Retroboot Legion of Super-Heroes #6 is another of those issues that is surprising to me.
It has become something of a mantra of an introduction for these reviews but I find myself enjoying these issues more on this trip through them than when I first read them. I must have been generally displeased because I have never gone back and reread these. Nor do I have any specific memories of the run other than a general dislike. I keep waiting for the series to turn the corner and remind me why it is forgotten in my mind.
I thought for sure this was going to be the issue. I do remember strongly disliking the pairing of Shady and Earth Man. And this cover puts it front and center. Last issue we found them together in bed. Now we have this cover, presumably after that climax (pun intended).
Instead, I found this to be another interesting issue. This one didn't have a true main plot, instead keeping all the subplot balls in the air with some progression. It actually is split into three short stories. The first, 'Acceptance', has full Francis Portela art and is just gorgeous. The second, 'Leadership', is something of a backdoor pilot for the Legion Academy run in the rebooted Adventure Comics. It has standard hyper-detailed Phil Jimenez art. And the last is a single pager with art by Yildiray Cinar announcing an old school Legion Leader election.
On all fronts, writing, art, and even Legion nostalgia, this was a winner.
On to the particulars.
