Adventure Comics #521 Review
What Happened That You Have to Know About: Dyogene reviews the Legionnaires to see who he wants to give the Green Lantern ring to, and settles on Mon-El, since he's the strongest. Mon-El departs the Legion for GL training.
A team of Legionnaires is in Africa, doing rescue work after an earthquake or something near the Olduvai Gorge. They find that it wasn't a regular quake; it was caused by something digging itself out of the ground real fast (causing some people nearby to die of fright) and flying off into space. Wildfire and Dawnstar pursue, but get casually blasted to semiconsciousness and the thing gets away.
Review:
I was wondering why, at this stage of the game, we were spending so much time on the Legionnaires helping out at another natural disaster, but the mystery behind the cause of the quake is certainly a worthwhile story. Since we've got a Green Lantern kind of thing going on, and the whatchamacallit seems to have some kind of fear abilities, it's natural to wonder if somehow we're dealing with Parallax here. I hope not; I'd rather see a new villain, if Levitz has one in him.
One story that's just waiting to be told is that of the failure of the 31st-century Green Lantern Corps to live up to its predecessors. Sodam Yat is a crybaby and I don't know what Dyogene's good for. I'm not worried about Mon-El not being heroic enough, but since when are GLs selected on the basis of personal power? I don't think this is going to end well. You remember the messed-up new oath from FC:L3W, right? This is trouble waiting to happen. (One interesting implication, though: Dyogene seems to think that Harmonia Li is right up there, power-wise, with Earth-Man and Mon-El.)
It sorta looks like Mon-El has won the election for Legion leader. Levitz is taking him off the team for a while in this issue; Levitz has said that the new leader is someone whose election is forcing Levitz to revise his plans frantically; Mon-El led the exit poll at the Legion Omnicom. Your own fault, Paul; if you weren't prepared to have him as leader you should have left him off the ballot.
What with Mon-El getting his new ring, and all, I checked his hands to see if he was also wearing his flight ring. He wasn't. So I looked through the rest of the comic to see if I figured that that meant anything, and I concluded that it didn't; flight rings aren't often visible on Legionnaires' hands throughout the issue. There are quite a few in the first couple of pages, as Element Lad and Invisible Kid and Sun Boy are fighting the fire, but that's about it. I think I only saw Dawnstar's once. I have a notion that the rings are only visible when the Legionnaires are actively using them to fly, and as a theory that might hold a bit of water. (The theory isn't about how the rings actually work, you understand; it's about how Borges decides whether to draw them or not.)
This was one of the better issues of this comic we've had. Not much to it, but what there was was fine, and I'll be happy to have the next issue come around.
Panel Count: 79 panels/20 pages = 4.0 panels/page; 4 single-panel pages. That's a pretty fast read. The art is by Borges and Alquiza this time around, and it's perfectly nice. I especially like the way Borges does Dawnstar's face.
Labels: Comic Book Reviews, Legion of Super-Heroes
posted by Matthew E @ 10:20 PM
64 Comments:
I quite liked this issue. It was leaps and bounds better than the opening arc that Levitz did in Adventure, and makes me wish that he had started with this story.
I appreciated seeing an explanation for what led to Shady and Mon's break-up... but at this point, Shady still doesn't quite sound like herself to me. It's like Levitz is channelling Umbra or the threeboot Shady while he's writing this Tasmia. I'm fine with the interpretation... but at the same time... it seems a little off to me.
What wasn't quite as clear to me, was when Mon-el was in the Phantom Zone. Is Shady talking about the time that he was sent back into the Zone because his serum stopped working (circa the Baxter era) or is there some other Phantom Zone time that I'm forgetting... maybe 3 World related?
Yeah, he was in the Phantom Zone at the start of FC:L3W; getting him out was part of the first part of the story. He had been imprisoned in there by Earth-Man and his messed-up Justice League.
Mon-el as the new GL?
Mon-el? Hes far too powerful already. If only it had been the mysterious Harmonia Li. So dissapointed in that. And if Lars off elsewhere surely it makes sense to put Tinya up as leader...how long has it been since we had a female leader? A couple of reboots ago I fear.
At least we have Wildfire and Dawny back. Bliss. I love seeing them together.
I don't mind it so much; if Levitz made Mon the new GL, it's because he has something in mind, and I want to see what it is.
The last female Legion leader was probably Supergirl partway through the threeboot.
I'm okay with Wildfire and Dawnstar too, but I'd rather see them interact with other characters at this stage. Just for a change.
Hmm, excellent point about the implied power of Harmonia Li. I'd like a reintroduced Andromeda, please! Or Monstress. Either would be better than boring old XS.
Perhaps there's some fault in the current GL rings that mean only people who already have massive power can handle it? Mind, that doesn't explain weeping Sodam Yat.
Hey, XS is one of my favourites.
And Sodam Yat does have power. He just can't bring himself to use it.
I'm not sure I liked Monstress quite enough to reintroduce her, but I would like to see a good Laurel Gand character again.
Not a comment on the issue, but just a comment to say thanks for the update on what's going on in Adventure. And maybe to make a small request too: if someone has the time, could they post a bit more info about what happened in this issue that we might need to know if we're following the main Legion comic but not Adventure?
Thx!
You're welcome. But what else do you want to know? I thought I was covering everything important.
Id forgotten about Supergirl. Was she actually leader though in the threeboot? Dont have the issues to hand but im sure it was just an away mission.
Regarding XS...I liked her. She was superficially written but I loved the idea of a Flash relative in the LSH. I disliked Monstress intensely however [fat and happy is such a cliche]. Glad when Jan Arrah did us a favour and killed her off. I agree it would be good to see Andromeda again but with Supergirl back in continuity Levitz may not find her necessary [pity, though]. Maybe if the Archies ever came back...
I've probably said it previously, but XS weirded me out, she reminded me of a Disney duck-lady. Plus, I don't want legacy heroes in the LSH. Superman and Supergirl are enough so far as 21st-century links are concerned.
Supergirl was leader from about #31 to #36 of the threeboot. The way Bedard wrote her, though, she was probably the worst leader the Legion has ever had. Which is actually pretty realistic, given everything.
I don't really need XS to be part of the Flash family; I prefer that connection not to be emphasized in her Legion stories.
Mon-El as GL? Smart choice. With the GL Corps decimated,Dyogene needs all the muscle he can get,and Mon is a one-man army even without a ring.He's also used to spending long stretches in space. Even if he was voted Legion leader,no problem--the Legion is used to working without Mon for long spells.
Found Mon's leave-taking of Shady puzzling.Why talk to her thru a hologram when she was in the building? Are holograms tactile in the future?(RJ Brande's projection a few issues back was as touchy feely as Shadys)What was that globe that Mon packed away? Above all,why are the Legion at ease with Shady and Earth-Man(assuming they all know of it)? That needs explaining sooner rather than later.
Speaking of holograms;page 3,the wall of Legion HQ:was that a hologram or did Earth-Man use one of his powers? So many questions.
A Levitz Legion always helps out at disaster sites.That's why we love them.I'll bet whatever burst out of the ground(maybe Parallax, hopefully not)was what wrecked the GL Corps.I'd also chalk up the peek-a-boo Legion rings to artistic carelessness;the same thing happens to the stripe in Invisible Kid's hair.
I'm quite sure I don't want Monstress back.A She-Hulk knockoff that talks like a schoolmarm; cannot imagine what fanbase there could be for that.
XS is a "Disney duck-lady"? I'd ask for an explanation,but I'm afraid I'd get one,and then it would be stuck in my head forever. XS should return and she should be part of the Flash legacy--just don't go on about it.Whatever happens to speedsters(or anyone)in the 21st. century should have no bearing on those in the 31st.
Favorite line:"Yoo-hooo--Quislet here?"
You're welcome. But what else do you want to know?
I'm sure you've covered everything that's critical for us to follow the plot. But a few of the non-essential but interesting bits like Mon's leave-taking of Shady that Anonymous talks about - stuff like that would be nice.
But I want to make it clear I'm not criticising!
Hmm, well, at the risk of seeming like a cheeky piggybacker, I've a few details and opinions at my blog - but likely nothing new. Still, if there's the chance of helping ...
http://dangermart.blogspot.com/2010/12/adventure-comics-521-review.html
(Good Lord, Rob, I've seen you on the telly. He said, gauchely)
So am I the only one who liked Monstress? I thought she was a fun spin on the Gentle Giant character type. I never saw her as Fat and Happy.
So our African Fear King? I'm really hoping its not Parallax. I follow all the GL books (one of the few things I still get in floppies) but I'm also getting my fill over there. Seeing the Corp in the 30th century is cool for me, but I don't want The Legion to become overshadowed by the sucess of the current GL books. So we need to put our heads together and run down DC villians who have fear based powers. I think we can rule out Scarecrow. =P
Who from the New Gods did fear?
And what's Mordru doing? He was neutralized in Legion of 3 Worlds but where did he go? Breaking out of the ground is kind of his thing,
The Quislet line was pretty good. "Give my ring to this thing? If I had legs, I'd suggest you were pulling them."
Rob: Point taken, but, you know, I sorta would like it if more people bought these comics, so I don't want to replace them.
I kinda liked Monstress, not that they ever did much with her. I just don't need her back, that's all.
As for Mordru, I thought he was killed outright in FC:L3W. Not that that's necessarily final, of course, especially with a character like Mordru.
I think there's zero chance that Mordru is dead forever. For a start, he's one of the top 10 - maybe even top 5 - Legion villains of all-time (*pauses while other people debate and angrily reply*).
Plus he's mystical. And mystical stuff is sooo easy to resurrect in comics.
But hopefully he will stay dead for a while - long enough for the current roster to get established before we go back to see what the White Witchy is up to (after all, surely a story that involves Mordru has to involve Mysa?)
No, I don't think he's gone forever either; it's not my first day here. But I don't see any reason to bring him back in a hurry.
And if and when it does happen, I'd prefer a Mordru story that doesn't involve the White Witch, and/or a White Witch story that doesn't involve Mordru. Mysa's always at her worst when Mordru's involved, and I'd rather see her at her best.
Some odds and ends comments...
1) Quislet doesn't even get any kind of recognition at all from Dyogene. Is he just too utterly alien to be a GL? Too silly? Doesn't count because he's not from this dimension (then again, Tanya gets a talking to, noted as being a world beyond the Guardians)?
2) After Earth Man and Harmonia Li (one of whom is and the other of whom at least appears to be from Earth), I'd half expected only the Earth-born Legionaries to be in the running for GL.
I liked Monstress. I like XS.
Dyogene's choice of Mon seemed based on desperation more than anything else: Dyogene's determined to get a Green Lantern out of the Legion, Mon is the last person he considers (he says, "And so it falls to you, mightiest of all...") And Dyogene immediately begins rationalizing his choice.
Dylan: I wonder if Quislet could even use the ring. How would he interact with it? Would he end up destroying it on first use?
Don: Interesting take, that maybe Mon isn't the right choice after all. Not that I think there's any way he won't do a good job.
How would Quislet even wear the ring? He doesn't have a body... he's just a blip of energy... although the idea of Quislet piloting around a green ring is kinda cool. Kinda.
As for Mordru... while I'm happy to see him off stage for a long while, I don't think that Levitz has ever done a big Mordru story so it wouldn't surprise me to see him show up sooner rather than later. Of all the Legion villains Levitz has put his stamp on the Time Trapper, Computo, the Fatal Five, Universo... even Starfinger. So, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he wanted to take a crack at putting his spin on the old wizard.
I don't think that Levitz has ever done a big Mordru story
I guess he hasn't. A couple of smaller ones. He kind of moved Mordru offstage, only to have Giffen and the Bierbaums undo it all and bring him back bigger and badder than ever.
Oh, but wait, of course Levitz did a big Mordru story; the biggest one of all. Earthwar! No wonder he didn't feel the need to do another one.
Earthwar! Right! Totally blanked on that one.
Except I don't really think of that as a Mordru story as much as a political space/war story. I mean, yeah, Mordru shows up as the big bad in the final issue, but that's not really the same thing as doing a definitive Mordru story. But like I said, I'm fine with Mordru staying off stage for awhile.
I wonder what a great Mordru story would be like. I mean, the best one possible.
Maybe the best one we've had so far is LSHv4 #5.
That one's pretty good, fer sure! And it's a done in one, too, which is extra impressive.
It's tricky because I don't tend to like magic mixing with my sci-fi. Or my comics in general. It's just not my cuppa, and more often than not becomes too deus ex machina.
So... my great Mordru story would focus on his character much more than his powers. Make him a menacing presence... someone who rules by fear and uses his powers sparingly. But what kind of threat is he going to pose for the Legion? That's a bit of a tricky thing. I like what they did in the hourglass issue. Maybe his deal is that he's slowly transforming planets into some kind of world like that where he would be the ultimate ruler. I could live with that. Kind of an extended "mordruverse" tale.
I can say almost for certain that Mordru wasn't intended to be killed in Lo3W. Geoff Johns used Mordru all through his JSA run and one of his main points was that he can't die. His personal timeline ran from before the universe started and ran after the universe ends. And its not a one time use, he popped up acrossed multiple arcs and was one of the main foes of that iteration of Dr. Fate.
I was supprised at how "classical" the Lo3W Mordru was.
Okay, but Johns (and Levitz) wouldn't let that stand in their way if they really wanted him to be dead. There's always some handwaving you can do to justify whatever direction they decide they want the story to go.
I mean, I don't think you're wrong; I'm just saying that we could throw out your reasoning and you could still be right.
Just wanted to jump in and say I am a fan of Monstress! On one hand, the Legion need more female heavy-hitters, on the other hand I really liked her personality as well.
Also, I don't for a second believe Mordru is gone forever. I don't have any difficulty believing there will be a story where he's liberated from Mysa one day and she's restored to her White Witch status quo.
I hope it's not exactly like you describe it; one good thing about Legion comics is that sometimes things really can change permanently.
Oh of course, and Johns is one of the few writers willing to drop a concept that he created that isn't working. And its easy enough to handwave it away as an Infinite Crisis change. I just can't see it being his intent.
Now what Levitz chooses to do there is his perogative, and is compleatly disconnected from Johns intent.
And I guess I just don't want Mordru dead. His stories become epics just by his presence. I can't see the legion canvas being richer without him.
...I always thought he was kind of silly, actually. If you're an old man with an ornate helmet, can't you find a better outfit than a purple T-shirt? And magical villains are not my favourite kind where the Legion is concerned.
Mysa's always at her worst when Mordru's involved, and I'd rather see her at her best.
Good point. Liked some of her appearances when she was new-ish to the Legion and we were learning more about her. Classic issue was when she turned a Khund's weapon into a bunch of flowers.
Oh well, I guess it will be at least a couple of years before we see her again though. Guess I'll have to be patient!
You mean this scene:
http://legionabstract.blogspot.com/2010/02/legionnaires-white-witch.html
...or do you already know about that article? Are you the same Rob that's in the comments there?
Wear the wrong clothes even once and you'll never hear the end of it.Mordru probably hasn't worn that helmet or even a purple shirt(at least in the comics)for ages, but fans still bring them up. Reminded of the Marvel villain The Trapster---when he shows up we're always reminded that he used to be called Paste-Pot Pete.Some things can't be lived down.
The Legion having the occasional spell of trouble with a sorcerous adversary is fine by me.Makes a break from all the space invaders. But,one reason Mordru is considered a major foe is that he's used so seldom.Overuse him and you get another Darkseid.So let's wait until there's a strong story idea that calls for the return of Mordru.Helmet optional.
I got no problem with him every now and then. He's just not my favourite, that's all.
...or do you already know about that article? Are you the same Rob that's in the comments there?
Lol, yeah, I think that comment was me when I first started reading your blog.
I didn't realise I'd even read that piece of yours until you reminded me. The scene had just stuck in my mind and I couldn't figure out why, given I hadn't re-read that comic for years.
So THAT's why I remember the scene, lol...
the reboot really wasn't kind to any of the female heavy hitters... monstress got some instant weight loss, somehow the wisdom of solomon wasn't enough to keep CeCe around (and MAAN did i like the idea of having a marvel in the legion) and i always thought they gave kid quantum a raw deal, i mean, with her ill-defined quantum powers, one day it looked like she could vaporize the big three by batting an eyelash, and on others it looked like ron-karr would give her a rough going
Actually the female Legionnaires were doing okay until DnA came along; see one of my chapters in Teenagers from the Future for more on this.
Matthew,
i dunno if that observation about the pre DnA reboot chicks actually holds water under even a cursory evaluation:
imra- not even iron butt instead full on micromanaging control freak who puppets cos' brains in the back- in- time caper
shady- vicious, mean, bitch-bitch- bitch
jekkie- a frikkin snake!!!!
tinya- competent, clever and well managed at first but then waporized, then "ghost" then plot device for "uh oh, ultra boy needs blankie or will go mad"
xs- nothing ever really happened tp her after the cowardice blip..
vi- comes out ok after trying to kill everyone and instead scattering them in the timescape
kintetix- everything that happened to her was ridiculously bad
inferno- afraid of the dark? really??
the only one(s) who come out really looking good in the reboot are the three luornus.
am i missing anyone?
I have to throw some of that out. Apparition, for one thing: it was DnA who did that thing where Ultra Boy would go nuts if she wasn't there, and I was pointing out that it was DnA who regressed the female Legionnaires a bit. (They also killed Monstress, had Thunder quit the team, made Kinetix even less of a character and made Sensor more ridiculous. (On the other hand, they also made Kid Quantum leader, which was good.)) And Inferno wasn't a Legionnaire.
As for Saturn Girl, Sensor, and Umbra, well, you may not have liked the direction that the pre-DnA reboot writers took the characters in, but that doesn't mean they were being used badly as characters.
Do you realize that there was a time early in the reboot where the female Legionnaires outnumbered the male ones eight to five? In superhero groups, that basically never happens.
Not sure how DnA made Sensor more ridiculous.They did give her a makeover which improved her looks no end.I was fine with serpentine Sensor but I prefered the pink spotted Sneckie with arms to the brown-scaled gal without arms.Much more plausible.
It might be cool to have a story where it was implied that Sensor Girl was in fact a (pink,spotted, armed)snake-woman.She would revert to her humanoid form at the end, but there would remain a note of ambiguity as to which was the true body.
Not sure how DnA made Sensor more ridiculous.They did give her a makeover which improved her looks no end.I was fine with serpentine Sensor but I prefered the pink spotted Sneckie with arms to the brown-scaled gal without arms.Much more plausible.
Well, here's the problem. I could accept a sentient giant snake; not unacceptably implausible. What I can't accept is how such a creature, when hit by some kind of super-evolution power, would grow breasts and hips. What kind of reptile is this, anyway? Maybe DnA were thinking that comics fans wouldn't accept any character as female unless they thought she was somehow hot. (Note that this wasn't long after they got rid of Monstress.) I say it's spinach and I say to hell with it.
What kind of reptile has breasts and hips? A comic book reptile,of course.Comic book women are usually drawn to be impossibly hot.It's why Wonder Woman isn't plump and flat-chested.Deplorable gender politics,and sadly the Legion's no different from other comic books.Maybe one day they'll be ahead of the curve.
What made Sneckie Mark II work was giving her working limbs.It's implausible that sentient beings can build a civilization when they can't even hold tools.It was worse when we discovered Jeckie's people were dependent on talking raccoons which they treated as chattel.Call me a bleeding-heart liberal,but I prefer that Legionnaires not be slaveholders.Pity that DnA didn't detonate a genebomb on Sensors' home planet and give all her people the makeover.I love the Archieboot but I didn't love all of it and that tops the list.
Comic book women are usually drawn to be impossibly hot.
That's my point: that the decision to transform Sensor seemed based on the idea that we weren't allowed to have a comic-book woman who wasn't hot, and I don't like that idea.
Anyway, she had working limbs; remember those robot arms?
I don't really care about the raccoon thing; it's perfectly reasonable that some Legionnaires would come from planets that had bad social institutions. The reboot Legion as a whole was certainly not speaking up on behalf of monarchy or slavery.
Giving Sensor robot arms just made things worse.How did the snake people get by all those years without them?Snake-Sensor was fine-fit in with the whole same-but-different ethos of the reboot.But it could've been thought out better.
But this is water long under the bridge.We have a Legion title ongoing;time is better spent anticipating what will happen next week.
So does Shadow Lass realize that she's bagging the guy who caused to break up with with Mon-El?
I don't think she looks at it that way, but I'm sure she knows the facts.
Does anyone think that Shadow Lass should have stood by Mon-El and help through his problems instead breaking up with him?
It makes me think that she never really loved him and was with him only because he was powerful. I mean that's why she is with Earth-Man right now despite him being the catalyst for the break up.
Easy for us to say. I don't know. Maybe she tried and Mon wasn't willing/able to meet her halfway. We don't have all the facts.
Maybe your right.
But the Earth-Man stuff is still pretty messed up.
Yeah, I'm hoping that whatever Levitz's plans are for Earth-Man, they aren't over yet, and they'll end with Earth-Man not in the Legion. He's quite unlikeable.
maybe it's atmos/ dream girl all over again... atmos and earth man do seem eerily similar...
Only in the loosest possible way. Atmos, say what you want about him, strove for some elegance. Earth-Man is crude. Atmos forced himself on Dreamy with his powers; Earth-Man doesn't seem to have done this with Shady.
I liked the art on Tellus this time. There was a face shot that was especially good.
I'm itching for what was in the Rift Valley to be a new villain, and not the threat that Dyogene talked about, either.
I always though that Monstress was underdone as part of the problem: she was a She-Hulk and nothing more. The Legion didn't have a need for (and thus a fit for) her powers in particular. Tweaks to her powers such as changing into monster forms (didn't we have a villain who did that), or the ability to amp up her powers at the cost of becoming more "monstrous" looking could add to her.
Yes, but the thing about underused superheroes is that the powers are never the problem. You can have amazingly popular superhero teams that all have the exact same powers (Marvel Family, Green Lantern Corps) and it'll work fine; what matters is the characters and their personalities and motivations and what is made of them. Monstress didn't have a problem with her powers; she just needed a writer to pay attention to her. It only happened once, really, in a Legion Lost issue, and by that time DnA had already planned her demise.
Does anyone think that Shadow Lass should have stood by Mon-El and help through his problems instead breaking up with him?
Nope. She stood by him plenty. Plenty. She was the strong supportive one, while Mon-el was the one who had a tough time of it. He was a bit of a loner. He preferred exploring space to hanging out with the team. He was the one who went bonkers when it looked like he was going to have to go into the Phantom Zone again (Baxter era) and it was Shady who stood by him. It was Shady who stood by him when the Trapper almost killed him and it was Shady who did the Talokian finger chop ritual and married him. A better question might be what has Mon-el done for Shady?
We don't have all the facts, but given what we've seen Mon-el do in the past when the Phantom Zone was involved, it doesn't surprise me that he pulled into himself and shut Shady out. And if she's had enough of that and wants to give herself to someone that's actually willing to give her some attention... well, more power to her.
Not that I think there's a freaking chance in hell Earth-Man is going to turn out to be any kind of decent boyfriend.
I only started following the Legion again with the current run #1, so I'm a bit out of the loop. Why did Shady break up with Mon?
Basically because he was all reclusive and noncommunicative after getting out of the Phantom Zone in FC:L3W.
I think Mon is better off without Shadow Lass.
Yeah, if you stop and think about it, the two of them really aren't made for each other.
Noticed that neither the reboot or the threeboot were in any hurry to put them back in each other's arms.
Still,there needs to be more reaction from Shady's teammates to her hooking up with Earth-Man.They seem to be taking it much too well.
Well, that's the nature of a book like the Legion; there are so many characters that the writer can't spend as much time as we'd like on every aspect of everything.
I think the only relationship that's survived across every version of the Legion is the Lightning Lad/Saturn Girl one. Ultra Boy/Phantom Girl and Bouncing Boy/Triplicate Girl have appeared more than once, but not in all versions. And those ones actually make some sense.
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