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

Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5

Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5

Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 15, 2007

Cover date: October 2007

Writer: J. Torres
Penciller: Alex Serra
Inker: Alex Serra
Cover Art: Steve Uy

"Lightning Strikes"

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge


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?

5Story - 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.

4Art - 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.

5Cover 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

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