Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! So Legion will not be dead after L3W

Dan DiDio shatters any presumption that Legion will not be back after L3W. Unfortunately, he doesn't explain why they screwed up with Shooter and Manapul's run from the beginning. From Newsarama:

9: Back towards the subject material of the comics themselves – you mentioned Legion of 3 Worlds, but as we’ve reported, Legion of Super-Heroes ends with issue #50. Can you give any word as to where things are headed for the Legion in 2009? Obviously, in the Legion of 3 Worlds, there is a progression of events that’s suggesting a definite status quo change for the Legion...

DD: Legion of Super-Heroes has been a key franchise to the DC Universe since the ‘60s. It’s appeared in Adventure Comics, Superboy its own series, guest starred in a number of books, they’re going ot be appearing in Smallville very shortly, and have had their own animated television series. To think that after the cancellation of the series with #50 and after the conclusion of Legion of 3 Worlds that we have no plans in place would probably be a mistake.

We’re playing it kind of quiet now because we want Legion of 3 Worlds to play out so people will be excited about the conclusion, and from that conclusion, follow that story to others where those characters may or may not appear.

The bottom line is that Legion of Super-Heroes is a key franchise of the DC Universe, and it will never sit still or quiet for long.

Well, that's very nice, but.

How shall I put it?

DiDio's answer is worth its weight in gold.

I'll start listening when I start hearing specifics.

Dan Didio is tight-lipped about everything DC these days. I think his answer is pretty eloquent under such conditions. In fact, I do believe Adventure Comics will be Legion's new house after L3W and it will be integrated to Superman books.
I just don't know where it leaves L.E.G.I.O.N. at.

Well, the words "probably" and "may or may not appear" don't exactly inspire me with hope . . .

A little correction on the L.E.G.I.O.N. book coming in Feb. I talked to Tony Bedard, writer on the book, on FaceBook and he said the series is titled R.E.B.E.L.S. He also said its ongoing for now.

to paraphrase: we don't know what we're doing!

Probably. I can't say 'definitely be a mistake' because then I'd be lying. But I do kinda have specific plans that 'DC is obviously gonna do *something* with the Legion again someday, 'cause they don't want to lose the property by leaving them fallow too long [Didio pauses mid-explanation to shake his fist at lawyers, particularly those working for the Siegel or Shuster estates], probably after I step down as EIC, or when one of my staff has a really cool multi-crossover epic event planned in which a Legionnaire, or the team as a whole, can be off-handedly mentioned, or depicted in a single panel on page 12 of issue 17 of Infinite Secret Crisis Naked Annhilation War, now with 100% more Alien Zombie Space Apes.'

Please buy lots of our *other* books, where you'll get to see Star Boy acting kooky and occasionally mentioning the Legion, or Tellus in a tube, or hear Batman talk about Karate Kid.

See! We haven't abandoned the Legion! We're perfectly willing to mention them (and occasionally kill some of them off, like Karate Kid and 'Una') in our other books to draw in long-time readers like you!

Certainly not 'long' in a geological sense!

I think we shouldn't read TOO much into Dan's words. Remember it's his job to keep up the mystery and build the excitement ... this is a classic way to escalate the suspense and keep the fans wanting more and more (writing in, posting forums, etc).
To believe that DC doesn't have plans for a new monthy Legion project in the new year is a mistake.
What impact would it have on us if we knew about these plans now?
I for one am willing to wait.

A positive one? Unless, it's plans like...let's kill off every character and/or reboot the team three more times!

Seriously, what would be wrong about saying "We have a new ongoing coming up after L3W! The team itself and the creative team which will bring it to you is TBD!" Otherwise, all the negativity and thoughts against having an ongoing is justified, IMHO.

I think you forgot to use the spoiler label.

Exactly!! I hate the cryptic answers they are given. Just simply say there is a new ongoing coming.

This might not be the coolest thing to say, but Dan Didio doesn't inspire any confidence, at all. The only thing I'm convinced of, is that this is just leading to another reboot, which after a few years or longer, will lead to another reboot. So, I consider LO3W to not be a *jumping on* point, but a *JUMPING OFF* point. It's a way for me to say goodbye to these characters. It's the only comic I've ever picked up. I no longer feel like investing in something that's been so disappointing for the last five years or so. The characters I've followed for so long, are gone.

FIN

Thank you. That is exactly what he should be saying. Unless they seriously want people to think there is a chance that not a single Legionnaire will survive Lo3W (and readers are not that stupid), there is nothing spoiled by saying there will be an ongoing book. Final Crisis involves a threat to the universe that could wipe out everything, but nobody at DC is operating under pretense that the universe will be wiped out and Batman/Superman/Green Lantern, etc. will end as a result.

The constant claim that DC has a "plan" for the Legion strongly suggests that TPTB intends to wait to see what happens with Lo3W. If it is a success, they will come out with an ongoing series several months later. Or maybe that was the original plan, but the early success of Lo3W has convinced them to do an ongoing series. That could be why Lo3W is delayed. By having Lo3W end in the spring, DC could have an ongoing series ready to launch.

How is it that whenever Didio is interviewed I feel like the Mouth of Sauron is addressing Aragon and his united armies?

In his interview Dan Didio states Seems like FC:Lo3w is more FC than first appears. I can't see how the 31st C can impact the 21st C DCU

Way FC:Lo3W could impact the 21st Century: It ends with the 31st century being destroyed, and then the new version of the Legion, set in the 21st century, gradually begins to make appearances in other books.

No. He said that a) the Legion's to important as a franchise, as one of the core incredients that make up DC, to ever be kept on the sidelines for long; and, b), that they want the readers to focus on Lo3W, insteadt to piss about whatever DC may intend for the Legion after Lo3W's over.

Both arguments make sense to me. There's no reason to fear for the Legion's future. Besides, after the "TrashBoot" Legion, everything except a return to 5Yl - the most embarassing Legion era of all time - can be only an improvement.

Well, if you didn't like 5YL and the threeboot, I think it's safe to say that there are *lots* of things DC can do with the Legion that you would not consider an improvement.

Like what, for example?

I mean, right now, the only things I dislike about the ACTION Legion are their costumes, the characterization of Lightning Lad, and their hair cuts.

Given the fact that the current continuity is an amalgam of Levitz & 5YL, and I still still don't dislike the result, most of it anyway, I'm certain DC's going to satisfy my Legion sensibilities. (Though I still can't get over how I much I hate Levitz or 5YL separately, yet manage to get into their love child.)

Though of course, since we can't get the Silver Age or Disco Legions back (at least not at this time), I'd have preferred to have the "Archies" as the main Legion. They rocked.

But since DC obviously doesn't want to go that way, I'll settle for less-- and DC could have done far worse then this interesting Levitz/5YL merger...

i fear for the legion because because when they cancel books and try to make everything fit to things that are going on in the dc universe you get things like clones

because have clones fixes every thing

if some one just said "look we may be takeing your book away but chill we are going to have a new one soon, we want to do this right this time but makeing good stories, and good artwork"

then you know what every one here would be be trying to guess who the team would be, build up excitement, instead of going well dc has done it again

That thought gives me chills.

I'd rather read about a Wildstorm Legion. And I'm not even kidding.

Uh...let's see, what can I come up with that sounds plausible...

What if the Legion became the 31st-century Green Lantern Corps, where their flight rings were also Green Lantern rings, and Superboy-Prime's LSV became the new Sinestro Corps? Superboy-Prime would become the new Ion and therefore the leader of the LSH, and he would start a romance with Night Girl now that she and Cosmic Boy aren't together anymore. Lightning Lad and Bart Allen would merge and become one person, called Impulse. And in their first adventure they'd fight Vandal Savage and a bunch of Earthling xenophobes who want to kill the Legionnaires because secretly they're all descended from the Justice Society.

Shall I go on?

it's your opinion. I personally think that 5YL was far better than the beginnings of the Archie Legion (until DnA made them likeable) and certainly far superior storywise to the threeboot.

My concern is that Lightning Lad is the only character who has been given any semblance of a characterization (beyond a few panels here and there). If his characterization is so out-of-whack, what should be expect of everyone else? I also should add that, in the few panels they have received so far, I have not been a fan of "woe is me" Sun Boy, "I'm thrilled just to be here" Polar Boy, and the whole Colossal Boy/Yera scene dealing with kissing Sun Boy was lame.

Add Wildfire's obsession to the point of nausea over Dawnstar. I prefer Levitz's subtle approach.