Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #22

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #22 (May, 1986)
title: "Dead End"

writer: Paul Levitz

penciller: Greg LaRocque
inker: Mike DeCarlo
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: Greg LaRocque & Larry Mahlstedt
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Sensor Girl, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Lightning Lass, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Wildfire, Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Magnetic Kid, Tellus, Mon-El, Shadow Lass, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Dawnstar, Polar Boy

Guests: 
Rond Vidar, SP Chief Zendak

Opponents: 
Universo, his lackey called the Restorer
Synopsis: 
On Earth, Universo is ordering a mental slave to go out on a mission for him. As he talks, he tells us that he was responsible for the attack on the Techno-Park from several issues ago (#16).  As his lackey departs, an SP officer arrives. Universo returns to his secret identity as Vid-Gupta, an adviser to President Desai, and wipes the mind of the SP officer clean.

On Labyrinth, the new prison planet, Sensor Girl seems out of touch with current events. She feels that not only is the Legion suspicious of her, but the prisoners, too, would look upon her with scorn if they were awake.

On Earth, Universo's lackey has taken the name The Restorer as he attacks "technological clutter" at Metropolis University. He specifically targets the Particle Nullifier, injuring Rond Vidar and another professor in his attack. The Restorer is armed with a power dampener that absorbs Wildfire's anti-energy. Sun Boy helps Wildfire, but then both help Magnetic Kid stop some of the Restorer's damage. The bad guy gets away.

At Legion HQ, Mon-El's antidote to his lead poisoning continues to wear off earlier and earlier. The antidote was originally good for 24 hours per dose, but now is down to 20 hours. Shadow Lass is very concerned for the health of her man.

Rond and the other injured professor is delivered to the hospital, but put under the care of a doctor who is another mental slave of Universo.

Brainiac 5 analyzes the Restorer's armor and realizes that he is putting his weapons together from things he stole during his recent robberies, including the attack on the Techno-Park. Brainiac 5 guesses that the Restorer's next target will be a Fusion Power Sphere.

On Labyrinth,  the Legion helps the staff set up the prison planet, then prepares to depart. Shrinking Violet and Lightning Lass begin to have a heart-to-heart talk about all the changes they have gone through when Sensor Girl interrupts, alerting everyone to a stowaway on their cruiser. After Timber Wolf pulls open a computer console, Shrinking Violet catches Micro Lad trying to escape. All of the Legionnaires are very curious about how Sensor Girl knew Micro Lad was on board.

On Earth, the Legionnaires have split up to stand guard over various Fusion Power Spheres. Polar Boy complains that he has yet to see any action as a full-fledged Legionnaire. Unfortunately for him, the Restorer attacks London, where Ultra Boy, Dawnstar, and Tellus are on watch. Working as a team, they are able to capture him. Tellus attempts to read the Restorer's mind, but due to a sub-conscious command from Universo, he shuts his mind down rather than allow Tellus to read it. The case ends without the Legion knowing that Universo was involved....exactly as he planned. Hiding behind his Vid-Gupta identity, Universo is happy that his plots are continuing to unfold successfully.

Commentary: 
This issue seems like something of a place-holder, not only for the Universo plot-line, but also for the Sensor Girl mystery. While it is great to have some closure regarding the Techno-Park "mystery" from a few issues ago, we still don't understand just what Universo is planning. At the end of this story all we really know is that Universo is clearly a menace worth fearing. That part of the story is crystal clear. As for Sensor Girl, we get a few more "How is she doing that? Who is she?" comments here, but nothing substantial.

Still, the action is exciting, and the Legionnaires featured are well chosen. I especially enjoyed Dawnstar, Tellus, and Ultra Boy being able to stop the Restorer. We often forget that the Legion is all about team-work, so Dawnstar and Tellus disarming the bad guy when a frontal assault by Ultra Boy didn't work was fun to see. Likewise, damage control by Wildfire, Sun Boy, and a nervous Magnetic Kid was fun to see, too.

Science Police Notes:  

• A quick glance at the Mission Monitor Board shows Dream Girl, White Witch, and Blok on a mission to Ventura. 
• Polar Boy, who has waited the longest of the new members to get into the Legion, continues to see the least amount of action.  
• Shadow Lass looks positively elfish in her scene with Mon-El. 

Status: 
This story has not yet been reprinted.