Long Live The Legion!!! Legion of Superheroes: Millenium with Bendis and Sook An

[kcekada]

Costume design and longevity and pretty much a thing of the past -- for better or worse.

[AlucardD20]

Ugh Bendis. DC STOP GIVING HIM THINGS.

[Lonewolf36]

Some of the 34 confirmed so far.

01) Blok (character sketch)
02) Brainiac 5 (character sketch)
03) Chameleon Boy (character sketch)
04) Cosmic Boy (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
05) Light Lass (character sketch)
06) Lighning Lad (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
07) Mon-El (character sketch)
08) Saturn Girl (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
09) Shadow Lass (character sketch)
10) Star Boy (character sketch)
11) Sun Boy (character sketch)
12) Ultra Boy (Ryan Sook's sketchbook via Instagram, possibly Superman #14 cover)
13) Wildfire (Superman #14 cover)
14) XS (Bendis podcast)
15) unidentified purple girl

Probables:
Bouncing Boy
Gates
Superboy (Jon Kent)

[sbp1972]

Some of the 34 confirmed so far.

01) Blok (character sketch)
02) Brainiac 5 (character sketch)
03) Chameleon Boy (character sketch)
04) Cosmic Boy (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
05) Light Lass (character sketch)
06) Lighning Lad (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
07) Mon-El (character sketch)
08) Saturn Girl (character sketch, Superman #14 cover)
09) Shadow Lass (character sketch)
10) Star Boy (character sketch)
11) Sun Boy (character sketch)
12) Ultra Boy (Ryan Sook's sketchbook via Instagram, possibly Superman #14 cover)
13) Wildfire (Superman #14 cover)
14) XS (Bendis podcast)
15) unidentified purple girl

Probables:
Bouncing Boy
Gates
Superboy (Jon Kent)

Where did you see the Ultra Boy design? I looked at his Instagram and didn't find it.

[Lonewolf36]

He is mentioned in the sketchbook but no is seen he is most likely the character on the cover of Superman #14.

[Ropeburn]

Ugh Bendis. DC STOP GIVING HIM THINGS.

How is there not a "Like" button? Curious how many others agree with this genius statement.

[Sutekh]

On the upside, this Legion will have a Star Boy and a Sun Boy, both of whom died the last time we saw them. (Sun Boy being particularly cursed, having died in at least three continuities! He's like the Designated Not-Survivor...).

Hopefully this version will lean away from the X-Men / Marvel analogues some had been gradually evolving into. Sun Boy, originally able to generate light, and then heat, has been more and more just a Human Torch clone. Polar Boy, radiates cold, and then he's Iceman, creating massive ice constructs. Saturn Girl, somehow using 'telepathy' to stop a falling stone pillar and smash a window, because apparently someone forgot that she's Imra Ardeen, not Jean Grey... And good old Timber Wolf, with incredible super-agility and strength, mysteriously gets claws and regeneration, because, apparently, you can't predate Wolverine without being mistaken for Wolverine despite being like, a foot taller...

I'd love to focus on what makes them different and special, not what makes them 'like the X-Men.'

[Comic-Reader Lad]

I had predicted months ago in the Legion Appreciation thread that Jon Kent would join the Legion as its Superboy, and it looks like I was right even though they haven't officially confirmed it yet.

However, I'm going to make another prediction (I think I might have already made it, but I forget).

I think the new Legion title will be called SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES in order to better use the Super-Family connection to sell the comic and to harken back to the original cover name. The strip was called "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes" in Adventure Comics, but on the covers, they called it "Superboy and..." Of course, this carried over to when the Legion took over the Superboy-solo comic (as Superboy Starring... , then Superboy and...)



So what does everyone think? Do you think titling the comic Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes is preferable? Do you think it would help sell the comic better? Or would you rather Superboy's name be kept off the cover?

[caj]

I think the new Legion title will be called SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES in order to better use the Super-Family connection to sell the comic and to harken back to the original cover name.

I hope that's the way it goes. It just seems right to have Superboy in the title.

[Superlad93]

I had predicted months ago in the Legion Appreciation thread that Jon Kent would join the Legion as its Superboy, and it looks like I was right even though they haven't officially confirmed it yet.

This is actually confirmed. Bendis let it slip during the Word Balloon podcast recently.

I think the new Legion title will be called SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES in order to better use the Super-Family connection to sell the comic and to harken back to the original cover name. The strip was called "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes" in Adventure Comics, but on the covers, they called it "Superboy and..." Of course, this carried over to when the Legion took over the Superboy-solo comic (as Superboy Starring... , then Superboy and...)

I'm thinking this is very likely. Apparently Newarama cited the fact that Bendis has yet to confirm the title of the book beyond it 100% being a with the Legion in it that's set in the 32nd century. It's also worth maybe mentioning that the Legion book and DC Millennium are confirmed to be under the Superman offices.

It might also interest some here to know that this Legion book is extremely similar to Ultimate Spider-Man to Bendis. During the aforementioned podcast Bendis said that exactly like Ultimate Spider-Man he'll "start over from scratch, take the stuff you think really is of value to this generation--to this society, this culture, and focus on that--bring out the truth." He even said "its' almost the same job" He then continued that "like with Ultimate Spider-Man, I got to cherry pick all these awesome things and bits and pieces that other creators had done over the years and put them together to be Ultimate Spider-Man. I'm getting to do the same thing with the Legion."

Following that sort of logic, I wouldn't at all be surprised if he pays homage to how the team started publication by calling the book either "Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes" or Superboy Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes." I mean, the Johns reboot before the New 52 reintroduced the Legion in Superman, then resurrected Adventure Comics staring Superboy, and then put them in as a feature, so it's not unheard of in the modern era especially when it's a creator with a knowledge and fondness for that era like Johns and Bendis. It also helps that Bendis is working the all the Superman titles too.

So what does everyone think? Do you think titling the comic Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes is preferable? Do you think it would help sell the comic better? Or would you rather Superboy's name be kept off the cover?

I won't pretend to know what truly is and isn't profitable, but I will say that over the duration of this new Legion buzz, I've come to the realization that not to many people my age (20s) and younger know too much--if anything-- about the Legion, or have any sort of real tie to them. Mind you, this is only what I've personally noticed. But everyone--literally everyone knows Superman. And Jon Kent, while only 3 years old, is a ruthless bit of marketing, I feel. He looks identical to Superman (black hair, blue eyes, white guy, red, blue, cape) but he's younger, and he does away with the need for a google search to "get" him. You see him on the cover, you see the S, you see the name Superboy, and you ask "hey, who's that kid" and the answer is pretty simply "no joke, he's just Superman and Lois Lane's son." Then he's named after a character who anyone with a passing familiarity with Superman will recognize. Again, there are no extra hoops you have to jump through to distract you from the character or the book he's in. The only thing that matters is the story at hand.

I think that self explanatory nature is great for bringing in readers for the Legion's world. Even if his name doesn't end up on the title, from my limited perspective, I think it's a solid idea.

[kcekada]

On the upside, this Legion will have a Star Boy and a Sun Boy, both of whom died the last time we saw them. (Sun Boy being particularly cursed, having died in at least three continuities! He's like the Designated Not-Survivor...).

Hopefully this version will lean away from the X-Men / Marvel analogues some had been gradually evolving into. Sun Boy, originally able to generate light, and then heat, has been more and more just a Human Torch clone. Polar Boy, radiates cold, and then he's Iceman, creating massive ice constructs. Saturn Girl, somehow using 'telepathy' to stop a falling stone pillar and smash a window, because apparently someone forgot that she's Imra Ardeen, not Jean Grey... And good old Timber Wolf, with incredible super-agility and strength, mysteriously gets claws and regeneration, because, apparently, you can't predate Wolverine without being mistaken for Wolverine despite being like, a foot taller...

I'd love to focus on what makes them different and special, not what makes them 'like the X-Men.'

Timber Wolf doesn't need claws -- he's superhumanly strong, tough and fast! But I do think Imra's powers need explored more. Maybe not TK, but at least the ability to do more mentally -- just not read thoughts.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Timber Wolf doesn't need claws -- he's superhumanly strong, tough and fast! But I do think Imra's powers need explored more. Maybe not TK, but at least the ability to do more mentally -- just not read thoughts.

I think it's fair to say that in the Silver and Bronze Ages, the Legion ladies didn't really have much in the way of physically threatening powers.

I think it's why Andromeda became a favorite when she was introduced in the 5YL Legion. She was a replacement for Supergirl and she was powerful.

Since then, the subsequent Legions have done a good job in introducing female Legionnaires that could hold their own in a fight, but Saturn Girl, despite having probably the most screen time of any female Legionnaire historically, has never been able to do too much in a fight.

I don't really want them to go the Jean Grey route with her and add telekinesis to her powers (on the other hand, since this is the 32nd Century Saturn Girl, then such a power change would be easier to take), but I do think they need to do SOMETHING. I just don't know what other mind-based power would be useful in combat. If they do give her telekinesis, I'll get used to it as long as they don't try to crank it up to Phoenix-levels.

[Sacred Knight]

Damn. My interest has completely been killed by the recent news. Killing Superman's history with the Legion and his ongoing relationship with them kills a large part of the heart of the Legion. Erasing it all to give it a fresh start for Jon is facepalming-stupid.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Damn. My interest has completely been killed by the recent news. Killing Superman's history with the Legion and his ongoing relationship with them kills a large part of the heart of the Legion. Erasing it all to give it a fresh start for Jon is facepalming-stupid.

Since Bendis is doing a 32nd Century Legion, he is NOT erasing Superman's past with the 31st Century Legion.

What Bendis is doing is actually PREVENTING yet another reboot.

I think it's a great idea because as I said in an earlier post, it would be weird for 17 year old Jon Kent to be palling around with the 30-year old Legionnaires that his dad used to. Having Jon join the original Legion would be just as jarring and wrong as if Jon took his father's place in the Justice League. It would be so wrong that I could never get into the stories.

I like it that Jon will have his own Legion to build history and friendships with.



This was my 1100th post. Here is the variant: Red text, small font, bold, italic.


Since Bendis is doing a 32nd Century Legion, he is NOT erasing Superman's past with the 31st Century Legion.

What Bendis is doing is actually PREVENTING yet another reboot.

I think it's a great idea because as I said in an earlier post, it would be weird for 17 year old Jon Kent to be palling around with the 30-year old Legionnaires that his dad used to. Having Jon join the original Legion would be just as jarring and wrong as if Jon took his father's place in the Justice League. It would be so wrong that I could never get into the stories.

I like it that Jon will have his own Legion to build history and friendships with.

[Frontier]

I just wonder if a full-scale Legion reboot has legs in a modern comic climate.

Bendis isn't the sales juggernaut he once was and Ultimate Spider-Man was catching lightning in the bottle in it's time. I don't think you can repeat that again, especially for a brand that's more niche and in some ways difficult in the modern era like the Legion. Comparatively Spider-Man is a cakewalk.

I'm not sure if the designs will catch on and if Bendis will be able to overcome his writing issues to capture the Legion as they should be. So I'm anxious as to how this will all go over.