Wednesday, June 27, 2007

S/LSH #31 review roundup: Giving 110%

In retrospect, I'm sorry I didn't do the recap for issue 30, the end of the Waid/Kitson run. I've still got a bunch of the links but I never got around to recapping it, which is too bad because there was some interesting stuff. Maybe later.

So in his first issue, Bedard re-introduces both Tenzil Kem and what is presumably Chuck Taine, and presents them as unlikable characters? Way to pander to the crowd!

Anyway, first off, a tip of the hat to Jim Doom at the Legion of Doom regarding the leader election this issue:

Brainiac 5: 7%
Cosmic Boy: 23%
Lightning Lad: 26%
Supergirl: 54%

Congratulations, Supergirl! And may it never be said that superheroes in the future aren’t willing to give 110%.

Starting off with our reviews...
  • Matthew at the Legion Abstract:
    Tony Bedard delivers us a nice straightforward storyline. It's a perfectly conventional way to kick off an arc of several issues. But... it's called a 'prologue'. I'm a fairly patient reader, but when I open a comic book and I see that it's a prologue, the message I get from that is, "thanks for buying this comic book, but the one you really want is the next one."

    I wanted this comic book to be better than this. Bringing Calero aboard for the art might help. Bedard may acquire enough of a rapport with the characters that he can cut loose more than he did here. And this was, after all, only a prologue. This issue wasn't bad. But I'm tired of the Legion being 'not bad'.

  • Walking Through Destiny's Garden:
    I have no real complaints. Tenzil Kem (formally Matter-eater lad/ chef of the Legion cafeteria) shows up as does Chuck Taine (formally Bouncing Boy/ chief administrator for Legion World and pilot of the Bouncing Boy.) All in all a very good issue, the Legion feels alot better than they have in previous issues and Supergirl is not a whining emo freek. Still wishing I could be reading out the Post boot legion, but more issues like this one may go along way to making me feel better. Though they really need to bring back Gates. I mean how can you not like a Marx spewing space-bug.

  • Dave van Domelen:
    Bedard and so-so artist Kevin Sharpe take over for an intermezzo of sorts, dealing with some of the fallout from the Dominator War and maybe setting up for the next storyline...or wrapping things up for cancellation and relaunch. It's okay, and I do like the way a Legion longtimer is brought into the new timeline.


More reviews as they pop up...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, I liked Tenzil here. Sure, we might or might not like the job he has to do (and, you gotta admit, it makes sense that Cos would have to answer for his actions), I think his characterization was great. M-E Lad wasn't always the funny character we've seen since the early '90s, after all, though the "new" Tenzil does show a sense of humor...

So, that was supposed to be Chuck? I thought so too, but we didn't exactly get any confirmation in the issue.

I actually mostly enjoyed this one, bad math and all. Not sure about Kara being the best choice for leader, though I couldn't honestly tell you who I would pick among these new versions.

Oh, and did anyone else notice that Garth and Mekt's word balloons seemed to be flipped at one point?

MaGnUs said...

Yeah, the Ranzz boys' balloons were flipped when Kara makes her speech.

I liked the new Tenzil, and, like you say, no confirmation on Chuck... I had to strain myself to find him.

I do hate Supergirl as the leader, much as I enjoy the Legion being inspired in Superman/Superboy, I hate to see them live in the shadow of Krypton.

Murray said...

Tenzil... eh? I didn't like his five year gap portrayal... grated on my every last nerve, and every incarnation since has pretty much taken that version as the template. I do like the idea of Matter-Eater Lad, but i'd prefer one a little less one-note.
And where is Chuck? Is chuck supposed to be the shadowy guy who's got soemthing nasty planned for TimberWolf's team? Why is that supposed to be chuck? Or is he hidden somewhere else in the issue?

murr

Matthew E said...

And where is Chuck? Is chuck supposed to be the shadowy guy who's got soemthing nasty planned for TimberWolf's team? Why is that supposed to be chuck?

I'm one of the people who thinks that that just might be Chuck. Two reasons: one, physical resemblance. Two, the reference to the 'stuffed suit', or whatever it was, which could be some kind of bouncing-man-device.

I admit that that's pretty weak. So at the moment the idea that that's Chuck is nothing more than an idea.