Recap: Princess Projectra and the remaining living Orando citizens are planning a vengeful attack on the United Planets from within. There is a massive planet which has invaded Earth's solar system, parked outside Saturn. The Legion is being torn apart from within by infidelity, insecurities, and impatience. But at least their financial and political problems have been solved. But all the dangers are piling up. How will the Legionnaires solve the problem?
Throughout the Jim Shooter run on the Threeboot run, I have complained that he has been dealing with too many plots and too much sophomoric sexual politics. Subplots about technoconstructs, Gazelle, financial woes, political prejudice, and invading planets have sort of limped along. It feels like there are too many storylines being juggled here. And, to make matters worse, those plots are often left simmering so Shooter can insert needless cheesecake, sex in pantries, and other adolescent heterosexual male innuendo into the mix. This hasn't been an easy run to read.
Legion of Super-Heroes #47 is unfortunately par for the course. We have very little plot progression here. Instead the whole issue is devoted to Brainy figuring out a way to have sex with the ghost of Dream Girl. Now you might say that Dreamy has been a leftover plotline from the Waid run that needed to be dealt with. But this issue once again has me wondering about Shooter's feelings towards women in general. Dreamy is both a sex object in this issue and physically tortured to spur the male character forward.
The cover is done by regular artist Francis Manapul and is a lovely montage cover with Brainy and Dreamy front and center. Rick Leonardi does interior art. I like Leonardi and he does fine with this issue's proceedings.
But I have been drained by this run. Three more issues. I might need a couple of weeks off of reviewing after this to regain my mental capacities.
The episode starts in Brainy's sleeping mind with him talking to Dreamy about his research on the construct's data-ripper. He talks about cutting of Cham's hand and Dreamy thankfully calls him out on it.
But then we get another discussion about Cham's powers. Before we heard he could only mimic a look and not have natural attributes. And then Brainy came out and angrily said that Cham can mimic something completely (even saying flippantly 'how many times do I have to explain it??' - a meta comment from Shooter in my mind).
Now Brainy has to backtrack a little bit saying Cham can't really become what he scans 100%. I don't know if I understand what he says completely but the point came across. After all, what would stop Cham from scanning Validus, Mordru, or the Time Trapper and mimicking those powers.
Please note that Dreamy is just lounging about sensually in this dream. She is in control of herself here, this isn't his fantasy.
Then she gets a premonition of Brainy and her in an ancient time and then making love. Again, she really is vamping up for him here. In this conversation about his trying to stop a galactic invasion, I don't think Dreamy would be burlesque dancing around him. I mean, look at that last panel.
Okay, let me be clear. If Dreamy wants to be a sexual being with Brainy, that's fine. I am not judging her. What I am judging here is the need for this to be present in this story. And it doesn't feel like she has agency here.
Last issue she became obsessed with the original story of Brainiac. Now she has asked Phantom Girl to change the ending so that Brainiac wins. This is Projectra's dream now. She has no natural citizens of her own to rule. So instead she will rule others.
As for Brainy, he takes Dreamy's vision to heart. He heads to French Quarter on Earth, an area still kept in an early 20th century state (thus checking off her 'ancient times' prediction). And he finds a medium named Meander.
She can put him in touch with Dreamy while in a waking state. And, since he is a living being and therefore 'has the hots' for Dreamy, Meander can even take it one step further. For the right price, she can let Dreamy possess her body to allow for physical interaction ... for the right price.
There is so much weirdness here for me. When would Brainy ever say that he has the hots for someone. And Meander can choose to allow her body to be used in this way. But it feels wrong.
The Orando rebellion know that Dreamy exists in Brainy's head. They also know that she could foresee the upcoming attempt to overthrow the world's government. Luckily, they feel that they can figure out a way to make Brainy's mind more dangerous for Dreamy's spirit, thus eliminating that threat.
And since 'love blinds', they will strike Brainy's psyche while he is distracted by his date with Dreamy.
I don't get it.
They know about Dreamy? They know how to invade minds? They know how to cut off Dreamy's powers?
But, with Brainy out with Meander/Dreamy, Projectra is able to slip into Brainy's mind.
And while inside, she opens the doors to the darker parts of Brainy's personality, the pieces that he locks up.
Again, I don't know if I understand how she can do this. But I suppose I could say 'comics' or 'magic'.
I have pointed out the ickiest pieces of Shooter's run each issue. These panels are the low points in this one.
First off, after his torrid night of sex, Brainy is suddenly way more happy-go-lucky! Look at the smile, the rumpled unbuttoned clothes! And he even doesn't have time for important Legion business. 'Have a wonderful day!' I don't know, this feels like silly teen sex comedy stuff.
And then we see Meander, back in control of her body and barely covered by a sheet. She talks about being sore meaning Brainy was an animal in the sack. So her body was used. And she seems pleased.
I don't know. Do I need to know that Brainy is an animal? Does this interlude add anything to the story other than gratuitous, smutty details? And I don't know how to wrap my head around Meander.
Brainy falls to sleep to talk to Dreamy and proposes to her. After all, now that he has had sex with her he knows he wants to be with her forever (as if the years with her in his mind didn't convince him).
Unfortunately, four brutish aspects of Brainy's mind are there, personifying his depravity. They assault Brainy and Dreamy. They gouge out her eyes.
Finally, Brainy gets control of his disciplined mind and banishes them again.
But the attack works, Brainy's evil personalities attack on Dreamy have robbed her of her precog powers.
Despite the attack, she will not allow Brainy to back out of his proposal. She will still live in his mind as his doting wife.
As for Brainy's demons, somehow one of the aspects manifests itself on the physical plane. He is now corporeal. Because that is what we need, another plotline that doesn't seem to make much sense.
Sigh.
So basically, despite all these plots in the book, we took an issue off so we can see Brainy have sex.
Three more issues.
Can someone help me like this more???
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