Review: Start Trek/Legion of super-Heroes Crossover.
Publishers IDW and DC Comics.
Written by Chris Roberson
Pencils: Jeffrey Moy
Inks: Philip Moy
I was a little giddy upon hearing of this crossover project. I have never heard of two comics more suited for a cross over than Star Trek and the LSH. This even grew to elation when I realized it was going to be the original Star Trek crew and the old school 70’2 and 80’s Legion members. It was just the perfect idea. And who ever led the brainstorming team for that meeting deserves a pat of the back.
Which is also why it’s such a shame the first issue is so horrible.
The story starts with familiar territory. An alternate Earth timeline much like what we were introduced to in the most recent Star Trek film. In this tear of space-time the Federation is not the peace, love and understanding sort. Referred to as the Imperial Planets, they are scouring the universe for natural resources. Invading other planets and basically acting like our own respective governments do now. “Anyone how isn’t with us is against us” is a familiar Bush era line used in this story by Captain Tomorrow (yeah, Captain Tomorrow, not even kidding . I’m hoping it’s a callback to Tommy Tomorrow.) So it sets the stage of what kind of universe with which we are dealing.
The real failure begins when writer Chris Roberson attempts to sew these respective worlds together. The pseudo-scientific explanation? There’s an eddy in the time stream. Darn eddy’s. troublesome, that’s what they are. The real shame here is the Legion has gone back in time consistently throughout their own story lines. My question is, why not just go back in time to 2260? Boom, there you have it, Kirk and company hoping around the galaxies , slapping green chicks on the ass. Done.
This Sci-Fi epic idea should at least have some amazing art. Spaceships and exotic weapons, and y’know the whole strange new worlds thing, right? Wrong. Dead. Wrong. The Moy brothers, Jeffrey and Philip share the pencil and ink duties respectively and give nothing to show for it other than their parents’ obvious disdain for correctly spelling first names. The design and execution of the ships alone was almost enough to make me stop reading. The ships look like tin cans in space. There is nothing I can point to that took any amount of real skill. I would have expected a lot more from these two. Maybe the project was rushed. I can’t say. But there is not a single panel I can point to and say “YES!”
I suppose what actually insulted my intelligence was the fact that this amazing, great crossover idea was simply used as a gimmick. Whoever that person was at the brainstorming meeting should be holding their head, not in shame, but absolute fury to see it all go so wrong. I’m holding out a little hope as Chris Roberson has already had a fairly prolific writing career. Maybe he has something planned that will rock this story like a Stray Cats song. But I’m doubtful.
Needless to say I’m recommending you hang on to your hard earned dollars and pounds. If for some reason issue #2 saves this grounded fleet I’ll be sure to let you know.
If you are interested in the free preview you can copy and paste this address or click the link. http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/10/19/star-trek-legion-super-heroes-preview/