5 things to like about REBELS

I haven't heard a lot of buzz about R.E.B.E.L.S., which I attribute to Tony Bedard's lukewarm reputation to date, but I've been enjoying the heck out of this series, even if it isn't called L.E.G.I.O.N. It hasn't quite reached the delightful heights of the old Giffen series, and I could do with 100% less Omega Men, but it's still quite entertaining. Here are 5 reasons why I think so.

1. Same old Vril Dox"Brainiac 2" hasn't changed a bit. Still the callous, manipulative, amoral center of the series. There's really no character like him, even when they started making Brainiac 5 a bit of a dick. He's in the service of "good", but doesn't care who he hurts in the process. He's the ultimate "Big Picture" hero. If he gets his way, the book'll be retitled LEGION in no time.

2. The only Legion book
Until Adventure Comics resurrects the 30th century, this is it. If DC is all about Legacy heroes, LEGION is the Reverse Legacy. In addition to Dox, we've had "ancestors" of Tyr, Validus, Dawstar & Wildfire (amalgamated!) and with the return of Strata, Blok. More to come, I'm sure. Heck, the book even has Encyclopedia Galactica entries.

3. Interdimensional Starro Fleet
Who's the Big Bad that's taken over LEGION? Why a black Starro from another dimension whose spawn act like backpacks instead of ubiquitous face huggers. I'm stoked!

4. Psions with monocles
This one is its own comment.

5. Dominators!
Yes! It's the masterminds behind the well-remembered Invasion! who succeeded 1000 years later in the unfairly forgotten Legion 2996 (not participants in Final Crisis: The One with the LSH, for example). I haven't seen them around in a while. Time to bump them up to the major leagues again.

Issue #4 only just came out. It's not too late to check it out.

Comments

Matthew Turnage said…
I echo your appreciation for this series. It's a great relaunch, and I've been enjoying each issue to date. I hope enough people give it a chance so it can have a nice run.
mwb said…
I do have to check it out. I'm Legion fanboy and am actually enjoying the DC space stuff (GLC, Rann Thannagar/Strange Adventures, etc.) a whole lot more than their regular titles.