I've just finished rereading them for an update to the
Grand Total thread so happy to join in.
I completely agree that it's much better read in one sitting. One of my issues with it each month was that it seemed to be over before I really felt I got anything from the book. There are a number of reasons why this could have been the case.
There was a definite switch from shorter stories in v3 &v4 to arcs that would fit into trade paperbacks.
Because of these longer arcs, the storyline seemed drawn out. Gone were the adventures that would take a few issues and
also develop subplots. Something else else went a little wrong with the Levitz Grid pacing.
The LSV plot edged forward and was then rushed as Flashpoint came around (not necessarily the writer's fault there). The Durlan plot went on endlessly in what would have been a sub plot in the old days with an escalation of an issue or two at the end. Perhaps it was actually a subplot here too. Perhaps it's just that there were so many team members to show, that there wasn't any room for villains (never a Levitz strong point and he's far from alone there).
In v7 the Fatal Five plot took ages to go anywhere, and then rushed forward probably due to dipping sales and Giffen returning wearing a funeral suit.
Levitz crammed in as many Legionnaires as possible into each issue. Despite the longer arcs, many of them were just wallpaper for all the development they got.
The character subplots probably seemed good at the start, but there's the sniff of editorial meddling in them. The missing Ranzz twin, The Glorith subplot with the Flashpoint time travel hints.
There was an understandable focus on the new members. Partly this is so the younger reader has something they may connect to more. Partly it's to shake up the team structure. Partly the reduced numbers available in v7.
But there were two types of new member. Earth-Man must have looked like a good idea at the meeting. But after the meeting someone should really have just laughed at how carried away they all got. To then have the first issues of the series focus on him to such a degree was not a good idea. Even leaving behind the idea that having a callous murderer in a team violates the concept of its existence, it's poor to see such focus at the cost of space for others.
Harmonia Li was another writer's favourite. She's at the time institute. She escapes any retribution on having been party to the event that blew up a world. She's an early choice to be a Lantern. She's loved by the Naltorians. Reading it in one sitting really showed me how annoying a character she was. I quite liked her in small amounts in the singe issues. Later on, when the fanboy focus on her eased off she gets better.
The other newbies were Dragonwing, Glorith and Chemical Kid. None are the mightiest members to begin with. There is a definite push to having a less powerful Legion (a band wagon that probably drew Giffen back like a shot). They would be part of a team that would have to struggle more than their predecessors did. So, it's a little tough on them from the start.
There's also the Legionnaires Lost, creating an even bigger power gap for the new guys to try and fill.
In one camp you have a thief (Dragonwing) a smarmy burglar (Chemical Kid) and a naive child (Glorith) who enjoy a bit of grave robbing on the side (Chemical King). On the other a girl who trains hard to push on (Dragonwing) a boy who learns a few lessons to give us hope (Chemical Kid) and someone with lots of power when let out of a lab subplot (Glorith)
But like Harmonia and Earth Man, that focus meant that some of the HQ furniture had as much development as some of the team.
As for the others, Phantom Girl was odd. We've had odd leaders before in Sun Boy and Lightning Lad, where pressure gets to them. We've had leaders where circumstances and group dynamics restrict them in Polar Boy. So, perhaps a fairly unwilling Phantom Girl, hoping for the best reacts badly to events that spiral completely out of her control. But that doesn't explain her odd personality earlier in the run. Saturn Girl was destroyed in a Levitz issue of Adventure.
Other random thoughts before the reread.
- Levitz "screwing" with the characters (not my favourite choice of word to indicate conflict)
- The Glorith issue in Barcelona because the artist wanted to draw it (following a very slow start this indicated there were no ideas)
- The Dominator arc going on because they looked good. They did, but not enough to repalce an actual story.
- The last man you'd want to see consulting with Dr Gym'll, Keith Giffen. You go in with a scratch, watch irreparable damage to everything around you and end up dead on the table wearing a Sun Boy or Karate Kid outfit. The last thing you hear is Giffen going off in a huff somewhere.
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