Legion of Super-Heroes #8

          This series is consistent. It's almost always a really good issue. Legion of Super-Heroes is the only issue of this series thus far that has been below a six out of ten. The Legion is something that I wish got more coverage in the DC universe and in mainstream media. I do understand that it is hard to build up a reputation that heroes with many comics, like Batman and Green Lantern have, but it would be nice to have another series with Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad again.
         In this issue Colossal Boy, and Dream Girl protect Pheebs from angry Durlans. Tellus brings Dawnstar from medical attention, and Cosmic Boy is stressed about the new Durlan epidemic, even though he knows he will be replaced soon.The Durlans eventually attack Cosmic Boy as well. With help from Earth-Man, Phantom Girl, and Element Lad, he beats the Durlans. Cosmic Boy's mind then turns to the election. It was close between Brainiac 5, and Mon-El, but with Sensor Girl's final vote for Mon-El, Mon-El won the election. He will be leader, once the Legion can locate him.
         To be honest I voted for Colossal Boy, but I wasn't very confident that he would win. I hoped that if he didn't win it would be either Brainiac 5 or Mon-El and I did get one of my second choices. I don't think that when Levitz decided who voted for who, he considered anything at all. Except that Brainiac 5 and Mon-El would be the top to, and Shadow Lass would vote for Earth-Man. But I was confused why Earth-Man didn't vote for himself, why Gates voted for Earth-Man and how Polar Boy got that many votes. Mon-El has been a factor that has been missing from this series that would make it just that much better, and now he's leader of the whole Legion. I hope the fact that the Legion can't find him isn't just an excuse to keep Cosmic Boy as leader. As much as I liked him while he was leader, it would be disappointing if all that hype and that vote were all for nothing. My only complaint with this issue was the choices of who voted for who. I'm happy with Mon-El, art was good, and the stuff with the Durlan's is great. Another good issue of a great series.




Grade: 9/10
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Legion of Super-Heroes #6

          Recently this series has gone from good to amazing. I do have my problems with the series but they are few. I don't know of a single writer that would have been better for this series than Paul Levitz. He has found a way to incorporate several of the characters, and giving some more face time than others, which is really a trait this series needs. On top of that the art has constantly been great in this series. Francis Portela has found a way to show the seriousness of what Levitz is doing, and capture the "Mom and apple pie" feeling of the original comics.
          In this issue Shadow Lass is angry that Phantom Girl didn't knock before entering the room when she found Shadow Lass sleeping with Earth-Man. Then Earth-Man, Timber Wolf, and Brainiac 5 destroy some xenophobes, and Earth-Man denounces his old beliefs. Then Earth-Man goes to Brainiac and yells at him and demands a normal flight ring, and he tells him "I may be convinced that we have to get along with offworlders, but it doesn't mean I have to like 'em... especially you."
At the end of the story Matter-Eater Lad announces that the fans get to vote on the next Legion Head. But this is after Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl go on temporary leave, so you can't vote for them.
           I thought it was really smart of Levitz not to put Matter-Eater Lad in the actual story, because if he did you would have the option of voting for him. I love MEL as much as the next guy, and I most likely would have voted for him if he were on the ballot, but he wouldn't be a good Legion Head in the story. Te actual story of this issue wasn't all that good. For one Levitz didn't  bring up Shadow Lass and Earth-Man enough, I know I said I didn't like the pace of it last issue, but the cover is devoted to that, and that was the big thing that happened last issue, and not once this issue was Earth-Man even in the same panel of Shadow Lass. There was a little where Shadow Lass goes on about how Earth-Man is a warrior, but that was way to little, plus I was also disappointed about how fast Phantom Girl excepted everything.. If Shadow Lass and Earth-Man talked, and Phantom Girl was a little less accepting this issue would have been much better. On top of that, when Levitz wrote the part with Earth-Man and Brainiac 5, did he forget that Earth-Man is now with an "offworlder?" He had finally become excepting, and then he went on a rant about how much he doesn't like Aliens. I don't know what was going through Levitz head. Other than that this issue was mainly made up of space fillers, just a bunch of loose dribble. The only reason I would encourage buying this issue is because Matter-Eater lad is in one page, and he announces a pretty cool event. Colossal Boy 2010!




Grade: 3/10
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Legion of Super-Heroes #5

               This series has been getting better and better, it started off as okay, but then became good, and now I look forward to it every month. Levitz, has been doing a great job with this series. Instead of focusing on all of the characters in great detail, he picked a few to focus on, a couple sub heroes, and then some ones that make an appearance but aren't that big. I like it that way, it makes the comic enjoyable, without being confusing. On top of that he has the whole thing with Earth-Man and the Green Lantern Corps, but he does that in the perfect moderation, so again, it's enjoyable without being confusing.

            In this issue several heroes are helping some refugees from Titan off a rescue ship that just crashed then the Earth Force comes and they take down all of the Legion except Sun Boy, but then Earth-Man and other Legion members help  him out. Then the Green Lantern ring tries to go onto Professor Li, but she rejects. At the end Earth-Man and Sun Boy arrest everyone at the illuminati thing, and at the very end Phantom Girl finds that Shadow Lass is sleeping with Earth-Man.

            This comic was fantastic, there were parts with Chameleon Boy that were just fantastic. (this is a comic that has the opportunity to use politics, and Levits found a way to moderate it perfectly) Levits also has made Earth-Man a likable character, which is also something I like, because When there's one character I just hate in a series, I end up not liking the series. (example: Hawk in the Birds of Prey) A lot of people liked the end, they say it gives many opportunities to the seres, I agree, but I didn't like the way it was done. It seems like Levitz said: "okay I finished one plot, lets start another right now!" Maybe if it were at the beginning of issue six it would have been better, but if thats my only complaint, and it's a small one, you know this issue was very good.

             I urge you to pick up this series.



Grade: 9.5 /10
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Legion of Super-Heroes #4

           This series has been just okay, over all I'd say that this series has been a disappointment. It had the Legion and the Green Lantern Corps and even though I like Sci-Fi they were the Green Lantern Corps and Legion of Superheroes which just kind of overloaded the comic so that I got confused, and I couldn't figure  out what was happening with Earth-Man, so it was just a big mess.
        In this issue Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl find their kids on Avanlon, which is now being ruled by some Darkside worshiping cultists. Earth-Man rejects an offer to kill all of the Titan refugese. The legion decides they need a new leader and schedeled a vote to kick Cosmic Boy out. Sodam Yat sends the new Guardian thing to find a new member of the corps.
          The best issue of the series. I wouldn't say it's a jumping on point which is a shame because this comic is really good, but if you haven't been fallowing this series so far you would probably be lost. I like the thing that is happening with Sodam Yat, it just took me a couple issues to warm up to it. I also really liked the Darkside worshipers, it makes sense (well... as much sense as any Sci-Fi thing can) an all pwerful being, those tend to have worshipers. Plus it made for a great fight scene between the cultests and Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, and Lightning Lass.
        I found the Earth-Man plot a little predictable, but I was surprised how great Levitz made it. I knew that he was going to pick the Legion over the Corps (other wise the character wouldn't even be in the series) but Levitz found away to make him go from the absolutely evil person who everyone hated, to a loose canon that could possibly be a really cool character. He's kind of like the Guy Gardner of the Legion.
      I really, really liked the art in this issue. The fight scene was drawn great, the polliticle scenes were also done great, and every other kind of scene in this issue was just great. I;m not a big fan of the covor, but the cover only matters so much.
       Overall this was a great issue, I wouldn't start here, but based on how great this was I would deffinently start reading when the next story arc starts.





Grade: 10/10
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Legion of Super-Heroes #3

          This series has been okay, I expected it to be really good, but my expectations have not been met. Again it is that same scenario that I've recently talking about, and that is starting in the middle of a series apposed to giving to readers some "okay they're back" time. In Birds of Prey it was revealing Black Canary's secret identity, in X-Men it was bringing the vampires out too early, in the Legion of Superheroes it was Earth-Man and on top of that Earth-Man's choice, and then even after that, the destruction of Titan. However I do like that Levitz has made you hate, and then sympathies with Earth-Man in two issues. (and enforce in the third) I also like that Saturn Queen is back. If Levitz had done the destruction of Titan and Saturn Queen coming back, then tackled Earth-Man, I would have been much happier. But Levitz is doing a pretty good job with a mediocre story. In this issue Earth-Man is forced by his ring to go to a swamp planet (which I am assuming is OA) and is fallowed by members of the Legion, Saturn Girl meets up with Lightning Lad and Lightning Lass and they are all looking for the boys, and finally Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl and several others are battling it out with Saturn Queen.
           Like I said before, Levitz is doing a fine job with Earth-Man even if he brought him out too early. I really like the idea of no Green Lantern Corps and the visual effect of OA as a dead planet. Plus the politics in this series is great. I'm loving the discrimination against the refugees from Titan and how everyone is afraid. It is really like segregation just in a SCI-FI sort of way. This is the best issue in the series so far, but not by a lot. This series shows much promise and I love what Levitz is not only doing with the Legion and all the Legionaries, abut also the entire futuristic world that they live in.


Grade: 9/10
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Legion of Super-Heroes #2

               The last issue was good, not crazy good, but it was good. So naturally I had high expectations, not crazy high, but high. These expectations were reached and surpassed. Cinar and Portela do a great job of showing people with xenophobia. If you see pictures of  protests against integration they pretty much look like the pictures in this issue of people protesting against the people of Titan being on Earth. This book's plot was really simple. The Legion is clearing the debris that once was Titan, the Legion is trying to calm protesters agains the presence of Titan refugees on Earth, Earth-Man disabled his "leash," but is being corporative, and Saturn Queen took over Ultra Boy's mind. Oh... and Saturn Girl went back in time to when her boys got zapped by the beam, found something, then raced back to the present to use it. I did like the inclusion of Saturn Queen, I didn't expect it at all, I know it should have been pretty predictable, but for some reason it just didn't occur to me.
              In  my review of the last issue, I said that it wasn't dramatic enough to give Earth-Man the choice of Legion or corps, but in this issue his character grows on you. Actually gradually through out the issue. At first you hate him just as much as before, but when he starts to cooperate, you can see him being on the Legion for a long time, and it doesn't really bother you. I'm not saying that he is a good as Colossal Boy, but he grows on you. This issue really makes you like all of the Legion characters, there isn't a single one I don't like. Although it is a little too big, It's hard to keep track of all the members, but as long as I know the main ones, I think I'm fine. Levits is doing everything he can to make sure that most of the Legionnaires are included which is a good thing to do. If he leaves out someones favorite Legionnaire suddenly he has just lost a fan. So he is doing a good job with that , and he is doing a good job with this series.
               So overall this comic was great. Not the best thing that I have ever read, but it was great.


Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Brave and the Bold #34

                This comic featured the Legion of Superheroes and The Doom Patrol. I usually rave over this series, but not today. I waited over a month for this issue to come out, and when I got it, I had high hopes. Yet again I was disappointed. Lightning Lad comes back from patrol and says he sees a Black Hole which is coming towards earth. The legion gets out just in time, and goes back in time to get help, so that they can destroy the black hole. They needed someone with energy projection capabilities. Saturn Girl goes into her database and finds the Doom Patrol. They fly back to Legion time and Lightning Lad and Negative Man use their powers to stop the black hole.
               That entire story could have been done in five or so pages, but instead Stracznski decided to fill 22 pages with useless story. I suppose this could work because there were some unsolved mysteries in this issue, and this is a two part Brave and the Bold, which I haven't seem in a while. That is the only big complaint I have, but it makes sense. If you are going to write a 22 page comic, you better have the story to fill it. This comic was a great ad though. I now really want to read Doom Patrol comics. Negative man seems too cool to pass up, and Robotman was hilarious. I could want to read Doom Patrol because the they are very similar to the X-men (whom I like a lot) which were created around a year later. I also have to point out a flaw in the coloring. For a couple panels Saturn Girl's costume became pink. What really made that stand out is that she was pointing something else out that was pink, and told Cosmic Boy: "It is your color" while she is warring the same color. I like the Legion, but in this issue Doom Patrol was the better feature. I do not have high expectations for Brave and the Bold #35 which features the Legion of Substitute Heroes and the Inferior Five. I am very exited for Brave and the Bold #36 which features Adam Strange, and Lois Lane.

Grade: 7/10
 buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Legion of Super-Heroes #1

                  This comic was great. As soon as I heard about this series I subscribed without blinking an eye. I liked the old series of this team, but I read a couple issues of a newer series and didn't like it. This issue blew me away. There were several issues mentioned from past series, but Paul Levits always made sure that the reader knew what was going on.
                  The synopsis is that there is a guy named Earth-Man who apparently when all out on the Legion and attacked them, so he was imprisoned and punished. Earthgov demanded that Earth-Man becomes a member of the Legion, so Brainiac 5 made a ring that kept Earth-Man "on a leash." Meanwhile Saturn Girl visits her world of Titan where she goes into her diary room and talks about Lightning Lad abandoning her. Then some people who aren't really explained build this machine where you can see back in time, but they try to see the beginning of the universe, this action kills them and destroys several machines, such as the one maintaining Titan. So there is a rescue mission to save every one, they save several people but many people die. Also there is a guy named Sodam Yat, who is still on OA (which is a dead planet) all alone, when this blue little blob which looks like a mini guardian comes out, flies to earth and tells Earth-Man he is now Green Lantern of sector 2814.
                  All right, this story was kind of hard to understand, but when you read it, it'll make perfect sense. I understand what Levits was trying to do with the whole you must choose thing, but that would have been more dramatic if it was a good guy, not a villain. Otherwise this comic was flawless. This probably happened a while ago, but I still didn't like it. When did Brainiac 5 become a living thing and not an android? Otherwise why would he be called Brainiac 5? Actually there is one more flaw, predictability. I know Earth-Man is going to pick the Legion, other wise he wouldn't be featured at all in the series.
                  I like what Levits has done with the series, and I'm exited to read more, but I also like what he has kept from the Legion that I have grown to know and love. Although I wonder how long this series will last. I hope it is not short lived, but I have my fears.


Grade: 8.5/10
buy at: www.mycomicshop.com