Crossover Power

So I’m back at it again. Piecing together puzzles, pondering the ponderable – hey that could be a word. Today, I’m turning my eyes to the JLA/JSA crossover that has just started. Not to give too much away but the “Lightning Saga” reveals that five of the Legion of Superheroes have been trapped in the modern DCU. Here’s the rub. These aren’t the current members of the Waid/Kitson Legion. No, these are the original Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legionnaires and they aren’t supposed to exist. However, it should be noted that following Crisis, the LSH existed in a “pocket universe.” It wasn’t until Zero Hour that their continuity ceased. What if they didn't cease though?

Anyway, there are three things I would like to bring up in regards to the crossover.

1) What the Interlac is he saying.

So I’m reading along in JLA # 8, and I get to this panel.



Then it same two words were said in JSA #5 here



And here:


So what is this keyword that triggers everyone back to normal? Well, I don’t know about any of you guys but I don’t speak Interlac. So I hopped on my trusty iBook and found an Interlac alphabet. And the phrase is:

LIGHTNING LAD

Why would the code name of Garth Ranzz be the thing that snaps the displaced Legion members back to consciousness? Answer: I have no idea. Of course, being called Lightning Saga it kind of makes sense that he would be important. It should also be noted that a diabolical evil was responsible for turning Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl’s son into Validus. Yeah, it was Darkseid. Maybe the ruler of Apokolis is doing a Lightning Lad/Saturn Girl blackmailing.

2) I’m ready for my close-up.

If you think about it, this whole series is really tied up in Pre-Crisis Supeman mythos. The Legionaires, of course, are important but there is something more. Who was the supervillain that Superman ever faced? The Answer: Ultra-Humanite. When his original body was on the verge of death he jumped into the body of a movie actress, the body of Dolores Winters.


Now this panel here makes sense.


They are talking about the Ultra-Humanite inside Winter’s body. Now, the Ultra-Humanite has advanced mental capabilities. He could absolutely erase memories, put Legionnaires in stasis, drive them insance. Hell, he blinded Guy Gardner and Jamie Reyes (you should be reading Blue Beetle) using only his thoughts. Also, there are two sets of feet. Lightning Lad? Saturn Girl?

3) Absolute Power

My favorite panel in the whole thing so far is this one.


What do these three do when they grow up? Well, if you are Jeph Loeb and you're writing Superman/Batman, you say they jump back in time and raise Superman and Batman into planet controlling despots.

Hmm. Alternate worlds? Hmm. Time hopping members of the Legion of Superheroes? Sounds a bit too far fetched for me. Right?