LSH v4 #31 Annotations: Shvaughn/Sean Erin, the Second Worst v4-Era Retcon

Annotations for Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #31

• On sale 5/19/92
• It's OK, I'm a Senator: https://itsokimasenator.livejournal.com/15040.html
• Legion of Substitute Podcasters episode 610 (June 22, 2020) to read the issue, and episode 611 (June 29, 2020) for the post-episode discussion (otherwise we would have had a 4+ hour podcast, and ain't nobody got time for that!)
• Timeline: May 2, 2995

Second-worst v4-era retcon, behind Proty/Garth, of course.

Notes:

• Cover: Colleen Doran was recommended to DC by Keith Giffen after seeing her fan art in Interlac. She’s a huge Element Lad fan and drew just about every Element Lad solo piece (like Who’s Who) or starring role in the late 80s to 90s. She got her start with her own “A Distant Soil” at WaRP Graphics (home of Elfquest), now at Image, but her first non-creator owned work was on Amethyst #12 in 1985. Legion art included LSH v3 #27 (1986), a bunch of Who’s Who in the LSH (1988), and a few things here and there when not doing ADS (including an issue of Sandman) before returning on this issue. Last year, she drew Neil Gaiman’s “Snow, Glass, Apples” for Dark Horse, which won (among other things) the 2019 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel, and is nominated for two Eisners this summer, one for best adaptation and best penciller/inker.
• The cover is an homage to the 1960s DC book “Young Love”, not swiping any particular cover. 
• Page 1: When we see Jan, we know he’s talking about Shvaughn. Look, Curt Swan artwork! He last did the Justice League Europe/Armageddon 2001 segment with Blue Jay in the 30th century, and this is the last of his “real-time” Legion artwork. He does LSH Annual 5 (the Legion plays Wizard of Oz) and L.E.G.I.O.N. Annual 5 (the L.E.G.I.O.N. in a parody of the Silver Age LSH), both Elseworlds. He passed away in June 1996.
• Page 3 panel 4: “Rokyn” was established back in ADV 356 as the planet that the bottle city of Kandor was enlarged on. When they finally did it in the present-day continuity (SMAN 338), they referred back to that Adventure issue when calling the planet Rokyn. No idea what it has to do with this drug, though.
• Page 3 panel 6: the chemical formula is COH18-832N116Li39, but that’s not how chemistry works.
• Page 7 panel 6: Shvaughn mentions “Profem”, which we’ve never heard of before
• Page 8 panel 6: Jan mentions “three years on Trom” – he resigned from the Legion on 8/23/91 and was found by Celeste, Devlin, and Bounty on 11/30/94 (issue #6).
• Page 10 panel 8: Jan sees SW6 Jan on the street
• Page 15: I own this page of original art. SW6 Jan finds Sean.
• Page 21: it’s now early May. Jacques found out about the SW6 Legion on April 25 (7 days ago, in issue 27), so why didn’t he tell the Legion?
• Page 22 panel 8: that’s clearly the Emerald Eye, but is that Leland McCauley or Starfinger III? Or someone else?
• Omnicom 1: article written 3 months after the Trom massacre
• Omnicom 2: letter dated 5/2/95 from Shvaughn to Gigi, which means it took place concurrently with the end of Annual 3 (Dacey & Doritt’s christening, Pol’s birth, and the reveal of the Garth/Proty debacle)
• Her parents came from Duar, mentioned as a world that rejected helping the Legion fight the Sun-Eater because they felt they couldn’t win (ADV 352).
• She went to a doctor in Sanangelopolis, which is the mega-city that encompasses what used to be San Diego and Los Angeles. Not sure if this had been seen before, but it’s listed in the original Legion RPG Volume II: The World Book. Also, it was one of the cities destroyed by Operation Triple Strike.
• If you haven't yet, go read "It's OK, I'm a Senator". In this week's column, Tom Bierbaum explains that Shvaughn was going to have been the one to be killed in issue 3 instead of Blok:
• As I remember it, though, the genesis of this story goes back to the very early days when Keith was first mapping out what he wanted to do with the huge family of Legion characters in his “Five-Year Gap” Legion. He was going to have Shvaughn get killed off by Roxxas, I think in part because he wanted Jan to really be gay by getting rid of the hurdle that Shvaughn posed as his love interest, and I think in part because Keith wanted to really “up the ante” in terms of Jan’s relationship with Roxxas and push Jan further and further toward wanting to kill Roxxas.
• As I understand it, Keith discussed these plans with our inker Al Gordon, who objected, saying that killing off Shvaughn was an easy way out and that if the character is lacking, we should figure out what to do with it rather than to just kill it off. So Keith challenged Al to figure out a good alternative for the character and apparently Al quickly responded, “Maybe Shvaughn’s a guy.” Evidently Keith liked the idea and decided that would be the storyline for Shvaughn. So in Legion #3, Blok ended up being the one killed off in place of Shvaughn.
• Tom also discusses a bit about why Colleen Doran did the art on this one:
• I don’t remember exactly how it came about that Colleen Doran got to pencil the issue, but either through us or through meetings between Keith and Colleen at cons, I’m sure it came to Keith’s attention that Colleen loved the Jan character and would be thrilled to get this assignment. We ended up having Curt Swan do a few pages, I think because Colleen tended to draw the pages out of order and inadvertently missed doing a couple pages. By the time everyone figured out that some pages had been overlooked, I think the deadline was upon us so they got Curt to pencil pages 1, 4, 5 and 13. Though Colleen and Curt have very different styles, with the nine-panel layout and the great inking by Al and Karl Kesel, the contrast isn’t too obvious.
• I asked Colleen about the inspiration for the cover:

It was a general homage, not a nod to a particular piece. It was at the suggestion of either Keith or an editor, can't recall. Thank you kindly for taking an interest in it.

— Colleen Doran (@ColleenDoran) June 30, 2020

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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. Italics are unknown dates.

• 6/11/1992 - Aria tries to take the dying Brin Londo back in time to prevent his father from administering the first Zuunium injection, but accidentally dumps them both in the 20th century (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 1).
• 2/12/75 –  The inhabitants of the planet Trom are exterminated by the pirate Kivun Roxxas. The sole survivor is 12 year-old Jan Arrah (LSH v4 #31).
• 3/26/2978 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)
• 9/89 – Polymer shield around Earth removed, Earthgov debt soars (LSH v4 #30)
• 10/89 – the Great Collapse
• 11/2/89 – Tayla Wellington elected President (LSH v4 #30)
• 1/19/90 – Mutual assistance pact signed with the Dominion; Earthgov officially secedes from the United Planets (LSH v4 #30)
• 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).
• 4/90 – 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; she was secretly sent back in time by Glorith (LSH v4 #2).
• 5/8/91 – Search for Tinya called off; Jo resigns; 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).
• 7/91 – Reported threats regarding Earthgov failure to pay debts (LSH v4 #30).
• 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).
• 8/14/91 – It is now postulated that full Domination of Earthgov began at this time (LSH v4 #30).
• 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); Earthgov links to Roxxas reported, riots ensue (LSH 4 #30).
• 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); additional riots, and martial law is instituted (LSH v4 #30).
• 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) and causing powerspheres to detonate across the globe, with a death toll in the billions and widespread environmental devastation (LSH v4 #30). 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; the SW6 Legion encounters Devlin O’Ryan (LSH v4 #20); all outside aid to Earth is rejected (LSH v4 #30).
• 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. Mysa Nal is contacted by the spirit of Amethyst (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).
• Sat 4/18/95 – Disease and rebellion reported widespread on Earth; Dominators performing mass executions (LSH v4 #30).
• Exact date unknown: members of the Dark Circle recount the history of Valor.
• Mon 4/20/95 – Devlin is healing and appears to have powers just like Reflecto of Rimbor (LSH v4 #29).
• 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).
• Thu 4/23/95 – Garth and Imra decide to hold the christening of their new twins next week, on Saturday May 2 (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 2).
• 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).
• Sun 4/26/95 – On Talus, Brainiac 5 studies BION, and Valor suggests that the adult Legionnaires may be clones. Monica Sade is released from the Weisinger chambers, and then Dominator troops temporarily gain control of the Chambers. Circe and Bounty plan to take out Pinnacle Command, while the Dominators prepare mind-wiped agents to attack the Subs (LSH v4 #29).
• Thu 4/30/95 – Tensions on Earth reach the breaking point when President Tayla Wellington is assassinated by the Dominion during a live broadcast (LSH v4 #29, 30). Aria tries to take the dying Brin Londo back in time to prevent his father from administering the first Zuunium injection, but accidentally dumps them both in the 20th century (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 1). Legionnaires begin to arrive on Winath for a reunion to attend the christening of Dacey and Doritt Ranzz (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 2).
• Fri 5/1/95 - On Earth, the Subs battle mind-wiped Dominator agents; the Dominators and UP fleets meet up in orbit around Earth (LSH v4 #30). More Legionnaires arrive on Winath for the christening; the Naltor Dreamers defeat the Winath Jaybirds 6-1, clinching their first pennant since 2980 (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 2).
• Sat 5/2/95: Dacey and Doritt's christening; Pol Jath Krinn is born to Rokk Krinn and his wife Lydda; Ayla Ranzz learns that Garth is really Proty I, inhabiting her brother's re-animated body (LSH v4 Ann 3 part 2).On Earth, Jan helps Shvaughn Erin and sees his SW6 self, while in space the adult Valor meets his SW6 counterpart (LSH v4 #31).