Superman and the Legion of Super Heroes #1-3 Review
What Happened That You Have To Know About:
The first thing you have to know is that this episode, perhaps the entire series, was created specifically to appeal to me personally. I don't know how the show people got to know me so well, or why they decided that I was the most important part of their audience, but I certainly don't quibble with their decision.
Superman makes a new friend, a rich chick named Alexis, and spends a lot of time with her, to the point where it gets in the way of helping the rest of the Legion deal with some technology thieves called the Scavengers. Superman finally chooses duty over friendship, and Alexis gets mad and jealous. She teams up with the Scavengers, they attack the Legion, and are defeated. When Superman blows up Alexis's robot suit, it burns her hair off.
Review:
As I say, it was created specifically for me. The way I know this is that Alexis's robot butler was named Wodehouse.
Some of you may not grasp the significance of this. P.G. Wodehouse is one of my favourite writers ever, and he should be one of yours. Wodehouse was, almost indisputably, the funniest writer in the history of the English language, and his (abundant) work retains the ability to delight (and crack up) his audiences decades after his death, and will continue to do so for decades if not centuries to come. His most famous creation is the omniscient gentleman's gentleman Jeeves, which is undoubtedly where the Legion writers got the idea to name Alexis's butler (not that a gentleman's gentleman is the same as a butler, but these days it's close enough) after him.
So what am I to conclude but that this was all meant just for me? There are lots of Wodehouse fans, and lots of Legion fans, but surely the overlap can't be that large. Anyway. I don't mind if the rest of you enjoy it too.
As far as the rest of the episode is concerned, it was as we've come to expect: a very direct plot, well-characterized Legionnaires, and some nods to Legion continuity. The villain of the episode, Alexis (I don't count the Scavengers, who were just a shade above generic, but none the worse for that)... I wonder what their plans for her are? Most people saw the problems with her coming; comic book fans know what things to keep an eye out for in a Superman story, and the syllable 'Lex' is one of them.
In summary, SALSH creators, I am watching and I am pleased with your progress. You may continue.
Rating: How could I give it anything other than the maximum of LLLLL?
Labels: Episode Reviews, Legion of Super-Heroes
posted by Matthew E @ 10:06 PM
9 Comments:
Hi Matthew,
You said, Most people saw the problems with her coming; comic book fans know what things to keep an eye out for in a Superman story, and the syllable 'Lex' is one of them.
Ha!! Mr. Reads and I caught this episode this weekend, as as soon as we saw her at the end in Superman's arms? We both said, Ha!
And then I said, I'm going to see if Matt over at Legion has anything to say about that!
And you did. Huzzah for you :)
re: the show, it was cute, but I don't really like the animation, and it has the high-pitched hysteria of the tv show Teen Titans. I feel a bit frazzled when I watch them. I think I'm going to opt out, but Mr. Reads may opt in.
Ciao,
Amy
Well, I actually missed the boat on a couple of things that have been widely pointed out elsewhere--the way she has 'Luthor' printed on her clothes in Interlac, and the way Brainiac 5 is actually Alexis's counterpart, as the descendant of a great Superman villain, in this story.
I didn't like the animation when I first saw the preview pictures, but now that I see the characters in motion I like it much better. Did you see Triplicate Girl fighting the Fatal Five in the first episode? That was freaking cool.
Hi Matthew,
I didn't like the animation when I first saw the preview pictures, but now that I see the characters in motion I like it much better.
It's almost too angular for me, but then, I was grumpy. We had just caught (finally!) the new Batman animated, and it made me very, very angry. Then we had DVRed Teen Titans, and watched part of an episode on that, and I don't think I eat nearly enough sugar to handle it. Too. much. wide-mouthed. screaming.
I'll give it another shot, though. I trust your taste :)
Did you see Triplicate Girl fighting the Fatal Five in the first episode? That was freaking cool.
We didn't, no :( We are toeing dozens of different new-show waters, and I think we're overstretched. This one just slipped by us.
Ciao,
Amy
Unfortunately one of the cool things about the series will be somewhat lost on you, and that's the way they put in little scraps of Legion continuity that only longtime Legion comics readers really care about. Like the Mission Monitor Board symbols that stream by during the opening credits.
(Verification word: fanov. Yes, I am a fanov the show.)
Hi Matthew,
Unfortunately one of the cool things about the series will be somewhat lost on you, and that's the way they put in little scraps of Legion continuity that only longtime Legion comics readers really care about. Like the Mission Monitor Board symbols that stream by during the opening credits.
It's very true, but thankfully, Mr. Reads should be able to point those fun bits out to me :) He's really good at stuff like that.
(Verification word: fanov. Yes, I am a fanov the show.)
I've got fhbtcn. Not nearly as much fun as fanov. *sigh*
Ciao,
Amy
This episode was very good, exept for when Elexis was in her cell and repairing woodhouse, I don't know how she actually got him together when Superman spit him in 3 or 4 parts. I don't know why that bugged me but it did.
Well, if she's a Luthor, she's got some game when it comes to technology. She had probably already made some progress on him when we saw her working.
Alexis only appeared this one time,didn't she?Too bad--would've been interesting to have a Superman/Luthor rivalry with a bit of sexual tension.
She did have a cameo in that one episode where the Legion have to bust the Fatal Five out of prison, but it's certainly not making full use of the character.
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