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DC Universe: Legacies # 4 (of 10)

By Koppy McFad
August 28, 2010 - 03:24

The Silver Age of DC Comics, from the rise of the Teen Titans to the end of the Doom Patrol, all in one comic book.

This miniseries, giving a broad look at the history of DC superheroes, is an enjoyable romp, even if it does take some liberties with continuity. Of course, the story is told from the memories of an elderly man so any discrepancies can be excused as being his imperfect recollection of the events. So we get basically the origin of the Teen Titans in half a page and the return of the Justice Society and the first team up with the Justice League in two pages.

The back-up tale, giving us a glimpse at the old DC war heroes, including the final fate of Sgt. Rock, is a little more satisfying since it shows that many of these old warhorses went on to live long and prosper after the war.

Both the main feature and the back-up are helped by wonderful artwork that captures the mood of both the Silver Age comics and the old war stories.

Frankly, with the way DC Comics constantly rewrites its history, the stories in this book will probably be out of continuity in a few months. But the book does give a sense of what the various eras and genres of DC Comics were like. The ending of this issue-- with the deaths of the Doom Patrol, effectively tell us that the Silver Age was coming to an end.

If there is any weakness in the comic, it is the lack of excitement. The framing story, with a cop worrying about his childhood friend, just seems dull, like some "educational lesson" that is inserted into a children's book.

 

Rating: 7.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12