Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! The Magic Wars -- Revisited

Just finished this last night (Meaning i did the whole Baxter run the last two month minus #55). Haven't read through the thread yet but here's my impressions.

I found the story a little limp. The Archmage was all plot and no villain. We didn't even do much until the last issue. Pacing just seemed poor. Introducing Amethyst and casting Zerox as Gemworld were great, but why not then make Dark Opal the Archmage, or use the concepts more than just a quick nod.

This is where Giffen's art really leaves the station for me. Previous issues were always leading up to this, and the costumes that debuted earlier were really awful, but Magic Wars cements the style I really disliked. The Archmage was a lazy design, and the Legion depictions were just bad. Fat-headed pointy-eared Timber Wolf, who looked nothing like Brin, had me scratching my head as did the awful Sensor Girl re-design (almost as bad as the current make-over).

It was definitely going out with a whimper for me.

While I need to reread the story to comment further, I feel the need to pipe in to praise Giffen's Sensor Girl redesign... the best of the few Sensor Girl looks, to my eyes.

I'll have to dig out these back-issues and see if the story still holds up for me.

I agree completely.

I always found the loss of science to be an extreme opposition to the core concept of the legion and their universe. in a brilliant way!

this is probably my favorite storyline ... which i'm sure i've said before, and these costumes are my favorite too.

for me ... i was struck by the obviousness of needing body armor and pockets!

super heroes finally get pockets in the future!

Hear, hear to all three of your costume comments!

And I definetly agree with Igee about Pol's motives.
I would have liked that, too.
I DID love that later, during TMK, that Amy was used to give Mysa a new backbone and a fresh chance at life in the form of Jewel.

I loved this storyline too... and the new uniforms were great...

It's amazing how polarised opinion is on Giffen's artwork during this period and the new costumes.

Personally I absolutely hated both

I need to re-read MAGIC WARS, too- but from what I remember, I thought the art really didn't service the story very well. Moody, sort of expressionistic art fits psychological studies or horror tales much better than fantasy, IMO. Of course, some might view MW as just that- a horror story.

I think the grafting of Gemworld into things was an inspired idea- with which absolutely nothing was done. It was like a name of an unused magic-related DC property was pulled out of a hat and used to propel the plot without any use of said property's characteristics.

The central villain was a cipher, which wouldn't be such a big deal if there was a return engagement planned.

I wouldn't say I hated the new costumes, but I wouldn't pick a single one of them as a 'best' look for any of the Legionnaires. I strongly disliked Phantom Girl's. I kind of like Timber Wolf's, in theory, but don't think Brin would ever wear it. Maybe to a party or a little 'role-playing' session with Ayla or Marella Tao.

I loved the covers, though.

With the Legion Academy storyline upcoming featuring the Black Witch and her new apprentice (?), I wonder if some references to the Magic Wars will be brought up?

So there is some similarity between the plot of the Magic Wars and that of Justice League of America #2, in which Earth One changes places with a parallel earth in a "magic dimension", thus causing human technology to fail. This story is most important for having originated the crystal ball of Merlin, famously featured on the cover of the first JLA/JSA crossover. It would be nice if the two stories were linked together, somehow.