LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: MILLENNIUM #1 by Brian Michael Bendis - Comic Book Review

From the publisher: Brought to you by some of comics’ greatest talents, this epic story spans the course of 1,000 years and, for the very first time, connects all of DC’s future timelines! Starring the unlikeliest of DC heroes as she learns to cope with newfound immortality and roams through the disparate societies of Batman Beyond, Kamandi and Tommy Tomorrow, wrestling with her own inner demons and desperately trying to find her purpose in an ever-changing world. Do not miss this truly unique take on tomorrow’s DC Universe, all leading up to a special launch on the millennium!

Brian Michael Bendis is bringing the Legion of Super-Heroes back, but first we have Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 (of 2). And I'm a little confused as to the purpose of this mini-series.

So here is what I understand: A woman named Rose has a violent, powered alter-ego named Thorn (it's unclear whether she is a hero or villain, or something in-between). She discovers that she is immortal. In various episodes throughout DC's future(s), we see that Rose encounters many of the heroes from future timelines, and she struggles to understand just what she is. We, the readers, aren't really given any clues, either. There are some neat nods to some some futuristic characters, like Kamandi, Supergirl (the older version), and Batman Beyond, but not a lot of substance. Most importantly, there is no Legion of Super-Heroes! At least not yet.

I've been a fan of the Legion off and on for 35ish years. I really liked the variety of heroes and their various planets, power sets, and biology. Lightning Lad, Wildfire, Timber Wolf, Saturn Girl, etc. are all pretty cool, and the DC Universe is lesser for their absence. In that regard, I'm glad they are returning, as they were definitely a casualty of the New 52 reboot. And, I'm glad it's Bendis who is writing their return. I trust Bendis's writing, so I'll read the second part of this series, along with the continuing series that is set to come out later this year. But, I hope this begins to make some sort of sense in the long run.

I would tentatively recommend Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 by Brian Michael Bendis, contingent on the second issue. I have high hopes for Bendis's take on the Legion.

I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.