Reboot: The Legion #12

The Legion #12 (November 2002)
title: "Choose Your Weapons!'

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

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Coluan group mind (behind the scenes), Cub Nah, Dreamer, Major Dkar, Orin Fex, Q'Bahl, R.J. Brande, Sharn Nux, Titanet adepts, Timber Wolf, Warworld operating system

Opponents: 
Computo, Holographic JLA (Atom, Batman, Flash III, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman), Robotica

Recap: 
Earth has been taken over by Robotica, which is in the service of Computo! Yes, he was Mr. Venge all along, and now he has his father, Brainiac 5, in his clutches, and the planet's defense screens are keeping the Legion from entering the atmosphere. Calling for help across the galaxy, the Legion also sends a team to Pluto, for it is really Warworld, a devastating weapon that could be used against Robotica. When they arrive however, the JLA suddenly shows up...

Synopsis: 
The Legion fights the JLA who are intent on preventing them from accessing Warworld. Of course, these aren't actually the Justice League, but hard light constructs programmed with all the abilities and sensibilities of the originals. Eventually, Gear gets into the computer system and stops the attack, then negotiates the use of Warworld to free Earth from Robotica.

Apparition is let into Jo's quarters and finds a pad with his message to Saturn Girl about their having kissed; she's upset. Dreamer and the Khunds arrive at Legion World with their captured Robotican soldier, revealing that though Robotica believes itself an independent consciousness, it is actually slaved to Computo. Star Boy is of course happy to see his lady love. For its part, Computo tells Brainy that it wants to provoke a machine evolution so that machinekind will be treated like other sentients.

Kid Quantum prepares for the attack on Robotica. Saturn Girl and the Titanet adepts will coordinate telepathically with the fleet of ships that has come to help. Star Boy will use his gravity powers to keep Warworld from disrupting Earth's orbit. And a special team will go down to the planet as soon as the screens are penetrated to take the fight straight to Computo. Coluan specialist Sharn Nux finagles herself onto the team with her own agenda - to destroy Robotica's sentience with a virus, even if it means Earth could be lost.

Commentary: 
Shotgun
Well they won’t call the JLA that appeared on Pluto a hologram in front of me because they don’t want to admit I was right but come on... “Computer ghosts generated from solid light.” I guess the term solid light is where I was technically wrong as you couldn’t really fight a hologram. ANYWAY! Good to see Gear in action in that moment, removing the threat, convincing the operating system to give them access to the weapon. That was pretty cool. Ever since we went from Legion Worlds to The Legion, every member of the team has had their chance to naturally shine. It doesn’t feel like it has to be a stretch like some things we’ve seen before.

Computo wants to evolve in order to feel more organically, so machines won’t be dismissed anymore. In another set of circumstances, I think I could feel sympathy for him. Villains would be much more sympathetic if they could find a way to reach their goal in a friendlier way. Why do they always have to bring doom to everyone? There has to be another way to get the same result without threatening the lives of millions. I’m talking to you too Nux and Fex!! Really though, is there anyone the team can trust except each other? UGH!

“Next: Meanwhile”… Meanwhile where?? I guess we aren’t going to see if the plan is going to work just yet as we need to see a different perspective of the time that went by. Except for Shvaughn and Kinetix, we’ve basically seen everyone. Please don’t bring in more plot twist to this. Can’t we just resolve this one before introducing something new? Please and thanks.

Siskoid
I think they heard you from beyond the veil of time, you'll see. And the other missing Legionnaire is Gates who seems to be missing from these pages. Maybe he's finally recuperating from the abuse he suffered in Ra's prison/lab. And Umbra, of course. But yes, you're right, a lot of Legionnaires are getting their due in this book, and I'll say it again, I think a big part of that is how good DnA are at writing super-powers. If you can imagine cool and epic ways to use ANY power, than EVERY Legionnaire is a source for fun super-heroics. Star Boy keeping Earth in balance is a great example.

And there's the fight with the faux-JLA too. A great little showcase for powers and personalities as well. Gear makes good, that's true (though he still considers himself a non-combattant), but I love how Shikari can surprise Batman because she "sees his path", or Violet turning the Atom's trick against him. I admit I was sort of confused about what M'Onel's relationship to the JLA was supposed to be. He knew them from way back when, but also says things like there was a Justice League of Earth in our near-future, which of course never happened (except as an evil 31st-Century construct in the Retroboot). Are they saying his memories became confused during his 1000-year exile in the Zone? It makes sense, but it's unclear. Still, the issue provides some slam-bang action and promises more to come. Also: angst.

Science Police Notes:  

• The Martian Manhunter takes R.J. Brande's form to trick Chameleon, a reference to the theory that Brande was indeed J'Onn J'Onzz in this continuity.
• Ultra Boy thinks Wonder Woman is sensational, a reference to her first appearing in Sensation Comics.
• Triad invokes the Luck Lords as if they were gods. This is odd because they are merely unscrupulous casino owners.