Tis The Season To Be Freezin' - Polar Boy in "Snow Date"

Title: Snow Date

Writer: Rich Bernatovech

Penciller: Travis Mercer

Inker: Norm Rapmund

Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Editor: Michael McCalister

The Legion's pretty much been absent this past year while Brian Bendis worked on Justice League, Checkmate, and, I-I dunno, whatever else he's wasting time on. I don't think about him if I can help it.

Imagine how delighted I was to learn my friend Rich Bernatovech was not only writing for DC's holiday anthology - he was submitting a Legion story!

AND IT'S GOOD, YOU GUYS. LIKE SO GOOD. THE BEST THE LEGION'S BEEN IN AGES.

After interviewing Rich in my previous post, I'm now submitting a review of the story in question featuring the return of Polar Boy, Comet Queen, and the debut of a new Legion villain.

Rich Bernatovech Talks Polar Boy

I was delighted when I saw my friend Rich Bernatovech's name among the creators who worked on DC's 2021 holiday anthology, 'Tis The Season To Be Freezin'. My delight grew when Rich informed me he was submitting a Legion story to the mix, featuring the debut of a new version of Polar Boy.

Discussing it with Rich via Facebook and at New York Comic Con, I set up the chance to interview him for Super-Bloggers. I apologize for my lack of content this past year, so I was happy for the chance to submit something really special.

Generations Forged #1

Generations Forged #1 (April 2021)

writers: Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, & Robert Venditti
artists: Mike Perkins; Marco Santucci; Paul Pelletier & Norm Rapmund; Bernard Chang; Joe Prado; Colleen Doran; Bryan Hitch & Andrew Currie; Dan Jurgens & Kevin Nowlan
colorist: Hi-Fi
letterer: Tom Napolitano
editors: Andrea Shea & Brian Cunningham
cover: Liam Sharp; variant by Rafael Albuquerque & Brad Anderson

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Overall Summary: 
The Time Champions from Generations Shattered #1 have been scattered all over various eras, hopeless to face off against the Big Bad to try to rectify his messing with the time stream. Fortunately for them, Dominus is too impatient to just let them die off, and sends minions against them. That eventually allows the heroes to regroup and find a way to restore the time stream. What, you thought DC would leave it broken? 

One of the Time Champions, you may recall, is the Superboy from the Bronze Age Legion of Super-Heroes, and one of Dominus' lackeys is former Legionnaire Nemesis Kid!  

If you haven't gotten a copy of Generations Shattered #1, you can read my review of it here. 

Spoiler Alert! 

Generations Shattered #1

Generations Shattered #1 (March 2021)
writers: Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, & Robert Venditti
artists: Fernando Pasarin & Oclair Albert; John Romita Jr. & Danny Miki; Rags Morales (Legion related pages only)
colorist: Hi-Fi
letterer: Tom Napolitano
editors: Brian Cunningham & Andrea Shea
cover: Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Overall Summary: 
Kamandi is rescued by Booster Gold and Skeets as something very similar to the anti-matter fields that wreaked havoc during the Crisis begins to destroy all of their Earth After The Great Disaster. When Booster is injured, Kamandi is then tasked by Skeets to take over for him. Their mission: to collect various champions from various time-zones to create an army to defeat the villain behind "the Goneness." One of those selected for this Task Force is Legion of Super-Heroes member Superboy! 

DC Cybernetic Summer 2020

DC Cybernetic Summer 2020 (Sept 2020)
title: Summer Lovin'
writer: Liz Erickson
artist: Nik Virella
colorist: Romulo Fajardo, Jr
letterer: Ferran Delgado
editor: Katie Kubert
cover: Dan Mora & Tamra Bonvillain
reviewer: Sarcasm Kid

It’s been a weird time for Legion fans. The release of the Bendisboot has gotten mixed reactions from veteran Legion fans, who have complained about yet another continuity reboot starting everything over. DC seems to have recognized this, which would explain why they featured a Bronze Age-styled Legion tale in the From Beyond The Unknown 100-Page Giant, and this Silver Age-styled Legion story in DC Cybernetic Summer.

“Summer Lovin’” is written by DC editor Liz Erickson, with pencils and inks supplied by mah gurl Nik Virella. The Legion roster consists of Superboy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, and Brainiac 5. Liz and Nik have provided us a tale set during the Silver Age in both tone and appearance (beyond just the costumes).

Admittedly the story’s shorter and goes in a different direction than I expected, but it’s still charming and rather bittersweet in a way that is easy to swallow. I can’t say much more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything.

From Beyond the Unknown Giant #1

From Beyond the Unknown Giant #1 (March 2020)
title: "Stealth Mode"

writer: Dan Jurgens

art: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
lettering: Ryan Christy
colorist: Hi-Fi 

editor: Katie Kubert

cover: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez
review by Michael "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

A few years ago, DC began an initiative with Walmart to produce exclusive comics. Their format matched the 100-Page Super-Spectaculars of the 1970s. The general pattern was one new story with several reprints, and those reprints were generally from the Modern Age of comics, i.e., post-2000. In 2019, the deal was no longer exclusive and DC also produced them for the Direct Market. My understanding is that the issues would first be released at Walmart and then become available in the Direct Market with different covers. This issue is one of their recent releases and one of the original stories features the Legion of Super-Heroes.

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89! An Introduction

Welcome boys and girls to the newest series here at the Legion of Super Bloggers!  Yes, as you can see, I will be covering L.E.G.I.O.N., also known as the Licensed Extra-Governmental Interstellar Operatives Network, also known as an intergalactic police force led by the manipulative Vril Dox.

This will be a bit of a departure for the blog in that up until now, virtually every comic we have covered featured one or more official members of the classic Legion of Super-Heroes. But it is not a leap to see why L.E.G.I.O.N. warrants discussion here, and there are connections beyond just the obvious that we will explore as we go along.

On a bit of a personal note before we go further, there is something I wanted to mention about my own comic collecting history. I am probably unique among the Super Bloggers in that I started reading the L.E.G.I.O.N. long before I became a fan of the Legion of Super-Heroes. I started collecting Marvel comics around 1984, and did not begin reading DC for a couple years after that. By that time I had become aware of the LOSH, but I found them to be a bit intimidating. They had so many members and their history seemed so complicated, particularly with Superboy having been removed from their continuity. Of course, I eventually learned the error of my ways. But long before then, I became a fan of L.E.G.I.O.N. What did I love about the book? Well, lets take a step back and see where it all began...

Justice League vs. The Fatal Five

"Justice League vs. The Fatal Five" was directed by Sam Liu and written by Alan Burnett, Eric Carrasco, and James Krieg.

Review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Spoiler Warning: This post contains significant spoilers! Of course, spoilers are usually present in most of our posts but we are usually discussing old comic books and not newly released films. Under the circumstances, I felt an extra warning is warranted.

The Heroes: Elyes Gabel (Starboy), Diane Guerrero (Green Lantern Jessica Cruz), Kevin Conroy (Batman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), George Newborn (Superman), Daniella Bobadilla (Miss Martian), Kevin Michael Richardson (Mr. Terrific/also Kilowog), Tara Strong (Saturn Girl/also Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy), and Noel Fisher (Brainiac 5).

The Villains: Peter Jessop (Tharok), Matthew Yang King (The Persuader), Sumalee Montano (Emerald Empress), Phillip Anthony-Rodriguez (Mano), Bruce Time (Validus/also Two Face), and Tom Kenny (Bloodsport/also Salaak).

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #5, Part 1

Well, it is the beginning of the end for me as I start the review for the final issue of Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #5.

This has been something of a wild ride for me. When it was solicited, I could remember being quite excited about this. I was a bit awash in Legion continuity as the Threeboot book was happening, Geoff Johns had brought back the original group, and I was coming off my decade away from the team.

I was hoping for a deep Legion continuity dive. I was hoping for an untangling of continuity. I was hoping for fun.

Instead I got this.

This book has a lot of Titans stuff going on. The Legion occasionally seem like guest stars in a Superboy Prime book. And the plot careens along hoping the reader can keep up. I was hoping for a breath of fresh air. Instead I felt like I was trying to breathe through a straw filled with oatmeal.

All that said, the art is about as glittery as George Perez can be, flitting between massive double page splashes and intricate tiny inset panels.

So will it all be tied up neatly in a bow? Will we get the finale we deserve?

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #4 Part 2

Today I finish my review of the penultimate issue of Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds.

I am exhausted.

It has been hard for me to wrap my head around this series. And Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #4 showcases my problems. There is an awful lot of casual death and violence. There is a boatload of Superboy Prime. There is a ton of exposition which should explain just what the hell is going on but doesn't really. Writer Geoff Johns continues to pile more and more plot and reveals into this series making it a cumbersome read.

Perhaps worst of all, so much time is spent filling in this insane plot that we barely have gotten the 3 Legions working together. We have a lot of Teen Titans! We have some Green Lanterns! We have a lot of Brainiac 5 interactions. But most of the Legion stuff seems to be happening as skirmishes in the backgrounds. Maybe we get a couple of panels now and then showing some Threeboots working with some Reboots working with some Retroboots. But not enough. The draw here, for me, was wanting to see these Legions mingling.

Of course, the art by George Perez continues to be exemplary. Perez just shines. It is lovely. And it is a mix of minute panels overstuffed with action and sprawling double page spreads.

But you need to remember this is issue 4 of 5. This book needs to be approaching a conclusion. Instead this book ends with a bombshell revelation. It also reminded me of one of my personal worst moments in Legion fandom. Johns is still adding story! How can he end this in one more issue?

And one more thing. I think it is somewhat damning that I had almost no recollection of this story as I reread for this review. Two major events happen in the back half of this issue, the portion I am reviewing today. I had completely forgotten them. I have to think that is a comment on how I feel about this book overall.

On to the review!

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #4, Part 1

There is more behind us than in front of us when it comes to Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds! Here we are at Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #4! This issue is just as crazy as the prior ones. Lots of action! Lots of words! Some death! And finally the Time Trapper!

As has been the trend in this book, I feel more like I am riding the wave of this story. A lot is happening fast. I am on a shifting foundation, just trying to maintain my balance. And I am hoping not to fall. I am sure this all made perfect sense to writer Geoff Johns. But to me, it is like a series of quick interludes with not much solid story. Maybe it all comes together in the end.

The George Perez art has also been a constant on this book. His work here is as impressive as any book of his I have read. There is so much action. There are so many characters. The story is so bananas. I hope Perez got paid by the pen stroke. He'd be a millionaire! (Hmmm ... come to think of it, he is retiring!)

Still, this has been a bit too wild for me to say it is a great story. I wanted so much from this. But at times I feel lost. I suppose that makes perfect sense given it is linked to Final Crisis, the most inscrutable of the tent pole crossover events.

On to this half of the book.

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #3, Part 2

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #3 finally gives us readers what we were clamoring for ... three Legions fighting side by side against an army of super-villains. You think it would be a giddy romp, a visual smorgasbord for Legion fans. Well ... it partly succeeds.

One of the issues that I have had with this issue is that writer Geoff Johns is trying to stuff so much story and plot into these 5 issues that at times it becomes an ultra-dense mess of dialogue boxes and leaps of plot faith. In this half of this issue, there is a two page spread with a lot of information about a prior adventure that the Legions have already had together. I don't know about this story. Did it happen? Is this Johns filling in some prior mystery? Either way, I don't think I follow what he is trying to tell me. And remember that I am splitting these reviews up into 2 per issue. This is a big info dump in the back half of one issue. If this is key info, I wish it was explained more.

That said, Johns is probably meting out his exposition in big chunks like this to allow him the space to task artist George Perez with numerous splash pages and double splash pages. Perez goes from many inset small panels to large spreads of grand scale. I have heard rumors that this series was exhausting for Perez and I'm not surprised. I am also not surprised that it shipped on time ... a rarity these days when you get books like this. (That's right ... I'm looking at you Doomsday Clock! You too, Young Animal Doom Patrol!

And all of this is happening without the emergence of the Time Trapper as the puppet master in this miniseries. Will all this wrapped up in a pleasing way? Honestly, I don't remember. So I'm going in fresh.

On to the book.

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3, Part 1

Final Crisis Legion of  3 Worlds #3 is the halfway mark of the 5 issue series. And this review will cover the first half of this issue. That means when this review is over we are officially at the halfway mark of this story. And what a place to be at that fulcrum.

Like in the preceding two, writer Geoff Johns puts a lot into the issue. It is as dense as prior. But much of this piece is devoted to battle. Johns really does his best to showcase as many Legionnaires and as many villains as he can. As a result, artist George Perez is put through his paces, dealing with panels stuffed with characters as well as innumerable small inset panels focusing in on some one-on- one battles. If you thought Crisis on Infinite Earths was a heavy lift for Perez, imagine stuffing everything that happened in those 12 issues into 5. You catch my drift? Perez deserves a medal here.

Unfortunately, one thing that comes through in this review is that Johns is really playing as much in his own sandbox as he is in the Legion's. Certainly Superboy Prime, a Johns favorite, is playing a big role in this story. He isn't exactly part of classic Legion lore. But now we see that Sodam Yat, the Daxamite Green Lantern and another Johns fave, is also going to get serious screen time.

For me, I'd much rather have this be a series completely steeped in the Legion rather than looking outward to bring people in. Why not have three Mordrus combining their might? Or the Fatal Fifteen?

One last piece of intro is that this first half of the issue sort of reads like the back half of the last. There really isn't much plot progression here. I talk about the issues being stuffed. But much of that here is just sensory overload from the battles.

On to the book:

Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds #2, part 2

Welcome to the second part of  Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #2. 

This mini-series from writer Geoff Johns and artist George Perez has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me to review as Johns has stuffed the book with action, dialogue, and plot. It feels like a very heavy read, some pages filled with so much text that it feels more like a book than a comic book. And yet, there is a balancing act with unbelievable double page spreads. Perez must have had a migraine drawing it.

The back half of this issue shows just how dire the situation is for the main Legion, the team brought back by Johns in Action Comics. With death and destruction basically around the corner, Brainiac 5 has to finally give us the promise of the title. We get three Legions.

This series was one of the first I knew that had each issue come with two different covers. I saved this version of #2 for this review given the scene unfolds in this section of the issue. But I love how we see the two 'other' Legions in the swirling smoke of the crystal ball White Witch is using.

It has to be some homage to Justice League of America #21, the first JLA/JSA crossover. There is that crystal ball. And there is the 'other team'.

On to the story.

TreasuryCast #31: Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes

This week the Legion of Super-Bloggers presents 

A Crossover Event for the Ages! 

The Fire and Water Podcast Network presents Treasury Cast! 

A podcast devoted to the greatest comic-book format of all time, the Treasury Edition!

In this episode, Treasury Lover Rob Kelly welcomes Legion Lover Russell Burbage to talk about Limited Collectors' Edition C-49, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #2: Part One

Last week I began my review of Final Crisis Legion of 3 Worlds, a book I fear would break me. The first issue almost did. A dizzying array of inset panels, bulk text, uncertain continuity, and story bloat made it nearly impossible to cover in one review.

And then, like a wish from the Miracle Machine, an answer was provided to me by fellow Legion Blogger Siskoid. Why not take two posts to review one issue of this book? God knows, there is enough story stuffed into these pages to warrant at least that much.

So welcome to Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds # 2 review, part one. I'll finish this issue next Friday.

One of the interesting things for me to do, as I decipher this book, is to try and come to grips with the continuity speed bumps. I didn't read any of the Reboot Legion, the Abnett stuff. I had intimate knowledge of the Threeboot book, still fresh.

But it is the classic Legion, the one brought back by writer Geoff Johns that I struggle with the most. The assumption is that 5YL never happened. The Legion timeline progressed differently from the end of the Baxter Run and the Magic Wars.

Clearly 'stuff' happened between the end of the Magic Wars and the Action Comics storyline which just preceded this. So we are sort of dropped into a fresh, unknown, yet oddly classic timeline. Please get me some ibuprofen!

Johns again puts about three books worth of material into this issue. And that despite having not one but two double page splashes! Poor George Perez. If you thought Crisis On Infinite Earths was a great example of page layouts and panel variation, you ain't seen nothing yet. No surprise, Perez shines here. But I wonder how much wonderful art was covered by the massive dialogue balloons needed to convey the story?

I usually wail against decompression. But this is overstuffing. This would have been a great 9 part mini-series. I wonder if the time alloted was dictated by the main Final Crisis book. And yet, if I recall, the book was delayed badly meaning more actual time and issues could have been devoted here.

Ah well .. what might have been. Onto the half-review!

Final Crisis Legion of Three Worlds #1

Settle in True Believers as I try to make my way through one of the denser issues I have had to review on this site. And remember, I reviewed the early 5YL issues back in the day.

Final Crisis:Legion of Three Worlds #1 was written by Geoff Johns and drawn by George Perez. It was released in late 2008 in conjunction with Grant Morrison's main Final Crisis mini-series and was meant to stabilize and streamline the recent Legion history. Earlier in the year, Johns and Gary Frank brought the original Legion back into continuity, showcasing a very Levitz/Giffen feeling team working with a Superman who was a Legion member in his past.

Now as comic fans, we are used to multiple realities and many universes. But Johns was taking a bit of a risk because that storyline in Action Comics took place while the Threeboot Legion still had a book on the shelves.

Which Legion was 'real'? And more importantly, which Legion was DC going to promote moving forward. It was clear, at least to me, that the Threeboot book was in a decaying orbit, having lost its way a bit. I also felt that giving us back the original Legion felt like  'bringing the band back together' for one more tour. It was doubtful the magic would be there again.

So I had high hopes when The Legion of Three Worlds was announced as I thought it would be a surgical Crisis on Infinite Earths style event, melding the disparate Legion histories into something new, stronger, and hopefully energized. And what better team to do that than Johns, riding on a recent high at DC comics and clearly a lover of the Legion, and Perez who drew COIE and shined when a billion characters needed to be in one series.

Was it a success?

To be honest, I can't say because I don't remember that much of it. What I can say is that reviewing this first issue made me remember that two villains I was and still am a bit fatigued with, The Time Trapper and Superboy Prime, are the main baddies. And that this was as packed an issue as I have read in a while. Between many small inset panels and significant dialogue, this felt like two issues in one. I wonder why DC didn't just make this a 6 issue mini instead of a 5. As such, I felt like Johns put so much into this set-up that I was frazzled at the end.

Enough prologue. Be prepared! Onto the book!

TOS: Superboy #147

Superboy #147 (May 1968)
title: "The Origin of the Legion!"
writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
artist: Pete Costanza
letterer: Ira Schnapp
editor: Mort Weisinger
cover: Curt Swan & Neal Adams
reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl; cameos by Invisible Kid, Superboy, and Supergirl

Guest Star(s): 
R.J. Brande

Opponent:
unnamed assassins

Reboot: Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant #1

Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant #1 (October 1998)
title: "Team Work"

writer: Tom McCraw

penciller: Kevin West

inker: Ray Kryssing
lettering: Kurt Hathaway
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: L.A. Williams
editor: Paul Kupperberg

cover: Steve Lightle
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Saturn Girl, Star Boy

Guests: 
Lori Morning (Dialed identity: Blip)

Opponents: 
Alien blobs

Superboy's Legion #2

Superboy's Legion #2 (2001)
writer: Mark Farmer

penciller: Alan Davis
inker: Mark Farmer

letterer: Pat Prentice
colors/separatists: Richard & Tanya Horie

logo design: John Roshell
editor: Michael McAvennie
cover: Alan Davis & Mark Farmer

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Roll Call (in order of membership): Superboy, Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Colossal Boy, Element Lad, Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, Shadow Lass, Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, Star Boy, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad, Karate Kid

Cameo or Supporting Appearances: RJ Brande

Villains: The Fatal Five, Lex Luthor, and......?

I saw this fantastic cover at a comic convention and grabbed it up without a moment's hesitation. Unfortunately, this scene does not appear in this story. Was it worth it anyway? Read on and find out---!