Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Re-reading the Legion: Archives Volume 22

I'll probably read the entire Universo Project in one sitting and then comment on it, as I did with other recent issues.

Stile, speaking only for myself, Life Happened. But I'm getting better.

He Who, glad to hear you're planning to read and post about The Universo Project. And please tell us how you rated those issues when you first read them.

I'm hoping to review 33 and 34 this weekend, but unfortunately I can't promise anything right now.

That said, there's no way I'm not going to review TUP eventually. A hint -- I'm going to give both 33 and 34 Nine Stars Out of Ten.

And, Cramey, I echo Stile's thanks.

Some belated thoughts on 31:



These pretty much echo my thoughts. I don't mind retcon stories or stories which fill in the blanks of our heroes' pasts, but this one doesn't accomplish much. I guess it's meant to show Jeckie bonding with Val and Andrew as the newbies on the team--a bonding that would be poignant given the timing of the tale. (Chuck's inclusion puts the story firmly between Adv. 351, when he rejoins the team, and 352, the first part of the Fatal Five story leading up to Andrew's death in 353). But this bonding comes too little too late after all this time. There is always an attempt among fans, I think, to get to know Ferro Lad better, to include him in more stories and more interactions with the other Legionnaires; Paul Levitz is, of course, the ultimate fan writer. If this were Andrew's story, it could be played up to tell us a lot about him and how he interacted with his fellow Legionnaires. But it's not his story. It's Jeckie's. Andrew, like Val, is a supporting player.

And that wouldn't necessarily be bad, but the story doesn't tell us anything new or unexpected about Jeckie. I do like her haughty "I'm a princess" personality, as it suits her. This personality didn't comes across so well in the Silver Age. I also loved the revelation that her four guards are just illusions to be transformed at her whim. Levitz knows his characters well. It's a pity he does so little with them during this run.



Yes, the artwork really does stand out--and not only because the art team takes great pains to represent the Legionnaires' costumes as they were back then (previous art teams changed details at their whims). "Poetic violence" is a good way of describing the action.



Good points. It seemed jarring to think of these characters making rookie mistakes; they were always portrayed as professionals, even when they were new to the Legion. However, I don't mind being jarred in this way. It's refreshing to see them portrayed as inexperienced.

As for the framing sequence, I liked where Levitz was going with it. The wizened, older Legionnaire (Jeckie mentions her age as something the Legion needs) shares a story with a teammate who is as young and raw as she used to be . . . lots of possibilities here. I wasn't sure what to make of them both falling asleep. I'm disappointed to learn it was just a set-up for the next story. A chance for Jacques and/or Jeckie to learn something and come away changed is lost. Not every story needs to lead into another story.

It was never explored, IIRC, but Nura's flirtiness and preoccupation with looks could be the way she balances the burden of seeing the future. Or maybe she's just silly that way.



Thanks for the Who's Who info!



Thoth pointed out in one of these re-read threads that Ben Grimm made several appearances in the Legion comic in this era. There's another one in the next issue, which I might have missed if you hadn't mentioned this one.



The rock from nowhere? It's not clear to me at all if that's a random rock, Cham, or something the Silver Sword threw at the bot.

LSH 34

Dream Girl on the cover this time (along with Universo gloating over beaten Wildfire and Tellus, not too surprising from the situations we last saw them in). Apparently this issue is her turn to shine.
The title is Forgotten Foe. Not forgotten for much longer.

So Naltor is “the most integrated into the United Plants’ civilization”. That fits with what I remember from the past, but I wonder if that is excluding Earth. Recently there was mention I think (unless I saw it in Who’s Who or somewhere else) of Earth being the seat of the UP and home of the UP President. Beren refers to Earth as the homeworld reinforcing that. I wonder what happens politically when Earth cuts itself from the rest of the UP? This seems to be happening here and is a huge part of 5YL. Maybe some kind of “Earthxit” in the works? Of course it never gets that far here but it did in 5YL forcing the UP government to form up elsewhere.

Nice touch on the outfits everyone is wearing. Nura of course is “home” and would have access to the best outfits available as well as hair and beauty products. The others make do with what they can get with the guys outfits surprisingly reminiscent of their prison garb.

Their confusion over the isolation of Earth, the shutting down of Legion HQ and Erin’s involvement is well done and very believable, including their reaction to Nura’s suggestion that Element Lad might have gone along with it. Ironic since we know that he did. The later scene with him and Shvaughn is very telling, as one letter writer put it “chilling”.

Zymmyr’s traps were very effective, or were they really designed by Universo, especially seeing that he is apparently present at the end of them. I can understand Mysa (and I guess Tellus) being overcome by his hypnosis after their ordeals but I have to wonder how effective it would be on Wildfire and Quislet. Without his suit Wildfire is probably even less visually attuned to normal light and who knows how Quislet would respond? Just go with it I guess.

I tried to find out the basis for “Conopae Lines” suspecting it was a reference to some mythical character with prophetic visions but Google failed to tell me anything except that it is Latin for canopy. I can’t make much sense of the small semi-Interlac writing (apart from the JFK joke) but the large letters beneath say “EXPRESS”. I like the design of the cruise ship with the rotating viewing segment. Makes sense that a cruise liner would provide such for the passengers.

We do get some further insight into Dreamy’s character, most revealingly with her comment about how much she misses Thom and wishing they could have worked it out. Her thought there with a single tear that “he couldn’t handle me ... and I suppose neither could I” shows how she recognises the flaws in her own character without being able to change them. That’s very true to life with all of us having ways we would rather we were different but having to accept ourselves as we are. The later scene with Imra is also touching although it shows more of Imra’s strength than Nura’s.

The Dominion/Relnic scene seems to have forgotten that they already had Relnic’s ship firing on the Legionnaires last issue. With the space warp again I guess we have to assume that these three will be caught in Universo’s hypnosis as were the rest.

Cham’s supposition that the selection of the four was because they were the smartest legionnaires comes under some criticism in the letters page in issue #39. At least one letter writer points out other possibilities regarding the most “intelligent” legionnaires. PL replies that this is the view of (some of) these legionnaires and not necessarily those of the writer. He goes on to point out Universo’s comments about them and imply what he (PL) might have intended but since they relate to the next issue I will leave it until then. T. M. Maple makes perhaps the best comment. “At least we now know that Universo wasn’t looking for the most modest Legionnaires.”

The entry to Earth is suitably dramatic with each playing their part (except maybe for Dreamy who doesn’t contribute anything, even if this is “her” issue). Nice to see them finally reach the right conclusion about the villain of the piece. I think there might have been some miscommunication between writer and artist since from the dialogue the “cruiser” they steal is clearly NOT meant to be a Legion cruiser even though it looks identical to one. We have seen designs with some similarities in the past but this one ticks all the boxes.

Overall a reasonable issue that keeps the story going and the plot of the four advancing. Not as outstanding as the first but still pretty good.

LSH #35 "Forgotten Friends" by Paul Levitz, art by Greg LaRocque, Mike DeCarlo & Arne Star, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza



The escaped Legionnaires capture an SP officer and Saturn Girl reads his mind to find out what's going on. She learns that people on Earth fell asleep over a period of time; Desai announced it was an alien sleeping plague and isolated Earth. The nature of the officer's mind control leads them to conclude that Universo is the cause.

Elsewhere, Ultra Boy and Mon-el capture a Durlan, seeking Chameleon Boy. The Durlan doesn't understand why they're seeking a fellow Legionnaire; they tell him there are no more Legionnaires and they're just doing a favor for President Desai.

The four break into the Presidential palace, disabling SP guards. They reach Desai and Saturn Girl discovers that he's not Universo. Before she can probe further, Legionnaires attack; Element lad tells them they're under arrest. Brainy says they must implement his back-up plan; Saturn Girl agrees but wants to pursue a plan of her own. Before leaving, she mentally blasts her mind-controlled team mates to slow them down.

Universo observes his controlled Legionnaires and marvels that the four were able to escape, but is confident they will fail. He gives orders to Desai on how to hunt and kill them.

Brainy, Cham and Dream Girl break into Brainy's lab at Metropolis University. However, Dawnstar leads the other Legionnaires to the trio. Element Lad tells them to surrender and appeals directly to Cham, who punches him in the stomach with a Ben Grimm-like arm. Dream Girl finishes some connections and a force field is activated. She, Brainy and Cham arm themselves and blast the Legionnaires through the shilds; Dream Girl is felled by debris which Magnetic Kid controls. Brainy and Cham fight on, with the help of some robots but are eventually taken down.

Meanwhile, Saturn Girl has visited Marte Allon and returns to the Presidential palace. She calls out for Vid Gupta (who Marte, after her mind was freed, suggested was the likely candidate for Universo). Universo appears, protected by Mon-el and Ultra Boy. Imra gets control of their subconscious and they collapse. Universo mentally attacks her; she weakens and falls, but rallies and beats him up physically and mentally. Other Legionnaires burst into the room, but she takes Universo's hypnosis medallion and, along with her own power, frees their minds.

Later, President Desai revokes the regulations that were put into place under Universo's influence, restores the Legion HQ and publicly acknowledges the debt Earth owes to the Legion. Leader Element Lad states that it was all due to Saturn Girl. When Desai asks what reward Earth could give her, she asks only that the Legion restore her to active membership.

Comments:

A great wrap-up for Imra Ardeen, the star of this issue. The other three run interference, keeping their fellow Legionnaires busy at Brainy's Metropolis University lab.

I didn't really get the action at the lab. Brainy generated a force field, then they were using weapons to fend off the attacking Legionnaires, along with an early version of Computo. (Comforting to know that's still around!) Was the force field set up to buy time while the weapons were procured? In any event, Cham, Brainy and Dream Girl were taken down. Usually Brainy's plans work out better than that. If Saturn Girl had failed in her mission, that would have been the end of the Legion.

That Imra needed Marte Allon to deduce that Gupta was Universo suggests that Gupta operated deep in the background - no public appearances, no photo ops with President Desai. Imra might not be up to date on Earthgov politics at this point, but the other Legionnaires might well have been - and guessed at Gupta's role themselves, once the most likely candidate, Desai himself, was proven to be a puppet. It wouldn't have changed the story much. Still, it was an opportunity to see Marte Allon and to draw out the suspense a bit longer.

Nice to see Imra fight Universo mentally and physically. All that farmwork must have kept her muscles in good shape.

The ending is upbeat. Not only is order restored, but Saturn Girl is back on the team, with full approval of her family. After following her performance in these four issues, one has to wonder how they ever got by without her.

I think Thoth pointed out that there were many Ben Grimm "appearances" in the Legion and this issue presents a partial one, Cham changing his arm into a clobberin' time appendage.

At the end, all the Legionnaires are assembled except Quislet. Minor point, but it made me wonder if Quislet was immune to Universo's hypnosis. What about Wildfire, an energy being? Maybe both of them were somehow kept immobilized within Zymyr's robot. We also lost track of Zymyr, so he may have made a strategic retreat at some point.

When Imra mind-blocks Mon-el and Ultra Boy, she appears in her old look: longer hair and Legion uniform. Presumably, that's their memory of her. In the final pages, her hair is long as well: some time has elapsed, she's wearing a wig, the 30th century has hair manipulation technology or the artist goofed.

After Imra frees the Legionnaires' minds, Brin gives her a big hug, lifting her off the ground. If this set tongues wagging, we didn't read about it.

Baxter Legion #33: The Universo Project, Part 2 of 4

Here, Levitz is savvy in the way he ratchets up the action just before the measured pace threatens to get pokey. And LaRocque, for the most part, matches the script every step of the way, especially the giant security-robot attack sequence -- extra kudos to the creators for choosing to leaven the intensity with a sudden bit of perfectly-timed humour, as pompous arse Atmos charges at the 'bot only to get schwacked like a pesky insect (this scene reminds me of the sort of thing that my favourite writer, Peter Allen David, would go on to do so well once he matured as a writer.) I agree with Cramey that Cham really shines in this installment but that Nura is surprisingly mischaracterized (and by the same writer who gave her an actual personality in the first place, yet.) My only other quibble would be that a couple of panels looked rushed and disruptive of the story's flow (it might be DeCarlo and his ink-assistant who are fault rather than LaRocque.) And as a former fan of Jan and Shvaughn who has come to dislike both of them immensely, I am very pleased indeed that Levitz uses them as a microcosmic representation of the dulled, pacified, obedient cattle that Universo's treachery has turned everyone on Earth into.

GRADE: 9 out of 10 Taryns




Baxter Legion #34: The Universo Project, Part 3 of 4

To paraphrase Cramey, it must be said that, in this issue, the momentum is ever-so-slightly endangered by my feeling that Levitz is stretching things out a bit too much to fill out 4 whole issues. I'd like to think that this storyarc would have been even greater as a lean, mean 3-parter, but I could be wrong. Besides, paring the plot down to its bare essentials might have cost us such substantial, and exquisitely executed, character moments like the conversation between Imra and Nura. And near the end, there's yet another funny scene with that nauseatingly cutesy couple on Earth -- I have to wonder, did Jan change the houseplants into marijuana? That'd explain him and Shvaughn gorging on pizza (for dessert!?) Cramey's explanation that the Legionnaires got an extra dose of Universo's chemicals is much more likely what Levitz had in mind, but the pothead scenario is there for anyone who wants to find it.

GRADE: 9 out of 10 Taryns




Baxter Legion #35: The Universo Project, Part 4 of 4

This is *the stuff!* Because while Levitz and LaRocque were both far more versatile talents than I think they've been given proper credit for, there were certain things that they did best -- and pedal-to-the-metal, high-octane action was a particularly great strength of *both of them!* Which is why, in some ways, I consider this the creative team's best Legion issue together since #25, the next-to-last installment of the Sensor Girl/New Fatal Five Saga. The story beats kick like a mule and jab like a boxer in his physical prime! Imra's triumph is exhiliarting, all the more so because:

1) She's never smug nor full of herself, the way far too many action heroines have tended to be in recent years.

2) She *almost* falls to the power of Universo's hypnosis-device, before rallying in spectacular fashion. Her subsequent use of said device to liberate the enslaved Legionnaires is a nice touch on the writer's part.

Oh, I could complain that inkers DeCarlo and Starr come up short in far too many panels (in answer to Cramey's query about Imra's hair, I think LaRocque intended for Imra to have her hair pinned up, then for the pins to fall out and the hair to flow loosely as the final battle gets more intense -- unfortunately, the inkers dropped the ball there is a particularly clumsy way.) But that's certainly *not* going to stop me from giving this puppy *a full* 10-out-of-10 Taryns:

The Universo Project

While re-reading “The Universo Project,” I was delighted to discover that it’s the second great Leviz epic, after the Great Darkness Saga. (The LSV War can charitably be described as Levitz’s Jupiter—a failed star.) “The Universo Project” turns out to be as exciting, well-paced, and intriguing as GDS, while in some ways it exceeds the latter. “TUP” (a rather unfortunate acronym) is the mark of a mature writer who knows his characters and universe well and plays off the strengths of both.

Nowhere is this maturity and strength more evident than in his choice of Imra Ardeen-Ranzz, the once and future Saturn Girl, as protagonist. Imra has not been featured in this series in a while (though she did appear during the Sensor Girl storyline and was featured in the L3 miniseries), but her central role as the heart and soul of the Legion is so natural that she easily fits back into that role in this story. More, she comes to the forefront as the one who breaks free from Universo’s mind block, frees her Legion comrades, and is wise and brave enough to break away from their initial plan in order to track down and confront Universo alone. Imra is also a wife and mother, and her concern for the welfare of her family is not gone unnoticed, even though she remains focused—like a true Legionnaire—on the mission at all times. Imra is a true badass.

One of Levitz’s great strengths is that he writes female characters who are compelling, intelligent, resourceful and strong, as well as human. This is more evident in Nura than in Imra. Nura’s penchant for flirting and not treating herself seriously is questioned by her colleagues as a trait that could jeopardize their escape plans, but Nura holds it together. She rises to the challenge when she has to, slapping a would-be suitor, even though she found him attractive, as a diversion. And Nura is finally recognized as one of the four smartest Legionnaires. If she had taken herself more seriously, who knows what kind of mark she might have left on the Legion?

Besides, it’s the guys who screw up. Brainy lets his curiosity over an outdated server robot get the best of him, but it is Cham who, unwittingly, creates the biggest hurdle. Thanks to the new restrictions put in place by earth, he is unmasked as a Durlan by a Naltorian guard on the passenger starship. (Great use of someone else who can see the future!) This forces the four escapees to adopt extreme measures to get away and assure they are not caught.

Another great strength of this story is that it focuses on a small group of Legionnaires. At the time TUP was published, this was not a feature I cared for—I loved the ensemble cast Levitz had developed and the plotlines he interwove. In hindsight, however, this change in focus works to the story’s advantage. We are as confused (mostly) about the fate of the other Legionnaires as the four captives are. Except for Jan (who, anomalously, acts relieved to have nothing to worry about) and the Legionnaires who are on missions to Hykraius and the Dominion, we don’t see most of the team until the final issue. This keeps us in the dark, just as Imra and company are.

Unlike the four captives, the reader sees what Mon-El, Ultra Boy, and Blok (in Dominion space) and Wildire, Mysa, Quislet, and Tellus (on Hykraius) are up to, resolving the plotlines left in earlier issues. But as these plotlines amount to nothing more than Universo’s efforts to weaken and enthrall the Legionnaires, I wonder why they are needed. They dragged on and contributed nothing to the overall story. (However, these plotlines do allow the art team of LaRocque, DeCarlo, and Gafford to strut their inventive brilliance.)

One point of concern: We are told that the captivity of Imra and company lasted weeks (which also allows for sufficient time for Universo to complete his takeover of earth), but this also means the missions to the Dominion and Hykraius lasted the same amount of time. I can’t recall from earlier issues if the Legionnaires on those missions were advised to keep “radio silence,” but it seems a long time for them not to be in contact with headquarters and unaware of what was happening back on earth.

There are also a couple of continuity gaffes. In # 33, Mon-El, Ultra Boy and Blok are attacked by Ambassador Relnic’s ship, but this attack is forgotten when the plotline picks up in # 34. (Instead, they are surprised to be attacked again!) Cham says that Brainy doesn’t have a force shield belt in # 34, yet Cham watches as Brainy constructs one on the prison planet in # 33.

But these flaws are minor. They take nothing away from the satisfying resolution reached after such a long build-up. (The Universo subplot has been building since Desai became president.) In true Levitz fashion, the tale also builds off of Adventure-era stories such as “The Outlaw Legionnaires,” “The Super-Stalag of Space” and even “Computo the Conqueror.” Levitz lets his fanboy streak comes through but tempers it by meeting the needs of the story. Cameo appearances by Beren and Marte Allon are also put to good use.

At the time TUP was published, I was less enamored with it. Issue # 32 climbed to No. 11 on my chart of 12/20/86, and # 33 reached No. 3 the following week. Then I stopped doing the Comics Survey until eight months later. Some time after, I created retroactive bimonthly lists for the first half of 1987. Issue # 34 ranks at No. 17 on the chart for February. The April chart lists # 36 (No. 11), so # 35—the grand finale of “The Universo Project”—isn’t even ranked. Thus are the whims of “pop” charts.

However, what a surprise to read all four issues in two sittings and discover gems I missed the first time!

They are a tad annoying - and were becoming so before this. It feels as if there's been a lot of panel time devoted to their cuddling.



Hard to tell how it would read as a 3-parter, but I think the Relnic and Hykraius missions could have been condensed to a page each without affecting the actual story. I wondered what happened to Zymyr, but you've reminded me that Relnic is also left hanging - did Universo's control wear off after Universo was defeated? The Legionnaires had to be brought out from his control by Imra. Did Relnic wake up in space and wonder what he was doing there, surrounded by Dominators?

I like your explanation for Jan's attitude - and the food, which I didn't catch! (I think threeboot Element Lad was growing something in his quarters.)




She is admirably humble throughout. It was a nice touch to have her use the medallion (I wonder if she would have studied how Universo used hypnosis), an extra bit of mastery over her opponent.



Nice analogy!



Agreed. Levitz has crafted Nura as a complex personality, with contradictions, moments of greatness and familiar human failings.



You know, I hadn't thought about that aspect of the unseen Legionnaires. There was some lingering hope, perhaps, that a group of them had escaped control and were hiding as in the first Universo story.



The time sequence doesn't really work - another reason to condense the Relnic and Hykraius missions. Although, as you point out, we would have missed the pretty art.



I'd like to know how you'd rank the other comics from that chart today. There might be a major re-assessment.

LSH #36 "Peace, Quiet and Impending Doom" by Paul Levitz, art by Greg LaRocque, Mike DeCarlo & Arne Star, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza




Element Lad resigns as leader, blaming himself for the Universo event. He announces an immediate election; Polar Boy nominates himself as a candidate. Dream Girl says she'll vote for Sensor Girl, who declines to take the job if elected. Brainy and Saturn Girl agree to see that Element Lad is re-elected.

Sensor Girl, Tellus and Saturn Girl escort an immobilized Universo to Labyrinth. Saturn Girl probes his mind and learns that he intended to turn the captured superheroes into an army to attack Oa, but does not find out why Oa was his target.

Colossal Boy, Timber Wolf and Blok (with an assist from Magnetic Kid) work to restore Brainy's lab, wondering why Universo wrecked only that section of the HQ. As they leave, they see an ice sculpture spelling out "Vote for Polar Boy". Annoyed, Lightning Lass blasts it to pieces; brother Garth approves.

In the Himalayas, Brianiac 5, Mon-el and Ultra Boy destroy one of the Universo's hypnotic chemical factories, sending the debris and chemicals to burn up in the sun. Jo mentions that he'll vote for "the little guy"; Brainy thinks that's a bad idea.

Wildfire visits Quislet in his peculiar quarters. Quislet demonstrates how Wildfire can assume a human form without his containment suit.

Timber Wolf spends some time with Marella Tao, having struck up a relationship with her during Universo's control of Earth. Polar Boy is trying to reach Brin, without success. Invisible Kid tells Polar Boy that all the votes are in except for Brek's and says that he voted for Brek to support the underdog.

Colossal Boy, Sun Boy and Violet are working out in the gym when they learn that Polar Boy has been elected leader. They are skeptical. Others - Quislet, Tellus, Timber Wolf, Magnetic Kid - are pleased; others treat it as a bad joke or reserve judgement.

Brainiac 5 and Circadia Senius visit Rond Vidar's grave; Brainy is particularly morose and wonders if he should return home.

Polar Boy is installed as leader. Element Lad congratulates him and warns that the job is tough. Brek says he spoke with Sensor Girl, who declined to be deputy, and they agreed the next runner-up, Element Lad, should be deputy. Polar Boy regrets that Cosmic Boy couldn't be there, but learns from Jan that Cos and Lydda have returned from the 20th century, with an important story.

The revered Time Institute, described in the Metropolis University Admissions Guide, is destroyed; the Time Trapper has started another game, knowing that Cosmic Boy and the Legion will be trying to save their reality.

Comments:
A good breather issue; essentially all personality scenes, which I enjoy. The core story is the leader election and the reactions of the different, ranging from outrage to skepticisim to jubilation.

Brek is pushy and opportunistic, but he seems to please as many people as he antagonizes. I have to wonder if this is a result of after-effects of Universo's control (maybe Universo even planted a post-hypnotic suggestion to make Brek leader? just kidding...). It's a good story; I enjoy disliking him - and as stile86 described, Brek has been developed as a complex character.

The new Legionnaires are particularly supportive. Tellus even thumps his tail, like a happy dog, when the results are announced. I sensed an undercurrent of "us vs. them" in this, as though Brek represented a disadvantaged minority which had finally broken into the established power structure. Certainly there are plenty of mild insults used when older Legionnaires speak of him - "pipsqueak", "the little guy", "a ten-foot mouth in a five-foot body".

Both Brainy and Saturn Girl are very concerned at first, but Saturn Girl accepts the result with an open mind and Brainy appears indifferent, preoccupied with Rond Vidar's death and the path that his own life has taken.

It's not all election, though. The team is cleaning up after Universo - transporting him to prison, eliminating his factories and repairing damage done to Brainy's lab. We learn that Universo had plans to attack Oa, but not why - and I don't recall that we ever did learn any more about this. These scenes were used more for character than for action, but it's good to see some follow-up to a major disaster.

Three pages are devoted to Wildfire assuming a human form with Quislet's help. That struck me as long since I'm not that interested in Quislet but these panels did supply good visuals of his environment.

The scenes with Brin and Marella, the gym scene, the reactions of the various Legionnaires are uneventful and quiet. They show the Legion winding down after dealing with a big event; you get the sense that they shut off the Mission Monitor Board to reset the group.

It will be interesting to track the reactions of the different members to their new leader, as shown in this issue, in the stories ahead. This is not a united group. Cracks are developing. Jan spoke of hard and scary choices ahead; the final page, with the destruction of the Time Institute, sets the stage for difficult challenges. Will Polar Boy be up to the job? Does he just want the title and expect deputy leader Element Lad to carry the burdens?

I forgot to address this in my earlier posts. I think (though I may be wrong) that Brainy and Nura were wielding the force field itself like a weapon, using those cannon-like devices which focused the kinetic power of the force field into a sort of blunt instrument, like hard-air or something like that. This is something I remember the Postboot Legion developing further with Brainy's force field, to the point where he almost got Green Lantern style constructs out of it.

Whatever the intention might have been, it certainly could have been visualized more clearly. Perhaps the artistic members of the creative team were not all on the same page as to how to portray this? I have noted earlier that Mike DeCarlo's inking on issue #35 looks unusually sloppy in many places.



Very well put, He Who. And If I may rephrase it a bit more crudely: For once, a Paul Levitz Legion multi-parter is 100 percent fanwank-free.



That is one of my favorite things about this ongoing Legion re-read. I have felt exactly the same sensation from time to time, especially about LSH 287 (the Khundia fiasco) and LSH 288 (the Orando incident.) There's gold in them thar back issues!

And as you said earlier in your review, it's easier to appreciate certain things about this storyline (i.e. the small group of protagonists) as an adult. The craftsmanship is so exceptional, that not only is it easy to forgive the flaws and the out-of-the-box aspects, but it also should be considered one of the true milestones in Legion history, where the series vaulted up to a new level of quality that would challenge all subsequent Legion creators.



Thanks, Cramey. Yeah, maybe they were even listening to thousand-year-old vintage Cheech and Chong recordings.

Having trouble coming up with things to say about Baxter Legion #36. I find it to be a mostly generic Post-Crisis Baxter era issue -- pretty to look at, but also slow, dull, and with an undercurrent of grim resignation to the unintentional damage done the DCU.

The one sequence I *do* like involves -- surprise, surprise -- Quislet and Wildfire. In my opinion, the former character finally gets a clear purpose, while the latter finally makes some long-overdue progress. But even that is tainted by my foreknowledge that these promising development are not going to gain any long-term traction.

For the record, Steve Lightle has said that the idea of Quislet being the answer to Wildfire's prayers came from him, and that he'd envisioned a payoff far more substantial than what ultimately happened.

The Baxter Era in a nutshell: So much promise, so little fulfillment. Sigh.

Five out of Ten Taryns:

It's an interesting idea of what if the story had been shorter. One of the reasons I disliked it back then was because it was drawn out over four issues, and I was bored of this formula by then. After reading the entire story in two settings, I think the main plot holds up very well and is paced appropriately across four issues (each of the first three ends with a tantalizing cliffhanger.) It's the Hykraius and Dominion subplots that slow things down.

I would not want to lose the Imra-Nura and Imra-Brainy moments. They restored the humanity and comradeship to a series that too often bordered on soap opera.




I suspect I would rate things much differently now.

Agreed. It's those little moments of characterization that gave this run some much-needed warmth.

LSH 35

Not much to say that hasn't already been said. A satisfying conclusion to an excellent multi-part story. Lots of good characterisation (with the central four at any rate) and the final "battle" between Imra and Universo is beautifully done.

In spite of Brainy appearing on the cover as apparently this issue's main protagonist it is once again Imra that shines. All four play their parts well even including Nura using her short term future visions to advantage for the team in the midst of battle.Brainy's offensive use of his shield technology was interesting although I think the writer failed to capitalise on it. It is always difficult when you are trying to write a character who is meant o be smarter than your self.

Returning to the conversation about why Universo imprisoned these particular legionnaires, this issue adds Universo's comments that he knew they were the "four most dangerous legionnaires" and that he had expected the prison environment to "break their wills". Cham thought they were the smartest and Brainy agreed but as PL replied to the letter writer about the previous issue that wasn't necessarily his (the writer's) opinion and that Universo's comments may lead to his intended reason. Adding in the revelation form the following issue regarding Oa suggests that PL's idea for Universo's decision was willpower. It seem that he believes that these four are the strongest willed legionnaires. Looking at the characters' history he could be right although there are possibly others that you would have expected to be included under that heading.

LSH 36

A fairly typical breather issue with no real protagonist but a lot of characterisation. I like these issues although they rarely leave a lasting impression. This one has few more that stuck in my head than most, with the election and Polar Boy's somewhat over-enthusiastic campaigning, but also the scene of Imra guarding Universo and Brainy at the cemetery.

I did apprecaite how many loose ends from the Universo Projecty were tied uyp in this issue - universo's fate and Rond Vidar's tomb come particularly to mind but much of the other scenes invoke recent events as well.

The election served as the largest part, which for a change actually reflects the cover accurately. Interestingly the cover is by John Byrne, and I like the top half quite a bit. However i don't like how he did the faces of Jan and Brin. Both just look wrong.

Jan's reaction and feeling of failure is typical of his character as it has been developed. One thing I noted in the discussion above was how much Jan's attitude in his little snippets during Universo's control was so wrong for him (fittingly so with him under control). PL has often shown him worrying about his responsibilities and to see him feeling good about not having anything to worry about back then should have stood out to me more than it did.

The scene with Imra and Universo is also very well done. As for Oa being his goal that fits with the backstory PL created back in volume 2 #295 concerning a Green Lantern named Vidar with an uncanny resemblance to Universo who becoes fascinated with seeing back in time to the origin of the universe (which we know is a VERY BAD THING in the DC Universe) and is stoppped by the Legion and som of the GL Corps. It is strongly hinted that Vidar became Universo and Blok's comment in this issue that he once tried to steal a Time Bubble reflects that back story further. Brin's response that they never did find out why he wanted the Bubble reinforces the idea that only Blok has figured out the connection but has not shared it with the others who he thinks must have already figured it out. I would guess that PL's concept is that Universo is still obsessed with this knowledge and much of what hew has done is working towards this goal. It also fits with his power being mostly one of willpower and his selection of prisoners to attack Oa also sharing that characteristic. However I think this is the last time it is referred to and no future writer takes it any further either.

I liked the cleanup operation in the Himalayas, although the science nerd in me sighed on this rereading about Mon and Jo hurling the rubbish into the sun, a not uncommon event in super-hero comics. Most people tend to think that if you want something to fall into the sun all you have to do is throw it in that general direction fast enough to get away from the earth. The thing they all forget is that the reason the Earth doesn't fall into the sun is that it is moving sideways at an incredible rate - 30 km/sec or about 108,000 km/h or 70,000 mph. (The speed to get away from Earth, not orbit it like the Moon but escape it is a far lower 11 km/s.) Everything on earth shares that speed and to get something to fall into the sun you have to negate all of that speed i.e. shove it that fast in the opposite direction to the earth's orbit. Anything less will result in an orbit that comes closer to the sun before swinging back out to the distance of Earth orbit again. Oh well, I didn't realise it at the time either and PL will make a much bigger blunder in a few issues (Mon-El carrying a dwarf star) that many others pulled him up on at the time. OK Science lesson is over. You can stop looking bored. (Funny that this bothers me but people who can generate phenomenal energy blasts more powerful than nuclear reactors is acceptable.)

I enjoyed the Quislet/Wildfire interaction. Their similarities being contained energy beings obviously occurred to PL and I will go on to appreciate how he develops their "relationship".

Adding the Marello Tao character was a nice touch which unfortunately is never much developed. She appears next episode looking like PL has plans for her as well as being the commentator for the Who's Who in the Legion from abut this time. Then nothing apart from a brief appearance in about a year and at the very start of volume 4. Geoff Johns includes her in Legion of Three Worlds but only as a commentator again. I really would have liked to see her relationship with Brin developed more as it appears PL intended here. I can only guess that it was squeezed out an then forgotten. (Incidentally the Interlac on the tour bus says Ace Tours and one of the clubs is called "Jeff".)

It was a few issues ago that I commented on the running track in the Legion gym but can't remember who was on it then. I wouldn't be surprised if it was these two again. Good to see that their friendship has survived the GiGi episode that Gim helped out with. (Edit: I just checked and yes it was the same two running back in LSH 28. I wondered at the time how they would keep that up after Gim's upcoming leg injury.)

Seeing the various Legionnaires' reactions to Polar Boy's election was appreciated and much in character, although there were enough astonished or negative reactions that you have to wonder how he was elected. I counted and all 24 Legionnaires depicted on page 2 are shown their reactions. I went back and looked closer at their reactions and there are only about 5 who express negative or "unbelievable" reactions and another 6 that we are confident voted yes. Of the remaining 13 many reactions are surprised at the result or indifferent but are not shown to have voted against him even if they didn't expect him to win, so PL has left us to wonder a bit exactly who voted which way.

The letters page gives the fan numbers of votes which was a surprisingly low total of 419. It seems that in spite of the Legion popularity reader involvement has dropped off since the Baxter change. Polar Boy received 49 votes with Element Lad close behind on 46. Sensor Girl received a respectable 37 and Timber Wolf (!) only one less on 36. (I guess that the Brin fans were hoping that making him leader would have the same sort of result that Nura received after her surprise win previously. He had also had the Karate Kid's will storyline not so long ago as well as being the most "perceptive" in some ways regarding Sensor Girl.) The only other above 30 was Lightning Lass on 32 with Brainy just missing that level on 29. The only one to receive no votes was Magnetic Kid. PL twisted the results slightly to suggest that amongst the legionnaires Sensor Girl received more votes than Element Lad but gave the deputy to the fan vote by having her decline.

The finish with the lead-in to the post-crisis Superman crossover must have left many readers anxiously waiting for the next issue wondering how they were going to figure this conundrum out. As we know now their solution would be clever, complicated and controversial - three "C"s that in many ways reflect PL's run.

Fascinating. Thanks, Stile. I really should pay more attention to the letters pages. I have often gotten the impression, over the course of this Levtiz Mark 2 re-read, that he really wanted to do a Legion versus the Green Lantern Corps in the 30th Century epic, but for one reason or another it kept getting stalled by editorial, and by the time he left the series, it had never happened.

I think you are probably right Ann. I seem to remember coming up in more than one letter page over the years comments by PL that they were aware of the changes to the GL Corps that 20th Century events had brought about and they had plans. Very little of these seem to have come to fruition and I agree that was probably due to editorial oversight considering how much the GL Corps has changed and then been restored over the past decades. That makes it interesting to observe how the GL heritage has been portrayed in the 30/31st Century, sometimes with the Corp still existing, sometimes with lone GLs, or in the most recent past with the last Daxamite former GL watching over the remnants of Mogo. I think PL has always tried to find a balance between using the 20/21st Century heritage and being independent of it. Success naturally varies.