Why doesn't Legion sell?

[Desh]

I don't believe the Legion has trouble selling because of the far off future setting. If that was the case, I think books like Saga and Star Wars, which take place in settings that don't resemble our own too much, and that are off by themselves, would have trouble selling, too, and they obviously don't. Legion has been plagued by bad writing, bad decisions, and bad takes on the characters and the universe that the fans weren't too receptive to. The same thing that has happened to the Teen Titans. If it is to be brought back, it would do it well to be brought back with a really compelling look and hook that could hopefully cause buzz among the fans and hopefully get retailers' attention. Otherwise, people may think it would be just another throwaway attempt at those characters. So, a lot of careful planning and thought should be put into them if DC plans to bring back another book with them.

[SmokeMonster]

I don't think the answer is that complicated.

Retcons/convoluted history isn't the main issue imo. Batman has a long history, and I jumped on fine with New 52.

The main issue is simply talent imo. Why wasn't I reading Legion before? Well I've never heard of a great modern Legion run.

Going off Desh's comment, just imagine a new Legion #1 with Fiona Staples on art.

[The Overlord]

People have said the Legion is DC's answer to Star Trek, but is it? Star Trek is about the human condition and how humans can progress socially in the future (at least it is when it is at its deepest) does Legion of Superheroes do that?

Maybe the Legion should focus less on super heroics and more on pure sci fi stories.

[colonyofcells]

I think Legion can compete with Star Wars.

[Lee Stone]

People have said the Legion is DC's answer to Star Trek, but is it? Star Trek is about the human condition and how humans can progress socially in the future (at least it is when it is at its deepest) does Legion of Superheroes do that?

Maybe the Legion should focus less on super heroics and more on pure sci fi stories.

I think the Legion/Star Trek comparisons come from the detailed mythos of the planets and cultures (highly recommend the Who's Who in the Legion series, btw), the United Planets/Federation similarities, Starfleet Academy/Legion Academy, a large galactic canvas with a future Earth as the center of it, the use of Interlac and most of the characters being from those other planets.

As an aside, most sci-fi space-based stories fall into one of two camps: the government is good and the heroes are working as an extension of it (Star Trek, Legion) or the government is bad and the heroes are working against it (Star Wars, Firefly).
This also helps draw comparisons between Star Trek and Legion.

And I agree, I think Legion would work best if they accentuated the sci-fi aspects. DnA's run was more sci-fi than superhero, and it was some good stuff.

[The Overlord]

I think Legion can compete with Star Wars.

Well Star Wars is space opera and science fantasy, while Star Trek is soft Sci Fi, with some pure sci fi episodes in it.

So you can't compare Legion of Superheroes to both of those franchises, because they are very different from each other.

I will say for the Legion to do well, it should use its setting to its advantage, whether its straight sci fi or science fantasy space opera, it should move away from straight super heroics and do something that unique that uses its setting.

To me the setting is the biggest strength this series has, if you just tell the same old super hero stories that are told in other DC titles, you ignore what makes the Legion unique in the first place.

[CaptCleghorn]

People have said the Legion is DC's answer to Star Trek, but is it? Star Trek is about the human condition and how humans can progress socially in the future (at least it is when it is at its deepest) does Legion of Superheroes do that?

Maybe the Legion should focus less on super heroics and more on pure sci fi stories.

Where Star Trek went in most of its TV shows was dealing with other civilizations and respecting other forms and styles of life. (Yeah, Kirk, we see you winking over there, where was I?). One of the Legion's strengths lies in its wealth of worlds and civilizations it has available to play with. I loved characters like Gates and Quislet and the differences they present with the worlds they come from. It's 2016, why can't we get a modern take on Colu, a planet of geniuses designed over half a century ago. A Legion series could focus on exploration alone for two or three years. It's Universe building. Use a team of regulars, keep around a supporting cast, through in Easter Eggs harkening back to current day DC events and such.
I miss this book. I especially miss one done well and far more cutting edge than the last few years were.

[Rig]

I see your Wildfire and Dawnstar, and raise you an Aquaman and a Spider-Man


You mean like the X-Men?


Depends on the version used. The most successful eras of Legion had them at the same ages of New Teen Titans and X-Men.
Yes, no one would like a full team of Kitty Prydes or Danny Chases. Which is what they felt like during the Legionnaires phase.


Honestly, we haven't had hardly any comics about the future that wasn't stuck in the past. Well, except for maybe JL3000/3001.
And DnA's Legion was probably the most forward looking of them all.


In DC?
You do know that Legion had a special 30th Anniversary month in 1988 which featured not only an Anniversary issue and a special Secret Origins issue but also a seven-issue Who's Who series devoted just to them, right?
And that when DC had a license with Mayfair Games to do their RPG, they got not one, but two Sourcebooks and the brand was strong enough at the time to support a multi-part adventure series of books for the game?

It's not the franchise that's lame but how it was treated so that something that popular would slowly waste away.
That's what's lame.

See lee you have this bad habit of putting other characters just because your fav boy/girl/lad/lass characters are lame. Aquaman and Spider-Man are not even comparable to them, Aquaman has this underwater mythology, most of his people call him by his real name instead of Aquaman. Peter Parker is ultimate nerd fantasy that is appealing to nerds, he was guy of short stature and awkward personality then he got powers and kicked everyone's ass. Legion on the other hand is too nerdy that even hardcore nerds would reject it. Everything about then is cringey, from names to costumes. It will never be on same level as Star Wars or Star Trek. All this talk of how much legion was selling back in the day is moot, legion never had staying power, it was period piece bound to fail. Why would DC waste A-list talent on legion when Wildcats authority deserve it more than them? Legion will never be profitable outside of comics no matter what os done with them as long as they keep their cringey names and outfits.

[Doctor Bifrost]

Legion on the other hand is too nerdy that even hardcore nerds would reject it. Everything about then is cringey, from names to costumes.

You know what? Perhaps you should speak for yourself. The Legion has had many successful runs over many years. And it has had many devoted fans, and it has many fans even now. I don't think it will ever be Star Trek or Star Wars - but try to remember, Star Trek also got cancelled several times during its history. There is no reason the Legion can't be the subject of a successful comic again.

[Carabas]

People have said the Legion is DC's answer to Star Trek, but is it?

Nope, because the original Star Trek series came out almost 10 years after te first Legion comics.

[Rig]

You know what? Perhaps you should speak for yourself. The Legion has had many successful runs over many years. And it has had many devoted fans, and it has many fans even now. I don't think it will ever be Star Trek or Star Wars - but try to remember, Star Trek also got cancelled several times during its history. There is no reason the Legion can't be the subject of a successful comic again.

When was the last time legion had successful run? Ofcourse legion has many devoted fans but they aren't big enough of group to support legion. In the times we are living legion can not be successful, goofy is not interchangeable with campy, GotG is goofy legion on the other hand is campy and there is no place for them in current market.

[jeanvaljean]

When was the last time legion had successful run?

Arguably the cartoon show. The first season was successful enough to get a second season, which then was trying to be too adult and dark and mostly flopped.

[andersonh1]

The Legion doesn't sell any more because it's been rebooted and taken too far from its roots, much like the rest of DC... which also doesn't really sell any more. There's only so far they can stray from what was popular before people decide too much has changed, and it isn't the property they became so attached to, and they move on.

[Adset]

When was the last time legion had successful run? Ofcourse legion has many devoted fans but they aren't big enough of group to support legion. In the times we are living legion can not be successful, goofy is not interchangeable with campy, GotG is goofy legion on the other hand is campy and there is no place for them in current market.

this is, of course, nonsense. as faaaaaar back as 2011, dc thought the market could stand two legion books. neither were cancelled because of any camp factor.

[Doctor Bifrost]

legion on the other hand is campy and there is no place for them in current market.

In what sense is the Legion "campy"? I think you're just using that word to mean "something I don't like."