JLA #240 – “The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be” – Kurt Busiek/Mike Sekowsky/Tom Mandrake
This is a combination flashback/untold story featuring some of Kurt Busiek’s early work, plus the art of classic JLA artist Mike Sekowsky. The framing device (which runs through the story) is about a couple of STAR Labs scientists who work in temporal research. (Their names are Fred and Daphne … a Scooby-Doo reference maybe?) There’s a sort of sub-plot about them being interested in each other, even though Daphne is Fred’s supervisor; these days, that comes off as problematic, but neither of them seem too bothered by it. Anyway, while messing around with the Chronal Viewer, Fred finds what looks like a human being lost in the time-stream and by manipulating the viewer, he gives us the story of the time-lost person. In 1932, a prominent
physicist named Phineas Quayle got mugged by a desperate starving man and (after feeding him any giving him money) wondered if he could do anything to alleviate the Great Depression. He decided to invent a time machine to look into the future and hopefully see some renewed prosperity. (Quayle’s time machine looks a bit like the one from the Time Machine movie.) On his first jaunt, Quayle ended up in the 60s and was horrified by everything he saw: Kennedy’s assassination, the Cold War, Kent State (which actually happened in 1970, but whatever). He also saw that super-heroes had appeared, but instead of seeing them as a force for justice, he thought of 
them as dangerous individuals, acting outside the law and breaking down respect for legitimate authority. Quayle found he couldn’t go backwards in time, so he was stuck in that terrible era. He tried to use the advanced tech to find a way back, but could only affect time in a very narrow area, causing small temporal anomalies. He did manage to see into the near future and was even more upset: Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King’s assassinations and Nixon’s disgrace didn’t exactly fill him with hope, and seeing the JLA’s Satellite made him distrust them even more. Quayle decided to bring the country back to its old-fashioned values, so he created a new identity (Dr. Anomaly) and went after the JLA first, figuring once they were gone he could steer the country in the right direction again. He went after Superman
first, using the teleportation technology he’d seen in his future vision of the Satellite to dissolve Superman’s essence and store him in a container. He did the same to several other JLAers before challenging the remaining few to a showdown. Quayle was winning because of his local time manipulations, but Superman (being still invulnerable even in his discorporated state) busted free of his container and let everyone else out. Confronted by the entire JLA, Quayle retreated into the time-stream, where he’s been stuck ever since. But Fred and Daphne’s observations have given Quayle 
something to latch onto and he materializes in the lab. When he finds out it’s 1985, he decides to continue his mission and disappears. Fred and Daphne call the cops to warn them (and the JLA) and then head out on a date. Strangely, this story isn’t continued next issue … in fact, I don’t think Dr. Anomaly ever appears again. Maybe this is some kind of alternate timeline, since the story seems to take place in “real time” with the JLA first appearing in the early 60s and the Satellite in the early 70s.
Tales of the Legion #325 – “5 to the Infinite Power” – Paul Levitz (plot), Mindy Newell/Dan Jurgens/Karl Kesel
This is the final issue of Tales of the Legion with original material; next issue they started reprinting the Baxter series for those who didn’t have access to comics stores. This issue starts right where we left off, with Mon-El, Ultra Boy, and White Witch confronting a Dark Circle ship in space, having found out they’ve been fighting clones of their friend Dev-Em, who’s a captive on the ship and is near death thanks to green kryptonite. Mon-El and Ultra Boy bust Dev-Em loose and they all take off before the Dark Circle can react. Nearby, Gigi Cusimano is waiting on a spaceship and has to deal with a nosy tabloid reporter breaking in on the Science Police
frequency to ask about her torrid affair with Sun Boy. Apparently, Gigi and Sun Boy have turned their break-up into a war of retaliation and pranks. Gigi tells the reporter to get lost and the Legionnaires show up with Dev-Em. Gigi still thinks Dev-Em betrayed Earth, but the Legionnaires explain about the cloning while they revive him. On Earth, some other Legionnaires (Element Lad, Phantom Girl, Colossal Boy, Sun Boy, and Blok) assemble to come help, but they’re a long way from Dark Circle space, so the team on-site decides to go after the Circe themselves. Dev-Em discovered the Dark Circle’s big secret … there are only five of them, but they cloned themselves numerous times to 
provide hundreds of members. Their cloning of Dev-Em was supposed to add his super-powers to their ranks, something he and the Legion have to stop. In their Citadel, the five original Dark Circle members are arguing amongst themselves when Dev-Em and the trio of Legionnaires show up. White Witch recognizes one of the Circle (Narok) and he seems to know her as well. The leaders flee, leaving the Dev-Em clones to fight, but White Witch uses her magic to reabsorb the clones into Dev-Em, ending that particulat threat. The Dark Circle leaders try to get away in a spaceship, but Element Lad’s team finds them and kicks their asses pretty quickly. They’re shocked to find Ontiir is a member of the Dark Circle and they get another shock when Norak seemingly kills himself, which kills all the clones back on the Circle’s
homeworld. (Norak was the one who created the clones in the first place, so he obviously had some kind of failsafe built into them, so to speak.) Later back on Earth, Gigi apologizes to Dev-Em and starts wondering if she should ask him out, and Blok and White Witch continue their strange, platonic-by-necessity relationship. And that’s it for Tales of the Legion’s original stories. There’s a final page where Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl urge readers to subscribe so they can read the Baxter reprints, but from now on there’ll only be one monthly Legion title. Speaking of which …
Legion of Super-Heroes #12 – “The More Things Change” – Paul Levitz/Steve Lightle/Mike Machlan
This one starts with a bunch of Legionnaires (plus Superboy, who’s just visiting) in space taking on a couple of pirate ships. They handle one ship easily, but the second one takes off and then just disappears, leaving no trace behind. Even Dawnstar’s tracking ability can’t detect it, which makes her wonder if Brainiac 5’s treatments to enhance her ability actually screwed it up instead. Back at Legion Headquarters, Timber Wolf gets a new costume before heading off to accomplish whatever mission Karate Kid
asked him to do in his will (which we’ll see next issue). The election for Legion leader is going on and we see Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and Cosmic Boy talking with Element Lad (who’s the current leader and is running against Brainiac 5). Out in space, Brainy assures Dawnstar that her powers are fine, they’re just not suited to find these particular opponents … but he’s sent for a Legionnaire who can. Brainy seems to be right, because as soon as the pirate ship reappears, Dawnstar senses it and leads the team straight to it. Brainy’s secret weapon (Phantom Girl) shows up and gets aboard the ship right before it disappears 
again. Wildfire is pissed off, but Brainy tells everyone to be patient and sure enough, the ship reappears in a few minutes. Turns out the ship’s pilot is from Bgtzl (Phantom Girl’s home planet) and hooked himself into the ship so he could use his powers to make it “disappear”. Brainy figured it out logically and sent Phantom Girl in to kick the pilot’s ass. Back on Earth, the three founders of the Legion cast their votes for leader and immediately resign, which stuns Element Lad.
“The More Things Stay the Same” – Paul Levitz/Ernie Colon/Larry Mahlstedt
This basically just a series of vignettes showing different reactions to the wait for the voting results to see who the Legion leader will be. We see a group of United Planets analysts (who, much like the United Nations, spend
so much time arguing about trifles that they don’t accomplish anything). We see the students at the Legion Academy, most of whom are sure Magnetic Kid will be asked to join now that his brother Cosmic Boy has resigned. Magnetic Kid is feeling the pressure and gets pissed off at all the attention. We see various other reactions (reporters, the Science Police, and the three founders who just quit) as everyone waits for the results. In the end, Element Lad is re-elected leader and is quite happy. He notices Flynt Brojj outside in Legion Plaza and goes out to tell him the news. Brojj was based on a couple of fans, but in this case I think he’s meant to represent Legion fans in general, as Element Lad says people like Brojj stick with the Legion through all their troubles and really care.
Tales of the Teen Titans #55 – “Shades of Gray” – Marv Wolfman/Ron Randall
This issue deals with the aftermath of Slade (Terminator) Wilson being acquitted of all charges except gun possession (which his lawyer is working to get dismissed) last issue. Gar (Changeling) Logan still blames Wilson for turning Terra evil and using her against the titans, which ended with her death. Gar has been acting like an impulsive asshole lately and last issue we saw he even used Mento’s helmet to make it seem like there was another Terminator running around. Gar wants Wilson outside of prison so he can kill him and avenge Terra (not to mention that Wilson almost killed Gar and the other Titans too). Gar’s still
acting like a dick to everyone and it’s having an effect on his personal life: the Titans are worried about him, Steve Dayton is pissed off, and his girlfriend Jillian dumps him. When Gar sees an interview with Wilson on TV (conducted by Brother Blood follower Bethany Snow) asserting that the Titans acted recklessly by assuming Wilson was the same Terminator who attacked them, he’s had enough. Gar goes to the prison and attacks Wilson in his cell, going all out (although he’s still torn on whether he really wants to kill Wilson or not). Wilson tries to get away and runs into the guards in the yard. Gar takes off, but promises it’s not over between them. Wilson’s contacts 
have gotten the weapons charge vacated, so he’s released. He’s grown tired of fighting super-heroes and is contemplating returning to Africa when he gets a note from ar telling him it’s time to settle things once and for all. Wilson is tired of the bullshit that’s been going on lately, so he tells his friend Wintergreen that he’s going to meet Gar and put an end to their feud … one way or another. Gar is still unsure about killing Wilson, but he figures he’s come too far to stop and he’s still pissed of about Terra. But when Wilson shows up at the appointed spot, he’s not dressed in his Terminator costume, he’s just plain old Slade Wilson. (well, as plain as a genetically-enhanced super-soldier can get.) Gar is taken aback but attacks anyway. But when Wilson just
stands there, refusing to fight back, Gar pulls up at the last second, refusing to kill him. They end up going to a diner and talking things out (and we know Gar is distracted because the waitress practically throws herself at him and he doesn’t even notice). Wilson tells Gar he attacked the Titans to make good on his son’s contract (that’s Ravager from way back in issue 2), but he never had anything personal against them. He also tells Gar that Terra was a seething ball of hate, who killed people just for fun (including King Tawaba, who basically raised Gar in Africa). Wilson tells Gar that his other son Joseph isn’t like him, he’s got a good heart (and has been cleared of any wrongdoing by 
Interpol). Gar apologizes for wanting to kill Wilson and says he’s screwed everything up. Wilson says what Gar really wanted to kill was the hate and anger inside himself. Wilson reminds Gar that his friends haven’t given up on him yet, but points out he should stop acting like a clown all the time or that might be the only thing anyone ever expects of him. Gar asks if Wilson banged Terra and Wilson asks if it would make any difference either way; I feel like that’s Wolfman’s answer to fans who were asking the same question. Wilson leaves, telling Gar he’ll have to live with his demons, while Gar has pretty much expunged his. Gar lets him go and for the first time in a while, actually feels optimistic about the future.
New Teen Titans #10 – “Love Story” – Marv Wolfman/Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez/Romeo Tanghal, Carlos Garzon
This one starts with a Tamaranian spaceship heading toward Earth, its mission to find Starfire and bring her home. But Starfire (and the other Titans) are still in Olympus, watching as Lillith is inducted into the Pantheon of Olympian Gods. Naturally Azrael is getting all angsty about losing her, but everyone else is happy she finally found a place she belongs. The Titans are returned to Earth, taking Kole along with them. (Kole is a human who was given the power to create crystal by her father and ended up being forced to help Thia in her attack on Olympus.) Kole is overwhelmed at being back on Earth and is afraid to go see her parents. Jericho tries to
make her feel better and Wonder Girl suggests they all get something to eat. Azrael goes into another emo rant and Cyborg mirrors my thoughts when he says Azrael is like something out of a bad romance novel. When Azrael flies away to emote some more, we see some members of Brother Blood’s church are watching him. The Titans go to a restaurant and learn that Kole father used to work for Steve Dayton and is the guy who developed Promethium (a substance the Titans are familiar with). Jericho offers to have his mom (Adeline) find Kole’s parents and the other Titans head off to take care of their own stuff. Nightwing and Starfire get it on, as do Wonder Girl and her 
husband Terry, while Cyborg tries to call Sarah Simms but gets no answer. We see that Sarah has moved on and is now with a dude named Gary, but since she hasn’t seen Cyborg for months, she hasn’t had a chance to tell him yet. At Adeline’s place, she tracks down Kole’s parents pretty quickly and invites Kole to stay with her and Jericho. It kinda seems like Adeline is setting Jericho up with Kole and it works; that night, Kole goes to Jericho’s room and asks if he wants to bang her. He says he’d rather just be friends and they end up falling asleep on the floor together. At Dayton’s mansion, Changeling finds out that his adoptive father is dying, which is why he hasn’t seen him much lately. The next day, Jericho takes Kole to her parents’ house upstate. Her dad (Professor Abel
Weathers) is a real prick and when he takes a swing at her, Jericho uses his power to take over Weathers’ body. He forces Weathers to lead Kole to his lab, which looks like something from the Island of Dr. Moreau. Yeah, Weathers is another of those comic book scientists who’s decided humanity is doomed and is trying to turn people into forms that can survive the upcoming holocaust. I guess that explains his manipulation of Kole into someone who controls crystal. Jericho and Kole get the hell out of the house of horrors, but Jericho knows they have to do something about it.