365 Days of Defiance, Day 294: We Are Legion, Day Nine: Long Live the Legion

And so here we end at Day 294, and if you're wondering why this final installment was so closely timed to fall upon this date...well, please just note the number of this historic issue of Legion of Super-Heroes. Right, huh? So, for the past week-and-change I've been showing you so many uprising of defiance against Darkseid that you'd think this comic book, even double-sized as it it, simply can squeeze in yet another scene of YOU SHALL NOT PASS. We saw Supergirl apparently put Darkseid down for the count yesterday, is he decisively defeated? Not yet. Sheesh, we're almost at the letters page and house ads!


Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #294 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
Who shall defy Darkseid? How about...everybody? Ladies and gentlemen and Quislet, preeeeesenting...The Legion of Super-Heroes! And Karate Kid!


...and more Legionnaires, and the Heroes of Lallor, who you'll be forgiven if you don't remember, and all the Daxamites, and probably Matter-Eater Lad! We will not be stopped, Darkseid!


Darkseid today has learned a valuable strategic lesson: never get involved in a land war in Asia. Also: the Legion of Super-Heroes will never, never, never stop fighting evil and corruption. You got that, Stonehead? OH MAN HE JUST RAN AWAY! Yellowbelly! Run away! Run away!


I love and miss the Legion of Super-Heroes. Please consider publishing them again, DC Comics? You've got the twentieth century in good hands. Let's make certain its far-off descendants — one thousand years in the future — are still fighting the good fight, never, ever, ever giving up.

Long live the Legion!

365 Days of Defiance, Day 293: We Are Legion, Day Eight: That's Just Super

Spotlighting our Sensational Second Week of We Are Legion! Don't worry too much, Legion non-fans, it won't last much longer. (Mainly 'coz I think Darkseid just won.)


Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #294 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
But for those of you who wear a ring with an "L' on your finger and always finish off the pnrase "Long Live the..." with a word that rhymes with "region," the battle of rebellion to stop Darkseid is getting bigger and louder and more intense until you just gotta ask who else could they throw into the mix? Maybe some certain ones who haven't even appeared in the Legion book for the past couple years? Talk about your special guest appearance because you demanded it...it's the Wonder Twins Superboy and Supergirl!


Oh no, Superboy's down! Who can save us now?


Supergirl?


Mmmmmmaybe!
(Big-Ass Great Darkness Conclusion tomorrow!)

365 Days of Defiance, Day 292: We Are Legion, Day Seven: The Boys Are Back in Town

At last, the climax and centerpiece of LSH #294: just when it seems like all is going well against the shadow hordes, the boss himself, That Jerk Darkseid™ shows up to undo all their good work and triumphs and replacement arm surgery. Darkseid, yer a jerk, and you always were. Ya bum.
Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #292 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
But even as Light Lass falls, there's one Legionnaire — Shadow Lass — who will protect the mysterioius Child (oh yeah, forgot about him) from being captured and corrupted by Darkseid. Hey, does this two-page spread remind you of anything?

(Click picture to big-ass-darkness-size)
Hey, does this two-page spread remind you of anything?

The Creation of Adam (1508–1512), pencils, inks, and colors by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, scripter unknown but probably Stan Lee
In all his millennia, including all those kick-ass Jack Kirby stories, Darkseid has never heard so much impudence as he's getting right now from Tasmia Mallor! To be fair, he's pretty old now and is at the equivalence of yelling "YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN." He's just so darn cranky. But Shadow Lass will not give up that child! Well, it's a stalemate, Darkseid, right? Ehhhh, maybe not. WHO WILL DEFY HIM NOW?!?


OH YEAH BABY IT'S THE FREAKIN' NEW GODS (CREATED BY JACK KIRBY)


Darkseid sure is in for a world o' hurt now, huh? Eh, you'd be surprised. Tune in tomorrow!

365 Days of Defiance, Day 291: We Are Legion, Day Six: Brainiac fingers. But with more hair!

Here's more Legionnaires workin' as a full-fledge team, thanks to all those workouts in the Danger Room Legion Lounge: Magnet Man, Galaxy Guy, Calculator Cal, Periodic Tab, and DC'S Wolverine! (AKA Cosmic Boy, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Element Lad, and Timber Wolf, all of 'em not deserving of me makin' funny names for them, but whatcha gonna do.) Fight fight fight fight Legion! I think that's their slogan.
Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #292 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza

365 Days of Defiance, Day 290: We Are Legion, Day Five: I am yours / I am ruthless / I am torn / I am Caesar / I am sun / I am human

During the past few installments of We Are Legion, I've shown you the Sub Legion and various assorted members of the Legion available by the pound for your convenience face off against Darkseid's brain-befuddled slaves, but when are we gonna see an actual Legion Team um...team up to fight the good fight and hold back the rampaging horrible hordes?

Why, right now! Go, go, Legion guys!
Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #292 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza

365 Days of Defiance, Day 289: We Are Legion, Day Four: Little and Large

I'm continuing my survey of Legion of Super-Heroes #294, the epic conclusion of The Great Darkness Saga, with a look at the battles against this guy:


Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #294 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
Today! Big guy Gim Allon (aka Colossal Boy) and my favorite Legionnaire, Shrinking Green Violet (Salu Digby) must battle the Darkseid minion, the evil clone of Lydea Mallor (you might remember her from the series L.E.G.I.O.N. even though it hadn't been published yet back then). Go big or go home, Gim! And hey Salu? Let's get small!




This is honestly the kind of teamwork and innovative fighting that I love in comics, and please don't think too long about how much earwax Vi would have all over her. Ewwwww.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 288: We Are Legion, Day Three: She got the moon in her eye

She's been with the pre-Crisis Legion so long that it's hard to remember the days when she was just hanging around with her sister Dream Girl, but the White Witch didn't become a Legionnaire until she proved herself during the Great Darkness Saga, just by bein' a good witchy woman like the one so often sung about by the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Santana, and other musical artists on the 30th Century Fox label. Fight the power, WW!
Panels from Legion of Super-Heroes (1980 series) #294 (December 1982), co-plot and script by Paul Levitz, co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Larry Mahlstedt, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza