As I have said before, this comic is growing on me. I have always been a Legion nut and I am ready to be reading a very good Legion comic again. The beginning part of the Waid/Kitson reboot came close. But this current run, picking up on the continuity that I grew up on, is really hitting its stride with the current LSH vs LSV arc.
After a whirlwind of plot progression in the LSV one-shot and last issue, this issue takes a sort of baby step forward in the plot progression. We know that Saturn Queen's LSV is looking for the 'world of wisdom' to destroy. And at the end of the issue she is still looking for that world, or maybe she has found the world. Otherwise, this issue just further sets the stage for the upcoming battles.
And, as always, Levitz tries to juggle all the plot threads that he has set in motion. It is hard to do with a cast as large as this books. Unfortunately, that means some plots that I really want to see played out weren't mentioned here.
I also have to say that I like how Colossal Boy is really treated as a power in the Legion. Unfortunately, Atta and Mekt are able to subdue him before battling with Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl.
One of the plot lines that is out there is the return of Star Boy to his right time. I absolutely loved this panel where the 'multiverse' energy is being drained out of Thom. We see the Silver Age Star Boy, the Legionnaires Star Boy and the Waid/Kitson Star Boy in visions above him while the machines do their healing. Dream Girl's irritation at Brainy's 'experimenting' on Star Boy is perfect.
With the machines on auto-pilot, Brainy decides he is more needed elsewhere, specifically on the now 'radio silent' Colu. Unfortunately that means that Brainy doesn't question the enigmatic Harmonia Li and here recent revelation that she has caused all of these problems. That is the plot line I was hoping would be more explored here. I mean Brainy leaves without even asking her what she meant. Hopefully answers will be forthcoming soon.
I have to say that I am enjoying seeing this more sadistic Saturn Queen and her plots. With Questor not able to find the information about the World of Wisdom on his own, Saturn Queen rips the knowledge from this Coluan's mind, killing him in the process. Look at that look of glee on her face as she crushes his 'delicately wired' mind.
Of course, you need to be consistent in that sadism ... something which might be hard to do as we'll see soon.
But another thing I liked here was the SciPo officer asking Timber Wolf if he is off-duty. I don't think Brin has had a love interest since Ayla way back in the 80s. It would be nice to see him finally moving on from that heartbreak.
The battle against Atta and Lightning Lord continues on Rimbor. This is just a great panel showing Phantom Girl take out Atta with a flying kick. The whole issue shows how powerful Phantom Girl can be by moving in and out of phantom mode quickly, even solidifying parts of her body while others remain ghostly. Phantom Girl has really been seen a lot in this book. I wonder if she is one of Levitz' favorites.
Perhaps my favorite moment in the book though is when Ayla shows up to fight Mekt. These two have such a long and painful history. Remember, Mekt tortured her the last time the LSV teamed up.
I really love Ayla ... just such a strong character, powerful, opinionated, decisive.
Unfortunately it's a non-fight as Zymyr teleports the villains away. Too bad. I hope we see that fight eventually happen.
And another plot line we see is Mon-El working with Dyogene as he tries to aid in the investigation. He ends up heading to Oa where I am sure he'll meet up with Sodam Yat.
I do like that Mon-El equates the Legion with Dyogene's long lost Green Lantern Corps. After all these years, I don't think anyone should underestimate the Legion.
Maybe Yat will be able to shed some light about the 'blue entity' that is behind Saturn Queen's plans.
Here is where I think Saturn Queen's current persona is troubling. Brainy shows up with Earth Man to stop her from leaving. Incredibly, she easily overpowers both Querl and Earth Man, telepathically freezing them in their tracks. They are helpless ... but she simply leaves them saying she doesn't have the time to do more. And yes, I see Tellus being teleported in. But after all we have seen of this Saturn Queen, wouldn't she do more to them ... if not kill them than injure them more? This is a woman who rubbed the blood of the slain on her lips while playfully picking of fingers from her clothes. Wouldn't she tell them to kill themselves, a move we have seen her do already? Of course, that means we would have a couple of dead Legionnaires. Maybe I am looking for too much realism here. Instead, she takes off with the information about the World of Wisdom. So
She is a big threat though, eliminating one of the Legion's most powerful minds while taking out Earth Man who mimicked her powers.
So overall a very good issue, filling out the overall arc while not moving too forward. I think splitting up Saturn Queen and Lightning Lord here only is further proof that they will clash somewhere down the line. And I think this is a very good story with mysteries, action, and lots of characterization. Too bad the Harmonia Li one was left temporarily hanging. And I was hoping to see more of Dawnstar's quest.
Still, this is a Legion comic I am enjoying right now. I really can't ask for more.
Overall grade: B+/B
5 comments:
If I remember correctly, in this issue a certain someone is referred to as a sexy cheerleader in this issue.
Yes ... Earth Man teases Brainy for calling him in for backup. Earth Man says hat he thought Brainy preferred the sexy cheerleader type.
It is a knock at Supergirl but definitely in character for Earth Man. I'd love to see what Kara would do to him if she was there for that.
Excellent review, great point about Saturn Queen's inconsistency. And wouldn't an appearance by Kara be fantastic?
I wonder if Brainy is so reckless and thoughtless with others even more so these days because he "meet" Kara again? Seeing her again must have reopened his old emotional wounds about her dying.
The "nice Brainy" turning into a bigger egotistical jerk than Threeboot Brainiac really frustrated me for some time. I was actually thinking it might've been over Rond's death (since he started acting like that in Legion of Three Worlds), but nothing like that ever came up in conversation. He was mean just to be mean. It's starting to turn around though (with him basically saying "I love you guys" last issue and his reassurance that Thom was not just some lab rat this issue). My impression was that, back in the day, he sometimes came off as cold, but even when the others would accuse him of it, they'd know better and take it back, because they knew he loved them. So I hope he stays in this mode.
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