Who's Who: The Blight

The Blight
by Siskoid

Super-Power(s): Corruption
Planet of Origin: Unknown

Relationship to Legion: Enemies

Introducing....Soultaker!

It's the end of a decade, and the 2010s have... not been very kind to the Legion of Super-Heroes or its fans.

Actually, the 2010s haven't been good for anyone.

Following the end of The New 52 Legion in 2013, the Legion was in an extended period of getting pulled in and out of Comic Book Limbo several times. Delegated to guest appearances in other comics (Justice League United and Smallville), getting turned into an evil knock off of itself (Justice League 3001), and having its return teased throughout DC Rebirth (Batman and Supergirl), the Legion finally gained a new ongoing title this year by Brian Michael Bendis and Ryan Sook.

From 2010 to 2019 there have been a handful of new Legionnaires joining the already plentiful ranks, including Chemical Kid, Dragonwing, Glorith II, Harmonia Li, Comet Queen, Monster Boy, Gold Lantern, and Superboy Jon Kent (whether he counts as Superboy III, IV, or V I haven't determined).

However, just before this decade comes to a close, Geoff Johns sneaked in one more new Legionnaire in the final issue of Doomsday Clock. While many are still working out the notion of Doomsday Clock finally ending after two years of delays, it was especially easy to miss the newbie. Oh, and she only appears shoulder up in ONE panel, so of course some (most?) missed her.

So, just before 2020 enters, let's take the time to look at SOULTAKER.

Who's Who: Elements of Disaster

Elements of Disaster
by Siskoid

Members: Phy'r, Rrok (or Rrox), A'rie, and Ebb
Real Names: Dirk Morgna, Brika, Flutter, and none

Super-Power(s): Control over each of their elements
Planets of Origin: Earth, Dyrad, Swizzar, and unknown

Relationship to Legion: Enemies

Reboot: The Legion #11

The Legion #11 (October 2002)
title: "System Burn"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Gear, Invisible Kid, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire II, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Star Boy, Triad, Ultra Boy, Violet, Wildfire, XS

Guests: 
Coluan group mind (behind the scenes), Cub Nah, JLA (Atom, Batman, Flash III, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman), Kinetix, Sharn Nux, Shvaughn Erin, Terrorforms, Timber Wolf

Opponents: 
Computo/Mr. Venge, Robotica, Robotican Terroforms, Tharok (behind the scenes)

Sarcasm Kid's 2019 LSB Christmas Gift

Hey guys. Apologies again for the lack of content from yours truly recently. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to reviewing and recapping some of the different Legion parodies and homages next year once I'm able to manage my schedule.

Until then, here's a little something I commissioned from Legion fan Peskyshortcake over on tumblr

Pesky's a fan of the Legion cartoon and the "Supergirl" TV show. I've known her for a couple of years and have commissioned her multiple times. Since she's a big fan of Brainiac 5, I thought this'd be a neat idea for a commission and figured you guys might get a laugh out of it.

Keen viewers may notice a certain someone in the background.

By the way, figure out what the binary code on Brainy's shirt translates to...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas from Karate Kid The Series

1978 DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters 
story/words uncredited
art by Jim Sherman and Jack Abel
on-sale date: September 1977
"in-story" chronology: December 1977 or 1978?
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

We interrupt the current review of the Karate Kid series to bring you this special Christmas adventure! The Legion of Super-Heroes went back in time to visit Karate Kid in NYC, and while they were there they battled Superman's foe, Toyman!

LSH (v8) #2

Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (February 2020)
title: (Untitled)
writer: Brian Michael Bendis
penciller: Ryan Sook
inker: Ryan Sook and Wade Von Grawbadger
colorist: Jordie Bellaire
letterer: Dave Sharpe
associate editor: Brittany Holzherr
editor: Brian Cunningham
covers: Ryan Sook (main); Jim Cheung & Tomeu Morey (variant)

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: 
It's hard to list who had a role in this story, because it was another example of "let's have everyone in the scenes but only identify the main ten or so characters."
Here are the characters who were identified or had speaking parts, in (kind of) order of their appearance: Cosmic Boy, Timber Wolf, Brainiac 5, Ultra Boy, Superboy, Lighting Lad, Triplicate Girl, Wildfire, Blok, Mon-El, White Witch, and a female Legionnaire who had many lines but who was never introduced who I am assuming was Phantom Girl.Also recognizable were Element Lad, Colossal Boy, Dawnstar, Chameleon Boy, and Bouncing Boy

Supporting Characters:
Rose Forrest, MadamHonor President Brande, Robin the Boy Wonder

Opponents:
the Horraz, bad writers, worse editors

Who's Who: Pernisius

Pernisius
by Siskoid

Real Name: Lord Pernisius

Super-Power(s): Harnessing the energies of Eternium
Planet of Origin: Rimbor (birth world unknown)

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Reboot: The Legion #10

The Legion #10 (September 2002)
title: "Thresholds"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Kev Walker, Kalman Andrasofszky, Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition (hologram), Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Gear, Invisible Kid, Kid Quantum II, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Spark (becomes Live Wire II), Star Boy, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, Wildfire, XS

Guests: 
Admiral Jesker, Chuck Taine, Kinetix, Mekt Ranzz, R.J. Brande, Sharn Nux, Shvaughn Erin, Trudy Trusoe, Vigo Toosalembli, Wimena Wazzo; Deep-Corp, the Kwai, Science Police, Terrorforms

Opponents: 
Mr. Venge, Ra's al Ghul, Robotica (behind the scenes), Tharok

Who's Who: Zoraz

Zoraz
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Inapplicable

Super-Power(s): It's complicated
Planet of Origin: Inapplicable

Relationship to Legion: Sparring partner

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 Annual #1

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 Annual #1 (September 1990)
title: "Childhood's End"
writer: Alan Grant
penciller: Jim Fern
inker: Jeff Albrecht
letterer: John Workman
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Art Young
cover art: Jerry Bingham
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: In Adventures of Superman Annual #2, Vril Dox and Lar Gand travelled to Earth to find his father, the evil Brainiac. Due to faulty controls, they lost control of their ship and clipped an airliner on the way down. Superman saved the plane, but Dox's ship crashed into the ocean, and eventually, into an underground tunnel of Project Cadmus. Lyrissa, Lady Quark, Strata, Telepath, Lobo, and Phase were following in a separate ship, and were met upon their arrival by Superman. He overheard one of them mention the name Dox and became suspicious they were allied with Brainiac. He offered to help and went ahead into the tunnel where he found Lar Gand fighting the hero Guardian, who also mistook Vril Dox for his father. While they fought, the telepathic director of Cadmus, Dubblix, was possessed by Brainiac and forced to sabotage the project's reactor. Superman and the L.E.G.I.O.N. realized that they should not be fighting just in time for the alarms to sound. Superman and Lar Gand get the reactor out of Cadmus just in time. Before letting Dubbilex go, Brainiac told his son that he is on their home planet of Colu and challenged him to a confrontation. Superman tried to convince Dox that killing his father is wrong, even if that father is Brainic, but Dox did not listen and set out once again to find his father.

Karate Kid #15

Karate Kid #15 
"Bring Back My Future To Me!"
script by Bob Rozakis
co-plotted by Jack C. Harris
art by Juan Ortiz
lettered by Clem Robins
colored by Mario Sen
edited by Al Milgrom
cover by Rich Buckler (penciller) and Jack Abel (inker)
cover date: July/Aug 1978
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

I gotta say, this is one of the more dynamic Karate Kid covers out of the fifteen issue run. The colors are weirdly vibrant and the idea that Karate Kid is going to punch his way into the correct reality and/or time-line....that's an idea that is PRIME for reusing. I wonder if Geoff Johns saw this cover as a kid?
Of course, if you spend too much time looking at this cover you're sure to notice that Karate Kid's right arm is a tad out of proportion. So don't look there. Forget I said anything. Onto the story!

Who's Who: Zera Vultan

Zera Vultan
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Zera Vultan

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

Relationship to Legion: One-time enemy

Reboot: The Legion #9

The Legion #9 (August 2002)
title: "Baby on Board"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Stephen DeStefano
inker: Stephen DeStefano
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Ultra Boy (dream)

Guests: 
Bard Brunel, Cub Nah, Timber Wolf, Vyrgans, Wimena Wazzo (dream); spaceliner passengers and crew (named: Arkwryte, Gertlbugly, Stevenson)

Opponents: 
Leland McCauley/Ra's al Ghul (behind the scenes), Robotica (behind the scenes); a drunk passenger

Recap: 
Unbeknownst to Ultra Boy, Apparition was pregnant when he disappeared into an anomaly and spent a year in a far galaxy. She went to Rimbor to have the child, and fell in with Timber Wolf and his gang. After the birth, having heard that the Lost Legion returned, she and Brin evaded her mother's mercenaries and left on a transport bound for Earth...

Who's Who: Zaryan the Conqueror

Zaryan the Conqueror
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Nalhrog Zaryan

Super-Power(s): Ruthlessness
Planet of Origin: Brok

Relationship to Legion: Enemy

L.E.G.I.O.N. Crossover! The Adventures of Superman Annual #2

The Adventures of Superman Annual #2 (August 1990)
title: "Quest For Vengeance"
writer: Dan Jurgens
pencillers: Bob McLeod, Curt Swan, and Kerry Gammill
inkers: Bob McLeod, John Byrne, Dick Giordano
letterer: Bill Oakley
colorist: Glenn Whitmore
editor: Mike Carlin
cover art: Kerry Gammill and John Byrne
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: Dox led an attack force on the asteroid base of the pirate Dragon-Ra but did not realize he was headed into a trap. He had sent Lobo to infiltrate the base and expected that by the time they arrived, Lobo would have killed Dragon-Ra. Instead, the pirate had used his ability to transmute matter to subdue both Lobo and Lady Quark.  Dox was hoping that Lar Gand would be his ace-in-the-hole but he was quickly taken out of action when Dragon-Ra turned his blood into molten lead. The pirate was on the verge of killing Dox when Lobo and Lady Quark caught him off guard and knocked him out. Lobo planned to kill him but was stopped by Lar Gand. Dox took advantage of a fallen boulder to ensure that Dragon-Ra was killed but not at the hands of anyone on his team. In the aftermath of the battle, Lady Quark accepted Dox's offer to join the team, and she mentioned in passing that he resembles someone she heard about on Earth, a green alien from the planet Colu. Dox realized that his father, Brainiac, somehow survived the Computer Tyrants and must be dealt with.

Lana Lang's Two Alien Boy-Friends

“Twice Told Tales” or “Mars and Stars”
Another  "double-header" review by Emsley Wyatt

“Lana Lang's Romance On Mars”
Adventure Comics #195 (December 1953)
Writer: uncredited
Artist: Curt Swan & Stan Kaye
Cover: Win Mortimer

"Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes” 

Adventure Comics #282 (March 1961)

Writer: Otto Binder

Artist: George Papp
Cover: Swan & Kaye

I’ve done a couple of these “Twice Told Tales”, one involving Mon-El, and one involving Sun Boy.  Well, it had slipped my mind that there was a third such pair of stories, this one involving the initial appearance of yet another Legionnaire, Star Boy.  Thanks to “Anonymous” for reminding me of this fact.  OK, here we go.  First, here are the covers.  As previously, the older story is on the left and the newer on the right.

Who's Who: Zall Morgan

Zall Morgan
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Zall Morgan

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

Relationship to Legion: Ally

Reboot: The Legion #8

The Legion #8 (July 2002)
title: "Terror Incognita 2: Hypersapiens"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

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

editor: Mike McAvennie

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

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Gear, Invisible Kid, Kid Quantum II, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, Wildfire

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Kinetix, the Kwai, R.J. Brande, Terrorforms; doctors; flashback: Batman, Superman

Opponents: 
Abyss, Brainstorm, Mr. Venge, Ra's al Ghul, Repulse, Robotica, Twine

Who's Who: Xera of Manna-5

Xera of Manna-5
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Xera Kharindot

Super-Power(s): Elemental control
Planet of Origin: Manna-5

Relationship to Legion: Relationship

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #18

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #18 (August 1990)
title: "From the Jaws of Victory..."
co-plot: Alan Grant and Barry Kitson
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gasper Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Art Young
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: Dox led an attack force on the asteroid base of the pirate Dragon-Ra but things went south very quickly. He had sent Lobo to infiltrate the base and expected that by the time they arrived, Lobo would have killed Dragon-Ra. Instead, the pirate had used his ability to transmute matter to subdue both Lobo and Lady Quark, and he was expecting Dox's attack. Dox was hoping that Lar Gand would be his ace-in-the-hole but he was quickly taken out of action when Dragon-Ra turned his blood into molten lead.

LEGION TOYS: Legion of Super-Pets (DC Direct 2000)

Released in 2000 by DC Direct, the DC Direct Soft Toys were a line of plush toys that featured characters from the DC Universe.

While not always stuffed animal characters (as Lobo, Death, and even Sugar & Spike were featured in this line (Hey Rob Kelly!)), the character I was drawn to was Krypto The Super-Dog. I obtained this on first release at my local comic shop at the time, the now defunct Comics Ink (now Comic Bug apparently) on Overland. This Krypto soft toy survived my first "Great Purge" and when I later got back into collecting around 2012, my team-building disease led me to seek out the remaining Legion of Super-Pets on the aftermarket.