Legion of Super Heroes v5 #43 - The Leader Who Lost The Legion



Released July 2, 2008
DC Comics, Color
24 Pages

Enemy Rising Part 4: The Leader Who Lost the Legion

Jim Shooter - Writer
Francis Manapul - Penciller
Livesay - Inker
Jo Smith - Colorist
Mike Marts - Editor

Synopsis

Star Boy wrecks the Rimborian police craft that is after Ultra Boy. Saturn Girl points out that they are breaking the law. The team convinces her that saving Rimbor should override and lawbreaking, and she caves pretty quickly, wiping out the memories of the Rimborian police.

At HQ in Metropolis, the Science Police execute a search warrant in the HQ and they go through various personal quarters and facilities. They are mainly looking for Brainy. 

On the planet Velmar V, the UP Young Heroes are being held hostage by the Ikonns after a mission gone bad. Meanwhile, a Legion team sneaks up.  Invisible Kid suggest doing some recon, but the rest of the team wants to take a more direct approach and attacks the Ikonns immediately. Karate Kid, Triplicate Girl and Invisible Kid move to sneak in while Brin and the rest attack, but they encounter a golden orb with four mysterious figures that offer Val and Luornu information about the threat the UP is facing. They go in, leaving Lyle behind, and the sphere vanishes, leaving behind a glowing device.

Back on Rimbor, Ultra Boy leads the team to their portal via sneaky means, and find a wounded Gazelle in the sewers. Cham stretches his arm out to grab some fruit from above, but they are noticed and the SPs descend on the Legion.  They dump Gazelle and leave.  Gazelle apparently tells the police where they went. 

Back at HQ, the SPs ransack Tinya's room and take her comic books, but she gets them back with a quick phase. They rifle through (a naked) Element Lad's room and find interesting plants and animals, and run after one of his pets emits a stench.  Brainy appears to cooperate with the SPs, but they find nothing in the computers. M'Rissey appears after the SPs leave and gives Brainy a proposal. 

Lightning Lad meets with auditors who tell him that there are tons of unauthorized expenses. We learn the M'Rissey is behind the purchases that included the new uniforms. The Legion is in legal and political trouble, as the team is grounded with most of them on mission. 

The battle on Velmar continues, and goes badly without Luornu or Val, with everyone, including Brin, being taken out. On Rimbor, the team emerges from the sewers, but Colossal Boy gets shot. The team rushes to a building for shelter, and Gim seems to be OK thanks to the new uniforms. Cham and Jo reflect the energy bolts and the team heads to the roof.

Saturn Girl calls Garth for extraction while they are under attack, but he gets a call from the Attorney General stating that all Legionnaires are under arrest and the Legion charter is revoked. 

Commentary

There definitely seems to be a slow decline in evidence here. This seems to be more of the same that we've been seeing for many issues now, this time a focus more on the team in legal trouble but very little advancement of an over arching plot with the exception that this issue culminates in the cancellation of the Legion and we find out more about M'Rissey. Now we're thrown a totally new group of pirates in the badly named "IKills" and another mystery disappearance of team members without any more information around the primary threat after 8 issues.  I just feel like we're spinning wheels here when reading this title. There's a lot happening and very little happening at the same time here, with a lot of odd character moments thrown in.

The art was okay.  Some panels are extremely well done, but others feel scratchier than normal, so that seems to be slipping as well. 

A few other items:

Wow, Imra really caved fast under pressure, didn't she? Just a few issues ago she was raked over the coals for mind wiping and now she just rolls over. 

Ikonns with IKills as the leader?  ugh.  Who the hell are these guys?

Brin calling Lyle a wuss was... something.  Especially after Lyle didn't bat an eye. And Luornu piling on was extra... something. I guess Lyle's just the team punching bag.

I'm not a fan of Luornu's new look. 

Jo is wanted for vehicular homicide?  Did the Legion not bother to run a background check on their members? I'm kind of interested to learn about something else to hate this version of Jo about.

Grade C+. Its slightly better than so-so.

 

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