Issue #43: Comic Books For The Week Of Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Adventure Comics #0 (DC)
Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3 (of 5) (DC)

Normally I would have waited until pay day on Friday, February 13 to pick up my comic books from Acme Comics http://acme-superstore.com/ but I've been waiting for these two titles to be published. While I waited until today (Saturday February 7, 2009) to pick them up, I couldn't wait another week to read them.

Adventure Comics #0 (DC) * * * * *
As a Legion fan, what's not to like about a reprint of the first Legion story? To think about the fully developed world of the 30th, now the 31st century, from such a simple story, it's always fun to look back and read where everything began. The second feature, Origins & Omens, which will appear in a number of DC titles, involves the Black Lanterns and Luthor and Brainiac. When the Legion returns to Adventure Comics in June, a title that originally predated Action and Detective, this back story leaves me wondering how the events portrayed here will affect the Legion in the 31st century. Not that I need a reason to read a Legion title. June can't get here soon enough.

Legion of 3 Worlds #3 (of 5) (DC) * * * * *
It does seem odd that the third issue of this title is only now appearing at comic book stores, when the regular Final Crisis mini-series has finished, especially when events at the conclusion of Final Crisis follow events yet to appear in this title. That is y only criticism involving this title. With George Perez's legendary detail in his art delaying publication I can understand. It was worth the wait. Geoff Johns knows how to write action packed issues. This is one lond battle, slugfest, whatever you want to call it. But it's not mindless fisticuffs. The individual personalities of the cahracters, both heroes and villains, are expressed in this issue. And this battle is not without casualties, and I felt each loss. A Legion team returns to 20th century Smallville, but not to find who you might think. The only hint I'll leave is to mention that this was a nice nod to silver age Superboy continuity. And the character who makes an appearance at the end of the issue was one I did not expect. According to DC Comics web site, issue #4 is scheduled to be published during the last week of March, so it won't quite be two months until the next issue.

Another thing I am looking forward to about the Legion of super-Heroes is to see Geoff John's vision for the Legion. With at least three "reboots" in the last few years, it seems the Legion has drifted without one unifying vision that writers can add to as they come and go on the title. Johns knows how to respect what has appeared before, weave them together with his vision of where he wants to take the title, and leave a fantastic story for Legion fans to enjoy, as he has in Action Comics. So I am looking forward to seeing where Legion of 3 Worlds will leave the Legion, and where Adventure Comics will take them.

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