Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! HEY BARRY--NEW UNIFORMS?

Another 2¢ from me..............

Barry, please take into consideration the costumes from the Cockrum/Grell era. I know many don't like them but even folks like Alex Ross painted a beautiful piece and used those costumes, they are recognizable and they denote more powerful times for the Legion of Super Heroes. Many just looked more majestic and futuristic. When Giffen came on board low those many years ago, many characters costumes were reverted all the way back to the Swan era and that's fine, no one minds a little nostalgia but many of the newer costumes are STILL based on those old boring designs and quite frankly, who in the 30th Century would be caught wearing a set of tights with a little mini skirt all the same color, it's just so....... ugly to me. I'm of course referring to Saturn Girl, now that's one costume that needs an update. Truth be told I didn't even care for her hair or her costume during the Cockrum/Grell era. There was a sketch by Jim Lee that kinda caught my eye, but many here did not care for it but I thought it was very original and more futuristic but still able to pick out who she is. She just looked like more of a Saturian than she looks now (or then), kind of a bubble gum chewing adolescent with an obvious taste for pink (which I abhor) and bad taste in costumes!!

I liked when Cham had the Red/Orange and Purple costume which worked with his skin color. I also liked the pointed shoulder vest, but drawn tight at the waste as Cockrum and Grell illustrated it. Good design that worked for that character.

I hope you are considering some of these designs, with maybe a tweak (like Wildfires tweaked winged star emblem, which worked fine at the time), most are great designs that need some consideration.

Favorite designs from the Cockrum/Grell era are:
Lightening Lad
Cosmic Boy
Chameleon Boy
Karate Kid
Princess Projectra
Phantom Girl
Shadow Lass
Collosal Boy
Dream Girl
Star Boy
Tyroc
Wildfire
Element Lad and
Timber Wolf

Which are most of the main stays of the old Legion but I just think the designs are very well done. The others like Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5 and Duo Damsel (or Triplicate) and Bouncing Boy are just bad and updates are good too in these cases!! . Monel, Sunboy, Shrinking Violet, Dawnstar and Ultra Boy I really have no opinion on. I liked the costumes but then again change is good!!

I realize the some names have changed, some members have even changed origins and physical appearance or are gone (for now) and I know that this is going to be a bit of a shake up but just thought I would flesh out my thoughts on older character designs in case you were interested in my opinion!!

Many thanks!!

hmmmm....I like that X idea!

Totally, I couldn't agree more that making the stories accessible is a priority! One thing I've been doing as part of my 'work-up' to starting on LSH has been to re-read EVERY LSH comic I have with aa analytical an eye as I could - it did really strike me that there were a lot of issues where a new reader really wouldn't have a clue as to what was happening...or who most of the characters were. Even as a long time reader, I found if I picked individual issues up out of sequence there were many that didn't make much sense as stand alones.
Our intention is to make each 30 page story able to stand alone while still being part of a larger picture. I'm sure we'll have plenty to debate about how close we get to achieving that

I agree with your general sentiments about the costumes too, Cymro

Comments duly noted Chameleon Boy!

So Barry I've been wondering......is there any chance Timber Wolf could look like a wolf?

All the time??

No, please no!! ACK

I love wolves but Brin was not a wolf in the beginning and I think he should look like himself from that period again. Over the years he has devolved to a beastly looking creature and when he gets pissed off it gets worse and the many artists that have illustrated him, sometimes he looks really cool and sometimes he looks really ridiculous, kind of a reject from "Werewolf by Night" (Marvel).

I think his original look (yes, from the Cockrum/Grell era) was quite futuristic (hair cut included) and then when he gets pissed off then he could go wolfish and even all the way wolf if need be but kinda a "Krypto" super wolf with more strength and speed and the flight ring would form to a collar or a dog bracelet.

Being a wolf all the time would limit his ability to communicate and then of course there is no way to have a love life either!!

my two cents on the subject: Please no ....

So, if we see a rejected costume idea, that at least means that the character will be in the new series right?

Quite true...and the very reason I can't show you any of them just yet!

So.... er... how many of these rejected costumes are there?

damn

anyway, if you say so it means that not every one of the legionnaires we know will appear in the new series, right? i think that it'd be a true pity, i mean one of the things i always liked most about the legion was the fact that the team had so many different carachters to play with, and all of them always well shaped.
so please, keep the legion A LEGION

that's my only advice, for all the rest i put all my trust to you and mark! i hope you'll be on the legion for a very long time!

p.s. that's the first time i answer you, barry! a sincere greeting from italy!

Hi Fabio
No need to worry, there won't be any shortage of characters - I simply don't want to give ANYTHING away just yet!

The Legion will definitely be 'a legion' I promise!!

Thanks for the support - and the greeting from Italy - I can't wait to get back there someday!

Barry,

I really like your analytical approach to Legion history. I can't wait to read the books and see if your conclusions match my own thoughts. I'm optimistic about your goal to have stories that have a sense of resolution in a single issue, yet they also advance a bigger story. Sounds like a winning compromise that will attract and keep readers (old and new). Best of luck!

One of my favorite stories from the Silver Age was "The Super-Stalag of Space" two-parter. I think that the teamwork made that story. No single character could achieve what the team could. The interplay among powers made it a very satisfying plot. I never would have thought of that solution; I guess that's why they are the Legionnaires (and I'm not)!

I love it when characters use their powers in clever or unusual ways. Otherwise, it gets very predictable.

Remember when Vi entered Superboy's bloodstream à la Fantastic Voyage (Adventure 350)? That one-page exploration of "inner space" has stayed with me for almost 40 years. I think there are lots of ideas like that, which have not been fully exploited.

Finally, I think it's counter-productive to include large casts in an issue if they contribute nothing to the story. Why bother bringing in someone (say Jeckie) if she's not going to use her power to advance the story? It just wastes space, confuses the reader, and annoys the artist. (Of course, some delicious red herrings are always good, too).

To me the Legion is not about large numbers of people making brief appearances and doing very little. To me, it's about problem solving and teamwork.

Best of luck -- we're rootin' for you!

Thom