Legion Lost #6 Review

I'm backed up on posts here, but at least I can get this one out of the way tonight. I've got two more reviews and a long rant coming up; watch this space.

What Happened That You Have to Know About:

The Legionnaires, aided by the Martian Manhunter, stabilize Yera's form and bust her and Timber Wolf out of the government's facility. Tellus lets Alastor escape. Oh, and apparently we're supposed to be surprised that there's no way for the Legionnaires to go back to the 31st century.

Review:

I'm not really sure what Nicieza thinks he's accomplished here; the status quo after the first six issues isn't a whole lot different from the status quo partway through the first issue. Trapped in the past, hypertaxis released, Alastor on the loose.

To me, that's not a good status quo, because it's so obviously unstable and unsatisfactory. The Legion in the 31st century has a settled role in society, a headquarters, and an established modus vivendi. The lost Legionnaires don't. They have a mission that they don't understand very well and they have a motel room. They can't stand pat on that hand. I think the title needs to either establish some kind of stable situation for them to be in, that can be a basis for their stories to take off from, or abandon the idea of such a status quo altogether and have things keep changing on them. I think the second choice is much more plausible, much more interesting, and much truer to what I see as the basic premise of the book.

But that's not what Nicieza is turning over to DeFalco. If there hasn't been much motion in six issues, was there going to be much at all? I mean, I'm willing to believe there was, but we'll never know.

Anyway. On the one hand I like it that they're trying something new with the Legion. On the other hand, it isn't that new, and I have to scratch my head over just how they're going about it. What with everything, I don't know if I see this series lasting much longer, and as it stands now I won't miss it when it goes.

Notes:
- Lenny Kravitz
- Tellus is getting left off easy for letting Alastor get away. Not cool, Tellus
- I'm going to start getting sick of Alastor, aren't I? The signs are all there
- Crossover with other titles coming up soon. I'm only going to get the LL issues, though
- so: Durlans exist right now; therefore they weren't invented by hypertaxis

Art: 88 panels/20 pages = 4.4 panels/page. 1 2-page spread of 5 panels.

My problems with this series don't extend to Pete Woods's art, which is pretty good and isn't like any other Legion art I've seen. Steady, too: no one page or panel stands out to me as being above or below average.