The Bendis Legion of Super-Heroes, eight (plus) issues in

[Rikdad]

I haven't blogged about any new comics since Doomsday Clock ended, but my silence is broken. My favorite new series is the Bendis LSH, and rather than breaking it down one issue at a time, here's a look at it, particularly focusing on the character development, over those first eight issues. There's more to say, but… I hope this resonates with how other people are seeing the new (but not new) characters. Cheers!

https://rikdad.blogspot.com/2020/09/...eroes-1-8.html

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

If anything, your enthusiastic response to Bendis's work on both Superman and the Legion is pretty much the exception and not the rule, based on what I've seen both here and elsewhere on the net. Most seem to think his work Legion is a) not what anybody wanted, and b) further evidence that he can't write a team book to save his life.

[Korath]

But you're not alone. I really love his Legion. I mean, he's the first one to even interest me with this team, which never captured my attention. So that's a plus.

[sifighter]

I'm okay with his Legion, I'm genuinely enjoying what I read but also thinking this isn't the best I have ever read the Legion, its kind of the same feeling I have about his Young Justice run which I like also for just being an entertaining book with characters I like. I think its easier to digest this then say if it was a complete rehaul of another team because this isn't the first Legion reboot, its the fourth iteration so I am willing to see where it all goes from here on out.

[manwhohaseverything]

I have come around to liking many things like the entire metropolis being head quarters. I also love the design of new earth and missing oceans mystery . It's very creative. The whole superhero collage campus aspect very well done(i hate the poop jokes, toilet jokes though). Even though i don't like the space prince aspect.Jon does remind me of silverage superboy.But,that's also been a problem. Him doing the exact thing his dad would. The speech felt too much like clark, not enough like jon who is quirkier, exuberant, emotional person. I thought the kid would get more nervous and stuff or be less formal. That's what generally i like from the character. He can get scared by seeing dead bodies. I guess, him being scared of closed spaces(bottled) was something due to him being imprisoned in the volcano and was such a moment . But, i loved the kid getting back to damian seeking something familiar. I also like that the kid still doesn't seem to much care about protocols. I mean, he didn't seem to mind his orientation kept getting delayed. Overall, i wish this whole thing wasn't lead up the way it was which gave a bad taste. Mostly because we don't get to flesh out jon's years in earth-3. But, i did enjoy most of legion itself. In fact, legion is where things started to get better for me. I still wish the kid was written to have a better personality and had more humorous moments .

The best moment for me was jon lifting aquaman's trident and becoming king of the sea( for seconds) .

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I thought it was a fun read but Jon is the weakest element. I wanna like teen Jon but Bendis isn't giving me much to work with. Other than that the Legion is fine.

[Rikdad]

I'm glad that others are enjoying it, as well.

For me, personally, one point of contrast in mind is this run vs. the ~1980 LSH. Those characters were much older than I was at the time, and typical of DC superheroes, were so full of confidence that their personalities didn't show much range. This group of characters displays a lot of range, which I like. They are much younger than I am now, so their issues aren't issues I relate to in the present tense, but there's still plenty to think about there and enjoy.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

This is also the only LSH I've ever managed to connect with.

[DragonPiece]

I don't always like the execution, but I do like a lot of ideas Bendis has with this legion.

[Johnrevenge]

I'm usually a critic of Bendis (especially in his work at Marvel), but I've liked his Legion so far. I found it ok. And I really liked the majority of the new desings (especially Shadow Lass' and Dawnstar's).

[kcekada]

I'm okay with his Legion, I'm genuinely enjoying what I read but also thinking this isn't the best I have ever read the Legion, its kind of the same feeling I have about his Young Justice run which I like also for just being an entertaining book with characters I like. I think its easier to digest this then say if it was a complete rehaul of another team because this isn't the first Legion reboot, its the fourth iteration so I am willing to see where it all goes from here on out.

This, by far, is not the best run of the Legion -- not even close. If the expansion of races appeals to people, that's more a product of the times. Even in the 1970s, artists like Dave Cockrum tried to get more alien looking races and black characters into the Legion. Editorial was the gatekeepers preventing that. Steve Lightle was finally able to introduce some non-humanoid characters.

There have been some interesting moments with Bendis's Legion. I think too many of the classic characters were redesigned in ways that do not improve the characters. And it's crazy how they make Lightning Lad/Lass black -- when virtually every other lighting powered character in the DCU is black. I don't understand what they were thinking with Timber Wolf.

Sook is a bit hit or miss. His group scenes are not great -- he's not George Perez. But the pages and panels that only show a small number of characters have looked great. Covers have not wowed me, but the upcoming one with Cosmic Boy and Shadow Lass may be his best offering to date. Keep in mind that I've loved Sook's art for years.

[Rikdad]

As much as I enjoy art, I usually find myself more likely to prefer a well written run to a badly written one that is well drawn.

I've missed out on some versions of the LSH in the past, and can't malign the ones I haven't read, but while I liked the Levitz era quite a bit, it had far less depth and imagination in terms of characterization than what we're seeing here, and that's the difference for me. If you went up and down the roster of the LSH in the 80s, you'd get a whole lot of "brave and noble, brave and noble, brave and noble" with some extra anger for Timber Wolf and Wildfire. This is the first I've seen the classic lineup where I the writer got me wondering about more than how they will do in the next fight.

[astro@work]

I'm liking the current run just fine. What I'd honestly like to see is a few issues with a smaller crew so we can dive into the characters a bit more. The strength of the Levitz run was juggling a large cast and giving them all storylines...but he also had the benefit of all those characters being developed for 20+ years before he got to them. Here we don't know them as well and they just need a bit of breathing room.
That said, overall am liking the book a lot and currently most interested in Mon-El (FINALLY an origin that's not dependent on a first visit to the constantly-rebooted modern day).

[Adset]

I’m not a big Bendis guy, but I am a big Legion fan and I’m treating this run as “well, it’s this or nothing.” In that regard, I’m thankful DC is publishing the book again and I’m giving the series some leeway because... well, it’s this or nothing.

I will say that I think the book has improved after a rocky first three issues. I wasn’t initially impressed with the setup and I cringed when Robin made an appearance in #3, but my complaints have been fewer and farther between since.

[day_walker]

I’m not a big Bendis guy, but I am a big Legion fan and I’m treating this run as “well, it’s this or nothing.” In that regard, I’m thankful DC is publishing the book again and I’m giving the series some leeway because... well, it’s this or nothing.

I will say that I think the book has improved after a rocky first three issues. I wasn’t initially impressed with the setup and I cringed when Robin made an appearance in #3, but my complaints have been fewer and farther between since.

I agree with your first paragraph 100%. I didn't much care for the first 2 issues, then there were a few solid (pretty good, but by no means great) issues. I didn't like #8, and I thought #9, which I just read, was an improvement. Bendis tends to fall in love with his dialogue, at the expense of plot, and while I usually prefer character driven stuff to plot driven stuff, but even so, I haven't cared for Bendis's work.

After reading #9, I think I like the direction Bendis is taking this...at this point. I'm hoping to see more UP unity and bigger Legion support from the UP in the future. I'd also like to see the characters introduced more slowly, and let us get to know them. In #9, Gold Lantern appears out of nowhere and takes take of General Nah and it isn't even shown. It was a really awkward "scene". I didn't care for the jumping around in time. I think that that usually doesn't work well as a story telling device.

The last 2 issues (8 and 9) has had an army of artists. I hope this doesn't continue, though the art was better in #9 than in #8.