R.E.B.E.L.S. 27 and 28

R.E.B.E.L.S. #27
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

In the penultimate issue of this series Starro is pretty much defeated by Tribulus with the help of Blackfire and R.E.B.E.L.S. I forgot how good this book was. It is such a shame Marvel beat DC to making a space movie with Guradians of the Galaxy because DC has just as interesting space faring characters. Come on DC get your act together when it comes to film. St. Aubin’s art is perfect for this as well. All around good comic.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #28
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

In this final issue Starro is finally defeated and the R.E.B.E.L.S. have now become L.E.G.I.O.N. There were so many great character moments this issue and funny one liners. Bedard sure loves these characters and you can feel it while reading this comic. I will miss this series.

Lobo Clones

R.E.B.E.L.S. #26
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin and Daniel HDR

 

I am also sad that this series will be ending in may but at least it gets to go out on a great arc. I initially thought bringing back Starro was too soon but he is the villain you would want to conclude the series with. I loved the flashback to Lobo’s origin here and the scene with Adam Strange’s daughter. The Starros would be great to see in live action and creepy now that I think about it. I wonder if we will get to see the Lobo clones unleashed? I sure hope so.

R.E.B.E.L.S. 24 and 25

R.E.B.E.L.S. #24
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

Starro attacks in this fantastic issue where Vril Dox and Blackfire have a romantic dinner and Lobo is thwarted by Astrild. Well I was annoyed that they were bringing back Starro so soon I am actually kind of excited about it now. Hey a man can change his mind right?

R.E.B.E.L.S. #25
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

So is Astrild Storm-Daughter a Czarnian or not? I mean they were cloning Lobo and not her right? Why does she look so much like one? I guess that is a mystery and think are getting good as it looks like Rann is screwed and they are going to need Blackfire’s help.

Too Soon

R.E.B.E.L.S. #23
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

It was great to see Kyle Rayner show up as that was unexpected! And the fact that the Green Lanterns defeated Dox’s scheme was cool too. But I really think it is too soon for Starro to come back. I know I am in the minority here but I think this series got a lot better Post-Starro and I don’t look forward to another 14 issues of the R.E.B.E.L.S. versus Starro. Oh well.

Psion Misogyny

R.E.B.E.L.S. #22
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin and Kevin Sharpe

 

Starfire joins up with the Green Lantern Psion to take out the Psions who have apparently kept their females imprisoned and used only for breeding. It makes sense that Starfire would be so disgusted by this she would be driven to kill so it didn’t really both me that she did. Dox even listen to Starfire when she tells him not have a contract with the Psion homeworld. I wonder why? That doesn’t seem to be in character for Dox – does he see Kory as too important a member of R.E.B.E.L.S to lose? I don’t know.

Regular Everyday Bastiches Ending Lantern Supremacy

R.E.B.E.L.S. #21
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

The title of this post is what Lobo says the R.E.B.E.L.S. stand for in this issue as Vril Dox humiliates the Lantern Corps on international televison. This was a good issue…but I want to see more of the rest of the team. I get that Lobo is a huge selling point, but he has dominated this book the last couple of issues and I want to see what everyone else is up to.

The Prison’s Top Bitch Kitty

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #36
Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. Demateis
Art by Pat Olliffe

 

The title of this post is also what Estrogina – a new character I believe – refers to herself as in the last page of this issue haha awesome. I liked this issue and I like that they are tying into Invasion – which I didn’t expect to happen. But I don’t know, I am not sure that they have Skeet’s “voice” quite right. He is almost too human in this? Skeets is great and I think he is very human-like. But Jurgens always wrote him with less, smart ass remarks I guess. Either way, Giffen and Demateis have quite a lot going on here. It is pure craziness with Ted Kord turned into a chipmunk and a kitty bitch haha.

The Main Man

R.E.B.E.L.S. #20
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

Brainiac is defeated in an interesting way hear when he tries to download all of Vril’s mind…he gets Vril’s emotions and must leave. Never would have thought of that! Lobo is involved as well and it was great to see he still has his red lantern ring – love that use of continuity! The only bad thing about this issue was the R.E.B.E.L.S. team didn’t make an appearence! I miss them!

Dysfunctional Family

R.E.B.E.L.S. #19
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

The Battle between the three Brainiacs results in a lot of destruction for the planet Colu in this issue. I wish that there was more of the rest of the R.E.B.E.L.S. team but all we get is a quick scene with Captain Comet and Amon Hakk (Although Khundian Porn is hilarious) and the entire issue focuses on the Brainiacs with a surprise guest-star at the end! I look forward to Lobo joining the team – as it has been announced. I wonder how he will get along with someone like Stafire?

Friends With Benefits

R.E.B.E.L.S. #18
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

Brainiac 3 attacks Colu just as Brainiac the first escapes from his though-cell. Stafire and Captain Comet do the hanky panky in a space ship – I love how sexually free Kory is haha. And she even admits that sleeping with Captain Comet helps her get over Dick Grayson – to Captain Comet. An earth-man like himself won’t be too happy about that I can imagine. This was a good issue.

Interesting Things Are Around The Corner

R.E.B.E.L.S. #17
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Sergio Arino

In another exciting issue of this always entertaining series, the conflict between Tamaran and Rann is ended by Vril Dox creating a treaty between the two. I have a feeling that having Blackfire and the Tamaranians live with the Rannians is not going to go so well. This should be interesting. I wonder how Starfire will deal with it. The Trial of Brainiac hinted at should be interesting as well.

Starfire And Captain Comet Romance?

R.E.B.E.L.S. #16
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

This book has only gotten better since the fantastic Starro War arc ended in my opinion. I like that the R.E.B.E.L.S. is the name of the core metahuman team of L.E.G.I.O.N. It allows for them to keep the same title of this book while also have Dox bring back his peacekeeping force. Stafire and Captain Comet sitting in a tree…I can already see the sparks. I hope that it works out considering it is time for Kory to get over Dick and I would like some more characterization out of Captain Comet. The two new Green Lanterns – despite making the cover – are the least interesting part of this issue. I love all the main characters, I hope this book lasts for a long time to come!

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.

Starfire Joins The Cast

R.E.B.E.L.S. #15
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

Damn this was a great issue! I hope people use this issue to jump aboard because this book has been fantastic and it looks like it is only going to get better with the addtion of Starfire to the cast. Bedard has a good handle on Kory and he shows that in just one issue. She is both vulnerable and emotional but also a strong fierce warrior. My guess is that the planet that she thinks is Tamaran is actually Rann being moved by a Zeta beam. I wonder why Vril Dox needs to restart L.E.G.I.O.N. considering the Green Lanterns can now go there but I suppose he has his reasons. This was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

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!

Victory

R.E.B.E.L.S. #14
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

The war with Starro finally comes to an end. Starro is defeated (after being nealy defeated in this issue so many times it left me in total suspense and I lost count) and Vril Dox announces plan to restart L.E.G.I.O.N. so unless this book changes titles or is cancelled, I am not sure where it will go from here? I imagine Dox won’t be able to restart L.E.G.I.O.N. as easily as he thinks. This was a great 14-issue build up and I really liked the finale of it. Bedard has brought something new to the character of Starro – depth – and I think that is great as I never really cared for the character before. I can’t wait to see what happens from here on out.

All Seems To Be Going Well For Our Anti-Hero

R.E.B.E.L.S. #13
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

The final confrontation with Starro begins as Brainiac 3 betrays his master Starro and throws him in the hands of his father and the R.E.B.E.L.S.  This was a good issue if not a little too quick of a read. Despero gets his body back and all seems to be going well for our anti-hero Vril Dox but we shall see I guess.