L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #5

L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #5 (June 1989)
title: "The Secret Diary of Garryn Bek"
plot/breakdowns: Keith Giffen
script: Alan Grant
penciller: Barry Kitson
inker: Mark McKenna
letterer: Gaspar
colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
assistant editor: Art Young
editor: Karen Berger
cover art: Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon

Future L.E.G.I.O.N.airres: The Durlan, Garryn Bek, Lobo, Lyrissa Mallor, Stealth, Strata, Vril Dox.

Their Opponent: 

Recap: After escaping from the Starlog prison, Vril Dox tricked his companions into helping to free his people from the Computer Tyrants of Colu. Disgusted with Dox's manipulation, Lyrissa Mallor and Garryn Bek depart the planet, but Bek's poor piloting results in him striking and killing a space dolphin. Lyrissa realizes that the space dolphins share a special bond with the intergalactic bounty hunter, Lobo, and is aware of the danger this places them in. They return to Colu to seek Vril Dox's help against Lobo. However, when Lobo arrives at Colu to seek revenge, he appears able to easily defeat our heroes. In fact, he is on the brink of defeating them when Vril makes him an offer.


Garryn Bek is pissed off to discover that Dox has made a deal with the homicidal Lobo. Dox, on the other hand, cannot understand why this isn't the best result since Lobo was out to kill Bek & there were not any other alternatives to stopping him.

The Durlan confronts Dox about his plans, which we have yet to learn, but Bek realizes that they are headed for his home planet of Cairn. He seeks out Lyrissa, who cannot understand why he isn't relieved, but before he can explain his concerns, Dox shows up in a new outfit.

Dox gives a briefing to everyone explaining that Cairn is a drug world and that he is planning to give a massive boost to their police force (of which Bek used to be a part of). Bek is skeptical but everyone else is on board, even if they are surprised that Dox has already sent Lobo to kill the head drug Lord, Kanis-Biz.

Appalled at Dox's plan, they depart to stop Lobo, although the motivations among the team are mixed. Most of them appear to have their hearts in the right place, trying to prevent a murder, even if they do sympathize with Dox's goals, but they are all surprised when they arrive and discover that Biz is Bek's father! Or is he? Well, no, he is actually his son-in-law, which we learn shortly.

Dox & Lobo implement their attack while Biz entertains his son-in-law and his guests. Everyone is uncomfortable but decides to wait until Lobo's attack to defend Biz.  Unfortunately, they are unaware that Dox has another new plan!

Commentary: Ah, now we get some big signs as to Dox's plans. The uniform is obviously a big clue, and the first real sign that we will be getting some sort of an organization called the L.E.G.I.O.N. It is obvious our main cast will play an important role down the road since they are our main cast after all, but I do like that it is very difficult to predict how at this point since they seem to be more obstacles than players.

The main focus of the series continues to be the manipulative Vril Dox but the secondary characters have started to play a bigger role, and not just Lyrissa and Bek, but also Strata and Stealth. This issue is mostly build up for what is going to happen but that is the case for many of the early issues of L.E.G.I.O.N. What is important are the increasing glimpses of characterization we get of everyone, which has been fairly limited to Dox and Lyrissa up until now. Together with the first signs of Dox forming some sort of larger, paramilitary force, we are finally getting some hints as to what this series will become.

Things are moving fairly quickly now so we are not able to dig too deeply into the characters or the story, although we have gotten familiar with at least Dox to the point that we do not trust him. He obviously has a larger plan, or many larger plans, and remains a few steps ahead of everyone else. Things will clear pretty soon though.

So where will Dox's new plan lead? We will find out next issue!