Review: Adventure Comics #8 (511)

You might think that covering the 5YL Legion would be my most arduous task here at the Legion of Super-Bloggers.

Or maybe you thought covering the off-putting Jim Shooter issues at the end of the Threeboot.

But you would be wrong.

Try covering the Legion parts of the Adventure Comics reboot, all enmeshed in the then event of New Krypton. These are tiny pieces of a bigger puzzle. As such, it will be hard to cover these as stand-alones. But I'll try. If you are feeling daring, know that I covered all the New Krypton stuff over at my Supergirl site. Fortune favors the bold!

Adventure Comics #8 was a prologue of The Last Stand of New Krypton, an arc within the New Krypton bigger plotline. It contained three short stories written by Sterling Gates, James Robinson and Eric Trautmann. The issue did a good job of aligning some of the disparate parts readers had seen floating through the super-titles, getting the pieces in the right place for this arc.

And it was all wrapped up in an Aaron Lopresti cover. I loved Lopresti on Wonder Woman. His art is so slick. Everything about that Lightning Lass is perfect ... the hair, the face, the body language. That is Ayla Ranzz.

So settle in. I can only hope this makes some sense.

Reboot: Legion Lost #3

Legion Lost #3 (July 2000)
title: "Lone Star State"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Element Lad (recordings), ERG-1, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Shikari, Ultra Boy, Umbra

Guests: 
Enkenet, the Kwai

Opponents: 
Progeny

Who's Who: Seerons

Seerons
by Russell & Siskoid

Super-Power(s): Telepathy, telekinesis, mind control, time control
Planet of Origin: Seeris

Relationship to Legion: People helped by the team

TOS: Action Comics #389

Action Comics #389 (June 1970)
title: "The Mystery Legionnaire!"
writer: Cary Bates
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Ben Oda
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Cosmic Boy, Shrinking Violet, Chemical King

Opponent:
Klim the robotic thief

The Least Helpful Legionnaire?

In the Legion story from Action Comics #387 (April 1970) the Legion is faced with the problem of having to drop one member to meet a heretofore unmentioned, archaic membership limit rule.

Brainiac 5 hits on the idea of asking the Legion's computer to tell them, "Which Legionnaire is the least helpful to the group?" The idea is that the computer would tell them the least powerful, or least useful, or least active member.....but we really don't get any criteria other than this one panel (above) reprinted from the story in question.

So we here at the Legion of Super-Bloggers thought it would be a fun experiment for a few of us to throw out our ideas as to who WE thought was "the least helpful" Legionnaire.

The only rules are 1. the Legionnaire(s) we suggest had to be one of the 26 then-current members from 2970, as shown below; and 2. we have to explain why or how we think s/he are the "least helpful."

Want to play along? Well, read on and see if you agree with any of our choices!

Review: Adventure Comics #507 *revised*

(In my initial version of this review, I accidentally credited Paul Levitz with writing this story. It is written by Michael Shoemaker. This is a terrible mistake on my part and I have no excuse. More importantly, Shoemaker's ability to write these characters this well, with both a look back and to the future is impressive. After all, I mistook him for Paul Levitz.

Apologies to Mr. Shoemaker.)
Adventure Comics #507 continued the re-reintroduction of the Legion of Super-Heroes to the DCU. With the original timeline back in play, writer Michael Shoemaker used the 'second feature' of Adventure Comics to check in on the team, catch up older fans on what has been happening with the members, but also giving some back story to readers who might not know the Legion at all.

It is a heavy lift. Satisfying old fans while engaging new fans in a continuity heavy franchise like the Legion can't be easy. But so far, Levitz is firing on all cylinders. We have had a story focused on Lightning Lad and the other original members. Last issue was Sun Boy and Polar Boy. This issue we 'meet' Blok, White Witch, Dawnstar, and Wildfire. We even get a nice little Brainiac 5 moment. And the story gives back story, personality beats, and advances longstanding plots. It really is that marriage of old school and introduction.

Clayton Henry remains on art and brings a smooth sensibility to the proceedings. There are some panels where he seems to be invoking some of the organic feel of early Legion Giffen.

So what happens when a Legionnaire makes a big sacrifice to save the universe? Can love survive?

Valor: The Journey from Invasion to Zero Hour

He was born in the ashes of Invasion, and he will die on Zero Hour. Call him Lar Gand, Mon-El or Valor, he has a very specific destiny. Unless history collapses, of course, then destiny means nothing. Before starting their new podcast at the Fire and Water Podcast Network entitled Zero Hour Strikes!, Bass and Siskoid come together for one last First Strike: The Invasion Podcast to cover this Daxamite bridge between the two crossovers. It's filled with Legion goodness!

Listen to First Strike's Episode 41 by clicking HERE!

Who's Who: Sden

Sden
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Sden

Super-Power(s): Magic
Planet of Origin: Trevenon

Relationship to Legion: Adversary

TOS: Action Comics #387

Action Comics #387 (April 1970)
title: "One Hero Too Many!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Karate Kid, Brainiac 5, Timber Wolf, Chemical King, Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Dream Girl, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Supergirl, Superboy; cameo appearances by the rest of the membership

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

Opponents:
stupid bureaucratic and editorial decisions

Karate Kid #10

Karate Kid #10 
"Death Duel on Orando"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Jack Abel
colors by Carl Gafford
edited by Denny O'Neil
cover by Al Milgrom (penciller) and Jack Abel (inker)
cover date: Oct 1977
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

This time around we're talking about the issue of Karate Kid that I always wanted but never had.

As a wee lad I saw a few issues of Karate Kid for sale but never picked them up because 1. I wasn't a fan of the cartoony art and 2. I wasn't a huge karate/kung fu fan. It has something to do with my father and brother loving that stuff and me not wanting to get into their "realms," but the point is, I was never out there searching for any issues of Karate Kid. 

Until this issue.

I saw a copy of the cover in the Amazing World of DC Comics #14 (which I devoured, as it was all about the Justice League) and saw that the Legion of Super-Heroes was guest-starring. So I did in fact bug my father to take me to the local 7-11 and to the local grocery store and to the local drug store but no, I never did find a copy of this book!

Flash forward to today, when via the Legion of Super-Bloggers time bubble I have access to scanned versions of this series and I FINALLY read this story 40 years after it was published.

Review: Adventure Comics #506 *revised*

(In my initial version of this review, I accidentally credited Paul Levitz with writing this story. It is written by Michael Shoemaker. This is a terrible mistake on my part and I have no excuse. More importantly, Shoemaker's ability to write these characters this well, with both a look back and to the future is impressive. After all, I mistook him for Paul Levitz.

Apologies to Mr. Shoemaker.)

Adventure Comics #506 continued the run of Legion as the 'second feature' in the book. In essence, this book was Superboy and The Legion of Super-Heroes. That smacks of history although the two properties don't interact.

This was an interesting time for the Legion as Geoff Johns reinsertion of the classic Legion timeline meant readers need to shrug off all the reboots and party like it was 1989. As a result, this back-up series has a couple of tall orders to fill.

One, it needs to provide solid stories for old-school Legion fans who want to pick up where things left off.

Two, it has to introduce the personalities and history of this timeline to new Legion readers who are used to ThreeBoot and Reboot timelines.

It can't be an easy task. Heck, it is that trying to please everyone that (I think) is the reason a Legion book isn't on the shelves now!

'Running Hot and Cold" was written by Michael Shoemaker with art by Clayton Henry. It is a buddy cop story with Sun Boy and Polar Boy, great foils for each from a power perspective. I also think this was something of a reclamation project for Levitz, giving Polar Boy a little more of a serious edge than we saw in the Johns story. Ultimately, these two become good friends in the New 52 era.

We start on Tharr, Polar Boy's home planet, so brutally hot that native Tharrians, like Polar Boy, have cold powers.

In a bit of a turn, Levitz makes it less of a 'so hot no one can live there' planet to a more hedonistic tropical paradise. We see swimming pools and scantily clad young partyers everywhere.

Unfortunately, Polar Boy is a joke to the locals, the Legion Sub.

Reboot: Legion Lost #2

Legion Lost #2 (June 2000)
title: "Enigma Variations"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Ultra Boy, Umbra

Guests: 
Shikari; in flashback: Atom'X, Insect Queen, Monstress' father

Opponents: 
Loke, Progeny

Who's Who: Science Police - Chief Zendak

Chief Zendak
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Kimball Zendak

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

Relationship to Legion: Science Police chief

TOS: Action Comics #386

Action Comics #386 (March 1970)
title: "Zap Goes The Legion!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Shelly Leferman
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Karate Kid, Brainiac 5

Guest-Star: 
Night Girl

Opponent:
Uli Algor

Sarcasm Kid's East Coast ComiCon 2019 Legion Sketches

I lucked out and acquired free Sunday passes to the East Coast Comic Con in New Jersey this year. My boss at the comic book store received five tickets, so I kept three for myself, my dad, and my friend Andreas as a birthday gift. We went on May 19th, 2019.

Now keep in mind this isn't a very big haul. It was only one day at an out-of-state comic show, plus I don't have as many sketchbooks available as I usually do. And then we ended up leaving earlier than I planned when I noticed my book bag was starting to tear at the bottom and I was afraid it would fall apart. It's a good thing we left when we did, as an accident on the George Washington Bridge made the trip back to the Bronx TWO HOURS LONG when it took a half hour to get to the convention.

It was still a nice trip. I did some back issue shopping and was able to find the penultimate Sandman Mystery Theater arc I've spent years tracking down, and I got to meet Diane Pershing who did the voice of Poison Ivy in Batman: The Animated Series. Miss Pershing was really sweet, and was so touched I had one of her romance novels with me she signed it for free. I had her autograph a print out of one of my Multiverse designs.

I acquired six Legion pieces at this show. Three head sketches and a small full body sketch in my smaller book, a full body sketch in my bigger book, and a design commission I set up before the convention.

You may recognize a Legion veteran among the artists in this post.

Review: Adventure Comics #505

 Adventure Comics #505 (or Adventure Comics #2, depending on your numbering preference) carried a cover date of November 2009. That means that this book hit the shelves about 18 months after the end of the Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes story in Action Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank.

The Legion was in a bit of a transition here. The new timeline, which basically was the old timeline, was being re-established here. Gone were 5YL. Gone was the Reboot. And gone was the Threeboot. We were back to the timeline of the Baxter series.

Adventure Comics at the time was a really a Superboy book with the Legion taking the 'second feature' slot. I suppose the hope was that the Geoff Johns/Francis Manapul Con stories would bring them in and thus expose them to Legion stuff. (You can see this issue is from my collection and signed by Manapul.)

"Long Live the Legion, pt 2" was written by Geoff Johns and Michael Shoemaker with art by Clayton Henry and puts us back into the world where Earthman has been deposed and the Legion are trying to re-establish themselves. This chapter focuses on the original three members, and Lightning Lad in particular.

Reboot: Legion Lost #1

Legion Lost #1 (May 2000)
title: "Legion Lost"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Element Lad (hologram), Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Umbra; in flashback: Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kinetix, M'Onel, Spark, Star Boy, Ultra Boy, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Kamlos, Reos, Shikari

Opponents: 
Progeny

Who's Who: Science Police - Shvaughn Erin

Shvaughn Erin
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Shvaughn Erin

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

Relationship to Legion: Science Police liaison

TOS: Action Comics #385

Action Comics #385 (February 1970)
title: "The Fallen Star Boy!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
penciller: Win Mortimer
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Joe Letterese
editor: Mort Weisinger
reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
Star Boy, Saturn Girl, Colossal Boy, Karate Kid, Dream Girl, Brainiac 5

Opponent:
Yark Althu and his gang of criminals

LEGION TOYS: Ultra Boy (DC Direct 2003)

When he's not on the run for murder, Jo Nah of the planet Rimbor a.k.a. Ultra Boy is usually a pain in Clark Kent's behind. Always screwing up his dates with Lana Lang thanks to his Penetra-Vision. This is why we can't have nice things like Emerald Dragon action figures,  Jo Nah! Gosh!