Thursday, August 11, 2011

Hidden Gems: Legion of Super Heroes Annual #1

I really love the Legion, but I'm not one of those hardcore fans who knows the badge number of every single member of the Science Police. I'm also a bit fuzzy on post-1983 Legion stuff, so I always approach hoping that I won't come out the other side with a headache. I found this annual in a dollar bin, and could not resist the value I was getting on a 'pennies per page' basis. I had lowish expectations, but must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised to find a well told mystery tale that did not require an advanced degree in Legion Studies as it provides an accessible and intriguing look at the 31st century. The artwork is sharp throughout and, without spoiling too much, there's a really crafty tie-in to the DCU of the 20th century. It's a solid 'one and done' tale and that's one of the reasons I find myself seeking out Annuals from the 80s and 90s these days.

1 comment:

Scott Keith said...

Very much agreed on this one. Lots of great little off-the-wall gags peppered into the murder mystery makes for a terrific one-off issue. I don't know why I had ended up buying this one as a standalone with my hard-earned allowance money, but it really got me into the Legion, and Keith Giffen by extension, for a while afterwards.