Who's Who: Thrust

 

Thrust
by Siskoid

Real Name: Unknown

Super-Power(s): Power duplication, rad skater skillz
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Ally of Timber Wolf in 20th Century

Welcome to the Silver Age!

When people talk about "the Golden Age" of The Legion, some of us don't agree when that actually is. For some, it's the Renaissance due to Dave Cockrum in the early Seventies. For others, it's the Paul Levitz-Keith Giffen era in the mid-Eighties. And for some, it's the Keith Giffen "Five Years Later" series at the end of the Eighties.

That being said, EVERY Legion fan knows what we mean when we refer to "the Silver Age."

Memorial Day 2017

Memorial Day is a day in the US on which those who died in active military service are remembered. It began as a type of catharsis after the US Civil War, which ended in April 1865. Memorial Day became a national holiday in 1971. 

In the 30th and 31st Century, the Legion has had several members fall while on active service. Today, we honor them. 

Review: Legion of Super-Heroes #302

Legion of Super-Heroes #302 came out in May of 1983 and was another smashing chapter in the incredible run by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, and Larry Mahlstadt. As I said when I started this lastest run of Legion reviews, Levitz and Giffen are firing on all pistons during this run and this issue is a perfect example.

The main story is a battle between Lightning Lad and Lightning Lord. But there is more than just a 'we hate each other, let's fight' plot line here. This is a story that is built on Legion history and more current events. And it also is one of those stories that carries forward from this issue as the Ranzz story here is continued and even more emphasized in the early issues of the Baxter series.

But as usual, there are multiple subplots bubbling through as well. Timber Wolf is still pining for Ayla.  Supergirl, Brainiac 5 and an away team have been lured to Weber's World where another villain is waiting. Element Lad is heading to Imsk to investigate a mystery eating away at the Legion from the inside. And, oh by the way, the main team is still trying to reshape the planet Daxam from a bust of Darkseid back into a planet.

Despite all those arcs, Levitz and Giffen effortlessly showcase them all without the book seeming unwieldy and without giving any one arc short shrift. It is amazing and it showed how a team could embrace all of the Legion universe and not be intimidated or lessened by it.

Add to that Giffen and Mahlstadt's stylish and innovative art, and this book is almost a primer for the run as a whole. So let's dive in.

Reboot: Legionnaires Annual #3

Legionnaires Annual #3 (1996)
title: "The Long Road Home"

writer: Roger Stern

pencillers: Tony Castrillo, Chuck Wozkiewicz, Dan Jurgens
inkers: John Lowe, Don Hillsman, Dexter Vines, Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau, Albert DeGuzman
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Ruben Diaz
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis and Mark Farmer
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
XS; (in flashback: Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl)

Guests: 
Atom I, Avatar, Behemoth, Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, Donna Troy (as Darkstar), Flash I, Flash II, Flash (John Fox), Green Lantern I, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Hourman I, Liri Lee, Metalicca, Rip Hunter, Starman I, Superman, Ultra-Man, Waverider, Wildcat; (in flashback: Flash III, Impulse, Iris West, Jesse Quick, Max Mercury); citizens of the future

Opponents: 
Lord Nevlor (behind the scenes); Nevlor's versions of Avatar, Behemoth, Metalicca and Ultra-Man; Protectors, Time Trapper

Who's Who: New Earth

 

New Earth
by Siskoid

Place: New Earth

Relationship to Legion: New home of the SW6 Legion

TOS: Superman Annual #4 (1961)

Take a look at this two-page profile of the Legion from Superman Annual #4 (1961). 

This illustration by Curt Swan and George Klein appeared before the Legion received their series in Adventure Comics #300, which was cover-dated September 1962. 

I can't help but wonder if features like this helped build up interest in the group.  

Please notice that the text says that the Legion exists in the 21st Century! Also, note that Star Boy is not featured, even though he made his debut in Adventure Comics #282 in March 1961. Ultra Boy is also absent, as he made his debut in Superboy #98 cover-dated July 1962.

Jimmy Olsen, Elastic Lad

Jimmy Olsen. Office boy. Cub reporter. Photographer. Superman's Pal. Man of Action. Honorary member of the Legion of Superheroes. Created at a time when youthful companions were common in superhero comics, Jimmy has never been just a sidekick. Rather than merely accompanying Superman on adventures, Jimmy has been both coworker and friend to Clark Kent. He is a member of that supporting cast at the Daily Planet that has followed Superman into cartoons, television shows, and films. In many ways, he may seem an anachronism to modern comic readers, even silly. But while he remains an important part of the Superman world, it is hard for modern readers to understand how important a character he used to be in his own right.

Review: Legion of Super-Heroes #301

Hello everyone! It's Anj and as usual, I am occupying the Friday post on the blog. Today is a special day because I will be beginning my set of reviews of the post-300 Legion issues by the superstar team of Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen. For many, this run is the high water mark for these characters and I am in that camp. The team came out swinging with the Great Darkness Saga and that stands out as the best story in their run. But for me, it is this next year of issues that really shows how in control of these characters Levitz and Giffen were. This was a time when multiple plotlines were simmering in the background. Characters were changing and growing. And everything just seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Everyone mentions Great Darkness Saga, but I mention issues 304 and 305 as my overall faves as they showed just how deep the plots ran and just how vast the Legion mythos was.

Obviously, we will start with Legion of Super-Heroes #301, a story that focuses mainly on Chameleon Boy, his quest to regain his powers, and his somewhat turbulent relationship with his father RJ Brande. But the creators, as usual, give us a couple of pages to build up other plotlines and check in on other characters. No one is left untouched for too long.Everything feels smooth and planned out.

And, while Giffen has changed his art style many times over the years, this is the style I like the most, a very smooth, very organic feel with innovative panel layouts. While I loved the 5YL 9 panel grid for what it was, these pages really sing and allow Giffen to stretch his legs.

Okay, enough introduction to the run ... on to the issue itself.

Reboot: Showcase '96 #8

Showcase '96 #8 (September 1996)
title: "Assassination Agenda"

writer: Tom McCraw

penciller: Humberto Flores
inker: John Lowe
lettering: Chris Eliopoulos
colorist: Tom McCraw

editor: Mike McAvennie

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Gates, Leviathan, XS

Guests: 
D'Ned, High Chancellor Pen'Ta, Officer D'Rnn, Vice Chancellor T'Jark

Opponents: 
Holdur, N'Cia, Quicksand