From: [c--ve--n] at [cae.wisc.edu] (Michael Blakeman Cleveland)
Subject: ZERO HOUR SUMMARIES: 6/7: VALOR #23
Date: 18 Jul 1994 18:11:47 GMT



Minor spoiler review:  Like Legionnaires, this is a little too full
of Legion lore and rampant confusion to be followed by the average
fan.  On the other hand, Kurt Busiek comes up with the best solution
I've seen in five years (Actually, the way he narrates the solution
makes it even cooler than it already was.)

Only two small links to the rest of Zero Hour, but I have to put
them after the major spoiler space.

Overall: Recommended only to people who
   a) are Legion fans
   b) are fanatic Zero Hour completists
   c) unable to pass up an intelligent, sensible solution
   


Major spoilers in summary:




































First of all, the two links to ZH are the presence of the Time Trapper
(from Zero Hour #4) and the presence of Superboy (leading into Superboy
#8).  Again, this book is split into two parts:

The easier-to-explain part is a conversation between Rokk Krinn and
the Time Trapper.  Basically, the Time Trapper explains that he always
had good intentions, and was just trying to save everyone from temporal
chaos.  Only power corrupts, and he kept screwing up.  References to 
many old Legion/Time Trapper cases are cited here.  The Time Trapper 
reveals his identity to Rokk who gasps in suprise.  Dave van Domelan
said that it was Rokk.  I don't remember this being actually shown, but
if he isn't Rokk, I'll eat my cowl.

Meanwhile, Valor, Tasmia, and Superboy! show up to rally the Legionnaires.
Valor uses Glorith's spurned love for him against her as he promises to
be hers.  Superboy sucker punches her while she's distracted.  The Dream
Girls tackle Valor onto Glorith and he absorbs the Infinite Man's power
from her.  Then, he tries to battle Mordru, until brainiac 5 (L*) tells
him to let all the Infinite Man's power go into Mordru.  Now, mordru's
a big-time claustrophobe, see?  And if you've got infinite power, right?,
well then the universe just ain't big enough for ya.  (Not Kurt busiek's
exact words, but I think I captured the tone.)  The Legionnaires command
him to imprison himself in a planet, but he chooses the Pocket Earth,
which is about to explode, freeing him again.  Oops.  

We then find out that Tasmia was fatally injured in the battle.  She 
whispers her good-bye to Valor and vanishes.  Valor chooses to follow
her and wills himself to vanish as well.  The Legion loses hope, but
Superboy rallies them, just before vanishing himself.

Overall, a pretty satisfying book, for legion fans.  7.5/10