Legion of Super-Heroes vol.3 #30 (1987)
by Paul Levitz & Greg LaRoque
cover by Steve Lighle
One of the best minimalist covers.
We begin with Brainiac 5 apologizing to Sensor Girl for going into full conspiracy theory mode about her secret identity… and she immediately accepts the apology.
Considering what she’s been through, I guess this isn’t too much to forgive.
Weird that she considers Brainiac 5’s lineage to be analogous to royalty. I guess it’s kind of true, but since it’s a legacy that began with a supervillain… is it really true?
An underrated comedy moment! Admit it, if one of your friends was a living encyclopedia, you WOULD ask him before bothering looking it up yourself.
Our main threat of the issue is at the Niagara power station, which is being overwhelmed by Kirby Krackles.
I always love these little random moments with the 30th century civilians! It really helps make the Legion world feel more real.
The team going to the rescue of both civilians and Science Police is a bit random.
Two are essential: Brainiac 5 to figure out how to fix the plant, and Lightning Lass since it involves electricity.
Two are useful: Colossal Boy and Timber Wolf make sense to move civilians out of the way.
The oddball is Dream Girl… what is she supposed to do!?
Not only pairing up Brainiac 5 and Lightning Lass makes sense, but we haven’t seen them interact all that much throughout their history!
Which is historically interesting because the will interact A LOT during the Reboot era.
Turns out that nobody sabotaged the plant: the damage is being caused by some Lightning Beasts of Korbal (the animals that gave Lightning Lass and her brothers their powers) that have been brought to Earth.
I might have praised Colossal Boy and Timber Wolf too much.
Brainiac 5’s solution is to give his force field belt to Lightning Lass, so that SHE can lead the animals away from the plant.
There’s only one problem: she doesn’t know how to use it!
Which kind of makes sense if the belt is incredibly difficult to operate, like it is in other continuities (I don’t think it’s officially said for this era).
So a normal person wouldn’t know what to do with it… but even if she doesn’t act like it, remember that Dream Girl is a scientific genius.
The reason why Brainiac 5 left was to get some industrial cables…
…which Timber Wolf grounds, taking things a little too literally I think.
This is, of course, in order to discharge the electricity from the Lightning Beasts into the ground.
This is apparently all according to Universo’s plan, SOMEHOW.
However this is a victory for what the Legionnaires know, so they decide to celebrate.
Even Sun Boy and Dawnstar, who didn’t do anything, join Brainiac 5.
If you find it strange to see Brainiac 5 there… he agrees.
At least Dawnstar is having fun. She sure deserves it for… checking my notes… doing absolutely nothing worthwhile in the last dozen issues or so.
At least Brainiac 5 is not alone; he bumps into Dr. Chaseer, who you might remember from LSH #16, the issue where he was grieving for Supergirl.
He’s not the only one finding company: while it’s not said out loud, this is definitely the first date between Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet.
So if things are going so well for Brainiac 5, why the tragic cover?
Because the story ends with the news that Rond Vidar has died off-panel.
In a story where his father Universo is the bad guy? Riiiiiight.
Also, Brainy met Dr. Chaseer the first time when Supergirl dies and then this… he’d better avoid meeting her again, just in case!
In other plots, a few Legionnaires escort Ambassador Relnic in a diplomatic mission, unaware that he’s being mind-controlled by Universo.
This team includes Blok, Mon-El and Ultra-Boy… the latter two enjoying a farewell party.
I’ve said before that Shadow Lass and Phantom Girl desperately need scenes that are not with their boyfriends or each other… but there’s a reason why they’re always teamed up together: they have good chemistry as friends.
Another team… Tellus, White Witch, Wildfire and Quislet… is still looking for Atmos, on Tellus’ underwater planet.
Now don’t be shocked, but Wildfire is being an ass.
And finally we have Element Lad complaining that the team has been in a bit of a slump lately.
He also makes indirect references to the latest Annual and the awful Cosmic Boy miniseries, which was being published concurrently with the main series.
But the reason for this scene is that Polar Boy drops by…
…to run in the election for Legion leader!!!
Element Lad has done a decent enough job, but he’s been too passive and indecisive lately… even knowing where things are going, if I had to cast my vote at the time I would totally have voted for Polar Boy!
Legion significance: 6/10
No single plot is terribly significant, but they are all slowly advancing towards the same overarching storyline.
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really.
Does it stand the test of time? 9/10
I have a hard time believing Levitz can write a single issue with so much stuff going on, but at the same time deliver four issues of the Cosmic Boy miniseries where barely anything happens.
This one is by no means a masterpiece, but it’s a competent story with interesting dynamics.
Not too much else to say, honestly.
We are legion
23 active Legionnaires
8 reserve members
11 deceased members
(not bothering to add Rond Vidar to the dead members; I try avoiding spoilers, but I’m not insulting your intelligence)