Reboot: The Legion #25

The Legion #25 (December 2003)
title: "Foundations"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

pencillers: Chris Batista, Eric Wight, Tony Harris, Dave Cockrum, Al Milgrom, Paul Rivoche
inkers: Robin Riggs, Chip Wallace, Doug Hazelwood
lettering: Comicraft
colorists: Jason Wright, Eric Wight, Tom Feister, Paul Rivoche
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Stephen Wacker

cover: Tony Harris and Tom Feister

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon (flashback), Cosmic Boy, Element Lad (memorial), Gear, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, M'Onel (cover only), Monstress (flashback), Saturn Girl, Sensor (cover only), Shikari, Spark, Star Boy (cover only), Triad, Violet (flashback), Wildfire, XS

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Clark Kent, Lana Lang, Legion Cadets (21, most unnamed except for Amp Girl, Babbage, and Retro; also recognizable are Kent Shakespeare and Comet Queen, possibly Stone Boy and Color Kid), Mekt Ranzz, Mekt's prison psychologist (flashback), Pete Ross, Wimena Wazzo; Presidential yacht's crew, Science Police

Opponents: 
Convict in the cell next to Mekt's (flashback), Lightning Beasts (flashback), Servants of Darkness, Warp Phantoms

Imperial Guard #14

The Imperial Guard #14 (October, 1977)
title: "Where No X-Man Has Gone Before!"
writer: Chris Claremont
penciller: Dave Cockrum
inker: Dan Green
colorist: Andy Yanchus
letterer: Joe Rosen
editor: Archie Goodwin
covers: Dave Cockrum, Art Adams (variant)

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board: 
Astra, Electron, Fang, Gladiator, Hobgoblin, Impulse, Midget, Nightside, Magique, Mentor, Oracle, Quasar, Starbolt, Smasher, Tempest, Titan

Guest Star(s):
Majestor D'Ken, Eric the Red

Opponent:
Majestrix Lilandra, alien groups The Ex-Men and the Fatal Four

Who Drew It Better? Tales vs. Baxter #16-19

By Siskoid and Russell
Continuing our comparison of the covers to the Baxter version of The Legion (volume 3) and their reprints approximately one year later in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The stories were exactly the same, but each issue had a brand new cover. So we go back to the age-old question: Who drew the better cover?

Reboot: The Legion #24

The Legion #24 (November 2003)
title: "After Dark"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

artist: Steve Lightle
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Stephen Wacker

cover: Steve Lightle
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Kid Quantum II, Umbra

Guests: 
Kwai guide, Science Police, Shadow Maven

Opponents: 
Grev Mallor/The Shadow

Recap: 
While lost in another galaxy, Umbra mysteriously lost her powers. When the Legion returned, she left for her homeworld of Talok VIII to deal with the issue...

L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #30

L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #30 (August 1991)
title: "Welcome to the War!"
plot: Alan Grant & Barry Kitson
writer: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Barry Kitson
letterer: Gaspar Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Dan Raspler
cover art: Adam Kubert
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: The L.E.G.I.O.N. successfully captured a doomsday device being built by the Khunds to use in their war against the Dominion. It turned out that there was a flaw in the device, but Dox kept that to himself and used it to force the Dominion and Khunds to stop using free worlds in their war. Stealth continued her exile and gave birth to a son, but the experience almost killed her. Dox sent Lobo to deal with some smugglers and freed Lydea Mallor from the brainwashing that led her to kill her mother, Lyrissa Mallor. He then asked Phase to take over for Lyrissa as his second-in-command. She was shocked at the offer since she believed Dox resented her for the Durlan's disappearance, but she did accept.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #9: The Return of ----!?!

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber has been consistently considered one of the funniest comics DC's released in years and it's a much needed breath of fresh air among the company's deluge of dour books.

I, unfortunately, haven't paid much attention to the Jimmy Olsen maxi-series despite my friend Alec's approval of how hilarious it's supposed to be. It simply hasn't flown onto my radar lately and my store's frequently selling out of the new issues.

I recently pulled the ninth issue upon remembering it boasted the surprise return of a beloved minor Legion character who hasn't been seen in over a decade.

Not Rainbow Girl.

Not Miss Terious.

Certainly not Unknown Boy.

It's ARM-FALL-OFF BOY!

Reboot: The Legion #23

The Legion #23 (October 2003)
title: "Dream Crime: Part Five"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Chris Batista
inker: Mark Farmer
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Stephen Wacker

cover: Tony Harris and Tom Feister

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Gates, Gear, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum II, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Spark, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, Wildfire, XS

Guests: 
Aven, Cub Nah, Dr. Gym'll, Dreamer, Kinetix,Pasgassi-Master; visions: R.J. Brande, Shvaughn Erin, Tenzil Kem

Opponents: 
Universo

L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #29

L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #29 (July 1991)
title: "Traffic In, Traffic Out"
plot: Alan Grant & Barry Kitson
writer: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Barry Kitson
letterer: Gaspar Saladino
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
editor: Dan Raspler
cover art: Barry Kitson & Lovern Kindzierski
review by: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: After the death of Lyrissa Mallor, Dox turned his attention to the Khundian Empire and learned that they were using a captured scientist to build a Doomsday weapon. The team successfully captured both the design plans and the weapon, but the captured scientist was killed. Dox then staffed the doomsday device with a crew from the planet Ogen and placed it in a location where it could strike at either Khundia or the Dominion if they tried to involve any more free worlds in their war. Meanwhile, Stealth continued her self-imposed exile. The birth of her child virtually tore her body apart, but the remains formed a cocoon from which she emerged in a new body. We learned that her violent attack on Dox is the natural manner for her race to reproduce and the men usually do not survive. We also learned that the women usually do not survive giving birth, but Stealth is revealed to be a mutant of her species. The child she delivered is a son and his physical appearances matches his father, Vril Dox.

The Brave And The Bold #198

The Brave And The Bold #198 
"Terrorists of the Heart!"
written by Mike W. Barr
pencilled by Chuck Patton
inked by Rick Hoberg
lettered by Todd Klein
colored by Adrienne Roy
edited by Len Wein
cover by Jim Aparo
cover date: May 1983
review by Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage
dedicated affectionately to Glenn "Continuity Kid" Walker

The last time we saw Karate Kid in a solo adventure he was leaving 1978 to head back into the future. He was desperate to try to cure Iris Jacobs, who had been transformed by Major Disaster and the Lord of Time into Diamondeth.

As we saw in several issues of Legion of Super-Heroes, he was successful in not only reaching the future but also in curing Iris.

However, we did not ever see another solo Karate Kid adventure, or any Karate Kid-centric Legion story that wrapped up his "banished into the past" story-line. Specifically, the confrontation between him, Princess Projectra, and her father, King Voxv, was never shown; that would have been a hugely dramatic scene that all Legion fans at the time were hoping for! Therefore we have no choice but to  imagine how Karate Kid and Projectra must have convinced His Majesty that this Earthling "peasant" was somehow worthy of marrying his daughter. Unfortunately, none of the Legion writers between 1978 and 1983 deemed that family drama worth sharing.

Then, in the winter of 1983, Karate Kid suddenly showed up on the newsstands again! This time he was a co-star with Batman in The Brave and The Bold....the only Legionnaire besides Superboy and Supergirl so honored! This was the last time Val Armorr ever got co-star billing in pre-Crisis continuity. So...what kind of conclusion do we get for Karate Kid? Let's find out!

Reboot: The Legion #22

The Legion #22 (September 2002)
title: "Dream Crime: Part Four"

writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

penciller: Chris Batista
inker: Mark Farmer
lettering: Comicraft
colorist: Jason Wright
seps: Digital Chameleon

editor: Stephen Wacker

cover: Tony Harris and Tom Feister

reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:  
Apparition, Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Ferro, Gates, Gear, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum II, M'Onel, Saturn Girl, Sensor, Shikari, Spark, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, Triad, Ultra Boy, Umbra, Violet, Wildfire, XS

Guests: 
Chuck Taine, Dreamer, Kinetix, Pasgassi-Master

Opponents: 
Universo