S/LSH issue 20 reviews

Now that things are settling back down post-SDCC, here are the delayed reviews of issue 20, which came out on the eve of the con.

In no particular order:

• The Golden Lasso gives it a C+.
  

  Unfortunately I still wind up quite concused in regards to a lot of the plot. Earthgov, the United Planets, the Science Police...I don't really understand what these all are or why the Legion (and teenagers in general) are so against them. I guess it's just a case of me needing to track down the trades, but I wish Waid would do a better job of helping new readers understand why the Legion partnering with the UP is a bad thing.

  
  
• Dave van Domelen gives it a recommendation:
  

  While the Brainy subplot continueswith a nice nod to the past, a new arc begins on the main plotline (plus a bit of somewhat hamfisted comedy relief politics on the side). Colossal Boy's origins are finally revealed, and I think Waid is working from one of those "Is your character a Mary Sue?" checklists regarding Supergirl. Which could be hilarious, or could fall completely flat, but it's not really either yet. Recommended.

  
  
• Rokk at the Comic Book Revolution isn't pleased but provides a very thorough and thoughtful analysis:
  

  The teen versus adult plotline rears its tired and boring head again in the beginning of this issue. ... The Dream Girl resurrection storyline is starting to wear out its welcome. ... Waid continues to write stories that further bolster my position that Supergirl makes the rest of the Legion totally superfluous. ... The final scene in this issue was laughable. Seriously, I busted out laughing so hard that I sprayed Café Bustelo all over my computer. ... Supergirl and the Legion of Super Heroes is one of the slowest moving titles that I have read in a long time.
  
  Supergirl and the Legion of Super Heroes #20 is a terribly average issue. Average art and a slow story with some cheesy dialogue at times makes for a read that is rather ordinary. ... I can’t recommend this title to anyone outside of a die-hard Legion fan or a die-hard Supergirl fan.

  
  
• Matthew at the Legion Abstract offers this:
  

  This issue was full of activity, and that's what I like to see. Not a lot of fighting, but still things happening. I also like... hey, I also like about everything. I like how we know the Legionnaires well enough after nineteen issues that the U.P. propaganda could be funny to us, because we know without them having to be there to say so how abhorrent the PR was to them. I like how, for the first time I can remember, Cosmic Boy looks completely out of his depth. I certainly like how someone (turned out to be Element Lad) finally told Brainy that he was wrong for trying to bring back Dream Girl. The only thing that would make this issue better is if it was the culmination of a storyline. Or maybe if it had some suspense--even with everything that's happening, there's no real tension surrounding the Legion at the moment.

  
  
• The Fortress Keeper at the Fortress of Fortitude has this quick review:
  

  Giant rampaging teens. Bizarro Brainiac. Informericals of the future. The coolest Supergirl we’ve seen since ... well, nearly ever. Ho hum, another fine issue.

  
  
• Ray Tate at Silver Bullet Comics isn't as pleased.
  

  The plot in Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes reads something like an old Flintstones cartoon. ... This is not the Legion. This isn't even a bad imitation of the Legion. It's like Mark Waid squandered the money earmarked for personality construction on lapdances. Only one of the Legion displays likeable traits and talks like a normal person that has feelings and intelligence. That Legionnaire is Supergirl, and the irony of this whole thing is that Legion of Super-Heroes is the only place you can find her winning charm.

  
  
• Jeffrey Bridges' Mild Mannered Reviews liked it:
  

  The story is absolutely back on track from last issue, although some of the flow seemed to get mucked up here and there. I don't know if this is from the addition of Tony Bedard, or exactly what input he had on the issue, but in a few places it felt a little off, especially some of the dialogue.
  
  The reason I knocked it down from a 5 to a 4 is because some of the poses seemed odd or just entirely goofy, and I've not noticed that before. I don't know if that was Kitson or someone else, but either way I found it a little distracting at times.

  
  
• The Clandestine Critic says:
  

  It seems like writing 52 is too much for Waid, as Bedard joins him on writing duties. This is in keeping with Kitson, who doesn’t last on solo art duties for more than an issue now it seems, this time providing layouts for DeKraker (who does a good job with his slick superhero work, with a touch of Leonard Kirk softness to it).
  
  The book seems to be building to something, which had better be spectacular, as the instalments aren’t dazzling. I hope its worth it – I shall have to review my decision to buy this if it isn’t.