A bunch of very nice posters and mods wrote and it made me realize self-imposed exile just seems silly, so I'm FLIP-FLOPPING!
A bit I wanted to say about this past issue, and the dedication on the title page.
Rob Harris is one of the reasons I'm writing professionally today. I met Rob, and a mess of my other current friends at a Kingdom Come message board, not too unlike these message boards here. Seven years later, I'm still friends with most of those people (two of them got married, for Pete's sake). So when people say, "Oh, it's just the internet," or "It's just a message board," I kinda get my back up. I would never have met so many cool people who shared my love of comics without message boards.
Anyway, of this group, Rob was always the kindest and definitely one of the funniest. If you needed help, Rob was always, always there, and never complained, never badmouthed anyone, never got involved in dumb flame wars (a weakness I myself am trying to rid myself of in general). He helped several times with my internet column, he laugh-tested a lot of my Simpsons work, and he helped tremendously on my Women In Refrigerators site.
Just a great guy, the kind of friend we all should be lucky enough to have.
Beyond that, he was a huge Legion fan, and when he was just a kid, he won a Create-A-Legion contest (if I have my facts right) with the character of Nightwind. Now, BEYOND the fact that I knew Rob, I was always fascinated (like many of you, I'm sure) by the Subs, rejects, cadets, etc. that were on the Legion's fringe, and I loved the character of Nightwind, even though her previous appearances were small at best.
In a horribly unfair and awful set of circumstances, Rob passed away a few months ago. I'd already accepted the Legion assignment but only a few days previously, and the timing was actually very painful for a day, but then I started to feel that this was something he would have loved to see--a friend of his writing Legion, even briefly.
Nightwind was already going to be in the story (every writer puts in their favorites!), but this made it very meaningful to me. I hope this doesn't intrude on the story for you, but I like to think that Rob represented the best of Legion fandom the way he represented the best of comics fandom, and that's why this arc is important to me, beyond my love for the characters and setting.
Silly as it sounds, I hope you guys take a moment and appreciate what a cool thing you have here--a place where you can argue and still be friends, a place where you can meet people whose love of the Legion (or comics, or whatever) is as great as your own, and a place where you can talk about insanely obscure trivia and have someone know exactly what you're talking about. Thanks to the mods and administrators and posters, because this is a more special and rare thing than we might realize, and it shouldn't be taken for granted.
Anyway, sorry to go on at length, thanks as always for the great comments--it's fun even reading the slams, even though I hate to let someone down. Legion is a special book--it's a book that wouldn't even exist if not for the hardcore central audience. Frankly, I consider it an honor to have been asked to work on it, and hope that someday, in the future (not the FAR future, I hope), I'll get to write these characters again.
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
I vote flip-flopper!
Seriously, thanks for sharing Rob's story with us. Believe us that we are all well aware of how great a place this is and how lucky we are to have it.
Few comics have had the strength of the fanbase that the Legion has had, and I think a significant reason for that was the amount of input that we have always been given into the creative process of the series. From fan-created characters, to reader-elected leaders, to fans-turned-writers, there are so many examples of how the fans have been allowed to help shape the direction of our favorite team.
Thanks once again for taking the time to interact with us, Gail.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Gail, I had heard of Rob's passing and was sorry for it as I knew him briefly and in passing through the defunct Legion board at CBR. I don't know the origin of how he created Nightwind but knew the story of his contribution of her to Legion history. And I had also heard about Nightwind's upcoming appearance (I haven't picked up my issue yet). But I didn't connect the two.
Thank you for coming back and please continue to do so. You are as much a part of the Legion's history now as any other creator and your voice will always be welcome here.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
What a nice story, and a nice tribute to Rob. Thanks for the background info, Gail. When a story is dedicated to someone, it always helps to know why.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I wouldn't call it either. There are times when people make things so uncomfortable for me, that I need to take a break from the place and I own it! Thanks for this background information. I wish I had caught the dedication.
I'm sorry to hear of Rob's passing.
Nightwing debuted in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #12 (AUG. 1976) -
quote:To conclude this first installment we present yet another feature of the Outpost, the Applicants Corner, where readers might send THEIR designs for possible Legion applicants...in the tradition of the old "Bits Of Legionnaire Business." This issue's contribution comes from Robert Harris of [I think I'll withhold his address]. Her name is NIGHTWING and a brief origin follows:
[ July 30, 2004, 04:24 AM: Message edited by: Nightcrawler ]
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
Jeepers! So Nightwind was originally supposed to be related to Timber Wolf!?!
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
When did Nightwind first appear in comic? Didn't her appearance (and Lamprey's) change significantly between her first and second appearances?
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES Vol.2 #272 (FEB. 1981) was her first appearance. She became Berta Haris as a tribute to Rob. Her costume looks identical, but her skin is yellow and she has blue hair like a Sklarian.
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
Hmm... I've got the Wildfire spotlight. I was thinking their appearance had changed by then.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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