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

Heads up, Re-Readers,

I just decided a little while ago that if I could review and discuss one Levitz/Giffen/Mahlstedt issue in a civil fashion, then I can review and discuss them all. And, in addition, I'll be extending my stay past my beloved Universo Project, into the awfulness of Death of Superboy, and then all the way to the bitter end of Magic Wars.

Which is a fancy way of saying you're stuck with me for the next two years or so.

Why, He Who! I do declare, you know how to flatter a lady!

Huey Lewis does it every time!

Hey, Re-Readers,

I know I've fallen behind in my participation, but it wasn't just the hurricane. Without saying too much so I don't jinx myself, I've been busy creating loads of stuff to contribute to the Bits forum. And hopefully by the second half of the week I'll be ready to return to the Re-Reads...just in time for the big finish to GDS.

What fun.

Question that I'm sure almost everyone in this thread knows...

Okay, so per the REAL archives that physically exist:

Can anyone explain to me why volumes 12 and 13 are so ridiculously expensive and rare on Amazon, eBay, etc?

Is it a simple matter of a small print run? Even with that, it Seems weird that BY FAR the newest ones are hardest to get.

I wouldn't mind so much, except archive 13 apparently ends on the Infinite Man (SLSH#233), one of (IMHO) the best LSH stories ever. Given that the hardcover released this summer starts with SLSH#234, it would seem we are SOL for an archive of #233 without paying out the nose.

given I only plan to buy these for 'convenience' reading (I bought my first contiguous issue from our local variety store comic rack way back at SLSH#219 and kept going from there, but they're in boxes in a closet), it's hard to justify. And Comixology just isn't satisfying..

It's a scarcity thing. 12, 13, 5 & 8 are the four hardest to find. I was fortunate to get 3 of the 4 through special circumstances, but paid through the nose for #12. Keep your eye on ebay, and every now and then one comes by, but it's certainly an exercise in patience.

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of... and my god, you're right I hadn't noticed #8, it seems perhaps even worse.

I wonder if it is partly a popularity thing? Oh well, it's an excuse to hit some used book shops and hope to get lucky...
I wonder if the new omnibus will catch up? first one apparently covers archives 1-3, so 4 of them would cover through 12... might still leave 13 out, though.

We're approaching the end of Archive 18 and I was wondering what we should do with Brave & Bold #198. It has a publication date of May 1983, the same as issue #299.

Skip Brave & Bold, review it before #299, after or after #300? I believe the consensus was to end this Archive with #300, then Archive 19 would comprise #301-313.

Opinions? Preferences? Some apple crumble?

#299 is the second part of a story, so I'd prefer to have it after that. But before #300?

Make it the first issue of the next Archives, that way we can put Batman on the cover and boost sales!

^I like Dave's thinking!

^He's thinking like a DC exec!

After skimming through the next few issues, I think the Brave & Bold issue would be better after #300, in terms of story. Therefore I suggest that we end this current archive with #300 then start Archive 19 with the Brave & Bold #198.

Archive 19 would comprise:

Brave & Bold #198
LSH #301
DCCP #59
LSH #302-303
Annual #2
LSH #304-313


If Future does another set of his wonderful covers, it will be his decision whether or not to put Bats on the cover.

Hey, all,

I've returned to Legion World after being away for a couple months (IIRC.) In the interim, I've decided to wait until Baxter #14 to rejoin the re-read.

Basically, it has less to do with Giffen's work on the Legion leaving me unimpressed than with me being extremely offended by a non-Legion work plotted by Giffen (which I won't name, I don't want to publicize it any more than I already am doing) I read for the first time recently. The consequences of curiosity and all that.

So, until we get to "Unto the New Generation..."

Time for the next Archive. This begins the period in which Tales of the Legion and Baxter were published concurrently.

I propose that we cover all the Tales issues (#314-325) as one Archive 20, since I imagine that's how an Archive would collect them (rather than switching between Tales & Baxter). Archive 21 would begin with the Baxter series and include LSH #1 - 8, DCCP #80 , LSH #9 and Legion of Substitute Heroes Special #1.

Comments? Objections? Suggestions?

My only concern is that the Baxter stories took place concurrently with the stories in Tales, so if events in the Baxter series are referred to or impact Tales, it might be confusing. It also might feel a bit disjointed if we jump "back in time" when the Baxter series rolls around.

My suggestion is to alternate reviews of the Baxter series with Tales, as Ibby did with LSH and Legionnaires on his review thread of the reboot. Archive 20 could cover the LSV War (Baxter # 1-5) and the concurrent Tales issues (314-319?). But I yield to the will of the majority.

I was going to say that I was a silent majority, but he got bumped off in the Janus Directive.


Since I don't have a strong opinion either way...

Pros in keeping them separate: I keep Tales and Baxter in different binders; This would be the order I read them first time round; I don't have to worry about forgetting sunglasses against the Baxter colouring and paper stock.

Cons in keeping them separate: Recent issues have shown there's much more of a direct lead into the Baxter series than I had thought; HWW suggested there might be further crossover information later in Tales; There's something tidy about doing it in the order they were published; I'll get to add paragraphs on what else was going on in the DCVerse at the time, as Crisis arrives.

4-3 to doing alternate issues!

I do wonder at how Legionnaires will appear in Tales considering the threat of the opening Baxter arc. Why wasn't Lyle in the start of Baxter?! Questions, questions...

Alternate issues it is! We can begin next week with Tales #314 (to please the Whatever Happened to Lyle Norg? Fan Club, membership = 3) then LSH #1 and so on, ending with Tales #319.

I'm curious to see how much overlap there was between Tales and Baxter during that year. Last year, I read my Great Darkness and The Curse hardcovers and then followed them up with all of the original Tales run without getting into Baxter. Reading Tales straight thru, I really didn't notice much reference to what was happening in the other series until 325 had Imra basically promoting those stories that were about to be reprinted. I wonder if there are a lot more easter eggs reading the issues intermittently.

I think at some point in the LSV story Wildfire mysteriously disappears so he can join Jacques and Lyle in the demon dimension in Tales. Other than that, I don't remember any direct cross-reference until after the conclusion of the LSV story - the Kol story and the search for the Legionnaires missing in Limbo comes to mind.
Maybe break it up by story instead of alternating issues - the Dark Circle story in Tales, followed by LSV war in Baxter, then Lyle story in Tales, then Mon-El/Shady Talok VIII story in Tales (assuming of course, I have the order of those Tales stories right). Then again, I'm just a lurker, so active participants should do what's easiest and makes the most sense for them.

Next week we move on to Archive #21. Proposed for this volume:

LSH #7 - 12, alternating with

Tales of the Legion #320 - 325

Or do we want to go further? Tales ends with #325 (July), which would take us on LSH to #12, in which big events happen . That would be a total of 12 issues.

There's a DC Comics Presents #80, cover month of April (same as LSH #9), with the lost Legionnaires and Superman. Do we want to include it?

The Subs Special #1 is advertised in Tales #325, but I don't think it affects the continuity of the other two books. It could end this volume or begin the next one.

Opinions welcome.

bump

The range of issues you have suggested sounds reasonable and flows well. The only thing with the order is the lost legionnaires are still lost in ToLSH #321 and are back in ToLSH #322. Since they return in LSH #9 we would want to read that before ToLSH #322.

DC Comics Presents #80 is definitely a Legion/Superman crossover story (i.e. costars, not cameo) that fits between LSH #8 and #9. It's nothing spectacular, neither required nor adding anything to the main series. Nevertheless I think it is the last time the Legion interacts with the pre-crisis Superman (outside of Crisis itself) so maybe it is worth including for completeness sake.

As you say the Subs Special could add on here or start the next batch. I don't really mind either way.

The range of issues sounds good to me, too.

Happy to include DC Comics 80. Now that I've been reminded of it, I can go and dig it out of its box.