Comic Review: Dark Reign: Lethal Legion #1

Dark Reign: Lethal Legion #1

Writer: Frank Tieri

Artist: Mateus Santolouco

Color Art: Chris Sotomayor

Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos

Cover: Tommy Lee Edwards

Editor: Jeanine Schaefer

When Norman Osborn takes over, what happens to the villains who don't make his short list of acceptable allies? Grim Reaper, Mr. Hyde, Absorbing Man, Nekra, and Man-Ape are about to find out when their cooperative of crime lands on the wrong side of Norman's law - but they're not going down without a fight.

Characters: Grim Reaper, Tiger Shark, Absorbing Man, Mr. Hyde, Nekra, Grey Gargoyle, Mr. Livingston, and secret last member of Lethal Legion. Cameos from Norman Osborn, Spider-Man/Venom/Scorpion, and Hawkeye/Bullseye.

Let's face it, these days it just doesn't beat to be a villain. Almost seems like every other title focuses on the bad guys, and I love the bad guys. So I jumped at the chance to see Grim Reaper and crew running wild. Especially against Osborn, whom I hate. As more and more people, heroes and villains, turn against Osborn, I cheer. Fury didn't have this much trouble. Stark did, though. Wonder how much longer before someone realizes how much things were better with Fury leading the way.

Anyway, most of the story focuses on Tiger Shark and we see a flashback with Osborn calling him a second-rate nothing, to which I take offense. I always liked Tiger Shark, though I preferred him looking human with the costume to this anthropomorphic shark look they've given him. Anyway, in telling his story I would have pointed out that even though Osborn was belittleing him, he still had to call in Hawkeye and Mac Gargan, whom doesn't have an impressive win record either, to help him toss Tiger Shark out the window. Doesn't sound second rate to me.

The other characters we only saw in passing, although I'm sure we'll see the others as the series goes along. Grim Reaper is crazy cool, and so is his hottie Nekra. Absorbing Man rocks, heh, and Mr. Hyde done right can be scary. To Grey Gargoyle I'm pretty indifferent.

Oddly enough, the solicitation mentioned Man-Ape, but he isn't mentioned in the comic. They should double check the solicitation blurb guy.

Mr. Livingston in the Lethal Legion's lawyer trying to find out what happened. Not very interesting, but then I assume he's not supposed to be.

I'll let the secret Lethal Legion member remain secret, but it's an interesting choice.

Character Rating: 1 Worm. Can't wait until we see more of the others.

Plot:

Livingston is flown to the Raft so he can meet with the Lethal Legion about their case. He first meets with Eric Williams, the Grom Reaper, but the interview is interrupted when some other inmates jump Reaper and stab him. He's rushed to the infirmary where his condition is undisclosed.

Livingston then goes to talk to Todd Arliss, Tiger Shark. Tiger Shark tells Livingston how and why the new Lethal Legion was formed. About Grim Reaper just wanted to "rage against the machine," Nekra was there for Reaper, Grey Gargoyle and Mr. Hyde about embarassments suffered at the hands of Osborn, and Tiger Shark being tossed out of a skyscraper window and disregarded as if he was nothing. Absorbing Man is a mystery.

Another mystery is that someone in the team betrayed them to Osborn leading to their capture. Tiger Shark thinks it's the secret member revealed in the last panel. I think that's too convenient, and I think it's either Tiger Shark himself and his attempted blackmail of Osborn and getting thrown out the window didn't really happen that way, or Absorbing Man since we don't know what motivated him to join the team.

This issue just set up the initial events to what leads to the Lethal Legion's capture. So it's interesting, but not very exciting. Tieri chose a good set up for this tale, starting at the end and telling it in flashbacks. There's plenty of intrigue and, best of all, people fighting Osborn. I love watching people fight Osborn. Especially villains.

Plot Rating: 2 Worms. Tieri packed in as much action as he could and still set up the background information we need to know before the real story starts. Well balanced tale with action, intrigue, and info.

Art: Not a big fan of Santolouco's art. It seems kind of rough. Some of the panels are pretty cool. The Splash page of Grim Reaper with Oscorp building burning in the background was cool. The panel showing the Lethal Legion doing...lethal things as Tiger Shark tells why everyone was in the group was cool. The mystery member didn't look like himself, though, and it's not just that he was out of costume.

Art Rating: 1 Worm. Just not a fan of the art.

Overall Rating: 4 Worms. Recommended for fans of villains and watching people buck Osborn's system.