Action Comics #858 (Late December, 2007)
"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Chapter 1: Alien World"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Penciller - Gary Frank
Inker - Jon Sibal
Colorist - Dave McCaig
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Associate Editor - Nachie Castro
Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $3.50
Alrighty, yesterday I threatened to (eventually) follow-up with Superman's Legion of Super-Heroes story-thread... and not wanting to waste any time (and because my Action Comics boxes are some of the few I can currently access)... here we are!
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We open with a pretty familiar sort of scene for Superman fans... only instead of it occurring on Krypton some twenty-five years back, it's happening on some war-torn planet in the year 3008. With the war threatening to destroy their entire world, a husband and wife decide to send their young child to Earth... and even cite the legend of Superman. The baby's pod launches just as the planet goes to pieces... and we follow him, all the way to a futuristic Smallville.
Stop me if you heard this one before... his craft is discovered by a pair of middle-aged Smallvillians. This is Juun and Mara... we might assume that their last name is Kinnt or something. Now, they watch the baby crawl out of the wreckage all wide-eyed and optimistic... however, instead of embracing the boy... they pull a gun on it. Ruh-roh.
We shift to the present day, and join a decidedly more geeky than I'm accustomed to seeing Clark Kent rush toward a closing Daily Planet elevator. The folks inside think this is quite the hoot, indicating that they don't seem to respect our main man here. There's some fallout from Infinite Crisis I don't dig.
Jimmy Olsen wanders up and offers Clark a soda, but their chat is interrupted by the arrival of... a decidedly more ornery and detached Perry White than I'm accustomed to seeing. He yells at young Olsen (well, that's about right) about a bad picture he'd taken of General Zod. Ya see, it has a white line down the middle of it because he was standing so close that a piece of debris shattered his lens. Either way, the Chief ain't impressed and sends the geek to get him some coffee. He then lambastes Clark for hanging out with Jimmy instead of people his own age. Wow. I really forgot how geeky they made Clark post-Infinite Crisis!
Anyhoo, while Perry reams him out, Clark can see a giant Brainiac robot approaching via his x-ray vision. He excuses himself, citing "indigestion" and runs off to change clothes... and confront the big bot in the park.
Suddenly the robot's head opens, revealing a monitor... on which, Superman is greeted by Brainiac-5! Superman doesn't immediately recognize him... which... hmm... okay, we'll play along since it facilitates the flashback we're about to experience.
After being zapped with "memory", Superman flashes back to his childhood. At least I think it's his childhood... though, it could easily be confused for Peter Parker's. Long story short, he's a nerdy outcast who really creeps his classmates out. Nope... don't like that.
Once he's out of his peers sight, he proceeds to do the whole super-powered kid thing... running really fast, jumping really far... even flying. It's on this day that he is approached by three gaudily-dressed, and chipmunk cheeked kids from the future! It's a bit different from the first time around, but we'll allow it.
They thank Clark for the inspiration he will one day become... which feels a whole lot like "mucking with the past", but what do I know? To make him an honorary member of their "organization" they present him with a Legion Flight Ring.
They go to leave, but Clark stops them... asking if he might come along. After some hemming and hawing, Lightning Lad is able to talk Cosmic Boy into giving the thumbs up.
From here we get a two-page spread of the Legion of Super-Heroes... as this was their genesis... or at least a modified re-telling of their first appearance(s).
Brainy-via-Satellite apologizes for imposing himself on Superman there... and asks if he remembers everything now. Weird, I could'a sworn he remembered everything toward the end of the recently-ended The Lightning Saga. Anyhoo, Superman reveals that following the (first) Crisis, he'd forgotten all about his adventures with the Legion of Super-Heroes... and even mentions that recent Lightning Saga as part of his memory-jogging. Brainy now gives him the real reason he's here... the Legionnaires were unsuccessful in their latest mission, and are in need of some Super-assistance.
The Brainiac-bot opens up some more revealing a Time Bubble... and more importantly, a Legion Flight Ring. I could'a sworn they mentioned that Superman already had one during The Lightning Saga. Oh well, he slips it on his finger while Brainy begins to fill him in on the details... something went down in the Arctic... and that's all we get before the Time Bubble booms-out.
Before we know it, Superman finds himself at the old Legion Headquarters... now in quite a state of disarray. There's some Interlac spray-painted on a statue of the Legionnaires (which must be from the advanced class, because I can't seem to translate it). As he looks around, Superman is approached by a gaggle of officers... who threaten to fire if he doesn't stand down.
A confused Superman becomes even more so when Colossal Boy crashes through the wall to make the save. He is flanked by Wildfire and Dawnstar... who bring even worse news. They haven't heard from Brainiac-5 in over six months... and insist Kal hop back into the Time Bubble and vamoose back to the present.
The Time-Cops have different thoughts on the matter, shattering the Time Bubble with a blast. We get the impression that the Legion are on the wrong side of the "law" in this future... and the officers refer to Superman as "some Legion sympathizer dressed like Superman". Well, there's only so far a (super)man can be pushed... he decides to walk toward the officers and halt their bullets with his hand...
... which doesn't go all that well. Ya see, it turns out in the year 3008, the Earth's Sun has gone RED.
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Well... kind of a mixed bag.
Let's start off with the new-look Clark Kent. I'm definitely not a fan of them turning him into such a goober post-Infinite Crisis. I mean, even back in the Silver-Age (when protecting the secret identity often felt more important than saving the world) he didn't come across this nerdy. Here, he's a dude you'd avoid interacting with... such a mess. I prefer him being a respected reporter at the Daily Planet, and not the office pariah... and the poor geek everyone makes fun of.
Also, I certainly don't see Lois Lane ever being interested in this version of Clark. You gotta figure, if Clark's the office joke... and she's married to him, people have gotta be ragging on her too! Don't see her standing for that.
New Perry... wow... this guy's a jerk. Growing up post-Crisis, I always looked at Perry as something of a father-figure for not only Clark, but Lois and Jimmy as well. Here, he's almost a cartoon bag of bluster. So detached from his staff... and so focused on "getting the paper out", he loses a whole lot of his humanity and what made him such a special part of the cast for the quarter-century prior. I see Perry as thanking Clark for hanging out with poor Jimmy... not lambasting him for it!
Then... there's Clark as a kid. Why does he have to be that weird outcast? Isn't kind of the point of Superman that despite being a literal alien, his being raised by the Kents never made it feel like it? I always picture him as being a well adjusted child, who was at least semi-popular. Here, he might as well be Peter Parker with a better haircut. Not sure this wrinkle is necessary... don't see what's so wrong with making Clark just an ordinary (non-ostracized-for-being-creepy) kid. Seems like we're adding tragedy/adversity just for the sake of it... and I can't say that I'm a fan.
The Legion's arrival in young Clark's life gets a bit of an overhaul... which, I suppose if you feel the need to modernize it... it's fine. What I don't quite understand is how elements from The Lightning Saga have already been forgotten. Hell, the second-to-last chapter opened with Superman positively gushing over his adventures with the Legion... even chatting up specific ones. I'd blame that on being a Brad Meltzer chapter... but, nope... it was a Justice Society one.
The future story... is intriguing! I'm definitely interested in seeing how this works itself out. Seems very much like a story Johns wants to tell... and shows a lot of reverence for the Legion (except for that already ongoing Legion of Super-Heroes title that was hitting the shelves while this arc occurred). Either way... I thought it was quite interesting.
Then there's the art. This book goes from looking amazing to creepy-as-hell, in some cases from panel to panel. Frank's Superman is clearly modeled on Christopher Reeve, and that's all well and good... but, man... sometimes it looks really creepy. Also, so many of the characters here have that sunken-eyed chipmunk-cheeked look... it's as though they're all on heroin. It's not in every instance, but it's enough for me to notice. Still a big fan of Gary Frank, loved his work on Peter David-era Incredible Hulk and post-J. Scott Campbell Gen¹³... amazing talent. Just here, it got a biiiiiit sketchy.
Overall... despite my complaints, this is one I'd recommend checking out if you have any curiosity about the Legion or post-Infinite Crisis Superman. It's been collected in trade and is available digitally.
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Justice Society of America (vol.3) #7 (September, 2007)
"Indestructible"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Penciller - Dale Eaglesham
Inkers - Ruy Jose & Rodney Ramos
Colorist - Jeromy Cox
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Harvey Richards
Editor - Michael Siglain
Cover Price: $2.99
When I was entering the latest Lightning Saga-related Justice Society of America reviews into the Review Index, I discovered that... for whatever reason, when I jumped ahead a couple months back, I also skipped issues #7 and 8! Haven't the foggiest idea why... I must've thought The Lightning Saga went on far longer than it did (not that it didn't feel overlong at times!).
Welp, we're all about filling in gaps here... and since my Justice Society longbox is one of the few I can actually access without putting holes in the wall (moving is an absolute delight... I recommend it to anyone... ahem), I guess we might as well continue along!
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We open up with a recap on the life and times of Nate Heywood. We already know all of this... his grandfather was the original Commander Steel, his cousin Hank was the Steel who ran with the Detroit-era Justice League. His story went a bit differently, as he chose to pursue athletics... he suffered an injury, which led to a pain-killer dependency... and ultimately to an amputation. During the most recent Heywood family picnic... the Nazis attacked!
We join Nate in the present as he wakes up from a horrible nightmare. His peripheral vision picks up a vision of Captain Nazi attacking his young cousin... and pulls himself out of the bed to stop him. A couple of observations... One: he's hallucinating, and Two: He's also standing... on two feet!
Dr. Mid-Nite enters to inform Nate of everything that has gone down over the past little while. Turns out, when he pierced Reichsmark's throat... and had that liquid metal ooze vomited onto him, it was absorbed into Nate's own skin... and somehow, while transmuting his normal skin into an organic metal, also regrew him a whole new leg and foot! It's not all good news, however... he also can no longer feel anything, so there's that.
Body-issues aside, Nate laments the fact that his entire family was killed in the attack while he survived. Mid-Nite informs him that that's not entirely true. We zip over to St. Anthony's Hospital... and learn that Nate's niece and couple of nephews got out alive. He excitedly attempts to enter the room... however, his new stronger/heavier body proves to be quite the menace. Fearing that he would crush his loved ones should he even try to touch them, he backs off... Mid-Nite suggests that the Justice Society might be able to help him.
We shift over to Opal City to join Starman... and good news, it's Sloppy Joe Day! He grabs his tray and is about to chow down... when he finds himself joined by Superman! He's still a bit salty over the Legionnaire's deception during The Lightning Saga, and is looking for some answers.
Next stop, the Justice Society's... refinery? Mr. Terrific, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Hawkman (in a welding visor!) are coating Nate's new body with an alloy that will restrict his movement enough to help him not to... you know, crush his loved ones. With a FASSSH, Nate emerges from the vat... in a very patriotic uniform, and he ain't all that pleased.
He proceeds to ream out his new pals... he doesn't see himself as a hero... and having never been in the military, doesn't feel worthy of wearing the uniform of Commander Steel. He is interrupted by an entering Power Girl, who delivers news of the American Supremacist Party coming out in support of the Fourth Reich... and are currently holding a group of NYU students hostage.
Back in Opal, Starman sorta-kinda fills Superman in on the Legionnaire's plan. It's still silly Starman, so it doesn't make all that much sense... we get some cryptic commentary on multiple Thoms... and Three Worlds... Superman's inability to help... and future-speedster XS. Superman's confused... and so am I. Superman's Legion story will continue in the pages of Action Comics... and maybe we'll get around to them soon.
Back at NYU, the Justice Society gets into place. Nate is instructed to wait outside... which is probably for the best, as he's leaving great holes in the ground with every heavy step... plus, he really doesn't know what he's doing just yet. Power Girl lets him know that they'll just throw things (meaning bad dudes) at him.
And so, the next several pages consist of Nazi-stomping action. This isn't just some superficial fight scene though... it also features some great character-building. This is some very early super-heroics from characters like Cyclone and Wildcat (II), and we get to watch them go through their paces. Very well done... really adds to what might've been a boilerplate battle scene.
The fight wraps up with Nate standing over a pile of battered Nazis. He calls out to Power Girl to ask how he did... and she seems quite pleased.
The Society finds themselves swarmed by reporters... and it's here that Power Girl introduces their newest member... Citizen Steel! We wrap up the issue back at St. Anthony's where Nate is finally able to touch and hold his loved ones.
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Glad I read this... I was wondering when the whole Citizen Steel issue was addressed, and hadn't the foggiest idea how I missed it! This provides some really good context for the Gog stories we've already covered as it pertains to Nate's willingness to be faithful.
I didn't dwell on it during the synopsis, but Nate's a rather tragic hero. It's nothing Earth-shattering... well, I mean, when we walks he does literally shatter the Earth... but, you know what I mean. He can't feel things... not knowing his own strength, he risks injuring anyone he touches. He's got a bit of Robotman-esque tragedy in him. Can't feel the breeze, warmth, all that jazz. Fair enough... his presence adds a "doomed" wrinkle to this incarnation of the Justice Society.
The Superman/Starman chat is kinda mind-boggling, but fun. I always think of this issue because it's Eaglesham variant cover features Superman watching Starman chow down on a Sloppy Joe. That's one variant that I'd actually be interested in tracking down. We get a decent amount of breadcrumbs here. I can't remember if I ever made it through the Superman and the Legion story arc in Action Comics, so I can't speak to that... yet. I just hope it winds up being a bit more satisfying than The Lightning Saga.
Overall, worth a read. Some nice character beats here... and amazing Eaglesham art. It is definitely an important chapter that lays a bit of the groundwork for what's to come.
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Legion of Super-Heroes #274 (April, 1981)
"The Exaggerated Death of Ultra Boy"
Writer - Gerry Conway
Penciller - Steve Ditko
Inker - Frank Chiaramonte
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Gene D'Angelo
Editor - Jack C. Harris
Cover Price: $0.50
Last week, we witnessed (discussed, even!) the apparent death of Ultra Boy at the hands of Pulsar Stargrave... but c'mon, we know better... right?
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We open with a decidedly not dead Ultra Boy aimlessly floating through the cosmos. Elsewhere, the Legion of Super-Heroes are already holding a funeral (before an empty grave)... they sure don't mess around! Lightning Lad, who we just learned knows a thing or two about dying reads the eulogy, before leading the Legion back to headquarters where Jo's main squeeze Phantom Girl dedicates an Ultra Boy statue in the Legion's Hall of Heroes.
We return to floatin' Jo Nah as he passes through a Sun/solar flare. He then passes into the view of a yellow spacecraft... which snares him in its tractor-beam and pulls him on board.
Back with the Legion, Saturn Girl approaches Tinya to give her condolences. Phantom Girl lashes out, calling her concern empty... and even referring to Imra as "the Ice Maiden". She then recounts the story of Jo's murder while sobbing. Saturn Girl then helps her by stirring happy memories of her time with Jo... which finally brings her around.
Meanwhile, Jo Nah is splashed in the face with water... quite the rude awakening. As he pulls himself up, he realizes he's surrounded by quite the gaggle of aliens... and they're looking for a fight. Ultra Boy lives up to his name, and beats them up but good.
The aliens redouble their efforts and dog-pile the poor lad. We then meet Captain Frake... the Punky Brewster of space pirates, and she seems to have taken a liking to our handsome Legionnaire.
The next morning, the Legionnaires assemble at their Metropolis headquarters. Lightning Lad offers Phantom Girl time off if she feels she needs it... she insists she feels okay. Suddenly a space alarm sounds... there's something going down roundabout the Pluto orbit.
Elsewhere... perhaps roundabout the Pluto orbit... we rejoin Captain Frake as she welcomes a new-look Ultra Boy, complete with a sorta-kinda Puffy Shirt! He shares with her as much as he can remember about being blasted to atoms at the hands of a certain green-skinned fella... and how he knows the ring that he wears is very important to him... even though it's (conveniently) been melted to slag. Frake decides to test Jo's invulnerability by blasting him square in the chest with her ray gun... and wouldn'tcha know it, he's pretty invulnerable!
She then asks him to test his strength by punching a stone bust (of herself). Bada-bing bada-boom... he pulverizes it to powder. Then... they make out!
We rejoin the Legion as they approach... roundabouts Pluto. They find a freighter about to be attacked by space pirates, and so Cosmic Boy takes aim and fires off a salvo at a certain yellow spacecraft. Frake instructs Jo to don a space pirate outfit (which looks like something a radioactive Jimmy Olsen might wear), and take care of their assailants.
On board the Legion ship, Karate Kid responds to the breach... and finds Cosmic Boy has already been kayoed. He then walks directly into Space Pirate Ultra Boy's fist. At command, Lightning Lad issues an order for Phantom Girl to intervene... while Saturn Girl stands by, with a rather shocked look on her face.
Tinya responds, suiting up in a pink spacesuit. She phases through the hull and sneaks up behind the invading space pirate. She then phases her hands into the "baddie's" back... but gets back-handed before she can fully solidify.
Jo turns and gets a good look at his would-be attacker, and... hmm... maybe some memories begin to stir? He leaves her laying, and zips back to Frake's ship.
Some time passes, and we join the Legionnaires in the medic beds... seems like they spend a lot of time there! While her teammates convalesce, Saturn Girl can't shake the feeling that she recognized that invader from earlier. We wrap up with Ultra Boy laying in Captain Frake's lap... still unsure of who or what he was.
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Being a long-time Soap Opera fan viewer guy whose wife watches them... ahem... this felt very much like a cosmic version of same. Having Ultra Boy... an amnesiac Ultra Boy, floating through the cosmos while his friends mourn his passing... that's something straight out of Days of Our Lives... minus the cosmos, of course...
We get the "near-miss" of Jo and Tinya here... which I really dug. Also, Saturn Girl sorta-kinda knowing what's going down... but her relationship with Phantom Girl is kinda strained... so, is it her place to say anything and risk getting her hopes up? Really good stuff here!
The S.S. Punky Brewster bunch was pretty fun. Having Jo take down the crew of geeks was neat... and his unconscious (?) ability to use his "one superpower at a time" when needed was cool to see. I mean, he doesn't know what his powers are at this point, right? It's just lucky for him he was able to become invulnerable when Frake blasted him in the chest!
Overall... I'm having a lot of fun checking out this era of Legion. If I were to pick nits... the Ditko art leaves a bit to be desired. Reaction shots here felt a bit sterile and unfeeling... I can't help but to think that certain scenes here would have come across far better with added facial-emotion.
Still, though... I'd say this is definitely worth a read! This issue has been collected as part of the Steve Ditko Omnibus, Volume 2 (2012) and is also available digitally.
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