OH COME ON
Creative Staff:
Story: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Ryan Sook, Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
What They Say:
A grudge that has endured 1,000 years! The unstoppable behemoth Rogol Zaar has survived the millennium to haunt Jonathan Kent where he least expected it! It’s a menace so terrible the Legion of Super-Heroes may not survive. Was this the challenge Brainiac 5 predicted? Is the Legion up to the task? Plus, who is dating whom in the 31st century? Another searing chapter in the far-flung future of the DC Universe, courtesy of Bendis, Sook, and von Grawbadger!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I had tapped out of the last issue pretty hard because of just how terrible it was across the board with its design format and storytelling. I was ready to toss Bendis off a bridge for bringing in a new romance for Jon who is still going through whiplash in trying to understand things since being brought to this time, especially for a romance that doesn’t seem to resonate for most anyone. This issue is the first one since the start that feels like it’s trying to do some actual storytelling but it still has too much going on and playing with things in a way that simply doesn’t work. Thankfully, Ryan Sook and Wave Von Grawbdger put together a really good looking installment overall with its designs, worlds, and costuming since it’s not constant action, giving us a chance to enjoy the settings.
Jon and Imra’s date pages are a joke and it gets weird with the mental exploration that goes on before being drawn back by 31st century onion rings that make Jon cringe. What we do get from dealing with the authorities here is a nod toward Xanth as a place to look for Mordu now that he’s escaped. Which, of course, Jon’s not keen on since magic is his other Kryptonite. The don’t get out there in this issue but we do see Mordu make his way there only to introduce himself to Rogol Zaar. That was an interesting storyline in the ongoing Superman books for a while but bringing it into this one and keeping the grudge potentially alive a thousand years from now? I can understand where Jon comes from but if Zaar doesn’t have some sort of change from a thousand years, I’m going to be incredibly frustrated by his inclusion here as coming alongside or as the new great darkness.
The book spends time hopping around to a few other locations since as dealing with Mon-el on New Krypton as he’s just not keen n being involved in things, instead wanting to spend time with his kids. And he’s glad Jon’s not there as well since there’s issues with the past. It’s just not terribly interesting. The same can be said of the time on Rimbor where we get thrown into Timber Wolf being put into the same position as his father. The interesting time was on Oa where they’re dealing with Crav but the focus turns more toward Brainy trying to suss out a bit about what’s been going on with the Guardians in this form and what may really be coming with this Great Darkness since they have the scale of time to work with. It’s more questions than answers but it at least felt like it was more interesting.
In Summary:
Honestly, bringing Rogol Zaar into the 31st-century was almost enough for me to not read this issue. It’s basically beating a dead horse at this point and even if they go in the complete oppositive direction of the 21st storytelling, it’s still just going to be hard to really connect with. Pile that on with Mordru and the Jon and Imra dating things alongside everything else and it’s just very frustrating. I was glad to have a regular storytelling issue and one without much in the way of action so that it was dialogue and exploration of events. I desperately want a good Legion book but everything about this one has me wishing it would just be hand-waved away as someone’s fever dream.
Grade: C
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology | Kindle
Release Date: October 27th, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
