At the conclusion of last month’s issue, the Legion was planning on sending two teams to investigate why Ultra Boy’s father and Mordru the Merciless both desired Aquaman’s trident, while Superboy was eagerly anticipating bringing Damian Wayne aka Robin to the 31st century. Let’s now pick up the action in…
Legion of Super-Heroes #3
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Pencillers: Ryan Sook and Travis Moore, Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger and Travis Moore, Colors: Jordie Bellaire
DC Comics, January 2020
Plot
The story begins with Superboy transporting Robin to to 31st-century Metropolis in the misguided hope that the Boy Wonder can help with the Legion’s investigation into all of the intrigue involving Aquaman’s trident. A contingent of Legionnaires – Cosmic Boy, Colossal Boy, Shadow Lass, and Mon El – arrive on the planet Rimbor and attempt to find out why Crav Nah, the powerful leader of the planet and also Ultra Boy’s father, desires the trident. The meeting quickly turns into a violent confrontation and Mon El subdues Crav. In the meantime, another Legion contingent – Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, and Triplicate Girl – travels to Planet Gotham, where Mordru is being held prisoner, to try to ascertain why the wizard wants the trident, but without success. They are summoned back to Legion headquarters where Crav has been transported. The angry Rimborian warlord had freed himself from his bonds and was making short work of the entire Legion until Superboy KOs him. The Legion deems that Robin must be returned to the 21st century immediately and that the very confused and disgruntled Superboy MUST sit through the orientation the Legion had originally prepared for him back in LSH #1. The story ends with Crav in a Legion holding cell and disturbing news that Aquaman’s trident has been stolen from one of the team’s secure vaults.
Commentary
Bendis is doing a nice job with this story line although it was a little disappointing to see Superboy go to all the trouble of transporting Robin to the future for zero effect. It’s interesting from my Silver Age perspective to see these old characters actually act human, like frazzled Cosmic Boy’s lack of confidence as the Legion’s leader and Superboy’s frustration with being out-of-the-loop. I’m looking forward to seeing how Bendis is going to resolve the Legion’s first “intergalactic incident” involving the arrest of Crav. U.P. Madame President Brande is already quite annoyed with the Legion and this is only going to increase tensions. I’m also looking forward to a formal introduction to the new Legion via Superboy’s orientation. As an answer to a question I had last month, it appears Planet Gotham is one of the planet pods of the artificial New Earth.
Postscript: In a conversation with a group of other Legionnaires, Chameleon Boy intimates that Damian Wayne/Robin could possibly grow up to be a very dastardly, Hitler-like character. That’s entirely predictable seeing he’s the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul.
Wow a review that I missed on Sunday! ANd a comic book review! Will read it after I’m done homeschooling my girls!
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👋🏻 I’m having fun with the new LSH series so far. No “sad astronaut” navel gazing drama to speak of.
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Awesome to hear that!
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I usually have a harder time with team comic books hence I’m more into Batman and the Shadow. But this sounds like something you did enjoyed more than some of the other issues. Thanks for your review!
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Thanks! Yeah, it’s fun for me to follow these characters 50 years after the fact with much better artwork and plot lines.
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You’re welcome! I’ll be honest silver ace comics is not always easy
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Yeah, the demographic for DC Silver Age comics was probably 10-15 YOs. The plotlines were so simple.
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I wonder what’s the average age of comics today
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An article I saw said 70% of comic readers are between the ages of 25 and 44. What? Only 2% are 55+.
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Wow! Much older than I thought
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I need to read some comic book as a break sometime
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I always appreciate your comic reviews!
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Thanks!
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Always grateful for your comics review
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Thanks!
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You’re welcome!
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I just heard today they are going to do another Batman movie!
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There’s a huge audience for Batman movies. I heard a few things about “The Joker” from our sons, but I think that would be too disturbing for me to watch.
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I can’t watch Joker…too much for me too
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Yeah, that’s like having your face rubbed in pure evil.
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Yeah
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