Recap: The United Planets is recovering from the war against Praetor Lemnos and his Terror Firma. The Legion is also recovering, picking up the pieces of their destroyed headquarters, bunking at family homes, and ultimately signing on with the UP for funding. But remember, the Legion is just the team ... it's a movement. How are the followers coping?
Writer Mark Waid had a difficult task ahead of him when he signed up to write the Threeboot Legion. Who would dare recreate the Legion, satisfying the die-hard continuity-loving older fans while being fresh and accessible enough to bring in a new fandom. It couldn't have been easy. And frankly, I wasn't following things on social media back then enough to really know what the reaction was.
Legion of Super-Heroes #15 was something of a retro issue, perhaps throwing a bone to the older fans. It was obvious, just based on the cover, that this was going to be something different than the usual Threeboot book. There is Dawnstar, Blok, and Tyroc ... all nowhere to be seen in this new continuity ... standing proudly, front and center. And those are some flashback uniforms too. Behind them are thernew Legionnaires. One thing I can say from this, cover artist can draw a great Dawnstar.
I don't if this was considered a tease or an homage. But it at least showed that Waid was trying to reconcile old histories with new.
The art on the book is done by Pat Oliffe, Adam DeKraker, and others. As I have said before, Kitson's art was definitely a big part of this book's appeal and feel. To see him off the book for another issue was something of a letdown.
Looking ahead, this was the perfect 'rest issue' before the bold new direction we see next issue, both a look back and a pause before the future.
