Finally getting down to writing some thoughts on this issue. The issues starts out, letting us now that this is not an Earth we are familiar with. The year is 2735 and humans are no longer the dominant species. Turns out that animals have been transformed into language proficient, bi-pedal beings and take over a la Animal Farm. In the first few pages we find out that Earth is attempting to rejoin the United Planets and that a human and animal representative will split the title of Electric Warrior which is to be some type of Planetary Champion.
Next chapter were meet Kana, the Octopus who will be the chosen Electric Warrior of the animals. The art is gorgeous and this tribe appears to be unique as dwellers of the deep. Color and light are symbolic in their ways. There are references to the legend of Superman and the Age of Heroes.
Chapter three we focus more on our human character from the first chapter. While he appears to be Oscar Navarro, the Chosen, we find out he is Ian, his older brother. We see Blissfish being used as some type of food. We find that the world is very toxic as people have built up a tolerance to the poisonous Blissfish.
Chapter 4 and we meet Oscar Navarro and we realize Ian and Oscar doesn't share the same principles about the Electric Warrior progress. They highlight the human struggles of a race that was once dominant and now trying to survive. Ian warns Oscar that the Electric Warrior program is some type of Hunger Games deathmatch.
Chapter 5 is back to Kana, the octopus lady. She is in a gorgeous armor. She is regarded by the other animal tribes and the true Electric Warrior.
Chapter 6 is the announcement and transformation of Kana and Oscar into Electric Warriors. It appears they undergo some fairly violent process called Electrogenesis that gives them their abilities.She is known as Deep Dweller and he as War Cry. This entire process appears to be courtesy of the Gil'Dishpan. Oscar is given the Shroud of Kal-El, Superman's cape, to aid him. We have some interplay between Kana and War Cry regarding Superman's importance to the people. We find out that Ian is the Electric Warrior; he couldn't let his brother die.
We then go to Covenant which appears to be the battleground for the Electric Warriors, in sector 666. We find out that Khundia, the Vrang, Dominion and Earth are all sending new champions. We are introduced to someone noted as Lord Preceptor who is noted to be someone who was always involved in the affairs of Earth, protecting it. The issue ends with a big reveal that Earth should have listened to him all along. The last page reveal is Lord Preceptor is Firestorm!
***
A lot to unpack here. Steve Orlando has done a lot of set up the 28th century here. We see in Kana's introduction the symbolism of Superman, Batman and WW as 3 figures whose names have endured and we must assume that they are long dead. The Blissfish are clearly Joker Fish. I was not expecting a Firestorm reveal which makes this really interesting. No clue if this is Ronnie, Martin or someone else completely. Is he a savior or a destroyer? Kana and the Octupus tribe are very interesting. It would be nice if we could see aliens in the Legion of Superheroes this well-thought out. Sector 666 is Atrocitus's sector and nice to note that Covenant appears in red. It does make me wonder if Covenant is actually Ryut.
Legion references abound, from mentions of the United Planets. The Gil'Dishpan, Khunds and Dominators obviously. We see an Electric Warrior with white wings which implies Starhaven.
The art is gorgeous and the colors are top notch.
Orlando has done a lot in the first issue to set everything up; it's really a well-written issue. I find myself wanting more details about this time period so I hope there is more reveal in the next 5 issues. I could easily see this novelized or with some added text pages. It has enough references to firmly plant itself in the DCU. This dark period really helps and Electric Warrior program really sets up the LSH in my opinion, with Planetary Champions being a legacy of the Electric Warrior program. Also, this implies to me that Khundia and The Dominion were part of the UP at one point and either left or something else happened that puts them at odds with the UP in the Legion's time. Maybe we will see something like that happen or possibly form the basis of the LSH if/when it returns. Kana is so likable I can see her biting it in the end which I hope doesn't happen.
In short, I'm wanting more.
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