Favorite Legion of Super Heroes storyline

[caj]

The fact is, unless one is able to experience the slow burn of it developing monthly and be surprised by the villain reveal, it's not going to be the same. That said, I read it in tpb and knew who the villain was, but I still loved it.

Seriously, I wasn't thinking of Darkseid at all as the story was unfolding. There was no internet or spoilers back then. The reveal was a complete shock.

[CaptCleghorn]

The fact is, unless one is able to experience the slow burn of it developing monthly and be surprised by the villain reveal, it's not going to be the same. That said, I read it in tpb and knew who the villain was, but I still loved it.

Great Darkness seen monthly was in the midst of an incredible run where Legion had developed past its original "Superboy and" status. Now that Darkseid is behind all sorts of stuff, his appearance was a true shock. The appearance of Superboy AND Supergirl made this a story where you knew stuff was going down. Plus, the extra size conclusion was rare in non anniversary issues and put this into X-Men 137 territory.

I think many older fans can provide insight as to the effect of major stories monthly as opposed to bulk in a trade for stuff like Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen.

[Marvell2100]

The Great Darkness Saga
Legion of Super-Villains
5 Years Later

[Marvell2100]

Great Darkness seen monthly was in the midst of an incredible run where Legion had developed past its original "Superboy and" status. Now that Darkseid is behind all sorts of stuff, his appearance was a true shock. The appearance of Superboy AND Supergirl made this a story where you knew stuff was going down. Plus, the extra size conclusion was rare in non anniversary issues and put this into X-Men 137 territory.

I think many older fans can provide insight as to the effect of major stories monthly as opposed to bulk in a trade for stuff like Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen.

Yeah, having such an intriguing storyline and then having to wait a month for the next issue was nerve-wracking.

And then imagine not having an LCS to go to and get the next issue. I remember running all across my hometown hitting the7-Elevens, hoping that they would have the next issue.

That was such trauma for a kid.

[CaptCleghorn]

5 Years Later

I am embarrassed not to have mentioned this. Darker, sure, but it was a story about rediscovering the light. Nothing was spelled out explicitly for you and the series went more mature (as in older, NOT titillating) direction. Style had advanced to more modern techniques making this a very vertigo LSH. Plus after five years, the team was different! Old members gone, new members showing up! No one goes back to a company after five years and sees the same crew. At least not as often as with comic books.

[DrNewGod]

I forget the issue run, but arc that had Universo finally succeed in stealthily conquering the Legion and insinuating himself at the center of UP power, only to have Saturn Girl battle her way free and turn the tables.

[caj]

I forget the issue run, but arc that had Universo finally succeed in stealthily conquering the Legion and insinuating himself at the center of UP power, only to have Saturn Girl battle her way free and turn the tables.

The Universo Project from the Baxter books of the 80s. This was pretty quick after Crisis On Infinite Earths. It was written by Paul Levitz.

[Thirteen]

I forget the issue run, but arc that had Universo finally succeed in stealthily conquering the Legion and insinuating himself at the center of UP power, only to have Saturn Girl battle her way free and turn the tables.

UNIVERSO PROJECT!

[Sutekh]

The fact is, unless one is able to experience the slow burn of it developing monthly and be surprised by the villain reveal, it's not going to be the same. That said, I read it in tpb and knew who the villain was, but I still loved it.

I read and enjoyed it issue by issue back in the day (loved the little Encyclopedia Galactica entries involving stuff like the robbery at the museum and Antonio Steffanuci!), but I just don't really feel the love for it now that Darkseid is pretty much the default Big Bad for the Justice League comic, assorted events, movies, etc. (He was even used in PAD's Young Justice, IIRC!) Plus later Legion writers attempted to re-cycle that '20th century immortal bad-guy surprise' with R'as al-Ghul and that didn't really blow up my skirt.

GDS itself was good, I just feel like the ideas from it (and Darkseid as a character) have been done to death ever since.

[caj]

I'm curious if anyone loved the Shrinking Violet imposter story? The mystery had a great buildup but I was disappointed that Colossal Boy not only forgave Yera so easily but chose to stay married to her.

[CaptCleghorn]

I'm curious if anyone loved the Shrinking Violet imposter story? The mystery had a great buildup but I was disappointed that Colossal Boy not only forgave Yera so easily but chose to stay married to her.

It was brilliant compared to Tom DeFalco's Lyja story in Fantastic Four.

[Cap808]

Sundown was the first LOSH storyline that impacted me. Then it was the Darkness Saga.

[Sutekh]

I'm curious if anyone loved the Shrinking Violet imposter story? The mystery had a great buildup but I was disappointed that Colossal Boy not only forgave Yera so easily but chose to stay married to her.

I thought there was an interesting twist to that. She *was* the person he fell in love with (as opposed to the girl he had a crush on, as a teen, and *thought* she was, for the first half of their relationship). Marriage past the oxycontin 'love hormone' phase, becomes a choice, and is no longer about the warm fuzzy feelings. Gim and Yera managed to tell that sort of story through the 'alien shapeshifter' cheat (as well as that other common story in real-life, not often seen in comics, 'all my friends disapprove of / hate / treat badly my girlfriend!').

It felt, to me, like a 'love is messy' sort of adult (not explicit, just kinda grown-up) take on things, as opposed to a more formulaic traditional 'Legion marriage' story.

That storyline also did great things for Violet, IMO, and she came out of it a much fiestier and more dynamic and fun character.

My only real quibble with Yera, is that she's supposed to be an actress, not quite so experienced at combat, tactical shapeshifting and funky alien monster forms, but she defaults to 'anything Cham can do, she can do' in appearances, and I am 100% opposed to the idea that every member of every race has the exact same power and experience level as every Legionnaire.

Imra, with her 'broadcast halfway around the planet' range, should be the gaw dam queen, and 95% percent of Titanians, IMO, shouldn't be able to telepathy significantly farther than I can shout. Ditto, Rokk might be able to drag a small scout ship out of the sky with his magnetokinesis, but most Braalians shouldn't, IMO, be lifting much more with their powers than they can with their muscles. Legionnaires should be special, and their powers either starting out exceptional among their people, or having been developed and refined over their years of training and use.

And, obviously Jan is a way better transmuter than any other Tromnite, because, haha, they're all dead! :>

[caj]

I never thought Levitz did a good enough job explaining how neither Imra or Nura didn't pick up that Violet wasn't Violet. Actress or not, Yera should not have been able to get past either one of them, especially for months.

[jamgut]

Let's join Mr. Peabody and Sherman in the WABAC machine and venture to the summer of 1967. As a kid I thought these two issues of Adventure Comics were terrific and even after all the decades, I still fondly recall reading #359 on a stormy summer day.

Adventure #359 - “The Outlawed Legionnaires”

Adventure #360 - “The Legion Chain Gang”

An epic two-parter from Shooter and Swan, all of the Legion appeared as well as Universo, Rond Vidar and R.J. Brande. Teen curfew and clashes with adults (it was written in the late 1960’s after all) and an anti-Legion section added to the interplanetary code. First appearances of the Espionage Squad and Takron-Galtos. Icing on the cake was my favorite Legionnaire, Ultra Boy, getting cover billing on #360 along with Superboy and Mon-El!