Legion of Super-Heroes Appreciation Thread 2024

[Frontier]

I wish Imra had longer hair.

[Uncanny X-Man]

Remind me? Retroboot LEGION was the one that was the Levitz league with a few updates/tweaks by Geoff Johns in ACTION COMICS ?


Also featured in their own book by Levitz, himself? (seeing a collection called LEGION OF SUPERHEROES:THE CHOICE )

That's correct. It's as close to the original Legion as it gets basically.

[kcekada]

Some of that Retroboot art was hot. I particularly liked Wildfire with the Kirby dots. Not so much a fan of some of the other changes, to the ladies, in particular, like Dreamy changing from platinum blonde to just blonde, Projectra's ludicrous boob window and Yera having hair, at all. And some of the dudes seemed to busy up their costumes to not-remotely-an-improvement, like Invisible Jacques and Polar Boy.

Still, Yildray Cinar (sp?) had some really great art!

His art has really improved since then, but it wasn't bad for his Legion run. The uniforms were mostly redesigned by Gary Frank -- and it wasn't his best work.

[Robotman]

Remind me? Retroboot LEGION was the one that was the Levitz league with a few updates/tweaks by Geoff Johns in ACTION COMICS ?


Also featured in their own book by Levitz, himself? (seeing a collection called LEGION OF SUPERHEROES:THE CHOICE )

I know the designs can be divisive amongst Legion fans but I loved Gary Frank’s redesigned costumes. Yes, I even like Imra with short hair.

Definitely loved seeing Timber Wolf with the spiked hair again.

Unfortunately all the interesting concepts Johns came up with were trashed by Levitz. Still can’t believe he dedicated so much of his run to making Earth Man a hero.

[marhawkman]

Maybe if the Supergirl movie is a big hit, they'll feature heavily in the sequel....? (faint hope...) Honestly, it would eliminate the "where's Clark" of it all and "Superman's shadow" issue - stick her in the 31st century and have her be the greatest hero of that world.

I mean, DCAU was apparently setting up a LoSH series with the premise.

[Thor-Ul]

I know the designs can be divisive amongst Legion fans but I loved Gary Frank’s redesigned costumes. Yes, I even like Imra with short hair.

I can't agree with this, Frank's redesigns were not the better ones for the Legion, but I also think it served for the style of story Johns had started with.

Definitely loved seeing Timber Wolf with the spiked hair again.

Ok, in that point I agree.

Unfortunately all the interesting concepts Johns came up with were trashed by Levitz. Still can’t believe he dedicated so much of his run to making Earth Man a hero.

That is something I have said once and again for years! Levitz was not the best idea to return to the legion and the Editors should had left Johns to work on the ideas he already had been building. Why to put Levitz again on the book was a huge mistake. Even it seemed like Levitz was not really into writing the book around that time. Everything Johns built, Levitz tossed away and it didn't capture the same charm than before with the ideas he came in later. And mind you, I also wasn'tin agree with all the ideas than Johns came with but at least they seemed like a better path to the things Levitz came with.

[Vordan]

PKJ has been teasing a DC project that involves Superman in some way but is not JL. With the return of the Retroboot, maybe he’s doing LoSH?

[Nomads1]

Some of that Retroboot art was hot. I particularly liked Wildfire with the Kirby dots. Not so much a fan of some of the other changes, to the ladies, in particular, like Dreamy changing from platinum blonde to just blonde, Projectra's ludicrous boob window and Yera having hair, at all. And some of the dudes seemed to busy up their costumes to not-remotely-an-improvement, like Invisible Jacques and Polar Boy.

Still, Yildray Cinar (sp?) had some really great art!

I wasn't a fan at all of Frank's redesigns for the Retroboot Legion. Giffen and a few other artists later tweaked a bit some of the designs, especially Ultra Boy's, IMHO, Frank's greatest offender. I hope they stick with the better redesigns. In fact, I really don't like the Retroreboot Legion. IMHO, showing the Legion as an older, more bitter and cynical team, sort of defeats the purpose of the team, which always was to be a source of hope and inspiration. Plus, almost 30 something's with code-name "Boy" and "Girl"? I don't know. I don't like it. However, I'll take the Retroboot Legion blindfolded, any day of the week, over the awful Bendis' Legion.

Peace

[kcekada]

I can't agree with this, Frank's redesigns were not the better ones for the Legion, but I also think it served for the style of story Johns had started with.

The Legion looked tired and haggard in that story -- and Frank's designs reflected it. They weren't exciting like the Bronze Age designs more like a throwback to the more sedate Silver Age designs. Very few artists are capable of redesigning the Legion and making it work. Dave Cockrum is one of the few who succeeded. Even Giffen had some huge misses. I can't think of one Gary Frank design that was an improvement over what came before.

That is something I have said once and again for years! Levitz was not the best idea to return to the legion and the Editors should had left Johns to work on the ideas he already had been building. Why to put Levitz again on the book was a huge mistake. Even it seemed like Levitz was not really into writing the book around that time. Everything Johns built, Levitz tossed away and it didn't capture the same charm than before with the ideas he came in later. And mind you, I also wasn'tin agree with all the ideas than Johns came with but at least they seemed like a better path to the things Levitz came with.

His run on Adventure Comics was much better than when the series was relaunched. I think Phil Jimenez had story input in Adventure Comics -- which likely made the difference. Too bad they didn't include him in the ongoing.

[Frontier]

I liked Frank's redesigns over Sook's at least.

PKJ has been teasing a DC project that involves Superman in some way but is not JL. With the return of the Retroboot, maybe he’s doing LoSH?

I wouldn't mind PKJ Legion.

[M@Bowers2014]

I liked Frank's redesigns over Sook's at least.

I wouldn't mind PKJ Legion.

I'm the complete opposite concerning their Legion costumes. I loved Sook's because they actually seemed future forward where Frank's were too retro for my taste. Both artists made their Legion costumes way too busy and complicated though.

[Zero Hunter]

That is something I have said once and again for years! Levitz was not the best idea to return to the legion and the Editors should had left Johns to work on the ideas he already had been building. Why to put Levitz again on the book was a huge mistake. Even it seemed like Levitz was not really into writing the book around that time. Everything Johns built, Levitz tossed away and it didn't capture the same charm than before with the ideas he came in later. And mind you, I also wasn'tin agree with all the ideas than Johns came with but at least they seemed like a better path to the things Levitz came with.

I think the big problem Levitz had is I don't think even he know what was going on continuity wise with the the post Rebirth Legion it was such a mess. I didn't hate his run, but it definitely was not as good as his legendary run (but then again almost no writer can ever come back to a book and hit those same highs). The stuff he was writing in Adventure Comics that wasn't so tied to continuity was pretty damn good.

[Thor-Ul]

PKJ has been teasing a DC project that involves Superman in some way but is not JL. With the return of the Retroboot, maybe he’s doing LoSH?

Could be. But the other name involved could be Jeff Lemire, who also is teasing DC projects on the works. I wonder if any of these writers is still working on ongoings or they are going to do more limited projects or even if they are working in the suspected Absolute line.
Still, I think I would prefer lemire over PKJ, but I would be happy with any of them.

I wasn't a fan at all of Frank's redesigns for the Retroboot Legion. Giffen and a few other artists later tweaked a bit some of the designs, especially Ultra Boy's, IMHO, Frank's greatest offender. I hope they stick with the better redesigns. In fact, I really don't like the Retroreboot Legion. IMHO, showing the Legion as an older, more bitter and cynical team, sort of defeats the purpose of the team, which always was to be a source of hope and inspiration. Plus, almost 30 something's with code-name "Boy" and "Girl"? I don't know. I don't like it. However, I'll take the Retroboot Legion blindfolded, any day of the week, over the awful Bendis' Legion.

Peace

The Legion looked tired and haggard in that story -- and Frank's designs reflected it. They weren't exciting like the Bronze Age designs more like a throwback to the more sedate Silver Age designs. Very few artists are capable of redesigning the Legion and making it work. Dave Cockrum is one of the few who succeeded. Even Giffen had some huge misses. I can't think of one Gary Frank design that was an improvement over what came before.

I think if the Legion is returning in its retroboot incarnation, they should spend sometime in the Frank designed suits, before gave them a new style. But before that I would like to see a LoSH series to restablishes them. I don't want to count the chickens before they hatch.

His run on Adventure Comics was much better than when the series was relaunched. I think Phil Jimenez had story input in Adventure Comics -- which likely made the difference. Too bad they didn't include him in the ongoing.

It is pretty possible than the influence of Jimenez made the Levitz from Adventure more enjoyable series than what it came later. However you must remember than the Legion Academy stories were a lot more restricted. Also it is true than few writers can return to a book with the same success and in the case of Levitz that also happened. However I don't think it was because the continuity problems the Legion could have. After the Crisis Levitz found himself in a worse situation, but he managed to keep a good narrative. What happened now? Dunno, maybe he simply wasn't fully into write a Legion main series and he was happy with a secondary book. I mean, I was pretty surprised to see him again on the book and was not sure about it being a good idea.

I think the big problem Levitz had is I don't think even he know what was going on continuity wise with the the post Rebirth Legion it was such a mess. I didn't hate his run, but it definitely was not as good as his legendary run (but then again almost no writer can ever come back to a book and hit those same highs). The stuff he was writing in Adventure Comics that wasn't so tied to continuity was pretty damn good.

Rebirth? Don't you mean New52?

[Sutekh]

Agreed with the various mentions that the Adventure run introducing Chemical Kid, Dragonwing, etc. was amazing (and beautifully drawn!), while the core 'Retroboot' book seemed to flounder, saddled with crap like the Earth-Man joins the Legion sub-plot and other dubious choices like blowing up Titan and other stuff that got on my nerves.

But hey, Tyroc was back, and had actual sonic powers, and not 'random screams do random stuff!' (Itself not a popular retcon, but I liked it!) And Gates was visiting, which was nice, he was one of my favorite Rebooters, and it was nice to see someone from an AU who wasn't Lightning Lad 3.0 or Brainiac 5.2 or whatever, but actually a unique and original character.

And then, a tolerable book catches right on fire and dies, blowing up all the tech in the UP, killing Star Boy and Sun Boy, assassinating Phantom Girl's character, and just sort of winking out in the middle of it's own death spiral. Yikes. Like the writer just gave up and decided to break everything out of spite on the way out the door.

[CasualReader]

My understanding of the New 52 LSH is that they were the LSH of the New 52 Earth 2 and not the LSH pre-Flashpoint, even though they continued the story beats from that run and were virtually identical in looks/costumes. In my mind it explains why Levitz went scorched earth on the title when it was cancelled.
Also the New 52 Legion Lost title I take to be the actual New 52 LSH as they were eventually reunited with their Legion in the JLU book by I think Jeff Lemire?
Anyway, it'll be interesting to read which version we get in Justice Society 11 ... when it ships