Who's Who: Infinite Man

Infinite Man
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Jason Rugarth

Super-Power(s): Control over Time itself, able to move people and animals through various eras, able to concentrate chronal energy into blasts
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Initially a science project; then a villain; then a force of nature

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #69

Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #69 (June 1995)
title: "Sticky Situation"

writers: Tom McCraw, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer

penciller: Lee Moder
inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Bob Pinaha
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Mike McAvennie
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis & Mark Farmer
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Leviathan, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Spark, XS

Guests: 
Science Police, teacher with kids, psych staff

Opponents: 
Composite Man

Legion: Secret Files 1998

Legion: Secret Files 1998 (Jan, 1998)
title: "Legionnaires Three"

co-plotter/scripter: Tom Peyer
co-plotter/colorist: Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy

inker: D.C. Carani
letterer: Pat Brosseau
asst editor: Frank Berrios

editor: K.C. Carlson
cover: Phil Jimenez (colors by Patrick Martin)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad

Guests: 
R.J. Brande, Luornu Durgo (Triplicate Girl)

Opponents: 
xenophobia, bureaucracy, Grimbor the Chainsman

Threeboot: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28

Recap: The Earth is in shambles. The Dominators have released an anti-technology virus which has plunged the planet into the stone age. Their super-troopers are invading. And The Legion and their semi-allies The Wanderers are scattered. Exhausted and wounded, it doesn't look good for our heroes. Especially when the Legion leader Cosmic Boy is captured.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28 continues the Dominator War storyline that has been been working its way through the book since Supergirl first arrived. But the subplots have all finally come together. It's war and everyone is effected.

Storytellers Mark Waid and Barry Kitson continue to keep the gas pedal down now that the battle has begun. In this issue, we have a wonderful mix of action and plot progression. There is definitely a sense of momentum here which is great. As a reader, I really felt like I was on the edge of my seat as every scene has a sense of high pressure and suspense. I am completely invested in the story here and wanted to reach for the next issue right after reading this. High praise indeed.

That pressure all begins with the cover. We have been used to seeing Supergirl breeze her way through fights almost effortlessly, all with a smile. The cover definitely has a different vibe. Supergirl is dwarfed by this drooling Dominator. And she looks scared. Nice image to ramp up the tension.

On to the book.

Legion of Super-Heroes (V2) #293

Legion of Super-Heroes #293

“Within the Darkness.."

NOV 1982

The Great Darkness Saga Part Eleven

Written by Paul Levitz

Pencilled by Keith Giffen

Inked by Larry Mahlstedt

Lettered by John Constanza

Colored by Carl Gafford

Laurie Sutton Editor

Roll Call:

Blok, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Dawnstar, Dream Girl, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, White Witch, and Wildfire.

Fresh off the battle on Sorcerers' World where the Legionnaires managed to hold off Darkseid's forces, the Legion regroups, licks their wounds, and goes on the offensive. However, Darkseid manages to enslave an entire planet of super-soldiers to spread his darkness throughout the universe, and the Legion comes to the revelation that they may be too late to stop him...

Who's Who: Heroes of Lallor

Heroes of Lallor
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: Beast Boy, Duplicate Boy, Evolvo Lad, Gas Girl, Life Lass

Super-Power(s): Evolvo Lad has the ability to go forward or backward in evolution; Duplicate Boy has the ability to copy any other super-power; Gas Girl has the ability to become gaseous and possess the characteristics of gases; Life Lass can animate any non-living object; Beast Boy had the ability to turn into any mammal, but was killed saving a child from a ferocious beast
Planet of Origin: Lallor

Relationship to Legion: Initially rivals, then allies

Reboot: Legionnaires #25

Legionnaires #25 (May, 1995)
title: "Skin Deep"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Mike Collins
inker: Mark Farmer
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Mike McAvennie
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Jeffrey Moy and W.C. Carani
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Leviathan, Live Wire (vision), Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Spark, Triad (vision), XS

Guests: 
Science Police, Shvaughn Erin, Tenzil Kem, delivery robot

Opponents: 
Composite Man (1st appearance)

James Shermans' Legion

In the parade of Seventies' Legion artists, James Sherman is one of the more talented guys over-shadowed by Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell. Sherman had the unenviable responsibility of taking over as main Legion artist after Mike Grell moved off the series in late 1976. Sherman stayed with the book nearly two years, and during that time was bogged down by heavy inkers such as Jack Abel. When he inked himself, or was teamed with an inker with a more gentle touch like Josef Rubinstein, his art was just beautiful.

Today we present his "Origins and Powers of the Legionnaires" profiles from Limited Collectors' Edition #C-37, featuring the wedding of Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad.

Mark Waid At Boston Comic Con

Last weekend I attended the Boston Comic Con. As I have said elsewhere, this is *my* con, the convention in my backyard. I have been going to this event since its inception and I have seen it grow from a small show in the basement of an insurance company headquarters to selling out the Seaport Convention Center. Unbelievable.

The guest list was incredible with lots of tremendous comic guests as well as celebrities. But early on, one name stood out ... Mark Waid.

I have met Waid before, at Baltimore Comic Con in 2007 and at the Boston show a couple of years ago. But this time I went with a mission. After all, I have been reviewing his run on Legion on this site. And I had a couple of questions. And so did you!

So a couple of caveats and comments first.

1) I did not have a device to record my conversations so these answers are based on scrawls I made in a notepad, memories, and the occasional paraphrase.

2) Waid is a popular creator and always had a line. So while I would have loved to sit down for 20 minutes and just talk Legion, I basically had 3-5 minutes to blurt out the queries.

3) Lastly, no big surprise, Waid is a hell of a nice guy and really gave time to everyone. Thank goodness for creators like him!

On to the questions!

Legion of Super-Heroes (V2) #292

Legion of Super-Heroes #292

"Darkness Transcendent"

OCT 1982

The Great Darkness Saga Part Ten

Written by Paul Levitz

Art by Keith Giffen & Larry Mahlstedt

Lettered by John Constanza

Colored by Carl Gafford

Laurie Sutton Editor

Roll Call:

Blok, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dawnstar, Dream Girl, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, and Wildfire.

The Legionnaires try to recover from the three pronged attack they faced last issue, but newly-elected Legion Leader Dream Girl is immediately put to the test when the forces of darkness begin their siege on Sorcerer's World.

Who's Who: Grimbor

Grimbor
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Grimbor

Super-Power(s): Grimbor appears to have significant physical strength, but his skill is in creating bonds and restraining devices that are uniquely suited to ones' physiology. 
Planet of Origin: unknown

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #68

Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #68 (May 1995)
title: "Sticky Situation"

writers: Tom McCraw, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer

penciller: Lee Moder
inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Bob Pinaha
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Mike McAvennie
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Apparition, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Leviathan, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad

Guests: 
Durlans, Science Police

Opponents: 
Tangleweb, members of Tangleweb's species

AMAZING HEROES: The Write Stuff part 1

For 11 continuous years from 1981, the magazine Amazing Heroes kept fans and professionals informed with industry news, comics creator interviews, histories of comic book characters and reviews.
   Published by Fantagraphics Books, the issues contained mainly straightforward material, veering away from controversial subjects which were often analyzed in other comic book magazines of the time.
   In that run of just more than a decade, the Legion of Super-Heroes was the subject of many articles.

Ask Mark Waid?!?!

The Threeboot Friday reviews will go on hiatus this week. If you are looking for a review of Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28 come back next week.

Instead I am opening up the blog space for you readers to give me some homework!

This weekend (in fact, probably right now as you read this) I will be at the Boston Comic Con. One of the guests there is none other than Mark Waid!

My plan was to tell Waid about the blog and my reviews and ask a couple of questions about the book.

But now your homework!

What questions would you like me to ask Waid about the Legion?

Did you wonder about the inclusion of Supergirl? The deliberate pace of the opening arc? The difficulty of  satisfying old fans while bringing in new fans?

I am here for you. I will do my best to ask Waid all the questions without tying him up from other fans. But I'll be there all three days and will be checking the blog for new questions and comments. Given the three day commitment, I can keep going back to Waid's table ... like a bad penny!

So fire away!

Legion of Super-Heroes (V2) #291

Legion of Super-Heroes #291

"....a Sign of Darkness Dawning"

Sept 1982

The Great Darkness Saga Part Nine

Written by Paul Levitz

Pencilled by Keith Giffen

Inked by Larry Malhstedt

Lettered by Annette Kawecki

Colored by Carl Gafford

Laurie Sutton Editor

Roll Call:

Blok, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dawnstar, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, and Wildfire.

Once again this issue returns to the two story format, a lead-story by Levitz & Giffen where the Legionnaires are once again challenged by Darkseid's growing forces of darkness, and a seven page back-up feature by Levitz and artist Howard Bender, following the three founding members of the Legion, Cosmic Boy, Lighting Lad, and Saturn Girl.

Who's Who: Fatal Five

Fatal Five
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: The Emerald Empress, Mano, The Persuader, Tharok, and Validus

Relationship to Legion: Arch-enemies 

Reboot: Legionnaires #24

Legionnaires #24 (April, 1995)
title: "Me, Myself and I"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inkers: Tom Simmons and W.C. Carani
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Mike McAvennie
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Jeffrey Moy and W.C. Carani
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda (flashback), Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy (flashback), Kinetix (flashback), Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Spark (flashback), Triad, XS

Guests: 
Marla Latham, R.J. Brande, Triad's mother, father and grandmother, doctors

Opponents: 
Ambassador Roxxas, Roderick Doyle, White Triangle members (all in flashback)

Superboy, the Legion, and the Value of Money

I don't know why I had to have it but I did. Superboy #185 was that comic that mesmerized me on the magazine shelves of Anning's 5 & 10 waaay back in the summer of 1972. One hundred pages from cover to cover (no ads!) and only fifty cents. Superboy was holding aloft amazing weights with images of grand adventure on them, as a multitude of young heroes watched. I just had to have that 100-Page Super Spectacular, but I was going to have to pay for it.

Threeboot: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27

Recap: The Earth is under attack. The Dominators long brewing plot of a robot rebellion has finally occurred. Their giant robot delivery system has covered the planet in an unknown red mist. Fighting this threat are uneasy allies - The Legion of Super-Heroes and The Wanderers. The Wanderers are led by Mekt Ranzz, Lightning Lad's brother who has always been a bit unhinged and seems to have a death wish. Can these two teams unite to fight a common threat?

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27 is a huge action issue, laying the landscape of an Earth at war. After months of slowly cultivating subplots, creators Mark Waid and Barry Kitson finally bring it all together. Suddenly we see just how massive, just how world-threatening the Dominators' plot is.

So we see the Legion and the Wanderers fighting on many fronts, trying to collaborate when methods differ, and hoping to stay a step ahead. This is a bloody issue, as war issues should be.

But in the midst of that action, Waid and Kitson continue to give us character moments. From Brainy's smugness to Cos' nobility, we continue to learn about who these people are. The best scenes involve Garth and Mekt. This is a dysfunctional family trying to come together in the most stressful of times. This isn't your father's Ranzz family. So we need to see these scenes to understand their relationship.

Overall, I couldn't ask for a better second issue to this 'finally here' war arc. The pace is brisk, the action huge. But the smaller moments still shine.

On to the book.

Legion of Super-Heroes (V2) #290

Legion of Super-Heroes #290

“And The Servant Shall Be A Sign”

AUG 1982

The Great Darkness Saga Part Eight

Written by Paul Levitz

Pencilled by Keith Giffen

Inked by Larry Mahlstedt

Lettered by John Constanza

Colored by Carl Gafford

Laurie Sutton Editor


Roll Call:

Blok, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dawnstar, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Superboy, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, and Wildfire.


As the cover exclaims, we're finally here folks, the first chapter of the Great Darkness Saga proper, another winner by Levitz and Giffen in what proves to be the most mind-staggering multi-issue epic ever!

Who's Who: Emerald Empress

Emerald Empress
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Sarya

Super-Power(s): Control over the Eye of Ekron, which fires blasts of emerald energy and is nearly indestructible.
Planet of Origin: Vengar or Venegar

Relationship to Legion: Villain; member of the original Fatal Five

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #67

Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #67 (April 1995)
title: "Insect Fear"

writers: Tom McCraw, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer

penciller: Chris Renaud
inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Bob Pinaha
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Mike McAvennie
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Matt Haley and Tom Simmons
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Andromeda, Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Kid Quantum (flashback), Kinetix, Leviathan, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Spark, Triad, XS

Guests: 
Dobe, Tenzil Kem, Science Police

Opponents: 
Tangleweb, White Triangle, members of Tangleweb's species

Legion: Science Police (1998)

Legion: Science Police 
(4-issue mini-series, Aug~Nov 1998)
title: "Ringers"

writer: David Michelinie

penciller: Paul Ryan

inker: Josef Rubinstein
letterer: Tom Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw
asst editor: Frank Berrios

editor: Mike McAvennie
covers: John Paul Leon, Bill Reinhold, and Patrick Martin (colors) 

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
no Legionnaires appear, although former Legionnaire Saturn Girl is a supporting character, and Leviathan is talked about by his sister

Lead Characters: 
Science Police officers Jarik Shadder, Omar Magz, Captain Hagbard; The Ringers, a for-profit group of deputized vigilantes consisting of Driana Allon, Shallee, Klen Rokkart, and Vincel; news reporter Collen Hasteen

Opponents: 
apathy, depression, corporate espionage, technology run amok