The Future of Legion of Super Heroes Franchise & The Bendis Problem

[EmeraldGladiator]

5YL contributed to the ultimate decrease in leadership. It would have been a good limited series as a possible peak into the future before launching a new series that continue from where Levitz left it. It's a good read, but it was Giffen taking a superhero book and remaking it into a sci-fi book --- but more Blade Runner than Star Trek. As good as it could be at times, I consider it a failure on Giffen's part.

I still have a pull list at the local shop -- and I have been collecting this Legion series -- despite some reservations. Because of that, the two Future State issues were in my box. Not sure I'll even bother reading -- because the artwork is garbage. I'm sure some people will like it, but I found it hideous!

I like that idea, 5YL being a Days of Future Past would have worked even better.

[Thor-Ul]

Possibly Invisible Jacques, as well, as he refers to both an Invisible Kid *and* an Invisible 'Gentleman' who may have been Jacques.

That said, I was unsure as to whether or not his Computo was a person who controlled machines, or an AI / data entity that generated a humanoid-appearing interface.

From what I have investigated, it was the second case.

[j9ac9k]

5YL contributed to the ultimate decrease in (correction) readership. It would have been a good limited series as a possible peak into the future before launching a new series that continue from where Levitz left it. It's a good read, but it was Giffen taking a superhero book and remaking it into a sci-fi book --- but more Blade Runner than Star Trek. As good as it could be at times, I consider it a failure on Giffen's part.

The biggest mistake I think he and the Bierbaums made was not letting the reformation of the Legion take the book out of the dark and gritty dystopia of the first few years and back into that place of light where they could all be a real team again in their shiny costumes in a brighter future - that would have been the Legion emerging victorious after that long climb out of the darkness! But then they introduced a bunch of teen clones and blew up the moon instead...

[Thor-Ul]

I know 5 YL was not universally loved, but it was a detailed, thoughtful re working of the Legion mythos. Revamp and reinvigorate some old characters, but have them recognizable; bring in some new blood, but let them have some screen time to connect. I am a very long time Legion fan, and that was still the high point for me.

I am torn on 5YL while I freely admit it was a very dense (in a good way) read and the writers knew the Legion. However as well as it was done it lacked what made the Legion the Legion. Case and point as much as I was enjoying the read the book was so dark and gritty, two words I would never associate with the Legion. What cemented that for me was, my joy when Batch SW6 was introduced, the bright colors the cheerfulness into the dark world that Giffen and the Beirbaum's created. I don't need my legion forever regressed to their teen years, I have watch them grow up as I did. Just like I would find a perpetual 14 year old Dick Grayson annoying so is a forever young Legion. Garth and Imra have kids, Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel are married. I don't want them eternal adolescents but I also don't want them aged out so that new kids that I have no connection with can run the clubhouse. The Legion needs someone that gets it, just like every good artist isn't a good artist for the Legion. A Legion artist typically has a certain asthetic. The Legion at it's core has a bright optimistic feel to it; which is why the Great Darkness Saga was such a great contrast. The thing which some say is a hindrance, it's history, is also a strength because there is a high level of buy in by existing Legion fans that should be appreciated and embraced for decades of devotion and not thrown away chasing new readers who might be on to the next thing in 2 months. Yes the base needs to grow but you have a better chance by building on the established beloved aspects instead of trying to create something completely new out of whole cloth. Do something that the existing fans will love but will also appeal to new readers as well is the needle that needs to be threaded.

5YL was a peculiar creative experiment for Giffen. I remember reading around he liked to do this because the change would be in official continuity and not a s an alternative future for the characters. But EG is right. The core of the Legion is the optimistic future. The decadent, grim, perpetually defeated 5YL Legion was a downer, even if artistically was good. It could had been the DarkKNights Returns for the Legion, but putting in offical continuity damaged its perspectives.

5YL contributed to the ultimate decrease in (correction) readership. It would have been a good limited series as a possible peak into the future before launching a new series that continue from where Levitz left it. It's a good read, but it was Giffen taking a superhero book and remaking it into a sci-fi book --- but more Blade Runner than Star Trek. As good as it could be at times, I consider it a failure on Giffen's part.

In the larger schemes of all things Legion, I agree. Even the "clones" backdoor they write in was a clue than maybe not everyone was happy about how things developted behind scenes.

I still have a pull list at the local shop -- and I have been collecting this Legion series -- despite some reservations. Because of that, the two Future State issues were in my box. Not sure I'll even bother reading -- because the artwork is garbage. I'm sure some people will like it, but I found it hideous!

Personally, I think completism makes more damage than anything in comic narrative, but I will not tell you what to do with your money.
I like Rossmo art (personal taste) I like that kind of art more expresionist or not strictly realist, more personal, it makes the creative landscape more interesting. But if I don't like the story adn ti will disgust me, I can't see a reason to buy something I don't enjoy.

The biggest mistake I think he and the Bierbaums made was not letting the reformation of the Legion take the book out of the dark and gritty dystopia of the first few years and back into that place of light where they could all be a real team again in their shiny costumes in a brighter future - that would have been the Legion emerging victorious after that long climb out of the darkness! But then they introduced a bunch of teen clones and blew up the moon instead...

And later, the earth. Add salt to the wound. Only it would had been worse if Giffen would had started with the earth already destroyed at the begginig of his era in... oh wait.

[Thor-Ul]

And.. searching for positive reviews of the Bendis' Legion, I found this article , published in JUNE 18, 2019, with the writer being hopeful and optimist about what could be doing Bendis on the title. He exposed some of his own perspectives about the legion, some I agree with, others I disagree, but also analize the promotions and interviews about the Legion than Bendis gave, and analize them. That, with the perspective of time offers a different landscape.

The interesting aspect is he listed several of the weakness related to Bendis' writing than were made evident in this run:

First, Bendis’ talents are in writing street-level characters, not writing sci-fi.
Second, Bendis’ talents are suited for writing titles starring one main character with several supporting characters.(...) At no point in his writing career has Bendis ever displayed the ability to handle a large roster of characters.
Third, Bendis has never displayed strong plotting and world-building skills.
Fourth, Bendis has never shown the ability to understand continuity, perform quality research, and understand the history of a franchise. Bendis usually simply ignores prior continuity and established character traits and simply writes whatever he wants to write.
Fifth, Bendis is 52 years old. I would have loved to have seen DC hire a writer in their late 20’s to early 30’s to write the Legion of Super-Heroes. The Legion is a teen super-hero group.

With the exception of the last point, I agree with the author and I think it was evident than Bendis checked all the boxes.

[Captain Nostalgia]

And.. searching for positive reviews of the Bendis' Legion, I found this article , published in JUNE 18, 2019,.

Fourth, Bendis has never shown the ability to understand continuity, perform quality research, and understand the history of a franchise. Bendis usually simply ignores prior continuity and established character traits and simply writes whatever he wants to write. Unfortunately, the Legion of Super-Heroes has an incredibly long and detailed history. The Legion has a countless number of characters. And these characters all have well-established character traits. It is vitally important that any Legion writer has an excellent command of the Legion’s history and the vast number of characters. This is not something that Bendis has ever shown an interest in doing in the past.

Sounds pretty prophetic now, considering he pretty much rebooted half the characters from scratch.

[kcekada]

Personally, I think completism makes more damage than anything in comic narrative, but I will not tell you what to do with your money.
I like Rossmo art (personal taste) I like that kind of art more expresionist or not strictly realist, more personal, it makes the creative landscape more interesting. But if I don't like the story adn ti will disgust me, I can't see a reason to buy something I don't enjoy.

Ha! No, I am by no means a completist. While not a fan of Bendis's writing (with ALIAS being the exception), I am a fan of Ryan Sook -- and I wanted to see where this series was going. It wasn't bad enough for me to drop, yet it was never good enough for me to celebrate. The 'final' issue before Future State was decent -- in that we finally were getting some background on a couple of characters. I felt there was still too much focus on Jon Kent and Saturn Girl.

Regarding the art, I can't fault people for liking it -- it's just not my taste -- and was a very weird choice after 12ish issues from Ryan Sook. All in all, I'm kinda glad the book is just done.

[Thor-Ul]

Regarding the art, I can't fault people for liking it -- it's just not my taste -- and was a very weird choice after 12ish issues from Ryan Sook. All in all, I'm kinda glad the book is just done.

It is? It is possible than they pop on Justice League where Bendis is preparing to do a House of M with Raven or who knows. Now already there is a new miniseries with Supergirl, so in any moment something could pop. And I don't know if that could be something good, specially with Bendis involved.

[Sutekh]

It is? It is possible than they pop on Justice League where Bendis is preparing to do a House of M with Raven or who knows.

Oh good lord... Raven, "No more, uh, Speed Force? No more Power Rings? I got it, No More Bats!"

[madmodpoetgod]

Sad that there is nothing indicating in the pages of the Infinite Frontier one shot that a new Legion series on the horizon -or Legions are significant to DCU.

[Thor-Ul]

Oh good lord... Raven, "No more, uh, Speed Force? No more Power Rings? I got it, No More Bats!"

"No more powers" more like, so only Batman and friends would remain.

Sad that there is nothing indicating in the pages of the Infinite Frontier one shot that a new Legion series on the horizon -or Legions are significant to DCU.

Outside of the one panel appearance where they were reduced to Superboy/Jon Kent training field? No, not any significance at all. And considering the actual economic situation a new series is hardly a possibility, see how JLD was demoted to back up feature. Not discarded, maybe even a digital only series. But nothing in that special to indicate a potential new series soon. Which I don't know how to define.

[Lee Stone]

Which I don't know how to define.

I'm guessing DC wants to give the team a break so that when they come back they can go in a different direction with less resistance from current readers.
There's a large chance that the Legion won't be the current Legion (if history tells us anything; see Waid Legion, DNA Legion...). Especially if they're pushing the Linearverse angle.

[kcekada]

We can only hope!

What will it take for DC to finally get it that reboots are not the answer?!!!

[EmeraldGladiator]

We can only hope!

What will it take for DC to finally get it that reboots are not the answer?!!!

who knows obviously repeated failures are not enough.

[Dioman-san]

We know if the title will come back or DC stop the run of Bendis ?