News and stuff

Back from a long week of work and vacation, but the rest of the world keeps on going. Here's a look at some new stuff you may or may not have already seen:

Today's Comics Continuum has the full image of what we saw cropped on the SupermanHomePage last week - the core group of the animated Legion, this one featuring Bouncing Boy in all his rotundity.
Click the picture to enlarge.



They have some words from series producer James Tucker and a hint about the villains:

"Artistically, the style of the show falls somewhere between Superman: The animated series and Clone Wars," Tucker told The Continuum. "It's definitely not anime-based at all."

Asked about villains on the series, Tucker said, "It's safe to say that the Fatal Five will be showing up several times, as well as a few other well known Legion foes."

Of course, since we already knew that the Emerald Empress' role has been cast, that makes the rest of the Fatal Five no-brainers to appear.

"A few other well known Legion foes" - some of the obvious ones are Universo, the Time Trapper, Mordru, and Lightning Lord (if not the entire Legion of Super-Villains). But how many can they fit into one 13-episode season? Can we live without seeing an animated Charma and Grimbor, or Dr. Regulus, or Glorith? What if they show us Dr. Mayavale, Worldsmith, or the Space Circus of Death?

The latest volume of the JLA/JSA crossover collections, Crisis on Multiple Earths volume 4, is out this week. It reprints the story from JLA 147-148 featuring the three teams against Mordru and the Demons Three. I remember buying those issues. Not only was it too cool for the JLA and JSA to team up (this was my third teamup, the first being the one with Cary Bates and Elliot S! Maggin on Earth-Prime, and the second being the one with the Marvel Family on Earth-S - and all three of these storylines are in this one volume!) but my most favoritest team in the world was in it too.

Meanwhile, hitting the stores in October will be the third reprint volume of the current Legion series.

SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES TP
Writers: Mark Waid and Stuart Moore
Artists: Barry Kitson, Mick Gray, Adam DeKraker, Pat Olliffe and Ken Lashley
Collects LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14-15 and SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #16-19
$14.99, 144 pages

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Animated stuff:

If you missed the JLU episode "Far From Home" and want to watch it over the web, someone on the Grouper site posted the whole thing (in the 4x3 ratio screen, not the widescreen 16x9 ratio). One review I missed, from Miss Scribbler, who says "I have to say that though I did enjoy this episode, I really didn't love it like I hoped I would" and gives it 2.5 out of 4 stars.

Miss Scribbler also weighs in on the upcoming series. She's not a fan of the animation style:

Who the hell is the art director for this series, Rob Liefeld? I know that Paul Dini is not involved with this show, so the possible Legion spin-off he set up in Justice League Unlimited isn't going to be followed, but that's no excuse for the piss-poor anatomy lesson that this show is going to be. Yes, I do realize it's a cartoon, but JLU, Batman: TAS, and Superman: TAS all had characters drawn in a more realistic art style. I will save my final judgment until I actually see an episode, but my expectations couldn't be any lower.

Jason the Loonyboi isn't pleased either:

Good lord, I hope this is fake. ... It is, to put it mildly, hideous.

The Urban Bohemian is torn. Of the show, he says:

Which I’ll watch but I fear will totally whitewash the history we’re used to (ok, I know there have been many, but I doubt this will resemble any of them) and turn the Legion into a “buncha fresh teens with ‘tude!”

Rokk Krinn of Rokk's Comic Book Revolution is naturally disappointed that his namesake isn't a regular. He sounds cautiously optimistic:

At any rate, I think the art looks fine. I like how all the characters look with the exception of Brainiac 5. He looks like Chibi Brainiac 5. I’m not really feeling that look for him. I have high hopes for this cartoon. It is too bad that the core team is so small.

Finally, to end this on a positive note, Talkin2jah can't wait:

This new animated series looks like it's going to bring some life and hope and wonderment to the series. When was the last time we got to see Superman fly as if he was saying "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"?

Superboy, Saturn Girl (left), Braniac 5 (blonde short green kid), some chick in black and white (far left), Lightning Lad (right) and Timberwolf. If you really needed me to point out which one was Lightning Lad and which one was Timberwolf....may I suggest a Saturday morning in front of the TV with a box of Cap'n Crunch. You've been doing a little growing up there, Sparky.

Superheroes get names like DEATHLOCK and CARNAGE and BEAST. How long has it been since we've seen a "saturn girl" and a "lightning lad".

These heroes do not scowl or look morose. They look like they are full of hope and joy.