Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! The Problem with Timberwolf

(Hmm, that sounds like a fanfic title. Consider it a challenge. )

I've been thinking. For the last fifteen years or so writers have made a habit of making T-wolf more like Wolverine. I think the problem is that we've never had a good definition of "super acrobatics". Sure it's about strength, speed , and agility, but lots of chracters have that, what makes T-wolf stand out?

I think his main power must be some kind of super sense of balance. He should probably be able to run across a tight rope as easily as someone else runs down the street, or he could stay standing in an earthquake when everyone else is knocked down. I think he should have a sense of grace far above the other Legionnaires. That might be why he and Karate Kid were good friends, they'd be natural sparing partners.

I really think writers should start playing up the acrobat and downplaying the wolf. Not that there shouldn't be anything wolfish about him (that's one of the things I like about him), but it should be part of his personality, not his powers.

Thoughts?

I like the sound of it. That would have been perfect in the days of "no duplicate powers". Still, it's soemthing that makes him stand out. Imagine applying to the Legion. "What's your super-power, Londo?" "Super sense of balance." You just know there'd be giggles all around.

some of T-Wolf's coolest moments, IMO, were:
* in the circus of death story, undercover as an acrobat

* against the Dark Man with Blok & Light Lass, flipping all over the place

* against Grimbor when the Earth was chained

all great acrobat examples

As of this point, he doesn't exist right now (or yet). So, the point is rather moot. :\

I agree that some writers' vision of him tended to coincide with "that Marvel hero," but there was always a lot of idea copying back and forth between Marvel and DC and vice a versa.

And since T-Wolf actually came first...

Of course, Lone Wolf wasn't even remotely like Wolverine until after Wolverine debuted. Even so, he was never that much like Wolverine other than minor alterations to his look and personality. He didn't have claws and he wasn't the "killer" of the group. OTOH, he did appear (and I do mean "appear", not actually do this) to go after the team's founding member telepath, so that does put him more in line with Wolverine.

Logan and Professor X were secret lovers! That was the real scandal behind Weapon X's departure from Alpha Flight!

LOL! I hadn't even considered that one, but it does explain why he put up with him over the years.

Pushing the acrobatics would definitely set him apart, not only from his teammates but from Wolverine. Timberwolf is much more like Daredevil in the way he moves and fights (until DnA gave him claws with which to disembowel people). This new incarnation may not need for a member's powers to be "defined" which would be good for Brin since "super acrobatics" sounds weird and "being wolflike" isn't exactly a power per se.

If you take away the wolf-senses, I think Brin needs something more than super-acrobatics - like super-speed or an ability to transfer body mass or energy - been done before, but just some examples to boost the acrobatics as a defensive or offensive power. Suppose he could force an opponent to do a back flip, or even take away somebody's sense of balance - but not with mind control - I don't know if that would be a transfer of kinetic energy, or how it could be developed.

Maybe he could be the team's contortionist? You know, like those circus people who seem to have no bones at all and are able to fit themselves into a tiny box?

Especially if he added an "...of space!" at the end!

"Maybe he could be the team's contortionist? You know, like those circus people who seem to have no bones at all and are able to fit themselves into a tiny box? " Juan.
Proyectra being snake was one thing but make T-wolf one...

I always saw T-wolf as a kind of variant of the Karate Kid motif. Kind of like KK with an emphasis on an acrobatic style of fighting, with some super-strength and toughness thrown in. When we see him next, I'd prefer to see a much more human looking Brin Londo. I'd rather see the wolfishness come out more in his personality than his appearance.

I like both the strength and Acrobatics be brought to the surface. I think thats what he was lacking. That and the Lone Wolf aspect of his character. I agree that his personality should be more wolf like rather than his looks. I like the idea of him not being able to fit in, thats why his a lone wolf

I liked T-Wolf in his pre-ferral days!

Actually, making Brin look nothing like he did postboot or in the T-Wolf mini would be a giant step in the right direction. I hated that look. He looked like a middle-aged guy. So less "feral" and more acrobatics would be much better for him.

When I was into role playing, the group I was with played super heroes. Brian played a guy with perfect balance whom he called "the Webble" (Webbles were little toy people "webbles wobble but they don't fall down")


BAck to Timber Wolf, I definitely perfer a non-ferral T-Wolf.

Ya know, I think Gail even gave Brin a "healing factor."

I dug Brin so much as a character that I tended to gloss over that his powers were duplicated by someone else in the Legion. His distinction always seemed to be more a force of personality than actual ability. I have to admit I'm at a loss to suggest a power for him that would be distinct and unique from the Legion's old 'one useful power no other member has' perspective. Maybe a personal kinetics control ability? That sounds a little too close to XS' speed though, especially if she can do some of the tricks the Flash can do. I dunno...any ideas?

I don't think he needs any external powers. I always liked the pre-5 year gap Timber Wolf. He was kind of generic in terms of power, but he had a good costume and good personality, and he always did a lot of flips. He was sort of the Rob Van Dam of the Legion!

i always liked the fact that Brin had "crazy super-acrobatics and agility that none of the legionnaires could match." i think ultra boy said that. i always pictured it being like spider-man richocheting around the room, bouncing off of every bad guy before they could react. i also liked the LONE WOLF aspect to his past and personality. it was a unique personality to have in a group the size of an army. and i always thought that it was a missed opportunity to not follow up more on his addiction to "Lotus", the 30th century hallucinogenic drug of choice. in a book about teenagers you need some sort of take on teenager issues; sex/love, self-esteem, suicide, drugs...and Timber Wolf had it all. i saw him as more of a tragic character within the LSH. i didn't care for the Giffen/Levitz dunce prone to pratfalls. and i didn't like the DnA wolverine clone who was a scrapper, said "cub" instead of 'bub", had a healing factor, and used his sharp nails like claws. how original. Waid + Kitson, BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL, COOL, LONE WOLF complete with isolationist background, drug problem and cockrum haircut and furry eyes!!!!

Yeah, exactly couldn't put it better myself.

As a kid I saw Brin having a bunch of powers but which ones made him unique? Others had super senses, strength, and speed. I always saw his unique power as the combination of all these things as Arachne said to have a super balance. No one quite uses super speed and strength quite like Timberwolf. Sure Superboy is faster but Wolf's super speed is more like Spider-Man's than the Flash.

Other thoughts bouncing off the comments here...

Definately Spider-Man!

LoneWolf does sound cooler than Timber.

Brin is a personality more than a power. His best attribute is his unique personality not his questionable unique powers.

Brin is cooler than Karate Kid. KK never did much for me. Brin is much more flawed and funner.

Jorge