Tom and Mary Bierbaum were allowed to fly solo after Giffen left the 5-Years Later LSH.
I think they wrote some pretty groovy stories.
I will begin to re-read their stint tonight, but thought I'd open the thread with some memories of their stories, and compare my comments later after I've re-read them.
They actually have 2 separate stints without Giffen, one being LSH 39-50 and the other being th first 10 or so issues of LEGIONNAIRES.
I'll be re-reading the LSH stuff first, with comments to follow.
But off the top of my hand (and with glancing at the covers of stated issues) I can remember that 39 was a real emotional issue, 40's cover was in exceptionally bad taste, 41 was awesome and fun (as were those Legionnaires issues I'll be rereading later; I kinda count LSH # 41 as LEGIONNAIRES # 0), LSH # 42-- something good finally happens to the long crapped-on character of Luornu Durgo.
Then we have the Mordru multi-parter (Zombies!), the all-awesome all-Matter-Eater Lad issue (*more* zombies!) and T&M's grand finale, # 50.
I'll comment more on these issues after I re-read them. I will say now that the Bierbaums certainly were blessed with some fantastic artists on their stints (Immonen on LSH, Sprouse and Hughes on Legionnaires).
Hopefully you all will dig out your own copies, re-read 'em and tell us what you think of 'em now.
Posted by MLLASH on :
looks like Tom and Mary went Giffenless on LSH # #37 as well... I remember being somewhat annoyed by the portrayal of Nura Nal in that issue (although I liked her during the Mordru multi-parter).
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
My main impression of Tom and Mary's writing is that their dialogue is much better than most of the Legion's past writers, including Levitz. Whereas Levitz felt it necessary to remind the readers every few pages of who these characters were, what they could do, and what some (usually irrelevant) aspect of their past was like, the Bierbaums benefitted from the "What has gone before" captions on the letter's page. Even when such captions were absent (as in Annual # 3), they didn't feel it necessary to beat the reader over the head with extraneous information. They credited the reader with being able to figure out things on their own.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
I think the Bierbaums are easily the best scripters the Legion has ever had.
I never thought Levitz's dialogue was all that great. Even reading his best stuff like GDS, there are moments when I can break out laughing at just how cheesy and overblown some of the writing is. Levitz's real skill was as a plotter and systematizer of what had gone before.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I also love the T&M-K issues. I think 'Legion of the Dead' is a pretty kick-ass Mordru story, with great scenes for Jeckie, Devlin, and a whole host of others.
The Tenzil story will always be one of the greatest LSH spotlights of all time.
But above all, I felt that these issues could have lead to something so much more. The Legion had begun to feel like super-heroes again, and after #50, I see no reason why the 5YL continuity could not have gone another 40 years if done properly. Honestly, all that was needed was a shift in tone in regards to a renewed sense of optimism (done in the story of course) and a change in the art from dreary to gradually (over years) becoming brighter and fresher. I felt like the Bierbaums had begun this, especially by effectively eliminiating Mordru as a threat for at least awhile. Even Jeckie's return to the team felt that way (though unfortunately, it didn't last), just like Jacques and Drura joining up. Losing Cham was a mistake though.
I loved the idea of the Khund Legionnaires. While Veilmist and Flederweb are the obvious break-out favorites, I even enjoyed the other two for what they were worth, especially the complete 'over the top Khund' that ultimately got killed.
The dialogue, as others mention, was top-notch. In fact, I can basically attribute these issues to me becoming a fan of Devlin O'Ryan and a few others, including Cos's one-armed buddy who was the engineer at the HQ (damn me for forgetting his name suddenly!)
I have to admit I didn't hate the Star Boy/Nura issue though.
Lash, what cover are you referring to as being tasteless? Forgive my alcohol sodden memory...
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
I agree their scripts where the best I've ever read.
Also the first annual with Ultra Boy? One of my all time favorite legion stories. They wrote that by themselves I think.
Also, some of their non-Giffen stories after the earth blew up I didn't care for. I didn't hate it but I lost interest. I also hated the clone stuff.
[ June 13, 2007, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: Ultra Jorge ]
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
quote:Originally posted by Ultra Jorge: Also the first annual with Ultra Boy? One of my all time favorite legion stories. They wrote that by themselves I think.
I had forgotten they did that one solo too. Also one of my favorite Legion stories of all time, and what I would call the greatest Legion Spotlight story of all time (probably the greatest spotlight story in a team book as well). Every time I reread it, I still think "wow...this is just ****in brillant!"
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
The UB annual story was a masterful blending of past stories into a sinlge thread, and well-scripted to boot.
For post-Giffen T&M, I loved 39-41, but the Mordru/zombie/Amethyst bit left me a bit cold (no pun intended). Their Legionnaires run was fun, but nothing outstanding. I much preferred their with-Giffen run (except for Profem).
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
And I agree, they were excellent scripters.
Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
welllllllllllll to be a disenting voice ...i didnt like how they brought a lot of fanzine speculation into the book on some things. 1)element lad being gay (though obviously i have no problem with gay legionnaires as some of u know im gay) i just hated Shvaghun being Sean the total greatest WTF moment in the history of the Legion for me. Then there's that business we were discussing about Garth Being proty...that was total legion fanzine discussion...its in the that legion fanztine trade that's out talking about how saturn girl knows that mon-el isnt really himself and deals with the fact that she knows Garth is really proty 1.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
I agree that Shvaugn/Sean didn't pan out (on the other hand, Eltro-in-Lar, IMHO, did work). If Jan was to be made gay, so be it - but that shouldn't invalidate his hetero relationship with Shvaugn.
For a long time, I was in the camp strongly opposed to Proty-in-Garth. I'm not not sold on it, but I can accept it in terms of that story (as per the puzzle peice that doesn't fit for me into the trest of continuity).
Posted by armsfalloffboy on :
Although not my first Legion stories, my first experience with Legion on a monthly basis was TMK--I'll always love it. I agree that things got a little esoteric (Eltro Gand, Shvaughn), but it was precisely those little details that Tom and Mary included that really opened the Legion mythos to me. I got completely obsessed with getting Legion back issues (a quest that has now occupied me for 18 years, off and on) and finding out what they were talking about.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy-Supergirl: i just hated Shvaghun being Sean the total greatest WTF moment in the history of the Legion for me.
Fortunately the writers hadn't yet discovered the Anthramites. They'd have had a meltdown.
Posted by Kid Quislet on :
I had a real problem with the casual maiming, raping, and killing of Legion characters by TMK, and it totally turned me off the series long before the Bierbaums took complete control over the scripting. While there were some positive moments in the TMK stories (I still don't have many of the later issues in this version), overall the Legion plunged from multiple titles to a single one on the verge of cancellation in the decade following the 5Y later startup. The TMK Legion totally tore up the 30 year foundation it insisted on spring-boarding from, and left a total continuity mess that the current Legion title still is struggling to recover from (the WaK version helping not at all). Tom & Mary Bierbaum, along with Giffen, are largely to blame for this.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Based on Giffen and the Bierbaums' interviews in the The Legion Companion, I would say DC and Giffen are more to blame than the Bierbaums, KQ. Tom Bierbaum credits Giffen with 70 percent of the vision for 5YL. By contrast, Tom estimates that he and Mary contributed 15 percent, with Al Gordon getting 10 percent and Tom McCraw five percent(p. 201).
DC certainly forced the rewrite of the Legion's history, which even Giffen wasn't happy with. He says he refused to do a "white event" to start everything from scratch, as he had been advised (p. 194).
So, I think the Bierbaums and, to a lesser extent, Giffen, managed the best they could with the incomplete deck of cards they were given.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
I agree, HWW. The Bierbaums got an unfair share of the blame. If one compares their own run with their Giffen collaboration, it becomes much more clear as to who brought what to the table - especially when one adds in Giffen's trends on other books.
Posted by MLLASH on :
Okay, time for some reviews of the issues I've reread so far...
LSH 37
(Many of these tales weren't individually titled, so I just use the cover blurbs...)
"STAR BOY returns in A League of his own!"
The issue is set on Naltor and is a refreshing change from all the recent death and destruction on Earth that occurred during the battle with the Dominion during THE TERRA MOSAIC.
Basically, the entire issue centers around Thom Kallor, the former Star Boy, who has apprently become a big-time batball coach and is married to the team's Naltorian owner.
Nura Nal, the former Dream Girl, is now Naltor's high seer, and apprently still has a thing for her old flame.
The issue as a whole is fun, and different that what had been going on previously in LSH, with the focus on a batball game and not planetary-wide destruction.
Thom Kallor is portrayed as a real good-guy type, and it fits him well.
Nura Nal's characterization I was less happy with (think "Hedonism-Bot" from FUTURAMA) but Tom and Mary did redeem themselves with her in later issues.
Other stuff: A subplot for issue 42 begins here (Imra's kidnapping), and events for the VALOR ongoing are also set up (SW6 Mon-El disappears into the time-stream). There's also a cute little batball scenario with Kono winning mucho credits from Kent, Jo and Rokk.
Oerall, not my favorite Tom and Mary issue, but certainly not a bad comic book.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: LSH 37
(Many of these tales weren't individually titled, so I just use the cover blurbs...)
"STAR BOY returns in A League of his own!"
One of my all-time favorite covers.
Posted by MLLASH on :
SHAME on me for not mentioning that amazing Brian Stelfreeze cover.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH 39
"Beginnings"
So, TMK ended their run together in the previous issue, which featured the horrifying destruction of Earth and formation of New Earth.
So the real T/M era begins here.
I's a definite "aftermath" type issue, the tried and true followup to a massive, powerful storyline that marks the real point where the series can begin to continue past said storyline.
Much of the issue is in flashback to the mass evacuation of Earth, with heartbreaking moments for Celeste Rockfish, Laurel Gand and Brainiac 5. You can really get the sense that they will never, ever get over this tragedy.
There's a touching scene between Vi and Ayla and a tense scene with the SW6 Legionnaires on the still-deserted New Earth.
A demonstration of Giffen's ability to change his art from awesome to awful is also included, along with the resolution of the Kid Quantum/protean disappearance.
As a display of Tom and Mary's ability to humanize characters, this issue kicks total ass.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH 40
"Guess who's back? WRONG!"
The cover features Wildfire, a character missing throughout the entire 5YL era. Only it isn't. It's his never-before-mentioned brother Squire Burroughs. That, for me, was an annoying, unnecessary tease. Why not just have it be the real Wildfire?
That aside, the issue is good.
Still dealing with the aftermaths of Earth's destruction (unlike in current LSH, where terrible things seem to happen and are rarely or never mentioned again), the LSH (and the readers) get a dose of inspiration from seeing the SW6 team help rebuid.
The groundwork for a subplot with Universo is laid, and Danielle Foccart arrives on New Earth, to the delight of her brother.
There's some easter eggs in the form of past LSH characters (now under Dominion mind-wipe) arriving to New Earth for treatment. Among them, Flare, someone who looks much like Quake Kid, Karate Kid (Myg), The Polecat and Cocheta Drisden, apparently the daughter of Charma and Grimbor. These appearances of obscure (new, in the case of Cocheta, but still brilliant) make the Wildfire no-show even more baffling.
Anyhoo, the big focus of the issue is the official first meeting between the Adult LSH and their young counterparts on the SW6 LEGIONNAIRES team, and it is an emotional, stirring meeting.
Plus more subplot setuppage, as the upcoming Mordru 6-parter gets a nudge when Nura asks someone who looks suspiciously like the Martian Manhunter to help Mysa, who is on a quest amid the rubble of the old Sorcerer's World, and Imra's disappearance is made known by Garth.
Overall, despite a questionable choice here and there (Squire Burroughs? WHY?!) this is an excellent issue.
Posted by Not-So-Bad Lad on :
Okay, you guys are talking about the right era, so maybe you can shed som light on this:
At one point during Mordru arc (or somewhere near there) does Glorithverse Andrew Nolan show up and talk to Jacque and Rokk, or am I remembering that incorrectly?
Posted by MLLASH on :
Yes he does.... it happens in... hold up... lemme check here...
LSH # 44. He's apparently holding Glorith.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Re: LSH # 37.
I enjoyed this issue. It features a very different take on an ex-Legionnaire. Thom uses his Star Boy powers only once. In fact, it doesn't seem to be a Legion story at all; with a little tweaking, it could be about any coach who resists corruption in order to "stand for something" other than just winning.
I agree that Nura's portrayal was less than flattering. Not only does she look like an overweight brothel madam, but she also has no qualms about seducing a married man. (Good for Thom for saying no. I just wish we could have seen Nura's face.)
I'm all for heroes who are human and have failings, but I never saw anything in Nura's character before that might suggest that infidelity was acceptable to her. And while I like the idea of some Legionnaires putting on that middle-age spread, she always seemed to take greater pride in her appearance than most.
Nevertheless, the main story was head and tails above the SW6 subplot. There is just something so wrong about Duo Damsel pining for Valor instead of Superboy. This was another contrived example of Lar filling Kal's role.
Posted by Not-So-Bad Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: Yes he does.... it happens in... hold up... lemme check here...
LSH # 44. He's apparently holding Glorith.
And was it just for one panel? I remember being confused why he just blipped up and vanished again.
Sorry to bother ya, but I don't have my back issues available to me Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
quote:Originally posted by Kent Shakespeare: I agree, HWW. The Bierbaums got an unfair share of the blame. If one compares their own run with their Giffen collaboration, it becomes much more clear as to who brought what to the table - especially when one adds in Giffen's trends on other books.
I emailed them once and they made it very clear that Giffen was behind nearly everything behind the Legion until he left the book. As you said you certainly see the difference in the early books Giffen wasn't credited or after he left.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
Wildfire's "brother" was pretty stupid I thought. That was just cheap shock value. Emphasis on the cheap.
Posted by Kid Quislet on :
Hey, the Bierbaums were there when Giffen was running loose, as were the DC editors. Anyone of them could have, and should have said "Hey Keith, your mangling of these characters is destroying a tradition built up over 30 years. Why don't we try something Constructive rather than Destructive?" Instead, they all stood around and watched the inevitable sinking of what was previously a solid ship.
Posted by Crujectra of Psyonia on :
The Bierbaum issues were my favorites among the 5YG era. I was never a big fan of the earlier issues of that era. I didn't like the costume/codename-less Legion, setting up shop in a former brothel. I always felt that it was the lowest point in my personal Legion fandom (at least at that point).
When Keith left, I felt the series take an upward swing. The Legion began to feel like heroes again, and things felt like they were getting back on track. The Mordru arc was easily the best of the era, both writing and art-wise. The Bierbaum stories, married to the Immomen artwork, was incredible. It made me sad to see that title end, as hard as that was to imagine for me at the time.
Add that to their Legionnaires title, and it was some amazing storytelling. To me, Tom and Mary were, to date, the only writers since Paul Levitz who ever really captured the Legion ideal. Legionnaires was everything the Legion should be: funny, heroic, human, youthful and epic, all at the same time. There was no need to reimagine the Legion. They were able to bring the team back to their roots without starting from scratch, which I think is the mistake that has been made by every creative team since then.
I would love to see them tackle the Legion again someday.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
quote:Originally posted by Kid Quislet: Hey, the Bierbaums were there when Giffen was running loose, as were the DC editors. Anyone of them could have, and should have said "Hey Keith, your mangling of these characters is destroying a tradition built up over 30 years. Why don't we try something Constructive rather than Destructive?" Instead, they all stood around and watched the inevitable sinking of what was previously a solid ship.
A couple of points to consider:
1. It would have been unwise for the Bierbaums, who were new to writing for DC, to go up against "star" talent like Keith Giffen and tell him he was "mangling" the characters. He could likely have had them fired in one phone call to editorial.
2. Just because you (and others, to be sure) thought that Giffen was "destroying" the Legion doesn't mean the Bierbaums shared your assessment. They were all attempting to do something new and original. The end result may not have been what they (or even Giffen) hoped for, but you can't always know how a direction is going to turn out until you try it.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
quote:Originally posted by Kid Quislet: Hey, the Bierbaums were there when Giffen was running loose, as were the DC editors. Anyone of them could have, and should have said "Hey Keith, your mangling of these characters is destroying a tradition built up over 30 years. Why don't we try something Constructive rather than Destructive?" Instead, they all stood around and watched the inevitable sinking of what was previously a solid ship.
no offense, but it's always easir to say what others should have done, and it's always easier to gauge that after the fact. We have no idea what it seemed like at the time, or what all the factors they had to balance. DC has a long history of treating creators (especially those less-than-star-level) like crap. They may well have done as much as they could have; we do not know.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
We do know that they lobbied against some of Keith's ideas. The whole Shvaughn-is-a-man thing, for example, was their way of saving her life when Giffen wanted to kill her to amp up the Roxxas-Jan feud.
Posted by Jerry on :
Let me start by saying that I hold the "Five Year Later" Legion in very high regard. The Rebirth and Terra Mosiac story arcs are, perhaps, some of the best comic books ever published. They wouldn't have been what they are without the Bierbaums. Giffen was the mad genius. Tom and Mary were the heart and soul. It wouldn't have worked without the combination.
These stories are unique. They couldn't have been written about any other characters - not the JLA, not the Avengers, not the Teen Titans, and certainly not with a team of newly introduced heroes. It had to be the Legion. It was the Legion. It was the story of the adults that the Legion came to be, and I was so proud of how they turned out.
The Adventure Era laid the foundation. It gave us this crazy 30th century, these fun characters, their unique interactions, and that heart that Tom and Mary later capatalized on.
The Bates/Conway/Cockrum/Grell era modernized the whole thing. This era made the Legion the cool kids who were quickly growing up.
The Levitz era was truly about growing up, and growing in general. It was a slow boil. These kids and young adults went through a hell of a lot. The tragedies were starting to take their toll but they tried hard to hold onto the hope and optimism. The stakes got higher and higher. By the end of the Levitz run each Legionnaire had grown and changed. They had unique personalities. Much more so than any other super hero team. These personalities were not forced. They felt natural. We knew these people. They were ready for the next step.
Giffen came along with a bold vision that would take them quickly to that next step. Remember, we never really get to see comic book characters age. The problem with that is that we had just seen the Legion grow up. There had to be a next chapter. Giffen wanted to throw all of the old conventions out the window and drop us right into the middle of the Legion's adulthood. He brought us a more frightning universe. He hit us over the head with the intervening tragedies. He dropped us right into the middle of a terrible war and Earth's darkest hours. It was complex. It was complicated. We had to work damn hard to figure it all out. It was layered like an onion. We had to peel it and pull it apart. When we finally got to the middle, there were the Bierbaums with the Legion's heart. Tom and Mary knew how proud Rokk was. They knew how much Jo valued loyalty and a good time, but how heavy his burden was. They knew Imra's worries. They knew Vi's guilt. They also knew her strength. They knew how deeply Ayla could love. They knew Mysa's vulnerablities and courage. They knew how much we all depended on Brainy and that he relished that despite his outward appearance. Most of all they knew the Legion wasn't just any old super hero team. They were family.
Giffen's vision would have floundered without Tom and Mary. Tom and Mary's later stories weren't that compelling without Giffen's madness. But for a couple of years there the chemistry was just right, and I am glad that I was able to be there for it.
Posted by Stealth on :
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: We do know that they lobbied against some of Keith's ideas. The whole Shvaughn-is-a-man thing, for example, was their way of saving her life when Giffen wanted to kill her to amp up the Roxxas-Jan feud.
And in doing so, they condemned her to a fate worse than death (IMO). Turning her whole motivation for changing sex and joining the Science Police into a crush on Element Lad made the character seem foolish and superficial. The writers' so-called understanding of transsexual psychology goes beyond ignorant into barbaric! Worst of all is the implication in later issues that she can only prove her true worth as an SP by living as a man.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Jerry --
Well said. Wonderful analysis of the Legion as it grew up and how "Five Years Later" fit into their overall arc.
I never really had a problem with the stories TMK told. I mainly disliked the way in which they were told, some of which was Giffen's fault (nine-panel grids, incomprehensible artwork), and some of it DC's (the rewriting of the Legion's history, which gutted the whole purpose of having them grow up, in my opinion. It's hard to believe these were the same characters when you had "Valor" and "Andromeda" running around instead of Superboy, Mon-El, and Supergirl).
But, certainly, the seriousness of TMK and TM stories enabled the writers to show much deeper sides of the characters. I just re-read # 39 last night, which contains a very touching scene between Vi and Ayla. Ayla tries to remain positive in the aftermath of the earth's destruction, and Vi scolds her for not being affected by all the deaths. When Ayla breaks down and cries, saying that she has to be strong, and Vi replies that she doesn't have to be strong all the time, it moved me.
Likewise, the nightmares and hallucinations that other characters experience are all too real. It particularly hit home when Brainy replays his attempts to save earth, wondering if he could have done anything differently. How many of us have done the same thing in the face of tragedy?
It's hard to imagine any Legion writers besides Tom and Mary pulling this story off.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
Whatever the dynamic betwee Giffen and the Bierbaums, it resulted in two issues i consider nearly perfect stand alone issues, #5 Proclamation (Mordruverse) and #38 Requiem.
#38 I thought would have made a great starting story for a new non-legion comic but on second thoughts I wonder if I would have been as affected if not for the emotions shown by characters that I was attached to. This was probably the only time I like the O'Ryan character.
Of Bierbaum only, I really enjoyed Beginnings and All ME Lad issue.
Most displeasure I had with issues past #38 probably had to do with me not particularly enjoying Sprouse or Immonem.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
quote:Originally posted by Stealth: And in doing so, they condemned her to a fate worse than death (IMO). Turning her whole motivation for changing sex and joining the Science Police into a crush on Element Lad made the character seem foolish and superficial. The writers' so-called understanding of transsexual psychology goes beyond ignorant into barbaric! Worst of all is the implication in later issues that she can only prove her true worth as an SP by living as a man.
Young boys and girls often do comparably foolish things for their romantic idols. (It is mentioned in the text pages that Sean was 15 when he ran away from home and that he started taking Profem shortly after.)
LSH # 31 is less about a man who becomes a woman than about learning to accept oneself as one is. This theme is mirrored in what happens to young Jan (the SW6 Legionnaire), who inadvertently kills some Dominators in the story and has trouble living with it. The scenes of young Jan grieving over his actions are deliberately captioned with older Jan's narration of the "Trommite cub" story. The Trommite cub fails to accept the truth of his father's wisdom that killing others is akin to killing oneself. So he kills the father and is shunned by his mother, animals, and townsfolk. In effect, he "destroys" himself by losing out on any chance of friendship. This is certainly what young Jan must have feared would happen to him. (Fortunately, it didn't, as his comrades conclude that the killings were accidental.)
Likewise, Sean "destroys" himself by trying to become something he is not (a woman). Like young Jan, though, he gets a second chance. It was very brave of Sean to realize he needed to make it on his own without Jan's help. In a way, he embraces "death" -- but the death of a false identity. How many of us would willingly give up our own dependence on someone or something (a drug, perhaps?), knowing that it will result in the "death" of who we are, but may lead to greater growth?
The idea of a long-time, favorite female character turning out to be a man may be rankle some fans (and I, too, was prepared to dislike this story until I read it), but TMK made it work. Like Sean, we're not supposed to be too comfortable with what happens to him; like him, we're not supposed to even "like" it that he (or we) have to go through this difficult period of adjustment. But, like him, we have to be brave and face the truths of our lives.
To me, that's a much better use of the character than a meaningless death from which he/she would likely have recovered, anyway.
Posted by Stealth on :
It's not a portrait of transsexualism that I find believeable. No real-life transsexual that I've ever been aware of, not even those who begin the transition in their teens (and I've read lots of case studies) would do it just because they have a crush on a male celebrity. I reiterate, TMK's so-called understanding of transgender psychology goes beyond ignorance into barbarism.
And furthermore, this doesn't jibe with Levitz's portrayal of Shvaughn. She had no angst, and she didn't act like she had anything to prove. That's what made her such an appealing character to myself and many others.
[ June 26, 2007, 11:53 PM: Message edited by: Stealth ]
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
If you see Sean as a representative of transsexuals, then maybe it doesn't work. But if you see him as a unique character who had easier access to gender modification than we do now, and whose family history (his parents came from a world where women were women and men were men) had predisposed him to be ashamed of himself, then maybe his actions are more understandable.
Young girls starve themselves because they want to look like the women they see on TV. Young boys take steroids so they can compete with larger, stronger athletes. People of both sexes and all ages take drugs, drink, and engage in other behavior that is harmful to themselves just to fit in with some social order at school or work. Viewed in this larger context, do Sean's actions seem so unrealistic?
[ June 27, 2007, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: He Who Wanders ]
Posted by Stealth on :
You make a good point. I have a great deal of difficulty putting this in the larger context you've provided. I feel that TMK took a very sensitive subject and handled it with a tremendous lack of sensitivity (to say nothing of poor research, if indeed there was any research done at all, which I doubt). The plight of the transgendered is a cause near to my heart, because hatred towards transgenders crosses every line: people of every race, gender, creed and sexual preference have persecuted transgendered people, and I do my part in trying to conquer this last frontier of intolerance. TMK's story does a disservice to everybody.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
I understand where you're coming from, and, certainly, greater sensitivity and understanding needs to occur in all of us for issues such a transgenderism.
But it's easy to criticize writers for lack of research (I know I've done this myself) while overlooking the fact that they tried to address a taboo issue at all and also to present it in a sympathetic light. Sean/Shvaughn isn't psychotic, or a villain, or someone whose problem is easily resolved. Nor is he a stereotype (look, for example, at representations of gay or black characters throughout the history of comics). To me, he comes off as a complex character whose decision to embrace his true identity is admirable.
Oh, and your point about Levitz's portrayal of Shvaughn is well taken. I haven't read those issues in awhile, but it is common for the personalities of characters to change from writer to writer. Tenz's humorous personality, for example, didn't develop until much later.
Posted by Stealth on :
It's the repercussions of a story like this that worry me. Intolerant people (especially intolerant parents of children with gender issues) are likely to point to this story as proof that their ignorant and potentially harmful opinions are correct. Think how much more the children may suffer because of stories like this. I believe that if writers are going to deal with an extremely sensitive topic, they have a responsibility to consider what effect it might have. TMK -- and for that matter, Neil Gaiman when he dealt with the topic in Sandman -- were irresponsible, and therefore earn nothing from me but scorn.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
It's been my experience that ignorant people point to anything to justify their harmful opinions. Look at how many people use the Bible to justify slavery, racism, hatred of homosexuals, hatred of Jews, etc.
In the 1970s, it was said that half of the audience of "All in the Family" saw Archie Bunker as a buffoon; the other half saw him as a hero.
So, while it's right to be concerned about ignorant people spreading hatred, their opinions are of little value in discussing the merits of a story. Writers must tell the story that needs to be told, regardless of who is going to interpet it in whatever way. If writers spend their time second guessing how their audience will react, they will never write anything of consequence.
It's also hard for me to envision parents using this story as some sort of message against their children. For one thing, parents who discriminate are not likely to take a comic book seriously. For another, this story is too sophisticated (meaning it doesn't have enough action) for most kids to want to read, unless they are fairly old and have already formed their own opinions.
Posted by Kid Quislet on :
My distaste for what Giffen did to the Legion during 5YL isn't hindsight - I was actively opposed (as a regular reader) to a lot of what was going on at the time. The Shvaughn/Profem debacle was the last straw, as I cancelled my subscription to the Legion after that for the first time since I started as a seven year old with the Superboy back up stories.
I totally agree with you, Stealth. The Shvaughn episode shouldn't have happened, and I contend that other events going on as well should have at least been questioned, if not totally opposed. I cancelled my subscription - an unthinkable action for me at the time - but I acted in the best way I could. The Bierbaums and the DC editors had greater influence. They didn't do much of anything until it was already out of hand. I still hold them accountable.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: LSH 40Anyhoo, the big focus of the issue is the official first meeting between the Adult LSH and their young counterparts on the SW6 LEGIONNAIRES team, and it is an emotional, stirring meeting.
The Jo/Jo/Tinya scenes are heartbreaking in this issue, and get me every time.
Great, great issue with tons of little moments.
Shame on them for Squire Burroughs though.
Jerry--I enjoyed reading your description of how TMK, especially T&M fit into Legion lore. Well said.
Blockade Boy--I agree pretty much about #5 and #38. Two pretty much perfect issues. I reread #5 all the time because its just so damn well done.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Oh, I hated the Schvaughn thing because I felt like I had been robbed of the Jan/Schvaughn romance that I loved reading about during the Levtiz era. Not that it became a transgender issue, but because it made Schvaughn so desperate and tragic. Killing her would have given me an equally distasteful reaction. But then again, the Jan/Schvaughn romance is among my favorites, with Drake & Dawny and Jo & Tinya.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
I agree. Luckily, I am fully able to pretend that issue doesn't count, and that the Sean character was a completely different character all along (you can never have too many Seans).
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: Oh, I hated the Schvaughn thing because I felt like I had been robbed of the Jan/Schvaughn romance that I loved reading about during the Levtiz era. Not that it became a transgender issue, but because it made Schvaughn so desperate and tragic. Killing her would have given me an equally distasteful reaction. But then again, the Jan/Schvaughn romance is among my favorites, with Drake & Dawny and Jo & Tinya.
See, this is precisely why I like the story so much. All characters must face some ordeal that makes them "desperate and tragic," at least for a time. In the story, young Jan kills Dominators and has to face the fact that he's just done what the Trommite cub in the story did. His situation is no less desperate and tragic than Sean's. In the end, though, both young Jan and Sean become stronger as a result of their ordeals. (It's hard to imagine a Jan who had gone through this ordeal trying to kill Roxxas, as older Jan did in SUPERBOY # 211.)
I liked the Element Lad/Shvaughn relationship, too, but I also like how TMK showed a different, deeper side to it. Jan felt that Shvaughn was clinging to him, and Shvaughn felt frustrated because Jan couldn't love her the way she wanted to be loved. (Few idols can.) This just seems very real to me. It shows that Sean must love himself for who he is before he can find the love of his life.
I also thought it was interesting that Jan was willing to stay with Sean after the change. He loved the spirit, not the body. But this wasn't what Sean wanted. Sean knew he had to break free from his dependence on Jan. Again, I think Sean comes off as a stronger and more admirable character for having gone through this ordeal.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
By the way, it also occurs to me that Sean isn't really transgendered ("a woman in a man's body"), but is "simply" gay. He feared Jan would reject him for being gay, hence the gender switch. It also seems he undertook this change because he had the opportunity to do so. In other words, if he hadn't been in a "Freebie Commune" where gender transformation was encouraged and Profem was easy to come by, he might not have sought out the change.
This is in line with something else I read today, which suggests that people often behave a certain way depending on the situation they find themselves in, and not because they are predisposed to being a certain way. (The article I read was "Obedience" by Ian Parker, a scholarly response to Stanley Milgram's 1963 experiment in which he had subjects shock someone (who was not really harmed) for giving the wrong answers.) The idea is that we might not go out of our way to help a complete stranger, but we might do so if we just happen to be there when the person needs help.
I don't know if this line of thinking makes the story any more palatable to fans who hate it, but perhaps it makes Sean's actions more understandable.
Posted by MLLASH on :
iirc, a transgendered fan wrote in to praise the Shvaughn/Sean issue-- I will have to check the lettercols to verify-- but if I am right, this tells me that the issue was appreciated by someone who might be more "in the know" than we are.
Posted by MLLASH on :
quote:Originally posted by Crujectra of Psyonia: The Bierbaum issues were my favorites among the 5YG era. I was never a big fan of the earlier issues of that era.
When Keith left, I felt the series take an upward swing. The Legion began to feel like heroes again, and things felt like they were getting back on track. The Mordru arc was easily the best of the era, both writing and art-wise. The Bierbaum stories, married to the Immomen artwork, was incredible. It made me sad to see that title end, as hard as that was to imagine for me at the time.
Add that to their Legionnaires title, and it was some amazing storytelling. To me, Tom and Mary were, to date, the only writers since Paul Levitz who ever really captured the Legion ideal. Legionnaires was everything the Legion should be: funny, heroic, human, youthful and epic, all at the same time. There was no need to reimagine the Legion. They were able to bring the team back to their roots without starting from scratch, which I think is the mistake that has been made by every creative team since then.
I would love to see them tackle the Legion again someday.
WOW-- I couldn't possibly agree more! I agree with every single word.
Our only difference (which is why I edited part of your quote out) is that I rIIIIIlly started to GET INTO the 5YL LSH a bit earlier than you, around issue 25 when the SW6 team showed up. I went LSH-fan-CRAZY at that point.
Posted by MLLASH on :
quote:Originally posted by Jerry: These stories are unique. They couldn't have been written about any other characters - not the JLA, not the Avengers, not the Teen Titans, and certainly not with a team of newly introduced heroes. It had to be the Legion. It was the Legion. It was the story of the adults that the Legion came to be, and I was so proud of how they turned out.
You are SO right; I can't imagine this being stated any more perfectly!
More Tom/Mary/MLLASH trivia:
When LEGIONNAIRES launched, I was a RABID LSH fanatic. I *loved* those early issues!!
Also, I owe Tom and Mary for turning a mild infatuation with Infectious Lass to a full-blown screaming fan-frenzy love.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
This poster needs more Tom/Mary/MLLASH trivia!
I remember actually when the Jan/Schvaughn issue came off the stands, though at this point in my life I had never read a LSH comic yet (as I was a pre-teen, Spider-Man fanatic). My Dad said: "Keith Giffen has taken a series with a long history and created a very adult, excellent comic book. I hope you read these one day". My Dad isn't that big a Legion fan, so this was pretty high praise from him. On the other hand, he's a huge Keith Giffen fan, so that rubbed off on me.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
You know while I hated my sexy beloved Officer Erin becoming Sean...I still felt the love between the characters. I didn't want Jan to leave him cause they were still that couple. But it broke my heart to tell the truth. I was like 15 and the girl I loved was a man! (baby--AP)
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Sounds like your dad's a wise man, Cobie!
Like Kid Quislet, I had stopped reading the Legion during v. 4, only much earlier, with # 5. (I hated the rewrite of the Legion's history: it destroyed the very foundation of the book, in my view.) So I didn't read most of these issues until a few years ago, and now, thanks to these threads, I get to rediscover them all over again.
My appreciation of them has only grown. I think TM and sometimes K did the best they could in spite of DC's dictates. In many instances, they demolished the boundaries of what super-hero comics were expected to be.
Case in point: I just re-read # 40, which contains marvelous scenes of the older Legionnaires interacting with their young counterparts. Particular favorites:
-- Older Vi telling younger Vi to think for herself (and younger Vi telling Devlin O'Ryan off as a result).
-- The Brainys and Andromedas. When older Brainy callously tells younger Laurel that Valor (her brother, am I correct?) is probably not coming back, it says so much about older Brainy's relationship with "his" Andromeda -- the hurt that must have passed between them. When younger Brainy consoles Laurel, he glances over his shoulder with disgust at his older counterpart. He must be thinking, "I can't believe I turned out to be such a prig!"
-- The tear-jerking scene of older Jo encountering young Tinya. Young Jo really does come off as a dumb jock for not anticipating how his older self might react to seeing the counterpart of the woman he lost. Perhaps younger Jo didn't understand the deepness that his love for Tinya would take on as they matured.
I love stories with this sort of psychological and social complexity. They lend themselves to analysis, interpretation, and otherwise active participation on the part of the reader.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
That Jo/Jo/Tinya scene still brings water to my eyes upon multiple rereads. Tons of great sequences in that issue and others.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
HWW, Andromeda and Valor were cousins.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Thanks, Jorge.
Posted by Crujectra of Psyonia on :
One of the best scenes in the series, in my opinion, was the one at the beginning of the Mordru arc, where Projectra was visiting Val's grave on Shanghalla, and telling him how much his loss still hurt her, even after several years. It was heartbreaking to hear the loss she still felt, and was a testiment to one of the greatest loves in Legion history.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
Well I agree with Crujectra, Jerry, and Lash!
Not only did they get rid of the history but they got rid of the emotion. This latest Legion appearing in JSA/JLA even under a weak story (well i liked it) we all got caught up on that emotion.
Jerry hit on the head. Only stories that could be told in the Legion. We need that again.
Posted by MLLASH on :
Top o' the page... a good time for more reviews!
LSH 41
"Introducing THE LEGIONNAIRES"
A "split" issue, half Immonen, half Sprouse, that serves effectively as LEGIONNAIRES # 0, a launching pad for the upcoming LEGIONNAIRES series (which I was mad crazy excited about!).
There's some real drama in the Immonen half, with Jacques deciding to ditch his role as earth president (turning it over to former Legionnaire Tyroc), a scene between Sean and Jan which shows that the two are still friends, the revelation that the SW6 Luornu can triplicate and a scene with the recently traumatized Dawnstar.
But most dramatic of all is the reunion between the long-dead Lyle Norg and his parents. Whoa. Heavy.
The second half with THE LEGIONNAIRES features something long-missing... bright, super-hero costumes and an upswing in the general mood of things.
You gotta love such things as the snappy patter between older-Cham and Danielle, Laurel's "Valor-Girl" costume, Tenzil's one liners ("Thank God for short skirts."), Dirk's passionate itch getting scratched (perhaps TOO deeply!) and the overall "FEEL" being established by Tom, Mary, Chris Sprouse/Karl Story and Tom McGraw (Legion colorist SU-freaking-PREME).
I'm telling you, I was so hyped for LEGIONNAIRES to launch like for no other series, before or since. Can't wait to reread those early issues and review 'em here.
I would be remiss to not point out the LSH 300 homage cover by Sprouse/Story, probably my favorite homage ever.
I should also state at this point that Tom and Mary's lettercols were probably some of the best, possibly THE best, of any comic, ever.
[ June 28, 2007, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: MLLASH ]
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: I would be remiss to not point out the LSH 300 homage cover by Sprouse/Story, probably my favorite homage ever.
Actually, it's a homage to ADVENTURE # 300, not LSH (v.2) # 300 (although the motif was repeated on 301).
Posted by MLLASH on :
EEEps, that is SO what I meant.
40 lashes for me for not proofreading!
Posted by Uranus Lad on :
I'm coming to this thread a bit late but count me among the fans of the 5YL Legion. I found the whole thing refreshing. Taking characters I loved to a new level that wasn't all bright and shiny and there were threats beyond gaudy super villans. A lot of people have gripes about it; Profem, the destruction of earth, batch SW6, etc. None of that bothered me particularly. It was gripping and well written. Personally, I miss that Legion and even though it had changed considerably by the end of the run, it seemed like a natural progression even though they had stupid costumes again (loved the non-costume costumes). I miss you Tom & Mary (and Keith).
Posted by MLLASH on :
EDIT!!!!
I am not going to edit the original post but it should be VERY LOUDLY STATED that the plot for issue 42 is from TOM McCRAW and not the Bierbaums. I swear I never realized that for some reason!!
Sincerest apologies to Tom!
LSH 42
"The Enemy Within"
Starting with page 1, we know we have a spotlight on Luornu Durgo Taine, who had been at best a second-tier character throughout the 5YG.
Someone's been kidnapping Legionnaires, very specific ones.
Turns out it's Glorith of Baaldur, vixen villainess supreme, as revenge for the whole CONSPIRACY thing from the Levitz era.
"What's that?", you ask, a pinched expression on your face, "The Time Trapper was the villain of the Conspiracy storyline, dumbass! Everyone knows that!"
And you are correct.
However, with TMK's LSH # 4 and 5, we experienced a "mini-boot" (forced by DC's then-PTB) which retroactively altered certain things about the LSH's history. Important to this issue: it whited out all reference to Superboy and Supergirl, and inserted Glorith into the Time Trapper's place in continuity.
Therefore, Glorith was the villain of the CONSPIRACY storyline, and her crime wasn't killing Superboy, but destroying Daxam.
The Bierbaums used this miniboot loophole to do something nice for Luornu Durgo... they restored her second body (the Time Trapper didn't KILL her, Glorith de-aged her to protoplasm, and restored her to help enact revenge).
They also used established continuity to play up the differences in Luornu's bodies (an idea which carried over into the reboot) and even gave her force-field powers to further protect her! Not too harsh a stretch, as they used Brainy's force-field belt gift from the CONSPIRACY aftermath as the launching point for this idea. You got the feeling that they were feeling overprotective of her, really cared about her.
The issue really served as a love note to Luornu Durgo, and helped make me a huge fan of the character.
Tom and Mary were very good at turning my minor infatuations with certain characters into full-blown love (see also Matter-Eater Lad, which Giffen also deserves credit for).
If I haven't made it clear, I *loved* this issue.
[ August 22, 2010, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: MLLASH ]
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
LSH # 41 was indeed a lot of fun.
Some things I noticed:
-- Shrinking Violet was a Legionnaire longer than Matter-Eater Lad. Surely she knew what the Planetary Chance Machine was.
-- It's hard to believe it was that easy for Jacques to give up being president. Didn't the people elect him? Wouldn't they have something to say about him ditching his duly sworn duties? (Not that Jacques was a very good president. In the previous issue, he tells Troy that he has no interest in work until Danielle is found. Hardly the most responsible attitude from any president, let alone one who was trying to lead after a crisis.)
-- Jacques is so bad at being a leader that he can't even recruit new members for the Legion. The Subs (who've waited so long to join the Legion) are hardly enthused at the offer, and even Jacques' own sister turns him down!
-- I'm not sure what to make of Sean and Jan's scene. Jan sounds lonely, as if he wants Sean back. But Sean's later comment to young Jan makes it clear that he regards Element Lad as part of his past.
Posted by Not-So-Bad Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: LSH 41
I'm telling you, I was so hyped for LEGIONNAIRES to launch like for no other series, before or since. Can't wait to reread those early issues and review 'em here.
I gotta say, I got into the Legion _BECAUSE_ of this issue and the early Legionnaires. Their short lifespan will always irk me
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
LSH # 42 is another example of the Bierbaums creatively reshuffling the cards they'd been dealt, but it also highlights just how incomplete that deck was to begin with.
I don't understand why Glorith destroyed Daxam, but, assuming she did, why would Brainy, Imra, and Lu participate in a conspiracy against her? In the original story, Lu was secretly in love with Superboy and Brainy's greatest accomplishment had been ruined by the Time Trapper, hence their reasons for working behind the rest of the Legion's back to seek revenge. (Imra's motives were never fully explored.) But, in the revised continuity, we have to accept that Lu loved Lar instead of Kal (which still doesn't make sense, as Lar was not killed in the same manner as Superboy, unless they've rewritten continuity that drastically). Brainy's connection with Glorith remains unclear, at least from this story.
But, assuming the Bierbaums had to address the Conspiracy in some fashion, they wisely chose to focus the issue on Lu. The story becomes a love letter to Lu, as Lash said, and I rejoiced that she not only got her "sister" back, but also an unexpected second power, to boot. There's a very "Legion-y" sentiment here, that things always work out in the end, even if one has to go through hell to get there.
Another pleasant outcome of this story is that I'm liking the character of Laurel Gand more and more. Although retrofitting her into Legion history still seems wrong, the Bierbaums made the best of it by showing her to be a "working" wife and mom (with a stay-at-home husband and dad) -- things they could never have done with Supergirl.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
Yeah the Glorith/Daxam thing replacing the "Conspiracy" story didn't do much for me. It just changed all the motivations. I liked the story but they could've connected it better.
Posted by Crujectra of Psyonia on :
For me, it was just another example of DC attempting to fix a fix of a fix, and just making things worse.
It's the same thing that happened to Donna Troy and Wonder Woman. After the Crisis, they reimagined the Wonder Woman franchise, and in the new view Wonder Woman and Donna Troy weren't connected. So, Marv and George tweaked Donna to alter her origins to break her away from Diana. It wasn't perfect, but it worked.
Well then, down the road, new writers decided to re-imagine things further, making Hippolyte the original Wonder Woman to fill the gap of the Earth-2 Wonder Woman (which had already been fixed), and they brought Donna back into the franchise, further altering her origins and making things more muddled than ever.
The Legion was fixed with the pocket universe. There was a pocket Superboy, who filled the gap left when Man of Steel got rid of the original Superboy. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. New writers down the road decided to fix things again, but in the end all they really did was create more inconsistencies.
DC just needs to learn how to quit while they are ahead Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Yes, this self-referential mode of "We have to go back and fix the past!" draws attention to the fact that these are comic book characters who can be tossed around like a worn-out baseball. It destroys suspension of disbelief. Further, it prevents the characters and writers from looking to the future instead of the past -- ironic since the Legion is supposed to be about the future.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I loved that Luornu issue. I actually found it fascinating how T&M were able to explain how the Conspiracy storyline worked in the new continuity. Obviously, it was too bad DC changed it to begin with, but it was amazing at how T&M could make it all fit together with enthusiasm and make it work to their advantage.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Um, but it didn't fit together, as I pointed out above. The Conspiracy storyline works only if the conspirators have deeply personal motives to begin with. In Imra's case, her motives were already tenuous or, at least, unrevealed. Brainy's motives were unclear, but at least could be inferred (i.e., the Trapper had destroyed his greatest accomplishment, time travel, by revealing it all to be a lie). Lu was in love with Superboy, whom the Time Trapper killed.
Without such deeply personal motives, the conspirators have no reason to go behind the Legion's back in order to seek revenge against the Time Trapper/Glorith. (One might suppose that Glorith, like the Trapper, had destroyed Brainy's time travel achievements, but the reader is left to guess this.) If Glorith destroyed Daxam, then only Laurel and Rond (plus the deceased Valor) have credible reasons for wanting revenge.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: I loved that Luornu issue. I actually found it fascinating how T&M were able to explain how the Conspiracy storyline worked in the new continuity. Obviously, it was too bad DC changed it to begin with, but it was amazing at how T&M could make it all fit together with enthusiasm and make it work to their advantage.
I agree on all points. I didn't necessarily like being manipulated into a revision but T&M at least found a way to keep me emotionally involved in the revision. Their (Legion's) major problem was going at Glorith like the previous team went after TT. Same bad results. They should have hit her with a boobie punch. You've got to bring these god wanna be's down to earth if you're going to beat them.
The clubhouse meeting between the two teams: I want to punch young U-boy so bad. That's a sign of good writing, even though I hate stupid characters. I will never forgive Grimm. I will always love Bounty (she was the one that gave the push, right?) Tenz and Tenz was too much.
Speaking of Bounty. The Bounty-Sade match-up was another high point in T&M's work. Would have liked to see better follow up on this. Bounty deserved a rematch and Sade was one of those interesting gray characters.
[ June 29, 2007, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: Blockade Boy ]
Posted by MLLASH on :
Sade was the one who pushed Grin out of the cruiser to his assumed death (on the brght side, we can guess that Grin suffered no head injuries).
I *loved* her, as I have a thing for teleporters anyway. She showed just how badass a short-range teleporter chick with a popgun could be.
Posted by Kid Charlemagne on :
Glorith destroyed Daxam because she feared the Dominators would soon gain control of the Daxamites.
Why didn't she just destroy the DOMINION homeworld??? Posted by MLLASH on :
My guess is that ultimately Glorith feared the Daxamites more than the Dominion.
And now an issue by issue review of T&MB's MORDRU 6-Parter.
LSH # 43
"The Witch Is Back!"
The Martian Manhunter reveals himslef to Mysa on the remains of the Sorcerer's World.
Meanwhile, on Talus, a former LSVer and LSH reject makes her presence known-- and quickly wins (or, bowls) everyone over. Hello, Spider Girl! She makes short work of Ultra Boy, Brainy and Invisible Kid until a wiggle of Infectious Lass' finger scares her into submission.
This is how quickly T&MB can turn 4th-tier characters like Spider Girl and Infectious Lass into great characters.
Meanwhile, on the Sorcerer's World, Mysa is possessed-- in a quite erotic sequence-- by a spirit that seems hell-bent on getting vengeance on Mordru.
Making her way to Tharn, the NEW Sorcerer's World, she makes fritters out of Mordru's gaurds (The Spider Guild, an alien race I hate right up there with the Dominion), and attacks Mordru after being slapped around by him a bit.
So in the first issue alone, we're torn by the idea of sweet Mysa, who endured so much horror at the hands of Mordru, at last gaining her revenge on him. But isn't vengeance for villains? And what's with Mysa punching out the Manhunter upon her possession? Looks like something might not be quite what it seems.
And two other ladies begin to make a real mark on fans (THIS one, anyway). I defy anyone to NOT fall in love with Drura after her sequence with Jacques on page 10 ("Stud-Muffin" indeed!), and Spider Girl, who helps herself to Jo's room.
Mysa, Drura and Sussa are the stars of this issue, a wonderful balance of drama/revenge (Mysa) and humour (Dru and Sussa).
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
LSH #43 is a prime example of how the 5YL Legion still had so much juice left to it and could easily have continued for many years, IMO. I love this issue too (this whole sequence of stories).
Definately, this is the reason why I like Drura and Sussa today. The addition of Spider-Girl was surprising and welcome.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH # 44
"Projectra Returns!"
On Tharn, Mysa and Mordru continue their battle. We are shown just a little of the horrors Mysa was forced to endure as Mordru's wife, which made me really want to see her kick his ass. Instead, Mysa surrending to hatred enables Mordru to absorb her (and her power), which threatens to bring back the "Modruverse", a continuity where the LSH was never established and Mordru reigned supreme (see LSH # 5 & 6).
But even absorbed, Mysa resists. In retaliation, Mordru unleashes a spell that will prove truly horrific.
Cut to Shanghalla, the asteroid graveyard of the galaxy's heroes. Projectra is the first shown witness to the effects of Mordru's spell, as dead Legionnaires arise and fly off into space.
Jeckie turns to her former teammates on Talus just in time for a call from the Khundia Empire. Warlord Galmark confirms Jeckie's story, fearing his empire will be overrun by Mordru's armies of risen dead.
The LSH agrees to assist, primarily as a plan to get back former UP worlds conquered by Khundia.
So most of the gang takes off for a meeting with the Khunds, while Drura, Jacques, Tenzil and Kono (with the recovering Dawnstar and non-member Lydda) remain on Talus.
The Khunds insist on adding their own members to the Legion, so Rokk and co. are forced to accept Firefist, Blood Claw, Flederweb and Veilmist --a group obviously inpired by the "IMAGE!" era of comics-- onto the team.
Back on Talus, a discombobulated Martian Manhunter arrives, and when he embraces Kono, she is possessed by Amethyst (who was unable to take form in a male). Er-- so what exactly possessed Mysa last issue? Uh oh!
Anyhoo, Kono/Amythest prepares to leave for Tharn with the Manhunter and Tenzil, just as the scene shifts to long-buried spacemen beneath Talus' surface waking up in Mordrus service.
So this issue is much heavier in tone than the previous, and serves well at establishing the seriousness of the situation. A bit of suspense before the action starts.
Once again we are torn by our desire to see Mysa DESTROY Mordru and a desire to see her re-establish herself as a heroine.
The scene with dead Legionnaires rising (and the cover) is truly frightening. This is certainly a stuation we would never have suspected to find our Legionnaires in.
Projectra has never looked lovlier.
And Tenzil questioning possessed-Kono's usage of the word "tarry" shows that he's astute as well as humorous!
Posted by Pariscub on :
Eekkkk! I'll stay away from this thread as i'm re-reading the whole 5YL series and i don't wnat any "spoilers" LOL
Posted by MLLASH on :
Sorry, 'Cub, my reviews definitely do not attempt to hide these old spoilers. Come back when you've caught up though.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH # 45
"New Members? New Problems!"
So we open as a LSH cruiser arrives in orbit around Sklar, apparently a world not yet taken by Mordru's undead armies.
We are witness to just how powerful a telelporter Veilmist is, as she easily teleports the entire team from the ship all the way to Sklar's surface. And so begins my love affair with her!
Lots of cameos of long-dead DCU characters this issue!
Brainy and Projectra combine forces, using a weird mixture of technology and magic to help glean answers while the rest of the team joins the Sklarian warriors and enters the fray.
Veilmist uses her powerful teleportation again to save Jo from a zombie squadron about to overrun him. Firefist takes objection to her obvious appreciation of Jo's, er-- natural gifts.
Brainy and Jeckie make weird contact with a couple of spirit-guides while the rest of the team is nearly overpowered by the zombies. Rokk orders Veilmist to 'port everyone back to the ship.
Back on Talus, the undead spacemen attack the folks there (including Rond Vidar, whom I accidentally left out in last issue's review as staying behind on Talus).
Meanwhile, Kono/Amythest's crew has stopped on Naltor to pick up Nura Nal, everyone's favorite former Dream Girl (and looking not at all over-the-top ridiculous like she did in # 37). A couple of funny lines later ("Me? 'WRONG'! Oh Tab, sometimes you say the CUTEST things!") and we segue to...
Trom, where Jan Arrah has been holed up since the Terra Mosaic ended. And here, one of T&MB's most chilling examples of storytelling... Roxxas, the butcher responsible for the death of the Trommite race, now uses skills gleaned from Mordru to allow the dead of Trom to rise. "I've wiped my greatest sin clear off the slate!"-- that line chills me every time. Of course, the undead Trommites attack Jan and encase him in intertron, before magically flying off into space.
Cut to orbit around Sklar, as the Trommites arrive and begin to disintegrate the LSH cruiser's hull. As Laurel steals a final kiss from her ex, Brainy, the ship explodes.
Only we discover Veilmist has saved the day-- AGAIN-- and the entire gang is back on Sklar. Of course, there's nowhere to run to now.
And just to ice this morbid cake, the issue closes with the arrival of a sqadron of zombies the LSH had likely hoped ot to deal with... the risen dead Legionnaires: Sun Boy, Blok, Reflecto, Magnetic Kid, Karate Kid, Chemical King, Invisible Kid and Triplicate Girl!
So there's a LOT of fighting going on this issue, and no Mordru/Mysa at all, though Mordru's presence is heavy throughout the issue.
And in an issue so full, Veilmist and Roxxas manage to steal the entire issue, until the arrival of the dead Legionnaires en masse.
I myself was impressed with how easily T&MB combined a zombie splatterfest with the LSH's 30th century setting, and how they made use of it (i.e., Roxxas and the Trommites).
Posted by MLLASH on :
It also occurs to me that T&MB must have been purposely trying to distance LSH from its recently-released daughter title LEGIONNAIRES, since the deceased Batch SW6 versions of Karate Kid, Chameleon Boy and Projectra do NOT appear.
Posted by Mystery Lad on :
Weren't those three killed in a bomb-blast? There probably wasn't enough left of them to *make* a zombie...
I remember being *very* worried for Jan between this issue and it's conclusion in #50. I liked this storyline fairly well, though I've never enjoyed Projectra in the role of semi-sorceress. Or Dream Girl. When you've got White Witch, let *her* lead the magical charges. I didn't much like what they did with/to Mysa throughout the whole 5YL era.
Veilmist was a hoot, though. I never was as fond of her as you are, but I did like her (even though I want to give her name away ).
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Re: 43-45
As a general rule, I don't like zombies, and I particularly don't like zombies that are reanimated from past DC heroes and villains without rhyme or reason. There is no reason for the corpses of Jay Garrick, Mirror Master, et. al., to show up on Sklar. I'm not normally a nitpicker, but I find it equally troublesome that they were all buried in their costumes and that those costumes survived a thousand years in the grave without rotting away. Perhaps I'm trying to take this story too literally, but some things stretch credibility too far for me.
But it is a well-plotted and well-paced story. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, particularly Laurel kissing Brainy and then denying that it ever happened.
Jo's unwilling triangle with Veilmist and her husband is also fun to watch. I haven't read further yet, but I almost get the sense that Veilmist has been abused as Mysa has been (she is regarded as her husband's property); if so, that probably explains why Jo doesn't just tell her to get lost. He probably wants to help her, but doesn't know how yet.
I don't have an opinion on the Mysa angle yet, as I've missed much of what had gone before in her story line. I don't understand why she married Mordru or, if it wasn't a consensual marriage, how she became wedded to him in the first place. But her reaction toward his abuse seems very real.
Mordru is a self-righteous b@st@ard who thinks it's all about him. He's portrayed as a villain who's easy to hate and I can't wait to see him get his comeuppance. That's good writing, in my opinion.
Good reviews, Lash. I'm enjoying re-reading the stories as you summarize them. Keep it up.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Lash, your reviews continue to remind me why I love these issues.
I love the way Jeckie was back in action in these issues, I loved Veilmist and Flederweb, and I really liked the side-plot with Jan and Roxxas. I totally forgot that Dreamy was a part of this story too.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
quote:Originally posted by Uranus Lad: I'm coming to this thread a bit late but count me among the fans of the 5YL Legion. I found the whole thing refreshing. Taking characters I loved to a new level that wasn't all bright and shiny and there were threats beyond gaudy super villans. A lot of people have gripes about it; Profem, the destruction of earth, batch SW6, etc. None of that bothered me particularly. It was gripping and well written. Personally, I miss that Legion and even though it had changed considerably by the end of the run, it seemed like a natural progression even though they had stupid costumes again (loved the non-costume costumes). I miss you Tom & Mary (and Keith).
Out of ProFem, the destruction of the earth, and SW6...SW6 bothered me the most. But then I loved what they did with Legionnaires. Added new members, etc. This was still the Legion. It still had the history, etc.
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
I liked the return of the White Witch and her Amethyst type armor. She was always written so weak.
Lash, I agree. I quickly became a fan of Spider-Girl, Drura, and Veilmist. Loved their Jacques and Tyroc as prez and VP. First time I ever liked Jacques was in v4. Loved Jacques and Drura by T&M.
I also liked the use of the planets like Tharn.
Didn't care for the zombies. Didn't care for 20th century zombies (or aliens for that matter like J'Onn). Mirror Master? ugh. They could've used just dead Legion characters.
Zombie Mentalla was there right?
Posted by MLLASH on :
Thanks for the comments, all!
LSH # 46
Untitled
A major chunk of this issue is the LSH vs. it's risen dead members, which I'll cover momentarily.
Other points of interest this issue:
Vrykos the vampire and Mordru appear.
Nura has a dream of herself, Tenzil, the Manhunter and Kono/Amethyst being choked to death by Mordru.
Jan manages to dissolve his inertron shell, and Roxxas almost has him convinced to perform a murder/suicide on them, but we turn the page and see them arriving on Pasnic to halt the risen dead Trommite rampage there instead. The effort apparently leaves Jan knocking at death's door.
Jeckie's ventures into the spirit realm have revealed that a "distant fire" must be put out to end Mordru's zombie spell. Laurel spots it --along with Mordru's coven that has been transformed to look like MANY MYSAS (wink to Dean)-- and Veilmist 'ports the team (sans Rokk, Brainy and Jeckie) over so that the fire can be put out....
...and not a moment too soon.
At the time the fire is put out, the Sun Boy and Chemical King bodies are near to roasting Rokk and Brainy and --even more horrifying to me-- the Karate Kid body is one strike away from having his wife join him in death ("Prepare to join Mordru's realm").
Earlier in the issue, the Karate Kid body attacked Jeckie also. It seemed to be intent on it, which really played on this fan's emotions.
The Magnetic Kid zombie kills Blood Claw this issue, and Blood Claw joins Mordru's risen dead army instantly. The Blok zombie also has a few scary moments.
So completely gone this issue is any trace of T&MB's humor, as the situation definitely warrants.
Deesperation and suspense flow from every page, and the final page with Jeckie and Val will really pull at your heart.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I thought this issue really captured the terrifying-ness of the Legionnaires powers very well. Dirk, Condo and Pol especially are seen for the super-powerful beings they are, able to wipe out life at a moment's whim when they have no conscience to stop them.
The Val/Jeckie parts were the best part of the issue though. They pulled at my heart strings too.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH # 47
"Last Rites for the Legion"
Just when you thought the zombie fun was over, it's 'UH OH, Here we go again!' Hey, just like in the movies!
Mordru has grown so powerful (displayed well in the artwork by Immonen) that even though the LSH doused "the distant fire" that was powering the spell, he casts his hands into a steaming cauldron and the spell resumes.
The team finally decides fighting zombies on Sklar isn't accomplishing anything and decide to take the fight to Mordru.
Next thing we know, Veilmist has popped the entire team to right outside Mordru's castle.
Now it isn't stated that this is Tharn, but we know that is where Mordru resides, and where he was last shown to be.
So this makes Veilmist one incredibly-- IMMEASURABLY-- powerful teleporter.
Vrykos the Vampire is there to greet them, along with zombie foes of the LSH, including Dr. Regulus, Jungle King, Nemesis Kid and Zaryan the Conquerer.
Both Ayla and Jeckie get great scenes and moments of revenge on Zaryan (Ayla) and Nemesis Kid (Jeckie).
Veilmist continues her heroic trend by transporting Vrykos "thousands of miles away", saving Jo from him.
Firefist and Devlin are accidentally knocked into Mordru's harem, and when Firefist treats them horribly (lending credence to the theory that he was abusive to Veilmist), he and Devlin have words. When Firefist blasts Devlin, the attack is reflected back upon him and he is killed.
Meanwhile, Mordru is making short work of the LSH when Kono/Amethyst ("AND her amazing friends!"-- tee hee-- love that Tenzil!) arrive on Tharn.
Jeckie and Brainy use their mystic/tech combo to draw Mysa out of Mordru, but when he savagely attacks her again, she again succumbs to hatred and is re-absorbed.
Mordru decides to stop trifling with the LSH at this point, and does to them what they have done to him so many times before-- buries them! Truly one of the scariest cliffhanger pages ever.
So yet another good issue, full of everything you want in a comic, like:
TEARJERKING ...as Laurel and Jo attempt to console Jeckie.
REVENGE ...Ayla vs. Zaryan, Jeckie vs. Nemesis Kid!
HORROR... let's not forget the zombies, vampires and evil wizards!
SEXINESS ...Mordru's harem!
And even a touch of humor-- always appreciated-- begins to sneak back in.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
Meanwhile Devlin gets a codename, deus ex machina boy.
I appreciated the harem. I thought at the time and still do that this was material ripe for a mini-series.
Posted by MLLASH on :
I know his "reflective" power was established in an earlier issue, but I can't for the life of me remember seeing him use it before this story.
And yeah, the harem was great! "Well, kid... looks like you saved Mordru the trouble of croaking that one." --*giggle*!
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Seeing Nemesis Kid and Jeckie was especially pulse-pounding, but to me the real 'WOW' was seeing Zaryan the Conqueror who was such a mystery until TMK made him such an interesting character (being dead by then only making it more so). That was so kewl!
And yes, here also made me even more of a fan of Veilmist for life!
Posted by Fat Cramer on :
Veilmist really shone in this issue; she was key to them getting to Mordru's palace and saving the team from smothering under that rock pile. She saved Jo, but I wonder if he might have been able to fight off Vrykos ; she saved him a lot of trouble, anyways.
The zombies were creepy - the coven of Mysas really creepy - those blue probes that relayed everything the legionnaires were saying to Mordru, creepy. Also the whole Mysa-absorbed-in-Mordru was awful (as in creepy), but it was a lot more powerful than to just continue having her manipulated by him.
I liked to see Brainy combining his tech with Jeckie's magic - they were so often at odds in the past.
The touch of humour that sneaks back in - that's a gift of T&M, that they're able to add a few laughs into that story.
I think Devlin used his reflective power back on Earth against the Dominators with the SW6 team, when he first acquired it, but I'd have to check which issue.
Fun reviews Lash, and good memories revived! I wish Tom & Mary were still writing comics.
Posted by MLLASH on :
As do I, Cramey!
And now, at long last, the finale...
LSH # 48
"Mordru Triumphant!"
Mordru's the boss of you now, and he IS that big. I like how Mordru has grown in stature throughout this tale as he has gotten more powerful, culminating in the Giant-Size Mordru (worthy of being published by 1970's Marvel!) that we have seen in the past. Very handsome, certainly sinister.
Devlin (who was busy with Firefist in the harem last issue) is the only unburied Legonnaire, and he says a prayer as he confront Mordru alone. Kid's pretty brave considering magic has a way of snafu-ing up superpowers.
But Devlin's reflective powers do kick in and Mordru is taken down by his own mystic bolt!
Smartie Devlin then digs out the one Legionnaire who has a hope of saving everyone... my girl, Veilmist!
Veilmist teleports everyone out of their graves before they suffocate.
Kono/Amethyst then approaches the downed Mordru, and the Amethyst presence exits Kono ("What the hell am I wearing...?") and enters Mysa.
This ends the zombie spell once and for all, as shown by quick glimpses of Quarantine, Winath and Lallor.
Meanwhile, the much less powerful Mordru (now regular height and proper, older appearance) once AGAIN attacks Mysa. This time, the Amethyst presence helps Mysa figure out how to take control, and Mysa absorbs nearly all the power from Mordru, leaving him a withered, mewling old man.
After a touching hug between sisters Nura and Mysa, Mysa vanishes to sort things out.
The wrapup consists of some humorous happenings between Veilmist, Devlin and Jo, which ends with the Khunds forcing Veilmist and Flederweb away from the Legion. The Legion vows to re-take the worlds conquered by the Khunds.
Flash to Pasnic, and the Legionnaires are a bit shocked to see Jan being tended to by his new BFF Roxxas the former Butcher.
On the final page, we learn that Mysa and the Amethyst presence are one now.
So, a satisfying wrapup, I thought. The psycho relationship between Mordru and Mysa was actually more terrifying to me than the zombies.
Unfortunately, things got crowded in this 6th part of the story, as most of the participating cast thus far has nary an appearance in # 48!
I wish Tom and Mary had had a chance to explore the new tensions with the Khunds and bring back Veilmist and Flederweb.
coming soon: LSH # 49-- the world's greatest comic magazine?
Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
I don't have an opinion on the Mysa angle yet, as I've missed much of what had gone before in her story line. I don't understand why she married Mordru or, if it wasn't a consensual marriage, how she became wedded to him in the first place. But her reaction toward his abuse seems very real.
The 2995 soucrcebook comments a lot on the hows and whys they got married. it wasnt forced. she fell in love with him remember back in the baxter books he had his powers taken away and was left childlike...*(hey someone fill in the void here i dont have my source book at work *tee hee*
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Thanks for the info, Superboy-Supergirl.
When you quote someone, it would be helpful if you would use the quote feature (either of the two icons on the far right at the top of the post being quoted) or putting the copied text in quotation marks. Otherwise, it looks as if the quoted material is your own.
Posted by Harbinger on :
I think in hindsight Tom and Mary wrote some of my favoutite stories. At the time I wasn't always impressed but when I dig out their issues now I realize just how detailed and consistently great their work was.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
Agreed. I had the advantage of not reading most of them until years after, and then almost all at once (well, over a short period of time as eBay facilitated)... one really notes how consistent and good they were reading them one right after another like a giant novel.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LSH # 49
"YUM!"
As the cover pre-warns, this issue is all-Matter-Eater Lad, and humorous in tone.
The previous TMK Tenzil spotlights (LSH # 11 and 13) were definitely my favorite of the pre-Terra Mosaic run of this volume of LSH, so I was expecting big things for TM-sans-K. I was not dissapointed. In fact, this issue is best of the 3 (BARELY edging out the Giffen art on 13) because:
Saturn Queen!
A LSH tradition-- the banding together of less-than-Daxamite-level heroes into a team.
Said team being led by Polar Boy!
And most importantly-- The jokes!! For example:
Zombie secretary at Policy Pam's insurance agency: "Like a friendly neighbor, Eternal Damnation is always there."
*
Evillo: GUARDS! Get this miserable sod out of my sight!
Guard: All right, Mr. Sod, to the dungeon with ya!
*
hypnotized Tenzil: Is this the way to the tortures and outrages?
Styx: You can have lunch later, Kem.
*
And of course, the sight of the original Starfinger in a tuxedo and top hat is worthy of its own 8-issue prestige format miniseries.
*
Anyhoo, these are just some samples from the first few pages. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. FUN-NEE! Between this and Tom and Mary's hilarious dialogue of Giffen's THE HECKLER, I have to figure that T&MB were the true comedic talents.
But T&MB knew how to horrify, as well-- as evidenced by the giant rampaging Eyeful Ethel! Well, okay, that's pretty funny too.
Do yourself a favor and pick this issue up from the back-issue bin at the CBS. You will believe that a man can eat matter in all forms!
Posted by MLLASH on :
I have hauled out LEGIONNAIRES 1-16! Reviews of the Tom & Mary issues to follow!
Posted by Mystery Lad on :
No LSH #50? Say it ain't so!
Posted by MLLASH on :
Welllll... I suppose i could do the T&M half of LSH # 50...
(I've just re-read LEGIONNAIRES 1 and 2... what fun!!)
Posted by Set on :
I feel blessed to have missed this entire run.
I find the whole Shvaugn as Sean thing ironic, since, even as a kid, I thought that Ayla might be meat instead of cake (even an eight year old found it suspicious that Ayla, no matter how 'twinnish' could disguise herself as Garth, and since I had twin friends, I already knew the difference between identical twins and fraternal twins, since my aunt and uncle were fraternal twins and had different hair color, different builds, different skin tones, etc.)
But Proty/Garth? I only know of that from reading postings here, and it feels like an abomination to me. Imra, Garth and Rokk are the sacred cows of the Legionverse for me. Retconning one of them out of the story just makes my eye twitch, the same way that retconning Superboy-the-character out bugs Superboy-the-poster.
Posted by MLLASH on :
Well, I wish I had been blessed enough to have missed the 4-part "Quiet Darkness" issues of TMK but would have hated to miss the rest, even (I say grudgingly) the post-Tom and Mary "Legion on the Run" era.
Really, the proty-in-Garth's body revelation served mainly as a study in how people are willing to fool themselves and added previously-unknown depths to Imra's character. It didn't really change anything at all in LSH, especially since Garth and Imra were so infrequently seen during this run.
This plot point did, however, serve to make SW6 Garth (that is, PRE-"Proty-ized" Garth) a character to watch.
LSH # 50
Untitled
This was the Bierbaums' final issue of LSH and they handled pages 3-26, which I shall now discuss.
They primarily deal with wrapping up dangling plotlines dealing with Tenzil and Jan, and a couple other things.
On Titan, we meet the Lard Chancellor and Dame Prunehead (well, that's how they are sometimes referred to), who totally don't approve of Saturn Queen's marrying the commoner Tenzil, but it happens anyway. Complete with traditional wedding wands last seen way back in the Adventure era's "The Weddings that Wrecked the Legion"! An amusing, wonderful end to the Bierbaums' Tenzil saga-within-a-saga.
Kono leaves to join her Mom's crew (a happenstance requested by the new creative team, maybe?).
Ayla and Brin talk, as do Nura and Mysa.
Jan's spirit does a little wandering while he lies on his deathbed (briefly visiting the rarely-seen Garth and Imra on Winath at a particularly wonderful moment for the parents), and a visit from Sean formerly Shvaughn Erin seems to be the kick in the space-pants Jan needed to "turn away from the light".
A nice ending full of all the things that were strong about Tom and Mary's run.
Posted by MLLASH on :
LEGIONNAIRES # 1-6
Legionnaires is the series that spun off from the regular LSH book and featured the adventures of the so-called BATCH SW6 version of the team, which was esentially the LSH membership that was in effect post-ADV # 347-pre-ADV # 351.
WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:
Minus Mon-El, whose Batch SW6 version was lost in the timestream in an issue of LSH and next showed up in VALOR; and minus Princess Projectra and Karate Kid, whose Batch SW6 versions were killed during the LSH Terra Mosaic arc; NOTE: the Chameleon Boy featured in LEGIONNAIRES is the "adult" version, as his Batch SW6 version was also killed alongside KK and PP; joining the team prior to issue # 1 were recruits Computo, Catspaw and Dragonmage.
Anyhoo, the first 6 issues of LEGIONNAIRES re-establishes the Fatal 5 as a serious threat to New Earth and the Legionnaires.
One thing I took note of as I re-read the 6-issue arc: Tom and Mary made sure to spotlight every member at some point or other, a lesson WaK certainly could have learned.
# 1 "Baptism by Fire!"
The founders 3 launch the issue, trying to rescue victims of New Earth's collision between the Melbourne and Djakarta domes.
(NOTE: Following the earth-shattering events of LSH # 38, New Earth is a collection of 94 surviving major cities in domes linked together as a sort-of gigantc space-station... really cool looking)
Computo proves her worth early by using her mecha-empathy to end the crisis.
Ferro captures some sabatuers in a way that can only be described as "death-defying".
We begin to really see that non-Proty Garth is a QUITE different person that the Garth Ranzz that was ressurected in the early Adventure era.
At a team meeting-- Sprouse draws an excelent version of the old rocketship HQ, BTW-- Cosmic Boy and Computo are voted leaders after Invisible Kid turns the job down.
Cos sends a team consisting of Shrinking Violet, Triad, Apparition and Ultra Boy to infiltrate the sabateurs, a gang called "The Hand".
Which should have clued us in to who is in charge-- MANO, who on the last page is standing over the unconscious body of Ultra Boy, threatening to kill him!
T&M even manage to feature Earth President Troy Stewart (the former Tyroc).
A fun first issue that shows at least a glimpse of the entire team and hilights the personalities of several members, this issue also manages to return a long-unseen foe to the fold.
A great start for the Bierbaum's run of LEGIONNAIRES.
Posted by MLLASH on :
A in case Tom & Mary stop by... HI T&MB!
You guys rawk!
Posted by Director Lad on :
They did! They were at the LGBT Legion Fandom panel and got pulled up on stage at the Legion Anniversary panel. Mary mostly deferred to Tom, but he had a lot to say. Someone with a better memory will have to elaborate, though.
Posted by rtvu2 on :
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Glorith]](graemlins/Glorith.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
).
![[Bump]](graemlins/bump.gif)
in case Tom & Mary stop by... HI T&MB!