Triplicate Girl
© DC Comics

Mania Grade: A
Issue: 3
Authors: Mark Waid, Barry Kitson, Art Thibert
Publisher: DC
Price: $2.95

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Legion of Super-Heroes

This is for you, Scott.

I was really reluctant to pick this series up, knowing full well how insanely convoluted the continuity in the old LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES titles had become. In my understanding, after CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, the Legion was kind of screwed up in DC continuity, and writers spent years trying to explain the mess that had been made with all manner of nonsensical, fanciful twists and turns "pocket universes," anyone? Well, Mark Waid and Barry Kitson decided to fix all of that by resoundingly ignoring all of it. Apparently, none of it ever happened, or if it did it was in another timeline or another planet or something. If you can explain this to me, please do, because as best I can tell, this is a continuity reboot that doesn't even mention the old Legion of Super-Heroes that fought with Superboy way back in the Silver Age. It's the 31st century, and war and conflict on a grand scale are largely things of the past. And the kids are bored out of their minds.

With references to both the youth movement of the 1960s and the current political climate, Waid and Kitson present a Legion trying to start a revolution. They are a group of teenage superheroes that allow anyone that subscribes to their ideology to consider themselves members that is, a reverence for the superheroes and vigilantism of Earth's past. The Science Police despise the Legionnaires, but can't do much about them, as they're protected by the United Planets (think the United Nations). But, far from the idyllic Silver Age stories about fighting Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Villains, these Legionnaires fight amongst themselves as much as they fight whatever nemeses the 31st century has to offer. There is a burgeoning conflict between the team's leader, Cosmic Boy, and Brainiac, with the former worried that the latter is planning to force him out to lead the Legion himself.

More than anything, this issue deals with the internal strife that may rip the team apart (not really, but we'll pretend). Waid and Kitson use this issue to show Triplicate Girl (can split into three) on a series of dates with other Legionnaires. The dates provide exposition and depict the various contrary personalities within the Legion that will most likely cause friction in the future. The writers have made it clear that this team isn't going to come together easily.

I've enjoyed this series a lot so far. It retains its feeling of a Silver Age title that's drawing on pulp sci-fi and movie serials from the 1930s. But, its framework is much more contemporary, as is its depiction of the way teenagers behave hostile, selfish, brash, and hormonally charged. Most of the characters presented so far (and there will be many, many more) are above simplistic stereotypes, and all have qualities both troubling and redeeming. The act committed by Triplicate Girl (can't give it away without ruining the book) is ethically questionable, to be sure. But, her motivations are for the greater good of the team. I'm glad that Waid and Kitson didn't make this DAWSON'S CREEK in the 31st century, because, well, kids suck and almost always ruin any movie or comic they're in. Waid and Kitson have managed to write a series that is both epic in scale and personal in its approach to its characters. Pick this one up.