Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes The Archives Re-read Project Discussion Thread

Hey, welcome back, stile86.

It's not too late to add your thoughts about any particular issue. I posted yesterday a review of 358 a week after the discussion had moved on. I've been busy with work and stuff, too.

Same here

Damn reality, anyway!

So, it's still a little ways off as we have to get through Archives 11-13, but I've been thinking about how we would proceed after #13. Should we put our heads together and create our own Archive breakdowns for the fictional #14, 15, and so on?

Key for me is making sure we include DC Special #28, DC Super-Stars #17 and All New Collectors Edition C-55 (the Tabloid Issue), the latter of which I've never read. Plus the JLA crossover and the DC Comics Presents and Brave & Bold issues, which come a little later!

Would our fictional Archive #14 include the entire rest of Paul Levitz's run from #234 all the way through Earth War (#245), plus the Tabloid issue? And we can kick it off with the JLA crossover?

I also think we should include when we review Archive #13 the two stories DC left out: DC Special #28 and DC Super-Stars #17.

Then the fictional Archive #15 would include the transition issues and first third of Gerry Conway's run from #246 straight through Superboy's exit from the title in #259? This would also include the two DC Comics Presents issues #2 and #13 which fit into this era.

Thoughts? This is actually a bit of a ways off but nerds, organizers and statisticians alike will enjoy this question.

I'm glad you brought this up, Cobie, because I had been thinking about it quite a bit myself.

I was planning to keep going straight through to Omega (#250-251) and then jumping off the train until it gets all the way to the Postboot (Conway is not in my collection and holds no interest for me, while I read Levitz Mark II less and less for pleasure these days, with a few exceptions like the Universo Project, and I've made no secret of my antipathy towards TMK.)

DC Special #28 actually is included in Volume 13.

I don't have The Tabloid in my collection, nor do I have DC Super-Stars #17.

I agree with you that we should include the JLA/JSA/Legion crossover, if only for the gorgeous Dick Dillin art.

And I should add that I'm happy to keep carrying the torch of leading the discussions until we reach my pre-planned stopping point.

I just thought we'd keep going. I read so many of the '70s issues out of sequence I was looking forward to seeing what others thought of the issues as well as having an excuse to read them myself.

I'd agree to keep going as well. Although I don't have some of those issues Cobie mentioned, I'd like to read what other people have to say about the stories.

I plan to keep going. I refuse to skip a single issue all the way until the present day!

When it comes to issues that no one has and are not easily found, let's all PM each other a bit as there are certain Legion Worlders that have helped me resolve such things in the past. And I know for a fact that if anyone wants to read any particular issue of the LSH, we can make that happen.

And yes, Fanfie, if you don't mind, please keep carrying the torch in managing these Archive Reviews until we get to your departure. (Note to self, start thinking of ways to convince Fanfie to come back at least the non-Conway, non-Giffen issues).

PS - I think its implied but if its not: yes, we definitely plan to keep going, its just a matter of how we want to break up certain eras into "fictional archives" (re: threads).

Good to know. I'm definitely missing the last part of the Universo Project from the Baxter run for a start. I really need to look ahead a few binders to see if there's anything missing from the '70s. Like I said, I got them all in bits and pieces.

I'll need to look at the "special" (they're all special to me ) issues. They live in their own binder somewhere. Does everyone else keep those separate?

I'll have to leave it to you guys to determine what should be in each archive. I've got the first one, but I think that's it, so I've never really had a grasp of what's in them, and have to peek at the opening posts.



Allow me. C'mon Fickles, it's Conway! Y'know, the guy who gave us Justice League Detroit... uh Fickles? ... Fickles? ah Cobie, maybe you will need to start thinking...

Re-Read Promotional Tagline: Share the Pain! Legion World starts the Reflecto Saga!

I totally thought of the "share the pain" idea too!

But it's not the most marketable thread title. Though we are Legion fans...

Close up of a sobbing thoth Lad, head in hands in a darkened room.

Voice over: This poor man was left to start the Reflecto saga on his own. He had no one to turn to when the plot became convoluted. No one to share the sense of betrayal of being drawn in by Perez covers.

Spare just 20 minutes a week on the Legion World Re-reads thread, so that thoth lad doesn't have to suffer alone again.

I'm reading the original issues I bought off the stands (or at 7-11s or at Parisoff's grocery store, etc.), so I'll keep going as long as others keep going.

I'm for including any story in which the Legion "stars" as part of the ad-hoc archives.

There's a thread waiting for all of you for when we get to that point

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starting to feel like maybe after we finish Volume 11 (four more issues to go), we should take a few weeks off. Volume 11 has been pretty rough going for me, despite getting off to a great start, and as I recall, Volume 12 will be pretty much more of the same, only worse. Volume 13 is mostly Levitz Mark 1, which these days I actually find more interesting than most of Levitz Mark 2, but we have to work through Volume 12 to get there, and I think it would do us all a world of good to face that challenge after a refreshing break.

Thoughts?

If others want to keep going, I'll keep going. If a break is desired, that's fine by me.

Even though most of these stories aren't very good, I learn a lot by reviewing them. For example, I appreciated Cobie's thoughts on the wasted potential in 208. He's right that parallels could have been drawn between Sun Boy's lack of self-confidence as leader and Sun Emperor's overconfidence.

One way to reinvigorate our reviews might be to focus on similar areas of wasted potential--places where the story might have gone in a better direction (e.g., what would you as the writer have done?).

If we do take a break, we should agree on a timeframe for resuming the reviews.

I personally would prefer to keep pushing forward one week to the next, and move right through the 12th Archive.

That being said, I'll gladly go with what ever is decided.

And thanks HWW!

I've no problem with pushing forward, especially since this isn't a "re"-read for me at this point. However, after Archives 14, I won't have any material on-hand at that point. I sure wish DC would by some miracle continue thru 15 and 16. I'd sure like to read "Earth War", finally....

(BTW, Cobie...check out the "Halloween films" thread on Anywhere! )

I propose a compromise: I'll carry the baton for the rest of the Volume 11 discussions, then pass the baton to somebody else for Volume 12 on (and I'll still chime in depending on what I think of the story that particular week.) Cool?

That compromise works for me! Any volunteers? Thoth?

Lardy, when we get to the point where you no longer have the Archives handy, we may have a solution for you. I know I'd hate to lose your insight, especially when you experience Earth War for the first time. The magical folks of Legion World have all kinds of resources up their sleeves.

While I'd be delighted to push on, if having a few weeks off means that one of the regular contributors comes back at it fresh, rather than just chipping in, then I'm up for that.

After all, it's not as though we're falling behind fresh Legion material or anything here.

If I were to take the baton, Cobie, I couldn't possibly tell you that's what I was doing. I'd just drop in with "No posts before noon on St Swithin's Day Cobie! To the Naughty Step!"

I'd be interested to find out if there's anything anyone wants to hear more about in the reviews too. HWW mentions wasted potential and ideas for alternate plots. Personal anecdotes seemed popular too, regarding when issues were read. Is there anything else?

Personal anecdotes are among my favorite things to read on these!

I'm aware of some of this, of course. Still doesn't change the fact that I'd like a couple more Archives published so I can own high-quality print versions of the damned things!

I guess I'd be down with those alternatives if it (likely) comes to it.

Your wish...

Adventure #300 - DC look as though they're going to press ahead with their Legion schedule, rather than wait until I'm born. A stern letter will be sent later from my Time Bubble.

Adventure #363 - Earth is saved from Mantis Morlo, which is a relief as I'd hate to be born onto a decimated planet. Gloomy!

Action #392 - Shame of the Super-Son. What a jerk Bat-Dad was! I hope I don't get born to that. What would I do with a mansion anyway? Become the new Fortress Lad? No thanks!

...more diary entries can be found at YouStartedWithoutMe.com

Please don't take time off on my account. I'm a bit burned out on the Legion overall -- that's why my current fanfic project is a non-Legion one -- and it could take a long time for me to return to my normal levels of Legion enthusiasm.

Sorry, everybody, but I'm dealing with too much personal stuff right now, and I have to temporarily drop out altogether of the re-read. Anyone is free to post the first review of S&tLSH #209.