Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 came out the first week of July 1985. This issue came out 4 weeks later in August 1985. So amazing timing by writer Paul Levitz and artist Steve Lightle to maximize the impact of Supergirl's death.
Levitz always had the knack of juggling the many characters and many plot lines of this book. He knew that Supergirl's death would have a major impact on Brainiac 5. Legion fans love continuity. Kudos to him for giving the aftermath the pages it deserves. And given Brainy's past with mental health crises, we needed to see this, in all its beauty and ugliness.
But Levitz has more irons in the fire. We get the five new Legionnaires on a solo mission. Four of them are peppering the then relatively unknown Sensor Girl about her powers. The rest of the Legion is away at a baptism. Heck, there is even a hint at a storyline that is more than two years away. That is a lot of plot. But Levitz had that knack.
Meanwhile, legend Steve Lightle is on art. Bob Smith is on inks this issue, giving Lightle less of a polish than Larry Mahlstedt does. But the art is still great. Brainy's pain is palpable. The action is swift and potent. And the downtime scenes with the other Legionnaires show a posh side to the super-hero team.
But why??? Why is there no official Crisis Cross-Over banner on this issue! This has way more to do with the Crisis than some of those 'look, the sky is red' ones!
On to the book.
She also knows that no one is watching them, another hint at her powers.
First off she uses some infra-red powers to make them visible to her teammates. Then she uses some other powers to take away the vision from two of them so she can dispatch them.
This has to be another hint at Universo kicking around and manipulating people, leading up to the Universo Project which is 2 years away. The first hint of that might have been in Legion #10!
'Baptism' is a great title for this issue. The Legion is off for Graym's baptism. The new Legionnaires are out on a mission without any of the veterans. Also a baptism.
But we open with the weeping Brainy. He has been mourning Supergirl.
Lightle gives us the anguish, showing us his crestfallen expression, his open tears.
It is the anniversary of Supergirl's death. She died one thousand years in the past that night.
Brainiac 5 knew it. Knew when and how she would die. And yet, he still endured the relationship because he loved her.
There are some things to unpack here.
First off, if the Crisis was happening across time all at once shouldn't this not be so known of an event? Does it mean Brainy knows the outcome of the Crisis?? So it doesn't make complete sense he would know this.
Second, we need to see this absolute sorrow with Brainy here so that his slow unraveling in his belief Sensor Girl is Supergirl will make sense.
Lastly, what about that second panel!
It looks like a direct lift from Crisis #7 with a few minor additions to complete the image.
I don't think Lightle is that good an imitator.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Legion are on Titan for baby Graym's baptism. This is well before they learned about Graym's kidnapped twin.
But this gives Lightle the breathing room to show us the Legion out of costume. From Jo's sweater, to Dreamy's gown and hat to suits and ascots, it is great to see the Legion out socially.
It explains why the rookies are left alone on Earth.
We just met these five two issues ago so let's see them in action. And they don't have a moment to breathe.
The Science Police alarm goes off that there is an explosion in a Techno-Park.
We as readers didn't know anything about Sensor Girl all her powers and throughout this issue Levitz drops hints. First one, she knew about the explosion before the alarm went off.
The five fly off.
Levitz knew how to lean into Legion lore. Magnetic Kid was just voted in when Cosmic Boy retired.
Here he flies in to rescue people from the explosion, saying no one will suffer like his mother. You know, his mother who was killed in Legion of Super-Heroes #297 from 3 years earlier. It is a small moment but for Legion purists, Pol needs to say these lines. Perfect.
Sensor Girl goes to the epicenter and knows this was not an accident. This was a planned attack.
Love this interaction between Sensor Girl and Quislet. He is so irreverant. And given her background, she has no time for it.
And seriously, that original Sensor Girl outfit still rocks.
She also knows that no one is watching them, another hint at her powers.
Back in the city, Brainy keeps drinking. And drinking. Not typical of him.
He again talks about knowing everything about her life and death. And he toasts to the moments they shared.
He really loved her.
The Legionnaires are able to track down the bombers. Sensor Girl again shows us her powers.
First off she uses some infra-red powers to make them visible to her teammates. Then she uses some other powers to take away the vision from two of them so she can dispatch them.
In retrospect, perhaps her powers should have pointed the readers towards her identity.
But after taking out the bombers, the team are gassed by SciPo officers, leaving the team unconscious while they scooped up the criminals.
As I said before, Brainy ends up going to a dark place as his mind unravels in his pursuit of Sensor Girl's identity.
How dark?
Well here he seems to be contemplating suicide, talking about how death would spare him the pain of remembering Kara.
Well here he seems to be contemplating suicide, talking about how death would spare him the pain of remembering Kara.
That dark.
The rookie Legionnaires awaken and track the SciPo cruiser (Quislet wasn't impacted by the gas and so tracked the cruiser).
Another battle ensues and the Legionnaires take out the corrupt police officers.
But Tellus is able to tell us that they have no recollection of the night's events.
This has to be another hint at Universo kicking around and manipulating people, leading up to the Universo Project which is 2 years away. The first hint of that might have been in Legion #10!
The issue ends with Brainy finding a rather comely scientist Dr. Chaseer asleep at her desk. Earlier, we saw Chaseer offer her condolences and maybe even express an attraction to Brainy. I thought for sure she would end up being a new love interest but nothing ever came of it.
Whew! What an issue!
A rookie Legion mission! Hints about Sensor Girl! A Legion social event!
Add in the fallout from Supergirl's death and Brainy's despair and you have a crackling issue.
There is only one thing missing ... THAT CRISIS CROSSOVER TRADE DRESS!
Overall grade: A
Always nuts to me that this issue didn’t get the banner, when #18 did.
ReplyDeleteGreat write up of the issue. I haven’t read it since it came out. I’ll get back to it soon enough tho.
Appreciate the shout out!
A cracking issue indeed! I think we readers weren’t being given much of a hint, given we’d never seen Jeckie use her powers for anything bar illusion casting (so far as I can remember, anyway). I still don’t understand the ‘seeing through the illusions of the universe’ business, but hey, if it gets is a classic Legionnaire back, in a classic new look, fine.
ReplyDeleteJo’s sweater look was so sweet… and Nura’s hat. And I loved Jan’s fuzzing.
Was that a specs-less Paul Levitz doing the honours at the Baptism?
Sometimes the overall story can sweep away continuity problems like you mention, Brainy knowing what he knew. You just accept them because it hit so hard even with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteYes, should've had a banner.
Yes Mart, now that you say it, it looks like Levitz. And certainly I never understood Sensor Girl's powers ... but these were different enough to put the Supergirl mystery to rest.
And yes Steve, you gotta roll with it. This is a sad story and the emotion is more important than the details.
This was great for me to review.