Superman & the Legion of Super Heroes

Wow…been a while since I updated this!  A couple weeks ago saw the release of Action Comics #861, which is part 4 of Geoff Johns’ re-introduction of the Legion of Super-Heroes into the Superman Mythos.  As with many of his recent projects, this has been a wonder to watch unfold.  He has taken our Legionnaires to a darker future, but one where they still represent hope.  Superman has been brought from the past by Brainiac 5 to help them, but so far (as with many of Brainy’s schemes) it has not gone according to plan.

Here are the particulars of this storyarc:

1. Xenophobia runs rampant on Earth
2. Earth’s sun has turned red (as have 75% of the rest of the stars in the UP, we’ve learned)
3. A gaggle of Legion rejects present themselves as the pro-human “Justice League”
4. The JL pushes an agenda which states that Superman was human, not alien
5. Several Legionnaires are working underground to help get aliens off the planet
6. Many Legionnaires are captured or missing
7. The United Planets is about to declare war on Earth

The villains of this arc so far have been the “Justice League,” which consists of several Legion rejects and a couple former members of the Legion of Super-Villains.

• Earth Man – previously known as Absorbancy Boy – he’s the leader of this group
• Spider Girl – cold, calculating and vicious
• Radiation Roy – a victim of his own powers
• Golden Boy – Midas in the form of a spoiled brat
• Tusker – finally feels useful
• Storm Boy – driven to self-mutilation by his rejection
• Eyeful Ethyl – racist schoolmarm with eyes literally in the back of her head

They are an intersting group cobbled together from the Legion’s past.  Most of them were Rejects, but they all have one thing in common – they are from Earth, and are more than happy to push the anti-alien propaganda stating that Superman was born on Earth.  After being told they weren’t Legion material, or fighing against the Legion it is now their time: they are the top dogs on Earth.  They are the beloved heroes, and they are milking it for all that it’s worth, giving us another age old example that “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

When this story began we saw that opposing the “Justice League” were the Legion’s own members with Terran origins: Colossal Boy, Wildfire and Dawnstar (Starhaven being described as an Earth Colony).  We find that things have not been going well for them, but learn quickly that they have no idea how bad things actually are.  This isn’t just about Superman’s legacy; the actions of Earth have really rubbed the rest of the galaxy the wrong way, and they are about to declare war on that unsuspecting world.

This leads me to only one logical conclusion: there is a grand architect of these events.  The Justice League, for all of their potential, seem to be nothing more than pawns to me at the moment.  Someone is pulling these strings, tho the puppeteer will probably find that the Justice League; Earth Man, in particular, may come to resent the thought that they are pawns and may strike back at their masters.  With the Legion’s long history of villains, several possiblities come to mind as to who may be behind this: Universo, Pulsar Stargrave, and Mordru are some of the biggest guns who may be working behind the scenes.  Something about this whole thing screams to me that Pulsar Stargrave is behind this…either that or he’s working with others.  One person whom I feel he may be working with is Dr. Regulus, but more on the speculation in a bit.

As for our heroes: some are on the run; some are missing; and many are captured.  Let’s do a good, old-fashioned Legion Roll Call:

On the Run:

• Superman
• Dawnstar
• Colossal Boy
• Wildfire
• Polar Boy
• Brainiac 5

Captured:

• Saturn Girl
• Cosmic Boy
• Lightning Lad
• Shadow Lass
• Night Girl (yes!  She’s a member!)
• Lightning Lass
• Timber Wolf
• Invisible Kid II
• Phantom Girl
• Ultra Boy
• Shrinking Violet
• Blok
• Chameleon Girl (Yes!  Yera’s working undercover for Brainy, much to Gim’s chagrin)
• Sun Boy (This one is important – more on him in a bit)

All of these Legionnaires are being used essentially as power batteries for Earth Man, who, like the Composite Superman, has all of the powers of the Legion.  The difference is that earth Man must occassionally draw upon those powers in order to sustain his abilities.  This obviously will not end well for Earth Man, but don’t we all love a nice case of the comeupance?

Missing:

• White Witch (prisoner of Mordru to keep him out of this…but will he really?)
• Quislet
• Tellus
• Bouncing Boy
• Karate Kid (lost in time)
• Starman (lost in time)
• Una (one of Triplicate Girl’s bodies, but I have a feeling that she’s the only one left – lost in time)
• Chameleon Boy
• Element Lad
• Sensor Girl
• Dream Girl
• Tyroc (Make it happen, Geoff!!!)
• Mon-El (rumored to be imprisoned in the Phantom Zone)

So, as we see – there are substantial forces left out there to help out the Legionnaires on the run.  I’m hoping that we see some of them (I won’t ask for all…yet) before this is said and done.  Also – there are these guys out there getting ready to take on the Justice League:

 

Stone Boy, Fire Lad, Chlorophyll Kid, Rainbow Girl…that’s right – the SUBS are joining the battle!  Night Girl told us that they were planning a little retribution for one of their fallen comrades (Porcupine Pete, if I recall correctly), and as we’ve seen so many times in the past: Do not underestimate the Subs!

Now…I want to get back to some of that speculation, specifically concerning Dr. Regulus.  The reason that I am convinced that he is involved is because of the plight of Sun Boy.  Of all of the captured Legionnaires, he is the only one not in Earth Man’s battery chamber: he is being used to alter the wavelength of Earth’s sun, changing it to a Red sun which  takes away all of Superman’s abilities.  They are desperate to put forth the lie that Superman is a native human as truth, and with the Red Sun his powerless reappearance was dismissed as simply another Legion lie. 

That said – now that those in the know are aware that Superman is back we’ve discovered that 75% of the suns in the UP have suddenly gone Red, renderring Superman powerless on many worlds.  I do not think that they can tap Sun Boy’s abilities to do all of that, which to me brings Dr. Regulus into the equation.  I could see Dr. Regulus being responsible for the technology which turned Sun Boy into a star-altering weapon, and perhaps he has found ways to duplicate that; possibly using the likes of Sun Emperor, or Beauty Blaze or even by duplicating the experiments which gave Sun Boy and himself their powers.

This is much bigger than Earth Man and the Justice League, so my official prediction for the villains behind this are Pulsar Stargrave, Universo and Dr. Regulus.  Truly a formidable collection of Legion foes who have, to the best of my knowledge, never worked together before.  That’s just a guess on my part tho.

 Now, before ending this I would be remiss if I did not mention the absolutely stunning artwork that Gary Frank has been turning in for this storyline.  I know that his art may not be for some (why, I don’t know), and this is up there with some of the best work he did on Supergirl and Supreme Power.  Clean artwork, good facial expressions and a truly grand, cosmic sense to this story.  Geoff Johns is bringing life back to my favorite era of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and it has left me wanting for more.  I cannot wait to hear what may be next for the Legion this year with the rumors of “Legion of Three Worlds” hinted at on Rip Hunter’s chalkboard.  Good times ahead – Long Live the Legion!