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1. the art sucks.

2. if they were here to bring Wally back, couldn't they have just *told* them that's what they were here for and dispensed with all the gimpery?

3. Brad Meltzer should never be allowed near comics ever again, except maybe as a mission to go on EBay and check out stuff that's actually good.

Probably the best quote I've seen online applicable to Ed Benes's artwork:

"Here, to illustrate my point about this man being a good artist, is a picture of a girl's ass. Because, as a male on the Internet, the ability to recreate the Sistine Chapel from a fingerpaint set is a distant second to the ability of a hack artist to draw a girl's ass. Thank you. God bless."

"tle villain is the lero of lis own story"

(they apparently don't know how to do the lowercase h in Interlac which looks similar to the l, but is different)

I'm not sure that you don't know who the characters are in the final part of a 5 part story is, is a valid complaint. They introduced the Legion in all of the previous issues, as well as the resurrection story...You have to bring a little to the reading,,they can't recap everything.

That doesn't excuse the comic from making no sense and being boring.

Heh: "Brainiac 5 with a face in his rod". Nice to know that at least SOMEBODY is getting some.

Ahhhh, THERE'S the happy ending!

I've had virtual blue balls for almost 24 hours. See if I ever ask for a "Burgas special" again.

"They should be fighting BIG-TIME FUCKING BAD GUYS!"

From some of what Meltzer has been writing lately, they just want to do some BIG-TIME FUCKING. No bad guys, no fighting, just Sleez making Big Barda and Superman go at it - woops, sorry, different comic.

But seriously: Hawkgirl and Red Arrow? HawkMAN and Powergirl? Wonder Woman and Mister America? Liberty Belle and Hourman? Jeckie and everybody's head? Meltzer and our anuses?

Harsh, but fair. Good review.

I think it's "the villain is the hero IN his own story," rather than of. Sorry to nitpick.

Maybe the reason that they never had a funeral for Wally was that he DIDN'T ACTUALLY DIE!!! He was just "lost in the Speed Force", or living in an alternate reality, or some such nonsense - right? So, why all this (pardon my yiddish) narishkeit about bringing him back to life? And wouldn't you need a body for that ANYWAYS?

BTW, it's Timber Wolf, not Tasmanian Devil. A minor point which makes no difference whatsoever, at least in terms of the sheer inanity of this entire storyline, but still...

Hmmm...what could Meltzer be implying by stating that "The Villain is the Lero of Lis Own Story"? Other than the fact that he can't spell for shit or has so much contempt for his audience that he doesn't fucking care? Even if it were spelled correctly, would the title make ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER???!

Fuck you too, Meltzer.

Actually, it's "the villian is tLe Lero of Lis own story." An interlac "H" has a straight left edge, not a cut-out one.

It's always n ice to know that I'm not missing out on anything worthwhile by avoiding the books Marvel and DC really want us to buy.

I guess the book isn't written for whiny fanboys too lazy to bone up on DC history....

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They’re bringing someone back, and the last time they did it, somebody named Proty was sacrificed somehow. Wow, I’m glad it’s all clear now!

Of course, if the reviewer had only read an earlier chapter of the crossover...but no, that's too much to expect. When I get my movie reviews, they should only review the last reel, right?

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He says something Asian, but his whole look makes me think of Margaret Cho talking about David Carradine in Kung Fu: “That’s guy’s not Chinese.” Is he meant to be Asian, or just some gaijin who knows martial arts?

Gee, a guy from the 31st century who studied (ancient) martial combat knows an Asian language...what is wrong with this reviewer?

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Old Flash tells Wally that they “didn’t even have a funeral this time.” Nice to see death means nothing in the DCU.

Snarky, they told Wally they knew he wasn't dead and gone.

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And it’s not like Meltzer tells us that the League expects it to be Barry, either. “Barry Allen” is never mentioned in the issue.

Meltzer told me that two leaguers expected it to be Barry.

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If you’re going to use the Big Guns, you must have them fight someone.

Yeah...ok. I guess the reviewer must hate every Christmas story ever written....Or the Titans wedding issue...

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When Wally returns, the only reason we feel any emotion is because we once read the series that starred Wally and we felt bad about what happened to him. I have no f*&^ing clue what happened to Wally, and Meltzer doesn’t try to explain it or give me a reason why I should care that he’s back.

Too bad the reviewer has no empathy from the characters who are full of emotion when Wally returns. We don't know what happened to Wally, either, but that is not the story. Oh, and the vulgarity? Not exactly smacking of professionalism.

I haven't seen a review this bad since the People magazines review of Mars Attacks!

Well, I picked up the entire crossover and while it was disappointing in some regards, there were parts I liked. I was confused because in a previous issue they seemed to be setting up for big villains coming - as I recall, Per Degaton, the Ultra-Humanite, and someone else I can't recall off the top of my head were meeting together for some reason and it seemed like they would be the villains.

As for why they would want to stop them, the resurrection process requires one of the group to give up their own life in order for the other person to come back, as was explained in a previous issue in the crossover. In Legion continuity, the animal Proty gave up its life so Lightning Lad could come back. The JLA and JSA are trying to stop them because they don't want one of them to sacrifice themselves. I'm sadly inclined to go with Batman on this one - if someone was trying to kill themself, even for a noble reason, wouldn't you try to stop them?

That said, this was disappointing. Ah, well, I'm looking forward to JSA's next storyline away from the JLA.

Well played.

This issue was incredible in its ability to be completely fucking awful.

Brad Meltzer is so bad, he makes me nostalgic for the days when Chuck Austen use to write comic books.

Snarky, they told Wally they knew he wasn’t dead and gone.

Isn't Wally a little pissed they didn't try and find him then?

Tell you a good way to piss off a Legion fan...Call Timber Wolf a "Wolverine knockoff" when it's the other way around.

Well, Wildcat's kid is certainly a Rahne knockoff.

"I guess the book isn’t written for whiny fanboys too lazy to bone up on DC history…."

Exactly. It was written for whiny fanboys that are obsessed with DC history and that is a HUGE part of the problem.

Ah, but Greg, you forgot the not-very-cleverly-telegraphed-cliche twist at the end.

(And no, I didn't buy this book - borrowed it from a friend. Never talking to that person. Ever. Again.)

Go ahead, Burgas, TELL us what you really think!

Don't hold back, let it ALL out!

P.S. Haven't read any of this relaunch series, except for the 1st issue which was sales gimmick to raise money for a charity or something.

PPS. I still miss Morrison's JLA and Giffen's JLI, those were the good ol' days.

Benes did better work on Birds of Prey. Here he seems to be channeling Turner.
And this whole thing could have been avoided with a 5 minute chat with the Legionaires. It reminds me of the old days, when superteams met, they would be required to fight.

Exactly. It was written for whiny fanboys that are obsessed with DC history and that is a HUGE part of the problem.

No kidding. LtMarvel, no offense, but you do realise you sound a little like a parody of yourself, right?

Even setting aside the limitations of a mass-market comic book so exclusively for the initiates...this book is just really, really poorly written and drawn. No way around it.

The Wolverine knockoff actually came first...

Regardless, as a long time Legion fan this series just irritated me. Why? Because we are never told why they came back to the past. Nor are we told why it is this version of the Legion and not the current version that has their own series.

They can't have come back to bring back Wally because why would the Legion care about Wally West? So we've read this whole 5 issue thing and what did we get? nothing. (They couldn't even have the covers of JLA and JSA match to tell us that it was a crossover???)

So now we have Superman who was part of the Legion when he was younger (don't you dare call him Superboy!) But Conner Kent was ALSO part of the Legion. Only it was a different Legion (that is also different than the version of the Legion Supergirl is in...). You would think that the fact that both Connor and Clark were in different version of the same team might have came up in conversation at some point but apparently not. Heaven forbid something actually happen or is actually discussed in the story...

How to write a Brad Meltzer comic:

1) Create a series of events using as many characters as you can think of (these events do not have to be coherent or form what most people think of as a "plot").

2) Write out a full script from the points of view of five to ten characters.

3) Randomly select 50% of the lines in the script and delete them.

4) Randomly select 50% of the remaining lines and replace the last few words with " -- "

5) Sell to 100,000 people who can convince themselves that what you wrote makes sense.

I've been reading comics for a few years now, and I still have no idea what went on in this issue.

"And why oh why do I have to fucking think so much to read a goddamned superhero comic book?"

Ever think that maybe that isn't the comic book or the writer's fault but rather your own?
As someone who has only ever read a handful of DC comics, I was able to keep up just fine. Then again, I read the whole story instead of just the last issue.

Many people have commented on the annoying use of first names instead of superhero names, and it’s really, really annoying. I get that it’s a book that relies heavily on our prior knowledge of who these people are...

I haven't read any of the issues of this crossover, but I thought this point merited a possible defense.

This isn't just a comic that relies on prior knowledge; it's the final issue of a 5-issue story arc. It's the opposite of a jumping-on point for a new reader. If the characters have been identified in earlier issues of the arc, is it really necessary to reiterate their superhero names in the final issue? Can't Meltzer at least presume that most people reading Part 5 of "The Lightning Saga" read Part 1 or 3?

"I haven’t seen a review this bad since the People magazines review of Mars Attacks!"

Not that I remember the review, but Mars Attacks! was pretty indefensibly awful too.

To Paul Newell and jccalhoun, thank you!

"Wolverine knock-off" indeed. Not only does Brin (sorry Timber Wolf) predate Logan (you know who Logan is, right?) but he'd eat the little runt for breakfast.

It's interesting how the criticisms of the review come down to: You don't know who the characters are, ha ha! Nothing about whether the issue was, you know, any good.

Scavenger: The fact that I don't know everyone didn't really bother me ALL that much. It's a minor complaint. I will point out, though, that at the beginning of each issue of Checkmate, we get head shots of the principals and their function. This was a complaint about the book, that it's tough to tell who's who, but that's not an issue now.

As for the Timber Wolf thing ... well, I apologize for not knowing that, but I'm still confused. Timber Wolf shows up in panel 3, page 1. So is the guy in panel 2, page 1, who sniffs the air and presumably realizes the Legion isn't there, Tasmanian Devil? He's not Timber Wolf, that's for sure.

LtMarvel: That's really my whole point. I guess I'm a whiny fanboy, but why should I have to "bone up" on history to read a comic book? That's insane. Too often with Marvel and DC these days, that's exactly the kind of book we get - something only the most die-hard initiate would really appreciate. As for your specific points:

Movies are different animals than comic books. Comics are released in single format. Therefore, it's not too much to ask some coherence in each issue. Again, I don't want a complete recap, but something would be nice.

I was just wondering if Val was supposed to be Asian or not. I honestly don't know.

You write that "Meltzer told me that two Leaguers expect it to be Barry." Do you mean he told you personally? I suppose you mean he implied it in the story. Sure he did. All I want to point out is that "Barry Allen" is never mentioned in the story.

Sorry for the profanity. Meltzer just brings it out of me!

I did take the whole "last part of a crossover" into consideration, Loren. My point is that nothing in this comic would make me want to go back and read the rest of the crossover, and that's not good. I should want to run out and find out how we got to this point, but it's just too boring for me to want to.

And hey, LtMarvel and Ian (and anyone else who thinks I was too harsh): That's why I issued my challenge! Seriously, buy one of the books I bought and tell me why JLA is better. I'm certainly willing to listen to someone who has a reasonable argument about why this comic is decent. So fire up your own reviewing skills!

(Sorry for the many responses. I tried to do this all at once and it never let me post, for some reason. So I had to break it up.)

If the characters have been identified in earlier issues of the arc, is it really necessary to reiterate their superhero names in the final issue? Can’t Meltzer at least presume that most people reading Part 5 of “The Lightning Saga” read Part 1 or 3?

Speaking as someone whose main contact with comics is a quick browse at my local drugstore magazine rack...why should he? I've lost track of the number of times I've picked up an interesting-looking book and been put off entirely by a lack of accessibility.

I'm not saying every tiny plot point should be accompanied by an asterisk...but a little 'The Story So Far..."-type box at the front of each issue shouldn't interfere with anyone's enjoyment, and would probably greatly enhance it in at least some cases.

The other guy who looks like he could be Tasmanian Devil is Wildcat, jr. Wildcat Ted Grant's son.

Yeah. There are too many JSA characters who's roles were way too minor to do all this without the little-floaty-head-cast list - which did show up in parts 1 and 4; plus part 2 did the whole "this is the first time this character has shown up in this chapter - here's their logo!" deal.

(Although neither of the JSA mention the crossover on the cover. And one of the covers is of Damage, who didn't do very much in this mess, although he had a character bit as "surly young man." But that complaint probably belongs to another post entirely.)

That’s all Meltzer does in this issue: make us rely on our knowledge of the characters to make emotional connections instead of trying to write a good emotional scene.

You can make a pretty damning case that this is the company philosophy at Marvel and DC. And why is that? Because this stuff sells. This is what makes me crazy. This incredibly bad comic is following the market.

By the way, I will indulge in a slight personal gratification here and say neener-neener to all those people who thought I was being unfair to that nice Brad Meltzer when I suggested that it was probably going to be an impenetrable, fans-only key club book, based on Justice League of America #0 and #1. Well, here you go. This what all you people yelling at me apparently wanted from a new Justice League book. Enjoy.

Now, if you don't think that kind of book's bad? Especially when there are so many just like it? Then... I got nothing. I have no argument I can make to people who don't see why it's a BAD THING that DC and Marvel's superhero comics are so insular. I have yet to see an argument from any of them explaining why it's good, other than, "I like comics like this. I don't see a problem with them assuming I have all that fan knowledge at my fingertips.")

I’m not sure that you don’t know who the characters are in the final part of a 5 part story is, is a valid complaint. ...You have to bring a little to the reading,they can’t recap everything.

I see this argument coming up several times in the replies, and may I just point out that in most every other form of serialized fiction there is ALWAYS a recap at the beginning of the new installment. Even lame ones like "Previously, on LOST...." (A show that has run into a similar confusion problem that they solved by putting together ACTUAL HOUR-LONG RECAP specials to run ahead of new episodes once in a while.)

Only an idiot expects everyone to be familiar with every single thing that has happened in previous installments. Sometimes even the REGULAR readers could use a reminder. Taking a page, or even a paragraph caption box, to do a recap is not some kind of crime.

Except in DC superhero comics, apparently. Even Marvel is doing recap pages now, but DC seems to think that is some kind of admission of failure. Which it is. I think the last time someone complained about this here at CSBG we were told, "that's what the internet is for."

Allow me to suggest, again, that if you need an encyclopedia, even a virtual one, so that people can figure out what is going on in your story, then you're not doing a very good job of telling your story. I will hazard a guess that Meltzer's novels are not written this way. Only superhero comics have this insane idea that "no new readers will ever show up, we might as well write them in such a way as to cater to our obsessive-compulsive aficionado readership."

Look, I AM one of those guys. I could have easily explained to Greg what all the veiled references were. And I STILL think it's crazy that DC's flagship, summer-blockbuster extravaganza comic is written this way. Justice League is one of the most likely books for a reader new to DC comics to sample. Why in God's name make it a members-only key club book?

Except, apparently, it sells... and I still can't figure out why it sells so much BETTER than the other stuff out there. From what I can tell, even it you don't need an index to read it... it's still not very good.

I guess I have to file it under the same place I put things like reality television and Danielle Steel novels and other stuff that I think is awful, but a lot of people apparently like. But I do think a publisher that's part of the Time-Warner publishing media would notice the difference in revenue between the DC comics characters in print and the ones in films and TV, and suggest to the publishing side that they try and open it up a little. Just for the sake of good business.

Wups, typos. That was meant to say, "only an idiot WRITER" and "Time-Warner media empire."

But Greg, don't you think that the fact that the book does sell somewhat negates your criticism that DC isn't doing things for the sake of good business?

I mean, I think it's a terrible book- I stopped buying it just before the last part of the first arc, because even though I had all the other parts, I just didn't care how it ended- but I don't think that because of how it might hypothetically be recieved by new audiences, or how it factors into DC's business plan, or any number of things that I don't really know anything about.

So yeah, I think we can just agree that it's a bad book, but if it sells, I don't see how it makes sense to criticise DC's business sense.

Only superhero comics have this insane idea that “no new readers will ever show up, we might as well write them in such a way as to cater to our obsessive-compulsive aficionado readership.”

er... ever tried to enter a series of fantasy novels halfway through? Wheel of Time, say?

I'm not saying it's a good strategy. But it's not my main objection to Meltzer's JLA. v.1 of Johns' JSA was just as dependent on existing knowledge... but it was really, really well-written.

In addition, when Johns did continuity porn, he actually got the continuity right, and often he left stuff clearer than it was when he found it. Meltzer does nostalgia porn, not continuity porn-- it's written for people who get the warm fuzzies by having their childhood memories invoked, but who don't really care whether the story makes sense in shared-universe terms. You might need wikipedia to know who's who in a Meltzer story, but the more wikipedia entries you'll read, the more you'll say, "uh, when exactly did Hawkgirl and Batman or Black Lightning and Superman get to be on a first-name basis? and when exactly did Power Girl have a spare six months to spend on Thanagar? and..."

That last comment was meant for Greg Hatcher, btw. Although I guess it applies to Greg Burgas' article, too.

Since I'm commenting again anyway, I may as well point out that casual comics readers that I loaned the first couple of issues to (partly because I didn't think they were that bad yet, partly as an experiment) actually liked them more than I did. What's up with that?

I get that Meltzer (or Brad, as his dialogue indicates he'd prefer to be called) is a popular writer, and that the first couple of issues dealt with themes of love and friendship that I figured would appeal to non-comics folks. But seriously, what are new readers seeing in the issues after that?

"But seriously, what are new readers seeing in the issues after that?"

Waiting for Batman and Hal to totally do it?

Although neither of the JSA mention the crossover on the cover. And one of the covers is of Damage, who didn’t do very much in this mess, although he had a character bit as “surly young man.” But that complaint probably belongs to another post entirely.

You know, I have a feeling this has something to do with Alex Ross being a douchebag about his art.

For a long while I've wondered why DC hasn't gone the Marvel route and started putting in recap pages at the beginning of their books. I suppose, as Greg said, this would be seen as an admission of guilt, but I honestly have no idea why. Every book is someone's first, and when you have a book that comes out monthly and is occasionally delayed, someimes even people who have kept up so far need a refresher. Add to the fact that DC's continuity and history is potentially FAR more confusing than Marvel's, and it really just looks like the folks over there are being silly.

-M

First, the cover. Is it me, or do Power Girl’s breasts look a tiny bit smaller than they did in the solicitation copy? Maybe I’m just seeing things.

You're not imagining things. PG did, in fact, get a breast reduction on the cover. Here is a composite, that shows just how much smaller they got.

I forgot to make another point to LtMarvel, that I don't like Christmas stories or wedding issues: I have no problem with them, and fondly remember many that have been very good. However, this story is set up as a big crossover, and Meltzer DOESN'T give us the kind of character development that we expect with quieter issues. If it said on the cover: "Big Christmas Issue!" then I would expect it to have the heroes sitting around getting to know each other, and not have a big fight. Meltzer fails to deliver on the promise of a big crossover between DC's two big superteams AND fails to give us any character insight.

I did take the whole “last part of a crossover” into consideration, Loren. My point is that nothing in this comic would make me want to go back and read the rest of the crossover, and that’s not good. I should want to run out and find out how we got to this point, but it’s just too boring for me to want to.

I know, and that's why I didn't speak to the merits of any other aspects of the issue, but rather directed my comment solely at the complaint about names. You and Greg made it into something broader.

I agree with you and Greg about recapping and making an issue worthwhile for a new reader. In this instance, Meltzer should have done that if for no other reason than because his readers may not have read the JSA installments of the arc.

But if someone's going to pick up a copy of JLA, which is clearly advertised as the concluding issue of a story arc, I think it's a weak complaint that Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and the Flash are called by their civilian names. I think Meltzer can fairly expect that his readers should be able to recognize Superman, Batman, GL and the Flash. These are marquee characters, after all. On the other hand, I agree that someone like Wildfire should absolutely be called by his hero name. Heck, even his Wikipedia entry doesn't call him "John."

If the issue didn't have it (and I presume it didn't), the easy solution to this problem is an old-fashioned roll call at the issue's start. That way the dialogue remains unencumbered, but the reader can easily discern who's who.

I'm so glad you wrote this, Greg, so that I did not have to.

JLA sucks, yes. And so does JSA. DC publishes several good-to-great comics, but they also publish some terrible ones.

I must confess that I buy JLA because I've always bought JLA. It's a way to keep up with a bunch of heroes that I care about, but not enough to buy their books. I have dropped it a few times over the decades, but seriously, hasn't JLA pretty much always been a crappy comic interupted by short spurts of quality?

"But Greg, don’t you think that the fact that the book does sell somewhat negates your criticism that DC isn’t doing things for the sake of good business?"

If a TV show had only 100,000 viewers, it would be canceled before the first commercial. A movie with 100,000 viewers wouldn't come close to cracking the top ten. Greg isn't saying this comic isn't selling to comic fans (although he and others aren't sure why it is), he's saying that if the entire process weren't so insular, maybe comics would sell in the millions.

Of course the comic sucked. Poor writing and generic art, sure. But for the fact that I got to see the cool Cockrum / Grell versions of Karate Kid, Timber Wolf, et al I wouldn't have bought the darn thing.

But, I'm an old-time Legion fan so I focus on the Timber Wolf slight instead of, y'know, your point.

Greg Hatcher wrote:
"I see this argument coming up several times in the replies, and may I just point out that in most every other form of serialized fiction there is ALWAYS a recap at the beginning of the new installment. Even lame ones like “Previously, on LOST….”"
-----
I've never needed those updates. I also never watch the "scenes from upcoming episodes".

If you need to 'retell' your previous scenes every week, then you don't have a very memorable show. If the consumer is too lazy (or too dumb) to remember what has happened before, then you don't need them. (The comment about too dumb is not a shot at anybody in particular. A friend is reported to have said that she didn't want to have to work so hard to remember long storylines. Fine. Go read Dick and Jane again.)
==========
"It was okay for what it was."---2 identical reviews from friends this week of FF2.

I enjoyed this story "for what it was", which is that it was a Brad Meltzer story. I have never been overly enthusiastic about his stories nor been a hater.

It sometimes feels as if pages were dropped. Maybe there was enough story to be 4 issues and stuff was added to fill, or enough story for 6 issues and stuff deleted. Don't know how to explain it better.

I thought that the plot was strong; a time traveling Legion trying to catch the lightning and today's heroes trying to stop them from killing themselves. That's a good hook and a writer with any skill could turn that into a fascinating comic.

Meltzer is not a writer with any skill.

The book is even more incoherent than the review makes it out to be. Actions don't follow logically, events just happen with no rhyme or reason. There's no dialog supporting the story structure; people just kind of make small talk. And by relying on reader's knowledge of old continuity to carry plot points rather than putting things in the text the story just becomes more confusing as it doesn't really mesh up well with that old continuity.

I freely and fully admit that JLA 10 was not the best comic in the world. It was quite far from it.
But, that does not excuse this poorly thought out review.
I couldn't even finish reading it because too much time was spent on how much Greg had no clue who many of the characters were. The whole review became just a mess of "I assume this is" and "I don't know who that is", which did nothing more for me than turn me off of reading it.
I've spent over 30 years of my life reading/collecting/cataloguing comic books and I'll admit that I certainly don't know every single character that has graced the hallowed pages of DC and Marvel. But, at least I would have the common sense to make sure I knew what I was talking about before I wrote up a column spotlighting the fact that I don't. Research is a value tool and it really should have been used here. A check on Wikipedia, asking a comic shop employee, looking through other comic book...all fine examples of responsible researching. None of which seem to be done here at all.
Badly produced comic book...badly produced review.
Hmmm...I guess it all does work out in the end.

If you need to ‘retell’ your previous scenes every week, then you don’t have a very memorable show. If the consumer is too lazy (or too dumb) to remember what has happened before, then you don’t need them.

Well, yes, you do. Primarily because you're trying to make money off the product you're offering them. However annoying it may be aesthetically (and, as various indie movements attest, it can be plenty annoying) keeping the audience happy is the occupational hazard of any commercial artist.

At that, I'm not sure being unable to keep the covolutions of, say, a "Lost" storyline in mind is necessarily a symptom of mental laziness. TV and comics aren't exactly designed to seriously challenge the cranium, after all. They're meant as lighthearted entertainment, escapism.

It simply shouldn't be necessary to be that deeply involved in a fictional universe in order for it to be enjoyable. I'm all for originality, but there's something to be said for good, solid old-fashioned storytelling, too.

A check on Wikipedia, asking a comic shop employee, looking through other comic book…all fine examples of responsible researching. None of which seem to be done here at all.
Badly produced comic book…badly produced review.

I'm afraid you missed the point of the post.

For a story to function as a story, it has to introduce the characters and take them through an actual plot that is resolved and have at least one or two characters change in some way. Yes, even in serialized fiction. Meltzer does not know how to write a story.

If you need to ‘retell’ your previous scenes every week, then you don’t have a very memorable show. If the consumer is too lazy (or too dumb) to remember what has happened before, then you don’t need them.

If you are not interested in ever adding to your audience, but only want to tell stories to your hardcore faithful, then no, I guess you don't need recaps. You got me there.

I'm not aware of your list of weekly comics so I guess I can't really comment about what might be worse.

I also have to admit that I thought this was a "worst comic ever" type thing, than just 'of the week'.

However, with as many poor and average comics that are actually released every week, I don't think I can agree that this issue is neccesarily the worst. The majority of your complaints seem to be ones that are on a more corporate or policy level than anything in the story (or not in the story) when I think there are probably comics that came out this week that had even worse stories, worse art, and no redeeming value. Personally, I would say this week's Countdown was worse, but I don't remember enough of it to offer a full review.

Do single issue recaps help bring in the "casual fan"? I mean, I appreciate them, but aren't most single comic books only to be found in comic shops any way? From what I know from the various local comic shops I have frequented in my day, they don't get too many "hey I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd look at a comic book" people coming in. Comic book shops are destination places, and their main customers are comic book fans, no matter what publishers have attempted with certain "event books" or specific media tie-ins. The comic shop audience is largely limited, so there's not much hope for growth potential in those. The publishers already have us there, and other potential readers are unlikely to just pop in and check things out.
I think that Brad's JLA is simply a by-product of the whole "single issues just exist for making a trade paperback" mentality. I think trades are what publishers look at as being the real potential draws for new customers. Those are in bookstores and will be more likely to draw in a typical non-comic book reader, I figure. I bet the story (which I agree with Greg was really sub-par) holds up better when compiled (I can't imagine it could get worse). So, I guess my point is, yeah, as a single issue this comic wouldn't help draw in a read who has never seen a comic before. But in trade form in a bookstore somewhere, with someone who has seen Superfriends or JLU and might be intrigued to pop the book open, maybe it will.
That's why I more often than not wait for trades to come out. A lot of comics just don't hold together for me when I try to read them after a month lag time.

Yeah, bring back Chuck Austen! He knows how to write damn good stories !!!!!!!!!!!

" It’s astonishing that this comic is DC’s best-selling comic. The only reason I can think of that is that people simply are desperate to see their favorite characters in a book together."

I can think of a another reason: they enjoy the book.

The Mad Monkey said:

"Research is a value tool and it really should have been used here. A check on Wikipedia, asking a comic shop employee, looking through other comic book…all fine examples of responsible researching. None of which seem to be done here at all."

And nor should they have to be. If you include so little exposition within your actual story that someone has to check a website, consult an expert, and do research of historical sources simply to understand the basic plot and distinguish the characters, you've failed at telling your story. Exposition is a vital skill utterly lost to modern comics writers, and it's a big part of why comics are failing--to a casual fan, this is incoherent gibberish. (And unlike Greg, I don't confine my blame to Brad Meltzer. This passed through a lot of seasoned, professional hands with a lot more experience in the medium than Meltzer, at least one of them could have said, "You have to cut down on the unattributed captions, they're confusing as hell." But for some reason, they didn't.)

And sterg said:
"Do single issue recaps help bring in the “casual fan”? I mean, I appreciate them, but aren’t most single comic books only to be found in comic shops any way? From what I know from the various local comic shops I have frequented in my day, they don’t get too many “hey I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I’d look at a comic book” people coming in. Comic book shops are destination places, and their main customers are comic book fans, no matter what publishers have attempted with certain “event books” or specific media tie-ins. The comic shop audience is largely limited, so there’s not much hope for growth potential in those. The publishers already have us there, and other potential readers are unlikely to just pop in and check things out."

And this is the other big part of why comics are failing. Because comics, in addition to being written solely for obsessive comics fans, are also only marketed and sold to obsessive comics fans. The idea of putting their product where a large audience can find it and be interested in it has apparently not occurred to DC comics. (Disclaimer: I know that's not entirely true, but exceptions are few and far between.) They've let their distribution networks wither and die, to the point where if you don't walk into a comics store, you don't know this stuff exists.

I tried to respond to your challenge, but your e-mail is rejecting my message for some reason....

I think they'll eventually reveal that Wally wasn't the one they were bringing back. He just took advantage of what was going on to get back to his own time.

I mostly agree with the review; what was initially an interesting hook turned into a barely comprehensible story that was (despite the return of Wally West & Family) extremely forgettable. The dialogue was mediocre even at the best of times and the captions were poorly done. (I also despite the current vogue of the JLA (and to a lesser extent the JSA) calling/referring each other by their first names. That's unwise from a practical standpoint, and out of character for most of them from another)

But the complaints about art seem petty:

[quote]"And then there’s the art. I can’t really say too much about it, because it’s just shitty early- to mid-1990s Image wannabe crap, which means we get weird figures and blurry computer effects and standard superhero art. I’m not sure why Benes is on DC’s flagship title, but it’s not overwhelmingly awful art. However, why do all his faces look exactly the same? All the men look like every other man, while all the women look like every other women. It’s bizarre. But that’s about all I can really rant about when it comes to the art." [/quote]

We're complaining about faces being the same? Oy.
First, I'd disagree that they're the same. They're similar, true, but not identical. And you can tell who they are in a headshot, so this seems really petty.

Or should I expect the next review of Jack Kirby or John Byrne's art to have the same complaint?

Frankly, this was decent work by Benes (some may hate the cross-hatching/image-esque detailing he's doing right now, but YMMV. It doesn't bother me) and he wasn't as static as he's been, IMHO.

What wrecked the issue was entirely in the writing. Poorly plotted, horribly scripted. There's no why here, the cast is poorly managed (at best), and the whole thing is a disppointing muddle. Blame it on the writing and you're fine; complaining about the art is just piling on.

Well, I wanted to say something about the art, because I didn't like it, but it was simply standard superhero art. I'm just not sure why Benes is on their biggest book, because he doesn't seem to be a superstar. The writing is what really gets my goat.

Sorry, Eric - for some reason I gave the wrong e-mail address! Yes, I'm that stupid. It's one way to make sure nobody responds to me, I guess! I fixed it and all should be fine now. I look forward to your defense of the issue!

Benes's women do look an awful lot alike, almost to the point where, in the sixth issue, when Red Tornado mistook the Black Canary for his wife, I figured Meltzer and the editors just threw up their hands and said, to hell with it, they all look alike, so let's use that. :- )

I want to say that Meltzer is not that bad of a writer-- but his run on a whole has been a bit disappointing and these last three issues have just got me wondering, why the hell am I spending my money on this? I mean, I buy four or five comic books a month. Why do I buy this one?

I think it is, sadly, because I want to see my favourite heroes teamed up, which, as you say, is not a valid reason to waste my money. But I also think it can be better-- still not a very good reason to buy a book.

I liked Meltzer better, I think, when he told stories coherently, with a beginning, middle, and end, which actually told you something about the characters.

==Tom

I never thought that a JLA/JSA crossover (that guest stars the Legion!) could be so dull. Dwayne McDuffie's run can't start soon enough.

The issue wasn't great, but it wasn't the worst recent comic I've read (that goes to DeMeo & Bilson's Flash #1 from last year...yuck...).

I was a little disappointed at the general lack of closure at the end of the crossover, but that seems to be the way of things these days at DC. Everything is a set-up for the next storyline. Supposedly, this story already has a sequel planned in Action Comics later this year entitled "Superman & The Legion Of Super-Heroes" by Johns & Gary Frank. I'm hoping we'll learn who the heck was in that rod that Brainiac got and why the team was sent back for a pointless (though wonderfully nostalgiac for this old time LOSH fan) "adventure."

And yes, as much as I liked the first few issues of Identity Crisis, everything else I've read from Meltzer has pretty much sucked, with a large allotment of plot holes and non-sensical moments. I dropped JLA after the first couple of issues and only picked up issues 8-10 because of the JSA (which is a fantastic book) and LOSH appearances. I echo the other sentiments, I can't wait for McDuffie so I can give the book a proper try again.

If you include so little exposition within your actual story that someone has to check a website, consult an expert, and do research of historical sources simply to understand the basic plot and distinguish the characters, you’ve failed at telling your story.

Thing is, in this instance, you didn't even have to do that. You just had to read parts 1-4 of the 5 part story.

Thing is, in this instance, you didn’t even have to do that. You just had to read parts 1-4 of the 5 part story.

I'm not lettin' comics off the hook that easily, though.

In any other medium (except maybe shitty fantasy novels and TV soap operas, which I know nothing about) each piece of a story has to provide SOME sort of value as an individual unit.

It's not impossible to juggle that many characters in a comic story. I remember reading JLA (first series) # 102 (Last of a three part serial, featuring 31 characters!) as a young'n, and not feeling particularly lost.

If this book was designed only to make sense if read in trade, it should be released as a 110 page hardcover.

Hey, MarkAndrew, sounds like you need to see another recent Cronin Theory of Comics!

First "fan-fiction" and now "comics released in installments should be judged how they were released"! It's like we're sharing a brain!

This is how I feel reading JLA.

Or maybe...

Hey, MarkAndrew, sounds like you need to see another recent Cronin Theory of Comics!

First “fan-fiction” and now “comics released in installments should be judged how they were released”! It’s like we’re sharing a brain!

Yeah, I was thinking about that.

I was going to re-iterate my comments in that thread and say

"Comics should work as individual units EXCEPT FOR CEREBUS, where the ongoing, monthly, back-and-forth between author and audience was one of the cooler aspects of the book,"

but decided that was too far off topic.

On the whole 'it doesn't have to make sense because it's the last part' business...BOLLOCKS!

Back some time ago (years ago, probably laste 90's), I got curious at the comic shop, and picked up an issue of CYBERFORCE.
(it was an issue in the 30's for that title).

It had David Finch art, the first time I remember seeing it actually (though I'm sure hed been around), and it was part three of three, in a storyline where Cyberforce met up with the Event Comics character, Ash.

Not only could I follow the story perfectly, I actually enjoyed the hell out of it. The characters mentioned how they got to places and what was going on, not in a painful way, but in a way that brought me up to date, and yet still made me want to see the events happen.

Now if Cyberforce, freakin' Cyberforce, can manage that - a book never known for it's clear story telling - then surely an issue of JLA should be able to manage it!

I don't read JLA, my pull-list is set up to give me JSA only. I had hoped that I would be able to enjoy the JSA-based part of the crossovers regardless, as no doubt they'd have a 'Previously in The Lightning Saga!'-style recap page at the start, right?

Right?

Nope. Whatever happened to 'every comic is someone's first comic book'? The JSA cover art was the only reason that I don't feel completely ripped-off.

I read the JSA issues first and went back to read the JLA to see if it cleared anything up. I can't address the other criticism because I'm stuck on the issue of figuring out why this version of the Legion is involved and racking my brain to remember if Superman should remember or not that he was or was not a time traveler, etc.

Can't speak for the art because it was pretty forgettable to me but the comic wasn't THAT bad.
It wasn't that good either, but it wasn't disasterous or anything.

Though I suppose, by nature, I give at least a moderate pass to any comic where they can at least have the characters sort of act right, because i've read so many (including some with more interesting plots, yes), where they're all over the place, and that seems to bug me more than a senseless plot.

I said:
"If you include so little exposition within your actual story that someone has to check a website, consult an expert, and do research of historical sources simply to understand the basic plot and distinguish the characters, you’ve failed at telling your story."

Which led Paul Newell to say:
"Thing is, in this instance, you didn’t even have to do that. You just had to read parts 1-4 of the 5 part story."

So, and understand this is not sarcasm but a sincere question, parts 1-4 of this story explained why the Legion showing up is totally different from the Legion in the LOSH book--or for that matter, from the Legion in the 'Legion' book or the Legion in the book before that? I mean, he is essentially ringing in a twenty-year old version of the Legion of Super-Heroes, in a sequel to a story that was written out of canon three times over, all so that they can bring back Wally West......which makes no sense either, for that matter, because it's not like the pre-Crisis Legion was good buds with the Titans, but I'll forgive the story that because there's at least some implication that this was an unintended side effect.

Seriously--for a casual fan, someone not deeply involved in Legion history...heck, even for someone who's been reading the current incarnation of LOSH since it started--this is a bunch of strangers showing up, using the same names as the Legion, and talking about something called "Proty" and insisting Lightning Lad is dead. Or was dead. Or something. Does Meltzer provide some sort of background for those people?

So, and understand this is not sarcasm but a sincere question, parts 1-4 of this story explained why the Legion showing up is totally different from the Legion in the LOSH book–or for that matter, from the Legion in the ‘Legion’ book or the Legion in the book before that?

No, it didn't.

In fact, it also didn't explain why this Legion was significantly different from the Legion that Levitz and Giffen were making comics about in the '80s, although most of us could fill that one in for ourselves.

The (admittedly minor) thing that annoyed me the most?

Dreamgirl.

Her name isn't Dreamgirl, for God's sake; it's Dream Girl! Two words. Would you call Hal Jordan Greenlantern?

(That wasn't directed at Greg; I'm pretty sure Johns and Meltzer wrote her as 'Dreamgirl' in the crossover.)

Looking at all this anger from the people who are apparently still buying the damn book despite a) not enjoying it or b) actively disliking it, I have to ask....

Do you not GET that the reason you keep seeing books like this is because you support them? I understand the OCD collector need to "not break up a run," I do, but I also know that it's just a twitch and it CAN be overcome. Really. Try it, people. It's so FREEING.

If you're enjoying the book, more power to you... all three of you that I'm seeing in the 70-plus replies so far. A lot of folks make fun of Greg for enjoying Moon Knight, but, Christ, at least he ENJOYS it. What's the excuse for supporting a book you don't like?

Yeah, Matthew, I saw last night that it's Dream Girl. Meltzer writes it as one word. One more tiny thing the issue did poorly, I guess.

Greg Hatcher said:

"Looking at all this anger from the people who are apparently still buying the damn book despite a) not enjoying it or b) actively disliking it, I have to ask….

Do you not GET that the reason you keep seeing books like this is because you support them?"

I've said this before, and as before, it was so many comments into the thread that you said, "Hmm, interesting, I'll have to get back to that idea"...

But what I said was, "The problem with voting with your wallet is that people have been doing it for twenty years now and books like this are the ultimate result." (We were, as I recall, talking about 'Infinite Crisis' last time.) My argument is thus: People who aren't fans of comics aimed at the long-time fan quit reading. Thus, they don't go into comics stores. Thus, they don't hear about when a company stops aiming their product at the long-term fan, because comic companies aim all their advertising at comics stores and comics publications...which the ex-fan is not present for and thus is not hearing about. So the only people who are paying attention to comics are the long-term fans, who get upset at the fact that their desires are no longer being catered to. The audience has, in fact, self-selected downwards to the point where the only people left are the people who want comics like this, and an ever-shrinking tiny minority of people who aren't quite sick enough of it yet to quit, but dislike it. Those people aren't a viable market, and voting with their wallets isn't going to do anything.

If comics had better marketing and distribution, they'd probably find that a continuity-light, fast-paced, family-friendly JLA book outsells Meltzer's continuity porn by a factor of 1000 to 1...but a distribution and marketing plan like that takes time and money they don't have, because their audience is so small that it's barely keeping them going. So they have to keep milking the same small group, and keeping them happy.

In other words, the more you encourage people to vote with their wallets, the more comics will become like this, because DC pays more attention to what the people who do buy comics want than what the people who don't buy comics want.

John, I completely understand that phenomenon as a whole, it's why I keep lobbying for DC and Marvel to embrace the bookstore market instead of tiptoeing into it. BE a goddamn book publisher and quit screwing around with the 22-page chapter format at ALL.

But the part where those hardcore fans keep automatically buying a book they don't even LIKE still has me boggled. Sampling I understand. 'Give it anoher chance,' I understand. But.. Ten issues in? And you all still hate it? Come on.

The "Tasmanian Devil" seen early in this issue is Wildcat 3, the son of Ted Grant, a recent addition to the JSA.

I actually did take JLA (and JSA) off my pull list after this issue. And I didn't even hate the crossover. I just feel like cutting back, and they were lowest on my totem pole.

So, if anyone at DC is keeping score:

Off the pull list: JLA, JSA.

Still on the pull list: Supergirl and the LSH, LSH in 31stC, Blue Beetle, Atom, Spirit, Brave and Bold.

So it sucks and you wrote a huge article about why? Snarky ass.

Avery, exactly what is a blog about comics going to be about if not that? Educate yourself on blogging.

As a former JLA fan, and a current JSA reader, I bought the cross-over only because of 2 things: It crossed with JSA and I thought it would be helpful to read the JLA issues, and I was excited about the JLA, JSA, and Legion together in a story.

What a letdown it was. JLA #10 is incomprehensible, even if you read all the issues. Yeah, I am happy Wally is back, but none of it made any sense. This was a poorly done conclusion, and Wally's return was anti-climatic in it's execution.

The sooner Meltzer is off the book, the better. And I think DC should get a clue and stop with the crossovers, crises, and other big event crap and get back to telling good stories, with a mix of tones, some fun, some mysterious, and so on.

Tom Russell said...

I liked Meltzer better, I think, when he told stories coherently, with a beginning, middle, and end, which actually told you something about the characters.

Er... when has he ever done such a thing? Well, maybe the Millionaires, but it's been a while.

"aren’t most single comic books only to be found in comic shops any way? ...local comic shops...don’t get too many “hey I just happened to be in the neighborhood...” people coming in. Comic book shops are destination places...no matter what publishers have attempted with certain “event books” or specific media tie-ins. The comic shop audience is largely limited, so there’s not much hope for growth potential..."

Hence the wisdom in offering comics and TPBs at Borders, Waldenbooks, and Barnes and Noble - books which are returnable if they remain unsold.

But even Borders, Waldenbooks and B&N aren't going far enough. They reach a larger audience, yes, but not large enough. Think broader, more accessible. Why not a section of trades near the check-out at Best Buy? All the Best Buys in my area have a small book selection, and Superman has more name recognition than Bob Woodward.

Video game stores? Design a line of comics that appeals to gamers (not necessarily tie-in comics, but comics that would appeal to people into video games) and market it to GameStop or another large chain.

Heck, let's start small and just focus on challenging Archie's dominance in grocery stores. Ever notice how grocery store check-out lines have those little three-issue reprint digests of old Archie comics on cheap paper with a magazine stock cover? Those are there because kids see them while Mom or Dad is in line to check out, they make a fuss, and Mom or Dad toss them on the pile because they're cheap and family-friendly. How hard would it be to put out a line like that of Superman reprints, Batman reprints, Spider-Man reprints, or Fantastic Four reprints?

These are not radical ideas. These are not hard to figure out. These would have an immediate payoff. Why isn't anyone doing them?

Er… when has he ever done such a thing? Well, maybe the Millionaires, but it’s been a while.

His first ever comic, Green Arrow.
It wasn't a great story, but it was a good one.

Oh and again, CYBERFORCE used to make sense in the last part of a story... CYBERFORCE!!! With David Fincher art!!! Whilst crossing over with a character from another company!!!! Freakin' CYBER Freakin' FORCE!!!

This issue: http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/cyberforce/28-1.jpg

JLA has no excuse! None!

David Fincher, FGJ? The director of "Se7en" and "Fight Club"? He's multi-talented!

I'm sure you meant David Finch, but got caught up in the love for a great director. That must be it!

John, I obviously can't speak for America, but in Australia, Marvel has actually been doing what you're suggesting for awhile. They sell digest-sized Marvel magazines aimed at kids at local grocery stores and the like.

I've never picked one up, but yeah, they are there, and I'm guessing if we have them all the way out in lowly Australia, you guys might have them too?

Wow, it's like a comic paint by number. That's pathetic.

Totally agree!

I'm glad that somebody isn't praising Lightning Saga for being brilliant cuz it seems a lot of sources are! Or at least they're trying their best to like it thru gritted teeth b/c it's the JLA and JSA and they brought back a Flash. >.>;;

There WERE villains tho. For 1 whole page XD Per Degaton, Despero and Ultra Humanite. :O But then after that they were completely ignored!

So.. WTF? XD

Great review

John, I obviously can’t speak for America, but in Australia, Marvel has actually been doing what you’re suggesting for awhile. They sell digest-sized Marvel magazines aimed at kids at local grocery stores and the like.

I’ve never picked one up, but yeah, they are there, and I’m guessing if we have them all the way out in lowly Australia, you guys might have them too?

They're actually the Marvel Adventures/Marvel Age line licensed to a different publisher.
Aussie kids get the goodies!

What some people here don't seem to get is that everything you need to enjoy and understand a story should be included in the story itself. An artful writer- that is a GOOD one, which Brad Meltzer in no way resembles- can include all the info you need in a painless, interesting way.

Jaime Hernandez includes exposition in his stories and it's seamlessly worked into the dialogue. You don't have to have read every issue of "Love & Rockets" to pick up an issue and at least have some idea of who is who.

But if I have to spend more time researching the backstory than I do reading the actual comic book, then what's the point? What a waste of time! I could be putting that effort into learning something VALUABLE.

This kind of self-referential esoterica might float the boat of people who get off on being involved in some sort of super-secret secret-super club but in terms of providing a reading value for your money, it falls way short.

No wonder comic sales are down. They're all the time wondering how to increase comics' appeal to compete with TV and video games but they keep turning inward and producing dreck like this.

Awesome review. A point by point totally solid dissertation of why Brad Meltzer is one of the most godawful things to happen to American comics since the Comics Code. A true master of crap.

And Ed Benes? Wow, what an overrated schlock-artist.

Oh... and LTMarvel? Film reels? What a bogus analogy. Who the hell watches a movie reel-by-reel the way we read comics issue-by-issue? How many moviegoers are even aware of the reel?

We absorb a movie as a whole. You shouldn't have to have watched say, "M*A*S*H" in order to understand "The Godfather" or get part of your story.

sterg said …

Do single issue recaps help bring in the “casual fan”? I mean, I appreciate them, but aren’t most single comic books only to be found in comic shops any way?

------

Absolutely. I'm about the epitome of a casual fan, and I am at least five times more likely to buy a new comic if I have even a paragraph of background information—be it from the first page, an online synopsis, or an explanation from a friend.

It grounds the story. You can throw me in the middle of any action you want, and I'll muddle along for a while. But if you tell me what happened last time, and THEN throw me into the action... It's an entirely different feel. I have a clue about what's going on, I have an idea of who the main characters are and what they're trying to do (or at least, what they've already done.) It makes a huge difference. I'm also much more likely to follow up on previous issues.

Despite all the things you say about JLA #10, unless you judge quality on schoolgirl panty shots, then I'm afraid your sanity is lost.

Come on, Marionette! Who doesn't love Banzai Girl????

I love lots of really bad comics. Doesn't make them any less bad, though. :p

I mean my most anticipated comic purchase of the year is the Wonder Woman Showcase and I know exactly how bad it's going to be because I have several of the comics included in it.

Sue me, I liked it.

The reason the Jusice League and the Society were trying to stop the Legion from "bringing back someone from the dead" and the Legion was hiding the truth from Superman is because the Legion was going to sacrifice the lives of one of them to do it. That was obvious. What I liked about the story was that I never appreciated what a crazy thing it was for for the Legionnaires to all want to kill themselves to bring back Lightning Lad. Superman seemed to feel that you had to be in the Legion to understand. That discussion was a great moment, and a neat piece of writng. Anyway...it was pretty clear that suicide was repugnant to both groups, and that's why they were trying to stop the Legion. It seemed to be stated explicitly in the story, so I don't see what the controversy is about.

Brilliant.

Greg Burgas - I would not have spent as much time on the review as you did, but you were dead on. I'm a looong time Legion fan and this POS sucked ass. Thank you for naming my tormentor: "Damn you to Hell, Metzler!"

Nice review. I wonder why I keep buying these. DC doesn't have a monopoly on this kind of stuff though. I mean the average issue of Moon Knight confuses me in the same way.

I loved the story from start to finish. It had its share of problems, most stories these days do. But I followed it effortlessly and didn't find it confusing at all.

It seems the reviewer has absolutely no clue about the characters in this arc or their histories. Even someone who had read the new JSA title in passing would know that Starman of the JSA was Starboy of the Legion, whose dimentia was a result of his travels through several alternate universes and time. That's why nothing he says makes sense. He's not supposed to. To have him suddenly speaking like someone in his right mind would have been totally out of character.

Proty was the silver age pet of Legionnaire Chameleon Boy who sacrificed his life to bring Lightning Lad back to life after he was killed in battle. The Legionnaires used the same lightning rods in that old silver age story and Saturn Girl altered her rod to make sure the lightning hit her. Proty (also being a mild telepath in addition to his shape-changing powers)learned of her plot and took her place.

The reviewer seems bummed that there wasn't a big fight, a la Virtue and Vice. So what? That approach brings us summer blockbusters in film that are rife with explosions and special effects but short on characterization and story.

It is entirely in character for the Legionnaires to use one another's real names. Not so for the JLA and JSA as much. I could see it in their headquarters, etc, but not "in the field" so to speak.

I too was a little confused about who was speaking at the first of the book. Fair criticism.

As for Sensor Girl in the cornfield, I'm a little torn by the scene. On one hand, I liked it. Sensor Girl is the ultimate illusionist. Her illusions are so real that even Superman doing what amounts to a physical on her, isn't sure that she's real. Her illusions completely affect the senses of the beings within their proximity, so I'm not sure why the smell of her tears would convince Superman. You would smell her illusion as well. Unpsoken in the scene and what a long-time Legion fan would catch is that Karate Kid and Sensor Girl are husband and wife. She had at least an idea of what he was planning - therefore her tears.

Actually, Batman could have said, "It was silver age sci-fi comic writing. Don't expect it to make sense." And that would have been accurate. THe premise of this story was based on a classic Legion story from their run in Adventure Comics.

The "something Asian" Karate Kid says isn't Asian at all. It's Interlac, the language of the 31st century. It's been used many times even in comics portraying the 20th and 21st centuries. Granted you can make an argument that not everyone will know that, but if you're going to make a CBR review, you would at least think the reviewer had at least a passing knowledge of comics history.

I reviewed the list of books the reviewer recommended and actually have several of them on my own hold list. I enjoyed this more than any of those books.

The only thing I want to respond about (even though I could respond about other things) is the point about not being a big fight. You say, "So what?" Yes, that approach brings us big summer blockbusters without characterization, but my point was that twofold: this is a big crossover between three superhero teams, so a big fight is kind of implied; and there isn't really any characterization at all, so we don't even get that. It's bad on both levels.

I thought maybe, they were trying to bring back Conner Kent.

I sure hope someone tells us really quick how the Pre-Crisis Legion is now back in-continuity and how it all fits together.

You want DC to explain or offer a payoff when they break their established setting rules in highly incomprehensible fashion? Don't hold your breath...

I've got to check out this Banzai Girls and post here again after reading it.

I didn't read all the replies due to sheer stupidity in the first 60 or so. Nonetheless, it was a great issue and a great end to a great storyline. The fact you whining gaggle of cunts can't see that is part of the reason I avoid conventions.