The Stop Button

This issue features Tyroc’s formal admission to the Legion, which will be handled entirely in long shot. Given it’s the ostensible point of the whole issue—the story’s about Tyroc’s last test before membership—the abrupt finish is a little disconcerting. Except it shouldn’t be unexpected considering the rest of the issue; writer Cary Bates aims the reader’s attention at some very specific scenes and details, all meant to distract from the subterfuges going on (or to emphasize them).

Of course, more on Tyroc might not be better. Bates has the Legion discussing their new member—a being from a “Black race” they discovered somewhere on Earth—who thinks the Legion’s a tad white. Bates makes sure the white Legionnaires explain to one another (certainly not Tyroc) how they can’t possibly be racist because they have blue-skinned aliens on the team or whatever. It’s trash, and the less of it, the better.

The issue opens with some Legion rejects leaving headquarters dejected once again. Is it important? You know it. Bates seemingly is using it as a way to introduce Tyroc to the story; he’s flying away. A scene later, he will teleport himself back to headquarters and say he’s doing it from the shuttle parking lot. All of the action in the issue relates to the Legionnaire’s individual powers, and Bates is showcasing them, but these showcases aren’t… good. Or compelling. They’re not even the most visual. Like everything else in the issue, they’re perfunctory.

Tyroc has brought all his gear to move into Legion headquarters, but his admission ceremony gets interrupted by secret supervillain Zoraz. Zoraz has all the Legionnaires’ DNA, so he can counter their powers. He can hide out in the HVAC system in headquarters, and they can’t find him.

Because Legion defenses are only as good as the story requires.

After taking out all the Legionnaires around Tyroc, Superboy and Sun Boy show up to fill him in on the villain’s backstory, then explain since he’s the newest member and his DNA isn’t on file, Tyroc will have to take down Zoraz.

The reason the Legion has DNA is so they can clone Legionnaires after the Legionnaire has been killed. It’s a throwaway line, but… maybe deserves some attention. Not in this comic, of course.

We’ll get some filler—mainly with the Legionnaires watching their teammates canoodle on the closed-circuit video cameras, which can’t pick up the villain in the ducts anywhere. Then it’s Tyroc’s turn for some action.

Then, it’s time for some more action after a reveal or two.

The action’s not good, the characterization’s not good, Mike Grell’s art isn’t good (at times it seems downright unfinished). The comic could be worse but there’s certainly nothing to recommend it.