Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76 (April 1964)
title: Elastic Lad Jimmy and his Legion Romances
writer: Jerry Siegel
artist: John Forte
cover: Curt Swan and George Klein
editor: Mort Weisinger

Supporting Cast
Lucy Lane


Mission Monitor Board
Light Lass, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Triplicate Girl, and Ultra Boy

Opponents
I am not sure...Lucy? The female Legionnaires? 

Bombshells United #4-5

Bombshells United #4-5:
American Soil Part 7-Conclusions
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artists: David Hahn, Pasquale Qualano, Siya Oum, Marcelo DiChiara
Colorist: J. Nanjan
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Cover Artists: Terry & Rachel Dodson, Emanuela Luppachino & Laura Martin
Editors: Kristy Quinn and Jessica Chen

So I was not aware ahead of time that this is the conclusion of the American Soil storyline. Once again I decided to combine the reviews for issues 4 and 5 since the physical Bombshells comics have been coming out so quickly.

The bulk of the story still focuses on Donna Troy and the Wonder Girls, but while Dawny's role isn't as big as Donna's, it's still pretty substantial and sets up possibilities for Dawny's place further in the series. From what I've seen on tumblr, she's definitely got a role to play after this story ends.

My final thoughts on this aren't as deep as the previous two issues. This was a straightforward ending but I think it lost a little steam, if only because of the art. I still enjoyed it and Bombshells remains one of the few DC titles to have kept my interest while Rebirth has kind of... languished, for lack of a better word.

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #9

Thanks for joining me for my re-review of the New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes. It has been fun for me to revisit this series, if only to contrast current thoughts to what I was thinking then.

For example, Legion of Super-Heroes #9. In re-reading this book, I can say that I enjoyed the semi-spotlight on Dream Girl. I liked the group shot at the end. I liked the slow progress of the Dominator plot. But I don't know if I liked it as much as I did in the original review. It is clear, rereading these reviews, that I am aching for a great Legion book. I keep talking about how I keep thinking the book is on the verge of something. That things are simmering and boiling. 

I don't know. I don't know if we ever get to the fantastic stuff I was looking for.

All that said, Francis Portela is just lights out in this book. The art is brilliant.

Reboot: Legionnaires #50

Legionnaires #50 (July 1997)
title: "The Bride of Mordru"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inkers: W.C. Carani and Philip Moy
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson
adult legionnaires: Joe Edkin and Carmela Merlo

cover: Adam Hughes
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Chameleon, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Magno, Sensor, Star Boy, Umbra, Violet, XS; in flashback: Apparition, Cosmic Boy, Leviathan, Spark, Triad

Guests: 
Andromeda, Atom'X (in flashback), Dragonmage, Fleet Admiral Everett, General Hol, Mysa, R.J. Brande, Uncanny Amazers (Kid Quantum II, Monstress), Workforce (Blast-Off, Particon, Radion); medical staff, mystics (in flashback), ship crew

Opponents: 
Emerald Eye of Ekron, Mordru; in flashback: Micro Lad

Who's Who: Dr. Mantis Morlo

Dr. Mantis Morlo
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mantis Morlo

Super-Power(s): SCIENCE!
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain

TOS: Adventure Comics #318

Adventure Comics #318 (March 1964)
title: "The Mutiny of the Legionnaires!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Star Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, Triplicate Girl; cameos of Superboy and Mon-El

Opponents: 
space fatigue; cameo of the Time Trapper

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #5

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #5 (October 2007)

title: Lightning Strikes

writer:J. Torres

art: Alex Serra

colors: Heroic Age

letterer: Travis Lanham

editor: Jeanine Schaefer

cover: Steve Uy

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, Superman, Timber Wolf, Triplicate Girl.


Villain: Emerald Empress

Summary: Brainiac 5 is testing Superman's abilities and most of the team is impressed, except of course for Lightning Lad.

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #8

The New 52 Legion continues to baffle me as a run because it seems to take 2 steps forward and then 2.5 steps back. The series as a whole has been hit or miss. There have been interesting subplots introduced followed by weird rest issues followed by side missions. Each story has had their ups and downs. Interestingly enough, I enjoyed last issue more on this review reread than I did the first time I read it. And I actually was thinking maybe I had wrongly labeled the New 52 series as being underwhelming. Maybe the passage of time would make me rethink things.

Then I reread Legion #8, reviewed here, and remembered how the engine of this book always seemed to be sputtering. One of the things that Paul Levitz did well, when at the height of his Legion power, was juggle the huge cast. Those stories and issues flowed well. There was always a big plot chugging along with some subplots. And occasionally there was a solo or spotlight issue but because momentum was moving forward they didn't feel awkward.

Here, after giving us a good 2 parter focusing on Dragonwind and setting up some plots, we get another offshoot issue. We get an Invisible Kid solo story with new villains who he shouldn't be able to defeat but he does. Then we get a founders' story, always a nice touch. 

But when these two stories, sort of unnecessary to the main proceedings come out of nowhere, it feels jarring. And that I remember was my big complaint with this title as a whole. There was no flow. The subplot of creating a New Fatal Five would have unspooled in one page teases for years in the old days, slowly grabbing the spotlight. Here Levitz sort of hammers it into place.

The art by Steve Lightle and Yildiray Cinar is very nice. And I never mind seeing Night Girl. But other than that ... well, I'll let you read my 2011 review ...

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #93

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #93 (June 1997)
title: "Knight Shift"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

penciller: Michael Collins

inkers: Drew Geraci and Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests:
Dr. Welles, Ferro, Inferno, Ingot, Koko, Shvaughn Erin, de-aged seniors, Doc 30's patients, hospital staff

Opponents: 
Doc 30, Fangg, Kritter, Psych, Rockslide, Taser

Who's Who: Dr. Mayavale

Dr. Mayavale
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mayavale

Super-Power(s): Super-creepiness? But seriously, incarnation awareness and access to all manner of technology, including 6 additional synthetic arms
Planet of Origin: Avatanda

Relationship to Legion: Villain