The Legion #26 - Foundations, Part 2, Electric Boogaloo

Released November 12, 2003
DC Comics, Color
21 Pages

Foundations Part Two

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning - Writers
Chris Batista - Pencils
Chip Wallace - Inks
Sno Cone - Colors
Jared K. Fletcher - Letters
Stephen Wacker - Editor

Synopsis

A sacrifice is made before the throne of Darkseid on Apokalips, but it is not enough. Five weeks pass. A team of Legionnaires and Superboy enter the Enduku system to investigate a stargate.  Superboy is clearly annoying Cosmic Boy with his attitude - he's eager to get back to his time, and rushes into the situation.  Superboy encounters three of Darkseid's minions who zap him, and the Legion flings into action. Umbra's darkness and Spark's electricity don't seem to have any affect on them, and neither does raw brawling. The lead minion rips the S off of Superboy's T-shirt and the three vanish in a Boom Tube.

On Legion World's Winath habitat, Garth, in his Element Lad body, is moping as the return of Superboy is still the center of attention after five weeks, as well as the fact that he looks like someone the team despises.  Imra joins him for her daily visit, but rushes away when he reaches out to touch her. 

Kid Quantum briefs everyone on the situation with Superboy and Apokalips and they strategize.  Kid Quantum has a blank moment.  

On Earth at the Time Institute, Brainy and Invisible Kid slip in past the protesting catastrophists, coming out of the woodwork after the appearance of Superboy.  The pair begins researching how to get Superboy back home, when a boom tube opens with two Darkseid minions appear - dark versions of Orion and a Thanagarian. 

Back on Legion World, Jazmin and Rokk share a moment in her quarters; the two have become a romantic couple. We also learn that Rokk is a member of the Spirit of the Last Son, a philosophy idolizing Superman, but SuperBOY is a disappointment.  The drinks that Jazmin poured suddenly are back in the bottle.  Dreamer can't see the future, as it does not exist. 

Superboy meets the Athramites and dons the traditional costume, but with a Legion belt buckle. 

Commentary

Story-wise, this was a completely acceptable middle issue that moves the plot down the road a bit and reveals a few plot threads that we can start to track over the course of the Foundations storyline.  I can't help but think that part 1 (issue 25) would have been a much better story if they had cut out the flashbacks and just kept going into the events in this issue.  But I had an overall positive reaction to the issue, even though nothing gets resolved.  Batista's art really makes up for any nitpicks that I have, and it's good to see Superboy in the familiar costume after so long.  What I think I liked about this the most is that finally, after a long time, we have little character moments spread out - Thom and Vi chatting, Superboy and Ferro talking about the past - and Ferro's approving reflection at the end, Jazmin and Cos (finally!) in a relationship.  Things like that are what make the Legion for me and they've been sorely missing for many many issues.  The Garth situation is interesting and, I think, realistic, even though I'm not a fan of this particular direction.

A few other comments and nits to pick:

So, if we are going down the whole DnA Great Darkness angle, I'm assuming the characters behind Darkseid's throne are dark versions of then-current DC heroes.  I recognize Big Barda and Lobo (and I'm kind of surprised that he's there, tbh - would you NEED a dark version of Lobo?) but the others I don't recognize.  

Does Superboy need a transuit in space?

Wow - Vi actually has a decent amount of dialog for once.  Its only been about a year's worth of issues!  She even gets a pretty good line here. "We are SO not covering ourselves with glory..."

I think its interesting that there are all these Superboy cults that popped up that are getting so much attention.  But isn't Valor the big deal in this part of space?  Why didn't his all happen earlier when Superboy visited? I mean we get a Mordru mention, so let's get a little better with the continuity here, people. 

Time Institute - no Rond Vidar or Lori??  HUGE mistake, IMO. 

Again, one of my problems with this run is that they pretend that nothing happened before DnA arrived.  While the tone of the stories seem to have brightened with the transition to Wacker from McAvennie at the editorial level, the attention to detail that the editor's office is supposed to provide is just as lacking with Wacker.

One would think these cult catastrophists would have been all over the place with the last half dozen crises that DnA had foisted on Earth.

Overall Grade: B