Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #36

The Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #36 (July, 1987)
title: "Peace, Quiet, and Impending Doom"

writer: Paul Levitz

penciller: Greg LaRocque
inker: Mike DeCarlo
ink assist: Arne Starr
lettering: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Karen Berger 

cover: John Byrne & Karl Kesel
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
All 24 members of the Legion of Super-Heroes appear!

Guests: 
Lightning Lad, Circadius Senius, Cosmic Boy, Night Girl

Opponents: 
there is no particular opponent, although Universo is shown in custody and the Time Trapper has a voice-over cameo at the end



Synopsis: 
On Earth, Element Lad resigns as Legion leader, taking responsibility for Universo's control of the Legion and of Earth. Polar Boy promptly announces his candidacy. Dream Girl tries to get Sensor Girl to run, but she is not interested. Brainiac 5 and Saturn Girl decide that they will work to get Element Lad re-elected, even though he himself is undergoing a lack of self-confidence.

Saturn Girl, Tellus, and Sensor Girl escort Universo to the prison planet Labyrith. Saturn Girl reads his mind to try to uncover any unknown plots. She realizes that he kept her and the others alive in order to create an army to invade Oa, but doesn't understand why.

Colossal Boy, Magnetic Kid, Blok, and Timber Wolf are cleaning up the Multi-Lab after Universo destroyed it, talking about the leader election. Lightning Lass sees Polar Boy's ice billboard and destroys it in a fit of pique, then hangs out with her brother, Lightning Lad, who is visiting.

Brainiac 5, Mon-El, and Ultra Boy go to the Himalayas to destroy Universo's aerator, used to keep people under his control. They, too, talk about the election.

Wildfire visits Quislet's quarters, the first of his fellow Legionnaires to do so. Wildfire reminds Quislet that just before Universo took control of them he had helped Wildfire form an energy body; he asks for his help to do it again.

Timber Wolf is on a date with Holo News reporter Marella Tao. They had met during the Universo crisis and now want to continue their relationship.

Paul Levitz and Greg LaRocque in the 30th Century?!? 

Back at Legion HQ, Polar Boy had asked that a running tally of the votes not kept. So he has waited to be the last to vote, and the results are then announced: Polar Boy is the new leader. Each Legionnaire is then shown reacting to the news.

Brainiac 5 is at the grave of Rond Vidar, sorry that he did not realize his own father,  Universo, was trying to kill him. Brainy contemplates going back to Colu.

The next day, Polar Boy is sworn in as leader. He had talked to Sensor Girl, the member with the second most number of votes, but she balks at the responsibility. Polar Boy therefore deferentially asks Element Lad to serve as his Deputy. Surprised by the compliment, he agrees. He then escorts Polar Boy to the Medi-Lab, where Cosmic Boy and Night Girl are recuperating from their recent "vacation" to the 20th Century and have some bad news to share....

And at Metropolis University, the time beacon at the Time Institute is destroyed! Uh-oh....

Commentary: 
After the upheaval and drama of The Universo Project, this is a nice, relaxing "taking care of business" issue. The story starts logically, with Element Lad symbolically taking responsibility for Universo; this just seems natural. Then it veers off into a type of comedy, as Polar Boy is shown to be a tad too exuberant and naive (again). Lightning Lass' destruction of his sign, "Vote For Polar Boy!" is funny, but it does make me think: how did the Legion run elections in the past? The membership didn't just sit around and talk it out, and then vote for someone who didn't want the job, did they?! But that seems to be what happens here, as Sensor Girl is elected but will not serve. For more on this issue's election, see this weekend's blog post. 

The moment Brainiac 5 takes at his friend Rond Vidar's grave is a nice one. It harks back to "Brainy's Lucky Day!" (LSH #30) where he was moping about Supergirl's death. It seems like Paul Levitz was definitely starting Brainiac 5 down a more lonely path.

In their conversation Polar Boy and Element Lad regret that Cosmic Boy does not preside over the swearing-in ceremony for the new Leader, as he is immobilized in the medi-center. So who does swear in Polar Boy? I would have thought that Lightning Lad, as Senior Advisor, would have re-appeared to do it. Speaking of Lightning Lad, he is asked by his sister how it feels to be a stay-at-home dad, but he has only been doing it for "several days," as that is how long Universo has been defeated.

As this is a change-of-pace issue, I won't say anything about the art this time around.

Science Police Notes:  

• As Polar Boy is sworn in as new Legion leader his former team-mates in the Legion of Substitute Heroes can be seen in the audience.  
• Timber Wolf rushes his date back to the news station when Polar Boy calls him, but there is no reason ever given for the summons. 
• This story continues the adventure begun in the Cosmic Boy mini-series. Read our review of that series HERE.  Cosmic Boy and Night Girl had gone on their vacation in LSH #23. 

Status: 
This story has not yet been reprinted.  

Milestone: 
Every current member of the Legion appears in this issue and what's more, each of them has something to do or say.
This is the last appearance of "classic" Wildfire in his ERG containment suit for two years. Next issue he will make his debut in his Quislet-created energy body.