Millennium: the Legion of Superheroes and more

[Ascended]

I'm generally confused like who are these people!!

Assuming you're being serious?

When Clark was a teenager he met three kids from the future. A fantastic, wondrous future that Clark (his example, really) built. They had come back to meet their hero and Clark went to the future with them, met the rest of their team and became a part of the group; an army of young superhumans from across the universe working together, promoting unity and cooperation between worlds. Clark would spend weekends a thousand years in the future, learning how to fight, how to use his powers in ways he hadn't thought of, fighting evil and saving worlds and universes. And he'd bring all that experience home with him and use that in his adventures as Superboy.

The Legion is why, when Superman shows up in the present day, he's already a worldly, experienced hero who doesn't make stupid rookie mistakes that cost lives. They're the reason why the public trusts heroes; if not for the Legion Clark's arrival as Superman would have gone far worse because he wouldn't have been as well prepared. This is a big part of why Clark's sense of optimism is so secure; he doesnt just believe in a bright, awesome future.....he's been there. They're a huge part of Super-lore; Clark's life inspired them but Clark learned an awful lot from them in turn.

After the reboot in 86, the IP struggled and never recovered its former glory. In its day, it was wildly successful (sort of like the NTT were in the 80's) but the reboot cut the ties between Superman and the Legion and the Legion never got its groove back, even when those ties were brought back in the 00's.

As Ive said, Ive never really gotten into the comics. There are some stories here and there that I enjoy but I've never really felt the execution of the IP was equal to its potential and importance in the DCU. But the concept is pretty badass.