Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! UPDATE (12/20): Legion of Super-Heroes #1-- SOLICITATION! SPOILERS!

Posted by kinetix on the DCMBs.

From PopCultureShock :

THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1
Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Barry Kitson

One of the most anticipated returns of the year begins as Mark Waid and Barry Kitson — the critically acclaimed team of the miniseries EMPIRE — rebuild The Legion of Super-Heroes in a way no one can afford to miss!

The early days of the 31st century are a Golden Age for the galaxy, as poverty, famine, war and disease have become relics of the past, not only on Earth but on most other known worlds. The Dawning Millennium is utopian: shining, optimistic, bright…and deadly dull. That is, until a bright, defiant, energized team of super-powered teenagers from different worlds is assembled! They form a team of passionate activists and fierce dreamers crusading to make a difference and leave their mark on a society that has forgotten how to fight for change!

Every issue of this monthly series will be a whopping 40 pages for just $2.95 US. Get ready for The Legion of Super-Heroes: fighting for justice and tolerance while learning from — and learning to tolerate — one another!
On sale Dec 29 • 40 pg, FC, $2.95 US Edited by Stephen Wacker

I realize it's too early to make any assumptions but from all I've heard plus this info it seems like the Legion will be reorganizing from a new starting point (i.e. a version 2.0 with new founders and new order of membership).

I suppose all previously introduced characters and their histories will remain untouched (i.e. Jarth, dead Jan, dead Gim, dead Candi, etc.)

It also sounds very OC but that might not be a bad thing. I sorely miss the vol. 3 and vol. 4 eras of deep emotional involvement into these fictional characters.

All in all, I just wish the damn thing would get here already. Seriously.

Ugh! This has dampened my excitement for the new series tremendously. Legion of Super Social Activists is NOT something I want to see. No war? Does that mean no Khunds, Dominion, or Dark Circle? Where's the fun in that?

This "reimagining" is starting to smell suspiciously like a complete reboot. Now I have been very optimistic about the series, but now that optimism is fading. I'll give it a chance, of course. It IS the Legion after all. But if it fails to hold any similarities to the Legions I've been reading the last two decades, I may have just found a perfect jumping off point.

I still have faith in Waid's love of the Legion.

I'm almost positive it will be a reboot.

I'd also guess the idea is that the "utopian" society is mostly a facade.

The cover looks nice as well.

I do like the cover. It's about time that the Legionnareis get their look updated. The reboot's been, what ten years now? I don't think the Cockrum / Grell uniforms lasted that long.

The new characters look intriguing. Nice to see some familiar faces - Brainy, Apparition, and Ultra Boy (if those are going to be their names) all seem to have made the cut. Is that Projectra? It's been so long, i'm not sure if that's really her or not! Is that Gear? He would be one of my last picks to survive the "reimagining".

I have some faith in Waid, too. That's about the biggest reason for sticking around. I'm sure that the first year or so will be very interesting with new and old characters, fleshed-out villains (finally), and character-driven plots. But will the result be the Legion? Obviously we'll have to wait and see. So far, the basic premise seems quite different from what I've grown to love about the Legion.

I don't know what Waid's politics are, but I hope he doesn't use the Legion as a springboard for his social views, as might be the temptation. I dunno, I'm starting to get really worried now. I hope it's over nothing.

Boy, I'm glad I stayed up late. The utopian setting and activist theme don't really bother me. I'm betting there'll be bizarre villains, aliens and monsters galore, just like always. Reboot? It sure looks that way to me, too.

I've seen more compelling covers, but this one's okay. Brainy obviously plays a more central role than ever and appears to have had another attitude adjustment. My guesses on the characters:

TOP ROW (left to right):
1. Imra
2. Garth
3. Nura
4. Unknown black male; Tyroc??
5. Lu, Tinya or XS?? (not sure; looks somewhat Asian)

MAIN IMAGE (left to right)
6. Rokk
7. Jan??!!
8. Jazmin (small face next to Rokk; note gold earring)
9. Tasmia??
10. Brainy (center)
11. Jo
12. Gear??
13. Chuck??


I'll weep with boundless joy if the blond guy with the cape is really Element Lad/Alchemist.


Here's a direct link to the cover image:
http://www.popcultureshock.com/view.php?type=features&id=85&p=LegionSuperHeroes1.jpg

I'm looking forward to it, but it sounds like a total reboot to me also.

And does the blonde caucasian guy look like Jan to the rest of you?

I think it is Jan, TC!

Yeah, from what I've read/seen I *WANT* it to be a reboot now. This just seems like a sudden shift from where we were before and it'd probably be easier for me to take it all in if I wasn't expecting/hoping for so much follow up from THE LEGION.

The solicit hypes an activist-type feel, but as always it's likely the Legion knows something the population doesn't (Ra's as McCauley, anyone?) and is trying to do something about it. No offense, but with such a sudden shift it's hard for me to swallow.

I'm a little freaked by the costumes. Not too many people are initially identifiable save for Brainy, Jo, and Nura (if it's even her) and I don't really like that. Then again, I came in on and am thus a fan of the unified vertical stripe that it's understandable I'd be hesitant on anything new. Though the costumes may not wow me, I *LOVE* Kitson's art on the cover.

I can't help but feel some of these people have to be new. I guess the guy to the right of Querl could be a new shape for Cham, but seeing the blonde youth on the left (all Legion blonde guys are either dead, powerless, or green) makes me think the Legion has added some new members...or perhaps expanded and admitted quite an assortment of heroes JLU style.

I will be buying this, without a doubt. I'll just need to take some time to adjust. I definitely trust Waid and Kitson with their previous endeavors and know their hearts have to be in the right place for this.

Are we sure that this is the cover? It doesn't look like enough room has been left for a logo.

Trom the one you list as "Garth" looks like he might be Dirk to me - notice the flames behind him.

Also the "Gear" looks like an antennae-less Reep. I guess it could just as easily be IZOR.

I squealed when I saw Nura (she looks smarter under Kitson's hand than Jurgens')!

And Brainy looks GREAT! The ring fx looks very Steranko to me.

Here's my guesses -

TOP ROW
1. Imra
2. Could be Dirk, but its probably Garth
3. I'm pretty sure that's Tinya. I just don't see that as Dreamer (no star mole)
4. & 5. look like new (or at least unintroduced reboot) characters

BOTTOM ROW
1. Rokk (or some other Braalian)
2. could be Jan, but I'm leaning toward a new character, possibly a mystic
3. Jasmin (good eye, Tromium!)
4. Something else else about her just screams Projectra. Must be the hair. Man, I hope that Sneckie nonsense is done and gone for good

5. Brainy? Not so fast. Maybe it's because Barry Kitson is doing the art, but this Coluan looks suspiciously like another Coluan who started a galaxy-wide super group. He's probably our Querl, but it now seems as though he has a bit of his great-grandpa Vril in him.
6. Jo, looking a bit more clean cut thatn usual. A few tweaks to his costume, but it's definitely our Jo.
7. First instinct was Gear, but now I'm leaning toward totally new character. Looks almost like a Durlan.
8. Chuck? Tenzil? Val? Who knows?

Note that the bulky belts seem to be gone for good now. We also look to be starting off with flight rings! I always hated either version of the Legion during the time before the rings were introduced. Those rings are cool!

It looks to me that Jo, Tinya, Brainy, and someone that kinda looks like Cos are definites. Even the Imra pic looks like ti could be someone else.

I'll say this though: I'm now definitely hyped for the Legion/Titan one-shot with the preview for this book.

I think I'll also have a bit more appreciation for the current team too now in this tale, and will enjoy seeing them together one last time before several or all of them change indefinitely.

If that's Projectra, I'll be as happy as TC!

Oh wow, I never thought of that. We definitely have two platinum/white-haired beauties. I hope it's Jeckie!

Could the blonde guy be Nemesis Kid, perhaps? He did have a background with science and alchemy...I can see a look like that working with the character's homeworld. Hart's presence would definitely echo in the light 'antagonistic' feel the Legion may have in their new role.

Looking at the top row specifically...that definitely seems like Dirk in the second panel. The fire background, the hair-style, and the general look just fits. The third I think is Nura...either her star tattoo was forgotten or she's ditched it. After all, it's generally not a natural Naltorian mark and with 31st century tech I'm sure such things can be rid of. Perhaps she gave it up as a final mark of her maturation from ditzy girlfriend? I suppose the fourth has to be Tyroc. I can't see Gear growing hair and this guy has an open white collar, like his preboot predecessor. The last one...XS, or Amp Girl perhaps as a tie to the DnA run?

I guess the logo could fit between Brainy's head and the five pictures at the top, though it might look a little different.

The Asian and black characters have me intrigued. How far will they go with this reimagining? Is Lu the Asian or Garth the black character? Maybe they're completely new characters who will carry on the names of familiar Legionnaires.

I guess I'm still optimistic, but quite guarded.

Nemesis Kid!!! That's a great idea, Future, one that I never would have thought of. With no famine or war in the galaxy, crime must be at an all time low, and characters who would normally be criminals might now join the Legion!

One thing Waid does a great job at is fleshing out personalities and motives for the villains. Maybe he's setting up a traitor in the midst right from the get go!

Further cover thoughts:

Are those...cables I see, growing out from behind Brainy? Has he undergone some kind of computer upgrade? He seems a bit more leering than usual and his face implants are either gone or have been redesigned. If this is the same Brainy we have now, he's obiously going to go through some type of physical change in the gap between.

I think that has to be Jeckie, or someone based off of her. The neck collar, the regal smirk, the decorative hood/attachment behind her...

The blonde seems to be sporting a small 'love-patch' or 'goatee'. Another sign that it could be the somewhat rebellious Nemesis Kid, or is this Live Wire or another new character letting their style out? It technically could even be Jan.

I'm really starting to believe that's a new look for Cham. Those bulbous plain eyes and the bald head/pointy-eared/alien motif going on doesn't really make the character look too interesting or alive, so unless he's an established Legionnaire I don't see myself being interested in him or warming up to him with such a dead look/design. Perhaps it's Cham after some kind of trauma or just the 're-imagined' Durlan race sans-antennae, which some may call an outdated Silver-Age look.

Excuse me, but if that isn't Jan then there's just no point in him being on the cover. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't someone else in Jan's body.

I say Saturn Girl, Garth or Dirk, Dream Girl, Kid Quantum, & Triplicate Girl

Then: Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, Kid Quatum II, Shikari, Brainy, Ultra Boy, Chameleon, & Timberwolf.

I've already had enough of Brainy.

The 40 pages means 30 story plus 10 ads, right?

I'm just glad they kept Jo's basic look.

but ... uh oh... definitely no Wildfire ....yet(??)

Yeah, no alien-looking members save for Brainy and Pseudo-Reep. I'm kind of puzzled why the Reimagined Shikari, Umbra, Gates, Sensor, Wildfire, all-metal Ferro, or other visually exotic members didn't make it into the human-dominant cover.

That is, assuming, all those characters are still around.