Disclaimer: Legion of Super-Heroes owned by DC Comics. Ebony Dent owned by me.
Yes, it's a Valentine's Track List.
And yes, you don't know who Kissandra is. I didn't make her, John Forte did forty years ago. She's among a collection of beautiful, if not obscure, background girls from Forte's issues of Adventure Comics. The Fabulous Fortes.
(Oh, and a new Legion comic debuting in May 2010, by Paul Levitz and Yildiray Cinar)
00. Welcome to Romance Valley
"Once upon a time, in a distant galaxy, far, far away, there is the planet R-K528. On this planet, there's a place which, translated into Interlac, is called 'Romance Valley'. As you can guess, people consider it one of the most romantic places in this universe."
"Flora from nearly every planet grow in this place, forever blooming through spring, summer, winter, fall, and the rainy seasons."
"A rare species of butterflies inhabits the central garden of the valley, a species which is said to have once inhabited a dead universe."
"The sun never sets on romance valley, it is in a state of perpetual dusk, to enhance the mood, some say."
"What is so special about this place, above everything else, is that it is said to be the home an etheral, alien beauty.
"She goes by many names, but the natives of the planet refer to her as Kissandra, a crass romanization of her name by the many tourists which have frequented her shrine."
"She's gone by many origins. Some say she and her lover were the Romeo and Juliet of their world, and that in death she became a guardian angel for troubled lovers."
"Others say that her people wiped themselves out in a horrific war, and that she was the only survivor. Resigned to a lonely life, wandering the universe searching for her deceased love."
"There are some who claim she projected her image to the planet Earth, and the people named her 'Venus', 'Aphrodite', 'Hathor', depending on the culture. On Mars, they called her 'Krr'nnzaa'."
"And yet, a crashed spaceship and the remains of an alien traveler give claim that she was simply a holographic image created by a stranded scientist in order to give himself company."
"People travel far and wide to Kissandra's shrine, not to behold her golden hair or fair skin, but to try and prove the legend. The legend that the aura eminating from her shrine can bring TRUE happiness to all lovers who approach her."
...
"Was that IT?"
"Yep, looks like it."
Little, raven-haired Ebony Dent sat at the foot of her bed, wearing an oversized "Angry Shadows" t-shirt. Twenty-something, red-haired Garth Ranzz, wearing a navy blue mesh tank-top and shorts, was reading from a book of urban legends.
"What a rip, I was hoping for something scarier." Ebony moaned.
"And then when you wake up screaming in the middle of night, who gets blamed?" Garth asked.
"Oh I wake up screaming anyway." Ebony explained.
"This looks harmless... 'Massacre of Sector 666'." Garth read.
Next: Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love