Week of 27 April 2011

(edited 21 May 2011)

ACTION #900 (2011/06)
"Friday Night in the 21st Century"


ROLL CALL:

Blok, Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Dawnstar, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, Night Girl, Phantom Girl, Polar Boy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Superman, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire

CUTE BOYS: Brainy, Brek, Brin (with his mouth full, ooo baby!), Clark, Garth, Gim, Jo, Rokk

This is a cute 4-page story for the big Action Comics #900, which I originally missed thanks to Infectious Lass and every comic store in the world selling out. Thanks to Brainy Pirate for alerting me, and thanks to Lone Star Comics where I finally got a copy.

Lois Lane is digging under her desk at the Daily Planet while Clark nags her about the mess (shut up, Clark!) She produces a Legion flight ring (she says Saturn Girl gave it to her in case of an emergency), and Clark asks what she wants with it. Turns out Lois just wants to invite Clark's childhood friends to dinner. The subsequent two-page spread is set in the Kent apartment while various Legionnaires hang around with Clark and Lois.

BITS OF LEGIONNAIRE BUSINESS:

Lois's guest list seems odd, if only for some curious omissions. It seems to be heavy on couples, which fits well enough for the young-married Kents. So we have Garth and Imra, of course, and Rokk and Lydda (Rokk's probably ashamed to let Clark know that he jilted her), Jo and Tinya.

Blok is there but not Mysa -- she probably wouldn't have come, but why did he? Oh well, at least he looks miserable without her.

Gim is there but not Yera. That's really odd...certainly Lois would've invited them both. I assume that Yera has an acting job that she can't get out of -- which certainly makes sense until you realize that they have a bloody time machine, and could return her to the exact instant they left. We are left with four possibilities:

1. Yera refused to come because she can't stand Clark
2. Yera refused to come because she can't stand Lois
3. Yera is there but was in the bathroom when this picture was taken
4. Yera is there and playing hide-and-seek with Gim; she's actually that head of lettuce in the fridge but Gim just doesn't recognize her

Ayla and Brin, another odd choice. Together, I mean. It also seems like Brin is hiding from Ayla, who's pissed at him. I can certainly believe that (and it fits in well with the theory of a hide-and-seek game going on), but...they aren't a couple any more, are they?

And if Ayla's here, and so are Garth and Imra, then who's taking care of the kids? Aunt Imra? 

And speaking of Ayla...where's Vi? Okay, yes, she could be anywhere in the picture, hiding behind that soda bottle or between the floorboards. (If Vi came along, that would help explain Yera's absence.)

Brek is there, but that's not difficult to understand. Brek has had a crush on Clark since he first applied for Legion membership, maybe even before -- he's certainly not going to turn down an invitation to a mad orgy that includes Clark along with the other Legion boys.

Which leaves Shady. Oh, it's not difficult to understand why she's here: Shady has obviously shared a lot of bed time with Clark and Lar, so she'd certainly want to be involved in the orgy. However, I'm surprised she would show her face, since she's been sleeping with Earth-Man -- I can't imagine Clark would be too happy about that, and you don't want to get a Kryptonian mad at you. Heat vision, freeze breath, super-punches...it could be bad.

But where is Mon-El? Busy with his Green Lantern stuff, maybe? Can't be bothered to take off a night and visit his best friend, little brother, and frequent bedmate Kal-El? Doesn't want to be in the same room as Shady? It's a mystery.

Saturn Girl is laughing at Lois -- it's nice to see Imra enjoyng herself, she's been so grim lately.

Cosmic Boy is juggling silverware and smiling -- also good to see him happy.

Lighting Lad seems totally engrossed in the football game. Either that, or he's supplying electricity to the big-screen TV.

Is Polar Boy trying to make bunny ears over Cosmic Boy's head?

And what is Clark looking at? If you follow his eyes, it's not the readers...it's not Lois...it might be Brin (X-ray vision, remember?)...but it seems to be something out of picture, something off behind Saturn Girl. I know...he's staring into the bedroom, where a naked Lar Gand is in a suggestive pose on the bed, awaiting his best friend, little brother, and frequent bedmate. And if you doubt that, look at where Clark has his left hand....

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