Karate Kid’s ongoing comic & other stuff

[Riv86672]

Remember the old Karate Kid book from the seventies? Loved that book.
Is there any cool behind the scenes story on why it was set in the 20th century?

Or was it more of a “eh, why not” deal?

As to the other stuff,
I know Timberwolf has had a mini series, have any other Legionnaires gotten a chance to go solo?

Speaking of solo, is there any Legionnaire you think could support an actual ongoing (KK’s lasted 15 issues) or deserves a mini series?

[j9ac9k]

I think Cosmic Boy had a mini around the time of "Legends."
Of course there was Mon-El (or M'Onel?) when he was Valor in the present day.

Other possible solos: (mini or ongoing)
-- Dawnstar: a series about her "great tour" of the universe. A spiritual journey, like a walkabout where she explores different cultures while helping people, etc as a way to discover herself. Like a less depressing Hulk tv show.(or maybe like the old "Kung-Fu" show, but that's only based on how it was described in "Pulp Fiction")
-- Ultra Boy: "Sons of Anarchy" meets "State of Grace" in the 31st century dealing with Jo having to take a leave of absence from the Legion to deal with his old gang because his family/old friends need him. Jo trying to walk both worlds, being a hero and maintaining loyalty to his family, while being part of the gang and trying to steer them away from the worse parts of their activities.
-- Chameleon: I'd rather an "Espionage Squad" title, but it could also work as a solo where Cham's just doing spy stuff at the behest of the Legion. Occasionally other members of the ES could pop in to help out, and bring back Dev-Em as a recurring rival/foil/ally who works for the Interstellar Counter-Intelligence Corps.
-- The Immortal WILDFIRE: Play on the fact that he's immortal and his personal journey through the centuries - being the part of several incarnations of the Legion as well as times when he maybe had a life away from the Legion. Flashbacks and flashforwards aplenty providing emotional context for his various adventures.
-- XS: she's basically just the Flash of the 31st century. Not part of the Legion for whatever contrived reason, just being a super-hero in a fun adventure series. Give her a supporting cast and some rogues and bob's your uncle!

[LifeIsILL]

The Science Police had a mini-series for some weird reason.



I've read the Cosmic Boy mini....remember not understanding a thing from it.

[Riv86672]

I think Cosmic Boy had a mini around the time of "Legends."
Of course there was Mon-El (or M'Onel?) when he was Valor in the present day.

Other possible solos: (mini or ongoing)
-- Dawnstar: a series about her "great tour" of the universe. A spiritual journey, like a walkabout where she explores different cultures while helping people, etc as a way to discover herself. Like a less depressing Hulk tv show.(or maybe like the old "Kung-Fu" show, but that's only based on how it was described in "Pulp Fiction")
-- Ultra Boy: "Sons of Anarchy" meets "State of Grace" in the 31st century dealing with Jo having to take a leave of absence from the Legion to deal with his old gang because his family/old friends need him. Jo trying to walk both worlds, being a hero and maintaining loyalty to his family, while being part of the gang and trying to steer them away from the worse parts of their activities.
-- Chameleon: I'd rather an "Espionage Squad" title, but it could also work as a solo where Cham's just doing spy stuff at the behest of the Legion. Occasionally other members of the ES could pop in to help out, and bring back Dev-Em as a recurring rival/foil/ally who works for the Interstellar Counter-Intelligence Corps.
-- The Immortal WILDFIRE: Play on the fact that he's immortal and his personal journey through the centuries - being the part of several incarnations of the Legion as well as times when he maybe had a life away from the Legion. Flashbacks and flashforwards aplenty providing emotional context for his various adventures.
-- XS: she's basically just the Flash of the 31st century. Not part of the Legion for whatever contrived reason, just being a super-hero in a fun adventure series. Give her a supporting cast and some rogues and bob's your uncle!

^^^All these sound good to freaking great. Not even kidding!

The Science Police had a mini-series for some weird reason.



I've read the Cosmic Boy mini....remember not understanding a thing from it.

^^^Did not know that!

After you guys mentioned Cosmic Boy, I totally remember reading it!

It was about that time he met up w. the Justice League Detroit!

[OBrianTallent]

Cosmic Boy had a 4 issue mini, Timber Wolf had his as well. Mon-El took over Action Comics for a while standing in for Superman. There was another character from the retro boot Legion named Inferno (female character who took over for the deceased original) who also had a 4 issue mini series. Plus there was the six issue Legion Worlds that spotlighted six different Legionnaires and their worlds.

[Riv86672]

Cosmic Boy had a 4 issue mini, Timber Wolf had his as well. Mon-El took over Action Comics for a while standing in for Superman. There was another character from the retro boot Legion named Inferno (female character who took over for the deceased original) who also had a 4 issue mini series. Plus there was the six issue Legion Worlds that spotlighted six different Legionnaires and their worlds.

^^^Oh man that’s good stuff!
I’m gonna check out Action Comics and find those Mon-El issues.

Also…Inferno! When I was starting this thread I kept thinking I’d seen covers for a female Sun Boy and figured i was misremembering something else entirely.

[OBrianTallent]

^^^Oh man that’s good stuff!
I’m gonna check out Action Comics and find those Mon-El issues.

Also…Inferno! When I was starting this thread I kept thinking I’d seen covers for a female Sun Boy and figured i was misremembering something else entirely.

Correction, it was Superman 686-699, not Action Comics. Chris Kent took over Action.

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

The Cosmic Boy mini was supposed to serve as the Legion's tie-in to LEGENDS, as well as to set up the yet-to-come storyline about how the new, post-Crisis/MoS origin story for Superman didn't square away with the Legion's "we were inspired by Superboy" origins. Cos, being the Legion's resident "expert" on 20th century history, was on 'vacation' in the past with Night Girl, as Cos had recently resigned from active duty and Polar Boy had disbanded the Substitute Legion in the wake of the Substitute Legion's "Special" by Giffen and Levitz.

[Riv86672]

Correction, it was Superman 686-699, not Action Comics. Chris Kent took over Action.

^^^Ah, thank you man, that def. helps!

[Zero Hunter]

Lar Gand (Mon El) also had the Valor series that lasted almost 2 years. He also was a member of L.E.G.I.O.N for a brief time too.

[Sutekh]

Speaking of solo, is there any Legionnaire you think could support an actual ongoing (KK’s lasted 15 issues) or deserves a mini series?

White Witch could have a 31st century magical House of Mystery style book, dealing with the far-future's supernatural threats of vampires, demons, Chthulhoid horrors, etc.

Shadow Lass could spend some time being all Warlord of Mars, barbarian princess with sword-and-blaster, only on Talok VIII, not Mars.

The Espionage Squad definitely could have their own book. Not a solo book, but a smaller subset of Chameleon Boy, Invisible Jacques, Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Girl and Phantom Girl (with occasional guest-appearances by the 'auxiliary' of Colossal Boy, Ultra Boy and Lightning Lass, showing up to play heavy hitter or create a showy distraction for their spouses). IIRC, it was implied that Infectious Lass had also joined not only the Legion, but the Espionage Squad, in one of their 21st century appearances (several continuities ago, and probably long forgotten), so she could also be a member, as could some new/old blood like Sensor Girl.

Phantom Girl's powers lend themselves to her being propelled on a far-out Quantum Leap/Sliders-style voyage through many dimensions, writing wrongs and escaping dangerous situations as she does so, always searching for that final jump... home.

[Jim Kelly]

For the past few years, I've been re-reading all of the Legion of Super-Heroes in chronological order. I'm now close to where the 13th Archive ends, but for the last some issues I haven't bothered with the Archive and have been reading my original issues along with my issues of KARATE KID. I just find the modern reprints so ugly to look at and especially for the 60 cent run, they don't convey the sense of those comics.

From now on I'll be sticking with what I bought back in the day. After KARATE KID, the next big thing outside of the SUPERBOY & THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES run, is the tabloid--ALL NEW COLLECTORS' EDITION C-55 (1978)--which has the wedding of Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad. Then in 1981 is the three issue SECRETS OF THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES. After the Crisis event comes the four issue LEGIONNAIRES 3 (1986) and then the four issue COSMIC BOY (1986 - 1987). That's followed in 1988 by WHO'S WHO IN THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, several issues of SECRET ORIGINS and the thirteen issue run of the WANDERERS (1988).

[kcekada]

Loved the first issue. Bought the second issue and... didn't love it. Had they kept Val in the future and used Projectra and some other future-based characters as his supporting cast, I'd have been all in. But they wanted to make this more of a traditional karate/judo series (yawn). I'm okay with the Legion visiting contemporary times, but only for short visits.

[Thor-Ul]

Well, outside the Karate Kid series, the Timber Wolf, Cosmic Boy, and Science Police minis, there was the Legends of the Legion which spotlight in the origins of different legionnaires and there was Legionnaires 3, focus on the founders trio.

And not exactly Legion but related to the 30th universe there was the Wanderers series too:
346078-21090-126628-1-the-wanderers.jpg

Speaking of solo, is there any Legionnaire you think could support an actual ongoing (KK’s lasted 15 issues) or deserves a mini series?

If there is a good story, why not. But preferibly, set in the 31st universe. All the previous miniseries always send the Legionnaires to the present day.

[Sutekh]

If there is a good story, why not. But preferably, set in the 31st universe. All the previous miniseries always send the Legionnaires to the present day.

Agreed. So many Legionnaires have their own unique worlds/settings that I'd love to see explored. Bgtzl. Rimbor. Talok VIII. Orando. Sorcerer's World. But even 31st century Earth (outside of future Metropolis) has barely been developed!