy throwing an asteroid at them...
Gates: "Nice work, Ultra Boy! I could peck you myself!"
Ultra Boy: "Eeew."

3) Tiffany Cross meeting Taptree.

Tiffany (opening door): "Sorry, I see people by appointment onl-aaah!"
Taptree: "I am not a people."

4) When Ultra Boy breaks free from his ice prison, Gates nags him to follow him. Jo: "Give a guy a moment to thaw, will you?" Echoes LSH 79, where Gates nags a groggy Star Boy in battle with Validus. I do love Gates stepping up; in both these issues, he figures out how to stop the villains.

5) Triad suggesting code names for Spark.

Triad: "So what'll you call yourself now? Ms. New Power? Light Lass? Gravity Girl? The hero formerly known as Spark?"
Spark: "How about Triad-Smasher?"

Other thoughts:

1) So can Ultra Boy use more than one power at a time? The Genesis mini shows he can. In this issue, he uses invulnerability to absorb Mantis' pod energy, and punches Mantis at the same time, implying strength too. But later issues show he can only use one power; perhaps the strength came from the pod energy.

2) Shvaughn doesn't seem to have a flight ring anymore, as Ferro has to carry her. It's odd though, as she had one as late as LSH 90. It also doesn't make sense that they'd make her give hers up; Inferno wasn't a Legionnaire but kept hers until departing.

Genesis 1-4
Issue information

Summary:

Heroes see their powers act unpredictably. Even those with artificial powers (Green Lantern's ring, Starman's cosmic rod) are affected. Normal people begin "losing faith in everything". The Legionnaires get one page where Spark's powers change to gravity nullifcation, and Ultra Boy seems to be able to use more than one power at a time. The New Gods sense the source is affected. Eventually, after a lot of nothing, the heroes and the New Gods get together. The Godwave is some sort of natural phenomenon sweeping across reality, altering it. It will destory the current universe and create a new "fifth world". The heroes make a big deal out of srawing straws for 13 of them to enter the Source; the 13 who do are spit out right away. The rest of the heroes fight Darkseid's armies, as Darkseid is trying to remake reality in his own image. Darkseid is defeated, New Genesis and Apolokopis fuse, and the heroes call on the belief of every single individual in the universe to "steer the Godwave" into not destroying reality.

Thoughts:

Genesis is bad because it's just so boring. A lot happens, but it never feels like anything does happen. We spend nearly the entire first 2 issues with everyone trying to figure out what is happening. Random heroes are featured in a few panels each just to show us the "scale" of the event, but it all falls flat as I am barely given a reason to care. Nearly all the characters are interchangeable, cookie-cutter versions of themselves. It seems as though any line and any action could have been done by any other hero, except for a few instances. If you're a Legion completist, don't even bother - LSH 97 fills in most of the necessary gaps, except for the resolution.

Unlimited Access 2
Mini-series Information

Access is the new hero created from the DC vs. Marvel crossover. He gained his powers through the crossover, and his job is to keep the two universes apart. He can travel through time and dimensions, sense beings who are in the wrong universe. He is basically a walking plot device to allow random crossovers to happen, and comes with the added convenient power of erasing the effects and memories of any crossover.

The only reason I'm reviewing this is because the Legion gets to act all cool in their appearance, and I'll only discuss their appearance.

Summary:
Legionnaires Apparition, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Spark, Saturn Girl, Triad and Ultra Boy battle Sentinels in the alternate timeline that is X-Men: Days of Future Past (Sentinels kill and capture most mutants). Wolverine finds them and brings them to some escapees: Rachel Grey, Storm, Magneto, Colossus, Shadwocat, Franklin Richards. Brainiac 5 invents a device to disrupt their inhibitor collars. The X-Men and Legionnaires rejoice, and many bond over their similarities (Storm wishes that Spark will regain her lightning powers; Colossus and Ferro enjoy both turning into iron; Saturn Girl and Rachel Grey share a telepathic conversation). The X-Men insist that the Legionnaires return to their own universe, despite the Legionnaires offering their help. Sentinels attack before Ferro leaves, and Magneto throws him out. The portal closes; in a depressing ending, Brainy's device is destroyed and the X-Men are recaptured and Magneto seems to have been crippled.

Thoughts:

I'm happy with this. Unlike some other crossovers, this one treats the Legion with respect. They are effective: Triad triplicates to distract a Sentinel, buying time for Apparition to disrupt it bia phasing and for Ultra Boy to finish it off. Brainiac 5 wows the crowd by inventing a device to nullfiy the inhibitor collars. It's a sad ending, but then that's part of it: none of these crossovers ever have lasting effects.

Superboy v3 (or 4?) 45
Invaders from the Future
Issue Information

Summary:

Superboy,not recognizing the Legion's ship, attacks it despite the warnings of friend Roxy Leech and telepathic Dubbilex. (to be fair, Cosmic Boy decided not to announce who they were). Apparition, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy disembark. Cos is cold towards Superboy. Roxy intervenes and explains: in LSH 94, Triad discovers that Superboy lent his flight ring to Roxy. The Legionnaires retrieved it. Cos reads Superboy the riot act: the flight ring is a Legion emblem, for members only! Giving the ring away is a sign of disrespect. Superboy doesn't realize the gravity of the situation, saying he gave it to Roxy as she is his best friend, and he himself doesn't need it to fly. An enraged Cos revokes Superboy's honorary Legion membership. Triad defends Superboy, and gifts him with his own Legion-style costume (her design, Ferro's handiwork). Triad invites Superboy to return to the 30th century with them, when Brainiac 5 finds a solution. She comes on to Superboy, who has to explain that he already has a girlfriend (Tana Moon); and that he is responsible for protecting Hawaii.

Dubbilex and Saturn Girl alert everyone to an emergency at the Hawaiian Historical Museum. Cos offers the Legion's help. The Silver Sword has broken in; Sword was the former museum curator, transformed into a super-powered being. Superboy says Sword is misguided, but has generally good intentions. Sword has stolen the Spear of Lono, a magical artifact. The gang splits up. Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy are soon trapped by Silver Sword pretending to be a guard. Everyone confronts Sword, who threatens to kill the unconscious Imra and Rokk if they don't let him go. He throws them off a balcony; Superboy rushes to save them. Sword causes damage to the museum, forcing Spark and Ultra Boy to repair the damage. Sword knocks Ferro back and escapes before Triad and a still-intangible Apparition can stop him.

Cos compliments Superboy on making the right choices in battle, and returns his flight ring. Triad still tries to come on to him (despite meeting Tana Moon earlier), but Superboy respectfully declines - though promises to help out if they need him.

Thoughts:

I'm a little disappointed that the Legionnaires didn't get more to do. I think they had too many: with 7 Legionnaires crowding the stage, each had to share the spotlight (Triad never even uses her powers). Also, 8 heroes couldn't stop Silver Sword? Still, the Legionnaires at least didn't seem idiotic, and it was a good jumping-off point for anyone introduced to them for the first time.

There are two pretty bad things though:

1) When Superboy flies up to the ship, Triad suggests they speak to him. Cosmic Boy decides to say nothing, causing Superboy to attack and dent the ship. Oh, Cos. This is so out of character for you, and irresponsible to boot. The rest of Cos chewing Superboy out is a bit harsh, but only because the Legion is so important to him. And he does apologize at the end. Plus, he offers the Legion's help despite being annoyed at Superboy. I'll call it a win.

2) Triad's coming on to Superboy is pretty painful, though. It starts out okay, but even after Superboy tells her about Tana Moon, she still flirts too aggressively.

Ah well, this is Superboy's solo book so I guess they wanted to make him look good. IMO he does the right thing with Triad, and acts in a pretty mature way throughout the story. I do feel bad that they had to make Triad look bad to get Superboy to look good.

Legionnaires 54
A Golden Age
Issue Information

Summary:

Sound the alarm! The blurb introduces the setting: World War II is raging; the USA's youngest defenders, the Legion of Super-Heroes, defend against espionage and sabotage. Introducing:

Chameleon Boy: Master of 1000 disguises (and his pet chameleon Proty!)
Colossal Girl: 7 feet tall
Cosmic Boy: invents a variety of magnets that stick to different materials
Element Lad: invented an element-transmuting gun, from Poland, inducted in this issue
Invisible Kid: turns invisible via costume of "super-blend-in mirror nylon"
Lightning Lad: invented a transformatron to control and generate electricity, from Canada
Saturn Girl: extrasensory perception and second sight
Triplicate Lady: secretly a set of triplets, allowing her to confuse enemies

Triplicate Lady is captured by Boss Zogg and his gang, who are in league with the Nazis. Lightning Lad disrupts the power, allowing the other two Triplicate Ladies to free their sister. Boss Zogg is really Chameleon Boy in disguise, and he and Invisible Kid help mop up the rest. Cosmic Boy has captured Zogg, and Saturn Girl uses ESP on Zogg's items to crack the Nazi secret code.

At a secret US military installation, the Axis of Super-Villains attacks!

Doctor Regulus: invented a sun gun, from Japan
Kommandant Roxxas: super-strong, tough and flight-capable, from Nazi Germany
Tangleweb: fights with a super-strong net, from Italy

They steal the USA's secret doomsday weapon, implied to be the Manhattan project. A hidden figure watches them in fear.

The Legionnaires meet in their blimp HQ, along with benefactor RJ Brande. New member Element Lad is inducted. The Legionnaires narrate their story: Brande was flying Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl to a TV show to boost morale. They found out their butler and pilot are spies and save themselves and Brande. Brande is inspired to have the kids act as a symbol of cooperation.

US President (not named, but clearly Franklin D. Roosevelt) and his dog (named as Fala!) call in. Seems the Manhattan Project needs the Legionnaires to finish their work. The Legionnaires fly over and find Brainiac Minus One! An alien from Colu, he IS the Manhattan Project! He created an atomic bomb in 10 minutes, but didn't hand it over as he has spent the past two years trying to solve the issue of its radioactive fallout. He's working on a force-field that can do so safely. Imra confirms he's telling the truth. But... the bomb was stolen! A recording reveals that the villains said they will "Let Manhattan tremble!" The Legionnaires deduce they mean Manhattan Island, and scramble for it with Brainiac Minus One in tow.

Dr. Regulus shoots down the Legion's blimp. The Legionnaires survive thanks to their gondola being made of the new super secret, super tough compound called plastic! Cosmic Boy emerges and steals Dr. Regulus' goggles; Regulus burns him to death, revealing him to be Chameleon Boy in disguise. The Legionnaires quickly take out the Axis. Brainiac Minus One cannot defuse the bomb, and their only hope is to activate his force field. Doing so means they sacrifice their own lives. Everyone agrees, and the Legion help Brainiac activate the force field just as the bomb explodes.

After dying, the Legionnaires appear in the timestream as their normal selves. Imra tells the others about their similar time jump in LSH 92. Brainiac 5 explains that if reality changes, it should be retroactive. That this has happened twice, and the Legionnaires keep reverting, shows a powerful intelligence behind it. He theorizes that it's a test to see if they can overcome obstacles: LSH 92 was about prejudice, this issue is about relative powerlessness (most of the Legionnaires' powers are gained through inventions, skills or subterfuge). Brainy suggests it could happen again. An angry Cos vows to stop this intelligence... and then the Legionnaires wink out of the timestream.

Unlike in LSH 92, this alternate reality seems to survive. The force field is now being maintained permanently to contain the destructive atomic bomb explosion. Upon seeing said explosion, the Axis Powers surrendered immediately. RJ Brande rededicates the atomic bomb as an eternal flame for the Legionnaires, and presides over the formation of the United Nations.

Thoughts:

This was cute and charmingly Golden Age. Whereas LSH 92 took us into a time of suspicion and McCarthyism, this one brings us to a more hopeful and light-hearted time.

I liked the What If nature here: the Axis villains' acts and the Legionnaires' sacrifice means Japan is never bombed. In a message of hope, the world powers come to their senses upon seeing just how destructive the atomic bomb is, and the United Nations is born.

I also loved the Golden Age-y nature of the story! It was cute and refreshing, a nice done-in-one. It moves the plot along (the mysterious timeslips and alternate lives), while giving us a satisfying read.

Art: The cover is cute, complete with a fake coffee-mug ring to make it seem aged. Love the kooky Golden Age-style costumes. Master of disguise Chameleon Boy has a hood covering his face, as does Invisible Kid. Saturn Girl has a giant fortune-telling style turban.

Fave moments:

1) The Golden Age-y powers and devices. Cos calling out his magnets: "my brick magnets!" "My wood magnet!" "My rat-repelling magnet" that works on flesh, sending Roxxas crashing into the roof. The flight rings are rings that are pulled to activate the Legion's jetpacks. The HQ is a blimp.

2) Many Legionnaires come from different countries. Garth is Canadian, Jan is Polish. The other Legionnaires' home countries are never revealed, though perhaps Lu is French (wears a beret)?

3) Boss Zogg looks like a caveman, for some reason.

4) Colossal Girl disguises herself with a blonde wig (shades of Black Canary), but most of her classmates have figured out her secret identity anyway and are supportive. She excuses herself by pretending to have sudden headaches; and the only classmate who doesn't see through her disguise has a big crush on Colossal Girl, thinking "Sally" is too plain to be her!

Other thoughts:

1) Given the setting, I suppose it's natural to expect some silly stereotypes popping up. The Japanese kamikaze pilot doesn't even bother to change his Japanese army-style uniform. The three villains are caricatures too; Japanese Dr. Regulus complains about Cosmic Boy's lack of respect towards elders. Roxxas speaks in a German accent ("You vill address me as Kommandant Roxxas!). Tangleweb peppers his speech with Italian (Bellissimo!) Not complaining per se, as it's a throwback to older times.

2) Also the light sexist stuff. When Colossal Girl finds pet chameleon Proty icky, Chameleon Boy tells her he's just a harmless little chameleon. Invisible Kid goes "Ha! try telling that to a girl!" Again, not complaining as it is a throwback to those times. But I am glad we are slowly moving past these.

3) Not all real-world developments (in the Legion's home timeline) are reflected here. Imra has already confessed her love for Garth, but she still kisses Rokk in the alternate timeline seen here.

Legion of Super-Heroes 98
COMPUTO the Conqueror
Issue information

Summary:

Brainiac 5 eagerly completes his computer by hooking his loaned Mother Box to Veridium (Doc Magnus') responsometer. The new entity commands Brainiac 5 to make some adjustments to its configuration. It asserts to Platinum and Iron that it is not Doc. They force Brainy to disconnect Veridium; he bluntly tells them that he volunteered and to stop interfering. Brainy restores his new entity, who doesn't remember Doc's brief reemergence. Brainy reassures it that it will never be disconnected again.

Spark tests her new powers, wishing she had her lightning back. Ferro offers to design her a new costume, while Saturn Girl offers to probe telepathically to see if there's a mental block. Spark refuses both. Cos calls everyone into Brainy's lab. Brainy christens his invention Cybercerebral Overlapping Multi-Processor Universal Transceiver-Operator, or COMPUTO. COMPUTO yells at the Legionnaires to leave, as its maker Brainiac 5 asked for some solitude. Brainy explains the situation to COMPUTO, who takes a moment and then explains it's done, to Brainy's surprise.

Apparition and Ultra Boy head to Hawaii for their honeymoon, but receive a call from Tiffany Cross about Phase's disappearance into Tiffany's touchstone (LSH 97). They meet Tiffany and Taptree, who explains Phase's situation: she materialized years ago on planet Cairn without any memories; she eventually sensed that the touchstone was important to her identity, and traced it to Earth. Suddenly, Tiffany's touchstone merges with Apparition's. Tinya feels Phase's presence, and is then sucked into the touchstone. An angry Jo yells at Tiffany, who yells back that he should be careful. She asks for time to meditate on it; Jo agrees but says they will do it at Legion HQ. Inside the touchstone, Apparition finds Phase. They talk, but end up saying the same thing at the exact same time.

Shvaughn continues writing in her journal. She thinks that the Legionnaires might feel it's a violation of her privacy; but expresses that she's doing it only to help cope.

COMPUTO instructs Brainy (in bar code!) to build a portal generator. COMPUTO triggers it, and it collapses. But it did its job: COMPUTO shows that a portal to 30th century Metropolis has been opened! Brainy is in awe, but Platinum and Iron tell COMPUTO it willbe disassembled so Veridium can return. A distraught COMPUTO blames Brainy for lying and attacks. It destroys Shvaughn's monitors and uses the flight ring network to painfully disable Gates via sonic transmission. It destroys Ultra Boy's ship, sending him and Tiffany crashing into a mountain.

Saturn Girl and Spark take off their flight rings, ending COMPUTO's attack on them. Cosmic Boy holds on long enough to track COMPUTO's signal to its source, and warns Triad and Ferro to remove their rings too. They agree to meet at Brainy's lab. Iron and Platinum try to talk COMPUTO down; it blasts them with energy, melting their bodies and leaving their responsometers inert. COMPUTO absorbs Iron's and Platinum's bodies, fashioning it into armor. The Legionnairs attack, and COMPUTO surprises them by stating various facts: that Ferro's mother abandoned him, that controlled a cataonic Rokk, that Triad is from Cargg, that Spark has a brother.

Saturn Girl telepathically puts Brainy to sleep to stop him from interfering. COMPUTO grabs Triad, who triplicates to free herself. It knocks out Ferro, Triad Purple, Triad Orange, Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy in short order, and absorbs Triad Neutral into itself. Spark is the only one left standing!

Thoughts:

Lovely issue. The Legion finally finds a way home, but as usual things go awry...

This is an interesting take on COMPUTO. Gone is the Preboot clunky yellow machine; here we have a "virtual" computer that exists as some form of energy! It's a nice upgrade on the COMPUTO threat, and its motivations are distressingly familiar: it is protecting itself from being disassembled and "killed". My heart nearly stopped when COMPUTO grabbed Triad, it's so reminescent of the Adventure era story. The poor Legionnaires are outmatched, but put up a good fight.

I understand that Iron and Platinum are eager to get Veridium back. But Brainy was right; their insensitive approach directly provoked COMPUTO. I wonder how Brainy would have handled it, though? His dialogue doesn't make it clear as to whether he was going to disconnect COMPUTO or not; he was clearly conflicted as he regarded COMPUTO as his creation and possibly as a sentient being.

Phase Two is a cute title for the cover blurb. I love Apparition and Phase on the cover, but the giant floating eyeballs creep me out a bit.

Fave Moments:

1) Brainiac 5 is so in awe of his creation that he follows its every command immediately, and even calls it sir! COMPUTO returns the favor by treating Brainy well:

Cosmic Boy: "So when do you think?"
COMPUTO: "Are you deaf? The maker just asked for solitude! What does he have to do to get you to listen? Slash his wrists?
Brainiac 5: "Isn't it great?"

2) Ferro's costume designs for Spark involve an emblem with a feather or a cloud. Now doesn't that sound familiar?

3) Gates packing for their return home. His priceless trove of irreplaceable mementos includes: Che Guevara t-shirt, Karl Marx's Das Kapital, Rules for Radicals, CDs of the Clash and Rage Against the Machine...

Other thoughts:

COMPUTO's first words: "aaarh! I live!" A bit too cheesy. Also, Iron gallantly protects Platinum. I wonder if it's a gentleman thing, or an "iron is sturdier than platinum" thing.

Legionnaires 55
Control
Issue Information

Summary:

At the Metropolis Warehouse Complex, two guards find a container that should have been shipped to Durla months ago. A Durlan murders them both.

While Star Boy and Element Lad practice their powers, Live Wire calls Dyrk Magz. Garth tries to convince Dyrk to return to the Legion, to get access to a wider variety of specialists. Dyrk declines. His horrible older brother Omar interrupts him, snidely remarking that "some of us are productive people with important things to do." Dyrk ignores him, and begins asking Garth about the other Legionnaires. Dyrk finally signs off, thanking Garth for his friendship. Garth thinks he should be a better friend. Unnoticed by all, sparks from Star Boy's electric vision fall onto the materials Element Lad is transmuting. An explosion engulfs Jan; thankfully, Jan had transmuted himself into metal and is unharmed. Thom and Garth both blame themselves; Jan says it was his fault for purposely transmuting his practice targets into an explosive mixture of methane and oxygen. When asked why he didn't warn them, Jan shrugs and apologizes; Garth worries that the fight with Mordru (L* 48) might have given Jan brain damage.

Umbra, at Monitor Duty, calls in a report of a hostile creature attacking personnel at the UP waterfront. As Senior Legionnaire on duty, Garth takes charge. He tells Umbra to alert all available Legionnaires, but to stay on Monitor Duty to provide "human" judgment - much to Umbra's displeasure. Lori Morning eavesdrops, realizing the call is from the same location where she fought Sklarian pirates (L* 53).

Element Lad, Kinetix, Leviathan II (Violet), Live Wire, Monstress, Star Boy answer the call. They recognize the attacker as a Durlan, and realize its violent nature might make it the Composite Durlan. Vi takes charge, summarizing the Composite Durlan's bio for the newbies. She tells everyone that it copies powers, and to keep their distance. The natural fliers (Kinetix, Star Boy) should use their flight rings as a precaution to confuse the Durlan. The Durlan confirms it is the Composite Durlan by looking for Chameleon. Vi wonders if the Durlan has a limit on how long it retains a power; this is proven when the Durlan stretches towards Garth and gains his lightning power (the Durlan once copied Spark's powers). Vi formulates a plan. Live Wire and Star Boy combine their energies, stunning the Durlan. Vi shrinks down to offer surrender terms. The Durlan copies her power and shrinks. Vi suddenly grows, and she and Monstress punch the Durlan into goo. Unfortunately, the Durlan recovers (having anticipated trickery), and now has the powers of Star Boy, Vi and Monstress too!

On UP Outpost 7, Chuck Taine is leading the renovation for it to become a new Legion Outpost. Chameleon helps Chuck test if the quarters can accommodate Legionnaires of different species. Sensor calls them mentally; she's having a difficult conversation with her dad, King Charlz of Orando. The King still tries to convince Sensor to take the throne. Sensor deflects him by introducing Chuck and Chameleon. The King ends the call, thinking that Sensor has turned her back on everything. Among his issues: being "dear friends" with a Durlan, and using robotic arms.

Umbra, having realized how dangerous the Durlan is, calls Invisible Kid. Lyle tells her not to recall Sensor, as an illusion-casting Durlan would be deadly. Lori decides to use her H-Dial, turning into the winged dragon-like Dinah-Soar. She flies to the battle site, and re-transforms into the ice-powered Chiller. She attacks; the Durlan copies her form, and is surprised to not copy her ice powers. Luckily, it didn't realize it had to copy the H-Dial. The Legionnaires take advantage and press their attack. Element Lad formulates a plan based on his observations during the battle, and Vi loops Chiller in.

The plan? The Legionnaires distract the Durlan while Chiller encases him in ice. Jan transmutes himself into metal, as transmuting himself makes transmuting other things easier. He turns the ice into metal, and the air around the Durlan into knockout gas. The enraged Durlan tries using his strength to break free, hyperventilating and falling unconscious. The Legionnaires congratulate Jan, who reveals his inspiration: The Durlan never used its own shapeshifting powers. It hated the Durlans so much for imprisoning him, that it hated itself in a way. Thus, Jan knew it would try to destroy the metal prison instead of shapeshifting out of it. Garth sighs in relief that Jan isn't brain-damaged at all. The Legionnaires realize Chiller has disappeared. Lori celebrates back at Legion HQ.

Thoughts:

This was quite an interesting issue. I like that Element Lad, probably for the first time, saves the day by coming up with THE plan. I don't know if I like that Lori and her H-Dial were essential to that plan. I'm on the fence about the new limitations to Jan's powers (having difficulty transmuting things quickly, unless he transmutes himself first).

The Composite Durlan is a compelling villain. Extremely powerful and dangerous, and with a valid beef against the Durlans. After all, they created him through genetic engineering, only to declare him evil and imprison him. It wasn't his fault at all,and it's sad that he became embittered.

Ah, Sensor's dad. But it's very realisitc again, how many people have to deal with disapproving parents who seem to cling to tradition stubbornly?

Art:

1) Moy continues to pepper his work with alien species, and it's especially noticeable in this issue. The majority of the innocents are non-human in appearance, a step up from earlier issues where they were still generally humanoid and with human-like features, though with different skin colors. I heartily approve.
2) The roll call is a bit risque. Kinetix's breasts are dangerously close to Star Boy's grinning face.
3) More Legionnaires in civvies - this time Star Boy working out in a singlet.

Fave moments:

1) Finally, someone remarks on Kinetix's floaty hair - and of course, it's Monstress. She thinks it's because of a perm. When Violet explains that Zoe's hair floats naturally, Candi is envious.

2) Violet taking charge, despite Garth's seniority. It's good for both of them: Violet shows that her confidence didn't come only from the Emerald Eye; while Garth shows his lack of ego (as he has proven he can take charge when needed).

3) Violet and Monstress punching the Durlan! Monstress: "Show him the power, Sister!" This is just so her!

Other thoughts:

1) Xenophobia didn't go away with the White Triangle, nor is it confined to Daxam. King Charlz of Orando clearly has something against Durlans, judging by his reaction to Chameleon. But then, the King isn't just xenophobic; he's terribly conservative, even criticizing Sensor's use of robotic arms.

2) I still prefer using the Violet name to the Leviathan name. At least "Violet" is neutral; Leviathan implies she only grows.