Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #95

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #95 (August 1997)
title: "The Emerald Doom!"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Lee Moder

inker: Mark Farmer
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Gates, Inferno, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests:
Koko, Metal Men (Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum, Tin, Veridium), Mousey, Shvaughn Erin

Opponents: 
Brainiac 5's arrogance

Who's Who: Dxaundii

Dxaundii
by Russell & Siskoid

Aliases: Super-Moby Dick of Space, Philip's Folly

Super-Power(s): Giant size, flight through space, consume metal, repel electricity and turn it into deadly radiation
Planet of Origin: Dxaund

Relationship to Legion: Monster

TOS: Adventure Comics #320 Point-Counterpoint

Adventure Comics #320 (May, 1964)
title: "The Revenge of the Knave From Krypton!"
writer: Jerry Siegel
pencillers: John Forte and George Papp (pp 4-9)
inkers: Sheldon Moldoff and George Papp (pp 4-9) , Al Plastino (Superboy's face)
letterer: Milton Snapinn
cover: Curt Swan & George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger
review by: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Superboy, Mon-El, Sun Boy, Element Lad, Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy

Guests:
Proty II, Dev-Em, Radiation Roy

Opponents:
Molock the Merciless

LEGION TOYS: Karate Kid (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
He is the man who would fight for your honor. He'll be the hero you're dreaming of. You'll live forever, knowing together, that you did it all for the glory of love. Obviously, we are talking about Val Armorr a.k.a. Karate Kid, who is the master of every known form of Martial Arts from the 31st Century!

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #10

Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate. But let's skip the chit chat and talk turkey. New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #10 continued to move the mega-plot of the Dominators plot to overrun the UP nicely. We have seen the Dominators using gene technology to engineer super-powered troops. We know they are close to realizing their goals. Now we see the UP side of things.

And writer Paul Levitz does a good job here showing us the factions of the team. We see some Legionnaires trying to take matters sneakily into their own hands. We see others quit the team so they don't have to listen to the UP at all. And we see a lot of interplay between Brainy and Dreamy, the couple I never knew I wanted to see together! But the best thing about this is we have an explanation why the UP isn't engaging the Dominion already. This has been a plot hole that has been bugging me and at least it is answered.

The art for the most part is by Francis Portela and I must admit it continues to dazzle. I want to read a Brainy/Dreamy mini-series drawn by him. Andres Guinaldo does some pages which have a less polished look and therefor stick out a bit. 

What amazes me is that I find myself actually getting caught up in the story more on these rereads than I did when it was happening. I honestly have no recollection of how this whole thing ends so it is brand new to me. Knowing that I don't remember it makes me think I will again be disappointed. But we'll see!

On to the old review!

Reboot: Legionnaires #51

Legionnaires #51 (August 1997)
title: "Picking Up the Pieces"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inker: W.C. Carani
lettering: Gaspar
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo

cover: Jeffrey Moy
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Chameleon, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Magno, Sensor, Star Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Andromeda, Chuck Taine, Dragonmage, General Hol, Lamar Zandoz, Lori Morning (using H Dial), Mysa, R.J. Brande, Uncanny Amazers (Kid Quantum II, Monstress), Wimena Wazzo, Workforce (Karate Kid, Particon, Radion, Spider-Girl); a doctor, a newscaster, Science Police, U.P. Marines (Reyep and Rimmer named); in flashback: Atom'X, Blast-Off, Mordru's Anatacian grandson, mystics

Opponents: 
Leland McCauley, Mordru (inside bubble); Emerald Eye of Ekron (in flashback)

Who's Who: Douglas Nolan

Douglas Nolan
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Douglas Nolan

Super-Power(s): Turning into iron
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Brother of Ferro Lad

TOS: Adventure Comics #319

Adventure Comics #319 (April 1964)
title: "The Legion's Suicide Squad!" / "The Charge of the Substitute Heroes!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: John Forte
inker: John Forte
lettering: Ira Schnapp (cover), Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan and Sheldon Moldoff
reviewers: Siskoid

Mission Monitor Board:  
Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Triplicate Girl, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
James Bannon, Legion of Substitute Heroes (Chlorophyll Kid, Fire-Lad, Night Girl, Polar Boy, Stone Boy), Tim Vare, U.P. President; a government consultant, hungry aliens, Metropolis citizens, Science Police, space farers

Opponents: 
Throonians, their giant robot

From the Legion to the X-Men: Nightcrawler & Storm

The comics community recently said goodbye to writer and editor Len Wein. If you are in my age range, you likely grew up reading a lot of comics he had a hand in, and enjoying many characters he helped create. Among his most famous co-creations are several members of the All New, All Different X-Men with classic Legion artist Dave Cockrum. This includes two of my personal favorites, Nightcrawler and Storm. And interestingly, both characters could have ended up appearing in the Legion of Super-Heroes comic instead, one of whom as an actual member.

Legion Profiles 1964

Here are the four pages of Legion Profiles that were featured in Superman Annual #4 (1961) and then re-printed and expanded for Adventure Comics #316 (January 1964).

JIm Shooter at Rhode Island Comic Con

My con season always ends in early November with the Rhode Island Comic Con. This year, the comic guest list was a bit more robust than usual (although the con tends to be more of a celebrity convention with a dash of comics). 

I was thrilled to see Chris Bachalo as a guest as I loved Shade the Changing Man and his subsequent work. I was also very happy to see Rags Morales as a guest as I loved the New 52 Action Comics with Grant Morrison.

But the big draw was Jim Shooter. 

This was my first opportunity to meet Shooter and as a long-standing Legion fan I couldn't wait to bring him a bunch of my old issues to get signed. What you will see in the pics are the actual issues from my collection, in the bag with my obsessive signature label on the bag. What you can see is that these issues are not in very good condition but who cares.

And Shooter himself was a great guy, engaging with the fans and telling stories about his work. 

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #94

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #94 (July 1997)
title: "22 Pages About the Legion of Super-Heroes"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

pencillers: Lee Moder, Jason Armstrong, Philip Moy, Derec Aucoin, Stuart Immonen, Val Semeiks, Phil Jimenez, Jeffrey Moy, Paul Pelletier, Walt Simonson, Tom Grummett, Mike Collins

inkers: Drew Geraci, Ron Boyd, Walt Simonson
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Gates, Inferno, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests:
Captain Comet, Koko, Phase, Shvaughn Erin, Wimena Wazzo; L.E.G.I.O.N. officers, a senator and his interviewer Sally, grocery shoppers, soup kitchen staff and patrons

Opponents (sort of): 
Nosy Doctor Midwich, Koko's army?, Murl Wazzo, Roxy Leech; a bartender, a mall cop

Who's Who: Dr. R'Xalim

Dr. R'Xalim
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Leushk R'Xalim

Super-Power(s): None; all members of his species have 8 arms
Planet of Origin: Muratem

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76 (April 1964)
title: Elastic Lad Jimmy and his Legion Romances
writer: Jerry Siegel
artist: John Forte
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger

Supporting Cast
Lucy Lane


Mission Monitor Board
Light Lass, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Triplicate Girl, and Ultra Boy

Opponents
I am not sure...Lucy? The female Legionnaires? 

Bombshells United #4-5

Bombshells United #4-5:
American Soil Part 7-Conclusions
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artists: David Hahn, Pasquale Qualano, Siya Oum, Marcelo DiChiara
Colorist: J. Nanjan
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Cover Artists: Terry & Rachel Dodson, Emanuela Luppachino & Laura Martin
Editors: Kristy Quinn and Jessica Chen

So I was not aware ahead of time that this is the conclusion of the American Soil storyline. Once again I decided to combine the reviews for issues 4 and 5 since the physical Bombshells comics have been coming out so quickly.

The bulk of the story still focuses on Donna Troy and the Wonder Girls, but while Dawny's role isn't as big as Donna's, it's still pretty substantial and sets up possibilities for Dawny's place further in the series. From what I've seen on tumblr, she's definitely got a role to play after this story ends.

My final thoughts on this aren't as deep as the previous two issues. This was a straightforward ending but I think it lost a little steam, if only because of the art. I still enjoyed it and Bombshells remains one of the few DC titles to have kept my interest while Rebirth has kind of... languished, for lack of a better word.

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #9

Thanks for joining me for my re-review of the New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes. It has been fun for me to revisit this series, if only to contrast current thoughts to what I was thinking then.

For example, Legion of Super-Heroes #9. In re-reading this book, I can say that I enjoyed the semi-spotlight on Dream Girl. I liked the group shot at the end. I liked the slow progress of the Dominator plot. But I don't know if I liked it as much as I did in the original review. It is clear, rereading these reviews, that I am aching for a great Legion book. I keep talking about how I keep thinking the book is on the verge of something. That things are simmering and boiling. 

I don't know. I don't know if we ever get to the fantastic stuff I was looking for.

All that said, Francis Portela is just lights out in this book. The art is brilliant.

Reboot: Legionnaires #50

Legionnaires #50 (July 1997)
title: "The Bride of Mordru"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson
adult legionnaires: Joe Edkin and Carmela Merlo

cover: Adam Hughes
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Chameleon, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Magno, Sensor, Star Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS; in flashback: Apparition, Cosmic Boy, Leviathan, Spark, Triad

Guests: 
Andromeda, Atom'X (in flashback), Dragonmage, Fleet Admiral Everett, General Hol, Mysa, R.J. Brande, Uncanny Amazers (Kid Quantum II, Monstress), Workforce (Blast-Off, Particon, Radion); medical staff, mystics (in flashback), ship crew

Opponents: 
Emerald Eye of Ekron, Mordru; in flashback: Micro Lad

Who's Who: Dr. Mantis Morlo

Dr. Mantis Morlo
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mantis Morlo

Super-Power(s): SCIENCE!
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain

TOS: Adventure Comics #318

Adventure Comics #318 (March 1964)
title: "The Mutiny of the Legionnaires!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Star Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, Triplicate Girl; cameos of Superboy and Mon-El

Opponents: 
space fatigue; cameo of the Time Trapper

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #5

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #5 (October 2007)

title: Lightning Strikes

writer:J. Torres

art: Alex Serra

colors: Heroic Age

letterer: Travis Lanham

editor: Jeanine Schaefer

cover: Steve Uy

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Superman, Timber Wolf, Triplicate Girl.


Villain: Emerald Empress

Summary: Brainiac 5 is testing Superman's abilities and most of the team is impressed, except of course for Lightning Lad.

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #8

The New 52 Legion continues to baffle me as a run because it seems to take 2 steps forward and then 2.5 steps back. The series as a whole has been hit or miss. There have been interesting subplots introduced followed by weird rest issues followed by side missions. Each story has had their ups and downs. Interestingly enough, I enjoyed last issue more on this review reread than I did the first time I read it. And I actually was thinking maybe I had wrongly labeled the New 52 series as being underwhelming. Maybe the passage of time would make me rethink things.

Then I reread Legion #8, reviewed here, and remembered how the engine of this book always seemed to be sputtering. One of the things that Paul Levitz did well, when at the height of his Legion power, was juggle the huge cast. Those stories and issues flowed well. There was always a big plot chugging along with some subplots. And occasionally there was a solo or spotlight issue but because momentum was moving forward they didn't feel awkward.

Here, after giving us a good 2 parter focusing on Dragonwind and setting up some plots, we get another offshoot issue. We get an Invisible Kid solo story with new villains who he shouldn't be able to defeat but he does. Then we get a founders' story, always a nice touch. 

But when these two stories, sort of unnecessary to the main proceedings come out of nowhere, it feels jarring. And that I remember was my big complaint with this title as a whole. There was no flow. The subplot of creating a New Fatal Five would have unspooled in one page teases for years in the old days, slowly grabbing the spotlight. Here Levitz sort of hammers it into place.

The art by Steve Lightle and Yildiray Cinar is very nice. And I never mind seeing Night Girl. But other than that ... well, I'll let you read my 2011 review ...

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #93

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #93 (June 1997)
title: "Knight Shift"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Michael Collins

inkers: Drew Geraci and Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests:
Dr. Welles, Ferro, Inferno, Ingot, Koko, Shvaughn Erin, de-aged seniors, Doc 30's patients, hospital staff

Opponents: 
Doc 30, Fangg, Kritter, Psych, Rockslide, Taser

Who's Who: Dr. Mayavale

Dr. Mayavale
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mayavale

Super-Power(s): Super-creepiness? But seriously, incarnation awareness and access to all manner of technology, including 6 additional synthetic arms
Planet of Origin: Avatanda

Relationship to Legion: Villain