Thursday, May 14, 2020

LSH v4 #28 annotations: The Terra Mosaic part 4: The Sizzling Story of Sun Boy!

Annotations for Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #28


Notes:
  • What has gone before: Dirk caught a blast from the null radiation when the Metropolis Powersphere blew. “He’s like a living furnace, feeding on himself – literally burning himself alive.” (LSH v4 #20)
  • Tom Bierbaum says in IOKIAS: “A good deal of what you see is clearly hallucination and self-delusion, so there’s not much you can take as gospel in this issue. As so often occurred in our stories, you have to make some judgments about what information to accept as true and what information is self-delusion or lie.” In particular, note the faces (or lack thereof) and the smiles (or lack thereof) on the people to suggest that this scene didn't take place quite like Dirk is remembering it. But you can take that certain things did happen, they just might not have happened the way it's presented here from Dirk's point of view.
  • We don’t recognize it right away, but Dirk is going to be remembering some things that happened in 2991-92 during the Five Year Gap that we (the readers) don’t know about yet – and the Sourcebook won’t come out for at least another year, so this is all new to us. To recap, here’s what we do know after 27 regular issues and 2 annuals (see timeline below for the details and issues):
    • 2989: Magic Wars end; The Great Collapse
    • 2990: Earthgov President Wellington tries but fails to legally disband the Legion; Validus Plague ravages Winath; Legion Academy closes; Earthgov secedes from the United Planets, and the Science Police Earth splits from the Science Police Proper.
    • 2991: Tinya presumed dead; Imsk sets off the Damper weapon on Venado Bay during the Imsk/Braal War; Black Dawn (of which we know just 4 things)
      • Polar Boy says “you know what that cost us”
      • Sun Boy was leader
      • Timber Wolf was irradiated during Black Dawn, eventually turning him into Furball
      • Char Burrane (Starfinger II) was somehow involved
    • 2992: LSH leader Polar Boy disbands the Legion, mentions “Black Dawn” in the announcement; Mordru coronated as the Supreme Teacher of Sorceror’s World; Brek Bannin later arrested for insurrection
    • 2993: wedding of Grev Mallor and Lady Memory; Firebombing of the Quebec City powersphere
    • 2994: Marzal reappears over Africa and is destroyed by the corrupt Earthgov; Cham begins to recruit members for the new Legion, first approaching Rokk
Pages 11-17 take place mostly in 2991-92 in flashback in the Five Year Gap, as I've helpfully noted by use of the "(Gap)" tag.
  • Page 1 panels 1-2: flashback to some time right before Dirk was placed in the pod we saw him in at the end of issue 20
  • Page 2 panels 1-2, 8-9: flashback to some time after he was put into the pod
  • Page 4 panel 7: Dr. Zaxton Regulus was established as the one who locked Dirk in the chamber. We learned Sun Boy’s origin when Regulus first appeared in ADV 348. 
  • His dad putting him to work in the lab as the boss is a retcon to his origin as Mon-El explains in Secrets of the Legion #2: “As a young man, he worked as a delivery boy for his father’s nuclear lab. One day, while making a delivery to a Dr. Zaxton Regulus, he and his friend were caught in the explosion of an experimental device. Dirk’s friend was killed and got Regulus fired from the lab. But Regulus blamed Dirk for the incident, and decided to get his vengeance on the innocent boy by locking him in an atomic reactor, and leaving him to die. But the radiation didn’t kill Dirk, instead it caused a change in him.”
  • Page 5 panel 1: outside his pod, the Dominators are under attack.
  • Page 8 panel 4: starting the oath that someone takes when they become a Legionnaire. The cartoon version is a little different 
  • Page 9 panel 4: flashback to issue 26 when the Subs and the Resistance took the Weisinger Chambers
  • Page 9 panel 7: Dirk’s sometimes-girlfriend Gigi Cusimano. The bit with Dvron is a reference to an incident in which she pretended that she had a date with Dvron (TLSH 320).
  • Page 10 panel 5: “You honestly think you’ll evacuate the planet in time?” “All these people, I promised them we'd rescue them!” (ADV 318)
  • Page 11 panels 1-4: a scene from ADV 318 when Sun Boy gets “space fatigue” 
  • Page 11 panels 5-9: (Gap) Dream Girl resigns, it’s not just because of this Black Dawn debacle. Dawnstar resigns, citing the sacrifices of Brin and Drake (We find out much later in the Sourcebook that whatever Black Dawn was, there was a crisis that led to an event on August 12, 2991, and both Dream Girl and Dawnstar resign on August 15. The Legion saved Earth, but Earth is ungrateful to the Legion.)
  • Page 12: (Gap) one by one, more Legionnaires resign - Blok on 8/15/91; Crystal Kid on 8/17/91 (when did he join?); Element Lad on 8/23/91; Impulse on 9/1/91, citing Dirk’s lack of leadership and support; Echo on 9/4/91 (when did he join?); Tellus on 9/4/91, but note that his speech is not like normal.
  • Page 12 panel 9: (Gap) Polar Boy, the eternal optimist
  • Page 13 panels 1-3: (Gap) Sun Boy and the Legion saved the solar system, and lost the Legion in the process. 
  • Page 13 panels 7-9: (Gap) Sun Boy resigns, appoints Polar Boy as unofficial temporary leader (9/14/91)
  • Page 14 panel 1: the Subs have taken the chambers
  • Page 14 panel 6: (Gap) Dirk is called a Khund-lover, a conspirator, and a traitor who with the Legion betrayed Earthgov
  • Page 15 panels 4-9: (Gap) Dirk is rescued by Shvaughn Erin, who warns him that despite how well she’s treated, don’t trust Earthgov
  • Page 16 panel 2: (Gap) Dirk doesn’t trust Shvaughn, thinking she’s working with Gigi (his ex) to keep him down
  • Page 16 panel 9: (Gap) recruited by Circe, who you may recall as cosplaying Shadow Lass earlier in the series with Dirk
  • Page 17 panels 1-3: (Gap) Circe tempts him with Shadow Lass, White Witch, and Phantom Girl
  • Page 17 panel 5: (Gap) Dirk joins Earthgov, which is under the thumb of the Dominators (9/9/92)
  • Page 17 panel 9: (Gap) defends Earthgov’s imprisonment of Brek Bannin (arrested 8/22/92)
  • Page 18 panel 1: deflects Earthgov’s involvement with Roxxas (revealed 12/3/94, LSH v4 #10)
  • Page 18 panel 2: defends Earthgov’s execution of Don & Dawn Allen (3/27/95, LSH v4 #15)
  • Page 20 panel 1: hears about the destruction of the Moon (4/11/95, LSH v4 #19), Dirk is broken down and beaten
  • Page 21: Dirk trying to recall what it was like when he was a hero
  • Page 22: crowd accuses him of being a sellout, caught by the powersphere explosion (4/11/95, LSH v4 #20)
  • Page 23: we finally see that the abstract Rorshach blotch we’ve been seeing all issue is a reflection of his own face as he’s looking out of the pod
  • Page 24: we’ve caught up with real time
In over 2 years of this series, in which we had the worst thing that ever happened to the Legion but which we knew next to nothing about, we finally learn some things, huzzah! Here's a chronological recap of what we know now about the 5YG and Black Dawn. From this issue, I think we can take WHAT happened at face value, but not necessarily WHY or HOW.
  • By 2991, many of the original Legionnaires had left for various reasons: Imra, Rokk, Cham, Garth, Brainy, Vi, Jo, Laurel, and Projectra are specifically called out, and Tinya was presumed dead. Sun Boy was leader. 
  • There was some kind of crisis and then something called Black Dawn happened; Starfinger II (Char Burrane) and the Khunds were somehow involved, and it resulted in the loss of Wildfire and Timber Wolf getting irradiated, leading to his metamorphosis into Furball. “Sun Boy and the Legion saved the solar system, and lost the Legion in the process,” but Earth is ungrateful to the Legion. 
  • One by one, Legionnaires resign in the aftermath of Black Dawn (Dream Girl, Dawnstar, Blok, Crystal Kid, Element Lad, Impulse, Echo, and Tellus), many citing Dirk’s lack of leadership and support (his imagination?) but also that of Earthgov itself. The populace thinks that the Legion betrayed Earthgov by working with the Khunds. Sun Boy himself resigns, leaving Polar Boy as leader. 
  • Trivia Lad: If you go back and do the math and look at who has resigned or retired prior to this, you’ll find only three pre-5YL members remain at this point when Sun Boy resigns: Colossal Boy, Invisible Kid II, and Polar Boy (note that the Sourcebook says that Nightwind is a member, so the Legion actually has 4 members, but he joined in the Gap and we haven’t seen that yet. Over the next year, there are some comings and goings, and when the Legion disbands in 2992, the membership consists of Calamity King, Colossal Boy, Fire Lad, Nightwind, Polar Boy, Stone Boy, Storm Boy, and Visi-Lad).

Here's what we know of the timeline to date. I'm color coding them based on whether the date appeared in the 2995 Sourcebook (yellow), it's a confirmed date that was given in the comic (green), or an estimated date based on keeping track of events and days (cyan). Bold text is something new added this issue.
  • 3/26/78 Dark Circle obtained updated cell samples from when Dr. Zan Orbal restored bodies and powers to Matter-Eater Lad, Lightning Lad, and Bouncing Boy on Tartarus, to complete their collection (LSH v4 #22).
  • 10/78 Doppelganger substitution during Dark Circle invasion (LSH v4 #22).
  • 2/17/89 – Mekt admitted to Labyrinth Penal Institute (LSH v4 #10).
  • 6/23/89 – Magic Wars end (LSH v3 #63)
  • October 2989 – the Great Collapse
  • 4/13/90 – Communique from Earthgov President Wellington, trying to legally disband the Legion, with Imra, Rokk, and Cham “currently out of the picture” (LSH v4 #1) .
  • April 2990 – Validus Plague ravages Winath; former Legionnaire Brainiac 5 helps (LSH v4 #3).
  • 6/7/90 – Legion Academy closes (LSH v4 #16).
  • 7/6/90 – Former Legion Academy heads Chuck and Luornu Durgo Taine open the United Planets Militia Academy (LSH v4 #16).
  • TBD 2990 – Earthgov secedes from the United Planets, and the Science Police Earth splits from the Science Police Proper (LSH v4 #2). Since then, “resistance forces have opposed Earthgov since the introduction of repressive measures… but with little success to date.” (LSH v4 #13)
  • 4/12/91 – Tinya goes missing (LSH v4 #2).
  • 5/8/91 – Search for Tinya called off; Sun Boy is leader (LSH v4 #2).
  • 5/27/91 – Mekt released from Labyrinth, rehabilitated (LSH v4 #10).
  • 6/9/91 – Planned date of wedding of Tinya and Jo (LSH v4 #2).
  • 8/12/91 – Black Dawn; Timber Wolf is seriously injured, Wildfire is lost; Starfinger II (Char Burrane) and the Khunds are somehow involved (LSH v4 #12, #28).
  • 8/15/91 – Blok, Dawnstar, and Dream Girl resign (LSH v4 #28).
  • 8/17/91 – Crystal Kid resigns (LSH v4 #28).
  • 8/23/91 – Element Lad resigns (LSH v4 #28).
  • 9/1/91 – Impulse resigns (LSH v4 #28).
  • 9/4/91 – Echo and Tellus resign (LSH v4 #28).
  • 9/14/91 – Sun Boy resigns and appoints Polar Boy as unofficial temporary leader (LSH v4 #28).
    • 10/8/91 – Imsk sets off the Damper weapon on Venado Bay on Braal-13 during the Imsk/Braal War. Rokk lost his powers, Loomis lost an arm. Salu was head of security on the damper project and knew what it would do, but fought against it (not hard enough, in her admission). Imsk won, as the army is occupying Braal (LSH v4 #1). She says that Braal attacked Imsk, and they were just defending themselves (LSH v4 #10).
  • TBD 2991 – Garth and Imra, having left the Legion, start the Lightning Ring Plantation (LSH v4 #3).
  • 1/21/92 – Rebirth Summit (LSH v4 #1).
  • 7/6/92 – LSH leader Polar Boy disbands the Legion, mentions Black Dawn which “cost” the Legion (LSH v4 #1); Mordru coronated as the Supreme Teacher of Sorceror’s World (LSH v4 #6).
  • TBD 1992 – Down and out, Dirk is rescued by Shvaughn Erin, who warns him not to trust Earthgov, but he doesn’t trust her. Dirk is later recruited by Circe (LSH v4 #28)
  • 8/22/92 – Brek Bannin arrested for insurrection (LSH v4 #11).
  • 9/9/92 – Dirk joins Earthgov as a spokesman and liaison (LSH v4 #28)
  • 4/11/93 – Announcement of upcoming wedding of Grev Mallor (of the City People) to Kahnya Nahtahnie (Lady Memory of the Hill People) on Talok VIII.
  • 8/14/93 – wedding of Grev Mallor and Kahnya Nahtahnie.
  • 1/17/94 – Marzal reappears over Africa and the corrupt Earthgov destroys it, but not before Tyroc escapes (LSH v4 #16).
  • 10/22/94 – Raid on anti-government terrorists, but ringleader Vidar (aka Universo) is not captured; Cham tells Marla he’s leaving (LSH v4 #1).
  • 10/23/94 – Cham begins to recruit members for the new Legion, first approaching Rokk; Vi leaves the Imsk army for Winath; Dominator agents help Roxxas escape from Labyrinth (LSH v4 #1).
  • 10/25/94 – Attack on Jo and Kono on Rimbor; Loomis and Lydda en route to Kathoon (LSH v4 #2).
  • Fri 11/21/94 – Blok is killed by Roxxas the Butcher (LSH v4 #3).
  • Thu 11/27/94 – Mordru crushes Rond Vidar’s ring; Rokk and Cham finally meet up with Jo and decide to go to Tharn to rescue Mysa; Dominators and Shvaughn Erin watch the tape of Roxxas and Blok, whose body is delivered to Winath; Mon-El resurrected (LSH v4 #3).
  • Fri 11/28/94 – Mon-El goes to Talok VIII, then Shadow Lass and Mon-El visit Brainiac 5, then Mon-El destroys the Time Trapper (LSH v4 #4).
  • Sat 11/29/94 – Mordruverse (LSH v4 #5).
  • Sat 11/29/94 – Cham, Rokk, Jo, Kono, and Furball arrive on Tharn and are captured by Mordru; after being hired by Earthgov to find Blok’s killer, Celeste, Devlin, and Bounty leave for Trom (LSH v4 #6).
  • Sun 11/30/94 – Celeste, Devlin, and Bounty meet Jan on Trom (LSH v4 #6); with the help of Laurel Gand, Rokk’s crew rescues Mysa and Rond from Mordru but are teleported to Grocz; Celeste, Devlin, Bounty, and Jan leave Trom for Winath (LSH v4 #7).
  • Mon 12/1/94 – Rokk, Cham, Jo, Kono, Furball, Rond, Laurel, and Mysa travel from Grocz to Zirr (LSH v4 #8).
  • Tues 12/2/94 – Rokk, Laurel, and Rond take some R&R time on Zirr with baby Lauren, while the others go to Winath; Marla reminisces (LSH v4 #8); on Cygnus IV, Roxxas watches a holo of Laurel Gand; Celeste, Devlin, Bounty, and Jan arrive on Winath (LSH v4 #9).
  • Wed 12/3/94 – Rokk and Rond arrive in the morning, having left Laurel behind on Zirr; everyone (Rokk, Rond; Cham, Jo, Kono, Furball, Mysa; Celeste, Devlin, Bounty, Jan; Brainy, Garth, Ayla, Vi, Imra) is on Winath when Roxxas attacks; Bounty, Mekt, Cham, and Celeste are seriously injured, while Jo disappears and is presumed dead; Earthgov linked to Roxxas; Tenzil arrives on Earth (LSH v4 #10).
  • Thu 12/4/94 – On Winath, Roxxas is on the loose, and kills a doctor and nurse in the Bloomfield Free Clinic. On Earth, Tenzil participates in the Batcave dig, meets with Shvaughn and Brek (who is released for the first time since incarceration 2 years prior), has dinner with Prosecutor Jakobi, then falls asleep. (LSH v4 #11).
  • Fri 12/5/94 – Tenzil and Brek in court; Holo Scene news article on the trial (LSH v4 #11); Celeste is healed by a green glow; the former Legionnaires team up to capture Roxxas, who reveals Dominion control of Earthgov (LSH v4 #12).
  • Wed 12/10/94 – All-points bulletin on Persuader, who meets Kent Shakespeare in on Quarantine trying to attack Char Burrane Jr. (LSH v4 #12). Persuader is defeated by Kent and SP Captain Gim Allon, who then takes Kent to Toonar (LSH v4 #13).
  • Thu 12/11/94 – Kent leaves Toonar for Winath; Laurel fights Khunds in deep space; Tenzil and Brek on Gnogg. (LSH v4 #13).
  • Sun 12/14/94 – The Legion is formally reinstated.
  • Mon 12/16/94 – Tenzil, Brek, and Calorie Queen are taken to Tartarus by Prince Evillo; Tenzil banished to the Realm of Darkness (LSH v4 #14).
  • Thu 12/25/94 – Garth, Cham, and Rokk remotely survey Talus (LSH v4 #14).
  • Fri 12/26/94 – Tenzil and Sugyn return from the Realm of Darkness, only to hear that Tenzil has been declared dead and his Senate seat vacated (LSH v4 #14).
  • Sat 12/27/94 – Loomis writes his report on Talus’ suitability for being the new HQ; Tenzil leaves Brek behind on Tartarus and heads for Winath (LSH v4 #14).
  • Sun 12/28/94 – The reformed Legion establishes headquarters on the asteroid world of Talus.
  • Sat 1/3/95 – Tenzil Kem rejoins the Legion.
  • Sun 1/11/95 – Orando falls to the Khunds  (LSH v4 #15).
  • Mon 1/12/95 – The Legion agrees to team with the United Planets Militia to beat back a Khundish invasion that threatens the heart of the United Planets (LSH v4 #15).
  • Exact date unknown – Cham meets with a Khundish double agent; Venegar falls to the Khunds, who then make a deal with the Hill People of Talok VIII; the UP Militia tries to decide if Xolnar or Talok VIII will be attacked next; Valor and Shadow Lass appear on Talok VIII; Khunds attack Xolnar; Circe wants Dirk to give a pro-Dominator speech (LSH v4 #15).
  • Exact date unknown – Last stand on Xolnar; introduction of the Resistance on Earth (LSH v4 #16). 
  • Fri 3/13/95 – SP Officer Roon Dvron’s police report on Sussa Paka (LSH v4 #22, 23, 27).
  • Sat 3/14/95 - Sussa Paka escape SP custody, steals Starfinger's helmet for Molock Hanscom on the way out (LSH v4 #27).
  • Sun 3/22/95 – Khund decoy fleet arrives at Talok VIII, while the main fleet attacks Xolnar, leading to the death of Jed “Power Boy” Rikane; after destroying the Talok fleet, the Legion and the UP Militia arrive at Xolnar to finish the Khundish fleet; Glorith sent to the end of time; the Khunds are driven back to pre-2995 borders, and the Legion concludes its participation in the war against Khundish encroachment (LSH v4 #17).
  • Wed 3/25/95 – Don and Dawn Allen are arrested by Earthgov (LSH v4 #17).
  • Thurs 3/26/95 – Don and Dawn Allen are put on trial (LSH v4 #17); Sussa Paka steals Earthgov Artifact J-1-WRTZ for Molock Hanscom (LSH v4 #27).
  • Fri 3/27/95 – Tensions increase on Earth with the execution of Legion friends Don and Dawn Allen. (Note that 3/27/95 is a Friday, while the comic says it happened on a Monday) (LSH v4 #17).
  • Sat 3/28/95 – Daily Planet article on the Allen executions (LSH v4 #17).
  • Exact date unknown – Valor and Shadow Lass help counter a Dark Circle attempt on Queen Projectra’s life on Orando, then remove the Dark Circle cultists from Carggg; Universo and Jacques meet; holo studio bombing allegedly by one of the Resistance groups (LSH v4 #18).
  • Thu 4/9/95 – Valor and Shadow Lass leave Carggg on their way to some R&R in deep space (LSH v4 #22).
  • Sat 4/11/95 – Luna is destroyed, ravaging Earth. (LSH v4 #19). The mysterious “SW6" Legionnaires awaken in an underground Dominion chamber on Earth. (LSH v4 #20, 25) Earthgov authorizes executions. (LSH v4 #25).
  • Sun 4/12/95 – Jo Nah returns from an extended journey through time (LSH v4 #19) and is added to the reformed adult Legion team (LSH v4 #20).
  • Mon 4/13/95 – Dacey and Doritt Ranzz are born to ex-Legionnaires Garth and Imra Ardeen Ranzz. Rokk recalls the events of Venado Bay as the Dominators start executing Science Police Earth officers who are revolting against the Dominators (LSH v4 #20). After being exposed to the null radiation from the detonation of Metropolis' powersphere on the 11th, Devlin is getting worse. (LSH v4 #25).
  • Wed 4/15/95 – Furball meets Aria on Zuun, unaware that she’s being hunted by Darkseid; Atmos revealed to have been killed by Project Champion; the Dominators begin harsher punishment of insurrectionists on Earth (LSH v4 #21).
  • Fri 4/17/95 – Jo, Celeste, and Kent on the way to Zuun to get Brainy and Furball; on Talus, Kono reads Nura’s unanswered messages to Mysa; on Altair, Valor finds troubling news from a Dark Circle computer (LSH v4 #22).
  • Exact date unknown: members of the Dark Circle recount the history of Valor.
  • Tues 4/21/95 – Jo, Celeste, and Kent arrive at Zuun  (LSH v4 #22).They are briefly detained but they escape to the surface and meet up with Brainy and Furball, but Lobo captures and leaves with Aria; during the escape, Celeste generates a burst of intense green energy. On Earth, Resistance leader Jacques has Laurel and Bounty meet up with Circe, who has turned against the Dominators and Earthgov. Valor leaves Shady to go to Earth to check into what he found (LSH v4 #23).
  • Wed 4/22/95 – Lobo brings Aria to Darkseid, followed by Jo, Kent, Celeste, Brainy, and Furball. Lobo is revealed to be merely a probe and Darkseid vanishes him, and then turns Furball back into Brin. The Gemini Matrix activates and Aria turns into an adult Gemini and blasts Darkseid, per his secret wish, who then disappears. Back on Earth, BION discovers the adult Laurel Gand while looking for the SW6 version, and the SW6 Legionnaires reveal themselves to Devlin (LSH v4 #24). The SW6 Legionnaires and Devlin escape the tunnels and link up with Universo and the Earth Resistance (LSH v4 #25), and then quickly go to the Resistance HQ in New Mexico. The Subs and Universo’s Resistance team capture the Weisigner Chambers from the Dominators, while BION follows Laurel to Talus (LSH v4 #26).
  • Sat 4/25/95 - Legionnaires in Africa with the Resistance and the SW6 Batch become aware of each other; the Subs and Grin’s resistance team discover others in the Weisinger Chambers; Rokk, Kono, and Loomis manage to subdue BION on Talus (LSH v4 #27). Dirk Morgna’s pod is discovered (LSH v4 #28).

Posted by Michael at 5/14/2020 10:41:00 PM

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