posted
From the swinging year 1976 comes this issue with 2 tales!
The first story-- "This Legionnaire is CONDEMNED!"-- features what turns out to be the final in-action appearance of Tyroc before the storyline that booted him from the Legion some 40 issues later.
Tyroc fakes a rampage through Metropolis, while secretly searching for a bomb that Fenton Pike has threatened to detonate if any Legionnaires attempt to search for it.
The story is interesting because it shows that Tyroc's sonic powers are capable of warping reality to pretty much his whim; I'm of the notion that Tyroc was possibly one of if not THE most powerful Legionnaires as of this issue. Too bad we never got a chance to find out.
Also notable is the effective use of Shadow Lass (who isn't aware Tyroc's rampage is staged) in capturing Tyroc and Princess Projectra's contribution to the charade.
Everything else is pretty much "whatever".
Had Bates remained on the book longer, we would certainly have been treated to more Tyroc; this was his third appearance in 7 issues, a pretty good ratio for any Legionnaire other than Superboy back then. I still prefer Tyroc's appearance in SLSH # 218 of the three appearances.
And I know now the faults Mike Grell's artwork contains, but back then you couldn't have convinced me of them.
The second tale-- DEATH OF A LEGEND-- is by none other than Jim Shooter and features the debut and only appearance of QUESTAR in the Legion mythos.
Quester is his planet's greatest hero-- except that he isn't. It's all been pretty much faked... sort-of like reality TV.
But it turns out Questar DOES have a power-- teleportation, a rarity for a LEGION tale back then. This is shown when Questar teleports the Every 10 Years Monster away after it nearly kills 3 Legionnaires.
I rather liked Superboy sticking up for Questar in the end. And as an admitted fan of the power of teleportation, I find myself drawn to Questar somewhat.
Notable is the Mike Nasser artwork, though Layton's inks weren't a perfect match for it.
Also notable is the fact that both Timber Wolf and Light Lass are worthless ballast while Superboy does all the work. I don't even know why Brin & Ayla were there.
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
I'd have to agree that this is the best Tyroc story I've read, though I find his ability to do practically anything a little frustrating. I found the idea that anyone with a tape recorder could duplicate Tyroc's powers to be kind of amusing too. Imagine broadcasting one of his battles on the evening holo-new! There'd be crazy monstrous vines growing all over the place! Good thing they revealed that the "extreme frequencies" of his voice couldn't be duplicated, even though that seems kind of hokie.
I didn't find Shady's capture of Tyroc to be all that impressive, since surely he could've maneuvered by sonar. I also find it a little weird that Shady seemed to be the only Legionnaire who wasn't "in" on what was going on. I mean, they're all standing around in disguise waiting for him to pass by, couldn't they at least say "We don't really want to capture Tyroc", even if they don't explain the details?
I also find it amusing that the number of black people in the 30th century increases dramatically every time Tyroc appears.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
MLLASH wrote: Also notable is the fact that both Timber Wolf and Light Lass are worthless ballast while Superboy does all the work. I don't even know why Brin & Ayla were there.
I suppose Ayla was there to provide the "shameless hussy" factor -- salivating over Questar while Brin's self-confidence shriveled. Pink Bikini Lass was being much too sweet in those days, so some one else had to step in and play the role for a while until the diva returned to form.
From: Reimagined Trom | Registered: Jul 2003
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Funny thing is that I think I just got this issue from Pov a few months ago, and only read it for the first time then. Is this the last 'Tyroc story' where he is the main character every couple of issues?
Mike Grell's art during this period is still awesome to look at! The artwork has a more long-lasting effect than the story for this issue IMO. Besides, whenever Shady looks cute like this, the art always shines through
And Ayla and Brin at their 70's worst!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Well, I got out my recently purchased Archives and re-read the story tonight, just for you, Lash. I have to admit, I don't see why anyone ever liked Tyroc. He had next to no redeemable qualities. Every single issue he appeared in, he is at odds with his teammates in some way, only to have it revealed that it was a ruse or was justified. What the heck were his powers? He could alter the laws of physics? What does that mean? What goes up doesn't have to come down? For every action there is NOT an equal and opposite reaction? His power definition makes Chemical King look simplistic.
Stuff I noticed:
If I'm not mistaken, wouldn't this be his last appearance as a Legionnaire until Gary Conway sent him packing back to Marzal? Not exactly a stellar career for the Legion's first minority member. And that costume is literally painful to look at. That guy must have had some pretty painful wedgies while superheroing.
Eh, but the stories were Ok, but these have to be the worst pair of villains ever conjured in the brains of a comic writer - Fenton Pike, EVIL JANITOR and the *snicker* "Every Ten-Years Monster". Hmmm, wonder what the deal with that beast is.
Is this the first appearance of Glad Hander?
Questar was a tool. He should have been humiliated for the fraud he was at the end of the story. Instead, he gets to be "King of Heroes" because Superboy had to be the nice guy, yet again.
The art in the first story is pretty good, ugly costumes aside. The Legionnaires are posed in all sorts of dynamic positions that look pretty cool.
Isn't it just a tad egotistical to put current members in the LSH Hall of Fame? What exactly had Prinncess Projectra done to that point to merit a spot? I wonder who wasn't in the LSH Hall of Fame?
I thouh the way Shadow Lass took out Tyroc wsa pretty cool. But why bring her along if they never really meant to capture him in the first place?
The little robot-sweeper that Fenton used was pretty neat. I wonder when those will come out on the market?
Bottom Line - I didn't like this issue much at all. The full length stories of this period are much better than the half stories. I don't think the writers of the time were capable of handling a big team, so they just simplified the stories to fit whatever little plot they had worked out. This issue would probably have dissapointed me if I could have read them at the time they came out. Of course I was only 1 at the time, so I would just have eaten the issue rather than give it a scathing critique.
From: Michigan | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Wow, SLK, I appreciate the well-thought-out review! You make some excellent points!
Yep, this was Tyroc's last in-action appearance (he appears but doesn't really participate in S/LSH 250) for about 40 issues.
Bates made the character so unlikable no one (except Starlin) would touch him for that long, and I'm surprised ALL of his scenes in S/LSH 250 weren't edited.
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: Yep, this was Tyroc's last in-action appearance (he appears but doesn't really participate in S/LSH 250) for about 40 issues.
He also appeared in "that damn tabloid" but, as Levitz hated him, the planetary chance machine soincidentially picked him to stay behind on monitor duty while the others fought EarthWar.
Yeah, let's leave our most powerful, neigh-on omnipotent member behind to watch TV.
FWIW, my fav Tyroc app, and actually one of my fav Legion stories of all time, (and also the first Legion story I ever read) was S/LSH #218.
From: Sumner, ME | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
To me, besides being the "token" black male memeber of the LSH, Tyroc with a costume re-do could have been a VERY powerful memeber. I know the sonic screams of Black Canary and Banshee took them both up and down the popularity lists in the JLA and X-Men for decades (literally). So why was such a potentially powerful character like Tyroc dismissed so?? Wrong writers or writers that did not have an interest in developing the characters personality. I call it lazy!!
I hope the Mark surprises us all and actually brings that character back and developes him rightly!! The character deserves a second look!!
As for those old issues, I need not say too much. I was a huge fan of Cary Bates story telling and Mike Grell and Mike Nasser art styles back then and still am today but alas, Iron Mike is not illustrating much these days and Michael is on his holy quest and is not doing main stream super hero comics right now.
Every issue with Tyroc appearing were all favorites of mine. I'm so glad I have #10 - 12 of the Legion Archives to cherish. Nice clean glossy paper........ yummy!!
-------------------- ---Changing my Personal Circle with Courage and Love---
From: RWC, CA USA | Registered: May 2004
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
Well, they would've had to take care of the "I can do anything" powers, but they did with Wildfire, so why not Tyroc?
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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