More "Far From Home" screencaps

Scott at Legion Clubhouse has some new screencaps from the "Far From Home" preview. Yes, these are still from the "coming attractions" clip at the end of the "Great Brain Robbery" episode of JLU.

Early screencaps from "Far From Home"

Posted with the permission of Scott over at the Legion Clubhouse, here are the first of what will I'm sure be lots of screencaps from the Legion episode of "Justice League Unlimited", titled "Far From Home".

From the pictures, it's clear that this Legion doesn't have the same costumes as the previously seen version of the Legion from the Superman series. These costumes tend to be closer to the 70s/80s versions, whereas the Superman series had them with their post-reboot 90s costumes (common scheme with black or white down the middle and a color on either side, big Legion "L" belt buckle). Compare these costumes with the ones in my earlier post or at my Animated Legion page.

Not sure which version of Supergirl this is. If it's the traditional Animated Universe version, she is the only survivor from Krypton's sister planet, Argos and her secret identity is Kara Kent. As Superman's "cousin", she has similar powers but wore the white shirt costume we saw in the latter half of Peter David's Supergirl series. This one wears the belly-baring version of the current Supergirl. See my earlier post about the various Supergirls.

Legion's JLU episode next week!

If you live in the UK and get SKY, that is. The message board at ToonZone.net for the UK says this week's episode "The Great Brain Robbery" showed a preview for an episode that features Supergirl and the Legion. Supposedly Canada is getting new episodes too, so we should see bootleg copies on the various file-sharing systems oh, about, 5 minutes after the show ends.

Us USAns will have to wait until March 11. New episodes begin Feb. 11th on Cartoon Network, according to Comics Continuum, and "Far From Home" is 5th in line. It'll be episode 34 (of the new series, episode 87 or 5.9 if you count the old JL series).

Update 1/27/06: One of the ToonZone posts says that the preview for next week shows Blok, Validus, Persuader, and Emerald Empress. (via Legion Clubhouse)

Update 1/30/06: World's Finest has the official list that says there's actually one other episode between this week's and "Far From Home", called "Grudge Match". That makes "Far From Home" episode 36 of the series.

Superboy-Prime figure from DC Direct

A while back (I wish I could find the post), DC announced that it wasn't going to show Superboy-Prime's new costume from Infinite Crisis since the costume itself was a spoiler. Fandom assumed (hoped?) that this Superboy would see himself as an unneeded duplicate in the 21st century, and he'd head off to the 31st century to hang out with the Legion. Voila, we'd have a Superboy with the Legion again, a Superboy unencumbered by 21st century ties - one that doesn't have to grow up to be Superman, with basically no back story that needs retconning. The speculation was that the spoiler would be that his new costume was Legion-based, giving us a big clue into his fate at the end of the series.

Well, we were wrong. Instead of Superboy, we're getting Supergirl.

And Superboy does get a new costume. DC Direct has a picture of the Earth-Prime Superboy. Yes, it is a HUGE spoiler and all I'll say is no, it's not Legion-based. If you don't want to know what happens to Superboy following the events of Infinite Crisis 4, then do not click here. You've been warned.

Animated Legion news 5

Animated Legion news you may or may not have seen since my last post here...

• Paul Dini kinda-sorta replied to my question about the Legion in his JLU episode:
  

  Q. Who is in the Supergirl episode that you wrote besides Supergirl?
  A. I promised I wouldn't say, but as the working title was "Supergirl and the Legion," that should give you a clue.

  
  And in the comments later:
  

  I'm rarely at Warners these days, but I have read a lot of net speculation about what's next and a Legion cartoon (of some sort) seems like a good bet. I've been wrong before though (Harley & Ivy the series).

  
  
• First confirmed voice actor for the upcoming series: Shawn (no last name yet), who as previously noted had auditioned for the role of Timber Wolf (or maybe "Timberwolf"). In one post he discusses his call-back audition (including reading the Legion Pledge) and in another he tells us that he got the part.
  

  let me give you some back story on the character and when this pledge takes place in the episode. she tells me the character has been rescued by the legion from the clutches of evil. he now feels indebted to the legion and is honored to be making this pledge to fight good.

  
  
• Steve Fritz at Newsarama interviewed the JLU producers. Discussing rumors of upcoming shows, Fritz says:
  

  Well, truth be told, those same sources are telling me some interesting things now. The main thing is WB Animation is working on a slew of DC-related shows. Among them are Supergirl & The Legion of Super-Heroes, a new version of Superman (probably the most likely), a Doom Patrol series, and also there has been some talk about either a Brave & Bold or World's Finest spin-off. What's known is there is a Supergirl/Legion episode scripted and apparently running this season of JLU (It was written by Paul Dini, no less).

  
  Note that he says Supergirl and the Legion, while we've heard elsewhere (including from Shawn, who was reading for the part) it's a Superboy and the Legion series. Nobody knows or is willing to say yet how (or if) the JLU episode is related to the rumored LSH series. (via Legion Clubhouse)
  
  
• Harry McCracken was asked by a correspondent about this Legion series. He hadn't heard anything, but this blog updated him with all that's known so far.
  
  
• A post on DC's Legion message board pointed me to Silver Bullet Comic Books' All the Rage discusses the future (or lack thereof) of the JLU series:
  

  Cartoon Network’s official position is that the show’s future is “undecided”, but many suspect that it won’t announce the cancellation until after the final episodes air later this year, if they even decide to announce it at all. Further, it is still heavily rumored that Bruce Timm will be leaving Warner Brothers Animation following the completion of the current season. It’s unclear if Dwayne McDuffie will also be leaving or if he will stay on. Some of the JLU staff members are said to have already been shifted over to the new Legion of Superheroes cartoon. With that in mind, the future of JLU looks pretty bleak at the moment.

  
  A poster on the DC boards thread adds more (apparently it's not new news, but it's news to me):
  

  From what I've heard, Allan Heinberg (Sex in the City, Young Avengers) is the show-runner. I don't know who's doing the model sheets, but I'd love to see them done either by Kieth Giffen, or Barry Kitson. I DO think that the cartoon should have a strong resemblance to the current Legion, for purposes of cross-promotion, and support of the current book. That said, TPTB didn't ask me... as usual!

  
  Heinberg's credits at the IMDB also include stints as writer and/or producer of Party of Five, Gilmore Girls, and The O.C..
  
  
• Finally, last summer (though I just found it tonight), the Absorbascon discussed the rumored series:
  

  I don't think it's general knowledge yet, but the people behind JLU and the Toon Titans are coming out with a Legion of SuperHeroes cartoon, whose animation style will split the difference between the other two series.
  
  'Bout time! The Legion is a natural for younger audiences, and I'm assuming it'll be pitched at the age group between watchers of TT and watchers of JLU. With Krypto, TT, The Batman, LHS, and JLU, the DC toon roster will have something for children of all ages.

  
  Scipio then asked asked "who do you think should be in the Legion series and what do you want it to be like?" Interesting ideas.
  

Animated Legion news 4

Comics Continuum reports that Matt Czuchry is providing the voice of Brainiac 5 in the upcoming Justice League Unlimited episode "Far From Home" with Supergirl and the Legion. That's three scoops in three days so far. (via Legion Clubhouse)

In case you missed it, voice actor Shawn (from my post here yesterday) confirmed that he auditioned for the role of Timber Wolf in the potential Legion series.

Finally, I'm adding a page over on the right hand side here for the latest summary of Animated Legion news.

Animated Legion news part 3

New tidbits about the animated Legion, three from the upcoming Justice League Unlimited episode and one from the standalone series that's in some sort of production (pilot? series? we'll know soon enough!).

• Comics Continuum reports on Jan. 8th that the JLU episode was written by Paul Dini (which we knew), from an outline by Dwayne McDuffie. This is Dini's only episode of the season.
  

  The episode is titled "Far From Home." In the story, Supergirl is kidnapped to the 31st century for what the history books say was her last adventure. The Fatal Five appear, as do more than 20 Legionaires.

  
  
• Comics Continuum then reported on Jan. 9th about the voice of Bouncing Boy in the JLU episode:
  

  Googy Gress is providing the voice of Bouncing Boy in "Far From Home," an upcoming episode of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited that will feature Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes.
  
  Bouncing Boy will have one of the larger roles among the 20 or so Legion members featured in the episode, which was written by Paul Dini.

  
  
• We already knew that Brainiac 5 also appears in the episode (via Legion Clubhouse).
  

In a new development, this blog has found someone who auditioned for a character's voice in the Legion series.

• In a comment in his Jan. 3rd post, Shawn (last name not given) says:
  

  the audition went ok. i wasn't as sharp as i wanted to be. One of the things I auditioned for was an animated WB series Legion of Super Heroes. i think that show is gonna be hot. the show is centered around a teenage Superman (Superboy on the show) and his super power friends.

  
  
• On Monday, Shawn posted that he did well enough to get a callback this coming Wednesday Jan. 11th.
  

  It Looks Like the audition for Legion of Super Heroes was better than I realized. I have a callback this wednesday.
  
  My agent was kind enough to send me a copy of my audition so I can remember what the crap I did. Here's a little snippet:
  
  Haha! I am coming down off my high and I'm realy analyzing what I did. After listening to my auditin again, I can't believe I said "legend" instead of "legion." That's a big faux pas. I'll have to make sure that doesn't happen again.

  
  
• The sound snippet (available only on his Jan. 9th post) is a great voice. He says:
  

  "There are three things you need to know about me. One, I'm not a pet. Two, yes, these claws are real. Three, I hear one single flea joke and I'll refer you back to item number two. Now, if you want to be in the Legend [sic], you gotta get through me. So let's see what you got! Bring it."

  
  The only one I can think of with claws is Gates, who might be considered to resemble a flea I guess. Shawn says he's auditioning for the role of Timber Wolf, who apparently has some sort of Wolverine-like claws.
  

More from Shawn if I get anything.

Paul Dini and the Legion of Super-Heroes

Part 2 of an on-going look at the Animated Legion. Part 1 was posted here a few days ago.

I didn't realize that Paul Dini wrote the upcoming Justice League Unlimited episode featuring Supergirl and the Legion, but in a post on his blog, the King of Breakfast says:

I see that word is leaking out here and there on the net about the new Justice League episode I wrote. It's called "Supergirl and the Legion" and it delivers pretty much what the title promises. Don't look for it any time soon, though. Last I heard (and I may be wrong) new episodes of JLU won't be running until late spring or early summer. Confound Cartoon Network and their oh so capricious air schedule!

I asked him if he could spill anything about who's going to be in it or what they look like. I'll report back if I hear anything.

ToonZone gives a little more information, which parallels (either by design or amazing coincidence) upcoming events in the Legion's book:

Also, Supergirl will appear in an episode penned by Paul Dini, and the Legion of Superheroes will make an appearance in an episode that will feature one Justice League member deciding to leave the League and join the 30th century team (my bet is on Supergirl, as she had a relationship with Brainiac 5 in the Silver Age comics, but don't quote me on that).

Of course, we've been waiting for an animated Legion series for a long time. I found some stuff on Comics2film, dating back to 1999, suggesting that Dini and Alan Burnett (producer) have been trying for a while to get the series to the small screen.

In an episode of Duck Dodgers a couple years ago, the creators pulled from their pile of unused material stuff that was done for a proposed Green Lantern series that never made it. The episode had Duck Dodgers accidentally getting his costume mixed up with Hal Jordan's, with him joining the Green Lantern Corps. One of the GLs looked somewhat Durlan, which (given the episode's appearance of dozens of GLs) would probably have made him Xenofobe, the GL of the 30th Century (to the right in the image below).

...These character designs originated as part of a failed attempt to sell a Green Lantern series to the network. ... It serves as a reminder that for every animated DC Universe series that makes it to the air, there are several that don’t make it past the drawing boards. Thus, the Green Lantern series proposal joins other proposed pilots for Robin, Catwoman, Shazam, Lobo, Impulse, Supergirl, and the Legion of Superheroes in the slush pile of television history.

The Future Is Now

The Teen Titans TPB "The Future Is Now" has been out for a couple weeks and I haven't really seen any reviews of it. This has the last part of the Titans/Legion crossover, the one that ended for the Legion with the First Rebooted Legion floating in Limbo, ending in the current Reboot, while the Titans went to their own future. Scans_daily has a few pages from this TPB.

Dude, Where's My Pants?

Typo Lad's latest:

• "Why is Braniac 5 watching two Legionnaires that are on leave? In their undies?"
  
• "Gim? Dude? You forgot your pants again."
  
• "There are several 40 year old men with a Native American fetish thanks to LoSH."
  

New Legion Heroclix: Collateral Damage

WizKids is coming out with a new line of HeroClix figures next month, in the "Collateral Damage" series. Two new Legion-related figures:

• Shadow Lass (rookie 034), Umbra (experienced 035), Shadow Lass (veteran 036)
  
• Emerald Empress (rookie 061, experienced 062, veteran 063), Emerald Eye of Ekron (unique 209)
  

And in an honorary position, from the Legion of Super-Pets, Krypto (unique 217)

They join other Legionnaires Brainiac 5, Chameleon, Cosmic Boy, Kid Quantum II, Live Wire, Saturn Girl, and Wildfire, plus Shvaughan Erin and Supergirl and honorary Legionnaires Impulse and Superboy (Connor Kent) previously immortalized in plastic as HeroClix figures. Legion villains include Darkseid, Mordru and Persuader. See my Legion Action Figure page for a look at every Legion-related figure, statue, or plush toy.

(spotted via Legion Clubhouse)

Return of the Animated Legion

Well, rumors persist that the Legion is under development at Warner Brothers Animation for a new dedicated show (a la Superman, Batman, Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited, etc.). But according to Comics Continuum (which seems to be the original source for various other blogosphere posts):

The Legion of Super-Heroes will be featured along with Supergirl in an upcoming episode of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited.

In the episode, Supergirl is kidnapped to the 31st century for what the history books say was her last adventure. The Fatal Five appears, as do more than 20 Legionaires.

Among the Legion members in the episode are Brainiac 5 and Bouncing Boy.

The Legion's appearance has nothing to do with the Legion show in development at Warner Bros. Animation.

This Supergirl, by the way, is the only survivor from Krypton's sister planet, Argos and her secret identity is Kara Kent. As Superman's "cousin", she has similar powers but wears the white shirt costume we saw in the latter half of Peter David's Supergirl series. She's not one of the several different Supergirls under speculation as the one that joins the Legion post-Infinite Crisis.

Update 1/3/06: Well crap, Legion Clubhouse is reporting that Cartoon Network says the new JLU episodes won't appear til late spring or summer.

While we're on the subject, here's the brief history of the animated Legion we've seen so far:

• Superman: The Animated Series, episode #43, titled "New Kids in Town", original airdate 10/31/98. In a departure for the series, three members of the "New Legion" travel back in time to visit Clark Kent before he became Superman. The episode guest-starred Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Chameleon Boy, and flash-forward, Saturn Girl showed Clark the Legion in the 30th century: Ultra Boy, Apparition, Dream Girl, Livewire, Light(ning) Lass, Brainiac 5, Triad, Bouncing Boy (!), Kid Quantum I (!), and Andromeda.

  
  
  

• Adventures in the DC Universe #10, cover date 1/1999. We see Brainiac 5, Spark, Gates, Invisible Kid, Apparition, Ultra Boy, Live Wire, Ferro, Cosmic Boy, Star Boy, Saturn Girl, Element Lad, XS, Triad, Chameleon, Andromeda, Inferno, Magno, M'Onel, Kinetix, and Sensor. However, as seen in the splash page below, the costumes are different from the TV episode. It has been suggested that since these costumes matched those seen in the then-current series, this might be an in-continuity story and not one from the "Animated Universe" despite the Animated-style artwork.

  
  
  

• Although not directly featuring the Legion, characters from Daxam appeared in Justice League Adventures issue 3 (3/2002) and from Tharr in issue 12 (12/2002).
  
• Justice League Adventures #28, cover date April 2004 (see CBR article). We see Legionnaires Apparition, Brainiac 5, Kid Quantum, and Andromeda in the fight with Kilg%re and C.O.M.P.U.T.O. The costumes are different from the earlier comics appearance but match those of the TV show, suggesting they are from the same Animated Universe continuity.