'Calling the Roll' is a character-by-character look at the latest issue of THE LEGION.
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I'd love any responses, but those that follow the 'roll call' format are particularly appreciated.
spoilers spoilers
And now the roll...
SATURN GIRL: I found the visuals for Titan quite beautiful- especially the mythotic (Styx) river leading to Titanopolis (a scenic route for Nura's benefit?). The telepaths Aven and Imra erupt into laughter, seemingly out of 'nowhere'. That's what I'd imagine life with 'real' telepaths would be, at least in part.
Page seven: Some of the buildings were pleasantly reminiscent of Levitz/Giffen/Lightle era Metropolis architecture, I thought-- with the distinctly DNA/Coipel/Batista (maybe?) Titanet Tower rising above.
I enjoyed the furtherance of the Imra/Nura friendship. Imra *was* fascinated by Nura and her powers pre-DNA (but still reboot). I'm glad that bit was continued here. It could easily have been forgotten or pooh-poohed. These two make somewhat unlikely, yet eminently logical friends. They both live very much in their 'heads'- Imra much moreso than Nura, who still has a very present physicality.
Hopefully, next issue will focus more on Imra and her thoughts/feelings while on Titan. I don't remember any kind of focus on Titan before-- all the way back to the Adventure years. I hope future storylines build on what we've seen so far-- and that future Legion chroniclers return again and again.
That's assuming that the 5-part 'epic' leaves a Titan in shape to revisit.
DREAMER: Nura Nal is one of my favorite characters. I found her well-used here and I'm glad. We 'see' Titan largely through Nura's 'eyes'... Batista gives her facial expressions registering her thoughts and reactions... (it's amazing how rarely this occurs in comics- ostensibly a visual medium).
Loved the duds, except perhaps for the angle of her belt-- which would look much better with a large 'L' on it. Nura's one character who could sport a new outfit every time she appears-- a la Janet Van Dyne of Marvel's THE AVENGERS. If a 'permanent' look is ahead, something like what she wore here would be fine.
Page 11: Finally, Nura unburdens herself to Imra-- in pretty swanky trappings, to boot (no fool, Dreamer...). Nura's plan, hooking herself into the Titanet, is an interesting one. I hope her startling vision of what seems to be Darkseid won't prevent that plan from being implemented.
About Nura's visions-- I quite like seeing these glimpses of Nura's precog flashes. I'd like to see more extended visions (I wonder if she sees longer scenes? perhaps the flashes are the earliest manifestations of her ability...they might grow longer as she becomes more accomplished a seer). Nura's begun a journey. Her first steps took her to the Legion, then to Khunish training. Now, she has traveled to Titan with an interesting plan. Even if this course doesn't turn as she'd supposed, perhaps she'll seek mental training while on the planet of telepaths. Next, I'd like to see her journey to Xerox/ the Sorcerer's World-- I'd like to see some of her dreams develop symbolically-- part of her 'job' would be interpreting her visions-- 'The Dream Detective'. At some point, we really need to 'see' Naltor, as well.
Back to DreamCrime- I hope the focus on Nura continues- culminating in the Legionnaires asking her to join.
BRAINIAC 5: Batista's Brainy looks a touch too arrogant. His sneer is just a bit over-pronounced in some of his panels.
Pages four/five: Nice comedic dynamic between SHIKARI and Querl, but page 18 was far more pleasing, to me. I much prefer the perceptive 'Kari asking somewhat inappropriate questions to the childish 'sprock' shockstress.
I enjoy Brainy's lab scenes and I appreciate the detail in the art here. I saw caution lines, cooling vents/grills, light sources (!), chairs, unknowable contraptions... I hope Brainy doesn't take 'Kari's observations to heart- for awhile, anyway. Let Computo's storyline simmer. I'd rather see Brainy turn his mind in other directions for a time.
SHIKARI: I liked her feral crouching (though the other Navigators haven't demonstrated this sort of posture, have they?). Initially, I agreed with Brainy's 'linguaformation' regression diagnosis. It was fun to see 'Kari disprove Brainy's assumption on page 18 with her quite eloquent and perceptive speech. Made me think how much fun an outing with the Legion's other 'truthteller', Invisible Kid, could be.
Though first I'd like to see what 'Kari and Wildfire are like in each other's company. Show us, don't tell us in a throwaway bit of dialogue! Though it *is* fun to imagine those two in a variety of scenarios.
APPARITION: Hmmm. Could Tinya phase through KidQ's quantum sphere? Or could Cub phase out, for that matter? Didn't XS's cousin, Impulse, have the same condition as Cub? Is Cub's 'ultra-speed' permanently on? (I'm *sure* someone's suggested that, haven't they?)
KID QUANTUM: Err- won't Jazmin's duties as a Legionnaire- much less team leader- make her promise to 'renew' the Q-sphere every 24 hours a hard one to keep? Guess the team's acclimated to the possibilities inherent in the Kwai trans-tech (but they should 'remember the Blight...).
STAR BOY: I liked the workout togs. Page 13, panel one- I thought Thom was wearing a skirt, which would actually have been cool.
So, how do you folk interpret Thom's little 'exercise' here? Was he 'lightening' the weight? Or redirecting the object's mass? Or was he using his grav-powers to 'hold' the weight, mimicking super-strength, once he was under it?
VI: I'm never crazy about Salu spending time as a giantess in noncombat moments. But it makes sense here. She *should* still be adjusting to fighting, etc while in her 'plus' sizes.
Apparently, she's also able to better access her assertiveness while towering. You know what the sprock I'm talking about? She must've shocked the writers, too- since they never gave us the answer to her sprocking question. (I hate that).
Get rid of the green stripe.
CHAM: So like him to check in on Sensor. How about a scene with his other old buddy, Lyle? Or his girlfriend (as far as we know), Ayla?
SENSOR: Aside from whatever Sensor might or might not be feeling about her transformation, her body would surely still be a seething mess of hormonal fluctuation. In fact, I'm surprised she isn't under constant medical supervision. (Hey- here's the opportunity to intro Drura Sepht or Kent Shakespeare...). I imagine Cham might be able to sense biological turmoil/changes where others wouldn't.
SUMMATION: Chris Batista does a mostly excellent job here. I loved the Titan scenes- particularly Page two, panel one and Page seven, panel two. The detail in the lab and in Titanopolis was quite impressive, as were many of the facial expressions. I liked the attention to 'throwaway' characters- like the Kwai navigator on page two and 'Saturn Lad' on page 19. He draws a great Nura, Imra and Cham-- a good Star Boy-- but I'm not sold on his Brainy, yet. His Shikari was fine, but in one panel her neck was elongated to an alarming degree.
DREAM CRIME: PART ONE had all the things I'd want in an opening issue for an extended storyline: questions are asked; characters receive focus; hints are dropped. And I have no idea where things are headed.
The opening act should start to tighten the screws of anticipation. I think DNA succeeded.
Darkseid? Universo? An onimous Chief Adept Erqol (sorry, that name just summons the image of the obnoxious TV show character)? Yep, the screws are screeching.
I wonder- is the 'I think" narrator a collective 'creation' of the Titanet? Is someone or ones directing that creation? And are some or even all the Titan telepaths aware? Even in collusion?
That last panel (....'Garth?').... taken with the 'next month' blurb... my 'screws' are *definitely* gettin' tight...and then some. Sigh. I'm afraid next issue might be a 'low blow' for an Element Lad fan.
I wonder if DNA could find a way to make the 'dream' a reality coexistent with the events of WORLDS and THE LEGION?
Calling the Roll is a character-by-character look at the latest issue of THE LEGION. All replies are welcome, but those that follow the roll-call format are especially appreciated.
spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
let the roll be called...
SATURN GIRL: Page one. Panel one. Battle-stance Saturn Girl ready for action. Panel Two. Dreamy-eyed diner waitress reads a pulpy-looking sci-fi novel (complete with Colossol Boy and a de-antennaed Infectious Lass on the the cover. Well, maybe not...) before being summoned back to work by her boss, 'R.J.'.
Ah, yes. It must the dream half of 'dream crime'.
So- are Imra's dreams coming from her own psyche, or is each scenario implanted into her dreaming, down to the details?
I imagine a bit of both. Since we as yet have no insight into the motives or mindset of Universo, I'm going to treat Imra's dreams as purely her own.
DREAM ONE: Imra as waitress, stuck near, but outside of the fulfillment of her own personal dreams, taking orders from everyone else. Remembering that Imra originally wanted to join the science police, is this how Imra sees herself?
Or is she dreaming a past averted?
Eight pages of Imra denying herself, waiting on others. Then she comes to herself with a kick to Jo's chops. Pages 12 and 13 are pure empowerment. "I'm a Legionnaire. I'm Imra Ardeen. I'm Saturn Girl." (Interesting order...)
COS and SHVAUGHN: Why Cos as science police? These two must be the people Imra most respects and admires. That's what her attraction to Cos is wrapped up in. He represents what she would most want to be. As does Shvaugn.
TINYA: Ow. Imra doesn't think much of Tinya, in this dream, anyway. Nothing but spoiled brat jealousy represented here. Though the sunglasses perched atop Tinya's head seem to suggest a sort of celebrity/star role.
WILDFIRE: Why? Guess he's the one Legion 'hit on 'em' guy left not involved in Imra's romantic geometry.
JO: Imra *loves* Jo's attention, but deep down sees him as a threat. A bad boy outside of her borders of duty and responsibility. Therefore, he's the one-who-must-be-brought-down. Especially when he challenges Imra's superego-figure, Cos.
TIMBER WOLF: who is an extension of Jo-who-must-be-slapped-down.
XS: Don't get her inclusion, really. Fellow waitress, more in tune with herself (i.e. flirtatious). Perhaps just verisimilitude.
TENZIL: Yay! Where's the 'real' thing?
INTERLUDE: Floating rainbow heads in space... transitioning to...
DREAM TWO:
SATURN GIRL: Now that she's empowered, Imra's ready to 'visit' Garth. Pages 17 and 18 are the substance of this dream. On the surface, it's sexual. But at the same time innocent. Imra, naked and fully 'herself', gives a bit of exposition, recapping recent events. At the same time, admitting how much she (still) needs Garth.
Garth's instincts are the real meat. "Your mind powers are very strong, baby. Maybe you're reading something from home that's really happening." "If it's real and you've got a fix on it, maybe that's how we'll track our way home."
I think these two sentences will resurface and resonate.
KID Q, JO, TINYA, BRAINY, SHIKARI, WILDFIRE, UMBRA and CHAM all turn up smiling- along with MONSTRESS- but don't contribute much, really. Their role is all set-up for the GARTH/IMRA scene and then the rush-into-battle panel... which presumably will be followed up on sometime in the next three issues.
They all looked great, though.
SUMMING UP: "You think, therefore I am." Universo. Hmmm.
Did any Farscape fans find themselves thinking of the Aurora Chair in those last two pages?
ART: Pages 1, 2, 6-9, 13, 14 and 17-18 all impressed. Batista's Ultra Boy and Cos looked great. So did what we saw of Umbra. And I appreciated his Imra. Was that a pair of robotic Athramites I saw in R.J.'s diner?
STORY: Provocative character illumination beneath a deceptive romance-story veneer. There are layers here, that we don't fully see yet. I hope future installments make use of these layers. Otherwise, this issue really didn't advance the 'Dream Crime' story quite enough.
I like the 'casting the heroes in unfamiliar settings and roles' structure- but DREAM CRIME PART ONE built to a certain note of urgency that this installment apparently did little to maintain or further. But I can see that it is a part of a whole. The rest of that 'whole' will determine the effectiveness of this 'part'.
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