R.E.B.E.L.S. #13

R.E.B.E.L.S. #13 (April 2010)

title: "Secret Weapons"

writer: Tony Bedard

penciller: Claude St. Aubin

inker: Scott Hanna

colors: Jose Villarrubia 

letters: Travis Lanham
editor: Brian Cunningham
cover: Kalman Andrasofszky

Reviewer: Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Recap: Vril Dox went on the run after Starro the Conqueror took over L.E.G.I.O.N. and put a bounty on his head. He received a message through time from his descendant, Brainiac 5, who warned that there was no record in his era of Vril Dox after this day. To ensure his survival, Brainiac 5 provided him with the complete personnel files of the Legion of Super-Heroes to maximize his chances. Vril Dox then stole a device from one of the mercenaries chasing him that gave him control over the giant beast, Tribulus. He gathered others, including Wildstar, a tracker, former L.E.G.I.O.N. officer Strata, and her companion, Bounder. 

The Dominator homeworld was conquered by Starro, and a Dominator admiral, Xylon, took refuge with Dox. They were joined by Adam Strange, Captain Comet, the deposed dictator Kanjar-Ro, and a Durlan, Captain Ciji, who was sent by the Counsel of Durla to seek his help. Dox then recovered his son, Lyrl, who had been on the run since his mother was killed by L.E.G.I.O.N. robo-troops. Lyrl became possessed by one of Starro's starfish, although one that left him with a greater degree of free will than typical so as not to limit his intelligence, and he adopted the title Brainiac 3. Dox sent everyone on separate missions to retrieve several items, including the shattered pieces of Kanjar-Ro's Gamma Gong and a Gene Bomb from the Dominator homeworld. Dox went on his own mission to retrieve the severed head of Despero. The conqueror still lived and Dox offers to quickly restore his body if he agreed to help them defeat Starro. At the same time, the Omega Men were in Starro's home galaxy, attempting to learn how a now dead race was once able to defeat the starfish beings.

On a dead world in Starro's galaxy, the Omega Men rush to a sacred shrine in search of a venom that was used in the distant past to kill Starro's race.

Psion scientists offer Dox the use of their facilities if it will help in the defeat of Starro. He learns of the mission they have sent the Omega Men on and of the genetically altered Starros they wore to disguise their presence. Their discussion is interrupted by Despero, who demands that Dox fulfill their agreement and restore his body. Despero is soon restored and Dox shows him the weapon he created using the items they retrieved last issue.

Dox's son, Brainiac 3, has gathered Starro's forces to hear their master's orders. Starro explains that their next target is Earth and he sends Astrild Storm-Daughter as his advanced scout. General Smite will command his fleet while Brainiac 3 coordinates their attack from their base. While Starro goes to prepare, Brainiac 3 sends Smite through a portal so he can join the fleet.

Instead of the fleet, Brainiac 3 has takes them both to a private location to chat away from Starro. He tells Smite that he knows he is most likely to attempt to overthrow Starro and offers his help. Brainiac 3 has determined that his father's most likely method of attacking Starro, and that it will likely succeed if Smite simply lets it happen. He agrees to let Smite have Starro's army, known as the horde, as his own interests lie elsewhere. Smite rejoins the fleet and the story turns to Dox, who is meeting with his own forces.

Dox attacks his son, but Brainiac 3 is able to subdue his father long enough to explain that he knows of his plan. He cautions his father that he will get the chance to test his new weapon in about three minutes and Dox is returned to his ship to warn everyone that Starro will be joining them shortly.

Starro finishes his preparations and is ready to enter the portal to join his horde. He is suspicious of Brainiac 3, but remains unaware of his deception and goes through the portal.

Well, I guess letting his elite guard maintain more free will than usual turned out to be a big mistake by Starro. Lyrl certainly has his free will intact and Smite appeared to have no problem with betraying Starro. I enjoyed this issue and easily accepted the idea that Lyrl could be immune to Starro's control, but I was a bit skeptical at Smite being so easily swayed. After all, if it is that easy to turn one of Starro's elite guards against him, it makes me question how Starro could have successfully conquered an entire galaxy. 

In any event, it is fun to see Lyrl back to his old self. Fans of the prior R.E.B.E.L.S. series will recall that it was an infant Lyrl's overthrow of L.E.G.I.O.N. that served as the underlying premise for that series. At its conclusion, Dox effectively lobotomized his son to return his intellect to that of a normal child in hopes that he could have a more normal life. The effects of that seem to have warn off, and it appears very unlikely that Lyrl is helping his father out of any sense of moral duty. 

Although the last few issues did a good job of showcasing the rest of the cast, most of them stayed in the background here so the focus could return to Dox and his son. The one exception was the Omega Men, who have likely discovered the real key to defeating Starro. Dox may have his weapon, but I doubt the Omega Men spent so many issues in another galaxy so they could return to find Starro already destroyed. I was not a big fan of the Omega Men's presence early on, but they have continued to grow on me and I am glad they stuck around.

Everything about this issue suggests that the main storyline of Starro's invasion is about to draw to a close. Even though we are thirteen issues in, it has never felt drawn out or dull. Bedard is doing an an excellent job of keeping things interesting and juggling a huge cast. Please join me next week as we very likely get to see Dox's weapon fail and the return of the Omega Men!