Continuing the Deep Dive - LSH #295-303, Annual #2

And I'm back. First of all, thanks to everyone who responds with their thoughts, memories, and theories about the books I'm writing about. Honestly, those response are why I'm doing this. It's great to have fellow Legion lovers to 'chat' with and I'm hoping that more of you are willing to type anything after reading over these long missives. And since the mod hasn't told me to stop yet, I'm going to keep going until I run out of stuff to say.

In case you're wondering why I'm stopping with the Annual - I wanted to break up the rest of the original LSH issues (before the Baxter series) into two columns and this is the exact mid-point. No other logic than that.

With the Great Darkness Saga over, this is the time to slow down a little, build some long-term stories, and develop the cast. There's no big, epic tale here, just great single and two-issue stories. You can really see the care and detail put into each of the Legionnaires.

Also, the maturing of the team continues at a frenetic pace. Levitz and Giffen are making them real - well, as much as comic characters can be real. Timber Wolf faces a tough choice - love or the Legion - and decides that the Legion is more important. Cosmic Boy must decide to make the right choice when faced with a chance to take revenge for the death of his mother. White Witch shows the confidence and determination that makes her a great Legionnaire. Chameleon Boy must face his past, and his planet's horrible traditions, to get his powers back. And Brainiac 5 shows that there is one thing that can destroy any genius' abilities - love.

Before I start looking at some of the individual issues, here are some high level thoughts:

• I know that most people don't pay attention to the editors of books, but here is where Karen Berger has fully taken over the reigns. She would end up being one of the most important editors at DC and gave numerous big name talents their first shots at the company. I'm sure the ability to keep track of so many characters helped her immensely.
• I was listening to a Paul Levitz interview and he commented (and I'm paraphrasing) that Berger told him that he was writing more soap opera than super-heroes on this book. I think that this part of the run is where that really starts to become clear. Between this, New Teen Titans, and Uncanny X-Men, tightly-written melodramatics was clearly popular with the readers. I honestly don't think that's changed - I think readers want to be emotionally invested in the characters' lives.
• Just some amazing artwork here: Giffen hasn't changed his style yet (although you can see the change coming), issue 300 sees old school artists Kurt Schaffenberger, Curt Swan, Dave Cockrum, Joe Staton, and James Sherman bring you back to the good old days, Howard Bender does some great work replicating the 60's style, and Dave Gibbons draws one of his first published works for DC.
• Speaking of artwork, I hope that Giffen got paid for all the new costumes he created. Some served the story (pseudo-Shrinking Violet changing to a completely violet costume, showing that she may not be who she claims to be) and some just needed to be updated (Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Blok).
• I don't think Levitz gets enough credit for successfully juggling the huge cast. Just to point out of the difference - in the 70's, most stories would feature 4 or 5 Legionnaires, a few supporting characters, and the stories would be done in one issue. With Levitz, there are at least a dozen Legionnaires an issue (unless it's a special spotlight) and the stories just keep twisting along. And yet I don't really remember any subplots that didn't get wrapped up (until the very end of his run). If anyone remembers one, please share!
• He and Giffen also start doing what I like to call "planting seeds". Almost every story has some tiny plot point that will pay off later down the road, such as when the evil Green Lantern named Vidar looks a lot like Universo and may be related to Rond Vidar, who ends up being a Lantern as well.
• The beginning of the following (I think):
• Blok being obsessed with Legion history
• Blok and Timber Wolf's friendship
• Shvaughn Erin and Element Lad's relationship
• The Shrinking Violet mystery. Duplicate Boy attacks Colossal Boy but then leaves, saying "She's not the Violet I fell in love with."

On to the issues that really stand out for me:

Issue #297 - Love the spotlight issues!

Keith Giffen has stated that Cosmic Boy is his favorite, so I guess it was no surprise that he's the first Legionnaire to get a special spotlight issue. This one really sets the tone and style for them in the future.

In one issue, Rokk shows just how powerful he is, why he's such a great Legionnaire, and what makes him special. Yes, it's a little cliched to kill off a family member to get him to show his dark side (no pun intended), but it really works in this story.

Quick aside: one thing that Levitz did masterfully (and I don't think any other Legion writer even tried) were these one-issue spotlights. We'll talk about them more as we get to them, but I think this is the best way to ensure each character gets a little attention and, when done right, can really drive the series forward. It's also a way to give the regular artist a break, either by not having to draw so many characters or by finding a guest artist for the issue.

Issue #300 - Is it bad to say that I wish George Perez or Giffen had drawn everyone?

History is the real catch-22 of comic books. On one hand, titles with a rich history give the readers a collective, immersive experience that adds depth to the characters and events. On the other, titles with too much history run the risk of losing new readers and making them almost impossible to start.

Good writers make long histories work. Bad writers make them impenetrable. Levitz is a very good writer.

Why this book works so well:

• Alternate universe stories are usually great (which is why both the MCU and DCU are pumping out tons of stories. Getting the original Legion artists (and one very capable replacement) to craft the alternate stories make them 'feel' like they're part of the real history.
• Speaking of the artists - I love any time I see Dave Cockrum Legion pages!
• Brainiac 5 being used 'correctly'. I almost hesitate to use that word, but there are just so many stories where the writers take super-intelligent to mean arrogant, selfish, and uncaring. One of my favorite parts of Levitz's run is the way he writes Brainiac 5. Instead of turning him into an ass, he makes him someone who's always trying to help and use his intellect to make the world, or one person's life, better. I was asked before to list my favorite Legionnaires and I forgot to mention Brainiac 5. Of course, depending on the day, that list changes more than I'd care to admit.
• The Shadow Woman subplot - it's a deep dive into Legion history but works even if you don't know that this character is "supposed to die". I talked about history that can make it impossible for new readers, but they give you just enough of the story and history so it makes sense for new readers as well as long time fans.

Issue #302 - How to make something old feel fresh?

By this point, we've seen Lightning Lad and Lightning Lord fight again and again. This happens in every Legion, in every incarnation, and it's almost as regular as clockwork. So how do you make it fresh?

By giving them something new to fight over. My favorite part of this is that Garth could've just told his brother that he didn't know where their sister, Light Lass, is and the fight would've been over. Instead, he stubbornly fights his brother and beats him. Is that the smartest move? No. Is it true to Garth's character? Yes.

Another great part of this book is how interconnected everything is. Light Lass left the book 8 issues ago and now we're seeing one of the repercussions. The Weber's World subplot leads into the main story next issue. The Shrinking Violet subplot continues throughout the back of the book. Levitz and Giffen have built a title that you can't stop buying, or you'll miss something important.

Annual #2 - What a great cover!

Okay, let me be blunt. This is a bad comic book. Yep, this is my first negative response to this era. This book just didn't work for me. It really feels like one of those throwaway issues from the past where a guest writer took five characters, threw them into a strange place, and everything was resolved in 15 pages. Only this was extended to 41.

I also don't understand why the two people getting married aren't the main focus of the issue.

And now, how I would've written this issue:

As everyone arrives to Orando for the wedding, some of the Legionnaires (Timber Wolf, Blok, Cosmic Boy, Night Girl, Chameleon Boy, Dawnstar) take Karate Kid out for the 30th Century version of a Bachelor Party. (for Karate Kid, I'm guessing they're heading to a meditation planet) They get thrown back in time and are sent back to the 1970's - exactly where Karate Kid's solo book took place. They have to figure out how to get back to the future, or contact those on Orando to be saved.

Meanwhile, on Orando, Princess Projectra takes charge, leading the search for the team and showing why she's a queen.

Everyone is saved, they get back to the wedding, and it goes off without a hitch.

For the final few pages, as they start off on their honeymoon, Karate Kid and Princess Projectra stop at Shanghalla to 'talk' to Ferro Lad and reminisce about their start with the Legion. This gives them the perfect bookend to their start on the team.