Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Levitz confirms who will join

I don't think ego nessecarily gets in the way of heroics (though it is often broke as part of a character's origin story). Human Torch from the Fantastic Four, Iceman from the X-Men, and Hawkeye when he joined the Avengers, are the first examples that come to mind.

Alot of straight males are comfortable with the idea of Lesbian relationships and still rage against gay male relationships or try to deny or hide them. So far from this writer we see less evidence of their alledged relationship than we do of Cos's failed relationship with Night Girl. He has had plenty of time over the decades he has written for this series in it's various incarnations. "Give it a chance to play out." is insufficient an excuse for his crappy handeling of the situation.

You shouldn't. It has been presented as vaguely as possible. As another poster said, the words 'boy friend', 'lover', 'partner' have not been used once in their depiction. And it can all be later denied or explained away since it hasn't been proved 'on pannel'. I even showed the relevant pannels to some friends that don't read the series (2 straight, 2 gay). NONE of them saw anything in it other than a close friendship between roommates. It is typical of DC, they hint and promise and flirt with the idea... then turn around and take it away. Well, SCREW them. I am finished and done with them and their books. All of them, including LSH books. I had been woried that the upcoming stunt they are pulling in September could hurt them financially, well, NOW I am actively HOPING that not only will the idea crash and burn, but that it ruins DC completely. I AM FINISHED with these opportunistic, money grubbing, BIGGOTS.

wow ... that's an angry post.

I don't personally like how Levitz writes couples, too clingy.

sigh

BTW, Phil Jimenez made the following comment on someone's FB post...

"Gravity Kid is gay, and his bf is Power Boy; at least, when I let them they were still dating..."

Thinking he meant to write "when I left them"...

I missed it because I don't have the latest issue, but it rang a bell because I glanced at the preview online. Now I feel slightly less thick in the head.

It usually doesn't bother me, but you look at how blatantly Tinya and Jo are a couple. Then you get the constant bet-hedging with Salu and Ayla. It's just vague enough so that the people in charge can deny they're an official couple if anyone complains.

Long, boring disclaimer ahoy!---> <span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">(For the record, I have nothing against seeing strong female friendships --"womance," as opposed to "bromance"-- that are platonic. Dog knows, we could use more of those in pop culture. Also, I have nothing against guys who aren't in love being shown as more physically demonstrative than what we in modern North America think of as "friendly." Presumably, even Metropolis has people in it from all over Earth. And we know that there are plenty of supposedly "macho" cultures on modern-day Earth where men hug, kiss, dance together, and are much more emotional than what most Americans would think of as the "straight norm." Whose to say that every planet out there will end up having the same mores about what's "masculine" or "feminine" as we do, here and now?)</span></span>

There's just something dispiriting about it after all this time. Such a double standard.

I liked your 'disclaimer' cleome, and didn't find it boring, at all.

I agree, especially given the parameters of the Legion Universe.

I found the Grav/PG hug to be pretty bland and not particularly 'couplish'.
It's sad to me that gay fans have to grasp at straws because there isn't anything concrete established for any relationships, at all.
It's not fair, imo.

But, in a broader sense, Levitz has done a pretty poor job with all of the Legion relationships, which I've stated before.

Val is dead and Jeckie is caught up in her illusions over him.
None of the Legion aliens, not colonist types, have any relationships with anyone, hardly even any friendships.
Brainy's still hung up on a girl that's been dead for almost a thousand years.

I DO think that Grav might be too young for Jed.
I know that everyone's supposed to be an adult at 14, but it still bothers me.

I think that I might have moved Jed to the Subs, they could use some muscle, and established a relationship between Power Boy and possibly Stone Boy.

Just some thoughts.

well I kind of suspected things going on between Power Boy and Gravity Kid in the earlier issues where Chem Kid, Dragon, and Glorith were sneaking off...Gravity Kid was shown coming from the same room where Power Boy were coming...they were "waking up" and have "messy hairs". I will need to find which issue and the panel.


ah...found it....perhaps it a little an exaggeration or just my imagination being wild....

Adv. Comics # 523 - page 19 panel 5 - both Grav and Power Boy shirtless!

[snip]

Thanks!

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It's sad to me that gay fans have to grasp at straws because there isn't anything concrete established for any relationships, at all.
It's not fair, imo.

Yeah, and the fact that it's all fans get against this backdrop of supposed Utopian tolerance/diversity, just... it smacks of DC giving itself a medal for something it hasn't even earned.

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I DO think that Grav might be too young for Jed.
I know that everyone's supposed to be an adult at 14, but it still bothers me.

I get confused about that, because how youthful characters appear has a lot to do with artists' styles. Jed looks much younger to me in his current incarnation than he did when Lightle drew him, for instance.

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I think that I might have moved Jed to the Subs, they could use some muscle, and established a relationship between Power Boy and possibly Stone Boy.

Just some thoughts.

Relationship or not, I'd love to see Stone Boy again. He was so adorable in the cartoon, even if we only really saw him once.

Point taken on the artists and how they draw the characters.


I'm more confused about the ages for Academy induction/class status.
For example: Comet Queen is starting over as a freshman, even though many of her skills and attitudes are not at the same levels as the 3 who are actually about to join the Legion, DW-CK-G.

In a regular highschool situation, the kids who began as freshman would be 15, give or take a few months.
Jed, Lamprey, Nightwind and Crystal Lad would be graduating seniors somewhere around 18.
But the Legion Academy might be very different.

It doesn't feel very different, though, especially since the graduates went immediately to assignments with the SPs.

I wonder if there's an Academy Charter that states admission ages and duration of the curriculum?

Phil definitely seemed to draw Tel as an adult, *at least* late teens, if not early 20s, although Jed does look like he could be mid to late 20's or even early 30s...

The body language in the scene suggests that Tel is the dominant partner, regardless of their age and / or status at the Academy, which is interesting.

Dominant, or just being a caretaker, which seemed needed at the moment?

Candlelight,

I think that Mr. Levitz is going back to the idea that the Legionnaires (and even the Academy students) are at the very least in their late teens (18-19, 17 being the youngest) and early 20's.

Regarding having Tel in the Legion. When I first saw him and his power, I thought "Why? They have Star Boy." BUt I do like the character. He is serious about his powers and learning how to use them to help others.I would really like for him to be openly gay and continue the relationship with Power Boy.

I really don't like Dragonwing because of her attitude and her power. Her power does not seem like a good fit with the Legion. I do like Mystery Lad's idea of her being an actual dragon in human form.

Variable Lad does have kind of a deus ex machina power. But then so does Darwin from X Factor. And so did Scarlet Witch from the Avengers. And even White Witch from the Legion. Even thought her powers became "limited" in that she had to memorize spells and could only memorizes a set amount per day, she still would have the right spell and right amount of spells or not as the story/writer needed it.

I agree that arrogance alone shouldn't be the sole reason for rejecting a hero. But I'm reminded of some old Legion issues where M'Onel, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Shadow Lass and Star Boy met and decided not to accept any Academy students because they needed further training. And there was another issue where Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy decided not to bring in Atmos because of his attitude.

As of now, I really don't see Dragonwing, Chemical Kid or Glorith as ready to join the Legion. Power Boy, Lamprey and the others seem to be more ready. Chemical Kid is way too cocky, Dragonwing hasn't impressed me and Glorith seems too unsure. But I guess we'll have to wait and see, maybe Levitz will have them impress.

... can't they just find Dragonmage somewhere, He's like all three rolled into one.

Yes it is. And when you lose some one you love to the stupidity and hatred that is encouraged by the same sort of cowards as those at DC that could portray us as just as important and normal as hetrosexuals but instead give us the same hateful, cowardly CRAP that they have been for decades, THEN I'll talk to you about why I am so angry.

I don't think that's quite fair but, sorry if I offended you.

Iam Legion, many - if not most of us - share your anger and frustration over this issue. As you point out, it's a game that has been going on for decades. Maybe someday the Legion will have a writer that has some skills when it comes to writing openly gay characters. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm also not going to let it interfere with my love for other parts of the Legion right now. Obviously, you are at a point in your life where you can't tolerate it. That's a legitimate place to be. I strongly encourage you to check out the gay literature section at your local library or bookstore so you get the exposure to real gay characters written by real gay authors. It can be very liberating and a good place to channel your anger.

For now, though, some of us are confused by your continued posts that seem so full of frustration and venom. You've posted several times that you are angry with DC, not going to read their books anymore, and once even said that you probably shouldn't be commenting on them if you aren't going to be reading them. That's a mature and insightful approach. Continuing to come back to re-hash the issue when you are so obviously over it -- well, not so much. You're, of course, welcome to express your opinions and frustrations, or come back any time if you regain your excitement for comics and the Legion. It just doesn't seem like you are feeling anything but anger right now, so it might be a good time to let go and pursue other interests. There's nothing wrong with that. Just about every veteran comic fan has been there at one point or another.

Frankly, in my hopes for equality I get passionate about what's going on in state legislatures and 9th Circuit Court than anything Levitz or DC are even capable of doing. I find rewarding making donations, writing letters, and keeping informed about LGBT rights around the world. I want to marry my boyfriend someday and I really do appreciate your admiral conviction, Iam Legion, but whatever representation I might find in comic books to this end is incidental. If Levitz, or whomever, fails to write about same-sex relationships then he is missing an opportunity to create richer, more textured work. Levitz, or whomever, isn't keeping my from the altar, and ultimately art will inevitably imatate life.

Power Boy, thumbs up on that. I've always been a Dragonmage fan and would pay real money to see him in whatever Legion we end up with.

Good observation!

Dragonwing seems to have almost the same powers as Fire Lad, who never fared better than Sub status.

I don't mind that the trio are joining, but I'd also like Power Boy, Lamprey, Nightwind, Crystal Kid, and Comet Queen to join as well.

Good point Jerry. And while we might want better representation of gay characters and their relationships, it wasn't all that long ago when there were no gay characters in comics.

FWIW, I think Levitz needs to bring the sexy back to the Legion generally -- straight, gay, omni/pansexual. Everyone is way too uptight. This is a group of young people after all.

I'd love a well-fleshed-out Dragonmage. The dragon-visual is dramatic, and the team could use some sort of mystic.

Although, I'd definitely prefer if he was actually a magic-user / mystic sort, and not just a generic energy-blaster. From what little I saw of him, all he did was throw super-powerful energy blasts, and between Wildfire, Sun Boy, Lightning Lad, Lightning Lass, etc. the Legion is *hardly* hurting for someone else who can throw super-powerful energy blasts...

Actually, for the second and third-tier Academy people, I'm intrigued by this Westerner character, who apparently has some magic-based ability to absorb and redirect kinetic energy, along with a costume that suggests a American west kind of background or theme. That's all sorts of whacky interesting mixture, and it could be interesting to see how that all comes together.

The Logic Option :

Duplicate Girl
Bouncing Boy
Night Girl
Matter Eater Lad (if the writers can created a stupid character like Dragonwind, why not to rewrite better to Tenzil with his increased power and acid spit.)
Black Witch
Blok
XS

New Blood :

Andromeda
Veilmist
Reflex
Spider Girl

The rookies:

Chemical Kid
Gravity Lad
Glorith (only if she turns into a villain very soon)
Dragonwind (to die 6 issues later)