Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Legion of Super-Heroes #4, cover & solicitation

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #4

Written by Mark Waid, art by Leonard Kirk, Dave Gibbons and Mick Gray, cover by Barry Kitson and Gray.

The hot new series continues with the Invisible Kid at a crossroads in a story featuring guest art by Leonard Kirk and inker Mick Gray. A hero is defined by the choices he makes -- but not everyone is cut out to be a hero. Just ask the Invisible Kid, whose fateful decision inadvertently costs the Legion every bit of the good will the team has earned and radically endangers its future. Plus, a second Legion adventure with art by Dave Gibbons and Gray.

40 pages, $2.99, in stores on March 30.

[Thanks go to Frog Kid for the high quality cover image!]

Not sure I like the sound of Lyle's characterization.

Is that the sound of ice cracking under our feet?

I'm the only one whom I remember ever saying around here that he liked the Legion ("LSH" v2) Annual that Dave Gibbons drew, with Val and Jeckie's wedding -- something appealing about his softer lines on the characters. I'll be wanting to see this one.

Mick Gray sadly had to move on from the "Promethea" gig, which ends this month in issue 32, so I'm glad the new "LSH" series has brought in his stellar work.

It's going to be odd seeing Lyle as the naive newbie who's getting the team into trouble, especially after his characterization last series as the ultra-competent, ultra-secretive space spy.

Invisible Kid's new "headband" is somewhat reminiscent of Colossal Boys old headgear.

How can they stick the phrase "hot new series" in the solicitation for issue four of a comic book that hasn't even had a single issue come out yet?

Comic Book marketing confuses me

It'll be cool seeing Invisible Kid as a newbie, as long as, personality wise, he ends up similar to his reboot counterpart. After all, in my opinion, Lyle was the breakout superstar of the reboot era.

Can't say I care for that costume though. The puffy sleeves and the colour scheme are not the most appealing thing I've ever seen.

I love Lyle! He's probably my fave Legionnaire after Gim - and I can't wait for this issue!

I *LIKE* the fact that he's going to be making mistakes and growing into his role as hero. The Lyle of the reboot was great but he was a bit too perfect, and characters that are that perfect become boring after a while. I like my heroes fallible. And I like writers that know how to create tension and drama in a group comic through more than just the alien invasion of the month. Kudos to Mark Waid.

Faboo!

How can they stick the phrase "hot new series" in the solicitation for issue four of a comic book that hasn't even had a single issue come out yet?

This is why alot of people are worried that the new series will fail because of all the overestimating on how successful that the series will be which Waid himself has been doing alot more then anyone else.

Waid may end up humilated if the series doesn't end up being the breakthrough in comic book history that he seems to think it will be and won't since I'm convinced that he isn't focused enough to make the book work and I heard Barry isn't doing this issue.

I'm not saying for sure that Barry won't come back, it may be personal business, but if he's gone for sure, then something bad may have happened in DC.

The guy said to us that it won't be a reboot, but then gets slaped in the face by Waid when he said it was. It doesn't sound to me that the two are working closely together as they should be since Barry is drawing what Waid is writing and I personally would like to know what's going on from my partner if I was in the comic business with a little honesty that would prevent me from looking like a jerk.

It's called Advertising and Marketing.

Have you been reading this board lately??

Barry has been doing pencils AND inks for (3) 40 page issues. That is like 30 pages of art and 2 full-time art jobs. I think there will be periodic "breaks" for Barry until they can get a full time inker that Barry approves of. That way, he can rebuild up the lead-time necessary for the issues and probably stretch out his fingers for a minute.

I like the idea of fallable superheroes. With great power comes great responsibility and it's not always easy to live up to the challenge. I'm glad that Mark recognizes that concept and will be incorporating it into the new series. Waid has already stated that run will not be focused soley on the villian du jour and a lot of his stuff looks interesting to me so far.

You know, these threads are kinda bad for me because I see the preview cover and the solicitation and I get even more excited for the new series. Then, I am suddenly reminded that the 1st issue is still 2 MORE DAMN WEEKS AWAY and I am frustrated.

GIMMIE THE CANDY!!!

I wasn't singling the legion out with my comment about the phrase "hot new series". DC and Marvel slap it on maybe four or five new-ish titles every time they release their solicitations and I just find it a little grating.

By the way Sandman, I'm a bit puzzled as to why you appear to making up stuff about Barry Kitson's involvement in the legion.

Barry already told us that there would be a fill in this issue. He's supposed to be listed as a co-plotter. He'll be returning to at least the pencils with #5.

As for the "reboot" issue. I think the fans and the creators have different definitions as to what is what.

Cover is interesting. Can't say it's my fave thus far. I'm already a fan of the SPs and I haven't read an issue yet. Vril looks really cool...erm...I am Querl. As does Dreamy and LL. Invisible Kid on the other hand...not so much. But he seems to be taking the awkward rookie thing. So maybe in 10 issues he's cooler, wiser, and has a new costume

I don't mind the preview with IK messing things up. Infact I kinda like it. Different for him. You guys that are fans of him shouldn't mind either...usually the awkard rookie/newbie character is the one we recognize best with. (Ofcourse Kon-El fans seem to have hated it by DnA...i loved it but enough painful memories)

The coolest part??? KIRK!!! He blew me away with his Legion in the last incarnation! Gibbons? Not sure his style seems to change a bit depending on the story it seems...sometimes i love him sometime I don't.

This series is smoking! Can't wait for issue #4!

Jorge (New Avengers sold out...literally! no more soul in Avengers! I miss the good ole days already)

Initial reaction: Lyle doesn't screw up, that's not the character. But this is okay, on reflection - it could make him a stronger - and more complex or interesting - figure in the end. I do wonder if it will be reminiscent of the original Rond Vidar-Universo story - son wants nothing to do with father's dream and actively works against him with the Legion.

I like the look - and I really like the way artists have been depicting his invisiblity as a gradual process, with the image breaking up, rather than the dotted outline of the early eras.

Comic book marketing - yeah, every other blurb in Previews is groundbreaking, mind-blowing, universe shattering, never-before-seen, etc etc.

Sizzling suns! Is that sun & crackling lightning just cover background or part of the story?

I like the cover, it's amazing, but i don't like too much the new headband of IK.

For the story, as a recent reader (but already a REAL fan) of the legion with DnA, the new depiction of IK as a "newbie", etc... don't bother me.

I think he will learn and as we follow his way during the serie, at the end, he will be cooler and a better character than before.

It sounds promising!

I'll take a stab and speculate that Lyle's "fateful decision" was running away, and neglecting to inform his new friends that his dad is a badass SP officer (him on the cover?). Now Dad has discovered his whereabouts and is coming to "rescue" him, with a rather large bone to pick with the "cult" that "brainwashed" his son. Funny that a runaway story opened Waid's 1994 reboot, and now looms large in this one too.

Nice effect of Lyle's arm blending into Dream Girl's costume. I can't see enough of his outfit to judge it fairly, but it looks like the "puffy sleeves" are actually jacket sleeves. The headgear is perhaps a bit too reverential, though.

I need more time to adapt to glowering, cyborgish Brainy. Dreamy looks, um, dreamy but somewhat vacant here. She should be filing her nails, or something. It's great to see Garth in the flesh again (pun intended), doing his razzle-dazzle. Reminds me of the song "Lightning's Hand".

Kudos to Barry for another fine cover. I look forward to Kirk's interior artwork.

I love the fact that Invisible Kid's hand appears to be springing out of Dream Girl's bust!

That "hot new series" blurb stuck in my McCraw too. I hope it's true, but so far, we ain't seen a single proverbial chicken hatch.

Funny how visible Lyle is in this series.

Why is it that with every solicitation, I find myself thinking "Well, maybe the actual issue will be better than it seems from this."

Lyle is my second favourite character, and I can't say the shadows of characterisation that I've seen really appeal to me. I like confident Lyle. I like personable Lyle. He doesn't seem that confident, nor personable from the solicitation copy I've read. And to those that say it's good to see a character develop... with every new issue solicitation that I read, I wonder how many issues this reboot'll last for...

I think the solicitations thus far have done an incredible job of telling us almost nothing about what will be happening in the new series.

Keep in mind that by now, because of preorders, DC probably has an early idea about how many copies they'll sell. And that doesn't include reorders.

I-Kid's been through so many different personalities (not all of them due to reboots)that one more could hardly hurt at this stage.

Hi Guys
This is the ONLY issue I'm skipping art duty on as far as I know

I have to apologize that I won't be able to post the pencils and inked versions of the cover - as it was actually drawn in New York after the Texas convention and inked by Mick Gray - so I don't even have scans of my own.

Be careful of jumping to conclusins too quickly -just because IK's decision isn't popular doesn't mean he screws up in any way - just that it's a tough call to make - that some people don't like!

As far as the 'hot new series' thing goes - I think that's based on both the initial orders and the general buzz there is about the book from folks like yourselves and most everyone that's seen the first issue so far. I'm sure it'll be a talking point - not everyone will like everything we've done - of course...but at least folks are talking about Legion again...and many outside the hardcore fanbase...which I guess is exactly what DC were hoping for

BTW Yet again Legion World is my source of info...this is the first time I've seen the colored version!

Hope you enjoy #1!

I forgot to say how amazed I am each month over how debate can come from one paragraph of solicitation copy.... I have a feeling it's going to be be pretty daunting coming here when #1 is actually in everyone's hands!