Legion of Super-Heroes / Bugs Bunny

Legion of Super-Heroes / Bugs Bunny Special (2017)
by Sam Humphries & Tom Grummett

Yep. This happened.

The cover is great, but the variant is even better! Notice how both are showing Bugs Bunny in the overdesigned costume that Superman was wearing at the time.
Other than that, this is mostly the 70s Legion, even if Invisible Kid II is there.

We begin with Dream Girl having a prophetic dream that almost breaks the fourth wall.
Get used to that, it’s the source of 90% of the humor.

Hey, we’re bringing back the attempt to create future slang! I can’t remember where, but they DID try to use “cool up” back in the 70s Legion.
It was more than a bit awkward; the next attempt to make the Legionnaires sound futuristic will be introducing fake swearwords, which will be become a mainstay.

Brainiac 5 is upset because Supergirl is dying, while the editor has a bit of fun with the notes.

Unlike the Star Trek crossover, which was mainly a Star Trek story with the Legion as a second thought, this is very much a Legion spoof.
Mileage may vary on humor of course, but I find this hilarious!

The only thing that can save Supergirl is Illudium Phosdex…

…which is a reference to Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century: that’s the substance that Marvin The Martian and Duffy Duck were fighting over in the classic cartoon.

But the Looney Tunes are not the only ones with the references.

This is very much intended to be the Silver Age Legion, even going as far as giving a direct reference to the original Computo story.

That’s the premise of the comic: the Legion is going to summon Superboy back from the past, based on Dream Girl’s premonition.

I already liked this joke from earlier, but this even funnier!

Moving on to the OTHER main character: Bugs Bunny is living in Smallville now!

First disappointing joke of the story… you’re supposed to be WAY funnier than this, Bugs.

I’m sure these weird Special Carrots aren’t going to be significant later.

Especially when Computo picks up Bugs instead of Superboy, along with most of his house.

The Legionnaires are obviously confused about him being here.
Interesting to see that Shadow Lass is the only one sporting a new look, or rather a new hairdo… at least new for the period when she had this costume.

Timber Wolf’s entire gag is that he’s going to only think about food for the whole story.

Bugs eventually wakes up, giving us a nice splash page of the 31st century featuring a few Legionnaires that won’t participate in the story.

You guys are being a little specieist, aren’t you?
Then again this is the 70s Legion, so all their members have been humanoids.

At least Brainiac 5 comes up with a way this could turn out to be a good thing.
Notice Bugs not thinking twice about donating blood, because he’s only a jerk against people who deserve it.
If this was Duffy Duck he would probably do anything to avoid it.

Then again, can you really blame Bugs for chickening out?

Yeah good luck convincing Bugs Bunny to do anything he doesn’t want to. He wrote the book on convincing YOU to do what he wants!

Yeah sure, let’s go with that.

Does this comic think that Timber Wolf is a dog?

I like how the Legion has absolutely no clue on how to deal with Bugs Bunny. I guess they haven’t met Mr. Mxyzptlk enough times to make the comparison.

It wouldn’t be a true Bugs Bunny story if he didn’t put on a dress at some point.

No, Lighting Lass, you’re taking this wrong…

…if you want a Looney Tunes superhero, you need the OTHER guy.

And then SUDDEN VALIDUS!!!

Yeah that’s about right.

But here’s when the fact that Bugs’s belongings got into the 31st century comes into play.

But also *gasp* Computo was the real bad guy all along, and he unleashes the most devious attacks of all: an Angst Attack!

This is probably my favorite joke of the whole story.

Also, if Shadow Lass is cold in THAT costume, do her future looks mean she’s blue because of hypothermia?

Of course you realize this means a big dumb fight.

Will the Legion’s angst be Bugs Bunny’s downfall?

Nope! Second best joke of the issue.

And so we end the fight with another fourth wall break.

Anything else?
Oh, right, there was supposed to be a plot.

The whole reason Computo brought Bugs instead of Superboy is that he fell in love with Brainiac 5.

Too bad he did it when Supergirl is around, because I think Brainy might be robo-curious.

As silly as this comic is, it STILL manages to bring up a legitimately sad scene!

Bugs is ready to go home, but he’s still enough of a hero to give up the source of his powers to save the day.

Will the fourth wall withstand this final assault?

Yep!

And so we end the story with Super-Rabbit being made a honorary Legionnaire.

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But wait, there’s more!!!

Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes
by Juan Manuel Ortiz

Yeah for some reason, the same book includes a second story that re-tells the first one with a different art style and a slightly more serious tone.

I said SLIGHTLY. It is still a story featuring Bugs Bunny after all.

Though it’s not EXACTLY the same story, as this one has Bugs getting powers earlier.

This is definitely a more Bugs-centric story than the first one.

What’s the point of giving Bugs powers right from the start if he loses them anyway?

Especially when he gets them back FOUR PANELS LATER.

The Legion side of the story gets less panels here, but it’s pretty much the same.

It’s also a major disappointment. Validus is defeated by Bugs using his Looney powers, NOT his Super-Rabit powers…

…and VALIDUS TALKS.

It also lacks Bugs sacrificing his powers, by having Brainiac 5 do all the work.

And that’s all folks!

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Does any of this show up in any regular continuity?
SHOULD any of this have happened in regular continuity?

Silver Age-ness:  / 10
Too meta for an actual score. This was part of a whole set of Looney Tunes crossovers that got even weirder: THESE ARE ALL ACTUAL COMICS.

Does it stand the test of time?
First story: 10/10
This is way better than you’d expect by the premise. It’s hilarious, it has great artwork, the serious moments enhance the comedy, the Legion parodies are lovely, Bugs Bunny still manages to feel he belongs, and I think it’s probably the best comedic Legion story to date.

Second story: 2/10
This is much worse than what you’d expect by the premise. It’s not funny, it has terrible artwork, the serious moments don’t mix well with the comedy, the Legion parodies are forced, Bugs Bunny has no place being here, and I think it’s probably one of the worst Bugs Bunny stories I’ve ever read.

We are legion
Active Legionnaires: 24
-Dream Girl
-Brainiac 5
-Supergirl
-Lightning Lass
-Ultra Boy
-Timber Wolf
-Phantom Girl
-Chameleon Boy
-Shadow Lass
-Wildfire
-Sun Boy
-Invisible Kid II
-Matter-Eater Lad
-Element Lad
-Bouncing Boy
-Dawnstar
-Colossal Boy
-Duo Damsel
-Cosmic Boy
-Saturn Girl
-Mon-El
-Shrinking Violet
-Princess Projectra
Or at least I’m assuming that’s her in the group shot.
-Unknown
He’s in the group shot but I don’t recognize him. Perhaps Starboy?

Reserve members: 2
-Superboy
I’m assuming he’s not a regular member given the lengths they go through to get him back.
-Lightning Lad
He’s shown in the Computo flashback, but unlike Triplicate Girl he’s not in the group shot.

Honorary Legionnaires: 1
-Super-Rabbit

27 people have been members

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And that’s it for the Legion Apocrypha… for a while.
We’ll get back to it for the Reboot and, much before that for the apocrypha originating from the various adaptations.

That’s because the next retrospective running concurrently with the main Legion one is going to cover the various adaptations in other media!
With a couple of live actions and a lot of cartoons.