Continuing the series where we spotlight the features that appeared at the beginning of each issue of the mini-series Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes (1988). In issue #6 the series featured an in-depth tour of Metropolis...."The Wonders of Metropolis" hosted by Oli-3 Queen.
We are now in the home-stretch of the Who's Who in the Legion series, and to be brutally honest, it feels like it. Maybe it's me; I was never a "world maker" in any role-playing game or got any interest in things like maps of the kingdom of Nordor (that's a thing, right?) So maybe I'm not the intended audience for 11 pages of geographic scenes.
That being said, artists Grant Miehm and Arne Starr do a capable job of keeping things interesting. I flipped through the pages when I first got this and was mildly entertained. The dolphin fish at the Interplanetary Zoo and the Legion Academy group photo always catch my eye when I look at this issue.
However, when I take the time to re-read the texts, there are a few questions. First and foremost, Metropolis expanded from its original site in Delaware (according to AWODCC #14) to include all of New York and most of Massachusetts?!? I would have liked to have read some of THAT history. I'm not from the US East Coast, but I wonder if some of the Legion fans who ARE might have something to say about this.
Also, randomly.... does someone have to alter the Avenue of Heroes whenever there is a change in the Legion ranks? How about uniform changes? Cosmic Boy is still shown in this illustration, but he was not then a member. Nor was Duo Damsel, who is NOT shown.
At the Zoo, there are muta-genically altered Earth tigbras!?! Looking at the illustration they appear to be a mix of tigers and zebras. And they are trained to do shows?! For shame, 30th Century!
All the restaurants are located at Restaurant Row? That seems odd.
According to the map on page one, Metropolis Spaceport is located close to Springfield, Massachusetts. Why in the world would it be located there?!
Lastly, this issue's cover is probably my favorite. It looks like it was pencilled by Jim Valentino and inked by the incomparable George Perez. I love that all of the Legionnaires are there (as far as I can remember, haha). The only complaint I have (come on, you knew I had one) is that on the back cover under Star Boy the horizon seems to disappear. Is the grid supposed to represent something, or is this a bit that the artists forgot? Not sure, but whenever I notice it it pulls me out of the piece.
"Open" the pages to see them at Colossal Boy size!
It does say Restaurant Row is where the finest are, not all, so maybe it's a bit of a high priced tourist trap?
ReplyDeleteIt tickles me to think that the City Star gave Brainy the idea for a floating Legion HQ and to locals it looked like a theme restaurant (which IIRC it was after Earthgov confiscated it in the 5YL years).