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

Okay, this seems like a good point to suggest that we try to get this thread back on topic.

So, Visi-Lad... now that's someone who I'd like to have seen on the team!

You know, I find it just a bit disheartening that the most active thread on the Legion World forums only got that way when it went totally off topic.

I realize that religion is probably the topic that has had collectively the most thought given to it in history (everyone I know has certainly thought about it enough to have an opinion. What other topic can you say that about?). But still, I do come here to see what people have to say about the Legion of Super-Heroes (remember them?).

So is Paul ever going to bring Shvaughn Erin back? Or was she ruined forever by the 5YG? Granted, that's not quite about a team member, but one of the things we all love about the Legion is its strong supporting cast. We've seen Shvaughn's ex-roomate (Gigi) and Shvaughn's ex-boss (Zendak) in the current run, but not Schvaughn herself. She was the Legion liaison, after all.

You're right, Quis, but this thread has hardly been on topic from the beginning. Sex and religion...boy, we sure know how to kill a thread.

;-)

Up next: the debate about Bob Dylan going electric!

I'm not in love with the multiple eyes thing (or, at least, the way they were drawn), but a character with telescopic / microscopic / X-ray / hypnotic / light-emitting / energy blast eyes is all kinds of versatile!

With some work, he could probably learn to focus his light-emitting powers to create three-dimensional holograms (that would never be as convincing as one of Projectra's illusions, but still add to his repertoire).

Marvel has an identically powered, and equally dorky looking, character named Peeper (later, Occult), the leader of the dire, dire jobber team 'Mutant Force' (later, the Resistants).

The Teen Titans cartoon also introduced Hive student 'See-More,' who had the above powers, *and* could shoot his single giant eyeball at people (and regrow another one a second later) *and* inflate it a giant hot-air balloon and fly around dangling from his optic nerve. (YUK!)

I've always liked characters like Cyclops and the Basilisk, with vision-based powers / eyebeams.

What about the new Karate Kid? I figured he was a KK wannabe headed for the Academy, not Val back from the dead.

I kind of took that scene with Jeckie to be more about her in a delusional state with powers that make it look real.

I am of two minds about the KK appearance at Montauk Point....on one hand I would like it if we could all just quietly pretend like we never saw original recipe Val again after his heroic sacrifice on Orando. I really feel that if he came back then all the personality Jeckie has gained since his death would just be thrown under a train.

...on the OTHER hand, if it turns out Val has some kind of weird resurrection power and this is why he just can't stay dead, I would be willing to see where that goes story-wise so long as it's something that isn't abused. I wouldn't want to see him throwing his life away every big storyline because we know he'll always come back, and I like the idea that when he does come back he's kind of a blank slate, he needs to relearn who he is, and there's a danger that he may not ever actually be the same person exactly anyway. If it was turned into some kind of huge metaphysical epic about karma and such, that could actually make for a pretty amazing story in the right hands.

Having said that, Paul Levitz hasn't shown anywhere near the maturity in writing the current series that he did 20 or 30 years ago, so to be honest I don't really trust that he would be able to tell a story like that without it being really schmaltzy.

So long story short (too late), my preference is for Val to stay dead.

That's pretty much where I am, too.

Val had a good death, and Projectra is in a stronger place without him.

I was fine with Myg taking his place. Now that some bizarre older caucasian version of Myg is dead, I'm fine with a new Karate Kid showing up, with no relation to Val, someday.

Preferably a girl. The Legion needs more girls, and 'Kid' is one of those gender-neutral names anyway.

Then again, I'd rather see an Academy recruit, Hero of Lallor, 'Floating Squeak Fish Twins' or whatever join the Legion than have a new Karate Kid just to 'fill the slot.'

KK's first death was good, but his second death in Countdown? Not so much, I heard. Una's death was even worse, thank goodness Lu still survives.

Hear, hear. Shvaughn was also a major supporting cast member in Levitz' previous runs. It's really odd that she wouldn't appear... but then again, the current series has had precious little room for the Legion's myriad supporting characters lately Even Nightwind and Crystal Kid have barely gotten lines - and they just graduated!

Decompression in comics writing?

I am also mildly disappointed that Tenzil quit, and off-panel too. Surely he deserved at least a one-page send-off.

And looking back at Levitz's older runs, I noticed that poor Tenzil and Tyroc were the only ex-Legionnaires who almost never appeared as supporting cast. Tyroc kind of had an excuse with the whole Marzal dimension-hopping thingie, but after Tenzil's insanity was cured...

I wonder why? Levitz was able to highlight Chuck, Luornu, Jeckie and Val after they'd retired from active duty. Even Supergirl and Superboy would make appearances, and when Light Lass resigned after the Great Darkness she appeared from time to time too.

I demand more Tenzil!

I believe the answer is that in the oh-so-serious days of the bronze age Tenzil's admittedly silly power was an embarrassment to both fans and creators alike. Jim Starlin, maverick that he is, brought Tenzil back to eat the Miracle Machine in his Omega storyline. If he had not, I doubt Tenzil would have made any appearances at all until Keith Giffen decided to have some fun with him.

Personally I'd rather Tenz not be used at all unless a writer with an appreciation for the way the character was written during the 5YG is willing to continue in the same vein. Tenzil Kem is a true rarity in the superhero comics world: a competent character in a serious series possessed of an ability that nobody (including himself) takes seriously, who always manages to get the job done, often making more serious characters look foolish in the process. It's no coincidence that his most memorable appearances were in a starring role rather than as a team player. With the right writer Tenzil Kem could well be the Columbo of superhero comics.

I actually applaud Paul for writing him out rather than watering the character down to generic superhero level, as was done during his recent visit to the 21st century.

If it weren't for the 5 Year later stories, no one would realize how awesome Tenzil is, including me. One of many reasons I am grateful for that era!

Bah! I've thought Tenzil was awesome since I first read the first half of the Super-Stalag of Space story, back when I was a wee lad!

On topic part: Yes, much appreciate Paul for writing someone out rather than killing him off.

Off-topic part:
(separated for those who prefer to skip over such things)

Aw, I'm away for a few days and I check in on this thread hoping to find Candlelight understood I meant nothing against her, and find not only have I missed the whole religious discussion, but that the thread has gone back on-topic so now I can't join the OT part.

Well I do want to say that the discussion was pretty good, and given there are many threads proudly labeled "inane" threads here, I can't consider this (or any) discussion inappropriate for this forum, but only this thread. Maybe when one gets going like this it can be spun off into its own thread where it won't be off-topic?

However I think people are done with this particular one, so I'll shut up now.

Yeah, such a discussion would be fine in the
Anywhere Machine , but are probably best kept out of the middle of threads in the main Legion forum.

While I too first read this tale as a wee lad via a reprint in S/LSH, I wasn't a very cool kid and therefore did not realize how awesome Tenzil was at that time.

I sure noticed Weight Wizard, though... *dreamy sigh*

I enjoyed Tenzil in the Superman/Mon El stories.
I also liked his stint as a cook for the reboot Legion and his time as a lawyer in the 3boot.

I think that this new 52 #1s are something that has been in the works for awhile.
Levitz highlighted Tyroc, imo, to get him ready for the LOST title, (Yera got some time, as well.)

Maybe, there just wasn't room for Tenzil in the short time Paul had to get things ready.

I'm hoping that we'll see him in the #1boot, perhaps as a Bismolian liason to the Federation/PI extraordinaire.

Or lawyer.
Or all three.

I don't think Levitz likes Tenzil very much as a character... or, perhaps, just doesn't have an 'in' to Tenzil to write him effectively. You've got to admit that Matter-Eater Lad isn't a hero that every writer could write and write well. I think he's done right by him in that he sets him to the side in each of his stints as scribe, so that other writers can use him easily in their turn. Much preferable to what more selfish writers often do... I think you know what I mean here.

I think he has a similar lack of feeling for Chuck, actually. I'd be very surprised if either of the characters served long stints as legionnaires under his pen. On the other hand, I'd really look forward to different kinds of stories if he did, because I think it'd take a stretch for him to shift his storytelling.

No concrete info to back this up, just a feeling I have. It's kind of like a respected film writer I read about who couldn't write about certain stars he really respected or loved... the very things that made him like them, prevented him from writing about them. Perhaps Levitz feels the same, unless it is a case of him just not liking them.

That's a great insight, ML.
I hope it's right.

My only reservation is that some truly wonderful things have been done with Tenzil by other writers, that Levitz should have read.
Those interpretations should have added enough dimension to the character for Paul to have an appreciation for his use in a story, I think.

But, , if ya can't, ya can't, I guess.

I am quite honored to be mistaken for Eryk Davis Ester.

You might as well come clean, Quis. Everyone knows you're EDE's alt.

I just hope that they clue me in when they figure out whose alt I am.

I thought I was EDE's alt...dang, who am I?

You better hope that you are not my alt.

Is there some rule that guys with hair can't have bald alts, or vice versa?