tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6439298599791449790.post5225901209378767815..comments2024-03-28T17:36:06.132-04:00Comments on The Legion of Super Bloggers! : TOS: Adventure Comics #363MetropolisKid41http://www.blogger.com/profile/12121196519360092429noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6439298599791449790.post-27835365512618870572018-11-10T19:47:13.253-05:002018-11-10T19:47:13.253-05:00Many good observations. I had not thought too deep...Many good observations. I had not thought too deeply on it, but yeah, Shooter does seem to be skirting pollution as an issue a bit even though he never directly does so. And while I did not touch on it, I definitely agree with you on the cover.Mike Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02627891277174726157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6439298599791449790.post-60545238214640264342018-11-06T09:09:10.499-05:002018-11-06T09:09:10.499-05:00More random thoughts....
* I honestly believe the...More random thoughts....<br /><br />* I honestly believe the young Jim Shooter was wanting to tell a story about man-made pollution and the harm it can have to the natural environment. Indeed, the Legion first shuts him down (last issue) for contaminating the air with smog from his experiments. Shooter also makes a point of having Morlo being a super-chemist working almost exclusively with chemicals. And in this issue, we have chemically-effected weather and contaminated food. <br /><br />I'm sure pollution was a major highlighted issue in 1967, and I applaud Shooter for his initiative. But his treatment of it here is just too obvious, and even at bit heavy-handed. Even with the sci-fi elements, this is a case of "Pollution bad. People who cause pollution evil. Fight pollution, you are good." Now, I'm not an advocate of environmental pollution; I'm from Florida and I hear about the Red Tide on the news a lot, among other things. And like I said, I commend Shooter for his early effort. But his treatment here of such a complicated issue only reveals, however talented he was, just how inexperienced a writer he still was at the time. Yes, he was still a teenager when he wrote this, and this story shows it.<br /><br />* Another area that highlights Shooter's weaknesses was in his use of the Legionnaires. Except for his showcase of Karate Kid (I suspect he was Shooter's favorite), all this story shows is the members using their powers -- and that's it. There's no attempt at characterization or even little character bits. Even the Hamilton/Forte stories had those. But here, it's just each Legionnaire displaying his/her power(s) and nothing more than that. I suspect that between his pollution message and trying to recapture the magic of his prior Universo story (which beautifully used every member to full advantage), Shooter took his eyes off the ball.<br /><br />Having said that, I DO appreciate how he expands the capabilities of some of the members. I like how Lightning Lad is able to absorb and control lightning he doesn't create, Human Torch-style; I don't think he's ever been shown doing that again (I may be wrong there). I thought Ultra Boy's using his penetra-vision to search for Morlo layer by planetary layer was clever. It was also good to see that Karate Kid is more versatile than just a karate master. The best was, obviously, the secret of Chameleon Boy's antennae, which future writers made good use of, especially Levitz. <br /><br />* As for the Kendo-stick-versus-foam-rubber-android bit, I would liken that to hitting pressure points on a human opponent. Strike the right area hard enough or repeatedly, and he goes down. I think that's the same thing here, just that showing it in a single panel doesn't convey it well enough.<br /><br />* LOVE the cover. LOVE it! I'm not sure if the practice of making the cover first and THEN write the story was still going on here, but that may have been why this story ends the way it does.<br /><br />* This may just be Monday morning (Tuesday morning?) quarterbacking, but I also don't see why Cham simply didn't sabotage Morlo's launcher and monitors while he was disguised as Gorn. I agree with Mike, I don't understand his motivation, unless it was to pay Morlo back for his earlier impersonation. Never try to outwit a shapeshifter with a false double of yourself - they HATE that. <br /><br />* This story's ending has that familiar rushed feel to it. The villain has unleashed his final scheme and appears to have succeeded, but there's only two pages left. So, we're left with the "We built an entire planet so you'd hit the wrong target" explanation. The ultimate "Huh?" moment.<br /><br />* Can someone please explain what "pore patterns" are? Thank you.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6439298599791449790.post-56410237142292215292018-11-06T07:15:58.297-05:002018-11-06T07:15:58.297-05:00Great review.
You mentioned that you were surpris...Great review. <br />You mentioned that you were surprised that Naltor had science. But science has been mentioned before in association with Naltor; Dream Girl used Naltorian science to alter Lighting Lass' power in her first appearance. tomghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217504578676460449noreply@blogger.com