DC Comics reviews for the week of 7/19/17
Batman 66 meets the Legion of Superheroes #1
There’s been some fun Batman 66 crossovers, but few have been as inspired as this team up with the Legion of Superheroes.
Universo has traveled to 1966 and the Legion need the help of the greatest hero of this era — Robin?
But when Egghead decides the Legion’s time sphere will further aid his crimes it’s going to take both of the Dynamic Duo to save the day.
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I really liked that writers Lee and Michael Allred didn’t just use the same old Legionnaires. Saturn Girl and Braniac 5 are a given, but the Allreds also brought along Ferro Lad, Chameleon Boy, Shadow Lass and Phantom Girl. That’s a fun combination of Legion members and the Allred brothers even manage to throw in a fun surprise.
When Universo and Egghead team up and put most of Gotham under their control, the Legion has to rely on some unorthodox tactics — including teaming with Solomon Grundy? — to save the day. And the Dynamic Duo get a taste of the fast life courtesy of a pair of Legion flight rings.
What really stood out here was how the Allreds used their page real estate so smartly. Sure, this could have easily been stretched out to a four issue crossover, but the Allreds tell a complete Batman and Robin and Legion story in 21 pages. By the time it’s done there’s not that feeling the story needed to be any longer. If anything, it stoked my interest in future Batman & Robin team ups with different Legion members. There was some fun personality clashes like Braniac 5 and Batman arguing over strategy and Egghead and Universo over their similarities.
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Michael Allred’s art continues to just be a lot of fun. He’s a great choice for this title as he’s able to throw in a number of creative layouts and panel compositions that have a 60s flavor. Allred even works in some fun twists on the familiar fight sound effects. His Batman and Robin consistently look good. Allred has Adam West and Burt Ward down without making them look like the only ‘real’ people in the book. Laura Allred’s colors pop in the way you’d almost expect from a Batman 66 title.
This was a very fun crossover and for fans of either Batman 66 or the Legion, it’s the kind of blast that’s truly timeless.
Rating: 10 out of 10