Retroboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #16

The Retroboot Legion rushes to its finish line with Legion of Super-Heroes #16. The Legion of Super-Villains/Blue Entity story-line needed to end so the jumping on of the New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #1 could happen. 

I didn't like this issue back then and I have the same complaints now. This whole arc has felt disjointed. And this 'hurry up and end it' vibe killed any redemption. Things are said. Things happen. Things end. But not in a satisfactory way. 

I would love to ask Paul Levitz his opinion of this run (and the New 52 run) because it seemed to limp along without cashing in on the fire of this Legion's reappearance in the Geoff Johns' Superman book. 

So this series is over. And I have to say, looking back at the arcs/runs I have covered on this site, it is certainly a mixed bag. There are some highs. And there are lows like this. Perhaps there is a blog post in that.

On to the review.

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #113

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #113 (March 1999)
title: "The Anywhere Machine!"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins
inker: Al Gordon
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5.1, Ferro, Invisible Kid, Katate Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Sensor, Spark, Thunder, Triad, Violet

Guests: 
Koko

Opponents: 
Bizarro Kinetix (others hinted), Doctor Deacon, Emperor Goss, Lord Pernisius, a smuggler

Who's Who: Molecule Master

Molecule Master
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: None

Super-Power(s): Able to break molecular bonds and reconfigure them, either into blasts and force shields or into different forms (such as bending street lamps into hand-cuffs)
Planet of Origin: Not known; presumably The End of Time

Relationship to Legion: Villain

TOS: Adventure Comics #366

Adventure Comics #366 (February 1968)
title: "The Fight For The Championship of the Universe!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: George Klein
letterer: Gaspar Saladino and Morris Waldinger
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover art: Neal Adams
reviewers: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane and Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Karate Kid, Superboy, new member Shadow Lass

Opponents: the Fatal Five (Tharok, Emerald Empress, Validus, the Persuader, Mano)

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #9

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #9 (February 2008)
title: Bad Ideas
writer: Scott Beatty
art: Ethan Beavers
letterer: John J. Hill
colorist: Heroic Age
editor: Jeanine Schaefer
cover art: Alexander Serra

Mission Monitor Board: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Superman, and Triplicate Girl.

Villains: Brainiac

Retroboot Legion of Super-Heroes #15

Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate!

As you read this I am hopefully still nestled in a tryptophan coma!

Legion of Super-Heroes #15 from the Retroboot series is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. How can you both want a story to not end, to end, and to be aware that it is being forced to end? Well, Holy New52, we knew this arc was coming to an end as the wall of reboot was fast approaching.

In rereading this arc I realize that it isn't as tight as I would like it to be. Usually writer Paul Levitz is able to wrap up a story neatly. He often plants hints and threads early on that come to fruition later. Once the arc nears a wrap up, Levitz will reveal the cards so that all the plot points make sense. But we haven't seen that here. There are too many elements just happening here without any 'why' being attached to them. I feel like there are more details that needed to be embedded here for me to truly appreciate everything that has been happening.

And yet, despite more story, I am wanting this arc to be done. I feel if after this long ... multiple issues and a LSV special ... if I haven't loved the plotline, I am not going to love it. It is time to pull the plug.

Add to that the understanding (when this came out) that the New 52 was 2 months away. And I feel like this was undermined by the universal reboot decision. Despite the fact that the Legion continuiy was staying intact post New 52, I am sure everyone at DC wanted all number one issues to be a potential jumping on point. Levitz had to finish this.

This issue is dominated by action sequences and that is usually a good thing in a LSH vs LSV story. Yildiray Cinar lights up the pages with bold seqyences. 

But with so many plot threads still dangling, I was aching for exposition.

On to the book!

Reboot: Legionnaires #69

Legionnaires #69 (March 1999)
title: "Secrets and Lies!"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Triad (flashback), Ultra Boy, XS (flashback); as holographic images only: Inferno, Karate Kid, Live Wire

Guests: 
Atom II (flashback), Evolvo, Lori Morning (Dialed: Plasma), Proty, Rond Vidar (flashback), Spider-Girl; as holographic images only: Blast-Off, Catspaw, Lupine, Particon, Piston, Radion; in flashback: Lori's other dialed identities (Blip, Chiller, Fireball, Galaxy Girl, Ink, Slipstream)

Opponents: 
Amilia Grugg, Khunds, Leland McCauley, Time Trapper; in flashback: Chronos, Composite Man, Durlan thief, Lori's dad, Sklarian raiders

Who's Who: Mojai Desai

Mojai Desai
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mojai Desai

Super-Power(s): None
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Corrupted ally (for a time)

TOS: Adventure Comics #365

Adventure Comics #365 (February 1968)
title: "Escape of the Fatal Five!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: George Klein
letterer: Milt Snapinn or Morris Waldinger
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover art: Neal Adams
reviewers: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane, Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage, and Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knoll

Mission Monitor Board: Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Karate Kid, Superboy

Guest-Star: Shadow Lass, heroine of Talok VIII

Opponents: the armies of war-mongering Talokians, the "unknown" bosses behind the military.....who could it be!?!

Legion Homage: The Quantum League

Black Hammer - "The Quantum Age"
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Wilfredo Torres and Dean Ormston
Colors: Dave Stewart
Lettering: Todd Klein
Reviewer: Jude "Sarcasm Kid" Deluca

Let’s rewind back to the first Saturday of May, 2018. On a whim, I picked up Dark Horse Comics’ Overwatch issue. Flipping through it I skimmed and found the “Black Hammer” back-up feature created and written by Jeff Lemire.

I’d only briefly heard of “Black Hammer,” and still have barely an idea of what “Black Hammer” is about. Yet imagine my surprise when I realized the story I was reading was about the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Or rather, the Black Hammer version of the Legion!

For those who remember, Lemire used the Legion in the New 52’s Justice League Canada/United. It featured a Legion that seemed to be based off the Retroboot/New 52 iteration, but jammed with Legionnaires from the FYL and Reboot eras. The story was, to me at least, a disappointment. I already had zero interest in JLU because Green Arrow was a member and I HATE HIM!! I’m sick of being expected to support books with characters I loathe just to get the Legion back. 

But I digress.

Giving the FCBD issue a careful read, it became obvious Lemire intended to invoke the Legionnaires. It’s a short tale and most of it hypes the main “Black Hammer” universe with the Quantum League as a framing device.

However, the end promised more of the Quantum League in their own ongoing! I got excited wondering what would happen next. Why is it I’m having more fun enjoying Lemire doing a Legion homage than when he wrote about the actual Legion? Read on and find out.

You can read the whole story here on Multiversity Comics: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/previews/black-hammer-quantum-age-fcbd/

Brian Michael Bendis on Legion?

Okay, this might be a stretch.

On November 8th, I had the luck of driving just a few miles from my place of work to MIT. And there, I was able to take in the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program 2018 Julius Schwartz Memorial Lecture. Past lecturers have been Neil Gaiman and J. Michael Straczynski.

This year it was Brian Michael Bendis.

The lecture was open to the public and held in a big auditorium style class room on campus. It looked like about 100 people were in attendance.

Fellow comic professional Marjorie Liu led the discussion, interviewing Bendis and talking a lot about his history, his process, and his favorite moments.

It was really fascinating to hear Bendis talk about his childhood reading comics, his desire to be an artist, and his ultimate conversion to writer.

So why am I posting here?

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #112

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #112 (Month, Year)
title: "Bound Together"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins
inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Ferro, Triad

Guests: 
Takron-Galtos guards

Opponents: 
Metal Eaters, The Plague (Gronk, Howl, Murdermaton)

Who's Who: Modulus

Modulus
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Modulus

Super-Power(s): Control over an entire planet's geology, atmosphere, etc.
Planet of Origin: Modo

Relationship to Legion: Villain

TOS: Adventure Comics #364

Adventure Comics #364 (January 1968)

title: "The Revolt of the Super-Pets!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Pete Costanza

letterer: Gaspar Saladino

cover: Curt Swan and George Klein

reviewer: Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board:

Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Supergirl, and Ultra Boy

Featuring:

The Legion of Super-Pets: Beppo, Comet, Krypto, Proty (II), and Streaky

Opponent:

The people of Thanl

Legion Cameos: Superman #213

Superman #213 (January 1969)
title: "The Most Dangerous Door in the World!"

writer: Cary Bates

penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Jack Abel

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Carmine Infantino & Neal Adams 

guest reviewer: Emsley "Ultra Fan" Wyatt

Guests: 
Supergirl, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, and.....??

Opponents: 
Lex Luthor and his generic henchmen, and....????

Editor's Note: Here is a second installment of what we call "Legion Cameos." These are stories where the Legion or certain Legionnaires play a small but usually significant role in the proceedings. This time out we have Legion of Substitute Blogger Ultra Fan telling us about a certain Superman vs. Lex Luthor story from 1968. Take it away, Emsley...!

First the cover (inks by Neal Adams).  A seemingly dead Superman lies in front of a vault to be opened only “in the event of my death.”  Shut up and take my twelve cents.  I thought that this was a great cover.

But I didn’t care for the title.  Maybe “The Mystery of Superman’s Vault” would have been better.  But unlike Al Capone’s vault, later made famous by Geraldo Rivera and containing only some old bottles, this vault promises a treasure of incalculable value.

Retroboot Legion of Super-Heroes #14

How can you be a critic when you are biased? 
How can you write objective looks at something when you are clearly subjective?
Or is the very nature of reviews subjective?

As I look back at these Retroboot Legion issues, I feel like I am so desperate to get a good Legion book that I am willing to give mediocre Legion books good grades. I love the Legion. I'll always try to see the best in the material. 

But this Retroboot book isn't very good. And when it came out I gave it a B/B+ grade. 

I think the biggest thing for me is the inconsistent characterization. We are over a year of this book seeing Harmonia Li being all serene wisdom. So seeing her enraged and aggressive seems way off. Had it been building, I might think differently. But suddenly acting different seems off.

And overall this plot of a maniacal Saturn Queen looking to destroy the 'World of Wisdom', a place we never heard of before? It just isn't clicking this reread.

But what did I think then?

Reboot: Legionnaires #68

Legionnaires #68 (February 1999)
title: "When Robots Attack"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

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

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Kid, Element Lad, Gates, Kid Quantum II, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor (cameo), Star Boy, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
Athramites, Dr. Gym'll, Dreamer, Lori Morning, Metal Men (imperfect replicas), Olsen, Proty, Science Police, Tari Gro, a vid shooter; in flashbacks: Aquaman, Atmos, Black Canary, Flash II, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Insect Queen, Martian Manhunter, Prefect Lamar, Superman

Opponents: 
Xotar the Weapons Master; see Notes for robot opponents

Who's Who: The Mess

The Mess
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Meyer Qayd

Super-Power(s): Ability to attract dust and dirt 
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Legion applicant

TOS: Adventure Comics #363

Adventure Comics #363 (December 1967)
title: "Black Day for the Legion!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
artist: Pete Costanza
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover art: Curt Swan and George Klein
reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Dream Girl, Duo Damsel Element Lad, Karate Kid, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter Eater Lad, Mon-El, Phantom Girl, Princess Projector, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, and Ultra Boy.

Opponent: Dr. Mantis Morlo and his Chemoids


At the end of the last issue, the Legion appeared to be facing defeat at the hands of Morlo's Chemoids, which could shift their chemical block structure to any substance. We start this issue right where we left off last time....!

LEGION TOYS: Mon-El (DC Direct 2002)

So I'm pretty sure that my Heroes Con 2017 Celebration photo using various action figures as stand-ins for all the great Podcasters and Bloggers I met there is what got me the "Articulated Lad" gig here at Legion of Super-Bloggers in the first place. Also, it probably doesn't hurt that I already owned the Matty Collector Legion of Super-Heroes Box Set.

Retroboot Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1

Hey all,
I think with the posting of this review of Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 from the retroboot Legion that I am finally caught up with my reviews. While my reviews have gone all the way up to Legion of Super-Heroes #13, this annual should have been snuggled up after LSH #8.  After all, this story picks up right after Ayla and Vi announce that they are heading off on vacation.

So, thankfully, moving forward, I think the timeline is now reset.

On to the book!

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #111

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #111 (January 1999)
title: "Possession"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins
inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5.1, Ferro (cameo), Invisible Kid I, Karate Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Spark, Thunder, Violet

Guests: 
Koko, Magno, the people of Sataar

Opponents: 
Sarei and Redin Klerrgh