Review: R.E.B.E.L.S. #5

I continue to giddily enjoy R.E.B.E.L.S. and this storyline continues to steamroll forward in R.E.B.E.L.S. #5. Tony Bedard continues to move all the outer rim DC galactic powers around the chess board as Starro continues to absorb more and more forces. And Claude St. Aubin's art continues to be smooth and detailed.

Right now the plot is unfolding on 2 fronts. One, Dox and his R.E.B.E.L.S. over Maltus being attacked by both a Durlan mercenary crew and the Starros below. The other front is the Dominator home world where the 'Starro wave' is attempting to dominate the Dominators.

It all seems to be moving to some explosive ending. But the ride getting there has been a lot of fun.


It turns out that while Getorix and Amon Hakk are bounty hunters hoping to capture Dox for a buck, Captain Ciji is not. In fact, she hopes to capture Dox and get him to work for the Durlans. Whoever bested Dox has to be a serious threat and the Durlans are frightened. Add to that the wannabes - the Spider Guild and Citadelians - and Dox is needed for Durlan defense.

I love the character of Dox. He is someone that seems universally hated by people and yet utterly respected. The Durlans don't like outsiders much and yet here they are knocking on Brainiac's door looking for some help.

And they aren't the only ones. Turns out Starro also wants Dox to work for him. Everyone loves that 12th level intelligence I guess. It is a powerful weapon.

Astrild Storm-Daughter, the Czarian-like Starro woman from last issue, offers Dox the chance to work for the would-be conqueror.

In fact, she divulges that Dox would have some limited free will. Unlike the drones that most Starro captives become, some (like her) have some more leeway to their actions. Some spontaneity. He would be a vanguard.

I think this is a nice touch to the Starro threat. There is a class system even in Starro's slaves. Of course it makes sense. An order like 'defeat Silica' has to leave room for slight deviations ... initiative. My guess is only the most powerful but most controllable slaves get this perk.

Still, the bottom line is that both the Durlans and now Starro feel that Dox is such a presence that they want him working for them. Rather than kill him, they want him on the payroll. There can be no higher respect.

Ciji realizes that her prize is in danger both from Storm-daughter and Hakk (who has slipped away to try to cash in on Dox bounty). She asks Getorix to slow down the Starro acolyte while she boards Dox ship.

I thought this was a very good panel. Getorix blasts her point blank with starship cannons. Somehow she shrugs it off. I love how the Starro drone is nearly blasted off her but keeps a grip via a penetrating limb in the lower spine. It was both humorous and chilling.

The laser fire only enrages her as she tears through the ship, killing the Khundian force Ciji had with her.

In the meantime, Dox figures that a retreat is in order. He tells Wildstar to leave the ship and find Silica's remains and bring the computer back to the ship no matter where it has run off to.

Surprisingly, Wildstar's first instinct is to defend Dox in combat, to fight Storm-daughter. I am intrigued by this level of devotion from her in Dox; it has happened so quickly. Her life in Star Haven must have been particularly hellish if she has accepted her new lack of body and dedicated herself to protecting Brainiac this quickly. And, of course, Dox is that master manipulator.

She flies to the planet and scoops up Silica's remains.

I know it isn't crucial to the story but I love this panel. It was too good not to post.

It just smacks of the face-huggers in Alien. Since Wildstar has no face ... no organic interface ... with the starfish, it cannot effect her. She simply blasts it away.

In the meantime, Storm-daughter continues annihilating the Durlan ship. Alas poor Getorix, we barely knew you. This might be one of those times where the limited free will granted to his vanguards hampers Starro. Had Storm-daughter taken control of Getorix, she may have learned some valuable information. But she is too enraged and decides to vaporize him instead.

Stormdaughter looks formidable. She seems invulnerable; she has super strength, eyebeams, and a mean streak. I am telling you ... when she gets freed from Starro she will become the 'Lobo' for the new team.

Getorix's distraction has worked though. While Stormdaughter rips apart the ship and its crew, Dox hightails it out of there at light speed. The hope is that Wildstar can use her tracking skills and speed to catch up.

Dox isn't exactly safe though. Both Ciji and Amon Hakk are on the ship somewhere.

In the meantime, the Dominator army is holding their own against the Starro fleet until this 'Frazetta Death Dealer' warrior lands and leads the Starro troops.

Turns out that is *THE* Starro and he looks like one mean bastard.

The Psions inform the Omega Men that it will be their job to assassinate Starro.

I think the best thing I can say about this comic is that it is true pleasure to read. For one, as a Legion fan, I love how LSH lore is being re-written or re-imagined in current times. I also like how these other space races like the Psions, Spider Guilds, Citadelians are all being included in this grand scale story. These races that I know mostly from LSH and the 80s Teen Titans are all involved here but all with their own agenda. And then you add on top of that the great character of Vril Dox. It is just an absolute fun comic to read ... a guilty pleasure ... a giddy romp through DC's cosmic characters.

Overall grade: A

Review: R.E.B.E.L.S. #3

Okay, so it's not a super-title and there isn't even a glimpse of Supergirl in this issue. It technically doesn't fit the usual scope of this blog. Still, R.E.B.E.L.S. has been a fun title and as close to Legion as we have these days.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #3, released 2 weeks ago, was another interesting issue in this team-building initial story arc. And since I reviewed the first 2 issues, I figured I would officially review this one too.

The last issue ended on a semi-ominous note with Vril Dox aiming a weapon of some sort at Wildstar. It turns out that (as I had imagined) his plan was not to kill her but to manipulate her and change her into something useful.

In the opening scene we see Dox seemingly incinerate Wildstar, although longtime Legion fans could have guessed where this was going.

As Dox is confronted by members of the tribe, he tells them to not disturb the anti-energy download.

Ahh ... anti-energy ... the basis for the powers of my absolute favorite Legionnaire Wildfire. It seems Brainiac 5's template for the Legion included Wildfire and Dawnstar. And Brainiac 2 decided to get the benefits of both Legion members in one body. Heck, even the name works! Wildstar is an amalgam of Wildfire and Dawnstar.

And at least out of the gate Wildstar is happy with this change. She was shunned in her own tribe. She was the 'crazy one' with tracking instincts that were called delusions and vestigial wings which kept her grounded. Without any delay, she grabs the members of her tribe and tells them to leave or else. They are more than happy to oblige. To them she is a trouble maker and now out of their hair.

But that initial optimism is squelched a bit when Dox tells her that she is a noncorporeal now. She needs to stay in the suit now forever.

Here is an interesting twist which I like in the book. Brainiac 2 tries to tell Wildstar about the Legion of the future. But Brainiac 5 put in a lock function in the download. While Dox knows all he knows about the future, he cannot voice it or write it down. And I like the moral high ground that Brainiac 5 takes here. In many ways, he will be acting as Brainiac 2's conscience. That is innovative.

Still, Dox is at his most conniving here as he shows Wildstar how much 'better' she is know. Her tracking senses can span galaxies. And she can control energy blasts. And most important to Wildstar, she can fly.

The character trait of isolation was one that was played up a lot in stories about Wildfire. He had no body. He could never have any meaningful relationship. All of those feelings happened after his accident. How ironic than that feelings of isolation are what led to Wildstar's creation.

One thing I like about the design of Wildstar are the anti-energy wings. It is a very slick look. Kudos to Andy Clarke.

Wildstar leads Dox to Cairn where he runs into his old teammate Strata and her comrade Bounder (sort of a Bouncing Boy stand-in).

Strata is upset with Brainiac 2 initially because she has been fighting off swarms of L.E.G.I.O.N. robots. Whatever took over Dox's business aimed it right at Strata. In fact, Strata actually looks like she might attack Dox.

Wildstar is quick to defend him though leading to this great exchange.

Wildstar tells Bounder that Dox 'remade' her and that is why she is loyal. Strata responds 'whose life did you ruin this time?'

It just speaks volumes about the dislike Strata has for Dox. And yet, he is so smug and manipulative she ends up leaving with him. Is it possible to like and dislike the lead character of a title. I find Dox to be a self-serving jerk but he definitely makes for a great read.

But Dox and his team aren't the only team in the DC cosmos. The Omega Men are also active. And in a slick bit of guerrila warfare, bait the L.E.G.I.O.N. forces away from the headquarters allowing their small group to infiltrate. It is the classic 'crush the head and the body will die' tactic!

And surprisingly it works. With D-listers like Broot and Doc, they make their way into the control room where Elu blasts Silica, the L.E.G.I.O.N. living computer. In another bit of good design, Silica is swirling pink lines of binary code.

In the middle of Silica's smoking body is something else though ... a Starro drone. Much like Streaky, I have a soft spot for Starro.

And so the Omega Men meet the person behind the L.E.G.I.O.N. upheaval ... Starro! And whoever this host body is, she promises the Omega Men that they are next in line to become Starro slaves.

I will start out by saying that I did not expect to enjoy this comic as much as I have. It has been a very fun ride.

First off, Vril Dox is just a fascinating character. He is so arrogant and rigid in his political views. He is not likeable. But I think that is part of the allure of him as the headliner in this book. He is not your standard hero.

The team he is bringing together - Tribulus, Wildstar, Strata - are not typical heroes either. They are simply a bunch of flawed beings who Dox can mold to his purposes. But you wonder how long they will follow along?

Add to that the Legion links and the presence of Brainiac 5 as 'Jiminy Cricket' and you have a good set-up.

Plus, the art is at time stunning. Clarke's designs on the characters are slick.

If you are a Legion of Super-Heroes fan, this might be a book to look at.

Overall grade: B+