Why is the Legion of Superheroes such a hard sell?

[CaptCleghorn]

yeah, those are positives for some people.

Are these 'some people' enough to support a LSH series?

And that is the key question. I would guess DC thinks no and is tweaking, changing, flipping, revamping, rebooting, etc. to get new fans. Being one of the "some people" group directs my wants for a Legion book. Now seeing as every long running book has changed somewhat in the last few decades, it's given that the legion has also. Can DC find the balance between keeping enough of the old to please old fans but change it enough to gain new? It gets worse when you realize that neither group is a given and both readerships might atrophy.

Being able to get to the Main Earth at the present time is helpful for stories. It's also awkward to have a constant string of across all time and dimensional threats to get Earth-Two and the Legion into the latest big crossover. A worldwide crisis? Sure, that's acceptable on a regular basis. But doing the BIG crises regularly gets crazy even for superhero funny books. I get it. I may not like it, but I get it.

[Lee Stone]

And that is the key question. I would guess DC thinks no and is tweaking, changing, flipping, revamping, rebooting, etc. to get new fans. Being one of the "some people" group directs my wants for a Legion book. Now seeing as every long running book has changed somewhat in the last few decades, it's given that the legion has also. Can DC find the balance between keeping enough of the old to please old fans but change it enough to gain new? It gets worse when you realize that neither group is a given and both readerships might atrophy.

Being able to get to the Main Earth at the present time is helpful for stories. It's also awkward to have a constant string of across all time and dimensional threats to get Earth-Two and the Legion into the latest big crossover. A worldwide crisis? Sure, that's acceptable on a regular basis. But doing the BIG crises regularly gets crazy even for superhero funny books. I get it. I may not like it, but I get it.

There's ways to make it feel less crazy. Although, I do think there are way too many events as there is.

A couple ideas:

1. Have a couple move to the 21st century. Either Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel or Star Boy and Dream Girl. Have the Legion come visit often. This way, every 3rd or 4th time they visit, they could be readily available for 'the event'.

2. Pull a Thunderbolts kind of thing. Have the Legion Academy move to the 21st century and take new names to form a training team mentored by the League. They get first hand knowledge of 20th and 21st century superheroics, straight from the source. Again, members of the Legion could visit often. And as long as they have several visits where there's not a Crisis of some sort, it won't feel forced if they're around when there is.

[kcekada]

Karate Kid has a series in the 70s in which he was in the present day. Once he left the future, I never read his book. I didn't like the new 52 Legion Lost series with Legionnaires stranded in the present time. An occasional visit is okay, but I think the future timeline is part of the draw to the Legion. I don't really care how Legion stories affect Batman or Wonder Woman.

[Jim Kelly]

L.E.G.I.O.N. was the present day version of the Legion. So they could do that again. I liked it okay, but it wasn't the real Legion for me. However, I can see doing a series like that as a way of softening up the readership, so they'd more readily accept an actual Legion of Super-Heroes set in the future. But I'd prefer no time travelling members. Rather, just suggest that maybe this 21st century cosmic police force might be the prototype of what becomes a Legion of Super-Heroes in the distant future. I like to think that the future Legion exist in one of many possible futures and might not even exist in the same universe as the current mainstream universe. Even pre-Crisis, that was heavily suggested to be the case [and if this post gets any responses, I'll give you examples].

[caj]

Karate Kid has a series in the 70s in which he was in the present day. Once he left the future, I never read his book. I didn't like the new 52 Legion Lost series with Legionnaires stranded in the present time. An occasional visit is okay, but I think the future timeline is part of the draw to the Legion. I don't really care how Legion stories affect Batman or Wonder Woman.

Completely agree. I like the idea of Superman, Superboy, Supergirl… being the inspiration for the group, but I could care less if any of them ever travel to the future. I just want the Bronze-Age Legion in a book together.

As I said earlier, to keep it from being overwhelming to new readers, center the book on eight or ten members located on Earth. The rest of the membership can be scattered around the United Planets and appear occasionally when their world in in danger or their powers are needed.

A threat like Mordru or the Time Trapper could bring the entire Legion together when all the members have been established. It could work for sure.

[Thor-Ul]

L.E.G.I.O.N. was the present day version of the Legion. So they could do that again. I liked it okay, but it wasn't the real Legion for me. However, I can see doing a series like that as a way of softening up the readership, so they'd more readily accept an actual Legion of Super-Heroes set in the future. But I'd prefer no time travelling members. Rather, just suggest that maybe this 21st century cosmic police force might be the prototype of what becomes a Legion of Super-Heroes in the distant future. I like to think that the future Legion exist in one of many possible futures and might not even exist in the same universe as the current mainstream universe. Even pre-Crisis, that was heavily suggested to be the case [and if this post gets any responses, I'll give you examples].

Well, already there is a Legion of Super-Heroes in present time which isn't L.E.G.I.O.N, the Superwatch.

[Jim Kelly]

Well, already there is a Legion of Super-Heroes in present time which isn't L.E.G.I.O.N, the Superwatch.

As they have said Grant Morrison is leaving comic books, after THE GREEN LANTERN, do you think someone else could pick up the Superwatch? It seems to me there are hundreds of ideas that Morrison has brought to D.C., yet he hasn't gotten around to doing all he wanted with them. But I don't know if they would have another writer take the torch.

[Thor-Ul]

As they have said Grant Morrison is leaving comic books, after THE GREEN LANTERN, do you think someone else could pick up the Superwatch? It seems to me there are hundreds of ideas that Morrison has brought to D.C., yet he hasn't gotten around to doing all he wanted with them. But I don't know if they would have another writer take the torch.

Dunno, but I wish they could use the characters. I mean, if Morrison brought them back, a clever writer can do something useful with them instead return them too limbo. Also, it would be interesting to keep that army of space supermen opposing to the GLC, it opens a lots of possible stories. Even add or change some of the characters is acceptable.

[Nomads1]

Dunno, but I wish they could use the characters. I mean, if Morrison brought them back, a clever writer can do something useful with them instead return them too limbo. Also, it would be interesting to keep that army of space supermen opposing to the GLC, it opens a lots of possible stories. Even add or change some of the characters is acceptable.

I haven't been reading Morrison's Green Lantern. Who are the Superwatch? Anybody has a picture of them?

Peace

[Alpha]

There's ways to make it feel less crazy. Although, I do think there are way too many events as there is.

A couple ideas:

1. Have a couple move to the 21st century. Either Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel or Star Boy and Dream Girl. Have the Legion come visit often. This way, every 3rd or 4th time they visit, they could be readily available for 'the event'.

2. Pull a Thunderbolts kind of thing. Have the Legion Academy move to the 21st century and take new names to form a training team mentored by the League. They get first hand knowledge of 20th and 21st century superheroics, straight from the source. Again, members of the Legion could visit often. And as long as they have several visits where there's not a Crisis of some sort, it won't feel forced if they're around when there is.

Not academy, go back to the club thing. Makes it more unique.

[kcekada]

It's funny how many groups have an academy these days. Legion had its academy back in the late 1960s! It's too bad the Legion didn't expand more in its heyday -- a Legion Academy featured some very visually appealing characters that deserved more spotlight. Most of the members in the 1980s were actually created by fans -- something I didn't learn until many years later. I think that Giffen redesigned most of those characters -- as the original versions were kinda boring.

[Lee Stone]

L.E.G.I.O.N. was the present day version of the Legion. So they could do that again. I liked it okay, but it wasn't the real Legion for me. However, I can see doing a series like that as a way of softening up the readership, so they'd more readily accept an actual Legion of Super-Heroes set in the future. But I'd prefer no time travelling members. Rather, just suggest that maybe this 21st century cosmic police force might be the prototype of what becomes a Legion of Super-Heroes in the distant future. I like to think that the future Legion exist in one of many possible futures and might not even exist in the same universe as the current mainstream universe. Even pre-Crisis, that was heavily suggested to be the case [and if this post gets any responses, I'll give you examples].

I liked L.E.G.I.O.N. but I felt it was a bit contrived that all these planets that rarely, if ever, were referenced in the present time had members that mirrored the future Legion so well.

I would’ve liked it better if they incorporated Rann, Thanagar and Tamaran a bit more, and had more unique characters.

[mathew101281]

I feel that being in the future is a vital part of the concept. Otherwise you just have Teen Titans. The big problem with comics these days is that only big events matter. So only characters that can regularly show up in big events matter. That’s why the earth 2 version of the JSA kind of fizzled out. But that is a con of the way modern comics are sold not something that should be in encouraged.

[Menacer]

I feel that being in the future is a vital part of the concept. Otherwise you just have Teen Titans. The big problem with comics these days is that only big events matter. So only characters that can regularly show up in big events matter. That’s why the earth 2 version of the JSA kind of fizzled out. But that is a con of the way modern comics are sold not something that should be in encouraged.

When has getting the Legion to travel back to our era ever been a problem... though? Why can't they join big events.

Make them relevant

[EmeraldGladiator]

Well... the ones that see them as negatives probably aren't going to buy the book, anyway.
Why pander to readers who don't care and will go back to Batman or their manga after an issue or two?

Why crusade to change things for the benefit of an audience that's not going to be there?
All it does is disinterests the remaining fans that could be introducing the characters to their friends and kids.

I feel much the same way, DC keeps trying to pander to newer readers who never hang around instead of giving the devoted fans what they want. Why not go full Retroboot adding in the cool characters from the reboots along the way, because none of the numerous reboots have worked. IMO the Retroboot team with a good creative team behind it would be fan service to the loyal Legionnites and as far as growing the franchise, a good well written series will eventually draw the fans in via word of mouth but going Retroboot will give the title the time to generate the positive word of mouth. The reboots fizzle out quickly (the Bendisboot is exhibit A). They don't have the love and devotion of the old school Legion fans and haven't been able to build enough buzz of their own. While I don't want to wait until Hickman is available to write it, give it to Johns he really wants to write the Retroboot because he has tried to bring them back multiple times. The reason why the Legion is a hard sell? Because DC keeps refusing to sell the public what they want, the most commercially successful version of the franchise.