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LSH #45, Jul 93 - New Members? New Problems

Good issue, if a bit puzzling at times.

On Sklar, the Legion confronts Mordru's Undead legions.

There is some shenanigans with the Khunds and Jo.

Jeckie tries to summon some form of help.

The dead Legion shows up. Next issue is gonna be fun.

Okay, the thing that has always gotten me about this whole thing...how are heroes that died 1000+ years ago running around (albeit dead), let alone on a planet that is not Earth (which was blown up.) At the very least they would have been deteriorated more than this by now...at least the outfits would be gone...unless they're those pesky "unstable molecules." The dead Legion members I can accept...except for Blok being back in one piece. Still not sure on that...lotsa super glue I guess.

and with Valor 11...we're at zero hour point!!!!!!

That says why I do not want Keith back on the legion...that and his art work isn't what it used to be during the Great Darkness Era, and He loves to kill Karate Kid.

The issue chronology that I will be pretty much following is what I took from The Cosmic Teams website. So Valor will not always fall into the monthly shuffle between LSH and Legionnaires.

I've always hated stories in which dead characters are brought back as walking skeletons to bedevil our heroes. One reason I hate them is the reason you've alluded to: they make no sense.

In order for the characters to be recognizable, they have to be wearing Legion costumes, but the costumes should have deteriorated by now. One might argue that the costumes were treated with unstable molecules or somesuch, but why would corpses be buried with costumes that would never deteriorate? One has to then explain this, but it's too much guesswork for something that is done merely for identification.

Then, as you also note, we have to explain why all those characters who died on worlds far removed from earth (or wherever they were in the story) end up in the same place. Maybe it's just Mordru being a d**khead.

The biggest problem I have with these stories, however, is that they rely on cheap shock value and emotional appeal. We're supposed to care about these old friends who have been zombified and also care about our still living heroes as they fight against the bodies of loved ones and friends. This idea has been done to death (literally) and such stories rarely offer anything new.

Furthermore, it's a way of avoiding any real emotion or emotional growth in characters. The living heroes cannot play off of the corpses, emotionally; all they can do is react to their memories of their loved ones. But such angst is usually overdone and cliched. The four-panel scene that includes Lu crawling through the tunnel in the Adventure days conveys more emotional depth than this entire story did.

The old heroes showing up is really the main issue I have with this. If they actually would have just stuck with the inhabitants of Sklar, it would have gone better. Having Mr. Terrific, Robin and the like was just to tie in common day reality to the future...and cheap in my opinion.

The dead Legion members did seem to be Mordru just being a total Arse.

More reviews coming this weekend. Taking a few days off. There's a lot of good and bad stuff coming up.

Legionnaires #5, Aug 93 - 4...New Life, New Death

Not a bad issue. Nothing really great happens until the last few pages. Typical intro's and slugfest setting up next issue. I also wonder why there is no indication of what is happening in the other LSH book here...I know it's their intro arc, but the dead rising everywhere in the universe should have garnered some kind of mention at least.

Thorak is back, and McCauley has him under his control. Not sure why McCauley did the intro thing of Thorak to the rest of the Five. All but Mordecai, and there really is no reason to think that he would care one way or another.

McCauley is a germaphobe. Kinda a nice touch actually. Not many of thse depicted in comics.

MEL and Ferro ae playing Rock Band 1045.

The new Empress is a wimp. Not like Cera...who is watching. She then shows up to claim the second Eye by incinerating McCauleys Empress.

LSH # 46

A nice issue that moves things along and has a few good beats along the way.

The Legion fights their own dead here and some of them have troubles coming to terms with it. Pol kills Blood Claw who immediately rises to start fighting for the other side. Rokk is shocked and taken back by seeing his brother as a undead creature.

Jeckie is told by the kid and Mouse duo that she needs to douse the flame to end this threat.

Mordru is done beautifully here. Evil and sadistic.

Nura has been toned down here (and last issue) from her previous appearances. She may be a little heavier than she was years ago, but more like the Nura we knew.

Roxxass wants Jan to kill him, but of course he will not do so. He does take out his entire race again by himself, but the cost may have been too much.

Blok jumping into the "fox hole that Rokk and Querl are working in works as a good, almost lighthearted (not quite though), distraction from what's going on.

Thanks to Devlin, some are saved as they put pout the flame and drop the zombies.

Legionnaires #6, Sept 93 - The Fatal 5. An Eye for an Eye

Interesting issue that gets the new FF back together...but not until the last page. I would have been more interested to see how they fared with Cera leading the charge this issue.

McCauley is stripped of his Eye, and reverts to normal pretty grotesque looking self.

Cera gains control of both eyes and frees the rest of the Five at the end after they are captured by the Legionnaires.

Question though, is the Eye making her free them, and if so why. It's not like she really needs them, and it comes off as a forced

At least MEL got a great line "Sorry smart-axe, but all this rough-housing gave me an appetite...and you don't want to give me an appetite."

Valor #11, Sept 93 - Fight the Power

This issue is a bit better than the rest of the series, but not anything spectacular. This series never seemed to find a true sense of what it wanted to be. I think that the dictates of where the Legion "universe" was heading played a role that kept them from really telling engaging stories.

Triad recounts a bit of Valors legend. Still have problems with Valor being referred to as "the Greatest Legionnaire there ever was."

Back in the past, Valor is having problems with his power levels, or the controlling of their levels.

He returns the GL from last issue to OA. Killowog helps him fix his ship...and turn it into a "hot rod" of sorts.'

He heads off towards Cairn...and the Time Trapper seems to be very happy about that.

LSH #47, Sep 93 - Last rights for the LSH

I like this issue despite the been there, done that aspect of parts of it. Some really good beats otherwise.

Okay, right off the bat I have a question here...LSH skeletons on the cover I get...but how in the hell does Blok have a Skeleton? He's a rock! He does not have a skeleton. Sorry...rant over.

More of the same here. The dead are back...the Legion decides to face him face to face.

They immediately run into Vykros. Fight's ensue. He is eventually sent far away by Veilmist, in her attempt to save Jo.

I willl admit that I love zombie Nemisis Kid. Just sayin.

Devlin and Firefist in Mordru's Harem is the one kinda bright spot in the story so far. Funny, while still moving forward. Firefist not understanding Devlin's power is his undoing.

Roxxas takes Jan for help.

Webby's reaction to Jeckie dispatching ZNK is great... "I think perhaps I'm in love."

Everything in the Palace "comes alive." Amethyst/Kono shows up and things seem to get better, until they don't. Mordru stands triumphant!

LSH Annual #4, 1993 - Bloodlines Earthplague

This Annual starts out great. A nice use of an Annual to tell more story that spills out of the current "dead rising" arc happening in the regular book. Timber Wolf retreived fro the past and back among the Legion...COOL!

Then it derails and gets involved in the Bloodlines crossover that was happening at the time. Jamm is a waste of a character, and wastes the entire rest of the book. Not even going to go into this here...I just hated that whole part of the story. If not for the beginning, this book would be totally despised by me.

There is also a mention of the Legionnaires dealing with the dead and a few screens showing this...THIS would have been much more interesting to see, since it is never touched on in the main Legionnaires book.

Legionnaires #7, Oct 93 - Under the Sea

Well, nothing like having adam Hughes draw the Legionnaires in swimsuits. A good issue overall, but still not sure why they never did anything, other than a couple pages in the LSH Annual to what was happening everywhere else in the universe.

The Legionnaires go to a "sea park" and run into the Devil Fish. A misunderstanding that Brainy clears up while some of the boys run up huge bills.

Nothing much is really accomplished by this issue except seeing the Legionnaires in swim suits. Fun issue overall though.

LSH #48, Oct 93 - Mordru Triumphant

Nice issue. Good wrap up to the story, and touching on a few other sub-plots.

Mordru has won. Beaten the Legion, along with Amethyst.

He didn't count on Devlin though. Devlin actually grows as a character here for me as he's scared to death but still goes out to provoke Mordru to attack him. He takes Mordru down...actually, Mordru takes Mordru down. Digs up Veilmist and has her port the others from their graves that Mordru set up.

Amethyst/Kono feels Mordrus presence and goes to him...releasing her hold on Kono...

Mysa/Amethyst fights Mordru and wins.

The Khundian Legion members are taken back by the Khunds.

They also find out what happened to Jan.

Mysa goes for some alone time again.

Legionnaires #8, Nov 93 - In Heart and Conscience free

Not a great issue for me personally. Not a huge Brainy or Andromeda fan. It's not a bad issue, but seems like a filler since nothing is really any different in the end than when they started. Colleen Doran handles the art on this issue, and it looks off from her regular stuff. Probably the ink job.

Brainy and some other Legionnaires go to Colu. Brainy "decides" to stay, or the Coluians decide he should stay. Then he changes his mind, with a little help from his friends. They all leave.

LSH #49, Early Nov 93 - The yummy issue

Love the Tenzzil issues that TM did. This one is no exception.

I love the Tenzil trading cards. Love the singing villians in his "dream."

I also love the fact that Tenzil is obviously a celebrety in the universe, based on his treatment on the shuttle he is on.

Brek training heroes.

The intro of Policy Pam.

Brek becoming something of a celebrety himself on Tartarus.

This is just the sort of comics I miss being interjected every now and then...fun ones.

LSH #50 - Late Nov 93 - Everything and the kitchen sink

Good issue that wraps up sooooooo much, and leads into the end of the Legion. But that's kinda what this whole thing is about...how this Legion, with all it's baggage could have been used. Liked this issue for many reasons...

The return of Drake. Another one of those love it or hate it deals. He takes over Dirks body to help make himself stable enough to function in his suits. I thought this was brilliant, and I have some major plans with this whole storyline.

Jan lives. They used this to check up on a lot of people in this story. Nice use, and a nice ending with his telling Sean to stay.

Glad to have Brin return to help with the BION thing.

Tenzil is married...that would be a fun series to read.

Dawny taken back to Starhaven. Big plans here as well.

Universoputs his 748th version of this plan into action.

Sommething else in coming...and it's initials are TT.