Action Comics #863

Action Comics #863
Title: Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes Part 6 of 6 - Sun Rise
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editors: Nachie Castro and Matt Idelson
Executive Editor: Gary Frank
Reviewer: Jude Deluca a.k.a. Sarcasm Kid

PREVIOUSLY: With the universe on the brink of war and the Legion scrambling to stop the Justice League of Earth, the Legion of Substitute Heroes are finally called into action as the Legion's wild card. While the Subs invade the JLE's satellite looking to avenge their fallen comrades, Superman and the Legionnaires finally discover most of their missing team-mates held in Earth-Man's stasis chambers. Brainiac 5 tries to free Sun Boy, but Earth-Man gets the drop on Colossal Boy and Superman. It finally comes down to Superman and Earth-Man for the fate of the Legion, the Earth, the universe, and the 31st Century.

And so we finally reach the end of this arc. We finally get the big showdown between Superman and the wannabe Nazi who has usurped his symbol for a petty grudge against the Legionnaires.

Review: Adventure Comics #522

In late 2010, the Legion of Super-Heroes had 2 books on the shelves.

Adventure Comics had been resurrected into an interesting Legion side book. I recently reviewed the initial part of the run which was a sort of flashback book, updating some important pieces of the earliest days of the Legion. Coming up the book will become a Legion Academy book.

Adventure Comics #522 was, like last issue, an adjunct book for the main Legion title. So events there are bolstered or replayed here. It is interesting. While the main book was dealing with a Durlan secret invasion, here we are concentrating on Saturn Queen and her impending LSV.

Paul Levitz does a decent job of making this feel like its own book while referencing enough of the other events to make it feel like a unified property. Geraldo Borges is again on art and brings his solid work the the proceedings. The most striking art is the cover by Scott Clark, a cheesecake cover of some of the female Legionnaires. They all seem a bit too thin for bendy ... but I suppose that is what much of cheesecake is.

For me, this whole LSV plotline with the blue baby Dharma never really clicked. But this whole book around this time was pretty rough going.

Onto the book.

Reboot: Legion Worlds #4

Legion Worlds #4 (September 2001)
title: "You Are Here: Xanthu"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Duncan Rouleau
inker: Jaime Mendoza
lettering: Comicraft
title: "War Makes Us Weapons"

writers: Dan Abnett

penciller: Rick Leonardi

inker: Al Williamson
lettering: Kurt-Hathaway
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: John Cassaday
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Star Boy, XS; flashback cameos: Chameleon, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
Atmos, Dreamer, Insect Queen, Jork, Q'Bahl, Sulis; Khunds, Xanthusians

Opponents: 
Robotica; flashback cameo: Progenitor

Who's Who: Tusker

Tusker
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Horace Lafeaugh

Super-Power(s): Extending tusks
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Would-be Ally, now Adversary

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #8

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #8 (September 1989)
title: "Don't Look Back"
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gasper Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
assistant editor: Art Young
editor: Karen Berger
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

L.E.G.I.O.N.airres: The Durlan, Garryn Bek, Lobo, Lyrissa Mallor, Stealth, Strata, Vril Dox.

Opponents: Themselves

Recap: Vril Dox has used clones of Lobo to conquer the Planet Cairn and unite iys police force into his new Army. Meanwhile, Stealth exhibited increasingly bizarre and violent behavior. After killing two men, she severely beat Dox and appeared intent on raping him.

Superman #15

Superman #15 (November 2019)
title: "The Unity Saga: The House of El: The Conclusion: Part Two"
writer: Brian Michael Bendis
penciller: Ivan Reis
inker: Joe Prado & Oclair Albert
colorist: Alex Sinclair
letterer: Dave Sharpe
associate editor: Jessica Chen
editor: Mike Cotton
group editor: Brian Cunningham
covers: Ivan Reis/Joe Prado and Alex Sinclair (main); Adam Hughes (variant)

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage, Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane, and Jude "Sarcasm Kid" Deluca

Mission Monitor Board: 
Twenty-eight members (not counting the triplets individually) appear in this issue, but the only ones specifically called out are Saturn Girl and Brainiac 5. Identified via earlier appearances in Legion: Millennium #1 are Lightning Lad, Princess Projectra, and Shrinking Violet. Based on the character designs shown, the following 18 members can be reasonably assumed to be this iteration's versions of Blok, Bouncing Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dawnstar, Element Lad, Karate Kid, Matter-Eater Lad, Mon-El, Shadow Lass, Star Boy, Sun Boy, Timber Wolf, Triplicate Girl, Ultra Boy, and Wildfire. (see below for details). That leaves six characters unidentified.

Opponents:
Galactic animosity, time-travel glitches, stupid corporate decisions

Review: Adventure Comics #521

Hey everyone!

After a couple of weeks away Fridays with Anj continues on what may be my last review run here on the site.

Adventure Comics #521 starts a new direction for the title. Prior issues presented a bit of revisionist history, looking back at the very early days of the Legion. Starting in this issue, the book becomes a adjunct book to the main retroboot Legion of Super-Heroes book which was just hitting the stands.

I suppose, in retrospect, I should have reviewed this book when I was reviewing that book. But the best laid plans. To put this in some chronological sense, this book hit the shelves when Legion of Super-Heroes #8 came out.

This is in the midst of Earth Man being on the team. Saturn Queen is just starting to form her Legion of Super-Villains, seduced by the blue dharma. Harmonia Li has just refused the Green Lantern ring, and the Oan spirit Dyogene is looking for a replacement.

Paul Levitz is on as writer and, not surprisingly, there are some nice character moments amidst the action. In particular, we get some nice Wildfire/Dawnstar moments. I love those two.

Artist Geraldo Borges is on art and works in what felt like the DC House Style back then. His female Legionnaires are some of the curviest and bustiest I have seen in the book. I usually don't comment on that stuff but it is too obvious not to mention.

But overall, much like the Retroboot, I don't think this is a memorable run. Let's dive in.

Reboot: Legion Worlds #3

Legion Worlds #3 (August 2001)
title: "You Are Here: Braal"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

artist: Paul Rivoche
title: "On the Net"

writer: Dan Abnett

artist: Rick Burchett
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: John Cassaday
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Violet

Guests: 
Captain Doniger, Chuck Taine, Magno, Orin Fex, Orla Eidoor, Pol Krinn, Quenzla Turrish, Ruonos Mougo, Vin Kolkin, Wimena Wazzo; Braalians, Science Police, Titanians

Opponents: 
Dak Kroll, Nadir, Yantz, unnamed guy with Braal-blades, unnamed guys working for Wimena Wazzo

Who's Who: Tornado Twins

Tornado Twins
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Don and Dawn Allen

Super-Power(s): Superspeed
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Allies/Precursors

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #7

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #7 (August 1989)
title: "The Nature of the Beast"
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gasper Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
assistant editor: Art Young
editor: Karen Berger
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

L.E.G.I.O.N.airres: The Durlan, Garryn Bek, Lobo, Lyrissa Mallor, Stealth, Strata, Vril Dox.

Warning: Given the contents of this issue, I feel I should preface this post with a warning. This issue and the next deal with the topic of rape. To be blunt, some pages in this story are quite brutal. Many people (very, very understandably) may find such a storyline difficult or even painful to read. I often have such difficulty myself with films and television shows. If that is the case for you, I strongly recommend for your own emotional well being skipping at least this issue and the next. Subsequent issues will continue to address the fallout, but these two deal most directly with the assault and its immediate aftermath. I will continue having recaps later, which will summarize events for those who choose to skip. For those who want to continue, lets do a recap of the story so far.

Recap: Vril has successfully taken over the drug world Cairn and killed the drug lord Kanis-Biz, who was also the father-in-law to Garryn Bek. While he turns his attention to the rest of the planet, and expanding his new police force, the rest of our cast grow increasingly frustrated with Dox's constant manipulation and growing power base.

Legion of Superheroes S02 E11: In Your Dreams

"In Your Dreams" was directed by Brandon Vietti and written by Stan Berkowitz.

Original airdate: March 22, 2008.

Mission Monitor Board: Brainiac 5, Dream Girl, Lightning Lad, Star Boy, and Timber Wolf.

Opponents: The Dark Circle

Reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Just For The Grell Of It

While cleaning up my study I came across my old collection of The Amazing World of DC Comics from the early 1970s. There is an awful lot of general nostalgia there, but we're here to talk about issue #12 (July/Aug 1976) in particular.

As you can see from the cover, this issue spotlights DC sci-fi comics. For fans of the Legion of Super-Heroes, this issue includes a four page interview with then-Legion artist Mike Grell.

t the time of this interview Mike had been on Superboy/Legion for approximately two years, and was soon to be leaving it. (There is an ad in the issue for Superboy/Legion #221, which is two issues away from Grell's last story). He had just started his stint on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and The Warlord was on issue #5.

Reboot: Legion Worlds #2

Legion Worlds #2 (July 2001)
title: "You Are Here: Winath"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

artist: Enrique Breccia
lettering: Comicraft
title: "A Change in Climate"

writer: Dan Abnett

art and lettering: Darwyn Cooke
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: John Cassaday
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Spark; flashback elements: Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Kinetix, Live Wire, Saturn Girl

Guests: 
Begz family, Blane and Syra Gulz, Kirth and Dalya Ranzz, Lylia Ranzz, Mekt Ranzz; Science Police, Slo-boat crew

Opponents: 
Millhaven Farming Collective (named: Kalin Gulz and his brother)

Who's Who: Tseln

Tseln
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Tseln

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

Relationship to Legion: Villain

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #6

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #6 (July 1989)
title: "Heroes...and Villains!"
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gaspar
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
assistant editor: Art Young
editor: Karen Berger
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Future L.E.G.I.O.N.airres: The Durlan, Garryn Bek, Lobo, Lyrissa Mallor, Stealth, Strata, Vril Dox.

Their Opponent: Kanis-Biz

Recap: Upon learning that Vril has sent Lobo to kill Kanis-Biz, drug lord and father to Garryn Bek, the team travels to Cairn to stop him. Vril has mislead his companions though, and actually travels with Lobo to Cairn to take over the corrupt police force of Zalman City.

Millenium: Legion of Super-Heroes #1

Ever since it was announced that DC was going to publish a NEW Legion of Super-Heroes book (its eighth, by our count) we here at the Legion of Super-Bloggers have dealt with several conflicting emotions. Happiness, of course, that our favorite future group was returning. Trepidation, of course, wondering who/what would be THIS particular Legion. Anxiety, of course, on whether DC would or could do the Legion "right."

With the recent publication of Superman #14, Supergirl #33, and Legion of Super-Heroes Millenium #1, *some* of the answers to our questions are being answered. Join us today as we take a quick Triplicate Girl-level look of these three comics!

The Road to Legion

As a special preview of The Legion of Super-Heroes: Millenium #1 (on sale now) the LSB presents the back-pages of that comic, seven pages of text and behind-the-scenes art to help whet your whistle for the return of the Legion of Super-Heroes! 

Reboot: Legion Worlds #1

Legion Worlds #1 (June 2001)
title: "You Are Here: Earth"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Yvel Guichet
inker: Dexter Vines
title: "The Earth Spins"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

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

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: John Cassaday
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Kinetix, M'Onel, Triad; memorial statues and/or news footage: Apparition, Brainiac 5.1, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, ERG-1, Ferro, Gates, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum, Live Wire, Monstress, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, Thunder, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS

Guests: 
Dewar, Dr. Gale, Publind Gdook, Shvaughn Erin, Trudy Trusoe, Vigo Toosalembli; Science Police, news footage: Abyss, Brainstorm, Repulse

Opponents: 
Leland McCauley, Mr. Venge, Robotica, Tharok; news footage: Blight, Emerald Eye, Empress, Mano, Persuader, Validus

Who's Who: Teachers of Sorcerers' World

Teachers of Sorcerers' World
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: Master Star, no others named

Super-Power(s): Magic
Planet of Origin: Various, base of operations on Zerox

Relationship to Legion: Mentors to White Witch

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #5

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #5 (June 1989)
title: "The Secret Diary of Garryn Bek"
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gaspar
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
assistant editor: Art Young
editor: Karen Berger
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon

Future L.E.G.I.O.N.airres: The Durlan, Garryn Bek, Lobo, Lyrissa Mallor, Stealth, Strata, Vril Dox.

Their Opponent: 

Recap: After escaping from the Starlog prison, Vril Dox tricked his companions into helping to free his people from the Computer Tyrants of Colu. Disgusted with Dox's manipulation, Lyrissa Mallor and Garryn Bek depart the planet, but Bek's poor piloting results in him striking and killing a space dolphin. Lyrissa realizes that the space dolphins share a special bond with the intergalactic bounty hunter, Lobo, and is aware of the danger this places them in. They return to Colu to seek Vril Dox's help against Lobo. However, when Lobo arrives at Colu to seek revenge, he appears able to easily defeat our heroes. In fact, he is on the brink of defeating them when Vril makes him an offer.

LEGION TOYS: Cosmic Boy (DC Direct 2001)

We've finally made it to the final stretch! From here on out, we'll be looking at the earliest figures in the series, focusing on the founding members of the Legion of Super-Heroes! To start, coming from the planet Braal, with the ability to generate magnetic fields, the magno-ball champion himself, rocking the pink like it's 1999 even though he's from the far-flung 31st Century, Rokk Krinn a.k.a. Cosmic Boy!