Reboot: Legionnaires #60

Legionnaires #60 (May 1998)
title: "Scandalous"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Jeffrey Moy and W.C. Carani
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Element Lad, Ferro, Gates, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum I (flashback), Kid Quantum II, Kinetix, Leviathan (flashback), Live Wire, M'Onel, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra

Guests: 
Andromeda, Atmos (flashback), Condo Arlik (byline), Insect Queen (flashback)King Charlz, Lamar, Lori Morning, Marla Latham, Proty, Shvaughn Erin, Spider-Girl, Tenzil Kem, Wimena Wazzo; Durlans, Kid Quantum's parents (flashback), Metropolis citizens, Orandans (Royals and servitors), Parisian club owners

Opponents: 
Dark Circle, Evolvo, Leland McCauley, Tangleweb (flashback), Time Trapper (voice); Brain Globes of Rambat, Gil'Dans, Khunds (Captain Takk), McCauley employees

Who's Who: Legion Espionage Squad

Legion Espionage Squad
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: Chameleon Boy, Dawnstar, Duo Damsel, Invisible Kid I, Invisible Kid II, Karate Kid, Phantom Girl, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet
Members (Reboot): Apparition, Chameleon, Invisible Kid, Sensor, Triad, Violet
Members (Retroboot additions): Chameleon Girl, Element Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Quislet, Sensor Girl, Starman, Tellus
Relationship to Legion: Sub-team

TOS: Adventure Comics #342

Adventure Comics #342 (March 1966)
title: "The Legionnaire Who Killed!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Sheldon Moldoff (pp 1-8) and George Klein (pp 9-17)

letterer: Vivian Berg (pp 2-8) and Milton Snapinn (pp 9-17)
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Michael "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:  
Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Superboy, Saturn Girl, and the rest of the Legion of Super-Heroes

Guests: 
Dream Girl, Night Girl, and Polar Boy of the Legion of Substitute Heroes

Opponents: 
Kenz Nuhor, lack of imagination

LEGION TRADING CARDS Cosmic Teams pt 2

And here we are with the completion to the 1993 Skybox Legionnaires Cosmic Teams line. Feast your eyes on some gorgeous art from the SW6 Legion Legionnaires characters! 

New 52 Legion Lost #10

Legion Lost #10 is an interesting turn in the road for the team. Fabian Nicieza is gone and his story with him. Tom DeFalco has tied all that off and is past The Culling crossover. So for me, this is DeFalco's first book when left to his own devices. And for that, it is a pretty decent issue. This team is lost both internally and temporally. The time bubble they stumbled on doesn't bring them home but to a new and sadder future. They all are dealing with secrets. And this includes Wildfire, someone I thought wasn't hiding anything. 

This issue is basically a 'done in one' cementing the idea that the team is going to remain stuck in the past. With so much secrecy, there could be enough plot to last several years ... had the book lasted.

One thing I do like, despite the fact it came out of The Culling, is the matching white color scheme of the team's uniforms, each unique but all linked. Gives the group a sort of team feel.

Onto the book.

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #103

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #103 (April 1998)
title: "A Storm in Heaven"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jason Armstrong

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Monstress, Saturn Girl, Star Boy; cameos: Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Gates, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Sensor, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
Andromeda (cameo), Dreamer, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum, Lamar, Spider-Girl, Winema Wazzo

Opponents: 
Evolvo, Gil'Dans, Khunds (Captain Takk), Leland McCauley, McCauley employees, Sklarian Raiders

Who's Who: Laurel Kent

Laurel Kent
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Laurel Kent

Super-Power(s): Invulnerability; robotic super-strength, super-speed, computer intelligence
Planet of Origin: Manhunter Homeworld

Relationship to Legion: Legion cadet; infiltrator

TOS: Adventure Comics #341

Adventure Comics #341 (February, 1966)
title: "Colossal Boy's One-Man War!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton (plot by Jerry Siegel?)

penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Sheldon Moldoff

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Mon-El, Chameleon Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, Shrinking Violet, Light Lass, Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy, Superboy, Sun Boy, Star Boy, and new Legionnaire Duo Damsel; cameos by Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid

Guests: 
Bouncing Boy, Proty II

Opponents: 
Computo

Who Drew It Better? Tales vs. Baxter #1-5

By Siskoid and Russell
With the Baxter series, the Legion started telling stories for the direct market only. On the newsstand, the book changed its title to Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and for about a year, continued to tell new stories. But after a year, the newsstand kids would no longer be denied and Tales would begin reprinting the Baxter series. And aside from the first of these issues (above), the reprint would feature a new cover. And so the question before us is... Who drew the better cover?

New 52 Legion Lost #9

Legion Lost #9 is the third part of the 4 part arc called 'The Culling' which wove through the Superboy and Teen Titans books at the time.

We were 3/4 of the way through the first year of The New 52 and the stench was already everywhere. As I have said, at the time I was perplexed by what I was seeing in the DCU. So many books were already being canceled, incredibly altered, or simply awful. It seemed like the foundation of a continuity rewrite was made of sand.

We already knew that DC had a hard time trying to figure out what to do with the Legion in general. Throw them into a New 52 universe which was a disaster and ...well ... you can guess the outcome.

I have to give writer Tom DeFalco some credit for trying to salvage this book. He turns Legion Lost from them being lost in time to being lost in team unity. Everyone has a secret backstory now. The team is lost. Only Wildfire and Dawnstar seem to have nothing to hide. That said, it wipes out the first arc of the story completely. The Hypertaxis arc is swept away, no longer a threat. And I don't know if I need to read a book where secret plots are simply hinted at month after month.

Pete Woods comes back as artist here and continues to shine. I like his work tremendously. I thought Caitlyn and Rose were two of the only redeeming characters in the lousy Superboy book of the time so I was glad to see them again here. 

But The Culling in general isn't a good story. And the Legion deserves better.

Reboot: Legends of the Legion #3

Legends of the Legion #3 (April 1998)
title: "Eclipsed - The Secret Origin of Umbra!"

writers: Barry Kitson and Tom Peyer

penciller: Kenny Martinez

inker: Larry Stucker
lettering: Albert De Guzman
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Steve Lightle
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Spark, Star Boy, Ultra Boy, Umbra

Guests: 
Antennae Boy, Chuck Taine, Color Queen, Doro, Infectious Lass, Night Girl, Porcupine Pete; flashback: Ambassador Dao Ilbruct, R.J. Brande, Shadowfather, Talokians, United Planets diplomatic team, various past Champions of Talok VIII

Opponents: 
Flashback: United Planets Elite Force

Who's Who: Lamprey

Lamprey
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Tayla Skott

Super-Power(s): Water-breathing, shoots static electricity
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Legion cadet

TOS: Adventure Comics #340

Adventure Comics #340 (January, 1966)
title: "Computo the Conqueror!"

writer: Jerry Siegel

penciller: Curt Swan
inker: George Klein

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

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

Opponents: 
Computo

John Forte RIP (1918-1966)

John Forte (10/06/1918~5/20/1966) was the first "permanent" artist on the Legion of Super-Heroes.

New 52 Legion Lost #8

The New 52 was an incredible experiment which, for the most part, failed. 

For me, I have to lay the blame at the feet of the highest up in DC. Because if you are going to blow up the entire continuity of a comic universe, renumbering books from your origins, and giving people a point to jump on or off your properties, you better have a solid lineup of books with bullet proof directions.

And we know that the line didn't have that. 

We know it because early on in many books, creative teams were cast off. Books got bold new directions after only half a year. Others were near immediately cancelled. And the whole thing seemed built on sand. 

Now I could point to Hawk and Dove, or Perez's Superman as examples of books blown up because editors decided things needed a shake-up a handful of issues in. But you guys are here for Legion stuff. 

So here is Legion Lost #8, a New 52 book which undergoes a complete change in direction just 2/3 of a year into the run. Fabian Nicieza and his Hypertaxis virus mega-plot are gone. In comes Tom DeFalco who decides to double down on the nonsensical gritty tone of the New 52 by folding in the Legion book into a dreadful and incomprehensible  'Hunger Games' plot which was in both Superboy Titans. Add to that DeFalco eliminating the Hypertaxis plot and instead giving each Legionnaire a personal plot we haven't heard about in the prior 7 issues. 

Shouldn't DC have either trusted Nicieza to proceed? Or not pick this plot for a new book if they had such low confidence in it? This book seems lost, pun intended.

All that said, this is early Aaron Kuder work. I love Kuder's art style. His stuff on Greg Pak's Action Comics is stunning. And one thing I did like about the New 52 was the new take on Ravager. On to the book.

LEGION TRADING CARDS Cosmic Teams pt 1

They LOOK like the Reboot Legion, but they were only really the prototype. It's the SW6 Legion, temporal clones who showed up in the Five Years Later era and got their own book, Legionnaires! In 1993, Skybox published a Legionnaires set as part of its Cosmic Teams line. Check them out while our usual Reboot team takes a short breather.

Who's Who: Lady Memory

Lady Memory
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Lady Memory, Priestess of Maakas

Super-Power(s): Trigger memories
Planet of Origin: Talok VIII

Relationship to Legion: Shadow Lass' political rival

TOS: Adventure Comics #339

Adventure Comics #339 (December, 1965)
title: "Hunters of the Super-Beasts!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

penciller: John Forte
inker: Sheldon Moldoff

letterer: Vivian Berg?
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage


Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Lightning Lad, Superboy, Mon-El, Invisible Kid, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Phantom Girl

Guests: 
The Heroes of Lallor (Evolvo Lad, Life Lass, Gas Girl, Duplicate Boy)

Opponents: 
Beast Boy and his revolutionary animals: Dralgo, Vran, Flasher-Beast, Tork, Slith, Maw

LEGION TOYS: Chameleon Boy (Mattel 12-Pack)

 

by Derek William Crabbe

The Brandon Walsh of the 31st Century! The Durlan Shape-Changer who puts the 'N' in nepotism! It's Reep Daggle a.k.a. Chameleon Boy!

New 52 Legion Lost #7

Legion Lost #7 was the first issue under writer Tom DeFalco and the book definitely has a different feel to it.

I think DeFalco was trying to bring a sort of hip, 90s feel to the book, reaching out to a new audience. But in the end, it pales to the earlier issues of the book and doesn't feel like a Legion book after all.

Here is a Legion squad, using telepathic trickery to find food and shelter and still trying to find the villain of the first arc. They learned that they can't return. It is time to find Superman and reveal themselves.

Instead, DeFalco has them move to New York. He 'dresses' them in hip clothes. He has them steal drug dealers' money to fund their lives. And he delivers a special message about texting and driving. He also adds a 'cool thief' to the cast, Oz.

The book also moves away from the rotating narrator motif which I thought worked well in earlier issues.

All in all, this was not a change for the better. We aren't getting a bold, new direction. Instead, this feels all so 90s. And that is a complaint I had about a lot of the New 52.

Pete Woods still shines on art here, giving us great expressive work and a nice wander through a telepathic dreamscape. But this book is turning for the worst.

On to the details.

Reboot: Legionnaires #59

Legionnaires #59 (April 1998)
title: "Friends, Lovers, and the Calm Before the Storm"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Jeffrey Moy and W.C. Carani
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Ferro, Gates, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Andromeda, Chuck Taine, Condo Arlik, Dreamer, Koko, Lori Morning, Magno, R.J. Brande, Tenzil Kem, Broggian ambassadors, not-French ambassador, robo-ball players and fans

Opponents: 
Khunds (flashback)

Who's Who: Kol Natives

Kol Natives
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: The Arms of Kol

Planet of Origin: Unnamed quarantined world

Relationship to Legion: Mysterious

TOS: Superboy #125

Superboy #125 (December 1965)
title: "The Sacrifice of Kid Psycho"

writer: Otto Binder

artist: George Papp

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

Special Guest Reviewer: Emsley Wyatt

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Lighting Lad, Sun Boy, Brainiac 5

Opponents: 
Generic gangsters, cruel war

Editor's Note: Recently I made a tongue-in-cheek comment about the quality of this story, and whether we really needed to include it in our Original Series reviews. Ultra Fan Emsley Wyatt contacted us and argued for its inclusion. When we challenged him to write the review himself, he stepped up and actually reviewed it for us! We hereby grant you Legion of Super-Blogger Reservist status, Emsley, for writing above and beyond the call of duty!  Take it away!