The Legion starts searching for the escaped convicts and Chemical Kid finds out his father is a broke gambler. Is this the Legion or Chicago PD? We look at Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #11 & Adventure Comics #525

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #11

Saturn Queen has turned psychotic, causing a riot to destroy Takron-Galtos and cover her new Legion of Super-Villains escaping from prison. We have an angry Lightning Lord, struggling with her leadership, Sun Killer, Questor (a Coluan), Zymyr, Immortus, Akka, and Orion the Hunter. Mekt and Akka are on Rimbor to recruit more villains to the team.

"False Start" is brought to you by writer Paul Levitz and artists Daniel HRD and Wayne Faucher.

We begin on Rimbor and the Legionnaires have arrived to round up as many of the Takron-Galtos escapees as they can. They burst into a building and Phantom Girl tells them that she spots three matches from the list. Sun Boy, Ultra Boy, Lightning Lass, and Wildfire make quick work of them.

We also get an interesting exchange:

 

Wildfire: Now let the boys collect them.

Lightning Lass: Let's not be sexist -- that's centuries out of style.

Phantom Girl: They didn't mean anything, Ayla.

Ultra Boy: Just doing our share of the clean-up.

Wildfire: It's called teamwork. Get over it.

Lightning Lass: What do we do with this one? He's not on the list. 

 

Why do I think this is interesting? It's another example of dialogue that just doesn't "read" well when put together. It doesn't help that it's cut up with the usual text boxes explaining everyone's names and powers.

But think about this. Drake makes a sexist remark. Ayla calls him out. Tinya defends him, and also ties the other two into the comment even though they didn't respond or show they liked what he said. Jo responds with a non-sequitur that doesn't match anything. Drake doubles down with a comment that makes as little sense as Jo's and since Ayla lets it drop, she's either given up trying to argue this (so why bring it up or did she realize that Drake wasn't going to change his mind... or was she surprised Tinya defended it?) or she's changed her mind.

Let's start with this - why even have this exchange? What does it say about the Legionnaires? Wildfire is sexist. Is he? Why didn't Sun Boy say that? It would fit his character better, I think (I am biased here).

Why is Phantom Girl defending it, especially a comment from someone like Wildfire? If Ultra Boy had said it, it makes sense for her to have Jo's back. But one from Drake? Nope. She should be ripping into him just as hard.

And why didn't Lightning Lass argue more? She is just as powerful as most of the male Legionnaires. Why should she take a back seat and accept that "the boys" handle the tough stuff?

I know, I know. I'm drastically overthinking this. But I think this is one of those moments where, if I'm editing this book, I'm asking all these questions to get a better story... and a better page of dialogue.

Sorry for that aside...

Colossal Boy, once again, exists to get beaten up by the villains. This time it's Fume and Frost. Fume is kinda like Charma and can release pheromones. Frost has the same powers as Polar Boy. Before she can convince Gim to accompany them to Saturn Queen, Tyroc saves the day and knocks both of them out.

Tyroc overheard them talking about Saturn Queen, so we get our confirmation that she orchestrated the breakout. Then Ayla reminds us of the last time they faced off against the LSV (Volume 3, of course) and how it "cost us a good man."

So Phantom Girl gives her a hug and reminds us that Ayla suffered as well. I know they've changed Ayla's character a lot, but I don't know if I like this new, cold-as-ice version of Ayla. I mean, they couldn't say something nicer about Karate Kid?

Back at Legion HQ, Brainiac 5 is running the show and reassures S.P. Chief Cusimano that the Legion is at full strength. Brainy's holding Tellus back to face Saturn Queen, with Gates right beside him to teleport wherever the Queen emerges. Yep, sideline the non-humanoid Legionnaires right from the start...

Wow... the Legion with an actual strategy? When's the last time we saw that?

Continuing with the harsher, meaner Legion, Cosmic Boy, Chameleon Boy, and Shrinking Violet discover the dead body of Micro Lad (Akka stabbed him in the back in the LSV special). Violet then spits on the body. Cham calls her out but, since he kept Vi in a stasis tube for months, "death is too good for him."

I get being pissed that you were imprisoned for months, but this seems unnecessarily harsh for a Legionnaire. I know they're trying to make the Legion darker, but does this work?

The trio also sees the warden's dead body and Rokk immediately recognizes it to be Lightning Lord's handiwork. So they fly off, eager to track down the remaining villains.

Not every Legionnaire is searching for the LSV. The one who would be best at it, Dawnstar, is off chasing the blue ball of energy that put her into a coma. She's not coming back until she tracks it down.

Brainy's response: "Dozens of super-powered menaces loose, and she's chasing a blue phantom. Women."

Maybe, Ayla, sexism isn't centuries out of style in the 31st century.

Dream Girl overhears the comment as she carries an unconscious Star Boy into the room. She disagrees with him and takes it as a compliment. They place Thom into a medical bed and Nura demands Brainy cure him of whatever he's suffered from in the 21st century. Brainy says he's too busy, which is when Green Mon-El arrives, revealing that he's figured out how to be in two places at once.

Is this when I should point out that Nura's a genius as well? And has assisted Brainy with other medical treatment (Legion Annual #1)?

To Kyoto we go. Timber Wolf is with a bunch of S.P. officers. They requested his presence to hunt down Sun Killer.

But it's not Sun Killer. It's Sun Emperor (the cover kinda gave it away, right?), who is ready to burn both Sun Killer and Timber Wolf to get back onto the LSV. As his costume start burning away, Brin attacks with no fear. His words, not mine.

Brainiac 5 brings Mon-El up to speed, reveals the latest plot point (Colu has shut off contact with the known universe) and leaves the control center to cure Star Boy. Mon-El states that he didn't ask for this job, but if he really didn't want it, he could've refused and left Brainy in charge... so I don't feel much sympathy for him.

Also, does Colu cut off contract so often that Brainy wouldn't have already started investigating this?

Timber Wolf and Sun Emperor continue fighting, we get some really, really bad dialogue, Brin reminds us all that he's not an animal, he's a human, and he defeats the villain pretty easily. With Sun Emperor beaten, Brin heads back into the Kyoto streets (after putting out the fires on his body) and continues his search for Sun Killer.

Brainy starts trying to figure out how to separate Star Boy from his costume, which is connected to the multiverse and is part of the reason he was driven insane. He's clinical and precise, wondering how bad the damage is.

Dream Girl wonders if he "really give(s) a damn about any of us."

Brainy's reply: "Despite all logic, my feelings for you short-lived, small-brained, foolish idiots are sufficient that I have chosen to spend my life among you, instead of on my world where my intellect would be suitably honored -- because you are truly my friends."

Yeah, not really convincing me that he cares about anyone. Would it be so hard to show Brainy is a slightly positive light?

I've also started wondering if this scene is the first time Levitz has shown that he really didn't like what they did to Star Boy. I mean, Brainy all but calls out their previous stupid plan and how it might end up destroying Thom's mind. Strange, since he's the one who came up with it.

Or, perhaps, we've just given up trying to make any sense out of what's going on. 

Harmonia Li shows up because... why not? And she claims that she's the reason for whatever's happening on Colu. To be continued next issue!

 

Before any other comments, I have to share what was written in the Legion letters' page. They reveal the leadership election results from the fan voting. Here are the top five:

            Mon-El                     2,540

            Brainiac 5                2,326

            Earth-Man                1,534

            Phantom Girl            1,059

            Gates                        991

I get the first two - Mon-El was a star of one of Superman's comics and Brainiac 5 is possible the most famous non-Superman-related Legionnaire. Phantom Girl is a nice surprise. I wonder what the editors were thinking when Gates finished fifth. He's been buried since the new books were launched and this is obviously a cry from his fans for better treatment.

Earth-Man finishing third broke my brain a little. Is it possible that over 1,500 readers loved the addition of an evil Legionnaire? Or were they trying to break the team by having him as leader? Every person who's responded to my reviews either here or on Reddit has told me they hate Earth-Man. So here's my request - if you like Earth-Man as a Legionnaire, please let me know. I genuinely want to understand that thinking. No judgment. No attacks. Just real, honest curiosity. 

The other thing that grabbed my attention is that XS didn't get a single vote. I'm guessing she wasn't on the list of eligible Legionnaires because... and I'll be rude here... the editorial staff forgot she was on the team.

 

 

Adventure Comics #525

The kids have headed back to Phlon to figure out what's happened to Chemical Kid's father. They discover that Black Mace, and a bunch of flunkies, have attacked him and are threatening to kill him. Just as they look close to winning, some new villain shows up and turns Chemical Kid's powers against him - and then uses them on the rest of the trainees.

"First Tests" is brought to you by storytellers Paul Levitz and Phil Jimenez, with Andy Lanning and Sean Parsons on inks.

It's a big splash page to begin and we're finally introduced to our new villain: Alchemical Girl. She's also from Phlon and she has the exact same powers as the Academy's Chemical Kid. As he lies on the ground, struggling and in pain, he says that she "can't have my powers -- they're unique."

Except that they're not. His father gave him Chemical King's powers. And theoretically, if one scientist can figure out how to do it, what couldn't another? Am I a bad person that I find it ironically funny that the most entitled and arrogant Academy student is getting defeated by his own powers? Shouldn't I be more sympathetic?

Chemical Kid wants answers, but his father isn't speaking... mainly because one of the thugs is still keeping him in a choke hold. Just as Alchemical Girl gets ready to attack once more, Glorith rises to the rescue. She says that she's been "awakened from afar" to protect them... and we get a nice little editorial text box telling us that this will be explained in the second story this issue.

Urgh... why not just spend two panels showing it?

Glorith makes short work of the bad guys and Chemical Kid immediately grabs his father, looking for answers.

Back on Earth, the Science Police are helping the Academy graduates by providing a "test" for their finals. Power Boy and Lamprey have been called to capture smugglers without hurting the animals they're illegally moving.

Night Girl and Cosmic Boy are there as well, watching over everything. Lydda says that it's time these two graduated and find out whether they get to be Legionnaires. We also learn that these two have broken up. I guess that's why Rokk is so depressed all the time and Lydda's angry.

 

I also have to mention this part, especially for those of you who don't know any DC history. Night Girl tells the S.P. officer, Lieutenant Pozner, to let her students do their thing.

If you've never heard of Neal Pozner, he worked at DC Comics from the 1970s until his death from AIDS complications in 1994. He was their first production designer, a writer, and a group editor who was responsible for discovering new talent. Some of his discoveries: Travis Charest, Gene Ha, Stuart Immonen, and Phil Jimenez.

Pozner was responsible for Showcase '93 and '94, which was a great anthology that introduced a number of talented creators to the fans. I'm not sure if it's on the DC Universe app, but if so, please check it out when you get a chance.

At the end of his life, Pozner was in a relationship with Jimenez, who was taking care of him during his final days.

Why do I bring this up? First, I absolutely love it when creators pay tribute to people close to them in comics. Second, Pozner was a critically important voice for comics in the 80s and 90s and somewhat of a genius. Third, I think we sometimes forget the people behind the scenes, the people who encourage and develop the talents that make our favorite books. We also sometimes forget that our favorite creators are real people with real passions outside of comic books.

 

Power Boy and Lamprey spring into action. She flies into the air and shoots green lightning at the villains. The smugglers guess they're not Legionnaires and unleash... an elephant!

Lieutenant Pozner wants to step in and sedate the animals, but Rokk and Lydda want to give the trainees more time. Power Boy goes after the smugglers, leaving Lamprey to take care of the elephant. She must be careful - she doesn't want to kill such an important part of Earth's heritage.

Back on Phlon, we learn that Chemical Kid's father gave away his gene mod to cover his gambling debts. Black Mace was going to kill him if he didn't do what he was told. Gravity Kid naively suggests that he could've gone to the S.P.s but Dragonwing points out that once the S.P.s stopped paying attention, he'd be dead.

Glorith keeps the villains under a purple spell, unable to move, while the team discusses what to do. We get our first moment of Chemical Kid actually acting like a hero, refusing Dragonwing's suggestion to kill them all. He knows there's a better way.

Back on Earth, Lamprey and Power Boy show the determination that has kept them in the Academy since Jimmy Carter was President. While the other three watch, they keep fighting towards victory. Power Boy phases under the ground and behind the smugglers before knocking them out.

I'm guessing Lamprey was successful, only they don't show it. They also say she went against "animals," but we never see anything other than the elephant. I mentioned this last week - it almost seems like Levitz and Jimenez were on different pages with this story.

The decision? Cosmic Boy says they're not for the Legion - Lamprey's not as powerful as Lightning Lad/Lass and Power Boy doesn't have any distinctive powers. Night Girl reminds him that he didn't think she was Legion material either... and to not make that same mistake.

Lieutenant Pozner says he's going to recommend them for the new Takron-Galtos security team (and I have no idea why anyone would take that job). They're tired of calling in the Legion for help every time there's a jail break.

Sadly, this is the end of Jimenez's run on Adventure. Although this final story is way too short, I honestly think there was a base here for something special. And I'm not just saying that because I can stare at Jimenez's artwork all day.

 

Our second story, "The Darkness Within," is written by Paul Levitz with art by Geraldo Borges and Marlo Alquiza.

We're back on The Sorcerer's World (why not The Sorcerers' World?) and we get to meet Harlak, a young trainee. He misses Glorith and since Mysa, the Black Witch, has disappeared for a few days, he wants someone to play with. He's using magical scrolls to communicate with Glorith and knows she'll get his message.

Blok sits as the top of what appears to be a bottomless staircase, waiting for Mysa to return. He's struggling to comprehend the world and what it's capable of. Good to know he hasn't changed.

Deep within the pit, the Black Witch keeps herself as deep as she can to contain Mordru's spirit, which still lives within her. Ever since the blue flame was released to the world, Mordru is stirring and wants to come back to power.

She calls out to help, hoping her students can give her some power to fight off this evil. They send it to her from Orando, from Ventura, from Earth and she thanks them.

But Glorith doesn't respond. She reaches out to see Glorith is unconscious and in danger. So she uses some of the power to protect her.

Which is, of course, when Mordru appears. The battle begins and they fight for control. She swears to make this his tomb and trap him beside her.

Mysa doesn't have to go that far. She uses her magic to hold him within and imprisons him again. He's lost whatever power he got from the blue flame. She can rest finally.

Blok is very happy to see her return to him and she says it's time for rest - "it is over, dear one... for now... at least for now..."

 

Hehe... well that was a whole lot of nothing. Is it safe to assume that Jimenez got pulled off this book mid-story and they had to rush to fill the pages with a back-up story?

 

Last week was so promising. This week wasn't. I think my problems with the main Legion book are they way they're writing these characters. I've ranted enough about it before, so I'll spare everyone today.

Adventure just kinda ended, and it wasn't a very satisfying conclusion. The obvious ending, and the one that would've been best for the readers, would've been Chemical Kid against Alchemical Girl. He could actually act as a hero and show that it's not just the gene mod, it's the person who has it. You also could show that the mod is now in the hands of the criminals - are there going to be a bunch of people on Phlon with the same powers?

And as much as I like seeing Blok and Mysa, the backup just didn't land at all. 

 

Let's be positive instead. The latest edition of the Long Live the Legion podcast has a very special guest - Anthony Desiato of the Digging for Kryptonite podcast. We talk about the Legion's appearance on Smallville. Anthony is the expert, Jim and I ask a bunch of questions, and we learn all about this epic TV show.

Check us out on Podbean, on any podcast provider, or on YouTube. 

 

If you have any thoughts to share about these comics, please share either here or on Reddit.