Comic Book Review: Legion of Super-Heroes #45

It is always a good day in the bunker when a new issue of Jim Shooter’s Legion of Super-Heroes arrives. Last month, Jim delivered a good story but the fill-in artist was a good match for it. This month sees the return of Francis Manapul. The hard part this month is seeing George Perez on Legion of Three Worlds then seeing the regular artist on this book. The good part is we get to experience multiple Legion books each month. Last month ended with a cliff-hanger and it will be interesting to see how Shooter wraps up this one.

Creative Team
Writer: Jim Shooter
Pencils: Francis Manapul
Inks: Livesay

Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The story begins the Legion’s headquarters on the planet Earth in the 31st century. In previous issues, the United Planets government has been harassing the Legion. Now, President Kieselbach is appearing by remote linkup. She tells the Legion that a planet the size of Saturn has appeared just beyond the orbit of Jupiter. It’s gravity is affecting the whole solar system. If something is not done soon, it will destroy the solar system. The Legion’s business manager, M’Rissey, comments that this is going to be fun.

Legion leader Lightning Lad starts to tell the President that the Legion will help when he is stopped by M’Rissey. He tells Lightning Lad to tell the President that they cannot help. M’Rissey explains that the Legion is too busy being persecuted by the United Planets police and that one of their members is in jail. She grants full pardons for all Legionnaires. He says that they are traumatized by the constant persecution. She guarantees that it will stop immediately and that they will be granted full diplomatic immunity.

M’Rissey says that the Legion will address the rogue planet situation. Lightning Lad asks Brainiac 5 if he can fix the problem. He says that he can fix it if Jupiter’s orbit has not been damaged, if Star Boy and Light Lass assist him, and if he does not have a headache like he has now.

Saturn Girl’s team returns from a mission to Rimbor. They are in rough shape. They survived a battle with the alien destroyers(who have been attacking since Shooter took over the title) and a fight with the Science Police.

Light Lass returns from her mission on Velmar V with her team all beat up. Lightning Lad wants to know why Karate Kid and Triplicate Girl are not with them. Invisible Kid reports that they are gone but they left a note behind. Lightning Lad orders Star Boy and Light Lass to go with Brainiac 5 to save the solar system. The rest he sends to the infirmary.

Lightning Lad tells Saturn Girl to report to the president’s situation room. She says no. She went without sleep for days, fought non-stop, and had a wall fall on her. He tells her he will see her later. Lightning Lad and Element Lad head out.

Atom Girl goes to the training center instead of the infirmary. She is beating a punching bag when Colossal Boy walks in. Her knuckles are bleeding. She is putting herself through this because a Science Police officer almost beat her on Rimbor. She wants to remember the pain so that she will never forget her fight. Then Atom Girl says that she will hunt her done and pound her face for what she did. He asks why she got into the fistfight. With her shrinking powers, she could have avoided the fight. The rest of the team was depending on her and she risked the mission by being too macho. Atom Girl shrinks down and disappears.

As Brainiac 5, Star Boy, and Light Lass arrive at the United Planets complex they are stopped by the Science Police. The message is relayed that they have full access to the facility. Brainiac 5 orders the head scientist to turn over all of the UP equipment to him. He begins to argue when a gravitational quake strikes. Brainiac 5 tells him that his chance for success has decreased when they were arguing. Full control us turned over.

Meanwhile, Lightning Lad and Element Lad are flying when they spot a United Planets Young Heroes recruiting station. The Young Heroes is the UP’s attempt to replace the Legion. They are escorted into the President’s situation room. Lightning Lad tells the president that Brainiac 5 will take care of their problem. General Oh blows up. All of the planets are experiencing quakes, moons are breaking up, and the Legion are going to “take care of it”. The president orders him to control himself. She tells them that they have not found any signs of life on the planet.

Lightning Lad thinks that they may live underground like his people. Lon Norg, the Science Police sector chief(who happens to be Invisible Kid’s father), says that their recon drones were destroyed. Lightning Lad wants to take the Legion’s Espionage Squad to the planet. One of the president’s advisors says the planet is a guest and they must use diplomacy. Another quake hits. The president feels their only hope rests with Brainiac 5.

Ultra Boy finds Saturn Girl in the Legion’s kitchen. He challenges her to read his mind. She doesn’t want to because he is disgusting. He tells her that she has a low opinion of herself. She thinks all the other girls are prettier than her. Ultra Boy says that he thinks she is a babe. Saturn Girl reads his mind and sees that he thinks she is dumpy. He counters with the statement that she is a sexy dumpy girl. He tells her that he does not mess with other guy’s girls. Another quake hits and he jumps to protect her. He is leaving to check their headquarters when she asks him to stay.

Back in the Command Center Brainiac 5 has set up his operation. He straps into the system. He directs Star Boy and Light Lass in an attempt to augment the UP tractor network. The UP computers cannot keep up with him. Brainiac 5 starts slowing down the solar system’s decay. He fails.

A riot breaks out in front of the president’s situation room. Lightning Lad says the Legion can help. He tries to contact Ultra Boy but he does not answer. He takes Element Lad and goes to stop the riot.

Brainiac 5 says he failed because Star Boy and Light Lass did not supply enough power. They are too stupid to fully utilize their powers. They get mad and strap back into the machine.

Lightning Lad and Element Lad arrive at the riot. The Bludgeon Brothers are mad. The UP cancelled the tryouts because of the quakes. The Brothers plan to bust up the cops to show their discontent. But they will gladly bust up the Legionnaires. Lightning Lad takes out one of them by shocking him unconscious. Element Lad turns the oxygen around the head of the other brother into helium.

With the increase power from Star Boy and Light Lass, Brainiac 5 is able to move the planets back into their proper positions. He stablizes the system and puts a stasis field around the intruder planet. They receive a message from the planet. They are requesting peace.

Back at Legion HQ, Invisible Kid is looking for Ultra Boy in the kitchen. He sees the pantry door is open. When he looks inside he finds Ultra Boy and Saturn Girl, without clothes, in an embrace.

Comments
The Good: Another good issue by Shooter. He continues to build on the storyline he started in the first issue of his return to the Legion. I like the way he builds the personalities of the Legionnaires. Each one has a distinct personality. He breaks them up into teams that are suited to handle the situation at hand. Shooter maintained a great balance between action and character development. I like the way he is building upon the previous issues. The Legionnaires who were hurt is previous issues are still hurt in the current issue. Problems don’t just disappear between issues.

The Lightning Lad/Saturn Girl/Ultra Boy situation has been built up over many issues. Too many writers would have had Saturn Girl and Ultra Boy together with out explaining how it could happen. The way Shooter did it made sense.

Fanboy moment: the people in line to try out for the Young Heroes. The girl in black with an owl symbol has to be Night Girl from the old substitute heroes. Hopefully we will see her again. This also reminded me of the tryouts they used to hold in the Legion comics.

Manapul is solid in the art department. My only problem with him is that he cannot draw every issue. He is no George Perez but he is a quality artist.

The Bad: Fans of all out action comics might not care for this series. Shooter slows down the story to take time to develop characterization. The soap opera aspect between Saturn Girl and Ultra Boy will not appeal to all readers. If you want a quick read, this is not the series for you.

Overall: It is great to have Jim Shooter back with the Legion. Another super issue to add to his run. I can’t wait for the next issue.