Legion of Super-Heroes #44 Review

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #44
Written by Jim Shooter
Art by Francis Manapul and Livesay

By all rights, I should really dislike how this issue turned out. All the conflicts Shooter had setup over the last few issues, such as Ultra Boy and Saturn Girl's team being pinned down and underseige by the Science Police, the UP's arresting of the Legion and the team's failed rescue of the replacement Legion team, just conveniently get wrapped up in very deus ex ways.

For instance, the mystery man that designed new costumes for the team and who has been hiding in the shadows for the past half a dozen issues turns out to be one of the rejected new members and appears to be near Brainiac-level intelligent and comes up with some random laws to help get the team off the hook from the UP.

This withdrawal by the UP also leads to Saturn Girl's team, who were being assaulted on all sides by the Science Police, being saved as their pursuers retreat and let them go.

Even with all of these contrived conclusions, I still found myself enjoying this issue and I'm not sure why. Even the art was sub-standard for this title and I can't find it in me to hate this comic.

Finally, over with the captured Legion members, Invisible Kid shows up, defeats the alien leader and frees everyone. How did they get captured in the first place if they were able to defeat these guys so easily now?

However, even with all of these contrived conclusions, I still found myself enjoying this issue and I'm not sure why. Even the art was sub-standard for this title and I can't find it in me to hate this comic. I think many of these problems may have stemmed from the rumoured departure of Shooter and he may have been wrapping up his plots quicker than intended because of it.

Verdict - Check It. While all of the Legion's problems just magically disappear or get solved in this issue, I still found myself liking it for the characters. It's no Must Read, but it's far from an Avoid It, too.

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