mschlat's review
2.0
Not my favorite volume... We have two stories about folks infiltrating the Legion, and in both cases the villains are boring. There's all sorts of bad stuff happening to Lightning Lad (why?), and the plot contrivances in "The Unknown Legionnaire" are close to ridiculous.
The gonzo is lowered in this volume as well, although you do see the Bizarro Legionnaires, the first appearance of the Time Trapper and Glorith in a tale replete with toddler Legion members, and the Bgtzl wedding-wands. But the emphasis on different superteams from previous volumes is mostly gone, and the "shocking twist theatre" quotient has gone up.
The gonzo is lowered in this volume as well, although you do see the Bizarro Legionnaires, the first appearance of the Time Trapper and Glorith in a tale replete with toddler Legion members, and the Bgtzl wedding-wands. But the emphasis on different superteams from previous volumes is mostly gone, and the "shocking twist theatre" quotient has gone up.
manwithanagenda's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
As the issues move deeper into the 1960s the Legion of Super-Heroes begin acting on some of the seeds planted in earlier issues. The Time Trapper in particular is a villain that was foreshadowed years before he actually makes an appearance in an issue collected here.
Legion stories take up most of "Action Comics" space, but there begin to be more stories that couldn't be completed in a single book. Some events and characters became important only in hindsight (and known only to me because of the introduction). Legion comics of the 1990s and now still pull from these early issues for inspiration.
The problem with reading these so close together is that I run out of things to say. I could go into plots but, honestly, they're so slight it would be spoiling things.
That doesn't sound like a hearty recommendation, but I'm going to still pursue these when I can find them for close to their retail price.
Legion of Super-Heroes
Next: 'Volume 5'
Previous: 'Volume 3'
Legion stories take up most of "Action Comics" space, but there begin to be more stories that couldn't be completed in a single book. Some events and characters became important only in hindsight (and known only to me because of the introduction). Legion comics of the 1990s and now still pull from these early issues for inspiration.
The problem with reading these so close together is that I run out of things to say. I could go into plots but, honestly, they're so slight it would be spoiling things.
That doesn't sound like a hearty recommendation, but I'm going to still pursue these when I can find them for close to their retail price.
Legion of Super-Heroes
Next: 'Volume 5'
Previous: 'Volume 3'
More...