Back Issue Box: Legion Of Super-Heroes #302

I figured enough time had passed between Legion posts that I could resume my review of Supergirl in the Levitz years of the LSH.

These issues were really when Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen were hitting their stride.

Earlier posts from the run saw Supergirl and Brainiac 5 as well as other Legionnaires investigating an incident in space on Weber's World. Their Legion cruiser was destroyed by Science Police weapons at the behest of Officer Tsauron. With no cruiser around, the Legion decides to look around.

As I stated before, I love how Giffen drew Supergirl in these issues. He really had a nice version of the 'hot pants' costume.

Throughout this story, Brainiac seems sort of distracted by Supergirl's mere presence. I don't think he is irritated at her question here.


The mystery behind the Science Police attack deepens a bit as Supergirl and Brainy stroll together. Brainy clearly doesn't trust Tsauron or his evasive answers to the Legion's questions.

Little do the two know that they are being watched by the Emerald Eye of Ekron. It seems the Emerald Empress, acting solo here without the other members of the Fatal Five, is attempting a little takeover of the Weber's World. And Tsauron is in on the action.



The traitorous Tsauron leads them down an alley and douses the lights.

Leaving the whole group of Legionnaires open for an attack by the Eye, an attack that even subdues Supergirl.

This storyline is a small part of the issue so not much happens. I do love the art here. And I love the quiet moments between Supergirl and Brainy as the walk together. This story and the action picks up next issue ... trust me.

As for Tsauron, the question of his true loyalties would be revisited down the line in later issues. Indeed, Supergirl plays a big role in the 'Trial of Tsauron' of Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes ... issues I will eventually cover as we approach Supergirl #52's release.


As for the rest of the issue, it shows Levitz at his strongest as he not just world-builds this comic, he universe builds.

I loved how during this issue he discusses the UP's efforts to terra-form Daxam which had been carved into a monument for Darkseid during the Great Darkness Saga. To devote time to this (and it's effect on Mon-El) is admirable as it could have been dealt with much easier as a passing comment saying the planet had been returned to normal. By giving this topic some time it reinforced just what a cataclysmic event this was for the 30th century, something that shook it violently.



But the bulk of the issue is actually devoted to Lightning Lord's attempt to reunite with Light Lass who had quit the Legion at the end of Darkness. Mekt's efforts to find Ayla had him run into, battle and defeat several Legionnaires. This issue really showed how powerful the Lightning Lord was.

In the end he is defeated by Lightning Lad (with some help from Saturn Girl). I loved how Giffen created this 'lightning effect' around the brothers as they battled, sparks flying everywhere. This isn't the last time Lightning Lord tries to lure his sister to the dark path. He actually kidnaps her and threatens her with telepathic rewiring in the early issues of the Baxter Legion of Superheroes.

Anyways, this is a very nice issue of Legion with some Supergirl moments. I am partial to this time of the Legion's history so these issues always will get high grades. Certainly this isn't crucial to a Supergirl collection.

Overall grade: B+

Brainiac 5 and Supergirl: The Levitz Years

There has been a lot of buzz recently about Supergirl #52, the upcoming re-introduction of the Brainic 5/Supergirl relationship. Of course, this isn't the Supergirl that Brainiac 5 loved, that was the pre-Crisis Kara. I am very interested in seeing how Sterling Gates handles the prior DCU history, Brainy's feelings, and of course, Supergirl's response.

Anyways, that solicit made me think about looking back at the most recent interactions of that Supergirl and Brainiac 5. (It seems that the current version of the Legion as seen in Action Comics is based on the pre-Crisis Legion and not any of the reboots.)

I already touched on Supergirl's role in The Great Darkness Saga (here is the link:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2008/10/keith-giffen-on-supergirl-it-came-from.html ). So I thought some back issue looks in the subsequent Legion issues might be fun. We have 4 months before Supergirl #52 so I'll need to pace myself.

And I promise I will review Action Comics #276 as well, but I'll save that for right before Supergirl #52 gets released.

So this trip back in time will start with a brief peek at Supergirl as she arrives in the 30th Century in Legion of Super-Heroes #300. This anniversary issue included this group cover which was part of a contest. Each character was drawn by a different artist. Some were inked by the same person, others by an inker. Readers were given the list of creators and could match up who they thought drew which Legionnaire. The winner would get a page from the issue.


Here is Supergirl on the cover, pretty obviously drawn by Carmine Infantino. That makes perfect sense since Infantino was the current artist of The Daring New Adventures Of Supergirl at the same time.


Supergirl isn't in the issue that much, just in these few panels. Her first question, even before saying hi to the Legionnaires present, is to ask where Brainiac 5 is. It almost makes me wonder if he is the only reason she is there rather than taking part in some missions.

I liked how Paul Levitz realized that Legion of Super-Heroes didn't need Superboy or Supergirl as a tent pole character to hold up the title; the Legionnaires were strong enough characters on their own. But I also think he realized that the super-cousins were important parts of the Legion history and therefore didn't need to be banished from the title either.

And as I commented before, I loved Giffen's style back then ... smooth, round, organic. This Supergirl is wonderfully rendered. As you will see in the subsequent reviews, Giffen had Supergirl holding and using her cape a lot. See how she is holding it as she blips in from the time stream.

Certainly, as a fan of Giffen, it has been very interesting to watch his style evolve over the years from this style to the murkier more moody art on '5 Years Later' to the super-stylized, scratchy work we saw on Trencher and Lobo.

Okay, that's just a taste as we work forward through those 80's Legion appearances. This review is too brief to warrant a grade. For a Supergirl fan, these issues are fun but not crucial for a collection. They are probably found for anywhere between $1-4 at stores and conventions.

Keith Giffen on Supergirl; It Came from the Back Issue Box:Legion of Super-Heroes #294

One of the columns I enjoy reading is Keith Giffen's 'Unfortunate Confluence of Words' at Comic Book Resources. Giffen has always been one of my favorite creators and he seems to have a nice common sense about comics. His last column (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18399) came out on October 10. Check out his take on the problems with Supergirl.

I'm going to wrap this up by answering the question I'm most often asked and, in doing so, serve my own self-interest. The question is: "Which characters would you like a solid shot at?" OK, not in those words, but you get the picture. In no particular order...

SUPERGIRL: Untapped potential up the wazoo. Once, that is, DC decides whether she's an innocent, a slut, an airhead or a well meaning klutz.

It sort of pains me that someone as entrenched at DC like Keith Giffen could see the writing on the wall that Supergirl had no direction despite unlimited potential and yet the powers that be let the title languish for so long. Now I know we all think that the new creative team is going to fix that. And I believe that.

But his comments made me think of Giffen's past efforts with Supergirl, albeit in a few issues as the penciller on Legion of Super-Heroes in the early 1980's. One of my absolute favorite Supergirl moments comes in the final issue of the tremendous Legion arc The Great Darkness Saga. For those who haven't read this storyline I highly highly recommend finding it, either as a trade or in issue form (it ran from issues 290-294 in the Legion title). It is considered by many, myself included, as the best Legion of Super-Heroes arc. Some spoilers ahead.

In the storyline, Darkseid has been resurrected and comes within a hair of taking over the universe. He has taken over the planet Daxam and has an army of super-men at his disposal. The Legion has been battling him all along, calling in all the reserves.

That means Supergirl.

And in the final battle, a resurrected Highfather grants Superboy and Supergirl the ability to have powers under a red sun sending them to confront Darkseid head on.

Superboy gets immediately dispatched from the battle ... within seconds! But look at Supergirl bust up Darkseid. First with the old one-two punch and body slam.

And then she shows her tenacity, her courage, her force of will, her strength as she shrugs off Darkseid's worst and levels him with an uppercut that sends him into the upper atmosphere. That is what Supergirl is all about!

Well, you can't beat Darkseid that easily and unfortunately he pays her back in kind. Still, no one got more shots in against Darkseid than Kara!

In the end, she gets rescued, the Daxamites regain their senses, Darkseid gets defeated, the universe goes on turning, and ... oh yeah ... Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl's baby gets turned into Validus.

The story ends with Brainiac 5 telling Kara he is over his crush on her only to have her tell him she was just beginning to find him cute.

From what I have read, Levitz and Giffen worked very closely on Legion and so Giffen most likely had a hand in how Supergirl was portrayed. It is interesting to see how much Giffen's art has changed over the years. Here he has a very organic, smooth, thin-lined style as compared to his later scratchy style as seen in Lobo or Trencher.

Would I trust Supergirl in Giffen's hands? Probably. I don't know if he would be on the top of my list for Kara. But I have loved his '5 Years Later' Legion of Super-Heroes; I enjoyed his recent work on 52 and Annihilation. And I certainly thank him for this wonderful Supergirl sequence.