
Mild Mannered Reviews - Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century

Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 15, 2007Cover date: October 2007
Writer: J. Torres
Penciller: Alex Serra
Inker: Alex Serra
Cover Art: Steve Uy
"Lightning Strikes"
Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel
Superman is performing well in the Legion training program. Too well. His amazing skills and super powered prowess is pushing Garth's patience and jealousy to the limit.
Clark proceeds to break every record set in the Legion but unknown to him they are all by Garth.
Clark tells the Legion that he learnt a lot earning his merit badges as a Boy Scout - he can even sew! Garth hides his irritation well until Saturn Girl gushes wide eyed at Clark and then the competition really begins...
At Garths insistence Clark has to race Horstriches (yes a cross between a horse and ostrich) naturally beginner Clark is the winner while Garth scowls away.
The next test is darts.
Garth hits the bulls eye and again Clark out does him also hitting the bulls eye but splintering the dart Garth threw! But by now of course the entire Legion is aware Garth is jealous of Clark but they go along with card games, eating contests and even cooking contests.
The final contest is rock, paper, scissors.
The final straw...
Garth is shocked and cries out that even though Clark has beaten him at every game he could never take away his... trailing off he notices the object of his affection and races away.
All alone in the city, Garth feels a little remorseful, being jealous of his friend. He doesn't stand a chance with his mind occupied and through trickery he's ensnared by the Emerald Empress! The evil empress uses her magic to mind control Garth and asks him to give her the solution to the Legion's destruction.
Superman.
Emerald Empress gloats that if Lightning Lad takes down the most powerful member the rest will surely fall but it would only work if Garth did it.
A distress signal alerts the Legion and Superman races to rescue his friend but what he finds is a cruel ambush. They battle each other and with each onslaught Garth gets deadlier.
The fight continues until Clark's life begins to ebb away.
He refuses to fight his friend much to Empress' joy.
But her good mood doesn't last long as the rest of the Legion arrive to help.
Making a quick getaway enables the team to tend to their weakened team mates.
Only Saturn Girl's tenderness awakens Garth from his enraged brainwashing and she comforts him as he realizes what he did.
Later Garth approaches Clark and apologises for letting his competitiveness get the better of him. Clark shrugs it off; he knew his friend wasn't himself, even he had been under the "spell" of a few pretty girls back in Kansas.
Garth admits that Empress had him well and truly under her power to which Clark laughs that Empress wasn't the girl he was talking about... perhaps someone closer to home?
Story - 5: OK for followers of the show we've been waiting for a real throw down between Garth and Clark thankfully we get just that this issue and it's handled really well. It also hints heavily at what the future holds for Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl and to make this that much more than a 'kiddie book' throwing in character development and stories that make an impact is a good way to start.
Art - 4: When this title does good art, you certainly know about it.
Some of the inking is a little 'scribbly' when characters are in motion or in a directional spotlight but overall I think this title has some really good artists working on it.
Cover Art - 5: One word describes it: AWESOME!
Mild Mannered Reviews
2007
Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2007
- Action Comics #845
- Superman #658
- Superman/Batman #31
- Superman Confidential #1
- Supergirl #12
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24
- 52: Week 26
- 52: Week 27
- 52: Week 28
- 52: Week 29
- 52: Week 30
- Justice League of America #4
- JLA Classified #29
- Justice League Unlimited #27
- Krypto The Superdog #3
- Action Comics #846
- Superman #659
- Superman/Batman #32
- Superman Confidential #2
- Supergirl #13
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #25
- 52: Week 31
- 52: Week 32
- 52: Week 33
- 52: Week 34
- Justice League of America #5
- JLA Classified #30
- Infinite Holiday Special #1
- Justice #9
- Justice Society of America #1
- Justice League Unlimited #28
- Krypto The Superdog #4
- Superman #660
- Superman/Batman #33
- Superman Confidential #3
- All Star Superman #6
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26
- 52: Week 35
- 52: Week 36
- 52: Week 37
- 52: Week 38
- 52: Week 39
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #1
- JLA Classified #31
- JLA Classified #32
- JLA Classified #33
- Justice Society of America #2
- Justice League Unlimited #29
- Krypto The Superdog #5
- Action Comics #847
- Superman #661
- Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman Confidential #4
- Supergirl #14
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27
- 52: Week 40
- 52: Week 41
- 52: Week 42
- 52: Week 43
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #2
- Justice League of America #6
- JLA Classified #34
- JLA Classified #35
- Justice #10
- Justice Society of America #3
- Justice League Unlimited #30
- Krypto The Superdog #6
- Action Comics #848
- Superman #662
- Superman/Batman #34
- Supergirl #15
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28
- 52: Week 44
- 52: Week 45
- 52: Week 46
- 52: Week 47
- Justice League of America #7
- JLA Classified #36
- Justice Society of America #4
- Justice League Unlimited #31
- Superman Confidential #5
- All Star Superman #7
- Supergirl #16
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29
- 52: Week 48
- 52: Week 49
- 52: Week 50
- 52: Week 51
- World War III - Book One: A Call to Arms
- World War III - Book Two: The Valiant
- World War III - Book Three: Hell is for Heroes
- World War III - Book Four: United We Stand
- Justice League of America #8
- JLA Classified #37
- Justice #11
- Justice Society of America #5
- Justice League Unlimited #32
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #1
- Action Comics #849
- Action Comics #850
- Superman #663
- Superman/Batman #35
- Supergirl #17
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30
- 52: Week 52
- Countdown 51
- Countdown 50
- Countdown 49
- Countdown 48
- Justice League of America #9
- JLA Classified #38
- Justice Society of America #6
- Justice League Unlimited #33
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #2
- Action Comics #851
- Superman #664
- Superman/Batman #36
- Superman/Batman #37
- All Star Superman #8
- Supergirl #18
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31
- Countdown 47
- Countdown 46
- Countdown 45
- Countdown 44
- Justice League of America #10
- JLA Classified #39
- Justice #12
- Justice League Unlimited #34
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3
- Action Comics #852
- Superman #665
- Superman/Batman #38
- Supergirl #19
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32
- Countdown 43
- Countdown 42
- Countdown 41
- Countdown 40
- Justice League of America #11
- JLA Classified #40
- Justice Society of America #7
- Justice League Unlimited #35
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #4
- Action Comics #853
- Action Comics #854
- Action Comics #855
- Superman #666
- Superman/Batman #39
- Supergirl #20
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33
- Countdown 39
- Countdown 38
- Countdown 37
- Countdown 36
- Countdown 35
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #1
- Justice League of America #12
- JLA Classified #41
- Justice Society of America #8
- Justice League Unlimited #36
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
- Action Comics #856
- Superman #667
- Superman/Batman #40
- Superman Confidential #6
- Supergirl #21
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #34
- Countdown 34
- Countdown 33
- Countdown 32
- Countdown 31
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2
- JLA Wedding Special #1
- Justice League of America #13
- JLA Classified #42
- JLA Classified #43
- JLA/Hitman #1
- Infinity Inc. #1
- Justice Society of America #9
- Justice League Unlimited #37
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #6
- Action Comics #857
- Action Comics #858
- Superman #668
- Superman #669
- Superman/Batman #41
- Superman Confidential #7
- Superman Confidential #8
- All Star Superman #9
- Supergirl #22
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35
- Teen Titans #52
- Countdown 30
- Countdown 29
- Countdown 28
- Countdown 27
- Countdown 26
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #3
- Justice League of America #14
- JLA Classified #44
- JLA Classified #45
- JLA/Hitman #2
- Infinity Inc. #2
- Justice Society of America #10
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Cyborg Superman #1
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Superman Prime #1
- Infinite Halloween Special #1
- Justice League Unlimited #38
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #7
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.