Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

Superboy's Legion 2

Superboy's Legion #2

Scheduled to arrive in stores: March 25, 2001

Cover date: May 2001

Writer: Mark Farmer
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Mark Farmer

Reviewed by: Neal Bailey (baileyn@cc.wwu.edu)


On Rimbor, Superboy's Legion contemplate the death of one of their members at the hand of the Fatal Five. Collosal Boy has gone to meet his maker. Noting this, Ultra Boy explodes in fury, and with his fury comes a general furor from those under Superboy, most of whom leave the Legion. Ultra Boy gets arrogant and decides to smack Superboy around. As a result, Princess Wazzo and Reep stay behind with Superboy, standing behind him. Back home, Mr. Brande sees what has happened through his inside spy, Ms. Olsen. Pitying his son's philanthropic effort, he decides to support his son's independence.

Meanwhile, Luthor prepares a mind probe for Brainiac 5 in order to find the location of Colu. Brainiac thinks that Luthor does not realize that he can access cyberspace, and he tries to access Luthor's memory. He sees Luthor taking out the twentieth century's heroes, and while thus distracted, Luthor is able to penetrate Brainiac's mind and get what he needs. Meanwhile, back on Rimbor, three new recruits arrive to join the Legion. There's Garth Ranzz, Lightning Lad, Ayla Ranzz, Lightning Lass, and Sensor, a member of the Orandos species. Superboy yells at Ms. Olsen, having heard the whole thing she reported to Mr. Brande. Starboy, returned from space, warns Superboy to belay his arrogance. Superboy concedes and apologizes, and they agree to save Brainiac 5, if possible, with what they have pulled together. Karate Kid and Ferro Lad arrive on scene in Metropolis, where Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy have come to have Cosmic Boy's arm replaced. The Science Police, now revealed to be working under Luthor, arrest them all.

Those who have left the Legion approach Colu, only to find that it has erected defenses. The Fatal Five and Luthor appear to be in. The Fatal Five appear for a rematch and attack. Persuader is knocked about... Validus tears the ship up until he is pounded with black goo from Tasmia.

The Emerald Empress displays the image of Superboy and other members of the Legion, and has them attack Ultra Boy. Leeto explains to Mr. Brande that his Legion is accused of taking out satellites and other orbital defenses, making Earth's technology fall apart.

Luthor merges with the Brainiac technology, revealing himself to be a hologram.

The Legion, with Superboy returned, defeat the Emerald Empress by letting Sensor convince her that her eye has been destroyed.

Superboy kicks the real eye far away.

Tinya arrives to save Ultra Boy, and they make up after their fight last issue.

Luthor saps the energy from Universo on Earth, despite Saturn Girl's efforts to stop him. He compells the Emerald Empress to go and stop Saturn Girl.

While leaving, the Empress shoots the ship that Superboy's companions arrived in, and it cascades to the surface of Colu's defenses. Bouncing Boy stops the falling ship.

Luthor merges with Colu as Superboy saves Brainiac 5 from him. Luthor emerges in a body suit, looking exactly like the Brainiac Vril Dox (patterned from the Brainiac villain from the real life mid-eighties). Tharok emerges from the ship, more powerful, and attacks Superboy as Luthor establishes a link to the planet.

The Empress arrives on Earth and imprisons those present at the Science Police headquarters. Ferro Lad reveals that Iron negates the power of magic and bursts his prison, attacking the Emerald Empress.

Saturn Girl takes over the psionic eye of the Emerald Empress after Emerald Empress is dispatched by Karate Kid. She uses it to make Universo work again.

Mano is taken out on Colu by Tinya, and Reep is chased by Persuader. Validus is taken out by Sun Boy, who charges his anger at the loss of Colossal Boy and takes Validus out. Superboy disables Tharok by taking out his servomotors. He then attacks Brainiac/Luthor, who ressurects Tharok and has him hit Superboy with red solar energy.

Bouncing Boy pulls him off of Thorak, but Superboy is hurt.

Luthor establishes the link.

Sensor makes Luthor think the Fatal Five is attacking him. Ultra Boy severs his link with Colu and Brainiac 5 puts Luthor out of commission.

On Earth, the Eye of the Emerald Empress stops the destruction of Universo.

Luthor's treachery is revealed on Colu. He started a war with the meta-humans which he barely won by sheer numbers, in the process having his neck broken by Batman. Luthor died, but in dying unleashed World War Three and a Luthor hologram that thought it was Luthor, the Luthor present on Colu. Luthor's body, in Universo, is exhumed, amidst this explanation.

Luthor, insane with anger, begins swelling to enormous size. Tasmia wraps Luthor in a gigantic black magic bond, but he swells too large and nears explosion. Ultra Boy and Superboy push him far into space, where he explodes.

Back home, Superboy tearfully reunites with Mr. Brande. All is forgiven.

Back on Earth, Superboy cedes the Legion to Ultra Boy and a great period of peace ensues. Superboy, now Kal-El, starts dating Lois Olsen.

2Story - 2: I give it a two of five, despite the fact that my enjoyment of the issue is 0 of 5. The plot, such as it was, got tied up in the end and had some interesting twists. But oh, oh, oh, what a plodding read this was. Plodding, plodding, plodding. Maybe it's just because I'm not a Legion fan, and before this mini-series had never really read much of them. It would probably be like someone who had never read X-Men reading an issue with every X-man every created sounding off and using their power.

The sheer amount of names and powers is boggling, and it made me so frustrated I almost couldn't write this review. To summarize last issue: Mr. Brande. Marla. Superboy. Universo. Tony, the vendor. Leeto. Talu-Katu, the Green Lantern. Rokk, aka Cosmic Boy. Imra, aka Saturn Girl. Dirk Morgna, aka Sun Boy. Gim Allon, aka Collosal Boy. Lucy Lastic. Jan Arrah, Element Lad. Salu Digby, Shrinking Violet. Chuck Taine, aka Bouncing Boy. Tasmia Mallor. Ayla. Hykraiuans. Brainiac 5. Lyle Norg. Val. Andy. Rimbor. Jo, aka Ultra Boy. Reep Daggle. Tinya. Querl Dox. Colu. Thom Kallor, of Xanthu, aka Cosmic Boy. The Fatal Five. Emerald Empress. Validus. Mano. Persuader. Tharok. Lex Luthor.

Then, this issue, to make matters worse, we got Garth Ranzz, Lightning Lad, Ayla Ranzz, Lightning Lass, and Sensor, a member of the Orandos species.

And each one drops in to use their power at least once, just enough to keep you confused.

Also, little things. All of the Legion members, without suits, are able to speak and breathe in space. Whoops. They use Tasmia to control Luthor when he's expanding, but Validus never has this tactic used upon him. Where was Tasmia then. When did Superboy and company arrive on Colu? It was never shown or mentioned. Even further, why, when they did arrive, did only Superboy attack, seeing as most everyone in this comic can breath and talk in space? Why did they stay in the ship to be attacked by the Empress? It's silly. It's sloppy.

And if I hear another Superhero character in the next month with the surname of -Boy, -Girl, -Lass, or -Lad, I will shoot myself.

Oh, and yeah... where are the Fatal Five? Imprisoned? Dead? Dangling at the end of the plot. That's where.

And why did Superboy quit when he was doing so well, it seemed? And why is he suddenly dating Lois Olsen when she betrayed him? How could Luthor NOT know he was a hologram? What happened to Marla from last issue?

This is a frustrating, hard to read and comprehend comic. I am not stupid. But I am not versed in Legion. Perhaps, I am willing to admit, it is just me. But I doubt it. Even if I liked Legion and knew them, those holes would dangle.

3Art - 3: I liked the art this issue, but this one started to grate on me. Luthor looks a bit too fat. Superboy looks five. And most of the lads and lasses faces look the same after about page... oh, two. Also, what's with Ultra Boy punching Superboy so hard for bad leadership? And HE's more qualified to lead? Ha. That's more of a writing beef, but it's a heck of a splash when Superboy is whomped.

4Cover Art - 4: Minus one for not depicting the right planet on the cover (It's neither Rimbor or Colu), and also the same minus one for showing Sensor and Star Boy together. I hate covers that show things that never occur in the issue. It's misleading, false advertisement. But it's not so bad here, and everyone is drawn in an appealing, format filling fashion that actually draws me in more than issue one's cover did.


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Mild Mannered Reviews

2001

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

January 2001

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