Given the names of the reviewers on this site, and the fact that the Legion of Superheroes kept me in comics long enough to catch fire in the DC Universe, and that Rokk recruited me to join that Legion, well, its amazing that this comic is a monthly debate for us. I have my suspicions as to why, but I’m saving that for another post.
Creative Team
Writer: Mark Waid & Tony Bedard
Layouts: Barry Kitson
Penciler: Adam DeKraker
Inker: Rob Stull & Rodney Ramos
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Ok Tenzil, now you can post your review where you point out all the positives
and tell everyone how great a comic this is! 😉 We all know you are a Supergirl
apologist! 😉
This is a standard debate tactic, trying to paint (or should I say taint) the other person’s argument before you even here it. So instead of replying to some of what he says directly, I’m going to give you my very positive review, and not apologize for anything. I will address one contention of his at the end of the post, but whats a rule if you don’t break it 🙂
The Good: The pace picks up. Not unlike the previous story arcs, there has been a lot of setup. In the case of this arc, the setup has been longer and ongoing for what appears to be two reasons. One, the setup has been subtle, dealing more with emotions and character elements than mysteries and conflict. Even the Dream Girl storyline, yet to really (last issue still posits a lot of questions) had very little physical conflict. This issue some of that conflict is pointed out and resolved. Two: We know the Dominator subplot has to do with 52, and they won’t spoil it in this title.
The pace picks up, and the plot line is simplified. We have the mystery of Supergirl/Dominator subplot, the Legion Election that is combating the appearance of the Legion selling out to the UFP, and a mystery legion being recruited to fight this legion. They certainly look like they could all intersect in quite the conflagration soon.
The Bad: I wish the book moved faster. If the story arcs were structured like movies, It feels like we spend way to much time on Act 1, and breeze through Acts 2 and 3. And the art is good, but lacks Kitson’s flair (compare the cover work to the art inside). Still better than I’ll ever draw, and some panels, like Shadow Lass watching Ultra Boy fight, are very well done.
Conclusion: A Good Read. I wouldn’t want to, especially as a casual fan, start up a storyline in the middle, especially this one. I do think that someone that hasn’t read Legion before, and has read from Issue #1 of this run may arguably be enjoying this run more than long time die-hards. Many of the characters are more than rebooted, but in some ways re-imaged. Their characters are well integrated with their powers, not unlike The Incredibles. So long time readers expecting characters to act a certain way, like Ultra-Boy being so transparent, for example, Invisible Kid being sneaky and untrusted, even Dream Girl possibly becoming a real dream.
Waid, I think, did his best “Levitz” legion the first year on the Post Zero Hour reboot. This comic is something new and different from that. Taken as it is, I think this comic is doing well, and someone that is a fan of characterization and soap opera in their action comics would do well to try this comic. Just be sure a few back issues are handy.
Extra Note: Supergirl says two different lines this issue that sound more like Superman than Supergirl . “It Tickles” and “I never lie”. And the cover of next month’s issue has her standing among three downed Legion members. Is she defending them, or did she bring them down? Also, notice the lack of title and who is appearing in this issue? Curious.