Reviewer: Jesse Baker
Story Title: After Dark
Written by: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (a.k.a. DnA)
Penciled by: Steve Lightle
Inked by: N/A
Colored by: Jason Wright
Lettered by: Comicraft
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Just about a year ago, DnA sent Umbra away to visit her homeworld to find out why her powers suddenly stopped working when she returned from the “Legion Lost” galaxy. Since then we haven’t seen hide nor hair of her until this issue, which convienantly wraps up the subplot lickity split with the help of special guest artist and former Legion artist Steve Lightle.
The issue opens with Umbra arriving at her homeworld Talok VIII and finding the United Planets Embassy in the midst of leaving her homeworld for good While this evacuation takes place, we see that Talok VIII has been totally consumed by shadows, plunging the planet into perpetual darkness.Umbra soon is met by an old friend, who tells Umbra what has happened to their world since she disappeared.
When the Legion Outpost exploded several years back and Umbra was declared dead, the rulers of Talok VIII appointed one of Umbra’s cousins to be her replacement as their world’s defender. Furthermore we learn that the people of Talok VIII, seeing that the galaxy was going to hell in a handbasket due to the manipulation and attacks from various genocidal types, decided to protect themselves by literally hiding in the darkness. Using a special suit to increase his powers, her cousin had summoned ALL of the shadow energy available (including Umbra’s) to engulf Talok VIII in darkness in order to protect it from those who might destroy the planet.
Naturally Umbra takes offense to this cowardly idea and vows to confront her cousin about this and to reclaim her powers. This leads to a typical twist ending of sorts, as we learn that her cousin’s been dead for months and that the suit, through the shadow energy, had gained sentience and was keeping the planet shrouded with darkness.
Overall Legion #24 is a typical fluff story with no real depth to it, but it does have Steve Lightle as it’s artist, which is a good thing for us who remember Steve’s mid-80s Legion artwork. His version of Umbra (who looks nothing like the butch looking Pre-Reboot {i.e. Pre-Crisis and Pre-Zero-Hour}Umbra Lightle drew in the 1980s) is a nice balance between sexually attractive and over-the-top T&A.
