In the 30th century, Lightning Lad returns from a routine patrol of the solar system, to crash his rocket in front of Legion Headquarters. (Which, of course, was shaped like a rocket accident, although Saiz downplays it!) LL had found a rogue, "primordial black hole," making a beeline towards earth. Luckily, it wouldn't get there for a few weeks, so they had time to figure--oh, crap, it's here now! Cosmic Boy decides, their only chance, earth's only chance, was the time bubble...which disappears before they can get in! This time they catch a break, as it seemingly was just on the other side of the room, and write it off as magnetic distortion. Still, going ahead 24 hours, they find earth completely destroyed; which doesn't make a lot of sense to them: they had been to earth's future. The Legion figure they need help from the past; but not Superboy or Superman: they need specific power-sets to destroy a black hole.
In the distant past, the Legion pick up Elasti-girl, Robotman, and Negative Man--the Doom Patrol! They're of course ready to help, once you get past their usual grumbling...and that darn time bubble moved again! Cliff shrugs it off; but their trip to the future is interrupted by technical issues: someone got a pink-and-white fluffball in one of the components. Garth and Imra give Rokk a bit of side-eye, but he denies it being his, even if it matched his colors. Facing the black hole, the plan is for Negative Man and Lightning Lad (with Robotman as a ground!) to zap the black hole and force it to expend enough energy to break up. Cosmic Boy tries to keep a magnetic force-field to keep them all alive; while Cliff grooves on the trippy colors. Unexpectedly, though, Rita watches the controls as a time surge hits them, taking them forward to watch the black hole dissipate. They aren't entirely sure how, but they did it!
The Legion returns the Doom Patrol to the past; where they are greeted by a particularly sour Chief, who describes it as "probably the worst day of my life," which is a strong sentiment from a guy in a wheelchair. What happened to him? And where did the pink fluff come from? Well, the next issue was the last of the series, so I guess we'll get to it eventually.
Aside from the odd little time hiccups, this is almost too utilitarian an issue: I feel like there's more to be done with the Legion's bracing optimism and the Doom Patrol's snarkily cheerful fatalism. But the next issue, if you didn't already know, goes in a different direction...
1 comment:
I had this one because it had the Doom Patrol in it of course, haha. Didn't buy the next issue, but I know it featured the Legion of Substitute heroes and the Inferior Five. No wonder the Chief had a shit day after having to babysit those motherfuckers.
As for the interactions between these two particular teams, sure, you'd think that maybe JMS would have the DP come out feeling a bit more optimistic about the future, even if their unfortunate present conditions wouldn't get any better, at least by glimpsing the LoSH's future, they'd feel as if their suffering and contributions to the continuance of mankind wouldn't be in vain. Idk, then again, maybe that's too much to ask.
Damn sure enjoyed JMS' run on B&B a HELL of a lot more than I did his run on Amazing Spider-Man.
Post a Comment