The Legion 24
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After Dark
- NB: This story picks up directly from Umbra's last scene in The Legion #10.
Umbra steps out of the Threshold from Legion World into a Talok VIII in complete darkness. In response to a question from her Kwai guide, she feels it and says it is "shadow" before the guide leaves.
Encountering a Science Police vehicle immediately afterwards, she finds it to be evacuating the now-unfriendly world, and is thereafter assaulted by the Shadow itself.
One of her teachers, Shadow Maven, finds her in the black and takes her home. She explains that, after Umbra's disappearance, Talok VIII chose to withdraw from the United Planets - and the universe itself. Empowering a distant cousin of Umbra's, Grev, with McCauley Industries technology (Umbra being the only living member of "the line" able to internalise the Shadow's power), they had him cover the planet in Shadow-induced darkness.
Livid, not just at being stripped of her power by these events, but at the irony of the planet which cast her out to learn to tolerate others itself withdrawing into isolation, Umbra dons a new costume and McCauley goggles to allow her to see, before climbing the mountain to Grev's fortress. Reaching the top, the Shadows assault her - but being close to their source means the Shadow power begins to leech back to her. Able to see in the dark once more, she dares Grev to do his worst, and slashes through the Shadow-creatures with a sword of Shadow... only to find him long-dead. The power hers once more, she disperses the Shadow-cloud over the planet while announcing herself as "Tasmia Mallor - your CHOSEN champion," and claiming the light is nothing to be afraid of.
Epilogue
- This takes place around the time of The Legion #25.
Some time later, she returns to Legion World, meeting with Kid Quantum - who's happy to see her - and arranges for a permanent Threshold link to Talok VIII in case of emergency.
Solicitation
THE LEGION #24
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; art and cover by Steve Lightle.
Legendary Legion artist Steve Lightle returns for an issue spotlighting the team’s darkest member: Umbra. On extended leave from the Legion, Umbra heads home to see if her birth world holds any clues to the disappearance of her powers. But things have changed on Talok VIII, and the darkness that was once her friend is now her enemy.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Sept. 24.
Cover images
Solicited cover art
Published cover (note colouring revisions)
