Who's Who in the Legion #3 EXTRAS

Continuing the series where we spotlight the features that appeared at the beginning of each issue of the mini-series Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes (1988). This time out the series featured planets in the Legion Universe. 

As mentioned in the previous installments of this series, Who's Who in the Legion Editors Mark Waid and Karen Berger decided to add an extra something to this series besides just the straight character profiles. In this issue, we get nine pages of planet profiles, too. 

Whenever I re-read this issue I can't help but think that there must have been a production delay between this one and the next. You see, the next issue features profiles of planets that are homes to Legionnaires. Yet this issue's feature came first. It just seems odd to me that we would get a review of Lallor before we would get one on Naltor, ya know? 

This issue's cover is probably my least favorite of this series. Not only does it not feature any Legionnaires, but it looks like Greg LaRoque took a compass and drew as many circles as he could fit on his paper. Does any galaxy really look like this? Aren't all those planets or planetoids or cellestial bodies waaaaay too close to each othoer? To me it's badly drawn badly layed-out badly colored. It just doesn't work. 

As for the Metropolis Tonite feature, it's by Barbara Randall Kesel, with art by Keith Giffen and Bob Smith. It is definitely a fun idea, so I give the creative team points for doing it. However.....I question the artistic decision to show one over-arching graphic to represent the entire world. Think about it: if Earth were to show up on a feature like this, what would be its "defining" trait? Medicus One, Nullport, and Weber's World use the format to best advantage, I think, whereas Shangalla gets the worst of it. I would have much preferred something akin to the map of, say, Arlington National Cemetery, with maybe locations of famous dead pointed out? Or a comment on how to schedule a visit? Is the place staffed, like with Science Police guards? (By the way, the text is wrong: Triplicate Girl's body was totally disintegrated by Computo, so her body is not interred there. And she died before Ferro Lad, not after. In fact, it was in that specific story where she "died" that we first learn of Shangalla. Pretty sloppy editing.)

And couldn't they have come up with some other planet to feature besides Takron-Galtos, which no longer exists? It was totally destroyed during the Crisis. How about the Sorcerers' World? That would have been nice to see. Maybe we'll see that next issue, as the home of the White Witch (even though she is actually from Naltor). Speaking of magic, they could have listed Avalon, which was one of the planets that Mordru lived on for awhile. 

Anyway, for what they are they are fun and the art is good. Props to them for trying to give more detail on their little corner of the DCU. 

"Open" the pages to see them at Colossal Boy size!