Legion of Super Heroes - the Levitz/Giffen Era Reviews

[caj]

Whenever I really examine that poster, I'm always amazed at how many random characters it contains. I wonder if Giffen really was that huge of a Legion fan or if he had help in recollecting all those characters. It was a very thorough poster in Legion history.

[caj]

Legion of Super Bloggers review of Legion of Super Heroes #301 - Chameleon Boy and RJ Brande return to Durla to try and get Cham's powers back, Supergirl joins Brainiac 5 and others on a mission, and Karate Kid makes a huge announcement.

http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspo...eroes-301.html

[Sutekh]

Legion of Super Bloggers review of Legion of Super Heroes #301 - Chameleon Boy and RJ Brande return to Durla to try and get Cham's powers back, Supergirl joins Brainiac 5 and others on a mission, and Karate Kid makes a huge announcement.

Man, Durla was neat. I loved the shapeshifter battle at the end, all the different forms that Cham and the Durlan leader took!

[caj]

Man, Durla was neat. I loved the shapeshifter battle at the end, all the different forms that Cham and the Durlan leader took!

Yes, Levitz made a point of not only developing characters but planets and universes as well. He and Giffen had incredible vision of what they wanted the 30th Century to look like.

I loved having Supergirl back with the Legion. Such a shame she couldn't have stayed there.

[kcekada]

And the parade of ugly Giffen costumes begins. I didn't really mind the violet outfit for Vi, and it makes more sense after we find out that it isn't Salu Digby. Giffen's Element Lad costume was only a slight modification from Cockrum's -- except for the Pepto Bismoll coloring -- and the Brady Bunch perm. Brin's was the worst, but I seem to recall that Gym's would change one more time before Steve Lightle changed it back to Cockrum's design.

[Sutekh]

And the parade of ugly Giffen costumes begins. I didn't really mind the violet outfit for Vi, and it makes more sense after we find out that it isn't Salu Digby. Giffen's Element Lad costume was only a slight modification from Cockrum's -- except for the Pepto Bismoll coloring -- and the Brady Bunch perm. Brin's was the worst, but I seem to recall that Gym's would change one more time before Steve Lightle changed it back to Cockrum's design.

Violet's Cockrum costume was perfect, IMO ('cause, Cockrum, duh!), and this, while not a bad look, was not an upgrade.

And that Colossal Boy costume was ugh. So bland.

But no injustice is greater than getting rid of Element Lad's blue and green up-arrow costume. The only thing naughtier than that costume was getting rid of that costume.

Giffen! /shakes fist.

[caj]

I wasn't a fan of 'Violet's'/Yera's uniform so I'm glad it didn't stick around.

Shadow Lass' entire look, including the hair, was my favorite because it looked very sci-fi back in the early 80s.

I actually liked Element Lad's new duds. His Cockrum uniform was one of the few I didn't care for.

Wasn't a fan of the shoulder flaps on Cham and Colossal Boy.

And Queen Projectra never really had a costume/uniform under Giffen. Every time we saw her, she was wearing something different.

[caj]

Legion of Super Bloggers review of Legion of Super Heroes #302 - Lightning Lord attacks Legion headquarters looking for Ayla, The Violet mystery leads Element Lad and Shvaughn to her home planet Imsk, and the Emerald Eye attacks Sun Boy.

Definitely one of my favorite covers.

http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspo...eroes-302.html

[kcekada]

This was another example of Levitz jazzing up a classic Legionnaire's abilities. I loved seeing these two completely engulfed in electricity. Later when Ayla regained her electrical powers -- her lightning was pink, while Mekt's was blue and Garth's was yellow.

Poor Imra, though, seemed very limited in her abilities. I thought she actually seemed more formidable in the early days.

[caj]

This was another example of Levitz jazzing up a classic Legionnaire's abilities. I loved seeing these two completely engulfed in electricity. Later when Ayla regained her electrical powers -- her lightning was pink, while Mekt's was blue and Garth's was yellow.

Poor Imra, though, seemed very limited in her abilities. I thought she actually seemed more formidable in the early days.

Imra really suffered during this time. How did she NOT know that Violet was an imposter??? And Dream Girl knew about Karate Kid & Projectra's wedding announcement but was clueless about Violet as well.

Levitz really dropped the ball with these two.

[caj]

Legion of Super Bloggers review of Legion of Super Heroes #303 - The Emerald Empress captures Brainiac 5 and his group, most of the Legionnaires head to Orando for the big wedding, Deputy Leader Ultra Boy has a message for Dream Girl, and Weber's World is on a collision course for Earth.

http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspo...eroes-303.html

[Nomads1]

Legion of Super Bloggers review of Legion of Super Heroes #303 - The Emerald Empress captures Brainiac 5 and his group, most of the Legionnaires head to Orando for the big wedding, Deputy Leader Ultra Boy has a message for Dream Girl, and Weber's World is on a collision course for Earth.

http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspo...eroes-303.html

I think it was in this issue that Giffen started to experiment a bit more with his art, using gray shades and all. I kind of liked it, up to his next step in experimentation, during the Omen saga, which, IMHO, really ruined his art for me, right up until he went back to his Kirby roots.

Peace

[caj]

I think it was in this issue that Giffen started to experiment a bit more with his art, using gray shades and all. I kind of liked it, up to his next step in experimentation, during the Omen saga, which, IMHO, really ruined his art for me, right up until he went back to his Kirby roots.

Peace

Yes, and it's even more noticeable in #304, 305, & 306 coming up. I liked the looks of these three issues though. It was unlike any artwork I was seeing in any comic book for sure. Then the bottom fell out in #307.

I've complained some about Giffen's costume redesigns but I LOVED his new take on the Emerald Empress. She looked amazingly evil and cool. At least at the time this was released in 1983.

[kcekada]

I think this was Empress's first solo outing -- or did she previously appear solo in a backup in the 1970s? Anyway, she was perfect here. Never cared for how she was portrayed in the Reboot. Being a Supergirl fan, this was one of my favorite stories. The character hadn't been written well in years, so it was a shame that Levitz had to lose her after Crisis. He did manage to make lemonade out of lemons, though, with the Sensor Girl story.

[Nomads1]

I think this was Empress's first solo outing -- or did she previously appear solo in a backup in the 1970s? Anyway, she was perfect here. Never cared for how she was portrayed in the Reboot. Being a Supergirl fan, this was one of my favorite stories. The character hadn't been written well in years, so it was a shame that Levitz had to lose her after Crisis. He did manage to make lemonade out of lemons, though, with the Sensor Girl story.

That Sensor Girl story is, IMHO, one os the most underappreciated classics of the Legion. Great Greg LaRoque art, cool cliffhangers, the spotlight on little used legionnaries... All-around great. I think it was Levitz's best outting without Giffen. Really wish DC'd collect it.

Peace