Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #65 (1995)
written by Mark Waid & Tom McCraw
pencils and cover by Lee Moder
Continuing the Planet Hell saga.
Following the previous chapter’s cliffhanger, all the prisoners of Planet Hell have been freed.
The Legion has to regroup, after the cliffhanger’s explosion that freed the prisoners.
They also can’t count on the prison’s warden, who seems to have gone insane before releasing the prisoners.
Although Brainiac 5 could certainly say it with kinder words.
Brainy… you’re my favorite, but you’re going to have to tone it down considering THIS is how your current teammates consider you.
The other half of the team currently holding off most of the prisoners.
If you’re already bored with the jetpacks, don’t worry: this will be the last storyline to feature them.
Considering I pointed out that during all previous chapters Triad didn’t to anything, to be fair she DOES fight this time.
Still, it’s few Legionnaires VERY early in their career, so they’re struggling with this.
We learn that the warden we have met is not the original: if I understand this correctly, he’s a former prisoner who took his place and is now working with a secret ally to stage the escape.
I’m not entirely sure if we are explicitly told who the ally is. The fact that this is when Workforce shows up suggests that McCauly is somehow involved.
Just to drive home how incompetent McCauley’s leadership is, he sent his team to a space station located INSIDE A STAR without any eye protection!!! At least the Legion has enough spares.
The official reason why Live Wire joined Workforce was to look for his brother, but there’s little doubt that his priority was finding a substitute for the Legion.
One of the prisoners is a reboot version of Caress, who you might remember from one of the worst lineups of the Fatal Five. I don’t blame you if you don’t remember her.
Having a Flash in the team is always helpful.
Despite what I said about Caress, I will definitely blame you if you forgot the Brain-Globes of Rambat.
Guys, you already have hundreds of dangerous criminals to fight, you don’t need to fight between yourselves…
…that’s what Workforce is for!
Interesting to note how the series is doubling down on Inferno’s ruthlessness; she’s definitely being set up as a future villain, but she’ll play a VERY different role.
Brainiac 5 is not particularly interested in the fight.
This is when Ultra Boy and Apparition notice each other, and it’s love at first sight.
Despite the goggles, so that HAS to be true love.
I just can’t take the scene seriously when everyone has googly eyes.
Besides Caress and the Brain-Globes, the other notable prisoner is Titanor: a telepath with mind-control abilities.
Given the spotlight he looks like a reimagined version of a previous character, but he’s new.
Do we ever see him again? I have vague memories of it, but I might be confusing him for the Reboot version of Universo.
The fight is interrupted by the warden, who has just discovered that the escape plan failed.
As if THAT wasn’t bad enough: the gateway to safely get out of the force field protecting them from the heat of the star is also gone.
Well of course it matters, Brainy: it’s way too early for ANOTHER reboot!
Legion significance: 4/10
The future relationship between Ultra Boy and Apparition will be VERY important for the Reboot, to the point that it probably received more storylines than the one between Saturn Girl and Live Wire. It’s not higher than that since they don’t really interact here.
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really
Does it stand the test of time? 8/10
Definitely the weakest part of the Planet Hell storyline; being stuck in the middle, it does little more than advanced plot points that were either introduced earlier or that will get more attention next time. Which isn’t to say it’s a bad story, and I can’t penalize it too much since you were always supposed to read the continuation in the other book the same month.
Having two regular Legion books is a blessing for the Reboot, especially once the membership increases, but the downside is that you HAVE to read both books if you don’t want just half of a story.
“Don’t call me Brainy”: 3
He just objects to the nickname once in this issue, but I’m including the previous two occasions.
He doesn’t ALWAYS voice his objection, though, there are a couple of times when someone calls him Brainy and he doesn’t comment on it.
Who did it better?
Nothing to compare directly this time; the only returns are Caress and the Brain-Globes, but I wouldn’t call either a true return.
We are legion
- 10 active Legionnaires (4 volunteers, 6 drafted)
- 1 resigned member
- 1 deceased member
- 12 people have been members
- 2 Legion leaders (Leviathan, Cosmic Boy)
I missed the returning villains. All Gail the brain globes. I wonder if any of the futurama writers were Legion fans given their own brain species.
I love this cover. The goggles make everyone look psychotic.
I always thought it was implied that the White Triangle were the “warden”‘s masters. Not sure if it was ever made more clear. In any case, I don’t see McCauley making sense in that role. He’s a profiteer, what profit does he get out of releasing a bunch of criminals?
McCauley is a very weak connection, but I’m not convinced the White Triangle would work with who they consider filthy aliens.
They worked with Doyle. I think they’re fine working with any underlings of any race.
You have a point.
I forgot that if xenophobic racists followed reason they would not be xenophobic racists….
So Jo and Tinya are literally a match made in Hell…