Week of 14 October 2009

(SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers. Don't read it before you've read the comics.)

ACTION #882 (12/09)
"The Hunt for Reactron Part 3"
CUTE BOY: Chris Kent (in bondage, no less)

No actual Legion content, but Mon-El is mentioned on the second page.

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ADVENTURE #3/506 (12/09)
"Superboy the Boy of Steel Part Three"
ROLL CALL: Element Lad
CUTE BOYS: Conner Kent, Tim Drake (comforting one another, but no kissing)

BITS OF LEGIONNAIRE BUSINESS: One of Conner's classmates is a blond girl named Lori, who sleeps all day and is up to trouble at night. Apparently she is "a born troublemaker." Obviously she's someone of significance, possibly a villain (see below). My first guess is Dream Girl, but somehow I just don't see it. Horrible thought: Lori...G-LORI-th? Think about it: have you ever seen the two of them together?

Look at Tim Drake and Conner together in Luthor's abandoned lab: they would definitely be happier if they would cuddle and kiss a little, don't you think?

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ADVENTURE #506/3 (12/09)
"Long Live the Legion Part Three: Running Hot and Cold"
ROLL CALL: Polar Boy, Sun Boy
CUTE BOYS: Sun Boy is looking particularly good, and even Polar Boy is actually a little adorable. (Yes, "actually.")

Once again, this issue came with two covers. The one you want is the variant cover, with Sun Boy and Polar Boy on it.

A fine friendship and action story. And a surprise at the end: Cryo-King, the LSV wannabe, has a map of Earth in the 21st century. He says, "Come on, Sun Boy. You think you're the only Legion with an espionage squad in the 21st century?"

Aha! The LSV has people back in the 21st century too. And Lori must be one of them. (Unless she's really a good guy in disguise. What about Chameleon Boy?) Now I don't trust anyone in Smallville or Metropolis to be who they claim they are.

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BOOSTER GOLD #25 (12/09)
"Day of Death: Aftermath"
CUTE BOYS: Booster's looking kinda nice with his mask and goggles off; ditto for Dick Grayson; Damian is a little young but he should definitely come back in a few years.

No actual Legion content, but Booster's flight rings is quite in evidence on the cover and throughout the issue.

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R.E.B.E.L.S. #9 (12/09)
"Strange Companions"
ROLL CALL (L.E.G.I.O.N.): Adam Strange, Amon Haak, Bounder, Ciji, Captain Comet, Garv, Lyrl Dox, Rocky, Strata, Tribulus, Vril Dox, Wildstar, Xylon (aka Fleet Admiral)
ROLL CALL (Omega Men): Broot, Darkfire, Doc, Tigorr
CUTE BOY: Lyrl Dox runs around wearing only tight shorts. Sure, he needs a haircut, but wotthehell. And Darkfire looks kinda...hot

Adam Strange steps in to save Kanjar Ro from Starro, the Omega Men land on the Starro homeworld and attract some attention, and Starro's homeys are after the perennially-shirtless Lyrl.

Another fun issue. Unfortunately, that all goes away next month when Blackest Night invades R.E.B.E.L.S. I don't have anything against crossovers invading Legion territory...as long as they're good ones. But whenever DC starts messing with the dead, things get tedious pretty quickly. (Anybody remember a little disaster called Underworld Unleashed?)

BITS OF L.E.G.I.O.N.NAIRE BUSINESS: The Dominator Fleet Admiral has a name now: Xylon. And they're calling Lyrl "Brainiac 3," but I'm doing my best to ignore that.

It's been interesting how some of the new L.E.G.I.O.N. personnel parallel both the powers and names of real Legionnaires. Bounder and Bouncing Boy. Wildstar and Wildfire/Dawnstar. Tribulus and Validus. The one I was having trouble with was the Durlan (well, not "the Durlan," who was an original member of L.E.G.I.O.N. several continuities ago, but the Durlan who's joined the team now) -- I mean, "Ciji"? What's up with that?

Well, I just got it. Ciji...pronounced "see-gee"...like C.G....like Chameleon Girl.

I can't decide if I think this is incredibly clever, or really, really stupid.

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