Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! The Gim Allon Support Thread!

Okay, folks. It appears Colossal Boy/Leviathan needs some better PR. He is doing pitifully in the All-Time Favorite Legionnaires Poll, especially for one of the longest-serving Legionnaires. So I've started this thread to say good things about Gim.

I was really enjoying the character throughout most of the early reboot. His failed term as leader, his taking on the position of deputy, his interactions with Kinetix, with Star Boy, with Cosmic Boy, I believe all made him an appealing character, someone who was growing a lot. I thought his death was a horrible mistake, and the character's current lack of popularity is a good indication of that.

I really haven't read much of the post-boot early issues yet so I'm not familiar with Gim's treatment and death.

He was one of my favorite pre-boot characters, just not in the top five or so.

And didn't Gim have the longest tenure, pre-boot, in the Legion? Something else else like a total of 19 years?

No offense, but I never cared for Colossal Boy -- nothing about him really stood out to me. I wouldn't mind being enlightened in this thread, but personally, I didn't mind that they kiled him off.

If you're a fan, then let me know -- what do you consider the top three highlights of Colossal Boy's career?

Drake,

I have to agree with you there. He just seemed kinda bland to me, but again, maybe I'm missing something.

Obviously, the ability to grow has certain advantages...

Okay, so what WERE the major Colossal Boy/Leviathan storylines?

Preboot, his mother as Prez, his marrying Yera and Starfinger. That's all that springs to mind.

No pun intended, but his early demise postboot was indeed a COLOSSAL mistake. He was one of the few fleshed-out characters. And DON'T get me started on giant Violet.

He was indeed the only "real" Legionnaire still on the team when it was dissolved during the 5YG, giving him the longest tenure of all.

And he has an **adoreable** smiley.

Don't forget the LSV storyline as probably his earliest starring role!

Beyond that, in the Adventure years he was mostly relegated to wrestling giant animals, as I recall!

Gim was a polygamist?

Well, I know many of you think that Gim's death early in the re-boot was a total waste, but frankly *gasp* I'm glad it was him rather than someone else.

I cannot recall one interesting thing that happened to him or one interesting thing that he did. I recall the Yera-thing as Vi's story, and have no recollection of being interested in Gim's subsequent romance with Yera. The mother-as-prez thing seemed more of an excuse for Gim to have a connection to an actual plotline. His mother was a more interesting character then he was.

I have loved all of the Legionnaires at one time or another. Except for Gim. Poor guy. I don't hate him, I just feel... nothing... for him.

I do remember that spotlight issue of him and Gigi as Sci Police trainees or something... but I don't remember anything about it. Maybe I'll re-read that. Does anyone remember that story? Was it a good example of who Gim was and what made him interesting?

The big lummox isn't getting any support from me.
I still think that one of the reasons I liked Star Boy as a character so much (I started Legion in the post-Boot) is because he had such hard luck, and Gim was a total prick to him to boot.
Never been able to get over that... and boy was I glad when he copped a face full of acid.

But I suppose that's not exactly what you wanted to hear in the "Gim Allon Support Thread"...

I wish I could say I liked Gim... But like many others, I really just feel nothing at all..

Is "Gim" prounounced with a soft G like "Jim" or a hard G? (I always thought a soft G, but I have no idea really)

Not a big Gim fan here either. Moping after Violet pre-boot, then he actually marries the Violet substitute! Well, I'd like to hope they were happy, but there was that scene in the pond on Winath with Gim and ?....

What I remember most from the pre-boot Gim character is him always name-dropping his President-of-Earth Mom, and one of the legionnaires telling him to stop it. Post-boot, I don't think there was much time to develop his character - and what was done didn't garner much sympathy for CB.

Hmmm. I disagree about the postboot Gim character not being developed. He was the "drill sergeant who had learned a lesson in humility" and was at that time probably one of the top 5 *most* developed characters. I -can- see where this characterization might not earn him much sympathy, though.

Anyone remember the scene during the early Chris Sprouse LEGIONNAIRES issues where a severly injured Gim sneaks out of the hospital and tries to take on Mordecai (how was it spelled?) AGAIN?

I've always pronounced Gim with a soft-g, like Jim.

But I'm Australian, so I wouldn't pay too much attention to how I pronounce things, if I were you. Not unless you wanna sound like you're a refugee from Down Under...

And I've always pronounced it with a hard g like in gum.

What about Thom? Is it a silent 'h' and pronounced Tom? Or a hard 'h' and is pronounced with the 'th' sound?

I always pronounced "Thom" like "Tom" -- mostly since "Thomas" has a silent "h" as well.

And what about "Jan"? Is it a J like "Jam" or is it a "y" sound (like Jan Hammer)?

Sounds like time to start a pronunciation thread!

I was thinking the same thing but I'll leave that up to someone else to do. *hint, hint*

MICRO LAD is coming!!!

And from what I've seen, this all-new all-different COLOSSAL BOY is going to SPACE-RAWK!

*Sigh*! If only they'd put him back in the green, yellow, and red!

Well, at least he has those adorable little space-stars on his gloves!

I'm a Fan of Gim, but not the post boot version. I see Gim, as a loyal family oriented character. Family is important to him, and he has down to Earth values. A average guy, that has High Morals. Similiar to Clark Kent. That and he has cool powers. I like how Mark Farmer described him as Elvis Presley.

On a different subject, my friends name is Jan and he pronounces it as Yan. His from German disent.

I'm probably the world's biggest Gim Allon fan!

He is definitely my favourite Legionnaire and I think that's probably because of, rather than in spite of, how little panel-time he has seen over the years. The three most over-exposed Legionnaires - Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl and Ultra Boy - are without a doubt my three least favourite members. I wish one or all of them could get killed off so that the spotlight could be shared more evenly among the others.

I preferred post-boot Leviathan to pre-boot Colossal Boy and agree with MLLASH that he definitely had one of the more fleshed out personalities of the early reboot. To say I was *FURIOUS* when he was killed off so sloppily at the start of the PMS era would be putting it mildly. Of the many reasons why I am glad for the Waid/Kitson re-imagining, seeing Gim Allon back where he belongs and seeing a Salu Digby that is not tainted by his murder are the top two.

I'm also really happy with what I've heard about the changes Waid has made to his origin. Despite my affection for Gim I know there are some fans out there who don't care for him and I'm hoping these changes may go some way to making him more interesting and appealing to those fans. The planet of giants is a really cool idea IMO - can't wait to see it! One thing I'm really not happy about though is his horribly boring costume (sorry Barry!). It is totally generic and I think the red/blue colour scheme is also totally tired on Gim. Time for a whole new approach here IMO.

What I'd really like for Gim though is to see him fill some sort of niche on this team. As the big, strong guy who always pops up in the background but very rarely the foreground its possible that some fans and writers might see him as expendable - this was the mistake they made in the reboot and the series really suffered in his absence. But if Gim found a role in this comic that no other character has (like Querl has the acerbic scientist role, Jo the dumb jock, Rokk the inspirational leader, Thom the hard-luck guy, etc) then Gim would be made into a more rounded character and this mistake would be less likely to be repeated.

I don't know what role is missing though. Maybe the 'gay Legionnaire'? That would certainly be an interesting twist on all his other portrayals. Or the 'Legion traitor'? Though I'm not sure I'd like to see Gim go down that road. Just *something* that sets him apart from the others and hopefully makes him likable at the same time.

Anyway, looking forward to Legion of Super-Heroes #1 and the first new Gim Allon story in what, 8 years?!?

Thanks Mark and Barry!