Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! What 1st drew u to the Legion? And is it still there?

For me, it was the fact that there were so many costumed heroes. It looked cool when I was a kid and I dug that some of them matured with me.

(Of course, since they don't really wear hero costumes that stand out from other non-hero clothing, IMO, I'd hazard that this is no longer a draw.)

This is tough. I had picked up an issue of S/LSH and then another one where Superboy was supposed to be leaving the 30th century forever, but neither issue attracted me fully. It was GDS that brought me in. I think it was because it was a rich, full universe with so many characters and so much history behind it. I loved seeing it unfold and then going back to see what I missed and how all these strange characters (especially non-members) related to one another.

Is it still there? Obviously, the history is gone, but I think I'm finally - after over a decade - seeing characters the remind me of the ones I grew up loving. I see the possibility for an extensive history and strong bonds to eventually form.

It has to be some of that full rich history but I remember being so totally fascinated by Curt Swan's magnificent artwork. I'd seen and read a few Legion comics at my friend's house (remember those wonderful afternoons reading through a pile of comics with your friends when you were a kid?) but the Mordru story really hooked me. The Neal Adams covers and the Curt Swan interiors combined to be the the most beautiful comic books I'd ever seen.

I liked the Legion before that but I came to love it dearly . I read and reread those stories so many times I think my eyes wore the ink off the pages.

Yes, it's still there. The Legion is one of those books that constantly attracts some of the best and most daring artists in the industry. Currently Barry's art is some of the best I see on the shelves at the comics shops ...and given the evolution of comic book art over the years that's saying a lot.

For me it was the sense of a rich, layered background mythology produced by many years of issues being published. And, as ferroboy said, that history has been ditched. I do think, however, that the current series is giving us a nice feel of there being a richly textured world beyond what we are actually seeing in the book, and that part of the attraction still holds.

I remember three distinct early memories of the Legion:
-- I saw Lightning Lad and wondered where the black guy was (I was watching "Superfriends" at the time and mistook him for a white "Black Vulcan").
-- Some cover with the whole team and I thought, "wow, there are a lot of members."
-- WILDFIRE blasting out of his suit as it crumpled to the ground (actually it fell on Blok's head). I thought that was way cool, but kinda creepy.

But what made me actually start buying the book was not until TMK because of Keith Giffen. I was really drawn to his darker style which I first encountered in "Justice" and picked up the Legion soley because of his art.

What drew me in? Stories that evoked fear, dread and anguish. Yup, I'm talking about the early Adventure tales.

Try to imagine the impact of the Jungle King story on an innocent pre-pubescent mind.

Or Mr. Myx whacking all the Legionnaires one by one. Or Lightning Lad's friends and loved ones weeping over his coffin. Or space pirates murdering everyone on Trom except poor little Jan. Or Computo disintegrating Triplicate Girl. That stuff freaked me out as a little kid - and I couldn't get enough of it!!

Today, having just learned that TPTB are withholding the cover to #11, the old feelings of fear and dread are suddenly coming back in waves. Ain't nostalgia grand?

For me it was two things-- the characters, major and minor, and the visually hopeful, futuristic setting.

I'm not sure if the characters that I've liked most through several boots are 'still there' or not. For every disappointment (Invisible Kid- though he's grownin' on me), and mixed bag (Element Lad- hey! he's alive! But he's EleMoot Lad!), there's a character who shines for me who really hadn't before (Light Lass, Micro Lad). That's going to be true any time new creators take over, though.

As for the setting, that definitely ain't 'there'. I find everything surrounding the Legionnaires and legionnaires fairly dreary and depressing. One of the only nonLegion bright spots has been Sun Boy's parents and the architecture on Naltor. Visually, 31st Metropolis doesn't inspire. I think that's all intentional to get the Legionnaires and legionnaires to the point where they want "to scream".

However, that sense of sci-fi wonder and optimism in an imperfect future isn't one that I'm getting.

Oh yeah-- the wish-fulfillment thing of young people living, working and playing together with virtually *no* adults supervising was a powerful draw to a teenager, too.

*That's* still around, I'd say.

EDE, I love your new Calamity Ostrich pic! It's great!

Anyway, what first drew me to the Legion was Giffen's art, pure and simple. Okay, okay, Levitz's great stories and frenetic pacing might've been a factor, too. Oh, yeah, and maybe the large cast--but nothin' else: got it!?

What drew me in? Seeing this cover ...



It was at a 7-Eleven on a chilly night in December 1981. I'd known about the Legion, and occasionally read their stories, back in the late '60s.

But I wasn't drawn in until this issue. It was the first time I'd seen and been delighted by what I found out, later, were Cockrum's and Grell's redesigned outfits. The Legionnaires finally looked like what the 30th Century "ought to be."

Ah, but who was that gorgeous winged creature on the right? I didn't remember seeing her before. I had to open it and find out more.

When I saw this well-feathered woman, "made to fight in space," soaring into battle alongside Ultra Boy -- whom I recognized -- and some smart-mouthed, mirror-masked, pleasantly-arrogant new male hero -- who was also new to me -- I was hooked thoroughly, and ever since.

Is it still there? The kind of combination that built on past stories and brought in the sass and spark of new heroes? The Levitz touch, as I came to see it?

Not really, sad to say. They've made valiant tries in reviving it -- and some not-so-valiant ones. It's been entertaining at its best, and it's been a pleasure to keep seeing many of these characters.

But the handful of '70s additions that meant the most to me aren't there. Especially my favorite winged young lady, despite cameo appearances over the years. And *sigh* it's not the same.

Teeds and Nightcrawler deserve all the credit for it!

What first drew me to the Legion? It was the "Execution of Chameleon Boy" story from ADVENTURE 376 when it was reprinted in Australia in black-and-white a year or so later (1970, i think). The story was good - Bouncing Boy is transported to Nadir because he won the Wanderers contest the issue before - only it wasn't Chuck - it was Cham!

Then comes the meeting with Princess Elwinda, who is unnerved at first by Cham's alien look, but soon overcomes her doubts when Reep takes on Kodar, the Black Vassal and is victorious!

Using one of seven Alactos stones, the Legion finally track Cham trans-dimensionally and teleport him before he is "beheaded"...This story had plenty of charm for a five-year-old kid. Even though the five-year-old-kid (me) had no way of knowing that the author was one, Jim Shooter, who had been an 18-year-old college student and an apparent child prodigy who at an early age had a story published on his very first outing!

The artwork was crude and simplistic - but a vast improvement compared the "stick-drawing" approach utilised by Jason Pearson nearly 25 years later...

Ah, the memories (cue to break into a Barbra Streisand tune)...

What drew me into the Legion?

It was my ultimate super-hero fantasy team. Every member had a power, no matter how lame or useless it first appeared. Every member had a distinctive costume, an origin, a family outside the Legion, and at least a hint of personal history. Yet the Legion was a family itself, where all of its members found acceptance, respect, and acclaim. Their individuality was as important as their communality.

Is it still there? I don't know. I haven't read the new series. But as the Legion changed over the years, so did I, and one of the things that continued to draw me in was the shared history. As the Legionnaires grew older, lost old friends and gained new ones, I was able to relate to them on a deeper level. With that history having been discarded -- what, three times now? -- I no longer feel that sense of connection.

They were easily available in cheap bins. I was young. And willing to check out new (to me) stuff (especially if it was cheap).

Might be, if you're willing to look around. No. Maybe.

SuperBOY. I liked Superman, but found Superboy more interesting, because he was still a kid learning how to be the world's greatest hero. In the early 70's, DC had a periodic series of "Superman Jr. and Batman Jr." imaginary stories which I thought was really cool -- I've always like father-son stories. I thought the Superboy in S/LSH was Supes Jr., probably because the covers were drawn by the same artist.

When I opened the book, it was the combination of 60's youth movement and Star Trek that drew me in. So the ultimate answer is Dave Cockrum's art. God bless him. He made the Legion and the X-Men cool again.

Trom makes a good point as always -- the Legion always had more "real-life" drama than many comics (especially DC) of the time. I was struck by the real sense of danger and loss. The Legionaires thought that ERG-1 (Wildfire) was dead. The Molecule Master felt like a real mortal threat.

So, does the Legion still have these things? I think Barry's visual reimagining is the most significant and fun since Cockrum's. That sense of youth power and danger is back, although Waid has made it a little heavy-handed at times.

As for Superboy, I guess we have to wait and see.

I think my first actual exposure to the Legion was in the 1976 DC Calendar. It was two years later before I encountered their stories in the little paperback reprint book that included a story of Chameleon Boy going back in time, trying to kill Superboy and another with the Legion gaslighting Projectra. I soon starting reading the current comic and various digest reprints. I loved the camaraderie in the Legion. The characters seemed to be friends. I was a lonely kid and the idea of this group of super-powered teens who hung out together and had adventures was just so cool!

It's a little different now, but for the most part it's still there in the current series.

Violet's Story #305 was my first issue and I was 8 I think.

I liked all the bright colored heroes. I liked they all had a different power, look, and personality.

I loved the futuristic setting.

Most of all I liked that they were cool. They just stood out from the sappy superhero stuff at DC. The Legion and Teen Titans were the only two DC comics I collected at that time. And they happened to be DC's best selling titles at that time.

George Perez and Keith Giffen didn't hurt. I was also into the soap opera at the time. It was really a saga not a soap opera IMO.

No it's not there. DnA finally captured the Legion as "cool" for me in their last series.

Much like the Teen Titans relaunched in the spirit of the Wolfman/Perez Titans recently...I am hoping the Legion resembles the Levitz/Giffen era a bit more. And trust me it will eventually will.

Superheroes adults are bigger than life. I want superhero teens to be bigger than the average skinny teenaged nerd. *sigh*