Writer: Brain Michael Bendis / Artists: Ryan Sook, Scott Godlewski, and Wade von Grawbadger / DC Comics
It’s issue #5 of Legion of Super-Heroes, and the 31st-century shit just hit the fan. Off the heels of issue #4, the Science Police have cornered the Legion in an order from the President of the United Planets herself.
The only problem is that the Science Police and the Legion of Superheroes are both run by the President of the United Planets. So why is she pitting them against each other? She’s on her Sheev Palpatine tip for sure. She’s not being as open and honest as she claims. Don’t you just love 31st-century bureaucracy?
There’s been a lot of politics and comics lately, and I’ve gotta say I’ve been eating it up. They’re always political to some degree (tell that to the c*mics g*te fools who don’t think there is), but I like how we’re seeing a more literal look at systems of power and the potential of corruption that goes on behind the scenes. In a book like this, it’s a really important aspect of the story because the 31st century is supposed to be this utopia where everything is happy and perfect. And instead of some big bad supervillain that fits the part, the bad guy is the one who is supposedly trying to keep the piece. That’s reflective of our own politics and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
I like how this book is from Jon’s perspective, so we really only know as much as he does. That’s how all Legion books are that deal with Superboy, but this is a new twist since it’s Jon and not just a young Clark. So learning things as he does give us a limited perspective and adds to the tension in the book for us as readers as well.
Since this book takes place 1000 years into the future, it needs to convey that on the page, and with the combined talents of Sook, Godlewski, and Grawbadger, they pretty much hit the nail on the head. It’s exactly the expansive, awe-inspiring look at the future that you’d imagine. And they bring it to life with the sometimes stunning panel layouts, especially in their double splash pages, which there are many.
Legion of Superheroes #5 continues to expand the conflict between the President of United Planets and the young hero taskforce that she helped create. We also get more confused Superboy. And we can never have enough of that.
8.5 Braniac 5 Monologues out of 10
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