The Legion #15 Review! Timber Wolf joins and Jazmin is awesome!

 

Released December 26, 2002
DC Comics, Color
22 Pages

Legion Rookie Blues

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning - Writers
Kev Walker - Pencils
Andy Lanning and Simon Coleby - Inks
Jason Wright - Colors
Stephen Wacker - Editor

Synopsis

The story opens in media res, with Timber Wolf looking to be in really bad shape.  We quickly flash back 24 hours earlier to the UP Senate is dealing with the aftermath of the Robotican crisis.  President Wazzo is sparring with Xanthan delegates pleading for aid in terraforming while they claim the Roboticans were "gifted" a world.  The Xanthans are pretty angry about the whole thing, and threaten to withdraw their application to the UP.  Predictably, the Coluans withdraw due to the appeasement being shown Robotica, and literally find Brin blocking their way.  We get a nice little recap of the last issue with the Coluan Delegate and Brin talking about how Colu had an agent try to eliminate Computo all together. 

After thinking fast, the Coluans leave and Kid Quantum enters.  Wazzo announces a diplomatic mission to the Kwai Second Galaxy to induct them into the UP, led by special envoy Brande.  The president tasks Jazmin to pick a team for the mission.  Wazzo sizes up Brin and invites him to visit her to talk in the future. 

Back on Legion World's command deck with several other Legionnaires. Jazmin is showing Brin around while Violet takes up a large amount of space.  Jaz asks Triad if everything's ready for the Shanghalla memorial.  Jaz tasks Brin to hand something over to Lyle.  M'Onel and Cosmic Boy discuss the Terrorform situation and plan to do so more with Kinetix. Brin looks for Lyle, not knowing who he is, and we see Ayla grousing to Gates about her code name. XS speeds away suddenly, and Lyle invisibly picks up the pad from Brin.

We return to the "present" with Brin trying to get up from his bad situation.  He gets back up only to be smacked back down again. 

Flashing back 21 hours, Brin is visiting Imra Cub in the medicenter.  Talking to Imra, we see that Imra's heading back to Titan after the memorial for some rehab and stress relief. Brin finally meets Jo when he goes to see Cub, who is floating on the ceiling. Jo is predictably prickly, being from rival Rimbor gangs and spending a lot of time with Tinya, when talking with Brin. Brin tries to smooth things over now that they are both in the Legion.  Cub floats down to Brin, who in turn hands him back to Jo.  Cub loses it when Brin leaves.  Jo clearly has not left a great impression on Brin.  

In the "Post-Noon" time we pick back up at Shanghalla for a memorial to those lost in, well, Lost...  Kid Quantum concludes the ceremony.  Jazmin goes to console a devastated Ayla and habitually calls her Spark before correcting herself.  She tries to show she has something in common with Ayla due to her taking her brother's code name, too, but tries to convince Ayla to keep the Spark codename, as its come to define her in many ways.  Spark comes to see Jazmin in a new light.  We get a quick summary of Jan Arrah's fate from Lost.  Jazmin and Brin take a detour to Trom and set up a makeshift memorial to him in the mountains of that world. 

Back to Brin in the "present" who is getting his ass kicked.  

14 hours prior, Brin's watching Trudy Trusoe's newscast when Tinya comes to visit, convincing him to come out and socialize. Tinya catches him up on the sitch with her and Jo - strained - but Brin urges patience. Of course, they walk into the bar together to immediately see Jo, who stalks away.  Later, Brin and XS are overseeing the transfer of Tharok to Takron-Galtos. She introduces him to Shikari and Wildfire. Jo steps in and is miffed to have to deal with Timber Wolf again. The team takes the prisoner over to the prison ship with Jo and Brin sniping at each other. An explosion interrupts the arguing and the Fatal Five - including Mano this time - swings in to pilfer Tharok. 

Commentary

I really enjoyed this issue for the most part.  It's definitely a 'breather' issue (which was desperately needed) yet it hinted at something brewing on the horizon with the interludes of Brin getting his ass handed to him.  It was like the writers were saving all the quieter interpersonal moments for this one issue after almost three years.  

The good stuff?  Two words - Jazmin Cullen.  She was portrayed SO WELL in this issue, I really love the leader she's turned into.  The scene with Ayla was golden.  I also felt that this was a pretty good issue for a new reader to jump on board.  Lots of interesting stuff here. Also really loved Brin in this issue - he's probably the best thing to come out of the DnA run here, IMO. I like him a lot more than most of the other Legionnaires that have received similar screen time so far, and certainly more than the pre-boot Brin.  Also? WE FINALLY GET A MEMORIAL!

The bad? Can we just be done with the Tinya/Jo drama?  While the Jo/Brin rivalry is natural and was handled well, I just want this thing with Tinya over with.  I didn't like reading about it pre-DnA and I sure as @@@@ don't like reading it years later. 

The Ugly? I was NOT a fan of the art in this issue.  

Other random comments: 

Man, Winema REALLY gives off the President Chu vibe.

Why doesn't Robotica magically heal Xanthu like it did when they left Earth?  It sure would go along way to galactic peace, and they caused the damage there.  One Deus ex Machina deserves another, yes?  

Xanthus is technically petitioning for re-admission to the UP, right?

Okay.  At this point DnA is specifically writing large Vi into the script, otherwise it wouldn't keep happening.  Fully ridiculous. They need to stop, but like the tropes they are addicted to, I know they won't.

Rokk says he's going to discuss the Terrorforms with Zoe. Is it possible for ANYONE to have a real discussion w/Zoe?  Unless she's been turned back to normal?  

The scene with Brin looking for Lyle was really well done.  

I'd say Imra's stress relief is needed after all DnA turned her into ;)

So let me get this straight - Jo is wearing a gang symbol on his Legion uniform?  That sounds like it shouldn't be OK. :-D

This Shanghalla is vastly different from the one we last saw.  Is that supposed to be Gim Allon in the background?  Again, I'd really enjoy some better connections with what came before DnA. It also doesn't even look like all the Legionnaires are even present.  And when they disperse, its really hard to see who spins off with whom. 

Nice touch of Cham and I assume Ayla with Jenni, in the background, but its hard to determine for sure initially due to the illustrator.  I so much love how they've portrayed Jazmin here.  She's redefining what a Legion Leader is.  

I'm really not happy about Jan Arrah not having ANY kind of marker on Shanghalla.  He literally saved the Earth from the Daxamites.  But oh yeah, nothing happens before DnA's fingerprints on the Legion... :(

Wait, the Xanthian/Coluan bloc wants to BAN Robotican life from colonizing Pluto?  I thought that already happened?

It would have been nice to see more of that party (wake?) that Tinya dragged Brin into.

Overall grade: Somewhere in the B+/A- ballpark.  The Art and some of the ridiculous shenanigans above dragged down an otherwise great Legion story.