Review: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #36

I wrap up my reviews of Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes run over on the Legion of Super-Bloggers site.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #36 is the last of the run that includes Supergirl as a member. Here is a link to the review:
http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspot.com/2016/10/threeboot-supergirl-and-legion-of-super_28.html

 The creative team of Tony Bedard and Dennis Calero finish up their brief 6 issue run and need to clear the decks for the upcoming team, writer Jim Shooter (a Legion legend) and artist (and then newcomer) Francis Manapul.

Things happen fast here, as they often do before a creative team change. And Supergirl is sort of whisked out of the book rapidly.

This might be Calero's strongest issue. I like this last look at Kara in the Legion showing how she is an important member of two heroic teams in two times. And I definitely like that she is consider an inspiration for the Legion and so needs to go back in time to fulfill that destiny.

And, I totally liked this Supergirl more than the one that was snarling and snapping her way through her main title at this time.

But with Supergirl gone, these Saturday brief recaps end as well. If you like, I will be continuing my look at this title on Fridays at the main Legion site.

Review: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35

I continue my look at the Threeboot Legion of Super-Heroes comic over on the Legion of Super-Bloggers site. I have currently worked my way up to Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35, the penultimate issue to sport that particular title and co-star Supergirl. To read the full review, head here.

This is the Tony Bedard/Dennis Calero portion of the book. The Quest for Cosmic Boy is the name of this arc and concentrates on three away teams looking for the missing leader. Bedard has done a good job of bringing in some of the old Legion magic, specifically from the Cockrum era while embracing some of the newness of this continuity.

This issue continues the Wildfire storyline on Lallor but focuses mostly on Atom Girl, the Three boot Shrinking Violet who seems like someone who embraces the sensuality of life. Wildfire makes her tingly. Last issue, she looked lustily at Timber Wolf.

The old Vi went from timid wallflower to assertive female and one of the initial gay characters in comic to the battle-scarred stressed out veteran from the Five Years Later book. This cheeky version is certainly new.

Supergirl is barely in the book although the focus shifts back to Earth at the end. Bedard inserts some history into this issue bringing Evolvo Lad into the story.

While these stories have been interesting, we just don't see enough of the Legion to grab me. The world is recovering from the Dominator War and we just don't see any of that. What I would give for a one page peek at the rest of the team helping out!

And Calero's art is just a bit to rough and muddy for my liking on a Legion book.

So overall, in a vacuum, and as a Wildfire fan, this is a good read. Just maybe not a great Legion read.

Review: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33

I continue to review the Threeboot Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes over on the Legion of Superbloggers. I am up to Supergirl and the LSH #33. Here is the link to the full review:
http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspot.com/2016/09/threeboot-supergirl-and-legion-of-super_30.html

This is the third issue of the Tony Bedard era on the title and we are nearing the end of Supergirl's inclusion in the book. Once again, in this issue, we are on Winath with Star Boy, Sun Boy, and Mekt Ranzz investigating the Cult of Validus, the Lightning Lord.

This was a 'new' Legion with less 'hard and fast' continuity. And Tony Bedard, stepping in after Mark Waid, decided to take advantage of that, reimagining the idea of Validus, Tenzil Kem, and the culture of Winath.

But that's not all.

The issue ends with a cliffhanger ... a shot of Wildrfire!

Wildfire hadn't been seen in this Legion. He is my favorite Legionnaire and so I was thrilled to see this.

Still, there was a feeling of unease when I was reading this book when it came out. It felt like DC was trying to be daring here, trying to keep this book alive.

I will sound fatalistic but I think this book was almost destined to fail. One cannot serve two masters. Trying to bring in a new generation of Legion fans with a brand new Legion while also trying to court old fans married to continuity seems like a fool's errand in retrospect.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32

I continue my look at the Supergirl and Legion of Super-Heroes title over on the Legion of Super-Bloggers. Here is a link to the complete review:
http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspot.com/2016/09/threeboot-supergirl-and-legion-of-super_23.html

The book is transitioning from Mark Waid and Barry Kitson's vision, shifting to the stewardship of writer Tony Bedard and artist Dennis Calero.

Bedard takes full control of the book and the team. He isn't going to coast. He shakes things up. This isn't your father's Legion. The continuity is looser. And writers could scrawl what he wanted onto their history. It is bold, especially given that the book seemed to be struggling to find a mixed audience of old and new readers.

Supergirl is only seen on a monitor in the background of one panel. So don't get this book for her.

But it does give a pretty thorough and fresh look at the planet Winath's culture and Mekt Ranzz's back story. You get new takes on Validus and the Lord of Lightning. And you really sympathize with Mekt who was isolated and rejected by just about everybody. No wonder he loves his team so much!

I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that Bedard decided to take the book in a direction he wanted. He helped the New 52 Supergirl find her way back into the fold.