Monday, June 20

Legion of Super-Heroes #13 (7/11)

“False Hopes”

See previously at my post regarding Adventure Comics #526 for a brief history of my devotion to the Legion of Super-Heroes, my all-time favorite comic book series. (Or series of series....) Ironically, after my comments there about Levitz's skill at done-in-one issues within larger ongoing stories, this present issue reads very much as a middle chapter of a longer story arc. Oh well. Briefly, Levitz continues the tale of the Legion of Super-Villains that began in the special of that title a few months ago in which the bad guys, led by Saturn Queen, search for an Immortal World of the Wise. We get to see the first of a reborn Green Lantern Corps of the 31st century, the Legionnaire Mon-El, also acting as the duly-elected Legion leader, and learn there's even more of a mystery exactly who Harmonia Li is (I think that's her name).

I find it interesting that five of the seven Legionnaires who will in a few short months find themselves trapped in the past (the 21st century) in the new Legion Lost #1 are featured in this issue – Timber Wolf, Gates, Dawnstar, Wildfire, and Tellus (all missing are Chameleon Girl and Tyroc). I wonder how some kind of statistical analysis of Levitz's use of these characters over the course of his latter-day run would come up? I haven't looked back, but my impression is that (except for Chameleon Girl, whom I don't remember appearing recently at all, but I could be wrong) these have been pretty prominent. Makes me wonder. Did DC editorial or whoever came up with the post-Flashpoint apportioning of the Legionnaires consciously rip out Levitz's more common “stars”?

I am going to miss the art of Yildiray Cinar on this book. I find it very reminiscent of Steve Lightle's during the 1980s heyday of the Legion. It fits the futuristic milieu very well.

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