Legionnaires 3 #1

Legionnaires 3 #1 (1986)
written by Keith Giffen (plot) & Mindy Newell (dialogue)
pencils by Ernie Colon

The Legion begins its post-Crisis journey a miniseries that focus on the three founders and on one of the major players of its new status: the Time Trapper.

We begin at the end of time, where the Time Trappers’s underlings witness his return to his citadel. This is where we learn that they are not natives to this time: they have been kidnapped from various points of history.

We also learn that Keith Giffen the Time Trapper is a massive Star Wars fan.

The Time Trapper is here to play chess with Brainiac! The original pre-Crisis Brainiac that is, despite the fact that this story sets in motion stuff that cannot be set before the Crisis.
It’s complicated. Expect me to say that A LOT during this run.

This miniseries completely redefines the Time Trapper, and the first step is to reveal that the guy we’ve seen be defeated by Darkseid was not the REAL one, just one of his pawns.

It’s immediately clear that the Time Trapper survived the Crisis. He will also be one of the VERY few people who remembers it.

Say goodbye to the impostor, because we will now start to focus on the real deal.

After scaring the crap out of one of his minions, the Time Trapper then reflects on why he hates the Legion. That’s always been the hardest part to define about the Time Trapper: why would he care about people who lived trillions of years before his time?
It’s complicated (x2), and it will be explored throughout the rest of this continuity.

This era will redefine the Time Trapper as the embodiment of entropy, but he’s far from omniscient. In fact, for a time traveler he’s surprisingly unaware of history.

Another thing that is hard to understand about the Time Trapper is why he doesn’t obliterate the Legion, since he’s so incredibly powerful.
It’s complicated (x3), but at least for now it’s just because he wants to play fair.

The Time Trapper is looking into the origins of the Legion. I find it amusing that he doesn’t like the Durlans, because their post-Crisis typical look seems VERY inspired by the Time Trapper!!!

The Time Trapper grows so frustrated at looking at their origin that he even breaks the panel!!!

It’s quite possible that the Time Trapper himself doesn’t even remember WHY he hates the Legion.
It’s complicated (x4), and the fact that he focuses on the challenge they can provide reminds me a bit of Doctor Doom not really wanting to truly win.

He decides that the weak point of the three founders is Lightning Lad, because he’s the one who has always had doubts about his role.

This is an interesting view on Lightning Lad. Of course it’s coming from a sociopath, so we’re probably supposed to take it with a grain of salt… but honestly this sounds like a legitimate analysis.

While this was quite enjoyable, and this treatment of the Time Trapper is how he becomes my favorite Legion villain… did you really need ALL THAT to figure out that the easiest way to hurt the Legionnaires is to kidnap the baby of their founders!?

Only now we move to the Legionnaires, with Lightning Lad and Cosmic Boy hanging out in preparation of a game of Moopsball.
It’s kind of funny to see that A) they’re still handing out in full costume B) they’re not famous enough to be recognized C) there’s people still wearing 20th century clothing.

Moopsball has been mentioned here and there in previous Legion stories, by the way. It’s a bit of a sci-fi in-joke: moopsball is a fictional sport incorporating elements of football and medieval combat, introduced in a series of short stories by Damon Knight in 1976.

I suppose the joke of moopsball is that its rules are absurdly complicated, and it’s perhaps why Night Girl is not a fan. Or maybe it’s because the miniseries focuses on the founders.

We also get a glimpse at the domestic life of the married founders, with Saturn Girl keeping a telepathic eye on her husband. Cute.

Meanwhile at the end of time (???), the Time Trapper is preparing his, uhm, trap.

No wonder the Time Trapper has to kidnap his servants from history, who would WANT to work for this guy!?

Even a thousand years in the future, things never change.

I suppose the Time Trapper gave these guys some tech to shield them from Saturn Girl’s telepathy?

And Nose-Grabbing Kid saves the day!

Or not. Talk about an overreaction!!!

With the child hostage, the guys hesitate to counterattack. But it turns out Saturn Girl is still conscious and her powers still work, so… how did she NOT sense the goons were inside the house?

Clearly the Time Trapper needs to recruit better soldiers.

Thanks to the Time Trapper’s logo, the founders figure out he was behind this… with the hourglass motif, it was either him or Chronos.
Also notice the Legion at this point knows the Crisis happened, but they won’t remember all the details… it’s complicated (x5).

The founders naturally want to involve the rest of the Legion, but they desist when the Time Trapper seemingly kidnaps the kid BETWEEN PANELS, switching him with a message.

The reaction from the parents is quite powerful.

And this is where we end the first issue: the Time Trapper has made his first move.

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Legion significance: 7/10
This miniseries completely redefines the Time Trapper, which will have MASSIVE consequences… but the specifics won’t be that important.

Silver Age-ness: 2/10
That game of chess with Brainiac is completely unrelated to anything else in the series.

Does it stand the test of time? 9/10
My bias for this version of the Time Trapper is at play here, but you can easily do this story today.
Focusing on him is a risky move, but the founders get a few cute domestic scenes AND they get to show they are still badass superheroes.
Ernie Colon does a fantastic job on the Time Trapper himself, although the rest of his future is a bit sketchy and the Legionnaires are a bit weird… especially faces.