Legion of Super-heroes #40 - DC

I really love the Legion. And, I love that Jim Shooter is back on this book . . finally . . . after a very long sabbatical. There's a couple things though that the average reader is going to have to be patient with, though. First of all, everyone has to know that Jim loves the Legion as much as anyone. In fact his knowledge of their history is probably one of the best out there. So he knows about the people, the powers, the planets and the relationships. He's the type of writer that's going to use all of that in his stories. So much so, that it may slow the pace down a little bit because he packs each issue with so much information. If you're a die-hard Legion fan, you're ok with that because, despite their individual adventures and stories, the Legion is really about the "big-picture". Things that happen right now may seem irrelevant, but 8, 10, 12 issues down the road . . everything's going to fall right in to place. But for someone who just picks up the book to pick it up . . they may not appreciate the pace, or flow or intricacies. To them, all I can say is, "Be patient!". Jim's not going to take over the book, and then go in to some action-packed story-line just to boost interest in the book. At least that's not what you're going to think at first. But . . as we progress farther, and things start to come together, it's going to feel more and more like that. But right now, we're looking at a pile of puzzle pieces and not what the ultimate picture is going to be. Now don't get me wrong . . I'm not making any excuses for this book. I don't think it needs any. I think it's a fantastic book, with arguably one of the best writers in the industry. It's an incredible cast of characters which Jim intricately understands and appreciates. Also Francis Manapul's pencils, while different from previous Legion incarnations, are absolutely incredible. Between Jim's writing and Francis' art, they are absolutely setting the mood for a new era of Legion greatness. I just pray that the readers, and the industry, are patient enough to see it. Long live the Legion!