Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #117

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #117 (July 1999)
title: "The Machine in the Ghost"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins

inker: Ray Kryssing
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie
special thanks: Jeff Johnson

cover: Alan Davis and Mark Farmer

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5.1, Invisible Kid, Live Wire, M'Onel, Sensor, Spark, Thunder

Guests: 
Gear, Koko, Magno; Blackstar inmates

Opponents: 
Dr. Aywebn, Dr. Deacon, Kprkrn, Lord Pernisius, Shroud-troops

Who's Who: Professor Huxton

Professor Huxton
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Ched Huxton

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

Relationship to Legion: Ally

TOS: Adventure Comics #372

!

Adventure Comics #372 (Sept 1968)
title: "The School For Super-Villains"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 
Colossal Boy, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy; Timber Wolf and Chemical King; cameos by Cosmic Boy, Star Boy, Duo Damsel, and Phantom Girl

Opponents:
Tarik the Mute and his School For Super-Villains including such students as Nemesis Kid, Spider Girl, Radiation Roy, Lightning Lord, Ronn Kar

Karate Kid #5

Karate Kid #5 
"The Tomorrow Thief"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
color by Liz Berube
edited by Joe Orlando
cover by Ernie Chan (penciller) and Mike Grell (inker)
cover date: Nov/Dec 1976
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

Here we are again, it's Kung Fu Fighting time! Errr, I mean, Karate Kid reading time. This month we get an antagonist who seeks to take advantage of the fact that Karate Kid revealed that he was from the future..... something I'm not sure he should have done in the first place, but it's in the past now (see what I did there?). Fresh from being named a deputized police officer of the state of New York last issue, Karate Kid finds himself a minor celebrity this time around....in more ways than one.

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #2, part 2

Welcome to the second part of  Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #2. 

This mini-series from writer Geoff Johns and artist George Perez has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me to review as Johns has stuffed the book with action, dialogue, and plot. It feels like a very heavy read, some pages filled with so much text that it feels more like a book than a comic book. And yet, there is a balancing act with unbelievable double page spreads. Perez must have had a migraine drawing it.

The back half of this issue shows just how dire the situation is for the main Legion, the team brought back by Johns in Action Comics. With death and destruction basically around the corner, Brainiac 5 has to finally give us the promise of the title. We get three Legions.

This series was one of the first I knew that had each issue come with two different covers. I saved this version of #2 for this review given the scene unfolds in this section of the issue. But I love how we see the two 'other' Legions in the swirling smoke of the crystal ball White Witch is using.

It has to be some homage to Justice League of America #21, the first JLA/JSA crossover. There is that crystal ball. And there is the 'other team'.

On to the story.

Reboot: Legionnaires #73

Legionnaires #73 (July 1999)
title: "The Final Gathering"

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: Jeffrey Moy and W.C. Carani

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Gates, Kid Quantum II, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Ultra Boy, Umbra

Guests: 
Dragonmage, Mysa; Science Police

Opponents: 
Elements of Disaster (A'rie, Ebb, Phy'r, Rrox), Mordru

Who's Who: Power Boy

Power Boy
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Jedidiah Rikaine

Super-Power(s): Density control, giving him super strength and endurance
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Academy student

TOS: Adventure Comics #371

Adventure Comics #371 (August 1968)
title: "The Colossal Failure!"
writer and layouts: Jim Shooter
penciller: Curt Swan
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Neal Adams
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Colossal Boy, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Superboy, Ultra Boy; debut appearance of Condo Arlik, future Legionnaire Chemical King

Opponents:
Extortionists who turn Colossal Boy's parents into glass statues

TreasuryCast #31: Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes

This week the Legion of Super-Bloggers presents 

A Crossover Event for the Ages! 

The Fire and Water Podcast Network presents Treasury Cast! 

A podcast devoted to the greatest comic-book format of all time, the Treasury Edition!

In this episode, Treasury Lover Rob Kelly welcomes Legion Lover Russell Burbage to talk about Limited Collectors' Edition C-49, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #2: Part One

Last week I began my review of Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds, a book I fear would break me. The first issue almost did. A dizzying array of inset panels, bulk text, uncertain continuity, and story bloat made it nearly impossible to cover in one review.

And then, like a wish from the Miracle Machine, an answer was provided to me by fellow Legion Blogger Siskoid. Why not take two posts to review one issue of this book? God knows, there is enough story stuffed into these pages to warrant at least that much.

So welcome to Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds # 2 review, part one. I'll finish this issue next Friday.

One of the interesting things for me to do, as I decipher this book, is to try and come to grips with the continuity speed bumps. I didn't read any of the Reboot Legion, the Abnett stuff. I had intimate knowledge of the Threeboot book, still fresh.

But it is the classic Legion, the one brought back by writer Geoff Johns that I struggle with the most. The assumption is that 5YL never happened. The Legion timeline progressed differently from the end of the Baxter Run and the Magic Wars.

Clearly 'stuff' happened between the end of the Magic Wars and the Action Comics storyline which just preceded this. So we are sort of dropped into a fresh, unknown, yet oddly classic timeline. Please get me some ibuprofen!

Johns again puts about three books worth of material into this issue. And that despite having not one but two double page splashes! Poor George Perez. If you thought Crisis On Infinite Earths was a great example of page layouts and panel variation, you ain't seen nothing yet. No surprise, Perez shines here. But I wonder how much wonderful art was covered by the massive dialogue balloons needed to convey the story?

I usually wail against decompression. But this is overstuffing. This would have been a great 9 part mini-series. I wonder if the time alloted was dictated by the main Final Crisis book. And yet, if I recall, the book was delayed badly meaning more actual time and issues could have been devoted here.

Ah well .. what might have been. Onto the half-review!

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #116

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #115 (June 1999)
title: "Cold Irons Bound"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Keron Grant

inker: Ray Kryssing
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, Invisible Kid, Live Wire, M'Onel, Sensor, Spark, Thunder

Guests: 
Koko, Magno, Thunder's father and mother (Superintendent Javert and his wife)

Opponents: 
Dr. Aywebn, Dr. Deacon, Lefty, Lord Pernisius, Scurrches, Zeek; Black Star nurse, Rimborian gang (named: gang admin Sara)

Who's Who: Polecat

Polecat
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Dafe Meron

Super-Power(s): Repellent scent
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Rejected applicant

TOS: Adventure Comics #370

Adventure Comics #370 (July 1968)

title: "The Devil's Jury!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Curt Swan

inker: Jack Abel

letterers: Joe Letterese (splash page only) and Ben Oda

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan and George Roussos

letterer: Gaspar Saladino

reviewers: Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 

Duo Damsel, Mon-El, Shadow Lass, and Superboy

Cameos:

Dream Girl, Insect Queen, Invisible Kid, Princes Projectra, 

Ultra Boy, The White Witch

Opponent:

Mordru the Merciless!

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #10

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #10 (March 2008)
title: House Arrest
writer: Matthew K. Manning
penciller: Alex Serra
inker: Jeff Albrecht
letterer: Sal Cipriano
colorist: Heroic Age
editor: Jeanine Shaefer
cover art: Matt Stewart

Mission Monitor Board: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, and Saturn Girl.

Villains: The Fatal Five (Emerald Empress, Mano, Persuader, Tharok, and Validus)

Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #1

Settle in True Believers as I try to make my way through one of the denser issues I have had to review on this site. And remember, I reviewed the early 5YL issues back in the day.

Final Crisis:Legion of Three Worlds #1 was written by Geoff Johns and drawn by George Perez. It was released in late 2008 in conjunction with Grant Morrison's main Final Crisis mini-series and was meant to stabilize and streamline the recent Legion history. Earlier in the year, Johns and Gary Frank brought the original Legion back into continuity, showcasing a very Levitz/Giffen feeling team working with a Superman who was a Legion member in his past.

Now as comic fans, we are used to multiple realities and many universes. But Johns was taking a bit of a risk because that storyline in Action Comics took place while the Threeboot Legion still had a book on the shelves.

Which Legion was 'real'? And more importantly, which Legion was DC going to promote moving forward. It was clear, at least to me, that the Threeboot book was in a decaying orbit, having lost its way a bit. I also felt that giving us back the original Legion felt like  'bringing the band back together' for one more tour. It was doubtful the magic would be there again.

So I had high hopes when The Legion of Three Worlds was announced as I thought it would be a surgical Crisis on Infinite Earths style event, melding the disparate Legion histories into something new, stronger, and hopefully energized. And what better team to do that than Johns, riding on a recent high at DC comics and clearly a lover of the Legion, and Perez who drew COIE and shined when a billion characters needed to be in one series.

Was it a success?

To be honest, I can't say because I don't remember that much of it. What I can say is that reviewing this first issue made me remember that two villains I was and still am a bit fatigued with, The Time Trapper and Superboy Prime, are the main baddies. And that this was as packed an issue as I have read in a while. Between many small inset panels and significant dialogue, this felt like two issues in one. I wonder why DC didn't just make this a 6 issue mini instead of a 5. As such, I felt like Johns put so much into this set-up that I was frazzled at the end.

Enough prologue. Be prepared! Onto the book!

Reboot: Legionnaires #72

Legionnaires #72 (June 1999)
title: "Enemies of Science!"

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 and Al Gordon

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Gates, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire (flashback), M'Onel (flashback), Monstress, Saturn Girl, Star Boy, Ultra Boy (cover only), Umbra, XS (flashback)

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Del, Derek Morgna (flashback), Dirk Morgna (flashback), Dr. Gym'll, Dragonmage, Dreamer, Giselle King (flashback), Lori Morning, Mysa, Takron-Galtos' warden; Coluans, alien terraformers, lizard alien ambassador (flashback), Science Police

Opponents: 
Amelia Crugg, Doctor Savant, Elements of Disaster (A'rie, Ebb, Phy'r, Rroxx), Leland McCauley, Mantis Morlo, Mordru (flashback); Brain Globes and Gil'dishpan of Gil'd.

Who's Who: Plant Lad

Plant Lad
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Noyt Echad

Super-Power(s): Ability to transform into any plant
Planet of Origin: Simballi

Relationship to Legion: Ally

TOS: Adventure Comics #369

Adventure Comics #369 (June 1968)

title: "Mordru the Merciless!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

penciller: Curt Swan

inkers: Curt Swan (page 1) and Jack Abel

letterers: Gaspar Saldino (page 1) and Charlotte Jetter

cover: Neal Adams

reviewer: Jason "Anachronistic Kid" Knol

Mission Monitor Board: 

Duo Damsel, Mon-El, Shadow Lass and Superboy, plus a few flashback cameos.

Opponent:

Mordru the Merciless!

This Neal Adams cover kicks everything off with his trademark sense of action. The powerful hands of the mysterious, magical Mordru burst out through a massive vault door. How often do we see Superboy taken aback with such shock? Mon-El definitively cries "We're dead!" in response to the wizard's hands appearing so suddenly. This immediately feels like it's going to be an action-packed adventure of an issue!

LEGION TOYS: Ferro Lad (DC Direct 2004)

 If there's one thing my fellow podcasters have learned during our off-air conversations during our tenure at the Fanholes Podcast, it's that one of my action figure collecting pet-peeves is buying action figures who are dead. So it's no surprise then, that I tend to avoid buying any Game of Thrones action figures for instance. At least 2 exceptions will creep up in my coverage of the DC Direct Legion of Super-Heroes line. One of which is the Legionnaire who makes the Ultimate Sacrifice against the menace of the Sun-Eater, Andrew Nolan a.k.a. Ferro Lad!

Fridays with Anj! What's Next?

I had lived through a lot with the Legion by the time 2008 rolled around.

I had lived through the original run and the 5YL redirection.

I had left the team for 10 long years, giving me a knowledge gap the size of the Grand Canyon in my Legion lore.

I had come back for the Threeboot and saw Supergirl lead the team.

I had even been around for the Reboot, a return of the old Legion which happened right around the time Final Crisis was hitting the stands.

After taking in so many versions of my favorite team and after hearing that this crisis would be the final crisis, I was intrigued with the idea of a Legion of 3 Worlds story, perhaps a way to 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' the Legion concept, smushing all the versions together into one continuity, removing the 'multiverse' of the Legion into a universe.

I can remember being floored by much of the book when it came out. I remember snippets of it.

But either due to old age and poor memory or a lackluster story that didn't stick in my mind, I don't remember too much about this.

And so I will do my best to dissect and re-digest this mini-series over the next several Fridays.

Feel free to let me know what you thought of this mini-series overall here on this post! It will be a good warm up for me as I dive in!

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes Secret Files and Origins #2

Legion of Super-Heroes Secret Files and Origins #2 (June 1999)
title: "Unknown Point of Origin"

writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

penciller: Chuck Wojtkiewicz
inker: Dexter Vines
lettering: Clem Robins
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Maureen McTigue
editor: Tony Bedard

cover: Chris Sprouse
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Ferro, Gates, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum II, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, Thunder, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Koko, Magno, R.J. Brande, Tenzil Kem; Lycidians; in flashback: Atmos, Atom'X, Douglas Nolan, Konk, Insect Queen, Karate Kid's sensei, Kid Quantum I, King Charlz, Orandans, Prince Willem, Shazam (Captain Marvel), Xanthu scientists

Opponents: 
Alien apes, The Blight; in flashback: Brainiac 4, Evolvo, Leland McCauley, Mordru, Tangleweb

Who's Who: Pharoxx

Pharoxx
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Prince Pharoxx

Super-Power(s): Sorcery
Planet of Origin: Orando

Relationship to Legion: Adversary

Happy New Year 2019!

Happy New Year, Legion Fans! 

Welcome to the future! Yes, it's January 1, and that means we have a whole new year of Super-Blogging about the Legion of Super-Heroes to look forward to! Read on for what we have planned....with adorable illustrations by talented artist Sandy Jarrell!