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

LSH 31

This seemed like a fill-in and I guess it was, although in the letters page of #36 about this issue PL answers some of that criticism explaining how they usually plan for a "breather" issue before or after a major multi-issue story mainly so as to give the artists a break, although in this case Greg LaRoque didn't need it.

I remember the issue but hadn't remembered the actual plot which I guess says something. Having reread it now it was better than I thought it was going to be. I enjoyed the characterisation and the emphasis on rookie mistakes and teamwork and learning as you go. Also, as PL once again pointed out in the letters page (which had a mixture of positive and negative missives) the framing sequence between Jaques and Jeckie was written not just to be framing but to investigate and deepen their characters as well, and I think it succeeds.

I was pleased by the actions of the three and particularly by the improvement in Jeckie's use of illusions, the sequence on p23-24 demonstrating beautifully how powerful it could be without overshadowing her even better use in the recent Sensor Girl/Fatal Five arc. Probably the standout for me was meeting Ferro as a character, knowing his history but never having read (at the time this came out) any of his few appearances.

Some smaller notes.

Seeing the Supergirl statue always comes a s a welcome surprise. I had forgotten that this was before the Legion learned of its revised history in a few issues. I can't remember how often it reappears, if at all, but I enjoyed seeing it here, in spite of the continuity problems about her character that are never really addressed.

That's a big room for the memorial statues, or perhaps 30C tech just makes it seems that way. The starry "sky" fits well but I hope it is not big to make sure they have enough room for more statues in the future!

The final panels were obviously meant to hint and tie into the Universo plot, ("And across the world, EVERYONE slept") but that went straight over my head as apparently it did for most readers. Again in the subsequent letters page PL notes that only one correspondent made the connection.

Looking forward to the next issue and the long awaited story.

Yeah, LaRocque was on a...*warning: terrible pun incoming*...LaRoll.

Sorry.

Seriously, tho, I recall that for almost a dozen consecutive issues, from 28 to 38, he rarely missed an artistic step! Considering how Levitz's scripts ran the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous and everywhere in between, it's even more impressive.

And considering how LaRocque seemed to put extra-extra effort into the sequences with Ferro, maybe *he* should've been the focus of this issue.

Reminds me, when DC did those "RetroActive" nostalgia one-shots around 2010, some of them were surprisingly good -- among them a re-teaming of LaRocque with Bill Loebs for a Flash story set in the late 80s. Let's have a 2020 reunion of Levitz and LaRocque to further flesh out Ferro!

Some thoughts on 27-30.

I finally had a chance to read these in one sitting. It feels like visiting with old friends who really haven't done much with their lives. Some things do happen, such as Jeckie abdicating the throne of Orando (though she never uses that word, her intent is clear), but it feels like the series is marking time. Levitz is clearly building up the mystery of Universo's project and shows the master hypnotist taking pains to outwit the Legionnaires on several fronts, such as enthralling Ambassador Relnic and someone on Hykraius--all for the purpose of diverting Legionnaires to various missions. But the Legionnaires themselves seem to be going through the motions, as does the writer.

A couple of big things do happen: Star Boy resigns and Rond Vidar dies.

In fact, Star Boy's resignation was so unexpected that No. 28 became one of two Baxter issues to earn the Number One spot on my Comics Survey. (I'll get to the other in a moment.) Star Boy's departure makes perfect sense in the context of the Legion's universe and the culture of Xanthu as depicted in this story. He's the only remaining Xanthuan hero, so he's called on by the Powers That Be to fill the vacancy left by the missing Atmos. At the time, I interpreted this as another instance of the Legionnaires growing up and some moving on--a wistful but realistic development I embraced. Thom's departure partially makes up for Jeckie's non-departure (though, in hindsight, Jeckie's decision remains true to her, as well).

Reading the story now, though, it feels very choppy and unconvincing. As others have pointed out, the Legion should have been briefed on Atmos's abilities--so their detective work comes off as unbelievable. Most of the story is pedestrian; what's really missing is any sort of emotional decision or revelation on Thom's part. He merely turns to the Legion (so we're told), says goodbye, and that's it. He doesn't even say goodbye to his long-term lover, Nura. In hindsight, Levitz gave us plenty of clues that their relationship was on its last legs: Nura cheating, Quislet catching her, Quislet being labeled by her as a gossip. And the way the story is told sets up nicely Nura's final comment about being hurt twice. Still, I would like to have gotten more inside Thom's head. He comes across as that guy who hangs around with the gang but no one really gets to know him. There were greater insights into Thom's personality back in 306.

Apart from Universo, Mordru is seen briefly in # 27 as the sorcerers let him out of his prison and reduce him to a childlike mentality. Their efforts to rehabilitate their most dangerous enemy seem to work for now, but we know it's not going to bode well in the future. The new Starfinger establishes his presence and purpose in # 29, but he's a cliched villain who offs his own lackeys for the slightest infraction.

That brings us to No. 30 and it's spotlight on Brainiac 5. After going down the rabbit hole of obsession over Sensor Girl's identity, he grows up and apologies to Jeckie. Her warm acceptance of his apology hints at friendship or perhaps even more. Then Brainy rebuffs Brin and Gim when they ask him an inane sports trivia question. I just love his response: Having a 12th level brain does not mean cramming it with details on every subject imaginable. There is a difference, he tells us, between thinking and memorizing useless (to him) information. This is Brainy at his most well-rounded: recognizing his faults and making amends but still showing a bit of snobbery towards ordinary guy stuff.

The rest of the issue also puts him in a good light as he guides a team of Legionnaires to corral some misplaced lightning beasts. I don't know enough about "elementary electrical engineering" to know if his solution of grounding the lightning beasts to knock them out would work, but it sounds like it would work and is a rare example of actual science being used in Legion stories these days. The Silver Age was full of such lessons but they've been sorely missed in more recent times.

Much has been speculated about Brainy's relationship with Dr. Chaseer, and I have nothing to add since (as I recall) we never see her again. But Brainy's "lucky day" ends with the unlucky blow of him learning that his friend Rond has passed. As with Mordru's rehabilitation, we know this death is probably not permanent, but it's significant in how it affects Brainy. After showing so much growth and apparently coming to terms with Kara's death, this happens. How will Brainy react? Stay tuned.

No. 30 was, of course, the other issue to reach Number One. Even now, it holds up well.

I loved this scene. It's the only scene I recall of Dawny and Brin sharing a moment. It's great that she sees the good in him while his other teammates have dismissed him as a dunce and sleaze.



I can't say I "like" Brek, either, but I do appreciate how Levitz has built him up to be both a fanboy and an opportunist. Clearly, Brek is trying to make his mark in the Legion--and, as we'll see--he's even planning to run for leader and takes pains to make sure he isn't offending anyone or violating any traditions by doing so.



Good points. I watched several episodes of HSB last year, and what stood out to me was that even when scenes seemed to depict ordinary day-to-day life, there was an undercurrent of tension. Sometimes the tension resolved itself in humor. Sometimes, what was happening in the foreground of a scene was counterbalanced by something happening in the background. Such layering is difficult to pull off in a comic book.

Your point about losing the appeal to children is also spot on. I remember buying some comics on a family trip circa 1982. One was a New Teen Titans issue that began with Wally West combing his hair, brushing his teeth, etc. My mother started reading this issue to my cousin, then seven, but he quickly grew bored with it. On the other hand, the Avengers issue with Yellowjacket being framed by Egghead for breaking into a government facility held his attention. Marvel was like Star Wars: It had constant action to keep fans of all ages tuned in. DC, like Star Trek, tried a more thoughtful and patient approach to storytelling, but sometimes it didn't work.

PB's election reminds me of Wildfire's election--he, too, was elected just a year or so after he joined the Legion. There's something about the newbie, the one who has tried so hard to succeed and who finally wins, that is enormously appealing.

Interestingly, Brek--like Drake--became a controversial and somewhat unpopular leader.



I appreciate what was attempted here--the effort to show a truly alien environment. But I found the history to be uninteresting and anticlimactic. For comparison, when we learn the history of Imsk, we learn the colonists had to adapt to world that shrinks around them. When we learned the history of Dryad, we learned how the human colonists adapted to the surprise of sentient rocks. Here there is no surprise. It's just a place that is different for the sake of being different. I'm not sure what the addition of the Gil'dishpan adds to the story. It just seems to unnecessarily complicate a subplot which is meant to remove certain Legionnaires from Universo's plan.



This was the most annoying aspect of these issues for me. Levitz relies on shorthand characterization to remind us that Wildfire can be a jerk. Drake insults Tellus's homeworld at every turn. Someone should have given him a slap upside the helmet.



I loved this scene because it tells us so much about Brek: how "important" he wants to appear. He probably would faint--and then would blame it on some villain's mind control.



These are excellent insights about Brek. He certainly thinks of himself as a veteran--though whether the Subs were very active or not is unclear. It makes sense that Brek would latch onto Pol, who is very much the junior member of the team--everyone's kid brother, as it were.



Good catch about the tombstone!

Yeah, I find it strange how sometimes Levitz seemed to be working against his own strengths -- the Brin spotlight issue that also introduced Myg is one of Levitz's very best, and there's the classic scene described above...and yet, Levitz mostly shunned Brin in favor of characters that he didn't seem to understand nearly as well. Perhaps it was some kind of reflexive recoiling from Brin's popularity during the Bronze Age?



Thanks, He Who. And I, in turn, think your comparisons of Marvel and DC to Star Wars and Star Trek are right on the money. Star Wars, despite its ups and downs, is pretty consistent overall in its aims and its core appeal. Star Trek, on the other hand, is wildly erratic to the point where I don't understand how such disparities in quality can be!

Yeah, but what I recall most clearly of Drake's leadership was how he bravely stood up to Omega one-on-one when all the chips were down, and how he and Superboy finally learned to get along in the aftermath of that incident. I can't think of a single good thing of Brek's leadership.



Which brings up a question I've asked at least once before during this re-read of Levitz Mark 2: How could the same writer write the same character so well during his first Legion run, and so badly during his second?

Good point about Wildfire standing up to Omega and reaching an understanding with Superboy, Annfie. Drake was, I think, a very good leader. He was decisive. He knew what to do and did it. He also looked out for the Academy students, which showed a different side to him. However, he was abrasive as hell and that's what put off his teammates.

I don't know why Levitz hasn't developed Wildfire much this go-around. It could be that Levitz has so many characters running around that he cannot give quality time to each one. (Jacques also gets short shrift in many of these stories.) Also, it could be that he did what he needed/wanted to do with Wildfire the first time around and doesn't have anything new to say about him. Without being leader or hanging around Dawnstar, Drake doesn't seem to have a clear identity or purpose.

Very true. I suppose Drake's particular brand of abrasiveness is one that appeals to me. He's kind of like the Ollie Queen of the Legion.



That makes sense. It's like Levitz got so caught up in the cosmic hoo-hah and the continuity ka-ka that his Mark 2 got desperately unfocused early on (I'd say as early as GDS, to be perfectly frank.)

Love this conversation and comparison between Drake and Brek. Lots of great insights.

The last time Drake had any spotlight time that I can remember was when he ended up in the dream/nightmare dimension with Jaques, which looked at his longing to be human again. Of course that was about 4(?) years ago. (Last part was in TLSH #317 published August 1984 and LSH v3 #31 was published November 1986 so a bit over 2 years?) Maybe he is just concentrating on other characters.

Good point about the dream dimension, stile86. Wildfire's role in that story is very interesting. It's really Jacques' story--it's about him trying to honor his predecessor, Lyle Norg. Drake is a supporting character--someone who accompanies Jacques on the journey and helps him get home but who doesn't really change or grow as a result of the story. We already knew Drake misses having a human body, and the scenes in the dream dimension make us feel his loss, but nothing more.

I really think Drake was at his best in Levitz Mk II when he followed Dawnstar during her great tour of the galaxy and interrupted her quest to find her soulmate (or did he? Is he her soulmate?). Again, though, he's a supporting character--not the "star" or the one who grows or changes. In fact, he remains infuriatingly the same. It's Dawnstar who changes (or refuses to change).

Thinking about Drake from a writer's point of view, there's only so much you can do with a character who lacks a human body and therefore the experiences that most of us readers identify with. In this respect, Drake is similar to Ben Grimm--but Ben had a love interest in Alicia and his friendship with the other FFers to ground him. Drake also has a lot in common with The Spectre, whose loss of human experience led to him becoming an unfeeling ghost of vengeance. Drake could have moved along this path, too, had Levitz chosen to take him there.

Most characters are defined in terms of their relationships. Apart from Dawny and his brief affiliation with Jacques, Drake doesn't seem to have any close relationships among the Legionnaires. He is defined, as Jan once was, by tragedy. Jan was just the guy who survived the Trom massacre until he became leader and began a relationship with Shvaughn. These relationships gave him a new sense of purpose. Prior to his visit to Trom with Shvaughn in No. 27, it's been quite awhile since the Trom massacre was mentioned; in previous stories, it's what defined him as a character. Drake is the same way: he's just the guy who exists as a ball of energy in a containment suit. What he really needs is some new relationships, friendships, or sense of purpose to define him.

Wow, great thoughts there HWW. Interesting comparing him to Ben Grimm and the Spectre.

Your point on relationships is well taken. Nobody else on the team apart from Dawnstar seems to get particularly close to him. Levitz does add a new relationship in coming issues with that other "energy in a container" Quislet. However Quislet is so not-human that his actions and behaviour don't quite fit with any other team member, so that still leaves Drake alone. Not that the other Legionnaires reject him or shun him but he just doesn't seem to have any close relationships with any of them.

As was mentioned above in the past the main one he related with was Superboy. In the current era when Blok is not concentrating on Mysa or Brin, there are hints of him relating to Drake. In the 5YL era when Drake (sort-of) reappears once again the only significant relationship seems to be Dawnstar near the end. In the Reboot era the character is completely different, not being the same person at all. I can't remember an equivalent in the Threeboot era. In the more modern era there was the interesting story "from the Dead Earth" of him attempting to rebuild the League and the UP in the far distant future, but once again he was apart because he was the leader/founder/trainer of the team. He had a role in the retroboot in the second Legion Lost series but I don't remember anything happening there (the whole series left me kind-of blah and apart from the dropped virus story and the ravagers stuff I cannot even remember what happened).

So perhaps Drake is always destined to be alone.

Not everyone gets a happy ending, that's perhaps Drake's role. He might have found other energy beings somewhere in the galaxy, with whom he could have formed a closer connection. But is is pretty much neglected in the stories ahead, IIRC. He's been written into a corner, character-wise (which may make him unappealing to write).

LSH #32 "Forgotten Heroes" by Paul Levitz, art by Greg LaRocque & Mike DeCarlo, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza



Imra Ardeen wakes up in a barracks, not knowing where she is or how she got there. A woman tells her they must go to the fields; outside, Imra sees an unknown world with others, plainly dressed as she is, heading for farm fields. She finds her companion's mind is blank, then sees Dream Girl, who is also mind blocked and does not recognize her.

On Earth, SP officers close down Legion HQ and remove their emblem.

Imra struggles with farm work and sees Brainiac 5 and Chameleon Boy, also mind-blocked. She leaves the fields, despite warning from another worker, and is accosted by a surveillance bot, which she destroys with a rock. That evening, she tries to figure a way out of the situation; she's seen a few other known heroes and SP officers, but she's the only one whose mind is free. She deduces that the water fountain can not be fed by the sulphur sea surrounding the fields, and dives into it.

In space, Relnic's mission team wonders why there is total communications silence. Mon-el volunteers to return to Earth or into Dominator space to see if something devious is up, but Relnic orders him to stay with the team. Dominator warships suddenly appear and the Legionnaires wonder if they're an escort or looking for trouble.

Imra failed to find a way out through the fountain. The spybots watch her closely, but she behaves as the others do, deciding to rest and plan an escape.

On Hykraius, the Legionnaires swim a long distance towards the place where Atmos was supposedly seen; Zymyr observes them, thinking he has waited long for this opportunity.

Before sleep, Imra accosts Dream Girl, knocks her out and carries her to a remote location. She does the same to Brainy and Cham, then prepares to enter their minds to free the blocks.

In the Presidential palace, Universo rejoices over his success, now that the Legion is destroyed and Earth is his. President Desai enters the room; Universo calls him "slave" and grants that Desai may appear to rule Earth. Universo is certain he will not be defeated this time, since he has killed his son Rond, who opposed him in the past.

Nura enters deeply into the minds of Nura, Brainy and Cham, freeing them. Restored to full consciousness, the four pledge to escape.

Comments:
It's been a while since we've seen Imra in action (apart from the Legionnaires 3 series) and she doesn't disappoint. She's confused, as is the reader, as to where she is and why she's there; the mystery deepens when everyone else around her is mind-controlled. And why are those particular Legionnaires imprisoned with her? It's not hard to guess that Universo is behind this, but what he plans to do with these four - and their fellow prisoners - is baffling. Imra, Nura and Brainy are mind-based powers, but Cham is thrown into the mix, sowing doubt.

As for the other Legionnaires, things have certainly gone awry on Earth; Shvaughn Erin herself supervises closing the Legion HQ and removing their symbol. Two off-world teams remain, apparently free of mind-control, but we know that Universo's servants - Relnic and Zymyr - have plans to deal with them. (Zymyr appears to be more of a partner than a servant to Universo - but that could just be Universo letting him think that.)

So it's all on Imra's shoulders and there's some relief that she manages to free her fellow Legionnaires of the mind-blocks. These pages are particularly interesting: Nura's brain images are the easiest to understand, filled with people - and it's surprising (to me) that Nura is the closest to breaking out on her own. Brainy's mind is racing a mile a minute, yet Imra perceives it would take more time for him to break free without her help: does this indicate a thick shell of self-protection? Cham's brain is entirely alien; even Imra can't navigate it.

The mystery in this issue was good and Imra was at her best, but the Hykraius scenes lagged and little happened (although much promised) in the Relnic scenes. Therefore, I'm glad the issue ended with the prison planet team freed and vowing to escape; it promises intrigue and action in the issues ahead.

(Imra called the pink-skinned woman she first encountered "Mibel", but I don't recall this character from any other issue. Regardless, it reminds us that Imra knows a great many super-heroes and lawmen across the galaxy; she also mentions seeing Gas Girl and a Green Lantern, but I didn't spot them.)

This is one of several stories involving Universo and Saturn Girl; she is always condemned by him to perform some manner of manual labour - a washerwoman in Takron-Galtos, a maid/floor scrubber in Napoleon's time, a farm worker here, a waitress in the reboot Dream Crime. It must be Universo's special form of punishment for a mind-based supehero.

Still gathering my thoughts on Baxter Legion 32, "The Universo Project: Part 1 of 4" , but here's a little taster:

I was not disappointed.

10 OUT OF 10 TARYNS!

Baxter Legion 32: The Universo Project, Part 1 of 4

The pacing here is every bit as measured as in the past several issues. What makes all the difference is that I can tell that the story is actually headed somewhere, and that there is a clarity of purpose to these 28 pages. I never had the impression while reading this issue that Levitz was trying to fill his monthly quota. Instead, it feels supremely assured, as if the writer feels fully confident and in charge for the first time since...well, I would say LSH 288, "This World Made for Burning," but your mileage may vary.

Imra's inner monologues are beautifully concise and to the point, another mark of a maturing scripter. She has always been one of the most decisive and pragmatic members of the Legion.

The inner lives of Brainy, Cham, and Nura are insightfully conceived by Levitz and beautifully rendered by LaRocque & DeCarlo. In fact, this may be LaRocque's strongest showing to date, because he finally proves he doesn't need fast-moving, quick-cut, hi-octane action as a crutch to support his artistic weaknesses. If anything, most of his least impressive work in previous issues lay in the big widescreen spectacle moments, to my eyes at least. Conversely, I've always felt his talent for the low-key, conversational moments has been perpetually underrated. I would imagine that, being as almost this entire issue is low-key, that must have felt like a challenge to finally show how versatile he really is.

In short, this issue consists entirely of set-up for high drama to come. And for the time in ages, I have full in faith that Levitz will deliver.

To reiterate the last part of my previous post:

10 OUT OF 10 TARYNS!

Agree! She's really admirable here - no panic, no bombast, no anger, just calm reasoning of her situation, steel determination and lots of courage.



I wish he could have done an inner life/brain picture for each Legionnaire!

Indeed, this story really benefitted from a smaller tighter cast than usual, and I loved the strong focus on Cham, Imra, Brainy and Nura. I love that the Legion is huge, but also love the stories that deal with a smaller sub-selection of them on their own, so that the individual members can get some quality focus time.

I was really intrigued by all the secondary characters briefly seen, like Silver Sword and Xera of Manna-5. Levitz has always had a gift for creating fascinating 'throwaway' or background scenery characters.

She is an inspiration to all of us sentient beings.



Well, he did come back to do a one-shot Flash story almost 20 years after the last time he drew that character. We can always hope for a one-shot return to the Legion.

Yeah, writing the Legionnaires is all about balancing the macro stories with the micro ones. And I totally agree about the scenery characters.

LSH 32

I had forgotten how good this was. I can understand why some have been looking forward to it.

First a couple of minor differences in my reading of the story compared to Cramer's to get out of the way. Imra does throw a rock at the spy-eye but I saw it as the spy-eye vaporising the rock before backing off a bit. Imra's thought s parallel that as she thinks she can't get way unobserved. Still it is strange that she is allowed as much freedom as she is. Perhaps no live watchers just a poorly programmed AI? The other difference is Imra says that although Dreamy has shaped her prison and is struggling to get free Imra says she can't do it, because she lacks the training. Brainy on the other hand she says has such a powerful mind that he would have broken free on his own within a few days, so I see the comments on their minds reversed from your comment.

Otherwise I agree very much with your comments. Good thought about how Imra is treated in each of Universo's schemes. Makes me want to go back and reread and compare them.

Now back to the issue itself.

PL does a tremendous job here. The writing and the plotting really draws us in to the mystery. Even though we have had all the plot points so it is really no surprise to us when we see Universo, we have no more idea than Imra of where she is or why those 4 legionnaires and other world heroes. I did find the pace of the other world teams a bit slow and was a bit surprised to see that they weren't resolved already. Imra's plight and the shutdown of the Legion HQ seem so accomplished that seeing the other teams still "free" seemed wrong, like Universo hadn't really achieved his goal yet after all, in spite of his gloating. I loved that scene of him too. It felt just right with the comments and the emotion.

The artwork is a major factor of why this all works. Right from the first time Imra steps outside we know this isn't like anywhere we have seen before. I have always enjoyed Curt Swan's work but his alien prison planet way back in Adventure #359 is bowled way over by Greg La Rocque's work here. Then he gets the chance to draw the world inside their minds and wow! Just wow! I wonder how much came from PL's script and discussion and how much from Greg's own imagination.

I love the way those minds are portrayed. Dreamy with the multiple images, with Thom there of course (although I wonder why Mon-El features so prominently) and the jewelled case surrounding her. Brainy's hive of activity which can be sensed both from the script and the art. Interesting to note his most prominent images of Kara, Invisible Kid I (I think) and an unidentified Coluan. Cham - well yes that is hard to portray. I am curious how everyone feels about this portrayal of his alien mind compared to when the Reboot Imra entered that Cham's mind to find bodies of her friends that were apparently copy templates for shapeshifting.

Of course the star of the issue (and the entire 4 issue plot) is of course Imra. We have frequently seen her strength displayed over the years, from back in her leadership in the early days like Adventure 300 where she is the one to solve the problem with her serum for Mon-EL, and then taking over the Legion to face Zaryan alone. Then in the later Superboy years sometimes a different kind of strength when she brought such comfort to Phantom Girl when Jo was thought dead. In more recent times with how she faced down even Darkseid. Here, however is probably her most shining moment. She is the hero of the whole story and,as portrayed, deservedly so.

In terms of PL's writing, I wonder if he had all or most of the Project written way ahead of time. Perhaps that is why it feels so much more complete and whole as opposed to some of the issues leading up to it that had to lay the groundwork.

Imra wondering about her " freedom" - either Universo underestimated her, or he's taunting her by accepting that she might break free of the mind control but wouldn't be able to help the others or get off the planet. Her throwing the rock and having it destroyed, as stile86 points out, must have been even more frustrating for her than if she had wrecked the spybot, which would have been only one tiny gesture. I like stile's reading more than my initial one!

Also, it makes more sense that Nura would be less able to free herself of control than Brainy, so that puzzled me when I read it the other way. This also conforms to how Nura has been portrayed: very bright, very capable but sometimes lacking in seriousness. She's been distracted by her break-up with Thom (and we see how he dominates her thoughts), so that would contribute to her inability to break out of her mind's prison.



It gave me the impression that Universo was content to move at his own pace, he was that confident in his plan. Overconfident, as we'll see. You can almost hear him chortle. Funny thing was I hadn't remembered that the Hykraius and Relnic teams had remained free this long (onlyremembered the ending) so that was a surprise and I'm wondering if it's something to do with their specific powers (that will be explained in future issues) or if it's just Universo toying with the Legion.

LSH #33 "Forgotten Planet" by Paul Levitz, art by Greg LaRocque & Mike DeCarlo & Arne Star, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza



As dawn breaks, time has run out for the four Legionnaires on the prison planet; the surveillance drones will soon be circulating. Saturn Girl wants to discover who imprisoned them. Cham proposes that they return to barracks; Saturn Girl re-activates part of the block so they can appear to be mind-blocked.

Wildfire attacks Zymyr on Hykraius, concluding he's behind the kidnappings. Zymyr, however, has new defenses, as well as a robot army. The Legionnaires fight; the White Witch struggles to prepare an attack spell while maintaining her protection from the methane sea. Just as she's ready, Zymyr teleports her to a desert land, sends Tellus into a fluid globe, Wildfire into a desert where a robot rips his containment suit and prepares to send Quislet somewhere.

On the prison planet, Cham evaluates the situation then changes into a flying insect to inspect the planet. Saturn Girl tries to reach her family telepathically, without success, and Brainy offers words of comfort to her. Atmos intercepts Nura as she heads off to meet the othersand asks her to stay with him, but agrees to return to barracks when the spy-eye appears. The spy-eye turned out to be Cham. Cham goes on to investigate the fountain as a fish and discovers a water recycling plant. He starts to tell Brainy about it, but Saturn Girl creates a mental bridge between them to instantly share the information.

On Earth, Universo gets President Desai to issue some new decrees.

As the prisoners approach the fountain to fill their water jugs, the fountain erupts, dousing them. The water had been controlling the prisoners, but the Legionnaires altered its composition to free their minds. Saturn Girl telepathically shares what information she has about their situaion. Atmos flies off to destroy the spy-eyes; Xera of Manna-5 parts the waters in the fountain so the heroes can investigate the control center.

In space, a Dominator accuses the U.P. of treachery and his ship fires on Relnic's vessel. The three Legionnaires take on the Dominator ship, but, as it leaves, they find themselves under attack by their own ship.

On the prison planet, assorted heroes come under attack from automated devices and a giant robot once they reach the control center, but defeat the machines. Brainy scavenges parts to construct a force field, which Atmos uses to take the heroes away to a planet, and a small vessel by which the Legionnaires escape. As they fly off, they discuss why someone would go to all the trouble of imprisoning them.

On Earth, Element Lad and Shvaughn settle down to watch a holo. Jan remarks that life is calmer without the Legion; Shvaughn thinks everything is better with President Desai in office.


Comments:
Chameleon Boy proves his worth as an espionage strategist in this issue as well as an actual spy. He clearly accomplishes what the others can not, investigating the planet and the control center, accessible only if you're a fish (or have fish-like powers). That he's thinking so clearly after what must have been a wrenching experience of being broken mentally free by Saturn Girl is testament to his natural abilities and experience.

I liked how Imra ceded to his direction of how the team should proceed and easily added her expertise to the plan; it shows what a professional and how free of ego Imra is. (Wildfire would be the complete opposite and other Legionnaires might have grumbled that Cham was "taking over".)

Brainy plays his pivotal role in figuring out the technical aspects of the mind control center as well as how to get everyone off the planet. I was reminded of some of the old Adventure era stories in which Legionnaires would piece together scraps to make an escape ship; here, Brainy is the ultimate MacGyver. There was an unusual but sweet moment when he comforted Saturn Girl; quite unlike him, but evidence of how far back they go.

Nura is strangely sidelined. She has plenty of panel time, but she almost blows the plan when she winks at Cham and when Atmos intercepts her - and she does little to contribute to the preparations, fussing about her hair and aching muscles. This seems out of character for the woman who has been such an effective leader, so I'll chalk it up to her being depressed about Thom or the mental blocks affecting her differently, possibly disorienting her future sight. She does get back on track when the heroes are battling the machines and giant robot, however, alerting people to attacks and guiding some tactical response.

That battle scene was well done and gave a sense of urgency. Atmos dominated some scenes and was full of himself; the Silver Sword spoke in knightly fantasy terms, other heroes displayed a variety of powers. Apart from Atmos, I don't think we encountered the others again - or did we?

As for the other teams, their stories are advanced but not resolved. The Hykraius team is separated and stranded or imprisoned (we don't know what happens to Quislet) and the Relnic team finds themselves under attack, but we don't know how they respond - so these subplots continue to maintain interest.

The final page shows eternally-worried Jan without a care in the world. I get the sense that he's almost trying to convince himself that all is well.

LSH #34 "Forgotten Foe" by Paul Levitz, art by Greg LaRocque, Mike DeCarlo & Arne Star, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza



After escaping the prison planet, the four Legionnaires make their way to nearby Naltor. The High Seer informs them that much has changed on Earth in the weeks they've been gone and shows them a vision of their HQ being closed by SP Officer Erin. They're furious and, when Dream Girl suggests Element Lad might have gone along with the closure, they angrily refute her idea. All agree they must return to Earth, on their own.

The Hykraius team have been teleported, separately, to a desert world. Tellus breaks out of his protective bubble and accepts that he will die; White Witch manages to secure a spell of life support but a figure tells her to go to sleep; Quislet enters the robot which shredded Wildfire's containment suit, only to find Wildfire's energy in there as well. Zymyr appears, warps away and is followed by Quislet and Wildfire, only to be greeted by a voice saying they will now become slaves.

Saturn Girl and the others, in disguise, board a passenger ship headed to Earth. Brainy becomes interested in an old-style robot, attracting attention; Saturn Girl telepathically alerts Dream Girl to
create a distraction, so she slaps the man with whom she had been having drinks. As she thinks sadly about Thom, Nura notices that Cham, although disguised, has also attracted attention: a Naltoran officer has foreseen that he will change shape in a few mintues, indicating that he's Durlan and must have special papers as a member of a quarantined race. Cham gets a telepathic message from Nura (?) that she can't rescue him, so he changes to an insect and flies off.

On Earth, Shvaugn prepares some pizza as Jan watches holos and claims it's nice not to worry. Zendak calls with a request for Element Lad to report to President Desai in the morning and Jan robotically agrees.

In space, Mon-el, Ultra Boy and Blok fend off the Dominator attack. Relnic's ship returns, fires on Blok and the three are enveloped in a warp.

On the passenger ship, Saturn Girl tells Dream Girl she can't get through to Garth and wonders why her husband is not looking for her. Dream Girl figures he's either looking for Imra, or unable to; she tells Imra that she respects her, they just don't have much in common. Imra says there's no woman she'd rather have at her side in a fight and the two hug. As the ship prepares to descent to Earth, Brainy and Nura sit together and quietly discuss what might be going on. Cham shows up in insect form and tells them he doesn't know who, but why they were kidnapped was because they're the four smartest Legionnaires. Brainy agrees that's the obvious link, which amuses Nura.

After docking, they're greeted by a security team seeking an unregistered Durlan. Cham shifts into various creatures to fight the guards. As one aims a blaster at him, Saturn Girl grabs the blaster and tosses the guard aside. The four escape, led by Cham in the form of a polar bear, and steal a cruiser.

On Earth, Universo tells Zymyr he would have killed the Legionnaires if they weren't of use to him.

SP ships chase the Legionnaires in the stolen cruiser and hit it, forcing the four to crash land. They escape before the ship explodes. Saturn Girl says they've been turned into outlaws and Cham reminds them that the last time they were outlaws and the government went crazy, Universo was to blame.

Comments:
The scenes with Hykraius and Relnic teams don't advance the story much; I appreciate them for the visuals, but the capture of these seven Legionnaires by Universo was a foregone conclusion in the previous issue.

However, I always liked this issue for the spaceship scene. It's a bit implausible that the Legionnaires wouldn't be recognized - certainly Nura stands out as she usually does. It's a fun series of vignettes, though, as Nura flirts, Brainy gets over-curious and Cham gets found out. The exchange between Nura and Imra is one of the better scenes; these two have had so little interaction, yet they go way back in Legion service.

It's also interesting to see the team with Beren on Naltor. The U.P. sure has a hands-off policy when Earthgov starts to act peculiar; Beren just accepts that odd things have been going on and warns the Legionnaires. Nura didn't waste any time grooming and finding a glamorous outfit, but it's not clear how much time they've spent on Naltor. Beren mentioned that he wanted to wait for them to recover; presumably, they arrived somewhat worse for wear. The High Seer also told them that weeks had passed since Earth changed. The review at Legion of Super-Bloggers mentions this time discrepancy relative to the Hykraius and Relnic missions. I don't have a solution to this, unless the story of the other two teams is taking place weeks before Imra and the others become aware that they've been imprisoned.

It took quite a while for the four to figure out that Universo is behind this; they would have had plenty of time on the passenger ship to mull over the possibilities, knowing that mind control and some problem with Earthgov was involved. There's another full page of wondering why they in particular were imprisoned - of course, they have no idea what's going on with the rest of the team and the defence of Element Lad by Imra, Brainy and Cham indicates that they have no suspicion that the others might be mind-controlled as well. Nura does approach the possibility when she's speaking with Imra on the ship, saying that Garth might be prevented from searching for his wife.

It's not explicitly stated, but Element Lad truly gives the impression of somebody who is brainwashed; his speech pattern, his intellectual dullness are well captured to show that he's not himself. Shvaughn seems to be managing him; the Legionnaires may have been put more deeply under Universo's control - almost zombiefied - than the rest of the population.

(Gee, where did everybody go? Surprising considering how well liked this story seems to be. Feeling a bit lonely Cramer? Thanks for keeping the discussion going.)

LSH #33

Another good chapter in the Universo story.

I really like how well the four work together here.They know each other's strengths (and weaknesses) and there appears to be no bruised egos or questions regarding who should be doing what, just getting down to the job on hand. they have all been legionnaires for a long time (Dreamy is the most recent and she is certainly a very long time member) and not only their skills but their comradery (is that the right word or did I just make it up?) really shines through. The closest thing to criticism is Cham's thoughts about Dream Girl being silly.

The wink was a bit silly and yes surprising compared to the strength she showed when she was leader. Nevertheless i do seem to remember that even in that period she was still annoyed about breaking a fingernail or such like. She also rubbed some of the other legionnaires the wrong way. Ultra Boy resigned as her deputy leader when he had had enough.

The couple of little moments between the four was also pleasing, like Brainy's approach to Imra, showing concern and knowing her well enough to see past the "ice queen" act as he called it. I like seeing this side of Brainy and very much miss it in the more recent iterations of his character. The other was Imra's similar comments to Nura about her act. In both cases the recipient does not acknowledge the truth of their comrade's comment but we get the feeling that these four know each other well enough to see past the surface and know the true person underneath, whether they admit or not.

Zymyr's use of his teleportation skills here is well done. He was well prepared for these exact legionnaires, which makes sense since a few issues ago there was the comment that they were specifically requested for this mission. Teleporters are often used just to get their teammates from place to place but the use here is very tactical and effective. Wish we knew what happen to Quislet though. Maybe PL was lost for an idea?

It was fun to see more of the other heroes (and apparently SPs). Five are named. Atmos is an ongoing plot line and so his relatively large role makes sense. His apparent liaison with Nura spells trouble for the future. It appears that his "costume" is actually how his body looks, at least when he is using his powers. I can't imagine that his kidnappers left his costume on underneath his prison garb. Maybe the silver body and legs is the result of how he acquired his powers and the chest emblem is inscribed onto it like Captain Atom. His weird arm and chest transparency only shows when he is in power mode for he looks normal before being freed.

Gas Girl from Lallor is nice nod to known heroes in the Legion universe, even if she only gets a single action panel.

The other three are all new and I don't remember them ever appearing again. They did all get their own articles (1/3 page) in the Legion Who's Who. Energax is a frequently used title on his home world for champions but after almost all the rest were killed in an explosion it is now reserved for him alone. Not much else striking about him. Silver Sword is a member of the "Society for Historical Speculation" on her homeworld. Her sword and armour were given to her by friends after her recreation of the "War of the Roses" but somehow in her hands they have become no longer ordinary and much more powerful. The armour must be bonded to her since she is wearing it under her prison garb before being "freed". She is also shown exhibiting great strength breaking into the fountain and firing beams from her sword. Xena of Manna-5 is given one of the most interesting backgrounds as the hereditary champion of her homeworld. Apparently the ruling families breed for powers but they also are said to have some relation to her deities. Apparently she approached a number of fellow prisoners after being freed, looking for a potential husband so as to continue the breeding tradition/obligation. She loses her powers if she stays away from her world for more than a year (so was probably relieved that she was freed in time) but now believes a closer tie to the UP may be necessary to find an appropriate mate. Oh and I think Manna-5 is the world where Wildfire/Erg-1 sacrificed himself to save Colossal Boy. It's also the planet that Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl and Colossal Boy were helping recover from massive floods before the first two were taken away by the Controller to stop Tyrraz in issue #19.

We see a little more of Mibel, the pink-skinned woman Imra met last issue and see her use some sort of energy powers on a spybot but we do not learn anything further about her.

Finally apparently Universo really did reach far and wide for heroes as we see a rather familiar rocky form normally associated with a different fantastic foursome in panel 5 on page 16. (I had wondered if there was meant to be some joking parallel between that foursome and our four legionnaires but couldn't find one. Perhaps Greg LaRocque thought there was and included the character here as a result.)

Speaking of LaRocque I once again quite enjoyed the artwork here, mostly at any rate. Still love the alien setting. The skies are fabulous, although the space nerd in me has to quibble a little. In several panels we see other moons/worlds in the sky, yet the sky patterning is behind them, indicating that it is not the sky/atmosphere we are seeing but the nearby space perhaps a nebula. However when our four make it off world there is no trace of it, just normal black space with stars. It would have been better to be seeing the moons through the alien sky/atmosphere which is what I imagine was intended.

For some reason the prison outfits bothered me this time. I couldn't help noticing how short the women's tunics/skirts were, from the opening splash page on. The guys however have long pants. Isn't this a bit sexist? Sure male/female bodies are shaped differently and have to accommodate different proportions but pants/skirts are not involved. I never noticed this before though so probably it is more to do with changing modes in our modern world.

Oh can anyone tell me what is happening on page 21 last panel? Did Silver Sword strike something weird off a spybot? Did Cham turn into a rock or a copy of Blok's head and throw himself at some machinery?

There are a few interesting letters about this issues in #38, incluuding one from the famous (infamous?) T. M. Maple about death and life and the meaning of the legionnaires escape from mind-controlled slavery. Many enjoyed the other heroes although one writer was concerned about the inclusion of yet more charcters in an already crowded book. Another writer speculated on the reason for these four being selected (as did the characters in this issue). "Obviously because they represent the most strong-willed of the Legion, and they would be the first to overcome his mental hypnosis." More thoughts on this are raised in forthcoming issues so I will save further discussion until then.

(Boy I can blather on.)

Thanks for keeping this going Cramey. I enjoyed and agreed with your comments. I will read #34 and your thoughts on it and add mine soon.