E. Nelson BridwellBesprekingen

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

In my jumping back and forth across the history of the original Legion, I now come to this, one of its periods of revitalization and rebirth. It sets the stage for volume 11-13, which I've already read, and found enjoyable, if inconsistent. They were clearly trying to hook in some new readers, because the volume opens with stylish new costumes being floated, as well as a map of Legion HQ and a brief recap of the origins of the Legion.

The new costumes are mostly fun. Sent in by fans, some would end up actually being used in the stories, like Duo Damsel's. Actually, there's one story (see below) where all the characters are in their new clothes, but these don't last-- most revert to their old outfits or get new new ones when Dave Cockrum takes over as regular artist. Others I wish had been used; Saturn Girl's winter outfit is a delightful alternative to her usual one-piece swimsuit, and I dig Shrinking Violet's very 1960s one. (Cockrum also debuts the new, Star Trek-influenced design for the Legion cruiser that would stick for the rest of the classic Legion's run.)

Most of the rest of the stories here are pretty generic Legion pablum. You've read worse (they've gotten out of their be-assholes-to-each-other-for-no-reason-other-than-to-drive-the-story-forwards phase), but you've also read better (Cary Bates writes most of them, and I don't think he was as interested in delving into the mythology as Jim Shooter was or Paul Levitz would, though he does use a pleasing amount of old villains instead of coming up with new, forgettable ones like many Legion writers).

A collection of six Batman stories, with two from the early 1940's, one from the ridiculous period of the TV show, and a couple from the revived "dark avenger" period that followed. The best of these is the last, with wonderful art by Neal Adams.

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