Adventure Comics #526“First Hints” is the name of the concluding chapter of the Legion Training Academy’s turn in Adventure Comics. Having defeated the thugs last issue, Chemical Kid and company must now wipe out the gene-mods they were given in order to keep Kid’s powers unique and his father out of trouble (and possibly prison). They decide to raid the grave of deceased Legionnaire Chemical King, whose powers Kid’s are based on. Oddly, his “original mutation gene” appears to be a glowing green rock that looks like a palm-sized piece of kryptonite to me. Glorith uses magic to erase the gene-mods, despite Dragonwing remarking it would be easier to kill them. There’s also a rather amusing scene of thus-far shy and retiring Glorith lecturing the brash Dragonwing on magic and shortcuts not working.
Back on Earth, Night Girl, Duplicate Girl, and Bouncing Boy muse on the Legion’s future, at least in regards to their students, and on their pasts. The kids return, their rule breaking forgiven, and Glorith worries that the power boost she received last issue will cost Black Witch dearly. She dozes off on the floor, and one of the Duplicate Girls finds her and tucks her in. Next is “A Comet’s Tale” which with the Legion is probably Comet Queen, also of the Training Academy, but could be Comet the Super Horse. Who knows?
The back up story features the Legion’s resident speedster XS, not really seen since the Legion of Three Worlds series. Night Girl goes to XS to offer a spot at the Academy on the teaching staff, at least for a few classes, and complain a bit about her and Cosmic Boy breaking up (another long time Legion romance Levitz decided to end off screen). XS refuses because she’s apparently too busy putting together a mosaic, tile by tile, about her past and present. XS zooms off to find more stones for her work, and I do believe ends up where the Blue Flame Entity that is currently dogging the Legion so badly came bursting from the ground. She picks up a stone and gets visions of her past, as well as a glowing blue baby? When she snaps out of it, she thinks that reminded her of the Speed Force, the Time Barrier, and the “ugliest soul I could ever imagine.” Being a responsible and trained hero, she immediately warns her team about this, right? No, of course not, she goes back to her arts and crafts project “..and let the Legion worry about whatever came out of that crack that felt like it led straight down to hell.”
For the main story, I haven’t liked this arc at all. It feels too much like any other “kids with special powers sneaking around to do what’s right despite what the grown ups think” ala Harry Potter, New Mutants, etc. It just never grabbed me, and I don’t like the characters (more below).
As for the back up… what happened there? XS, a hero by family tradition, quit the Legion to go play with tile, and then dismissed a powerful warning without even sharing it with her team? This was just beyond ridiculous. I like XS, she’s been a good character in the past, and this wasn’t her.
Getting back to the Academy Kids, my take on them, for what it’s worth.
Chemical Kid- the instigator/leader of this bunch. He showed last issue he has some heroic potential, but he’s also insufferably smug. At present, I want to see him get knocked down a few pegs. Not badly hurt or fail, causing harm to others, but maybe hit hard enough to knock those stupid green shades off. He got his powers as part of his dad’s science project? Odd origin…
Dragonwing- I think about everything I need to say I mentioned above. She advocated killing defeated foes. And she’s studying at the Academy for the Legion of Super HEROES? I think she’s studying for the wrong team. She’s annoying, impatient, and seems to respect no one.
Gravity Kid- A.K.A. “Goes Along With It Boy,” he seems to raise token objections to things he knows are bad ideas, then gives in. He really needs more of a spine if he’s going to make it as a hero. Polar Boy has more self-confidence than this guy.
Glorith- fills the “shy and foreign” slot in the group. So far, she lets herself get talked into going along with the others and spends a lot of time being homesick or commenting how different everything is from home. I will give her points for standing up to Dragonwing about her beliefs and knowledge of magic. Of course, in most versions of Legion history, Glorith is a vastly powerful and deadly foe of the group. I wonder what will spin out here?
Overall, I didn’t really care for the Academy story, and found the back up hugely out of character. I’d much rather have seen more of Power Boy and the other, older students, who are all missing from this issue.
A COMIC BOOK BLOG RATINGProsConsnice to see more of Night Girl and the teachersDragonwing’s homicidal urges, the genes being glowing green rocks? Rating60% You might also like...
Adventure Comics #523 Review
Adventure Comics #525 Review
Adventure Comics #524 Review
The Legion Of Super-Heroes #6 ReviewBy BlogsdnaTagged with: Adventure Comics Paul LevitzLeave a ReplyClick here to cancel replyYour name (Required)
Your e-mail (Your email won't be published) (Required)
Your website
-->The Author
This post was added on 5 May 2011, 12:19 by Wayland who has contributed 296 posts to this blog.
InformationPosted in DC ComicsThis post has no comments yet. Write your own comment.41 views on this postSubscriptionSubscribe by RSS feed or by e-mail address to receive latest news and updates.
Subscribe by RSS feed
Hot topicsRecent TopicsMost ViewedMost DiscussedSecret Six #33 ReviewFreedom Fighters #9 ReviewDeadpool Annual #1 ReviewMoon Knight #1 ReviewUncanny X-Force #9 ReviewIrredeemable #25 ReviewAvengers Academy Giant-Size #1 ReviewAvengers Academy #13 ReviewFear Itself: Spider-Man #1 ReviewBlake Lively Cast As Carol Ferris In Green Lantern viewed 62,514 timesTop 10 Best Superhero Movies Ever viewed 53,611 timesGreen Lantern Movie News: 5 Candidates For Carol Ferris viewed 38,900 timesTop 10 Hottest Marvel Heroines viewed 18,481 timesWonder Woman Movie: Brent Strickland Interview viewed 14,938 timesTop 10 Comic Book Girls I’ve Crushed On viewed 14,534 timesTop 10 Worst Marvel Superhero and Villain Costumes viewed 12,636 timesStar Sapphire Corps: Corps Profile viewed 11,514 times10 Non-Obvious Batman 3 Villains viewed 11,002 timesTop 10 Lamest DC Comics Villains viewed 10,731 timesGenecy #1 Review discussed 49 timesTop 10 Best Superhero Movies Ever discussed 36 times10 Non-Obvious Batman 3 Villains discussed 24 timesWhy There Can Never Be a Successful Batman and Robin Movie discussed 21 timesTop 10 Worst Marvel Superhero and Villain Costumes discussed 14 timesUncanny X-Force #5 Review discussed 14 timesTop 10 Lamest DC Comics Villains discussed 13 timesTop 10 Hottest Marvel Heroines discussed 12 timesRundown On Blackest Night Ring Promo discussed 12 times10 Needs For Smallville Season 10 discussed 12 timesAll Our Fear Itself Coverage
Fantasy Battle Tournament
See All Our Favorites From 2010!
Follow us on Twitter
All Our Comic Book Reviews
All Our Top 10s Lists
A COMIC BOOK BLOG wants to know…Are you sold on digital comics yet? Yes NoView ResultsMost Recent CommentsGeoff Arbuckle on Fear Itself #2 ReviewJohnny Hall on Fear Itself #2 ReviewSamantha Collins on 2011: The Year Of Heroes On VideoChristopher on Deadpool Annual #1 ReviewGeoff Arbuckle on Fear Itself #2 ReviewPopular TagsAvengersBatmanBlackest NightBrian Michael BendisCover of the WeekDeadpoolGail SimoneGeoff JohnsGreen LanternIron ManMarvelMatt FractionPreviewsreviewReviewsSiegeSmallvilleSupermanThorTVWolverineX-MenArchivesMay 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010Copyright © 2011 A COMIC BOOK BLOG. All rights reserved.
Powered by WordPress. Developed by Deluxe Themes
0 comments:
Post a Comment