Review: Legion Of Super-Heroes #2 Sets The Legionnaires On Their First Mission
by Tony Thornley
The Legion of Super-Heroes have a long history of juggling multiple threats that endanger the entire universe. With this newest reboot of the team, does that hold true? And what threats could they possibly face?
Brian Michael Bendis, Ryan Sook, Wade Von Grawbadger, Jordie Bellaire, and Dave Sharpe send the Legion into United Planets on their first mission in Legion of Super-Heroes #2.
On New Earth, the Legion forces back the Horraz, the brutal gang seeking Aquaman’s Trident, thanks to Jon Kent and a bit of luck. The Legion decide to dig deeper, splitting into squads to follow the leads they have. They need to hurry though, as the United Planets is already growing frustrated with the fledgling heroes!
After an introductory issue meant to ease readers into the Legion and an issue-opening fight scene to show off the characters in action, Bendis shows how well he understands the Legion. The back half of this issue is equal parts politics, youthful adventure, and the beginnings of a classic multi-pronged Legion mission.
He also infuses the characters with a lot of personality, even if there’s so many characters that they don’t all get a spotlight. The ones who do though are clearly on their way to being fan favorites thanks to their depiction. It does get a little wordy at times, but overall it’s a very fun story that feels like a classic Legion throwback in the right ways.
Sook and Von Grawbadger do a great job on the art. Where the script doesn’t have to give every Legionnaire dialogue, they make a point to include as many as possible. It would be nearly impossible for many artists to juggle this large of a cast in such a vibrant and unique backdrop as New Earth, but they are able to do it.
It makes for an incredibly chaotic but detailed issue, and they pull it off successfully. Bellaire uses bright colors and vibrant light to bring the line art to life, making it feel cinematic and full of motion. The only downside is that some of the new designs are such a departure that it’s hard to tell who’s who in the big action or crowd scenes.
Even in the wake of the reboot, this is already shaping up to be a classic Legion story. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Legion of Super-Heroes #2 is available now from DC Comics.
