The Legion of Super Bloggers!

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

TOS: Adventure Comics #317 Point-Counterport

Adventure Comics #317 (January 1964)
title: "The Menace of Dream Girl!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

reviewers: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage and Mike "Nostalgic Kid" Lane

Mission Monitor Board:
Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Mon-El, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shrinking Violet, Element Lad, Lighting Lad, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lass, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Brainiac 5

Opponents:
pure hubris, teen-aged male hormones

Secret Origins #42

Secret Origins (v3) #42 (July 1989)
title: "Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Boys"

writer: Tom & Mary Bierbaum

penciller: Dave Cockrum
inkers: Larry Mahlstedt and Jim Sanders

letterer: John Costanza
colorist: Tom McGraw

editor: Mark Waid
cover: Dick Giordano & Karl Kesel

reviewer: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #7

This relook at the New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes has been something of an interesting experiment for me. These books aren't that old. This is a run that is relatively recent. So I shouldn't be surprised that my thoughts haven't necessarily changed too radically. What I have noticed is that the highs seem a little higher. I think that is because there weren't too many highs so when I see them now, knowing the way this title proceeds, they seem brighter. That said, I am also reading this with the foreknowledge of this book's trajectory and as a result there is more a sense of ennui about the whole thing. So higher highs with a lower foundation makes things even out.

Legion of Super-Heroes #7 bucks the trend a little bit. I liked this issue a bit more now than I did then. I think the high points, basically the scenes I comment on here, are numerous. And when you put that many memorable or powerful moments together in one issue, it has to get bumped up. In particular, the shuffling of the roster so we see lots of teammates pitching in is welcomed. And the added characterization to the new Legionnaires is welcomed.

Lastly and as always, Francis Portela's art is just dreamy dreamy! So onto the book.

Reboot: Legionnaires #49

Legionnaires #49 (June 1997)
title: "Let the Call Go Forth!"

writers: Roger Stern and Tom McCraw

penciller: Jeffrey Moy
inkers: W.C. Carani
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson
adult legionnaire: Carmela Merlo

cover: Jeffrey Moy & W.C. Carani
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:
Chameleon, Element Lad, Invisible Kid, Kinetix, Live Wire, M'Onel, Magno, Sensor, Star Boy, Umbra, XS

Guests:
Andromeda, Dragonmage, Dreamer (in flashback), Fleet Admiral Everett, General Hol, Heroes of Lallor (Beast Boy, Gas Girl, Splitter), King Charlz of Orando, Lori Morning, Marla Latham, Mysa, Night Girl, Polar Boy, Prefect Lamar, Prince Wyllm of Orando, Proty, R.J. Brande, Uncanny Amazers (Atmos, Atom'X, Insect Queen, Kid Quantum II, Monstress), Workforce (Blast-Off, Evolvo, Karate Kid, Particon, Radion, Spider-Girl); Heroes of Lallor handler, medical staff, mystics (in flashback), the People of Orando, ship crew, Vyrgans

Opponents:
Emerald Violet, Leland McCauley, Mordru

Who's Who: Dr. Gym'll

Dr. Gym'll
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Gym'll

Super-Power(s): Ability to grow and/or hide additional arms
Planet of Origin: Jaquaa

Relationship to Legion: Team doctor

TOS: Adventure Comics #316

Adventure Comics #316 (January 1964)
title: "The Renegade Super-Hero!"

writer: Edmond Hamilton

artist: John Forte

letterer: Milton Snapinn
editor: Mort Weisinger

cover: Curt Swan & George Klein

review: Russell "Bilingual Boy" Burbage

Mission Monitor Board:
Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Mon-El, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, Superboy, Shrinking Violet, Element Lad, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lass, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Brainiac 5

Opponents:
Raiders, lack of faith in your friend

Sarcasm Kid's NYCC 2017 Legion Sketch Collection

This being my first year as a contributor for Super-Bloggers means I also have the opportunity to show off all the Legion sketches and commissions I get at comic shows throughout the year, starting off with New York Comic Con 2017.

This year I did not get as many sketches as I'd hoped. My time was more restricted than it usually is during the convention, which only meant I was able to focus more on quality instead of quantity, as I tend to try and commission as many artists as I can at these shows. Let me just say how glad I am I decided to set up several pieces in advance.

I'll be starting from the smaller pieces to the more detailed commissions.

New 52 Legion of Super-Heroes #6

Legion of Super-Heroes #6 from the New 52 release focused on Dragonwing, one of the newer Legionnaires and perhaps some fresh blood that DC was hoping would lure in new readers.

As I say in this review, it is a double-edged sword. Yes, if the new Legionnaires are going to be a big part of this book, we need to learn about them. If I am going to care about Dragonwing as much as I do Vi, I need to know her. So focusing on her is a good thing.

That said, we know next to nothing about her. So to jump into a family plot and the gang wars of her home seemed rushed. I feel like if this was the 80s, Levitz would have this as a C-plot for a while. We'd get a page here and there, hinting at this stuff, giving us backstory, before immersing us in it. Instead, we are thrown in. I don't know enough about Dragonwing's history to understand this implications of this plot. As a result, this story made me shrug a bit.

The second plot, a look at the Dominator culture and their turning of Res-Vir, was more interesting mostly because it built on the Legion history. We know about the Dominion. This peek behind the curtain was more appealing.

And yet, this opening shows just the issue Levitz was dealing with. The new story didn't grab me. The old stuff did. But I am (or should be) an aging out fan. It should be the new stuff that lures me and others in. Unfortunately, my guess is Levitz wasn't afforded the time to slowly reveal these plots like in 'the old days'. It is the day of 'immediate gratification', of monthly sales reports, and limited resources. You can't build a Dragonwing subplot over a year anymore. Comics don't last that long anymore.

On to the book and the older review.

The 'renumbered but not rebooted' Legion of Super-Heroes, as a whole, has been a mixed bag for me. It has been somewhat a comfortable comic for a longtime Legion reader for me. I know these characters and all their history; I know what is going on and I am able to fill in some of the gaps in the story in my mind. But it hasn't been exciting. And it hasn't been spectacular. This isn't a new 52 that a new reader could easily pick up.

Reboot: Legion of Super-Heroes #92

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #92 (May 1997)
title: "Swan's Way"

writers: Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw

pencillers: Lee Moder

inker: Ron Boyd
lettering: Pat Brosseau
colorist: Tom McCraw

assistant editor: Frank Berrios
editor: KC Carlson

cover: Alan Davis
reviewers: Siskoid & Shotgun

Mission Monitor Board:
Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, Gates, Saturn Girl, Spark, Triad, Ultra Boy

Guests:
Curt Swan, 1958 Americans

Opponents:
Time Trapper (behind the scenes, does not appear), U.S. Secret Service