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THE LEGION #3
"Legion World"
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Dan Abnett
Pencils: Olivier Coipel
Writer/Inks: Andy Lanning
Colors: Tom McCraw & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
I haven't been this excited about the Legion since I first started reading it back in the early days of the Zero Hour reboot. Olivier Coipel's
work has gotten much sharper since we first saw it, and this issue takes another
leap forward, with some beautiful designs for the 31st century and great work on
the various Legionnaires. Also, Abnett & Lanning seem to understand the
scope that the book requires, and the developments this issue are quite
intriguing, leading me to wonder just where they're going. Top it off with a
phenomenal cliffhanger, and you've got a third issue that has finally put the
Legion hooks back into this reader again.
Though there has been more
than a little darkness in the Abnett/Lanning run, they seem to know how to
balance that with the youth and optimism that has always defined the Legion. The
reunion aboard the ship was terrific, and the revelations about this new
Legion's base of operations were truly wonderful as well. Though their
opposition is powerful and mysterious, there's a feeling here that the Legion is
back and ready to face the challenges ahead of them. It's a nice bonus that
there are several recurring favorites returned this issue, including a character
I always thought was the heart of the Legion, and an interesting new member
introduced as well.
The artwork on this book has
improved with each issue, and I was really impressed with the work this issue.
McCraw does some really beautiful and subtle color effects with the "planet
cloak" and with Shikari's ability, and Coipel does really nice and detailed work
on the various Legionnaires. I also appreciated the attention to technology and
other backgrounds, which helps to give the feel of a futuristic environment.
One of the most common
pitfalls for Legion writers is the failure to properly utilize a large cast, to
treat the book as a team rather than a Legion. It seems that Abnett and Lanning
are slowly building up a larger cast, and with any luck they'll have a better
time juggling it than many have. I'm intrigued also by Brande's enigmatic
comments about a larger Legion, wondering if perhaps we won't be seeing support
staff or an entire governmental body behind the Legion this time.
Whatever other assets this
creative team has, one of their best is the ability to deliver compelling
cliffhangers. This issue has two, the hints about a return of a lost Legionnaire
and a revelation about the villain of the piece that rocked me back. While I had
a couple of questions as to how the villain was able to best M'Onel so easily (having forgotten a key weakness that Daxamites have), the revelation was unexpected, and it's a clever weaving of DC continuity into the future storyline of the Legion.
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