The Legion of Super Heroes v5 #15 - Ancient Times!

Released February 22, 2006
DC Comics, Color
30 Pages

Ancient Times

Stuart Moore - Writer
Pat Olliffe - Pencils
Livesay - Inker
Sno Cone - Colors
Stephen Wacker - Editor

Synopsis

More pandemonium in Legion Plaza makes a group of young recruits run into the park and tell hero stories around a lantern at night spurred on by a mysterious robed figure.

The first story is from the JSA/JLA era.  Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Alan Scott are trying to retrieve Flashes Barry Allen and Jay Garrick out of energy bubbles, but can't do it. Brainy, Bouncing Boy, Element Lad and Duo Damsel arrive. Chuck tries to bounce them out, but Element Lad is able to free them by temporarily turning them to oxygen. The kids listening to the story mock the idea of a Bouncing Boy among other things.

The next story is Saturn Girl, Wildfire, Tyroc and Dawnstar negotiating with Relnic which is interrupted by Karate Kid and Captain Comet dropping in with the Secret Society of Super Villains from the 20th century. Chaos ensues and the Legion sends the bad guys back in time, Saturn Girl wiping their memories, although the listening kids don't believe that last part.

The last story, told by the mystery kid, focuses on Barry Allen Flash in Crisis trying to disable the Controller's cannon.  The Legion - Blok, White Witch, Quislet and Sensor Girl - appear and disrupt the cannon, but leave Barry alone.

The kids have a hard time with the concept of a "Quislet" but the robed stranger tells them they are stories to inspire them to courage.  He reveals himself to be Dav Hunter - just another Legionnaire - and they all get to know each other and unite under the "Eat it grandpa" rallying cry.

We also get a guided lettercol from Triplicate Girl that serves as an intro to all the Legionnaires, which also drips a little more info out about them as well.

Commentary

Ladies and gentlemen, the first filler issue of the threeboot, written by Stuart Moore. It was ok for supposedly being the "568th issue" of the LSH. The art, by Pat Olliffe, was very well done, capturing the feel of the distinct eras (Adventure, Grell, Baxter) that the three campfire stories were there to tell. This is also the only issue in the run thus far to have an actual title to the story. Its pretty obvious that this issue was created to give Waid & Kitson some time off after that amazing first story arc.

My challenge here is that the intent for the story is to rally the dispirited kids to be heroic and make grandpa eat it (I guess you get to figure out what that is - Jello? Pudding? Excrement?) by telling mythical Legion stories.  They are charming for what they are, but at the end of the day, with me reading this today, it makes me miss the classic Legion stories. And it was done in the context of the "adults v kids" backdrop which is not getting better with age.  It may have worked better in 2005/6 when the book was coming out monthly, but as I read this now, a couple a week, its not aging well at all.

Another problem with this story is the mysterious cloaked figure, while resembling Clark Kent, is just another ordinary guy. I guess that is the point here, but with a mysterious robed figure taking in the chaos and getting people to talk to one another, I would have thought it was a Legionnaire of import or some other interesting revelation.  But no.

The actual Legion makes an appearance at the end with Luornu giving the backgrounds for all the Legionnaires - a cool concept that I think definitely needs to be done for this team annually. There is also a cute scene with Bouncing Boy bothering Triplicate Girl, but it turns out its actually Chameleon.

Grade - C+.  The plus is for the artwork.