Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Help for a Legion newcomer!!!

I'm ashamed to admit it..I've barely read a LSH comic before. The animated show introduced me to the Legion, and now I have a strange urge to read the comics. Anyone have any suggestions on where to start?

There's a nice 50th anniversary collection coming out May 28, which contains a selection of stories from a variety of eras. There's been a lot of different takes on the Legion throughout the years, and that'll give you a pretty good sampling to decide what to look at further.

If you want to check out the current series, a new creative team just took over with #37, so it would probably be a natural place to pick up the book.

Oh, and of course, there's the Legion in the 31st Century comic, which is more directly based on cartoon. I believe there's a trade of that coming out soon? I need to remember to check that out myself.

Tthanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking I'll start reading the current series first, then check out that 50th anniversary collection when it's released perhaps.

Also remember that you should feel free to ask if you have any questions about the series! We've got tons of experts on everything Legion here, but we all started out as newbies, so don't be afraid to ask about anything that might confuse you. The Legion can be kind of daunting with so many characters and multiple versions of the team that have been published over the years, but that's also part of the fun.

Welcome Teronna!

I remember when I first started reading the Legion I got confused about Sun Boy and Star Boy because wasn't the Sun just a star????

Welcome! I also suggest #37 of the current series!

Welcome to the LSH!!! You've come to the 31st Century at a very interesting and exciting point in their history. I've been a fan since 1980 and trust me...keep a log at first. As you will discover, there are several versions of MANY characters, and at times it's hard to keep up. But you'll also learn that this is what makes the legion unique and as mentioned above, it can be daunting! Again, welcome!

Just found a list on Wikipedia of the different series the legion has made an appearance in.

Couple questions...is the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century series any good?

And is it LoSH or LSH?

And thanks for the welcomes!

I'd also try to get my hands on "The Great Darkness" trade paperback. Many consider this the greatest Legion story ever told.

I'd definately say the current series is a good jumping on point for new readers.

Welcome, BTW!

1. I like it. Some individual issues have been very good indeed, and there haven't been any really bad ones.

2. Either one.

Welcome, Terrona!

I'm glad to see you diving on in.

No need for shame. Everyone is new to everything once. Here on Legion World, we have fans of all experience levels, fans of all different Legion eras/aspects. There's room for everyone.

Besides the other excellent suggestions, I would also suggest Legion of Super-Heroes (second series) #300, which came out about 25 years ago. It is an excellent story incorporating many versions of the Legion eras up until that point.

I am quite enjoying that series; I've only seen a handful of the cartoons.

Most say LSH, but LoSH is fine, too.

I always recommend the Legion Lost maxiseries, which is responsible for more instant fans than any other arc I know of.

It's not tied into the current series, but it's an excellent, self contained story. (And if you like cartoon Brainy, his character design was influenced by the art on it.)

I would say pick up issues 37 and 38 of the current series. It feels truer to the feel of the old Legion than the first 36 issues of the current series. I think if you read the first 36 issues of the current series then go bakc and read the older stuff it might sour you on it since it has sucha different tone.

I would say if you want to get a feel for the different versions of the team I would say to get:

"Great Darkness Saga" and "Eye for and Eye" trades - classic Legion
"Beginings of Tommorow" trade - reboot Legion
issues 37-38 of curretn series - threeboot Legion

Hmm... I wonder how much LSH Teronna has read by now?

Hopefully a substantial amount.

And if that's the case, I wonder which era is her favorite?

And it goes without saying that we miss her.

Hi Legion fans,

I've mostly been a casual Legion reader so far, in that I followed and appreciated the DnA run as well as Mark Waid's Threeboot, but have never quite gotten into the original Legion. I recently decided to immerse myself in it and was looking for recommendations.

My idea is to start with The Great Darkness Saga Deluxe book, followed by The Curse TPB, and then jump into all of LSH v3.
I would then follow the 5 Years Later Legion which I'm immensely curious about.

The reason why I was thinking of starting with TGDS is that it coincided with the beginning of Paul Levitz' second run, plus I'm not sure I could quite get into overly Silver Age-y, earlier stuff.

I could however give it a try if you have any particularly important arcs to recommend or something particularly well-written? Also, is there anything between LSH v3 and v4 that I should check out?

Hi and welcome UncannyXMan! (Sure you're on the right forum with that username? Just kidding and your avatar looks great.)

You've obviously done your research. The Great Darkness Saga is certainly seen as a high point for the Legion (of any era) and is a great place to dive in. There will of course be some back stories that may not be totally clear to you but your reading of the DnA run should help with the characters at least. The Curse is a good follow on containing the next issues leading up to v3. The only other standout is Annual #1 which occurs immediately before the Great Darkness Saga but it might be a bit hard to find. It was the success of this period that led to Legion being one of the two books (New Teen Titans by Wolfman and Perez being the other) that were given the new "Baxter" treatment with higher quality paper and graphics, in LSH case being v3.

The end of LSH v3 leads pretty much staright into v4 as v3 finishes with the Legion succeeding but the UP still in a disrupted and potentially collapsing state and then v4 picking up the story Five Years Later. I don't think anything was printed in between and the story of what did happen is slowly revealed over the v4 series.

I really enjoy bother series and hope you do too.

Feel free to join in the rest of the forum as the bunch here are very friendly and welcoming.

What Stile86 has said, UncannyXMan!

Levitz' 2nd run starts a few issues before the Great Darkness Saga (284, where the Great Darkness proper is 290). As stile mentioned, LSH Annual 1 comes in there. Quite a bit of set-up happens in these issues, many of which will pop up in the Great Darkness (Chameleon Boy, Timber Wolf and Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad)... and there's a story there set on Orando, which IMO is quite good. If you can, I would recommend starting at 284.

I checked a chronology (link below, but be wary of spoilers!) and didn't see anything actually published between v3 and v4. Of course, a lot happened behind the scenes, but all will be revealed in due time as v4 unfolds

https://www.cosmicteams.com/legion/legion1-original/a1-full/pre-chron8.html

Anything particularly well run: The Shooter run in the Adventure Era, Shooter toned down the Silver Age silliness a bit while upping the characterization. The story where Projectra / Karate Kid / Ferro Lad / Nemesis Kid join, the Fatal Five story, the first Mordru story all stand out. And I recommend these as someone who started with the Reboot (before DnA / Legion Lost)!

Thanks very much for your replies stile86 and Invisible Brainiac, this is all very useful!

In the meantime I have progressed through the end of Levitz/Giffen's run and still loving it. I'm looking forward to starting v3 this week.

I'm also curious about the original Shooter run, I might check that out at some stage via the Archives.

Guys, UXM said he has the "Deluxe" GDS edition, so he's got 284 on up, including Annual # 1.

Sounds like he's already burned thru that and The Curse!

Alas, obviously I know nothing about the collections Thanks for the correction, Lardy!



You're a fast read, UXM!

I would think as an X-Men fan, Cockrum's run (which immediately preceded his work on X-Men) would be of interest.

Good thought!

Very much agreed on Cockrum! I have seen some of his art from his Legion days and I'd argue it's even superior to his X-Men one and it's probably his best work ever.

I concur. I especially love issues 197 (Timber Wolf brainwashed,) 198 (the Fatal Five Who Twisted Time,) and 201 (the return of Wildfire.)

There's the run on Tales of the LSH, which covers, I think, issues 314-325. Those are concurrent to v3 1-12 and are separate stories but somewhat interconnected.

I think v3 is very good overall. When Giffen returns around 50, I'm hot and cold on it. Also, Levitz was already running out of gas before that. Still some good stuff there.

v4, which starts off with "5 Years Later" era, is among my favorite Legion runs! But lots of people have varying mileage.


I LOVE Shooter's original runs! It's among the best Silver Age comic book runs, IMO. (I think LSH overall is among DC's best Silver Age comics, but I'm biased! )

Shooter's stories hold up remarkably well. He created some of the most outstanding and long-lasting villains. The hardcover archives are difficult to find at a reasonable price, but you might check out the Omnibus editions.

Legion of Three Worlds might be worth checking out for some exposure to the three major versions of the Legion (pre-Bendis).

The Legion by Abnett & Lanning took the reboot into a more sci-fi realm. It was great at the start but, like so many series, ran out of steam part way through. The first 24 issues are among my favourite Legion runs.

There's also the two issue Superboy's Legion (2001) by Mark Farmer and Alan Davis, which is a delightful harkening back to the best of the Silver Age. Don't know how easy that is to find now.

No shortage of material, everyone has their preferences. Enjoy!