Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #79 (1996)
written by Top Peyer & Tom McCraw
pencils by Jeff Moy
cover by Alan Davis
I’m a sucker for covers where characters interact with the logo; I’m surprised Persuader doesn’t do this more often.
I’ve already mentioned that most issues have the Legion roll call in the first or second page, but there’s a neat detail I forgot to highlight: Shrinking Violet needing a magnifying glass.
That’s just cute.
And speaking of Violet: she’s the first one to attack the Fatal Five, with the old “shrink into the enemy’s ear canal”… but unfortunately she chooses Tharok’s robot ear instead of the human one.
The other Legionnaires don’t have much more luck.
Cosmic Boy reminds the Fatal Five that they’re supposed to help the Legion fight the Sun-Eater, but there’s a twist…
…there is no Sun-Eater!
Well, there isn’t a Sun-Eater RIGHT NOW, and in fact the real deal will show up later in this era.
Which makes me wonder: was the idea that the Fatal Five were created to fight the Sun-Eater also a lie? It’s a bit of a stretch, but I think it’s entirely possible that it WAS a lie.
It would certainly make a lot more sense: Mano’s origin isn’t consistent with it, plus Empress being good at hand-to-hand fighting is a complete mismatch for the mission.
Unless the Sun-Eater has organs.
Not now, Gates!!!
The Legion still needs to improve their teamwork, considering how Star Boy manages to hurt Leviathan more than Validus.
On top of that, he also has to deal with his fluctuating powers.
Since the fight is taking place on Takron-Galtos, Violet takes the opportunity to visit a friend.
That’s not out of courtesy: the Legion really needs any advantage against the Fatal Five.
I love Reboot Brainiac 5 to no end.
Also, the belt being very difficult to operate is a good explanation for why he doesn’t give it to ALL Legionnaires. It doesn’t originate here, it was in place at least from early Volume 3.
Neat detail about Takron-Galtos that I don’t recall ever being used again: individual parts of the prison can be detached and shot into space. That’s pretty clever.
Brainiac 5 and Gates bonding through criticizing the rest of the team is perfectly in-character for both.
Brainiac 5’s greatest weakness is definitely his smugness.
Which makes sense when your superpower is “being the smartest person in the room anywhere in the universe”.
Considering the Atomic Axe doesn’t chop his head off, I’m assuming force field was able to partially deflect it. It would make absolutely no sense for Persuader to pull his punches here.
Why would this be a problem for Violet, when she can shrink between atoms? She’s been shown to be able to shrink VERY fast, I find it hard to believe Empress is that fast.
Meanwhile Validus is busy destroying the power core of this section.
Am I the only one thinking he looks like he just came out of a Giffen panel?
I understand that in-universe Gates can be annoying, but I’m finding Leviathan’s unwarranted hostility to be distracting.
Especially since this is Gates’s time to shine, showing off how cool he can be under pressure.
You’re really getting on my nerves, Leviathan.
Have you actually DONE ANYTHING in this era to justify this level of self-importance? At least when Brainiac 5 does it he can usually back it up!
With the damaged power core thrown into space, the day is saved by Validus’s butt.
Except for, well, you know.
That’s what I love about you, Gates. Your boundless optimism.
Legion significance: 6/10
Part of the ongoing storyline, but not a particularly important part of it.
Silver Age-ness: 2/10
Persuader not killing anyone despite having ample opportunities for it. There is the excuse that he wants to leave the pleasure to Empress, who ALSO doesn’t kill anyone despite having multiple chances.
Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
This is the “fight fight fight” issue, as very little else happens. I do appreciate the little personality touches, but compared to the rest of the storyline, it feels like it’s stalling for time.
Not particularly noticeable if you’re reading the whole storyline, but distracting when you’re reading just this one… it feels like one of those storylines explicitly written for the trade.
Despite these issues having never been reprinted in a trade… what’s up with that, DC Comics!?
Who did it better?
The Fatal Five turning on the Legion was way more satisfying in the original, where they did it right after the defeat of the Sun-Eater.
While the Sun-Eater fakeout is handled very well in the rest of the storyline, here it comes out of nowhere and it’s not even mentioned during the fight sequences (which make up most of the issue).
We are legion
- 12 active Legionnaires (3 volunteers, 9 drafted)
- 2 expelled members (Live Wire, Brainiac 5)
- 1 resigned member (Andromeda)
- 1 honorary member (Superboy)
- 2 deceased members (Kid Quantum, Apparition)
- 18 people have been members
- 2 Legion leaders (Leviathan, Cosmic Boy)
- 2 members have been rejected
Interesting letters: Jeremy has a very valid criticism of LSH #73.
I don’t find the answer particularly convincing. Yes the Legion isn’t as big in-universe as it was in the previous incarnation… yet… but I think Live Wire SHOULD be at least popular enough to come up when people are investigating his brother.
