Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Visionaries of Tomorrow Gail Simone: Flip-flopper or Waffler?

That is the question!

A bunch of very nice posters and mods wrote and it made me realize self-imposed exile just seems silly, so I'm FLIP-FLOPPING!

A bit I wanted to say about this past issue, and the dedication on the title page.

Rob Harris is one of the reasons I'm writing professionally today. I met Rob, and a mess of my other current friends at a Kingdom Come message board, not too unlike these message boards here. Seven years later, I'm still friends with most of those people (two of them got married, for Pete's sake). So when people say, "Oh, it's just the internet," or "It's just a message board," I kinda get my back up. I would never have met so many cool people who shared my love of comics without message boards.

Anyway, of this group, Rob was always the kindest and definitely one of the funniest. If you needed help, Rob was always, always there, and never complained, never badmouthed anyone, never got involved in dumb flame wars (a weakness I myself am trying to rid myself of in general). He helped several times with my internet column, he laugh-tested a lot of my Simpsons work, and he helped tremendously on my Women In Refrigerators site.

Just a great guy, the kind of friend we all should be lucky enough to have.

Beyond that, he was a huge Legion fan, and when he was just a kid, he won a Create-A-Legion contest (if I have my facts right) with the character of Nightwind. Now, BEYOND the fact that I knew Rob, I was always fascinated (like many of you, I'm sure) by the Subs, rejects, cadets, etc. that were on the Legion's fringe, and I loved the character of Nightwind, even though her previous appearances were small at best.

In a horribly unfair and awful set of circumstances, Rob passed away a few months ago. I'd already accepted the Legion assignment but only a few days previously, and the timing was actually very painful for a day, but then I started to feel that this was something he would have loved to see--a friend of his writing Legion, even briefly.

Nightwind was already going to be in the story (every writer puts in their favorites!), but this made it very meaningful to me. I hope this doesn't intrude on the story for you, but I like to think that Rob represented the best of Legion fandom the way he represented the best of comics fandom, and that's why this arc is important to me, beyond my love for the characters and setting.

Silly as it sounds, I hope you guys take a moment and appreciate what a cool thing you have here--a place where you can argue and still be friends, a place where you can meet people whose love of the Legion (or comics, or whatever) is as great as your own, and a place where you can talk about insanely obscure trivia and have someone know exactly what you're talking about. Thanks to the mods and administrators and posters, because this is a more special and rare thing than we might realize, and it shouldn't be taken for granted.

Anyway, sorry to go on at length, thanks as always for the great comments--it's fun even reading the slams, even though I hate to let someone down. Legion is a special book--it's a book that wouldn't even exist if not for the hardcore central audience. Frankly, I consider it an honor to have been asked to work on it, and hope that someday, in the future (not the FAR future, I hope), I'll get to write these characters again.

Gail Simone

Thanks for the story about Rob Harris, Gail. That's a nice tribute you've paid to him, in the story and here in your message.

And keep coming back!

I vote flip-flopper!

Seriously, thanks for sharing Rob's story with us. Believe us that we are all well aware of how great a place this is and how lucky we are to have it.

Few comics have had the strength of the fanbase that the Legion has had, and I think a significant reason for that was the amount of input that we have always been given into the creative process of the series. From fan-created characters, to reader-elected leaders, to fans-turned-writers, there are so many examples of how the fans have been allowed to help shape the direction of our favorite team.

Thanks once again for taking the time to interact with us, Gail.

Gail, I had heard of Rob's passing and was sorry for it as I knew him briefly and in passing through the defunct Legion board at CBR. I don't know the origin of how he created Nightwind but knew the story of his contribution of her to Legion history. And I had also heard about Nightwind's upcoming appearance (I haven't picked up my issue yet). But I didn't connect the two.

Thank you for coming back and please continue to do so. You are as much a part of the Legion's history now as any other creator and your voice will always be welcome here.

What a nice story, and a nice tribute to Rob. Thanks for the background info, Gail. When a story is dedicated to someone, it always helps to know why.

I wouldn't call it either. There are times when people make things so uncomfortable for me, that I need to take a break from the place and I own it! Thanks for this background information. I wish I had caught the dedication.

I'm sorry to hear of Rob's passing.

Nightwing debuted in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #12 (AUG. 1976) -

Jeepers! So Nightwind was originally supposed to be related to Timber Wolf!?!

What a wonderfuly story, I never knew the origins of Nightwind's character (I like her too!).

I am very glad you waffled/flip-flopped/returned.

Believe me, I am getting LEGION # 36 tomorrow and am SO looking forward to it.

When did Nightwind first appear in comic? Didn't her appearance (and Lamprey's) change significantly between her first and second appearances?

No, they (and Crystal Kid) had at least 2 appearances before they were "Giffen"ized... the Blok spotlight and the Wildfire spotlight.

I'm not digging them out, but I want to guess LSH # 272 & 283.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES Vol.2 #272 (FEB. 1981) was her first appearance. She became Berta Haris as a tribute to Rob. Her costume looks identical, but her skin is yellow and she has blue hair like a Sklarian.

Hmm... I've got the Wildfire spotlight. I was thinking their appearance had changed by then.

Oops! Yes, Lash is right.

I can scan in Crystal Kid and Lamprey's AWODC entries if you like.

Yeah, I'd like that.

Lamprey & Crystal Kid first appeared in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #14 (MAR. 1977) -




APPLICANT'S NAME: Angela Majors
APPLICANT'S CODE NAME: Lamprey
POWER: Ability to breath water. Is able to drain life force and kill with a touch.
ORIGIN OF POWER: Aquatic powers natural due to birth from surface-dwelling mother and aquatic-dwelling father. Killing powers result of being in suspended animation for centuries.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth
STATUS OF APPLICATION: REJECTED.
(IF REJECTED, STATE REASONS): Aquatic power too limited to water-worlds, killing power violates Legion code.
APPLICANT'S SPONSOR: Scott R. Taylor




APPLICANT'S NAME: Rondo Kane
APPLICANT'S CODE NAME: Crystal Kid
POWER: The power to transform any matter into transparent crystals.
ORIGIN OF POWER: Gained power after suffering a bombardment of radioactive rays that hit his experimental space ship.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Zelar
STATUS OF APPLICATION: REJECTED.
(IF REJECTED, STATE REASONS): No practical application could be found for applicant's power.
APPLICANT'S SPONSOR: Robert Cohen

Gail, great to see you back - and a very touching tribute to your friend Rob too.

Thanks for sharing it with us here.

Also in that issue, AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #14 (MAR. 1977) -




APPLICANT'S NAME: Not disclosed
APPLICANT'S CODE NAME: Transporter Boy
POWER: He is able to transport any living thing to distant planets or make them disappear forever.
ORIGIN OF POWER: Not disclosed
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Not disclosed
STATUS OF APPLICATION: REJECTED.
(IF REJECTED, STATE REASONS): Applicant's power is too dangerous. He gave no indication that he could control where he sent those he transported. It was feared he could accidentally send living creatures to planets where they could not survive, thereby violating the Legion's code against killing. Making living things "disappear forever" also violates that code.
APPLICANT'S SPONSOR: Darwin Frehlick




APPLICANT'S NAME: Arwe Earh
APPLICANT'S CODE NAME: Thunderbow
POWER: The ability of infallible aim in directing any weapon, telekeenetic [their spelling, FYI] energy or teleportation effects. Applicant uses the bow as his weapon.
ORIGIN OF POWER: Natural planetary abilities.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Ythorza (destroyed)
STATUS OF APPLICATION: REJECTED.
(IF REJECTED, STATE REASONS): Applicant uses weapon in conjuntion with natural ability, contrary to Legion policy. Powers of telekenetic energy projection (limited to aim) and teleportation (also limited) are duplicated by other Legionnaires on active duty (Saturn Girl and Tyroc). Duplication is also against Legion policy except in special cases.
APPLICANT'S SPONSOR: Mark A. Ernst

Thanks, Nighty!

You would think that Thunderbow would be able to make Transporter Boy's powers work better.

What's up with Transporter Boy's freaky tiarra?

So I guess Nightwind's pretty safe for this arc hm??

Gail, thanks for sharing. It's always heartening to know that the Legion is and has always been about more than what's on the printed page - it's also about the community of those touched by its stories through these many years.

First off that is a touching story Gail thank you. And I have never heard of Rob before but I want to know more! How is he connected to Nightwind/g again? And any more info from all you guys about Rob would be appreciated!

Nightcrawler, love those pics man! I've always been a Nightwind/Lamprey fan. Would be cool if she and Timberwolf hooked up.


Jorge

I like waffles and the people who make them...

Thanks for sharing and for coming back, Gail.

I've always been a Nightwind fan and have always felt that she (and Lamprey and Crystal Kid too) was a should-have-been Legionnaire. It's nice to learn more about her creator.