Graphic Novel Review: DC Universe: Legacies

DC Universe: Legacies, by Len Wein and various artists, DC.

DC Universe Legacies is an odd project, to say the least – a curator’s tour throughout National’s long and crowded canon, which manages to include virtually every character within its roster, without ever pausing for breath. You wonder who it’s aimed at – is it a nostalgic retread for the veteran enthusiast who would be conversant with the Golden Age, or the recent arrival, who may not be concerned with all those quaint, antiquated forebears, and old crises?  The strictly chronological tale uses the same framing device last seen in Alex Ross’s Marvels, with a narrator (an all-American everyman) guiding us mechanically through all the stages, super-teams and eras from Action Comics 1 to now – the character in question uncannily present for every single conflagration and upheaval. Unlike previous Golden and Silver Age retreads, there’s no subtext or subversion – this is a straightforward, unalloyed catalogue of all the key events that have been touchstones in DC’s history, minus the characterization or any appraisal of the development in DC’s style or content. The only commentary regarding the changes in DC’s super-heroes throughout the narrative is how they and the events encompassing them grew gradually darker and grittier – but that is all we get. Maybe this could be due to the monolithic nature of DC’s wholesome core properties, and the interchangeability of the also-rans (and there are a great deal of them). To be fair, Ross’s celebrated Marvels offered similar fare, but did portray the capes from the average man’s perspective with enormous gusto, which was of course the point.

There are pluses, certainly – Wein leaves no super-character unturned, with even the Newsboy Legion making an appearance (one of the better moments). Green Lantern’s descent into the madness of Parallax is handled well, even though we have of course read this all before. The meeting of the Golden and Silver Age heroes in the early 60s is done with some aplomb and warmth, particularly with Flashes Garrick and Allen – although certain aspects of continuity aren’t bothered with (there isn’t time to find out where Earth Two Superman and Batman are hiding!). The art, devised obviously to delineate each era, is variable with such a large amount of pencillers involved, although with such talents as the Kuberts and Garcia-Lopez on board (amongst others) this is not an issue. Overall, a whistle-stop primer which occasionally diverts, and not much more – but it’s no disaster, either.

ANDREW COLMAN

Dc Universe Legacies TP