Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Let's talk about LSH #11 (potential spoilers aplenty)...

oh yeah, on a more positive note, i really enjoyed the back-up!
it's a classic that'll stand the test of time. it's just a drag to give screen time to "extras" when we want more of the meat of the main Legion story.

You think someone's behind him? Hmm. I always assumed that he was the one behind stuff. A self-starter. Let's face it: he's a shadowy enough figure - a rich arms dealer that nobody can remember?

This issue was disappointing. Barry's artwork was satisfying. Unfortunately, it was almost a waste in this story. I appreciate Barry's work the most when there is so much substance to a story that some of it gets told only through the details of the artwork. There just wasn't enough story here for Barry to shine as a co-storyteller. His "portraiture" of the Legionnaires was outstanding. He does a great job ob giving distinctive characteristics to an overly uniform cast of players. But for the love of God, can't Jo keep his stubble and either Gim, Lyle, Brin or Lemnos get a crew cut or grow a ponytail or something.

The Legionnaires' "true essence" shining through reminded me of a Levitz-era (I think) story where Saturn Girl probed the minds of a few unconscious Legionnaires -- Dream Girl and Cham, I remember --and their self images were manifested in visual representations. It's a nice trick to introduce the characters. It also reminds me of the Star Trek episode where the crew become infected with a virus that causes them to lose their inhibitions and self-control.

I like the fact that all the transmatter portals that Lemnos' army are entering have exactly the same groovy blue and white pattern. Probably just an economy of computer-aided color, but it has a nice effect, but like some other posters above, I just don’t get why the transmatter ports are floating.

Which capital "L" Legionnaire is going to fall in love with Theena? Hopefully one of them will, so we will get a story about her.

Dream Girl. I can't bring myself to accept she's dead. Her posture on page two is almost identical to her posture when Shady clocked her and she first dreamed of Lemnos. Maybe she's just taking a really intense power nap. The pattern on her leggings changes in the three panels where we see her. Clearly that's Kitson's clue to us that she's alive. (Yes, I'm clutching at straws.)

I like everything about the back-up story except -- the story and the fact that it further breaks the first real momentum that this series has had. I like guest artists -- especially in these backup stories, I like the fact that it was a story about little "L" legionnaires. It's just that the story was kind of dull. It'd be nice to see a more substantive look into the world of the Little "L"-ers.

I've never delved too deeply into the machinations of the DC Universe, but I have been trying to follow the Infinite Crisis. Does it look like we may have a return to the existence of an earth-prime, and that the earth-prime "Superboy" might be a Legion candidate? These Legionnaires do seem to exist in an earth-prime-like continuity. I really hope the answers are "No." I don't want to see a Kryptonian Legionnaire (unless it becomes necessary to save the title from diminishing sales.)

In the panel after Star Boy opines that the young inklings might be allies, the electronic panel to the left of Cosmic Boy's face looks like the game "Battleship." My guess is that it's deliberate Kitson humor.

I reckon Power Girl will end up in the Phantom Zone this time around and be introduced as the next new Legionnaire.

The covers to the back-up story are in order of appearance:

BRAVE AND THE BOLD #54 (JUL 1964) [Page 1, panel 3]

BATMAN #212 (JUN 1969) [Page 2, panel 1]

WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #67 (NOV-DEC 1953) [Page 2, panel 4]

SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND, LOIS LANE #85 (AUG 1968) [Page 3, panels 4 & 5]

CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #44 (JUL 1965) [Page 3, panels 4 & 5; Page 7]

STRANGE ADVENTURES #208 (JAN 1968) [Page 3, panel 5; Page 4, panel 1; Page 7]

METAMORHPO #8 (OCT 1966) [Page 4, panel 4; Page 7]

BRAVE AND THE BOLD #72 (JUL 1967) [Page 4, panel 5; Page 7]

AQUAMAN #37 (MAY 1968) [Page 5, panels 2 & 5; Page 7]

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #64 (AUG 1968) [Page 6, panel 3; Page 7]

FLASH #222 (AUG 1973) [Page 8, panel 3]

I also wondered what's up with all the brown. Even Cos' hair is brownish. When they don't wear their uniforms or get just headshots I get confused at times.

Here is my theory. In the future the human races have intermingled so much there is dominant brown hair, brown eyed, tan skinned race. Rare to see a human with fair hair/skin...much more rare to see one with black hair/skin.

blah. I should drop the title just because of this. They keep saying this is all new...yet retro. Lame. These silver age obssessed writers can spin it any way they want. This isn't new or revolutinary.

Wow, good call. I wouldn't be suprised at all by that... I'd be kind of sad for the JSA, but who knows what they'll look like this time next year...

I'm thinking the "someone finds an unexpected power within her" is a red herring. We all expect it to be Projectra, but maybe Brainy's force shield will somehow save Dream Girl and/or give her a new power, like it did to Duo Damsel back in the TMK era.

I thought this issue was a little dull too, though it did have some nice touches. The jumping from team to team and featuring almost every Legionnaire was nice. I loved the look of the Cloud Concept guy. This would've been a great look for the Infinite Man IMHO.

I was bored with the backup story. If this is all we're getting for our extra pages, I'd just as soon go back to a regular length book with tighter pacing. I have to admit it was fun to see those old silver age covers though. Especially the ones that I happen to have.

I re-read the issue last night, and while I still think it squandered the momentum of last issue, I enjoyed it overall.

The back-up I still don't care for, and it's way too padded. i'd love to hear an internal explanation for the appearance of the back up - it really does seem like it was a last minute thing and that the issue was originally intended to include more with Jo's team. The other back ups seemed to serve some greater story purpose (especially the Brainy one - Tinya/Val maybe not so much), this one, though doesn't seem to add much for me.

Also, one nitpick - after 11 issues, i would think that we would be given more to all of the L* than just their codenames, planets of origin, and abilities - i want real names established for all of them, whether in the roll call or in a "meet the L*" back up or text feature. Seems like a basic thing to provide, establishing your characters...

Wow, I seem to be in the minority here, but I thought this was yet another great issue.

The fact that we do not know if Dream Girl is alive or dead, in the "next" issue is just fine by me. I would rather have this all going on and hope that Brainy can find a way to revive her.

And the art. I for one am VERY happy to see Mick inking Barry. IMHO this is the best that things have looked without Barry inking himself.

And as far as the back up story goes, my thoughts:

A 22 page front story & 8 page back up story totally works for me, and I would not mind seeing it every month. 30 pages by Barry a month would be great, but not very realistic on an ongoing basis. The fact is that most comic books are 21-22 pages long, so whatever we can get beyond that is pure gravy to me. Please for $.49 more we are getting all that extra story. I love it. If it means 22 page stories with art by Barry, I am definitely signed up!

Long Live The Legion!

Love it!

LLLater!

Thanks to all for all the kind words about the artwork!

I enjoyed this issue - it amped up the suspense, all sub-groups being left on a cliffhanger note - will Saturn Girl be okay? Will Brainy out think death (it's so ludicrous an idea it's brilliant!)? Will the Inklings support Cos' group? And just HOW many villains has Lemnos assembled and can even the Legion stop them? Also the revelation that SG is mute is a great one - it opens up all sorts of possibilities for future stories. Wow! A lot happened in very few pages. The back up story was rather poignant too IMO, the little 'l' legionnaires being slapped in the faces with life changing choices and having to put aside youthful enthusiasm for a hard dose of horrid reality. Bravo!

I do find it thoroughly distasteful how many posters moaned that 'nothing happened' when what they mean is nothing they expected happened and the suspense was ratched up another notch.

The dialogue is some of the best I've seen so far in this series, Mr Waid is really nailing down the characters IMO, and Barry art was.. well, Barrys art! Stunning.

...no, that is not what i mean.

I think I agree with that statement. It does seem that people's problems are that the story isn't progressing the way they wanted or hoped, rather than sitting back and enjoying the journey the creative team is taking us on. Although, if Waid doesn't eventually deliver a good ending in #13, he risks alienating us all as DnA eventually did.

<span style="font-size: 36px;">DAMMIT WAID!

BRING HER BACK!!! </span>

I haven't read this issue yet.

But I agree about #13 better be good.

After #10 I gave myself until #13 to make...the choice. I've been waiting to see if this Legion turns into something I would like more. Since these next two issues are suppossed to be big I am hoping they do.

Maybe someone can tell me:

1) Why would Dormir leave the UP? Wouldn't the little Inklings be out of a job? If they do the communications for the galaxy anyway, then what does their leaving the UP matter? I don't get it ...

2) Was the "revelation" that Dormir was the hub of the "Public Service" supposed to be a shock to us readers? At this point I'm so bored with that whole concept I could care less.

3) Why did Sun Boy and Shadow Lass have to switch powers so soon in this reboot? We finally get Sun Boy back after a few years absence, and now he's written to have Shadow powers! Element Lad's powers now work at a distance?? Cosmic Boy is again a jerk "leader", Irma now is mute and Brainy now isn't smart enough, but we haven't seen Timber Wolf in months and Projectra is just moping along. Why do we keep getting things thrown out there at random with no resolve? There is no focus.

4) Was the second story anything but filler? In truth, I actually enjoyed it more than the first, mainly because of the Classic comic covers, but I seriously question introducing a bunch of new characters when the core Legion could use some serious action.

Not to be a total Gloomy Gus, I did enjoy the artwork of the various worlds and liked seeing the whole Legion thru their varied teams in one issue. However, this was issue #11 (which with 30 pages would be equal to issue #15 for regular sized titles) and it just seems like each issue and the main plot is strained, and with little results. Mr Waid, who wrote my all-time favorite story in Kingdom Come, has been extremely disappointing with the Legion in my opinion thus far. I will try one more issue to see if SOMETHING is resolved - or just stop back in a year or two for the next reboot.

I don't think the suspense was ratcheted up a notch at all. The *major* cliff hanger from last issue, the event that took over the cover of this issue, is given 4 of the 30 pages of story in this issue. And absolutely nothing was done to advance that storyline. We see that Brainy was genuinely, personally impacted. Lyle gives a great speech. Theena gets a full page, which is always nice. But at the end of this issue, we are exactly, precisely, not one femtometer further along with the "Dreamy's Dead" plot than we were at the end of last issue.

Suspense isn't increased by ignoring the plot.

Legion's still one of my favorite books hands down, Waid's still one of my favorite writers, and Barry's still one of my favorite artists.

There were some nice character bits this issue, and we had some nice background info, but it's fair to say that not a whole lot actually happened. Everything at the end of the issue is exactly where it was at the beginning, with two exceptions. The legionnaires are organizing to fight Elysion (not fighting, organizing to fight - 1 page), and the team on Dormir did accomplish their mission (7 1/2 pages).

I like this story, I like the new Legionnaires, I like the new 31st Century, but I think this first story is going to read better as a unit when it's complete (or as a trade) than it is as 1-month installments. If anything, there is less suspense in the Dreamy plot now than there was 5 weeks ago.

Patience Grasshopper, Patience!

Dude, I liked it.

I guess all the bad reviews had me fearing the worse or something.

Yeah, yeah all the old comics stuff gets on my nervers. And all the "youth" stuff does as well.

But art, action, and intrigue were there. Brainy trying to cheat death is certainly the most interesting IMO.

The art? I like Mick Gray on Barry. It looks different than Barry's usual inks on himself but I dug it. Especially their Sun Boy. Also gotta say the colors looked nice.

Ofcourse I like the villains better than those snot nosed kid Legionnaires. Agent Skelter rocked. Great design! Liked the Sentient Cloud Boy as well.

Oh and I finally like Invisible Kid. Maybe it was the new attitude added to the new inks I don't know.

The back up? Eh. I became a fan of Dale's due to VU...but this didn't do much for me. I was worried about the "message" Waid may have been telling me. Waid has to remember first off kids today don't dig those covers. I'm 30...but as a kid my favorite covers were by Bill Sinkewiz(sp?). Kids today go for the "cool" covers. Not fat Batmen. Anyways I am glad to see the Legion kids dropped the covers. They have their own inspiration. Don't look back. Good Mr. Waid...now give us something else rather than a teenage Adventure era Legion!

'It's just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long, the grasshopper kept burying acorns for the winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched TV. But then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus ate all his acorns. And also he got a racecar. '

Veering a little close to off-topic, but I couldn't resist.

Well, any bad review I've given is merely relative. It was my least favorite issue so far...but at the same time it was the best thing I bought last week.

I just expect WaK to be not merely good, but remarkably, exceptionally good. Wouldn't want them to get complacent!

Well, obviously Dream Girl is dead. That sucks. But in every Legion there must be a sacrifice. In the first Legion it was Ferro Lad and Invisible Kid. Later on it was Superboy and Blok. In the next Legion it was Gim Allon and Monstress. Not to mention Element Lad (sort of). That is just part of what happens if you are a Legionnaire.

I thought this issue was crap. Not one really fantastic bit, no twists, no nothing.

Ho hum.

And the back up sucked. Don't tell me how to like the comic. Actually make me like the comic (which I usually do).

A let down