As a comic fan, reading a book like DC Universe Legacies can be one of two things. One: it can be a showcase of memorable moments from the plethora of iconic moments in the history of the DC canon; and, two: it can be a wholly disappointing experience, retreading events that are already burnt into our memories, and skipping over events we wish the publisher would tell us more about.

This issue of DC Universe Legacies fits somewhere in the middle; picking up from the previous issue’s Crisis on Infinite Earths introduction, we are propelled through the aftermath of that event and its impact on our street level point of view character, Paul. The issue briefly includes the events of the fantastic Legends mini-series from the post-Crisis era, and settles on one of the defining moments of the modern age of comic books. But it feels very slack; no matter how hard the creative team tries, the character of Paul doesn’t have as much impact as Marvels’ equivalent, Phil Sheldon. The last few issues of this series, in particular, have felt very trudging and far from the intense feel of the first issues.

Len Wein is far from a slacker when it comes to writing a compelling story, and so far he’s managed to maintain some of his charisma and genuine charm throughout the narrative. The back-up story about the Legion of Superheroes, however, is mortally wounded; it feels like the same sequence that has cropped up numerous times in the last two years, and while there is a slight twist, it isn’t enough to redeem that mini-story.

The artwork in both stories is fairly decent, however; the bookend scene drawn by Scott Kolins is easily the least appealing of all three sets of artwork. It’s sad to consider that a few years ago, Kolins was one of the best artists in the business; now, his work feels flat and muddy. Jerry Ordway’s art chores on the bulk of the book are delightful to behold, but feel like a slight step-down in quality following the George Perez issue from last month, and even though Perez returns to ink this issue, Ordway is still fighting something of a losing battle. The back-up art by Keith Giffen shows that the man still has some flair when it comes to illustration over plotting; his characters are delightfully cartoony, but his Clark Kent is positively ugly, to put it kindly.

There are only four issues left of this mini/maxi series, and while the last few have been something of a let-down, the ending of this issue does suggest that there is brilliance looming in the near future. Hopefully, as we enter into the early 1990s of DC canon, the series will return to the brilliance of the initial issues.