Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #119

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #119 (September 1999)
title: "Eat the Poor"

writers: Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer

penciller: Scott Kolins

inker: Ray Kryssing
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Phil Jimenez

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition/Phase, Brainiac 5.1, Karate Kid, Live Wire, M'Onel/Valor, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests: 
Captain Comet, Gear, Koko, Lobo (cameo), Stealth, Strata (cameo), Vril Dox; game avatars (not true appearances): Batman, Deadman, Demon, Doctor Fate, Enchanteress, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Phantom Stranger, Sentinel, Spectre, Superman, Wonder Woman; cover only: Garryn Bek, Lady Quark, Lyrissa Mallor

Opponents: 
Bishop Lokke, Bishop Lode, demons (game avatars), Emerald Eye of Ekron (cover only)

Who's Who: Psycho-Warrior

Psycho-Warrior
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Rejik Thomak

Super-Power(s): Access to all sorts of technology
Planet of Origin: Bunyon's World

Relationship to Legion: Villain

TOS: Adventure Comics #376

Adventure Comics #376 (January 1969)
title: "The Execution of Chameleon Boy!"

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Win Mortimer

letterer: Gasper Saladino

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan, Carmine Infantino, and Neal Adams

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: Chameleon Boy. Cameos by Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Superboy, Supergirl, and Ultra Boy.

The Write Stuff: Back To The Future Pt 1

By BITS BOY
In our series on comic magazines which featured articles on the Legion, one title was conspiciously absent: BACK ISSUE!, the fine fan publication produced by TwoMorrows and edited by fervent Legion fan Michael Eury. Starting with this post, we will review all the BACK ISSUE! issues that featured Legion content.

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!

Reboot: Legionnaires #75

Legionnaires #75 (September 1999)
title: "Tyrants Three"

writer: Tom Peyer

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inker: W.C. Carani
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Chris Sprouse and Al Gordon

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Cosmic Boy, Invisible Kid, Live Wire, Saturn Girl, Spark

Guests: 
Sener Cul; Wellurians

Opponents: 
King Kradok; advisor and guards

Who's Who: Prophet

Prophet
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Father Sven Kalikos

Super-Power(s): Invulnerability, flight, solar blasts
Planet of Origin: Trewsk

Relationship to Legion: Antagonist

TOS: Adventure Comics #375

Adventure Comics #375 (December 1968)

title: King of the Legion!

writer and layouts: Jim Shooter

artist: Win Mortimer

letterer: Joe Letters

editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Neal Adams

reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board: the twelve contestants:  Karate Kid, Ultra Boy, Sun Boy, Chemical King, Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy, Superboy, Brainiac 5, Timber Wolf, Bouncing Boy, Mon-El, Element Lad; cameo appearances by Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Duo Damsel, Invisible Kid, Light Lass, Lightning Lad, Matter Eater Lad, Phantom Girl, Princess Projectra, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Starboy, and Supergirl

Opponents: The Wanderers - Celebrand, Elvo, Dartlag, Immorto, Ornitho, Psyche, and Quantum Queen.

Karate Kid #6

Karate Kid #6 
"Showdown With Commander Blud!"
script by David Michelinie writing as Barry Jameson
art by Ric Estrada and Joe Staton
edited by Denny O'Neil
cover by Ernie Chan (penciller) and Mike Grell (inker)
cover date: Feb/March 1977
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

Here we are again folks, slumming in 1977 New York City with a few members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. According to the cover (again by Ernie Chan and Mike Grell instead of Grell solo) Karate Kid has been "driven WILD, the Kid stalks friend and foe ALIKE!" It would have been nice if the Legion had appeared on the cover, too, cuz, you know, the Kid kicking Commander Blud in the face as illustrated here is just not that dynamic. Plus the lack of any background at all doesn't make this one of the better covers.

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.