Legion Of Super-Bloggers 4 Year Anniversary

Earlier this year, Supergirl Comic Box Commentary celebrated its 10 year anniversary.
That is crazy.

Today is my own person 4 year anniversary of contributing to the Legion of Super-Bloggers.

I can vividly remember my recruitment. The Irredeemable Shag, of the FW Podcasts, called me one afternoon in July 2014. The blog was being put together. They needed members. And knowing my love for the Legion, he wondered if I would be interested.

It was a warm day and I was walking outside of work, wandering off the hospital campus and onto a college campus nearby. I sat down on steps leading into a gothic building where classes were going on. I asked if I could cover the early Five Years Later run. The rest is history.

I have been manning the shop on Fridays pretty much ever since.
I have covered:

• The first 50 issues of the 5YL run
• The Waid/Kitson Threeboot through that titles end under Jim Shooter
• The Levitz/Giffen run from the original series, from #300 up to the inception of the Baxter run
• The Legion Secret Origin mini-series
• The New 52 Series
• The New 52 Legion Lost series
• And currently, the Retroboot, spinning out of the Johns/Frank reintroduction of the team in Action Comics

Unbelievable.

Review: Legion Lost #16

'It all ends here!'

The cover says it all as Legion Lost #16 marks the end of this troubled title. And while the issue is certainly filled with insane action, the title ends with something more akin to a whimper than a bang.

This title has never really grabbed me. Even though it had Pete Woods art and starred Wildfire and Dawnstar, two of my favorite Legionnaires, the book seemed to struggle from the beginning. The initial plot of a mutating virus let loose in present time, the Legion trapped in the present, was never one that I thought had legs. We have seen the concept of marooned Legionnaires in the present before - from the 1970s solo Karate Kid title, to the Cosmic Boy mini-series in the 80s, to the Timber Wolf book in the 90s. None of those floored me either. And none seem to address the idea of people from the future dealing with backward world of the past. I can only imagine what I would do in 1013 other than go mad. These Legionnaires seemed to adapt easily, driving cars and using phones without a hitch.

Once the virus plot seemed to fizzle, the book took a left hand turn, morphing into an intrigue book where each Legionnaire was harboring a secret that weighed on their individual souls. It was more interesting than Hypertaxis, giving a new twist to the actual words Legion Lost. But before those could breathe, the book became mired in The Culling, entwined with The Ravagers, and the plug was pulled.

With little time left, would we get a decent ending, an understanding of the secrets, and most importantly, the lost Legion back in the 31st century? This is the New 52 ... what do you think.

You might recall that the plot has some powerful beings called Thraxx and Draggon coming to Earth as the vanguards of some universal threat. The Legion, the Ravagers, Superboy, and even Harvest and his crew try to stop them.

About 3 months ago, I guessed that the SciPo Captain Adym would end up as Harvest. Looks like I was right. It is practically spelled out in some heavy dialogue between the two. Adym goes off into the time bubble to set of a singularity bomb to stop Thraxx and Daggor before their plot even starts.

With Adym's fate set up, Harvest and his cronies leave.

Thankfully, Gates, who had a lapes in conscience last episode, finally realizes he's a Legionnaire. He can't just live out his life in a tropical paradise in the 21st century. He has to head back.

Now I don't know if I quite follow, but when Gates does arrive, he is confronted by another him from the past. You would think the current him would remember this but time travel logic is always iffy.

As if things in this book weren't ridiculous already, Thraxx and Daggor are dispatched by Gates, sent to a black hole. It seemed too easy for a number of reason. But there it is. We have to wrap up this whole thing in 20 pages.

And as for Adym, he has been given a null field device by Harvest, a way to protect him (them?) from the bomb.

Sure enough, Adym detonates the bomb within the Daggor/Thraxx force field as they are being whisked into space. I guess that Adym is some mishmash of all three of those beings. I guess we'll see before the issue is over.

Oh wait ...

Nope. We don't get the payoff here. Just like that, after several issues brawling, adym, Thraxx and Daggor are simply gone. And with no real closure about anything. Who were they the vanguard for? What happened to Adym? Where will these guys show up again to wrap up these stories.

On top of that, in their last issue, a lot of time is spent on other characters. First Harvest. Then Adym. And now Superboy.

I wonder how Superboy fans feel about this. He spent 2 issues yelling 'Kill. Maim. Destroy.' Then he has this moment where he realizes that he isn't free of Harvest's control.

So will we see that again. I don't think Harvest is done. He probably is going to torment the Titans and/or the Ravagers. So will this power over Kon be revisited? I suppose, in theory, he is as much a Superboy villain as he is for those teams. But we have seen the post-H'El Superboy book is a new start in a new city. Maybe all the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. business is behind us.

Still, this is a Legion book, and this team's last issue. I would rather have seen some time spent on Tyroc, Yera, and Tellus than these guest-starring characters.

Now there is a lot not to like here. But as a Wildfire/Dawnstar fan at least I got this moment in the issue.

In an effort to delay the Legion from following them, Harvest's crew tosses the team Wildfire's original red suit (he had been in The Culling white for a while). And with that, Wildfire is back.

And, maybe ... just maybe, Dawnstar finally realizes the depth of her feeling for Drake after 'losing' him for a couple of minutes.

Still, just a great splash for me.

And ... that's all she wrote.

The Thraxx/Daggor threat gone and with Harvest escaping, the group strikes a pose and yells 'Long Live the Legion'.

Except ... they all pretty much still have to deal with the fallout of their secrets. We never even learned Tellus' secret. And I was really really hoping the book would end with these characters back in the future, joining the main Legion book. Instead, the book ends on this note.

I don't know. I can't say I thought this was a good book. There were some decent moments scattered here and there. Pete Woods gave us great art. But this title seemed doomed from the beginning. And now it is gone. And these characters are stuck in a sort of limbo. Will they be absorbed by the Ravagers? Yeesh. Or will they simply be here in the present but never seen. Or will there be some Brainiac 5 miracle in the main book?

At least I have Dawnstar hugging Wildfire.

Overall grade: C

Review: Legion Lost #15

Legion Lost #15 came out last week, the penultimate wheeze for this series which wraps up next month. I suppose we have to applaud writer Tom DeFalco as he tries to finish this series in a satisfying way, bringing the individual Legionnaires' stories to a close. Unfortunately, to achieve the individual stories' goal, he has to cut corners on the main story. Will we ever find out just what Daggor and Thraxx are doing, who they work for, what they want? Or is an seemingly all-powerful couple of villains just the lubricant to keep this title moving along.

I also think that in some instances the dialogue here reads a little stiff, as if the characters have to say things that are exposition to keep things cruising forward. But there are also some nice lines as the team confronts their secrets but end up staying true to the core Legion values.

The art here is done by Andres Guildano and it is solid if unspectacular. He has huge shoes to fill as Pete Woods is probably already working on Vibe.

So I still don't know if I actually understand what is happening here. Thraxx and Daggor are heralds for some universal being. They destroy planets that get in their way. We have seen them vaporize a world just with their inherent powers. But for some reason here they are still orbiting Earth and instead using android troopers to accomplish their goal?

These things also seem to be trying to put together some sort of robot T Rex as well. I did find it interesting that this thing is called a World Killer a couple of times. Does that tie into the Kryptonian created World Killers at all?

I have always been partial to Wildfire and his plight in the book has been interesting. His suit broken and irrepariable, he has been living on borrowed time. And even though he gave Daggor and Thraxx his best shot and failed, he isn't going to sit on the sidelines. He knows it is probably a suicide mission but he flies off to face them again.

It is selfless and heroic. And I love how he gives a subtle goodbye here. He has been on the greatest team of heroes; he has met the love of his life. It has been a good if troubled life.

Now I know I am protective of Supergirl and look at all her appearances very closely, very critically. So I can only imagine what Superboy fans are thinking of his role here in Legion Lost as brainwashed flunky of Harvest. That's right, with just a key phrase Superboy becomes unhinged, only able to say 'kill, maim, destroy' lashing out against friend and foe alike. He has no self-control or awareness here.

It reduces him to the clumsiest of characters here. And really, he is not integral to this story. He could have easily been left out and spared this presentation.

Any big time Superboy fans out there? What do you guys think of this?

It isn't much of a surprise when Wildfire's suit gets torn apart by Thraxx. And so we see the portion of the helmet that Captain Adym showed to Yera in the last issue.

As a Wildfire fan, I loved his tortured relationship with Dawnstar. It is nice to see her weep for him, admit she never told him how much she cared. But she also should now he isn't dead. She has seen his suit shredded before and seen him simply enter a new one. I am hoping she means he is figuratively dead, trapped in a century where his suit can't be rebuilt, a wraith forever.

Doesn't take away how glad I was to see those tears for Drake. He deserves them.

Despite this assault by this hodgepodge team of Legionnaires, SciPo officers, Superboy and the Ravagers, and Harvest and his cronies, the doomsday machine continues to self-construct. There is no way that this team can delay the inevitable.

With no other apparent choice, Captain Adym decides he needs to take action. He'll use his time bubble to go back even further and use a 'singularity bomb' to destroy this thing. That bomb will kill millions but save the planet. Do these ends justify the means?

Tyroc doesn't think so. Again, it shows the determination of the Legion that Tyroc still thinks there has to be another solution, a last second victory to be had, without being part of a massacre.

From the beginning I have guessed that Adym becomes Harvest. Now I wonder if this singularity bomb somehow fuses Adym, Daggor, and Thraxx. It would explain his link to the future and Harvest's unique look. Heck, maybe some of the android  T-Rex is thrown in there too.  Remember, you read it here first.

One thing that did stand out as feeling wrong is this scene where Gates loses his nerve fearing his own death and thinks of running out on his friends. He'll use Adym's time bubble to skedattle back to the future. I don't know ... it just doesn't seem like something the irascible Gates would do.

Also, I wonder why everyone else Hypertaxis' effects (Timber Wolf's shootable claws, etc.) have simply gone away but Gates' Two-Face appearance remains intact.

As much as I liked the Dawnstar moment, I think this was my favorite moment in the book.

When Tyroc says he will stop Adym if he tries his 'singularity bomb' solution, Adym asks his allies for support. That includes SciPo officer Lure and undercover agent Yera. Both of them reject his ideas. And Yera finally voices her ultimate loyalty. She is a Legionnaire. She won't betray her teammates.

I think this underlying feeling of family, of ethics, of fidelity to the cause ... that is Legion

Harvest has always been the monkey wrench here. What are his motives in all this. He arrives here, wiping out everybody, and apparently embracing the idea of the bomb.

So how can all of this wrap up in a mere 20 pages? How do we learn about all the secrets the Legionnaires have been hiding, what Harvest wants, what Daggor and Thraxx wants, get the Legion home, and put a bow on it.

This issue had some nice moments. But overall it was something of a loud mess, a brawl where some characterization broke out. I never thought that the Hypertaxis storyline had legs to be a long-running plot. I wasn't sure if the the Legion in our time would work as a title when the Legion in their time struggles. And so Legion Lost approaches its end.

I hope these Legionnaires are rolled into the main book and that title gets some more creative TLC.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Legion Lost #14

Legion Lost #14 came out last week, the third to last issue in the title. That means all the threads that have been laid out before us need to be wrapped up in a short period of time, at least if there is going to be a decent resolution to this book.

It's hard not to get the sense of the impending ending of this book. The last two issues have ratcheted up the speed of the plot as well as the action. This issue is mostly a brawl but it also has some reveals and hints that keep things moving ahead at top speed. It also has just about as many guest stars as you can stuff into a brawl.

But I also felt some of the pain of this book being in its death throes. Pete Woods, recently named the artist for the new Vibe comic, only provides some of the art here. And, in order to get the book out, DC went to the bullpen. The artists listed for the book are Woods, Ronan Cliquet, Scott Hanna, Richard Friend, Marc Deering, and Wade Von Grawbadger. The art changes almost with each page. If this was a basketball game, we'd call it  'garbage time', time to bring in the walk-ons.

Tom DeFalco has the tough job of revealing all the mysteries in a short period of time, trying to wrap up each storyline, and hopefully bringing these Legionnaires back home. Is is possible?

 As if there wasn't enough going on in the title that needs to be wrapped up, DeFalco added the threats of Daggor and Thraxx, emissaries for some big bad.

I suppose that a catalyst was needed to speed up the process of wrapping up the stories and a powerful enemy will always do that.

But the Legionnaires personal plotlines are what I want to read about here. At least we see some of it in their thoughts. Here Tyroc is worried that this is where he will die.

 I have been reading the Legion in some form or other for three decades. And it is no secret that Wildfire is one of my favorites.

We have seen him suffer in silence in his love for Dawnstar, knowing she has growing feelings for Timber Wolf. And throughout the book, I haven't felt any struggle within Dawny. I haven't felt that she has feelings for Wildfire.

So I absolutely loved this panel, at last showing that she does care for Drake as more than a friend. As a Wildfire fan, this was great.

Captain Adym, the SciPo who worked for ECHO and Chameleon Girl's superior officer, realizes that Daggor and Thraxx might be too much for this Legion crew to handle. He sends out an alert to gather whatever forces he can.

It includes Officer Lure, the SciPo in deep cover in the present who has been working with Superboy and the Ravagers.

It also includes Harvest and his crew. Now I have never really grasped just what Harvest wants or is doing. So why would he be interested here?

And is it me, or does Harvest's design look more and more ridiculous the more you see him.

Harvest and his cronies answer the alarm, arriving at the fight eager to join in.

It is a deal with the devil of course. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Despite Chameleon Girl's protests, despite Harvest having imprisoned and almost killed them, the Legion decides to call a truce and fight together against Daggor and Thraxx.

At least Harvest has a reason to join in. He doesn't want these vanguards to destroy the Earth he is trying to shape.

As for Thraxx and Daggor, they continue to show just how powerful they are ... first pummeling the team on their own, and then sowing some technological 'dragon's teeth' to create a never-ending swarm of robot troops.

 As I said, nothing spurs movement along faster than a big battle. Officer Lure decides to call in some markers. She takes Superboy along ... by force ... to the Thraxx battle. And the Ravagers follow along to help Superboy.

I have complained about how stretched thin I think Superboy is as a character. Most of his story is being told in other titles. Here we learn that he is very happy with the Ravagers. I have no sense of that in his main book. How odd I learn about his Ravagers story in Legion Lost. And he is in Titans too. It isn't like Superman being in 2 books and JLA. Here Superboy's story, his growth as a character, is being played out in other books.

 So now we have a battle of 4 armies - the Legion, Harvest and his boys, Superboy and the Ravagers, and Daggor and Thraxx.

Harvest does have a big stake in the Superboy character. He created Kon. Here he decides to show Superboy what his plans are for Kon. He says 'isn't that right Superboy' in Kryptonian. And that code word makes Superboy susceptible to Harvest's commands. And he commands him to 'Kill. Maim. Destroy.'

And Superboy listens, essentially going berserk.

Again, this is a big reveal for the Superboy character. Shouldn't it happen in his own book?

 The fight basically fills the rest of the book. But two more moments stood out. One is here when Harvest hints at some connection to Captain Adym.

I would remind you that last month I guessed Adym would become Harvest.
 

The book ends when Daggor announces that Earth has passed his master's test. It is worthy. And with that another warp opens and a giant machine seems to rise from the ground. And if it isn't scary looking enough, Gates says that this thing is what gave him his scars and burns. It is going to kill them all.

So all the chess pieces are on the table.But will there be enough time to deal with all the threads that have been building here? Will we see the fallout of Yera's double agent status? Will Tellus' reveal his secret? Will Wildfire's suit be fixed? Will Tyroc's destiny be shown.

What I don't want is this fight to end in two issues and the Legion climbs into Adym's time bubble and go home as if nothing has happened between them. Sure, I suppose some fallout could be shown in the main LSH book. But I'd prefer closure here.

And Daggor, Thraxx, and their unseen 'Master' are so generic right now that I really don't feel they are part of the story, more like an enzyme speeding the story along.

All that said, a simple panel of Dawnstar kissing Wildfire's faceplate warmed my jaded comic heart enough to boost this book half a grade.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Legion Lost #13

We recently learned that Legion Lost is being cancelled in January and Legion Lost #13, which came out last week, felt like the beginning of the end of the title.

We have moved beyond the opening arc of the Hypertaxis virus. We have been teased with hidden secrets for all the Legionnaires stuck in the past. Now, in this issue, we finally had some reveals of the Legion secrets. And we get introduced to a new powerful villain, one we have never heard of before, who will act as a catalyst ... speeding up the inevitable finale.

I have to say that I am glad that with the lead time of a few months, writer Tom De Falco appears to be trying to wrap up things nicely. I don't know if I would be too happy if the book ended without us seeing what all the unknown histories of the characters were.

The book starts with images of a distant inhabited planet being destroyed by some unknown powerful being.

Hey wait ... I thought that the Phoenix was defeated in one of the AvX titles! (snicker)

Anyways, the death of an entire planet sends a sort of 'disturbance in the Force' to Tellus all the way here on Earth. I didn't realize that Tellus was that powerful of a telepath. I kind of put him a notch below Saturn Girl. So this was either a powerful psychic moment or a sort of writing legerdemain to get the story rolling.

One thing I have enjoyed in this book has been the emergence of Tyroc as a leader. Despite the team's difficulties in the past, he states the team is still Legion, still there to protect people. And if this threat is coming to Earth, they have to deal with it. He sends Wildfire out to reconnoiter. I thought it was a nice small moment.

Meanwhile, Yera keeps pressing him that the real threat is Harvest and the team needs to deal with that present threat, not one galaxies away.

And in a flashback  we learn more ... finally! Turns out that Yera has been an agent for the Science Police, specifically the ECHO subdivision, within the Legion ... well ... forever. Talking to her superior Captain Adym, she talks about gaining begrudging respect for the team and not just because of her marriage to Colossal Boy.

ECHO is worried about the time stream, including the Legion's meddlings. He has agents in the Legion ... not just Yera ... agents, plural. He is worried that a rogue Legionnaire exists and he thinks it's Gates. And somehow Adym has handpicked/manipulated into existence this Legion team. Yera's mission in the past? Root out the rogue and if needed, eliminate him/her.

It is an interesting turn for Yera. She has been a double agent forever? And this is after her also having replaced Shrinking Violet for Imskian rebels way back when. Back then, Yera seemed an innocent actress duped by Micro Lad. Now she is a nefarious spy. Was her love and marriage 'real'?

We hear again how Timber Wolf's concerns about the Legion having been duped by ECHO. And we learn even more in another flashback with Yera.

Wildfire's cracked faceplate has been found in the past. And Tyroc's mystery ... his own gravestone shows he has died in the past. (I think I called that back in June when we first saw it).

Is it really going to be a one way trip for the two Legionnaires?

Meanwhile, Wildfire has his hands full with Lord Daggor and his talking dragon Thraxx, the planet-killing beings from the beginning. Moreover, they sound like emissaries for a 'conqueror supreme'. So that sounds a bit like a Galactus-like being, complete with advance scouts.

But why is Earth of such interest?

Nothing speeds a story along better than a big powerful enemy. So I doubt we will be seeing any more of the street-wise teen that befriended Timber Wolf. I doubt we will see more of the military group chasing the team. We need to get to the end quickly. There is no need to build up the supporting cast moving forward.

And as if the impending destruction of Earth at the hand of Daggor and Thraxx, a time bubble arrives. And someone not necessarily surprised by that is Harvest, who talks about the sacred circle of events. He summons his strongest warriors (we have seen Psykill and Warblade before).

It has been hinted at all along that Harvest is from the 31st century. And anytime 'circle' is used in time travel stories, I start to think about what paradox could be coming up that will wrap everything up neatly.

But it does make me wonder about all the other stuff ... the Culling, etc. Why would Harvest go through all that if he knew about this stuff.

The time bubble isn't a Legion team. It's Captain Adym from ECHO again. And he isn't here to rescue. He's here to help fight against a big threat.

So I have read these sort of things enough to know that Adym can't be a 'good guy'. He has to be the threat. He has to be manipulating things for his own end. And I wonder if he somehow 'becomes' Harvest. The 'circle' is that Harvest somehow is around when Harvest is created. And somehow, some irony about his name being Adym (Adam) will play out.

One small moment I liked is Gates asking why didn't Adym ring the bell for all the super-heroes of the time, the JLA for example. It is a good question and one I always ask when one hero squares off against a planetary threat.

Wildfire crashes on Earth, a beaten energy construct. And right behind him is the presumed threat Adym is here to fight ... Daggor and Thraxx. It is a decent cliffhanger even if we don't know these guys. How can this group of Legionnaires beat these two if they are strong enough to raze a planet? And will Harvest and his team join the fight to defeat these guys?

So, with a mere three issues left, we are moving forward a bit more briskly than we have in the last year. We know about Yera and Tyroc's secrets. We learn more about Wildfire's 'fate'. And we start to put all the moving parts in one spot. I don't know if this title every really 100% grabbed me. And maybe the lagging sales are indicative of that. If a diehard Legion reader like me can't get pumped over a book starring 2 of his favorite Legionnaires, what hope does it have on the big market.

All that said, Pete Woods has just been great on this title. I will miss seeing his Dawnstar and Wildfire month in, month out.

Overall grade: B

Review: Legion Lost #0

Legion Lost #0 was the first of the zero month issues that sort of fell a bit short.

Now don't get me wrong, this was a fine rethinking of Timber Wolf's origin and a decent if somewhat formulaic morality play.And Pete Woods' art remained slick to look at.

But the bar was set kind of high. We had the inspirational Action Comics #0. The tragedy of  Worlds' Finest #0. The (as yet unreviewed) historic revelations of Superboy #0. Even the dramatic twist of a hero crossing the line in Earth 2 #0. All those issues felt like a mini-event or eye opener. After that, this nice little story of Timber Wolf maintaining an ethical line while avenging his parents seemed to fall short of those issues. The other zero issues felt like mini-events. This could have been a rest issue at any point really. And the truth is, I might have enjoyed it more then. 

What this issue should have been was a look back at this squad in the 31st century when they were hunting for Alastor. Maybe writer Tom DeFalco could have pulled back the curtains on one of the character's hidden agenda, their specific 'origin' for this book and this team.

Maybe I am sounding too harsh. In this day and age I should be praising a book where the hero is tempted to kill and instead doesn't.

The issue starts with a nice scene of Brin Londo, here called the 'vigilante Lone Wolf' trying to make his way into the compound of a crime boss named Lord Vykor. We don't know how we got here but I like the 'dropped into the middle of the action' opening in comics sometimes. It brings a sort of energy to the book and is a little off-putting (in a good way) to the reader as you have to catch up about how we got here.

I like Pete Woods' young Timber Wolf look complete with long crazy pony tail. It has a sort of 80's feel to it which is befitting given that it takes place in the 'past' of Timber Wolf. And there is a ferocity to his attacks that is palpable.

It turns out that Brin is on a mission of vengeance. His father Marr Londo has been accepting funds from Vykor to create a sort of super-healing, super-durability, super-power serum. Vykor wants it for himself.

When Londo tells him that despite great strides in creating the serum (we see it work on rodents) it won't be ready for human usage for years, Vykor ups the ante, gunning down Brin's mother and Marr's wife. Londo better perfect the drug before Vykor comes back to shoot Brin.

As I always say when art and words mesh, no medium is better than comics. I love the expressions on the Londo's face coupled with their silence. I like the blase look on Vykor as he kills this innocent woman, showing what a villain he is. And I love the red background, which started white at the top of the page and grew darker down to this panel, echoing the procession to this violent act. Solid stuff.

Enraged, Marr does perfect the serum and injects it into himself and Brin. When Vykor comes calling, the Londo's attack. But after briefly getting the upper hand, Vykor's men batter Marr leaving him no choice but to destroy his lab and all his work. Brin is able to escape.

One thing that this issue does do nicely is talk about how events turn Brin from a little kid excited to go to the zoo to a near-feral fighter. I mean, to defend his dying father he brutally bites Vykor.

And with no where else to turn, Brin ends up living on the streets, becoming a vigilante protecting the weak. It is a one page montage of a cold young Brin living out of a card board box (they still have those in the  31st century) and then realizing he wouldn't let another person be harmed the way his parents were. In many ways it is sort of a Batman story but told from the perspective of poverty rather than riches.

So we finally catch up to that early action piece and Wolf, after a skirmish with the Science Police, finally is able to break into Vykor's home.

Now here is where things get just a bit wonky for me. Vykor found a vial of Londo's and injected it into himself and his son Tor. He has been luring Brin into this attack so he can capture him, dissect him, and reverse engineer the serum.

And so, this great crime lord decided that after luring the animalistic vigilante into his home he would have his only son defeat him in hand-to-hand combat? Wouldn't a real crime lord have about 60 people with guns in this house or paralyzing gas or ninjas or a rogue Durlan? I mean, I'm not a crime lord and that is what I would do.

Now, while not bright, it does allow some resonance between Brin's story, a son defending his father. And it allows DeFalco the opportunity to get inside Brin's head, to hear his internal conversation about finally avenging his parent's death by killing Vykor and son but realizing that crossing that line will change him too. It is a pretty good speech as Wolf differentiates himself from the 'beast' within by realizing he will lose himself if he murders.

And I also like that the street-hardened brawler had an edge over the educated person who has only sparred. It is sort of an anti-Batman riff!

Of course, in the end, Brin subdues the two rather than killing them. And in comics today, that is to be lauded.

Even the Science Police who frown on vigilantes realize that there is more to Brin than just a street fighter. One even recognizes that he would be a good addition to the Legion. Nice touch.

But Brin is still the Lone Wolf ... or Timber Wolf as he renames himself.

Okay, after berating comics for being too dark and too focused on anti-hero, I am thrilled that this book showed how justice doesn't need to be meted out with executions. And the internal struggle within Brin to remain human and not give in to his more primal urges was relatively well done.

Still, this felt like a standard comic book origin story. And certainly couldn't be looked at as a jumping on point for a book set in the 21st century and made up of Legionnaires harboring secrets. So it just felt a little flat.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Legion Lost #12

Legion Lost #12 came out last week and this review has been percolating on the back burner. Sorry for the delay. Written by Tom DeFalco with art by Pete Woods, I feel like this issue closed the book on the first premise of the title while building on its new direction. In some ways I am glad that DeFalco wrapped up the plot begun by Fabien Nicieza. In other ways, there is a bit of hand waving as to how it all happens.

Still, while the action is heavy in this issue, the purpose is to lay the cards out on the table. What are each of these Legionnaires hiding from each other. What agendas are there just below the surface. How can they function as a team, how can they be the Legion, when there are so many secrets? Are they that lost ... not only in time but from each other. Even the Legionnaires that I thought might not be hiding anything are shown to have their own issues.

So while heavy on exposition, DeFalco keeps the ball moving along by infusing a decent chaotic and ever-shifting battle into the mix. And there are a few very nice moments mixed in which reminded me that this is a Legion book. With next month being Zero Month, this title is now teed up for a great 'jump on point' publicity campaign.

Last issue ended with the revelation that Alastor, the Hypertaxis virus index case, had somehow mutated to becoming some sort of Deadman-like wraith, capable of possessing a person but without a body of his own. Now I don't think I can explain just how this happened with what little I know of the description of the Hypertaxis virus. So I guess I just need to roll with it.

The problem is normal humans get consumed when possessed so he needs someone super to house his consciousness. With that premise he begins to jump from body to body trying to find someone strong enough to contain him. He jumps from Dawnstar to Tellus in hopes of getting the Legion all together to find the right host.

Interesting that Dawnstar has her own secret. I thought she might be spared but she feels that Alastor was tricked into being the Hypertaxis carrier. I suppose that is better than her only storyline being in love with Timber Wolf.

We learn Tellus has been keeping secrets which might make the Legion want to kill him! Hmmm ... any guesses?

And then the possessed Tellus flies to the super-powered military unit which captured Tyroc and Chameleon Girl (who have since freed themselves). Realizing Tellus isn't going to be strong enough he leaves the Legionnaire and jumps into Metamerican.

So a couple of things here. One, I don't really like the Yoda-speak DeFalco has Tellus speak in. Second, Pete Woods can really draw monsters. He must love having Yera on the team.

That said, I love his version of Dawnstar the most.

I like this scene where she saves the now freed Metamerican. She seems stunned that he would question her saving him. That is a Legion sentiment. Even if he was gunning for the team minutes ago, the Legion isn't going to let anyone die. Nice nice panel.

Inside Yera, Alastor reveals more secrets. Maybe Dawnstar is on the money because Yera has information that Alastor was indeed a pawn.

I do think this body-hopping was a clever way of revealing all the Legion secrets as well as showing how resourceful the team has to be with an ever changing threat with different powers.

Tyroc is next on the confession parade. We have known about his 'prophecy' seen on a gravestone. We don't know much more.

I still think that gravestone must have his name on it and have some information about his death or something he did in this time.

Gates and Timber Wolf end up showing up as well.

I thought Gates' political beliefs alone would be enough grist for his character. But it turns out that he also has been holding onto a secret. He has seen his (and the team's) death.

Interesting. I wonder if that ties somehow into Tyroc's prophecy and Tellus' secret.

And finally, Timber Wolf is possessed. We know he thinks the Legion has been mind-wiped and dumped into the past as part of a Witness Protection system. But now Dawnstar's feelings for him are put out in the open.

It turns out that Alastor was stalling to try to get Wildfire to show up. Only Wildfire is strong enough to withstand a possession and Dawnstar being in danger is an easy way to get Wildfire to acquiesce to Alastor's demands.

But without an organic host, Alastor has nothing to possess. He cannot stay in Wildfire's suit without a true body to possess. And Wildfire does the right thing, heading into space where there is nothing to jump to.

In a nice showing of Wildfire's intergrity, the Legionnaire rejects Alastor's pleas to save him in exchange for fixing his suit. It might end up killing Wildfire but he won't help a villain. With no where to stay, Alastor leaves Wildfire's body.

Now anyone who has read comics knows that a disembodied spirit like Alastor will most certainly survive somehow to eventually leap into something. Maybe years down the road ... but it will happen. And I am glad because otherwise this felt close to an execution, certainly against the Legion code and not at all in line with Dawnstar's sentiment with the Metamerican just pages before.

Still, it essentially ends the Alastor storyline.

But this was my favorite moment of the book. Despite having driven Alastor off the planet, despite being the heroes, Major Nicholson demands the Legionnaires get arrested.

Despite it being treasonous, Metamerican refuses. He has seen the future while possessed, he knows what the Legion represents - a team of different races and species working for the good of the universe. It gives him hope.

In this dark DCnU, a little light just shone.

So one Gates group teleport escape later we can cue up the dramatic team shot on a gargoyle looking over a city at sunset. It might seem trite but I am a sucker for it. Sure everyone seems to be hiding something but they are still a team; they are still Legion. If there was ever a last page for a trade collection it was this one.

So one year in the initial premise of Legion Lost is behind us and this new deception-based arc about trust starts. While I am glad Hypertaxis is behind us, I hope we get just a little more closure - maybe showing the virus' effects are temporary with Gates returning to normal and TW not shooting claws anymore?

Will all the secrets be laid out completely coming up? Or will things remain muddy? Will this premise have any more long term staying power than the Hypertaxis one? I don't know. How long can there be a team book built on team distrust?

Still, this book remains an interesting read and certainly a fresh look at the usually optimistic and bright Legion world.  Plus we get the standard slick work by Pete Woods!

Overall grade: B