Reboot: The Legion #3

The Legion #3 (February 2002)
title: "Legion World"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon
seps for Guide: Richard and Tanya Horie

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel and Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Gear, Kid Quantum, Invisible Kid, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, Wildfire; in Guide to the DC Universe 2001-2002 Secret Files and Origins only: Star Boy, XS; cameos in both: Apparition, Ferro, Gates, Karate Kid

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, R.J. Brande; in Guide only: Trudy Trusoe

Opponents: 
Interdimensional wyrms, Leland McCauley/Ra's al Ghul, Lightning Lord, Mr. Venge; in Guide only: Abyss, Brainstorm, Repulse, Robotica, Twine

Who's Who: Ambassador Yeasmir

Ambassador Yeasmir
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Yeasmir

Super-Power(s): Teleportation, Super-negotiations
Planet of Origin: Gil'Dishpan

Relationship to Legion: Ally

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #13

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #13 (March 1990)
title: "Deceptions"
script: Alan Grant/Barry Kitson (Co-plot)
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gasper Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Art Young
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane


Recap: After being raped and murdered by Stealth, Vril Dox was successfully cloned with his original memories intact. Upon seeing how well Lyrissa had been doing in organizing and strengthening L.E.G.I.O.N., he told her he planned to let her maintain control. He was also confronted by Stealth, who had returned to normal and been accepted back on the team by everyone. When she told him that she was pregnant, he insisted that the only logical option was for her to have an abortion, which she angrily rejected. Meanwhile, Garryn Beck was leading a mission into deep space and encountered a strange emerald eye. It somehow imprinted itself onto Bek's mind and reacted instinctively to his thoughts, even when he was sleeping. The situation spiraled out of control until every crewman that had accompanied him was dead.

Karate Kid #13

Karate Kid #13 
"Tomorrow's Battle....Yesterday!"
script by Bob Rozakis
art by Juan Ortiz and Bob McLeod
lettered by Milt Snapinn
colored by Anthony Tollin
edited by Al Milgrom
cover by Rich Buckler (penciller) and Bob McLeod (inker)
cover date: Apr/May 1978
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

This issue picks up directly from where we ended last issue, which if you are paying attention means that poor old Karate Kid hasn't had a break in three issues! If you recall, *last* issue picked up directly from where #11 ended, and that was when Karate Kid time-bubbled himself back to 1977 and was promptly snatched up by Major Disaster and his secret ally! So Karate Kid's current adventure has been continuing for more than three issues without a break!

If you're just now joining us in the time stream, though, Karate Kid has somehow found himself back in Superboy's Smallville. Although he is confused about the whys and wherefores, he believes that he is facing off against a fake Superboy. As the victim of Major Disaster's manipulations more times than we care to count, the Kid thinks that the Superboy he faced last issue and is currently wrestling with when this issue opens is either a. a robot or b. a replica of some sort. (What, no thought that he might be an alternate universe Superboy?) Suddenly added to the mix: a Legion of Super-Heroes mission team who does not recognize Karate Kid as a member! He therefore thinks that they, too, are fakes. And that is all you need to know....!

Who Drew It Better: Tales vs Baxter #11-15

By Siskoid and Russell
Continuing our series comparing the covers of the Baxter version of The Legion of Super-Heroes (volume 3) and their reprints approximately one year later in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The stories inside were exactly the same, but each issue had a unique cover.

So we bring up the age-old question: Who drew the better cover?

Reboot: The Legion #2

The Legion #2 (January 2002)
title: "Fight or Flight"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Olivier Coipel
inker: Andy Lanning
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Tom McCraw
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Mike McAvennie

cover: Olivier Coipel and Andy Lanning
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy (silhouette, presumably), Kid Quantum, Invisible Kid (behind the scenes), M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Shikari, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Wildfire

Guests: 
Chuck Taine (behind the scenes), Science Police

Opponents: 
Abyss, Amelia Crugg (corpse), Brainstorm, Leland McCauley (corpse and impostor), Mr. Venge, Repulse, Twine

Who's Who: U.P. Ambassador Relnic

U.P. Ambassador Relnic
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Anton Relnic

Super-Power(s): None
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Ally

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #12

L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 #12 (February 1990)
title: "Alone Again, or..."
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gasper Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Art Young
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane


Recap: Vril Dox successfully conquered the Planet Cairn, overthrowing the drug lords that ruled it, and uniting the police force into his own army, before being murdered by Stealth. She was apparently "in heat" as is typical of her race. Meanwhile, Garryn Bek and his wife successfully cloned Dox and brought him back to life with his memories intact. After he defeated an angry Lobo, he resumed control of l.E.G.I.O.N. but left most of its day-to-day handling up to Lyrissa.

LEGION TOYS: Lightning Lad (DC Direct 2001)

One of the 3 founding members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, instrumental in helping two other super powered teenagers foil the assassination of philanthropist R.J. Brande! Born on the agricultural world of Winath! Empowered with the electrical energy of the lightning beasts of planet Korbal!  The man who fought the Super Moby-Dick of space and lived to tell the tale, Garth Ranzz a.k.a. Lightning Lad!

'Fridays With Anj' Sabbatical

Since the inception of this blog, I have manned Fridays.

From 5YL to the Threeboot to the New 52 titles to the later newsstand Levitz/Giffen issues to mini-series and now the rebooted Adventure Comics, I have been there doing my breakdowns and reviews.

And throughout I have had a truly fantastic time. It has been great to reread these books and put together critiques. It has been great to interact with so many Legion fans.

I truly believe, despite blogging for over ten years about comics, I honestly feel that my breakdowns of the 5YL issues is my high point of reviews.

Unfortunately, every so often, life comes at you hard and fast.

I am in a sort of tumultuous time in my life and I need to sort of pare down on stuff so I can concentrate on keeping myself together.

So, for the time being, I am going to have to step away from this blog for a little bit.

NOT FOREVER!

I have made too many friends and love doing this too much to walk away for good.

But until things calm down a bit, I'll be here as a reader and not a writer.

Thanks to everyone who read my long reviews and left a comment.

And with a new book around the corner, there is no better time to be a Legion fan.

Long Live The Legion!

Talk to you all soon!