Boy Man

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #11
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Daniel HDR

 

So Starman is going back to being called Star Boy now? Seems kind of strange…why is Earth-Man the only one allowed to be called Man now? None of them are really teenagers anymore right? Anyways, this was a fantastic start to the Legion of Super-Villains arc as all of the Legionnaires search for the villain group. Levitz sure knows how to pack a lot into one issue.

Bad Aunt

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #10
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar

 

So it was Chameleon Boy’s aunt all along behind everything as she wanted Brande’s money to pay for rebuilding Durla (That is if I am not mistaken) this was a good issue but the resolution seemed a little fast. Not much else to say here.

Attack On The United Planets

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #9
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar

 

Hmmm so who is Chameleon Boy’s aunt…could it be Harmonia Li? Where is Chameleon Girl in all this by the way? All good questions. We still haven’t seen Mon-El find out he won the election but I suppose we will eventually. I like this issue and it is still great to see Levitz utilize Tyroc and Gates. Good issue.

The Missing Leader

Adventure Comics #522
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Geraldo Borges

 

Despite the Legion taking the cover, this was more of a Mon-El solo issue as he takes on a new villain Sun Killer trying to free Saturn Queen. I wonder how Levitz is going to get out of this considering he has Mon-El declare he has no plans to return to earth and frankly acting kind of harsh with his new-found power ring but at the same time he has just been elected Legion Leader. It should be interesting to see.

Durlan Foes

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #8
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar and David Hdr

 

The Legion continues to fight the Durlans that blame the United Planets for Brande’s death. It was pretty good and Levitz continues to kick ass at writing this book…I was a tad disappointed at the outcome of the election but I can see why people voted for him considering his recent rise to stardom in the DC Universe. I guess XS isn’t an active Legionnaire which kinda blows…maybe Johns is saving her for Flashpoint?

And The Ring Goes To…

Adventure Comics #521
Written by Paul Levtiz
Art by Geraldo Borges
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmad Asrar

 

Well I won’t spoil it…but I don’t know how I feel about the one who finally gets to be Green Lantern of the Future…it makes sense…it is just not anything new and I guess I was expecting something more surprising. Element Lad kicks ass here with his powers and I wonder why we haven’t seen much of him in the main legion book. The Atom back-up was okay and it is the last time we will see that back-up in this book, which I don’t mind, I am still to pissed about Ryan Choi to enjoy Ray Palmer.

Xenophobia

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #5
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar and Francis Portela

 

A xenophobic group called EarthForce attacks the refugee camp for the Titanians and it is up to the Legion to save the day. There was a lot of good stuff and some interesting revelations about Harmonia Li – apparently she is immortal or something like that. I still think she is up to no good. Earth-Man seems to be changing rather quickly – and seems to be a lot less Xenophobic now, even sleeping with Shadow Lass – that was quick, too quick! I wonder if something is up with that and he isn’t being genuine or his mind is being effected. I don’t know but Levitz continues to bring the Legion to new heights.

Superman Batman 75 and 76

Superman/Batman #75
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Jerry Ordway

 

The anniversary issue has a bunch of tiny back-up features that I won’t cover here cause most are not in continuity but the main story was an epilogue to Levitz’s previous arc as a future Lexor citizen comes back in time to kill Superman and the Legion and Batman team up to stop them. It was good and Ordway’s art was great but nothing to get too excited about. I am kinda sick of the same four Legionnaires always being used – let’s mix it up a bit Levitz.

Superman/Batman #76
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Marco Rudy

Now this was great! We finally get to see Superman’s reaction to Batman’s “death” during Final Crisis and it was a really great. Winik could have made this cliche and dumb as hell (imagine if this was written by Meltzer) but instead we get a look at how Superman views death and the fate of his friends as well as some awesome moments between him and Wonder Woman. I loved it!

Storylines

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #4
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar

 

So was thinking about Gates…since he comes from the Earth-247 Legion, could there be an Earth-0 version of himself running around that he could run into? Levitz should deal with that at some point. Anyways this book is fileld with so many plots and storylines one can always find something to like. This issue was great and I wonder why Shadow Lass is so interested in Earth-Man, who will be the new Legion Leader, and all that jazz. Levitz continues to kick ass here.

Saturn Queen Attacks

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #2
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar and Francis Portela

 

Saturn Queen shows up and brainwashes Brainy and Ultra Boy. At the same time, the Legion is dealing with xenophobic protesters as the refugees from Titan arrives on earth. There are so many plot threads going on and I love all of it. This is how you write a comic. It manages to have action, adventure, relationships, and politics but it doesn’t seem too busy. Levitz is a freaking master at storytelling. I love this series so much already and it isn’t even “My legion.” I never read the Reboot Legion but was Gates always so cranky or is that a new part of his personality? He seemed to be so here. A part of me misses the Phantom Girl from Earth-Prime who talked to herself and Saturn Girl being a mute. Those were cool additions to those characters but I Guess I will just have to get used to their Earth-0 counterparts. This book is great and I hope everyone keeps reading it!

Levitz Returns To What Made Him A Legend And Succeeds!

Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6) #1
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Yildiray Cinar

 

Okay I went into this a little worried. This isn’t “my legion”. I got into them during the threeboot or what is now known as the Legion of Earth-Prime and I fell in love with those characters and this is the original Legion that I do not know so well. But Gosh darn it this was FUCKING AMAZING! I mean everyone said Levitz writes great Legion stories but I did not expect it to be like this. So much happened in this issue and he managed to fit in quite moments, action, and great characterization. There was truly never a dull moment. I think this could become one of my new favorite books! Pick this up people you will not be disappointed if you are a new Legion fan or old. There is even a strong connection to the rest of the DC Universe – the upcoming Flashpoint event is mentioned as well as Sodom Yot being involved. The art is fantastic as well might I add. Every page was breathtaking and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Oh and for a second there – I actually though they were hinting that Miss Li was actually Cassandra Cain with memory loss?? I wouldn’t be against that idea although I don’t know how she ended up in the future – but I doubt that is what they were going for. Maybe I am just looking for her wherever I can.

Time Loops

Adventure Comics #514
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Travis Moore
Co-Feature by James Robinson
Art by Bernard Chang

In the main feature Brainiac 5 delivers Brainiac to the Coluans and Vril Dox and then delivers the Lanothians to Titan where they will be ruled over by Jemm and called Titanians from now on. I love the use of Legion continuity here and really establishing the origins of these places. I wonder if Titan will interact with earth at all in the 21st century? The back-up was an excellent ending to James Robinson’s entire run on Superman. He wraps up Mon-El’s storyline by having him return to the Phantom Zone and then arriving in the future all the way back to whatever issue of Legion he first appeared in the future in. I liked that he didn’t just leave but gave the letter to Billi Harper and remembered that he spent a year in this century on earth. I will miss his character and I think Robinson – in the end – really did a great job with him.

Three Fronts

Adventure Comics #512
Written by James Robinson, Sterling Gates, and Eric Trauttman
Art by Travis Moore, Eduardo Pansica, and Pier Gallo

 

The main feature is Part 4 of the Last Stand of New Krypton Storyline that began in Last Stand #1, and continued here and here. Robinson’s portion of the story is more of a catch-up on the history of the Brainiac’s and we learn that the reason why the past is changing is because somehow Brainiac kills Superman so Brainiac 5 is going back in time to help stop that from happening. It was good. It is not the Legion that I am familiar with and I do miss them, but it is still cool to see all those Legionnaires. I like that XS and Gates haven’t been forgotten! The Sterling Gates written part of the storyline takes place in the present as Tellus uses his telepathic powers to convince the Kryptonians to work together. It was all good nothing to complain about. Finally Trauttman’s story deals with the sleeper agents on earth in a rather interesting way. All of this was good stuff I am loving this crossover so far!

Wanted More

Adventure Comics #511
Written by Sterling Gates, James Robinson, and Eric Trautmann 
Art by Travis Moore, Julian Lopez, and Piere Gallo

 

This issue serves as Prologue to the Last Stand of New Krypton story that begins next week. In it we get three separate stories. One deals with the Legion in the future, one with them meeting up with Superboy and Mon-El in Smallville, as well as a third story dealing with General Lane unknowingly hiring a Kryptonian into Project 7734. It was all entertaining and revealed some more secrets but I feel like it didn’t further the story as much as it should have. Something better happen soon! We get a better understanding of why Lane hates Kryptonians although its clearly a hate bread from fear, which is what all hate is. I liked that and I like all the Legion stuff but I guess I wanted more from this issue then I got.

Brought Back Too Soon

Adventure Comics #507
Written by Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates
Art by Jerry Ordway
Co-Feature by Johns and Michael Shoemaker
Art by Clayton Henry

If it weren’t for the fact that I know Johns is leaving this book after issue six, I would be okay with this Blackest Night interlude focusing on Superboy-Prime versus Black Lantern Alex Luthor but with this interlude, it means we are only getting one more issue of Superboy and that just sucks. Oh well. This was still good. It was great to see Earth-Prime comic shops and Superboy-Prime reading them to find out what happens next. And of course it was just awesome to see my  favorite Legion (The Legion of Earth-Prime) back! But I got to say that we just saw Superboy-Prime in Legion of Three Worlds and I think he is being brought back way too soon. The Legion back-up was probably the best it has been yet with a sweet story about Blok and White Witch.

A Beautiful Reunion

Adventure Comics #505
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Co-Feature by Johns and Micheal Shoemaker
Art by Clayton Henry

The main story surpassed even the first issue as we finally get to see the reuniting of lovers Superboy and Wonder Girl. And guess what, it went really well! I was expecting a break up or something annoying like that but instead they were just honest with each other and nobody acted angsty or anything. Connor was mature enough to understand why Cassie had her fling with Tim while he was “dead” and I think that’s great and a refreshing change of pace for these characters. It was good to see Brainiac and Lex Luthor again and to see Luthor’s reaction to Superboy being still alive and other events around the DCU. I especially liked how the mainstream press is aware that the Justice League is on the verge of collapse haha. It looks like Lex may have made another clone…could there be two Connor Kents flying around soon? A new Match? We will see I guess. The Legion back-up was okay I guess. This isn’t my Legion and I still need to get used to that. Lightning Lad just seemed angry the entire time.

Return Of The Boy Of Steel

Adventure Comics #504
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Co-Feature by Johns
Art by Clayton Henry

Superboy is back! I find it amusing that people around the blogospher are referring to Connor in their reviews as the “new superboy”. A character that has been around since 1994 is definitely not new. None-the-less, I am excited to have Johns write the adventures of Superboy in smallville. Johns sets up everything quite well in this issue and introduces concepts I am sure he will follow through on and even a future friend turned archenemy for Superboy. Manapul’s art is gorgeous as always. Henry’s art on the Legion back up was fine but I wish Manapul did that as well he is that good and it would be fun to see him draw the Legion again (even if this isn’t the same Legion). The only possible complaint I have is that I still don’t care for the whole “omg I have Lex’s genes, what if I become evil!” subplot and Johns continues it here. I have never bought the idea that Connor would even think that he could become like Lex just because of his genes. Anyways, Starman was as usual – hilarious – in the back up and I am looking forward to this series from here on out.