Legion of Super-Heroes #32 – “Forgotten Heroes” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo
This one starts with Imra (Saturn Girl) Ardeen waking up in some kind of work camp with her Legion flight ring gone. Everyone around her is very placid and uncomplaining, eagerly going out to work in the fields harvesting crops and doing other chores. Imra tries mind-reading some of the others, but realizes they’re being controlled and have very strong psychic blocks put in place to keep them from remembering who they are. Imra figures her own strong telepathic abilities must’ve broken through the psychic blocks while she was asleep, restoring her memory. She sees Dream Girl, but can’t get through to her either. Meanwhile on Earth, Legion headquarters is being shut down and the Legion is officially disbanded by presidential order. (It’s interesting that this future storyline about Universo outlawing the Legion mirrors he Legends storyline set in the present … not coincidentally, I would assume.) On the unknown planet, Imra finds out that Brainiac 5 and Chameleon Boy are there too, but she can’t break through their mental blocks either. She wanders off from working in the fields and notices a spy-drone following her. She gets an idea of the place (which is surrounded by force fields) and notices there’s salt water all around the perimeter, but fresh water coming through a fountain in the compound. She figures she can dive down under the fountain and follow the water source to get out, but the depth is too much and she’s forced to turn back. Just inside Dominator space, Ambassador Relnic (who we know from previous issues is secretly under Universo’s control) and his Legion escort (Ultra Boy, Mon-El, and Blok) are on a diplomatic mission, but start feeling nervous when there’s no diplomatic ship to meet them. They get even more nervous when some Dominator warships show up. On the unknown planet, Imra notices the drones watching her and assumes they know about her swim in the fountain but haven’t figured out that her mind is free. She pretends to follow the same regimen as the others to allay suspicion, but she’s making plans the whole time. On Hykraius, a quartet of Legionnaires (Tellus, Quislet, Wildfire, and White Witch) are searching for clues to the disappearance of Atmos and some Science Police officers. They’re making their way through the vast methane oceans, but don’t realize Zymyr (the Gil Dish’pan member of the legion of Super-Villains) is waiting to ambush them. On the unknown planet, Imra knocks out her fellow Legionnaires and carries them out of the camp to a quiet spot. She decides to break a rule she’s been following for years and probe their minds without their permission. On Earth, we see Universo gloating over his triumph, not just in taking over Earth (by enthralling President Desai), but also in destroying the Legion (and killing his own son, Rond Vidar). On the unknown planet, Imra probes the minds of her friends, finding different manifestations of the psychic blocks that keep them from self-awareness. She shatters the blocks and fills them in on the situation, swearing that they’ll get off the prison world soon.
New Teen Titans #29 – “Revelation” – Marv Wolfman, Paul Levitz/Eduardo Barreto/Romeo Tanghal
Last issue, Brother Blood came back from the dead on live TV, generating renewed faith among the masses for him to feed off. The Titans went to Washington to stop Blood (suspecting that his resurrection is a fake) and to rescue Raven and Nightwing, who have been brainwashed by the Church of Blood. The Titans ran into a bunch of acolytes (led by the Confessor) holding Raven’s mother Arella, who’s managed to resist the Church’s brainwashing. Confessor blasts Arella and the Titans freak, thinking he killed her. They start pounding the Church members, but Robin lets them know Arella is still alive. That distracts them and Confessor takes off. Arella is in bad shape, but they figure Raven might be able to save her if they can get Raven back (and break through her brainwashing). Robin offers to stay with Arella while the Titans go after Blood. The broadcast of Blood’s “resurrection” has stimulated belief among the masses, but some scientists and religious leaders re skeptical, pointing out that the whole thing could be faked. The Church destroys the satellite they were using to project holograms and keeps channelling the faith of the people into Blood to strengthen him. When the Titans bust in to confront Blood, Raven uses her new, stronger empathic powers to attack them, making them live their worst fears. Robotman is immune to her power, but Blood blasts him to pieces. Blood seems to be enjoying messing with the Titans, but Mother Mayhem urges him to finish them off. Starfire tries to get through to Nightwing, but he does nothing to help her. Back at Titans’ headquarters, Frances Kane watches the Titans get decimated on live TV and feels guilty for not going to help fight Blood (especially since her boyfriend, Flash, did go). The guilt finally gets to her and she decides she has to do something to help. Speaking of Flash, he tries to get through to Raven, reminding her how much he loved her and how close they used to be, but it doesn’t seem to work and he gets blasted by Blood, who then blasts all the Titans. The brainwashed Nightwing makes a statement on live TV praising Brother Blood and condemning the Titans for all the times they’ve opposed him. At Titans headquarters, Frances Kane (now wearing her Magenta costume) has called in reinforcements (Batman, Booster Gold, John Stewart and Katma Tui, Skyman, and Dr. Midnight) from the Titans data banks to help fight Brother Blood. I think we’re gonna see a hell of a fight next issue.