Issue #2 Review

What Happened That You Have To Know About:

This issue is pretty much a showcase for Brainiac 5 and Dream Girl. A team of Legionnaires goes to Dream Girl's home planet, Naltor, because the kids of Naltor can't dream any more, which interferes with their precognitive abilities and, ultimately, their health. They discover that the Powers That Be on Naltor are using the Public Service (a United Planets system that all young people are brainwired into, except Legionnaires) to block the kids from sleeping.

The idea is that an interstellar invasion is coming, and they don't want the kids to see it coming, because they'll freak out if they do. The Legionnaires process this moral problem and decide that it's better for the kids of Naltor to be well-rested and aware than ignorant of their horrible fate. Dream Girl's vision of the upcoming war features "one man at the center of the dream [...] Whoever he is, he will create a conflict that will affect all sentient life... and the Naltorian army will be the first to die."

Legion Membership:

No changes.

Review:

This was quite a solid story. The clash between Brainy and Dream Girl was such a natural one it's hard for me to imagine that this is the first I'm seeing of it after all my years reading Legion. There were a couple of nifty fight scenes, the heroes had to make a tough decision, there were humourous touches, there was some nice characterization, and the series arc was moved along smartly. Two issues, and everything's still going like clockwork; nothing unusually good, but every aspect better than it has to be.

I'm a little concerned about exactly where the story is going, though. A big space war? So soon? Mmm... I don't know. Obviously I'm willing to wait and see, but a war wouldn't be my favourite setting for the Legion.

Rating: LLLl