Sunday, July 26, 2009

The Legion of Superheroes Archives, Volume 7 by Neal Adams, Pete Costanza, George Klein, Sheldon Moldoff, Jim Mooney, Jim Shooter, Curt Swan, etc.

More stories from the Legion of Superheroes of the 1960's. Approaching their 10th Anniversary, they were becoming one of the most-beloved superhero teams of the DC Universe.

"The Outlawed Legionnaires" has the Legion returning home from a mission to find that they have been outlawed. Even their parents support that if they use their innate powers, they'll be declared criminals! And they find out that their parents are spying on them as well, turning them into the police and monitoring their communications. But who could be behind such a horrible plot, and why is he or she doing it?

In "The Unkillables", after the war with the Dominators, the Legion must escort a Dominator diplomatic party through the 10th Dimension. But there are people on both sides of the war who oppose the truce. Can the Legion keep the diplomats safe from the Unkillables?

"The Lone Wolf Legionnaire Reporter" has the Legion calling Jimmy Olsen from the past to help them with their Legion Bulletin. They only have three days before the issue is due at the printer. But can Jimmy find exciting news stories for the Legion in that time?

"The Chemoids are Coming" introduces Dr. Mantis Morlo and his creations, the Chemoids. When the Legion stops his flying fortress from polluting the atmosphere of the Earth, he vows revenge. But after being diverted to three plots on three different planets, can the Legion stop Morlo from destroying the Earth?

"Revolt of the Super-Pets" has the pets being left behind to guard the Clubhouse, a mission they resent. When a man named Rikkor Rost of Thanl offers the League of Super-pets a place to live on his own planet, where they will be loved and admired and act as the protectors of Thanl. But while Earth is being savaged by metal-stealing raiders, can the Legion... and the Super-Pets combine to take them down?

"The Escape of the Fatal Five" has the Legion being captured and imprisoned to provide their powers use to bring back the Fatal Five from an alternate dimension. Can they overcome the Fatal Five with the help of Shadow Lass, a heroine from Talok V?

"No Escape From the Circle of Death" has the Legion rebuilding their clubhouse, which was nearly destroyed in the last story. But as they build larger and better, gifts arrive for the Legion from all over the universe. But when the Earth is attacked while they are still rebuilding, can the Legion fight off the seemingly endless waves of the invaders that have landed all over the Earth?

I liked this volume. The Fatal Five return, we are introduced to the Dominators and the Controllers as friends rather than enemies, and there are several really long stories, showing the Legion's continual climb to ongoing stories that merge into each other almost seamlessly, as they did when I was reading the Legion.

And these stories are stil exciting today, filled with wonderful battles, and great examples of Superpowers and super-powered peril. Reading these stories really took me back, and I can see why eventually the Legion kicked Superboy/Superman out of his own comic. These stories and this group is something special, and I was upset that the continual rebooting and redoing of the story is what killed the Legion.

These stories are the basis of the Legion canon, and show why the group lasted so long. The History that they set up is fantastic, and reading these books shows why this superhero group lasted so long. An excellent example of why comics are so incredibly awesome. Highly recommended.

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