DC Comics Developing Legion of Super-Heroes TV Show for HBO Max

[Vordan]

https://comicbook.com/dc/news/dc-com...-show-hbo-max/

HBO Max is developing a Legion of Super-Heroes adult-animated series, with comic book creator Brian Michael Bendis part of the creative team. The prolific writer announced the news in his latest newsletter, where he also gave some details on how the series came into existence. Bendis previously wrote the latest volume of Legion of Super-Heroes, and the DC superhero team from the future will soon take part in a crossover with the Justice League in 2022, written by Bendis and illustrated by Scott Godlewski. The writer also pens Justice League, though he will be departing the book in March.

After talking up HBO Max's animated adaptation of his and artist David Mack's Dark Horse Comics title Cover, Bendis said the streaming service came back to him asking what other DC properties did he think would make for an interesting show. Of course, being a huge Legion of Super-Heroes fan, Bendis enthusiastically suggested the team, and HBO Max took him up on the offer.

"HBO Max has put me to work on a LEGION OF SUPERHEROES TV SHOW," Bendis revealed. "At the moment it is being developed as an adult animated show. Can you tell I am jumping up and down about this? I've been working on it for a while and last week I was sent to the next phase."

Bendis also revealed that the adult animated series will be an adaption of DC's latest Legion of Super-Heroes comic by Bendis and artist Ryan Sook. "And just like that series, on sale now, it will harken back to so many classics while at the same time doing what Legion does: pushing all the ideas of superheroes forward in every direction," he said. "I think Legion of superheroes is among the greatest franchises in the history of comics and I'm as honored to be curating them as I was Spider-Man."

He later warned that animation takes a long time to produce, so new information on the animated show will take a while to be announced.

A Legion of Super Heroes animated series aired two seasons back in 2006, following the adventures of a young Superman in the 31st century. The DC comic by Bendis and Sook flipped the script by placing Superman's son, Jon Kent, as a member of the team in the future, thanks to some time travel. Since the HBO Max series is an adaptation of that very same comic, then we can assume Jon Kent Superboy will be one of the main stars. Members of the Legion have also appeared on the live-action CW series Supergirl, and in this season's Young Justice: Phantoms.

[Superlad93]

YESSSSSS SIRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!


What did I freakin tell you? That dude Bendis DOES NOT MISS when it comes to adaptations. That man ALWAYS gets his stuff put on the screen!

[Vordan]

YESSSSSS SIRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!


What did I freakin tell you? That dude Bendis DOES NOT MISS when it comes to adaptations. That man ALWAYS gets his stuff put on the screen!

Makes sense in retrospect but I must admit it still kind of shocked me lol. Excited nonetheless, at the very least Bendis had some cool ideas that with the right writers to help flesh them out could be very entertaining. Also this basically ensures Jon is staying aged up since there will be a high profile adaption with him coming for MAX.

[joebleau]

Damn not Bendis arghhhhh

[Frontier]

Well, this feels like a real Monkey's Paw situation for me.

On the one hand I've been wanting a new Legion cartoon for forever and we're finally getting one...but it seems like it will be pushing the Bendis Legion, which I'm not a fan of and frankly don't think is worth basing an adaption off of compared to something, say, more comprehensive.

On the one hand, I feel like we could use more adult Superhero cartoons...but I also feel like the Legion don't really need an adult Superhero cartoon. Like, if any franchise needs more general audience attention, it's the Legion.

On the one hand, it will probably all come down to the actual talent that gets put into it and not really Bendis...but Bendis as a producer and what he's actually delivered on the Legion doesn't really give the creators much room to work with, although stuff building more on what Bendis has done than Bendis actually did is a thing, so you never know.

I want James Tucker to be involved with this in some form, but I also say that someone who would've rather have seen his cartoon Legion be revived than to do a Bendis Legion.

YESSSSSS SIRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!


What did I freakin tell you? That dude Bendis DOES NOT MISS when it comes to adaptations. That man ALWAYS gets his stuff put on the screen!

So is this why people dislike Geoff Johns ?

(I mean, for a given definition of "miss.")

Makes sense in retrospect but I must admit it still kind of shocked me lol. Excited nonetheless, at the very least Bendis had some cool ideas that with the right writers to help flesh them out could be very entertaining. Also this basically ensures Jon is staying aged up since there will be a high profile adaption with him coming for MAX.

If anything it seems like there won't be a definitive age set for Jon since we've got him across several different ages in adaptions (SM&L, YJ, this). We don't know how old he'll be in the Super Sons DTV next year.

[rpmaluki]

Bendis was my intro to the Legion beyond the little cameos from Smallville. I liked it well enough so I'm not complaining. I will say though that his run wasn't extensive in terms of stories so thi show will more than likely tread new ground but using Bendis' character bases. Hopefully they do better in that front.

[Blue22]

More exposure for the fake Jon. More to ensure that he's probably not going anywhere anytime soon. More of a Legion run so boring that it almost made me not wanna check out past runs. Not seeing any wins here aside from the thankfully diverse cast we'll likely be getting.

[Korath]

Mercifuly, it is NOT on the CW !

And great that they'll adapt at least the look of the Bendis Legion. At least the character won't look like some old guy's vision of the future in the 50's now.

[The Invincible Beawulf]

It's being developed as an adult-animated series. Will this Jon be the Invincible of the DCAU? Hmm....

[Vordan]

Well, this feels like a real Monkey's Paw situation for me.

On the one hand I've been wanting a new Legion cartoon for forever and we're finally getting one...but it seems like it will be pushing the Bendis Legion, which I'm not a fan of and frankly don't think is worth basing an adaption off of compared to something, say, more comprehensive.

Personally I would’ve preferred the Retroboot and gone with Clark but I always said that Bendis Legion was likely going to be the Legion they went with. After all he already did the racebending for him .

On the one hand, I feel like we could use more adult Superhero cartoons...but I also feel like the Legion don't really need an adult Superhero cartoon. Like, if any franchise needs more general audience attention, it's the Legion.

If the “more adult” means more explicit sex and not just peoples limbs getting torn off then I’m all for it. The soap opera aspect will serve the team well I believe, and the team of the future having more LGBT members will probably widen their appeal.

On the one hand, it will probably all come down to the actual talent that gets put into it and not really Bendis...but Bendis as a producer and what he's actually delivered on the Legion doesn't really give the creators much room to work with, although stuff building more on what Bendis has done than Bendis actually did is a thing, so you never know.

I want James Tucker to be involved with this in some form, but I also say that someone who would've rather have seen his cartoon Legion be revived than to do a Bendis Legion.

Look at the other animated media: they’ve never adapted stories panel for panel (unless you’re Batman) and I don’t expect them to do that here either. They’ll use Bendis as the base but I fully expect them to blaze their own trail if this gets beyond Season 1.

If anything it seems like there won't be a definitive age set for Jon since we've got him across several different ages in adaptions (SM&L, YJ, this). We don't know how old he'll be in the Super Sons DTV next year.

S&L and this have Jon as a teen, the DTV is likely going to be the only Jon adaption with him as a kid. On the whole the trend is very much towards having Jon as an adult/teenager, not a little 10 year old.

It's being developed as an adult-animated series. Will this Jon be the Invincible of the DCAU? Hmm....

Heh I don’t think it will be Invincible, but I do think the execs are on board for this because of the success of Invincible. Jon is easy to explain and Invincible showed that there’s a demand for coming of age stories featuring the son of “Superman”.

[Confuzzled]

Heh I don’t think it will be Invincible, but I do think the execs are on board for this because of the success of Invincible.

And I guess Harley Quinn.

Btw the 2000's LoSH show is probably the most underrated comic book show ever.

[The World]

What good have the Post-Crisis writers even been in the long term? They legacy has been more of all the things they took off the table than things they actually put on it. Jesus.

[exile001]

Cool, I'll definitely give it a watch.

I'm not a big Legion fan in the comics but do enjoy them in other media. I really liked the last cartoon.

[Stick Figure]

Bendis got me to read the Legion and I LOVED it! Dude can’t do wrong to me. I’m definitely watching this.

[DochaDocha]

I was hyped until I read it likely will be Jon.

This is the Superman franchise going forward: a character under DC's trademark/control. Feels like modern-day MLB where teams manipulate rookies' service time.