If you can't guess who that Legionnaire is, turn in your flight ring at once - after you finish this terrific issue. Sure, writer Tom DeFalco still has Tellus doing Yoda impersonations, and the scene transitions remain bonkers ('Five blocks south and seventeen east'), but he skilfully wrangles seven Legionnaires, a bunch of US super-soldiers and one out and out villain. What's more, nearly everyone gets a good moment.
The finest scene of all belongs to dimension-hopping space-Marxist Gates (click to enlarge).
The best thing about this issue is that it wraps up the Alastor plotline (I know, I've said that previously) and his spitting out the members' recently tacked-on secrets implies these strands will come to a head too. Let's hope so, as hidden agendas simply aren't Legion.
Pete Woods does another tremendous job with the art, rendering the Legionnaires with due care and attention for their powers and personalities. One thing he's especially good at is coming up with scary monster forms for Chameleon Girl Yera - boy, that woman can be scary. All this, and great storytelling.
The colours of Brad Anderson deserve applause too, being bright but not brash, pulling our eyes to where they need to be in the panel.
While I'm still hoping this book gets cancelled and replaced by a second 31st-century set Legion book, or a bi-weekly version of Legion of Super-Heroes, I have to say that this is the most entertaining issue in ages. I could actually feel that good old Legion spirit. And that's something I'll pay good money for.
Good to see someone actually reviewed the comic. Anyway glad to see someone else enjoyed the issue and actual thought that it was a set up in terms of the series anyway. I Was quite suprised by how good it was and to be honest hope this standard is mantained if possible. Anyway good review.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lord Ciaran, I tend to review most Legion Lost issues - I'm a Legion lifer. You too?
ReplyDeleteDeFalco said before taking over the book he wasn't too well versed on Legion lore. The exchange between Dawnstar and Metamerican when she saves him tells me he knows enough!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great moment, Steve. But still DeFalco denies me the Human Cannonball.
DeleteI'm also glad that the Alastor plot has ended (or is it only for now?)
ReplyDeleteI just hope that some of the team's various secrets get revealed over the next few issues. Given that Alastor kept laughing out loud about the secrets held by various naughty members of the team, you'd think some of the others would ask 'So what's this big secret you're hiding from the rest of us then?'
One or two secrets can be interesting, but given that just about every other member of the team has a secondary (or even primary) mission, it could get quite tedious if we only keep getting teasers about them with no resolution.
Also, the love triangle between Wolf, Dawnstar and Wildfire has now been exposed. Surely this should get addressed in the near future?
Anyway, I *think* I'm still enjoying the comic. I'm still buying it at least!
I so agree - let's get these secrets out in the open, and out of the way.
DeleteI'd planned to drop this book, but I bought it based on the strength of your review, and the fact that there was an honest-to-goodness conclusion point at the end of the issue. Overall, it wasn't a bad issue -- better than recent ones, in terms of teamwork and Legion spirit, certainly. But just the same, I think this will be my last issue for a while... especially since the upcoming appearance of Superboy and the Ravagers tells me that it's going to continue in a direction I'm not particularly interested in.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies if I oversold the issue ... ach, it's different strokes, isn't it, Rob?
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