Reboot: The Legion #19

The Legion #19 (June 2003)
title: "Dreamcrime: Part One"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Chris Batista
inker: Mark Farmer
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Stephen Wacker

cover: Tony Harris and Tom Feister

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Ferro (image only), Karate Kid, Kid Quantum II, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Star Boy, Violet

Guests: 
Aven, Cub Nah, Dr. Gym'll, Dreamer, Lena Erqol; a Kwai navigator, Titanians

Opponents: 
Darkseid (dream sequence), Universo (behind the scenes/voice)

Recap: 
Though Ra's al Ghul has been defeated, his evolutionary scheme did leave Sensor's DNA completely rewritten. Saturn Girl has gone to Titan with Dreamer to see if her precognitive abilities could be used as an early warning system for the United Planets...

Synopsis: 
Imra and Nura arrive on Titan and are met by Saturn Girl's old mentor, Aven. Dreamer is a little apprehensive at the quiet of a telepath planet. Thanks to Khund training, she never sleeps, but has precognitive flashes while she's awake. One such flash shows her the population of Titan as skeletons, but she dismisses it. She hasn't trust her abilities exactly since she saw Star Boy's grave, something she discloses to Imra during the trip.

Back on Legion World, Brainiac 5 is trying to open a threshold to Steeple, a planet cut off from the galaxy by a black hole and where Karate Kid and Ferro are to be trapped for the next ten years. His probes haven't returned so he consults Shikari. She detects stellar pressures on the "path" that make her say she would never attempt the journey. She asks if Brainy misses Computo and he decides to go have dinner rather than answer truthfully. It's how he misses Karate Kid faintly answer his signal. Elsewhere on the station, Star Boy's great strength fails him in training, and he's saved from a crushing weight by Violet. Apparition allows Kid Quantum to put her son in a quantum bubble to slow down his aging. And Chameleon checks in on Sensor who hates her new appearance and doesn't want to see anyone.

Back on Titan, Nura is visiting the TitaNet Tower with the chief adept who is interested in her early warning system idea, when she is hit with another precognitive vision. It's Darkseid and he will cause the destruction of Titan. Her nose bleeds. At the same time, Saturn Girl meditates with her mentor when she thinks she hears... Garth?

Commentary: 
Shotgun
Lots of things happening on lots of fronts here. While the main focus of the story is on Imra and Dreamer, I must admit I was more interested in the snippets of information coming from the other Legionnaires. First mention of Karate Kid and Ferro in a while. I'm glad we're finally addressing their absence. The fact Karate Kid reached Legion World, even though no one was present to hear it, gives me hope we'll see them back sooner than later. They deserve their time to shine! Plus, I found it funny that Shikari learned to swear before learning her friends' names. Similarly, I am very curious about Cub's case – I guess that's what his name's going to be... I understand Tinya's grievance against her mother, but she should really put her big girl pants on and talk with her husband. Finally, it broke my heart to see Jeka in that state and shooing away her dearest friend. Cham should definitely give her some space, and should know never to compare their situations. I just hope he won't give up on her though.

Regarding the main story, I'm confused about Dreamer's attitude. I understand wanting to keep Thom's death a secret from him. I would hate the Powerpoint of Foresight for that exact reason. But why hide what she's seeing on Titan? She doubts herself because Thom returned, sure. But it feels foolish to me to hide such information from telepaths. They will end up finding out about it. Even if they won't probe your mind, they will read the signs and know something's bothering her. I know nothing about Darkseid except he's a big deal. I guess I'll learn more of his terrible deeds in the upcoming comics.

Is Nura's blood black? She'll need some amazing cleaning products to get it off her silver clothes. [Blood is often inked as black or black-ish even when it's read, but same difference. - Siskoid] Actually... Do they clean their superhero outfits or just replace them? Here I am asking the real important questions... You're welcome!

Siskoid
Between the new trade dress and Chris Batista's cleaner art, this issue feels like a relaunch of the book (and hey, those red jackets, you were right Shotgun, it's the era's style now, I thought it was later). Abnett and Lanning are still writing the book, but they seem to be abandoning the dystopian stylings of the last 3+ years (since the Blight hit) for a more utopian look. And it's actually pretty cool to see so much of Titan, a silent planet of telepaths, with low-gravity seas and giant spires. Nice world-building with more to come as this is a "Part One".

And well, Darkseid. As DnA have been more than willing to bring immortal characters forward to the 31st Century, it was perhaps only a matter of time before they decided to try their hand at a Reboot version of the Great Darkness Saga that really propelled the Legion's popularity in the early 1980s. Are they playing the short or the long game here? For all I know, it's a red herring. Imra thinking she can sense Live Wire's mind is suspect (it is called Dreamcrime, after all), which would make Darkseid's vision suspect too if we didn't also get caption boxes in his(?) voice. A good first chapter for a mystery, and Dreamer has reached the point at which she should be given a Legion ring, dontcha think?

Science Police Notes:  

• With this issue, The Legion gets a new title design and welcomes artist Chris Batista, who will go on to draw most of the series in the next 15 months.
• Brainiac 5's lab contains a Kryptonian battle suit for some reason, as well as a Green Lantern power battery
• Ferro and Karate Kid were cut off from the rest of the galaxy on the planet Steeple in Legion Worlds #5.
• Cub has a doll based on Chameleon's likeness
• Darkseid's involvement with the Legion goes back to the previous continuity's much heralded Great Darkness Saga. The orange caption boxes appear to be his voice, but are in actuality, Universo's.

Milestone: 
A new title design premieres and the issue is treated as a jumping on point.