Wednesday, December 26, 2018

"The End" Week: Legion of Super-Heroes #63!


I know I picked this issue up summer of 2017, but I had two Legion issues going and had to push this one back! And it's odd in that it's the last issue, but I had the next one! From 1989, Legion of Super-Heroes #63, "Where Has All the Magic Gone" Written by Paul Levitz, co-plot and layout pencils by Keith Giffen, finishes by Mike DeCarlo.

Concluding the four part "Magic Wars," the Legion is in final battle with the massive, toothy, Archmage; high above the Sorcerers' World. Although the shadowy monster is vulnerable to bright light, things are still looking pretty bad: Magnetic Kid, Cosmic Boy's brother, has already been killed; and most of the population of the Sorcerers' World has already fled this dimension. (To Valinor, one assumes.) Although the White Witch tries to rally the team to save the planet from destruction, the spirit of the world--who had once been Amythest--tells her to let it go. After the Legion ports out, the Archmage destroys his former prison, but then realizes doing so destroyed all magic, including himself. (You'd think that would affect White Witch and Sensor Girl, who both had powers from magic, but it doesn't here.)

Also this issue, a long running subplot is wrapped up, as Dream Girl finally realizes the sinister secret of that dick Atmos. And it's sewn up just in time, since the next issue of the Legion would be jarringly different, although technically not a reboot: three months later was the first issue of what would be known to some as the "Five Years Later" run of the book!

The letters page has responses from Paul Levitz, who was wrapping up his second run on the Legion, 93 monthly issues and 7 annuals. He would work more on the publishing end of DC after this, but would return to the Legion again later.

No comments: