Bits of Legionnaire Business

Stuff.

Michael Deeley's Top 10 Most Wanted Trade Paperbacks include the Abnett/Lanning stories.

LSH v6 #4 reviews from Too Dangerous for a Girl, Major Spoilers, Dave van Domelen, The Miracle Machine, IGN, ComicVine, CBR, and A Comic Book Blog.

Superman/Batman #75 reviews from Stars and Garters, Every Day Is Like Wednesday, and IGN.

CBR's Comics Legends Revealed tells the story behind the creation of Shadow Lass.

The Major Spoilers "TwitterPitch" contest has two weeks remaining.

Comic Book The Blog explains the Subs for those who may have read the the recent Brave & Bold story where they meet the Inferior Five and not known who the Subs were.

Giant-Size Geek displays some of the Alan Davis covers from the 1990s without their logos, and presents the Neal Adams print from the 1976 DC Calendar and where else it appeared.

Eat Feats, the blog for competitive eating, finally noticed Tenzil Kem and Taryn Loy.

As part of its 75th anniversary, DC is putting out a CD with various TV and movie theme songs from the 1940s to today. Unfortunately, the Legion cartoon's theme is not one of them.

A Dispensable List of Comic Book Lists has the "Five Years Later" v4 Legion on a list of "11 Attempts to Reboot, Revamp or Re-Energize a Comic-Book Superhero Franchise That Could Have Gone a Little Bit Better".

Previously, in the Future looks at some teaser pages from the Booster Gold series to see which ones actually happened (like in the JSA book when we saw Dawnstar's arm). Some of them with Booster and Brainiac 5 were promised but never happened.

Weird Worm thinks that Pete Ross wasn't such a great super-hero sidekick (or an honorary Legionnaire).

Did you know that the Legion made an appearance in Tiny Titans #31?

Brave & Bold: The Lost Issues presents a cover for what a Batman/Super-Pets team-up might have looked like.

Action Figure Insider has the August Q&A with the Matty Collector people. Question #2 is about the upcoming Legion 12-pack statue poses.

Bits of Legionnaire Business

So I picked a bad time to take a small break, huh? Three new Legion books (LSH v6 #1, Brave and Bold v3 #34, Adventure Comics v3 #12) in three weeks. Hot damn!

For those of you who were wondering, the Legion roster in Adventure Comics #12 places the story chronologically right after Superboy joined and before Ultra Boy. Supergirl (in original continuity) had just been inducted along with Brainiac 5 prior to Superboy's joining. The Outhousers point out some continuity errors (which are now called "chronicler's errors" by Levitz): Saturn Girl shouldn't be described as an orphan, and flight rings weren't used until Adventure 325. Also, Imra's not married to Garth at this point (her caption says "Ardeen-Ranzz"), and RJ Brande shouldn't be said to be from Durla, which was not known at this point in Legion history.

Also out this past week: X-Men Forever Giant Size #1. Huh? It's got Mike Grell, in a rare Marvel book, drawing the Dave Cockrum-era Imperial Guard.

• First up: news from Heroes Con in Charlotte this weekend:

Via Newsarama:

Is there a chance for a Legion ring promotion? Yes, we may get a Legion flight ring in the near future.

Are there any plans for more back up co-features? Yes, Two-Face will start in Streets of Gotham and The Atom in Adventure Comics.

Also they are trying to just keep it to one Legion book for right now.
Why couldn't we keep anything from World of New Krypton? Sattler replied that Mon-El was always going back. Nightwing and Flamebird on the other hand, we might have not have seen the last of. "Just because they're off camera doesn't mean they're gone."

Not sure what the "just one Legion book" thing is about, Levitz is writing two (or rather, one and a half, the Legion book and the lead in Adventure).

• Reviews of Adventure Comics v3 #12 from Legion Abstract, Arisverse, Comics Bulletin, Comixtreme, the Outhousers, IGN, ComicVine
• Reviews of Brave and Bold #34 from True Believer Reviews, Paradox, Mania
• Reviews of LSH v6 #1 from the Q Review, Diamond Galleries Scoop, Hero Press, Giggaheim, IGN, Broken Frontier, Fist Full of Comics, Comic Book Revolution, Comic Related

• LSH v6 #1 has sold out and will be reprinted with a new cover.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1, the debut issue of the new ongoing series from writer Paul Levitz and artist Yildaray Cinar, has sold out at DC comics and will return in a new, second printing. LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1 Second Printing (APR108152) features a sketch version of the variant cover by Jim Lee. This issue is scheduled to arrive in stores on June 23 and has a Final Order Cutoff date of June 3.

More info here.

• Blog Into Mystery reviews Tales of the LSH Annual 5, the last part of the Darkness curse. 
• The Legion of Substitute Podcasters #86 interviews Paul Levitz and they talk about LSH v6 #1. 
• Superman Fan Podcast #128 reviews the whole World of New Krypton story arc.
• Secret Identity Podcast #239 covers LSH #1, among other issues.
• Legion Showcase volume 4 comes out in September:

In this volume, the Legion battles Mordru the Merciless and The Fatal Five and meets The Tornado Twins. Collecting ADVENTURE COMICS #369-380, ACTION COMICS #378-387, 389-392 and SUPERBOY #172, 173, 176, 183, 184, 188, 190 and 191.

• Multiversity Comics has the reading order for the various Superman story arcs of the last few years.
• Paul Levitz is interviewed on video at Midtown Comics in NYC.
• Gene Gonzales draws Ferro Lad.
• Doug Wolk gives a selective publishing history of the Legion.

More bits coming soon.

More Bits of Legionnaire Business

More stuff...

• The Super-Hero Costuming Forum is a message board dedicated to fan costumes. They've got a sub-board for the Legion and Legion-related convention costumes. If you've ever seen Leman Yuen's costumes at a convention, they are tremendously impressive.
• Speaking of flight rings, BrainiacFive in the Replica Prop Forum shows off a number of Legion flight rings, some official and some not.
• Again With the Comics remembers when Tenzil Kem went to Hell, and the Legend of Hate Face.
• Did you get the variant cover of Adventure Comics #8?
• The Gay League remembers the Fantastic Spy in Adventure 303.
• Steve Downer starts a new 26-part series, an alphabet series starring the Legion. First up: A is for Arm-Fall-Off Boy.
• Cosmic Teams has the most insane Legion history/timeline ever, featuring all Legions. The up-to-date site has recently moved to its own domain - cosmicteams.com.
• Over at scans_daily, someone posted a couple of sketches by Steve Lightle from 2001 from when he was working on a treatment for a proposed Legion animated series. I remember these from when Steve posted them to one of the Legion picture mailing lists years ago.
• Some reviews of Adventure Comics #8, in no particular order: IGN, Tim Callahan at CBR, annotations by Don Sakers at Get-A-Life Boy's Blog, Four Color Comics, Martin Gray at Too Dangerous for a Girl, Jim at Comics And..., Mondo Comics, Supergirl Comic Box Commentary, Comics Bulletin, and Bottle City of Kanga.
• Fanboy Wife snarks on Dawnstar and Adventure Comics #4. Good thing that Fanboy Husband likes the Legion - and has a wife who supports his habit.
• Newsarama and DC's The Source have previews of Last Stand of New Krypton #1.
• The Miracle Machine remembers Adventure Comics #308, which gets a 5 on the Legion jerk scale.
• Diversions of the Groovy Kind look back at the Mike Grell covers and discovers a lot of giants.
• The Legion Abstract remembers Firefist and Blood Claw, the v4 Khund Legionnaires.

I think I'm about caught up now.

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Got way behind on these links, so here's a shot at catching up. Sorry if some of these are old.

• The first of several new additions to my Legion blogroll over there on the left: The Miracle Machine, which is (as stated at the top): "Mostly bitching about comics with an emphasis on The Legion of Super-Heroes". Super-dickery from the Legion.
• The Comics Bronze Age spent a week looking at the Legion in 1973-74, including Superboy 197, 198, 199, 200, and 201.
• Bryan at Laid-Back Comics has a video about the Top 8 Legion Rejects. Interestingly, the author says that he never got into the Legion until the Superman & The Legion story.
• Fanboy Wife has some commentary on Legion Archives vol 1, the Legion of Super-Pets, the LSV, Bouncing Boy, Supergirl the matchmaker, Superboy Planet, and a look at Superboy's X-Ray Vision that is astoundingly accurate.
• Legion Abstract brings us histories of the White Witch, Timber Wolf, Tyroc, and Lightning Lass.
• Get-a-Life Boy brings us the Legion in comics each week. Additionally, Don reviewed "Legion of 3 Worlds" for the April 2010 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact, the oldest and most successful science fiction magazine.
•  Did you see the pencilled and inked version of page 1 of issue 1 of the new Legion book?
• Tom Bierbaum, co-writer of the TMK v4-era Legion, recalls writing issues 19 and 29 in "It's OK, I'm a Senator!". Those are just the newest entries, he's got lots more in there.
• The Legion of Substitute Podcasters continue their weekly podcast (what else did you expect?). Recently they've covered Adventure 358 (the Most Dangerous Game), LSH v2 283 (spotlight on Wildfire), LSH v2 284 (Levitz returns), and LSH v2 285 (Nullport). 
• The Last of the Famous International Fanboys would like to see the Legion in the next Superman movie.
• Bronze Age Babies look back at Superboy 197.

More coming soon.

Bits of Legionnaire Business

I've got a backlog of stuff to go through for this episode of Bits but here are a few recent items:

• In an article about how certain comics characters are created, former editor KC Carlson recounts the creation of Fortress Lad when he ran into Mark Waid one day.
  
  

  So as a joke (and because I knew that Mark had a hammer in his desk drawer and might use it on himself), I suggested that the origin of the LSH Clubhouse was that it originally came from a planet were all the buildings were living creatures. I said this for the following reasons: 1) Virtually all the origins of the individual Legionnaires were that they came from a planet where everybody had the same super-power (the lamest origin in comics, repeated ad-nauseum), 2) It was in my contract at DC to say as many stupid things as possible, and I was way behind my quota that week, 3) I thought that this might actually make Mark’s head explode and then I would be the new Legion editor! Bwah-ha-ha!, and 4) I never expected Mark to take me seriously.
  

  
  
• Supergirl Comic Box Commentary begins a series looking at how Supergirl was used during the writing reign of Paul Levitz (LSH v2 #300, #301 so far)
• Comic Creators United goes to the longbox and pulls out LSH v2 #308 to review. Unfortunately that was the first part of the Omen/Prophet story. Ouch.
• This Europe-only version of Cartoon Network still has some animated Legion promo videos (which apparently can't be watched in the US), even though the Legion isn't listed as one of the currently-airing shows.
• Diversions of the Groovy Kind had Kung Fu week. Among the spotlighted martial artists were Karate Kid. Here's issue 1 posted, if you've never read it before.
• Chuck's Comic of the Day to review was LSH v2 #290, part 1 of the Great Darkness Saga.

Even more Bits of Legionnaire Business

I think this finishes my getting caught up.

• Mike the Bold offers some advice on where to start reading the Legion, the top 5 technical trappings of the Legion (in a post where he mistakes early November as the Klordny season, instead of mid-August), a spotlight on Tenzil Kem, the top 7 smooch-buddies in the Legion, and the top 5 Legion deaths.
  
  
• The Fanboy Wife doesn't like the Legion or their skanky costumes. She's not up on Lightning Lad, has words about the Subs, and thinks Saturn Girl is a skank.
  
  
• MightyGodKing thinks Quislet is 92% Awesome and offers 20 reasons why.
  
  
• Kandou Erik discusses who the Legionnaires are in the 21st century in the current Superman arc. Hey, another one appears this week!
  
  
• Writer J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Ninja Assassin) wants to write a "Brave & Bold" story featuring the Legion and the Doom Patrol.
  
  
• Captain Toy reviews the DC Universe Classics Series 10 action figures, which include Imperiex as the "Build-a-Figure", meaning you have to buy the individual figures (Power Girl, Forager, Man-Bat, Robotman, and Beast Boy) to get the five parts of the large figure. Imperiex was the villain in the second season of the animated Legion show, but this version is from the regular DC Universe, from the "Our Worlds at War" story. I don't consider this to be a Legion villain figure, but your mileage may vary.
  
  
• Legion Abstract, Get-a-Life Boy, Major Spoilers, and Comic Per Day review Adventure Comics #4.
  
  
• Toon Zone notes in their review of the "Complete Superman: The Animated Series" DVD that "the booklet that lists the episodes sports images from The Legion of Superheroes" (animated series). Anyone got a copy to scan?
  
  
• Collected Editions reviews the Legion of 3 Worlds hardcover, which apparently includes not only all of the regular and variant covers, but "unused" covers as well. The only one I know of is the one that's on the cover of this HC (zoomed in), which shows Superman with all three Legions. I think that was a promo that early on was supposed to be a cover. Anyone got this that can explain?
  
  
• TradeKey has a great look back at some awesomely bad Legion costumes. I may revisit this one next time Fashion Week rolls around.
  
  
• Comic Reviews by Walt echoes what many have been saying. With the recent success of the Green Lantern emotional spectrum rings, why not issue a Legion flight ring?
  
  
• The Legion 4-pack of action figures from the Justice League line are on sale for 15-25% off (depending on how many items you order) from mattycollector.com through Dec. 7th.
  

More Bits of Legionnaire Business

More catching up...

• From the 10/26 version of 10 Questions with Dan DiDio:
  

  5) Mbecks114 wrote:
  Dan
  
  You've stated that Superboy will be more involved in the current Superman main story line soon. But when the Legion takes over Adventure Comics where will we be able to follow his adventures in Smallville?
  
  DiDio: There's one very logical place that Superboy will be appearing on a consistent basis. And then from there, as the Superman storyline heats up during the course of the year, you'll start to see him popping up in more and more of the Superman titles.
  
  Nrama: Well, I suspect you kind of answered the next part of his question, but Mbeck continues...
  Will he rejoin the Titans or at least be reunited with Tim, Bart, and Cassie?
  
  DiDio: See Answer 1.
  
  7) KentClark wrote:
  Any news yet about who will be doing Adventure Comics after Geoff Johns and before Levitz? And who is doing art for Levitz?
  
  DiDio: We haven't announced the artist, but as for who will be handling Adventure Comics between when Geoff leaves and Paul joins, it's actually going to be handled by a few people involved in the Superman writing team, because those stories will tie directly into the events in Superman and Action Comics.
  
  Nrama: Did you say "few" people? Or "two" people?
  
  DiDio: It'll be handled by the writers who are currently involved in the Superman, Action and Supergirl storylines.
  
  Nrama: So that means Greg Rucka, Sterling Gates and James Robinson, right?
  
  DiDio: Sort of. Mostly. You'll hear about it soon.
  
  But I can tell you something about what Paul's doing. Paul will actually be working on three annuals for DC Comics in the beginning of next year. The first one up will be a Superman/Batman Annual that Paul is writing, which we're very excited about because it features very interesting characters from beyond, so to speak.
  
  Paul is also going to be writing an Adventure Comics Annual which will be setting up much of his storyline in Adventure Comics. So really, his run kicks off with the Adventure Comics Annual first, then it goes into Adventure Comics itself. And as we realized by chatting, I believe this is the first Adventure Comics Annual ever, which I believe is also very exciting that Paul gets to do that.
  
  The third one, I don't want to announce just yet, because we're a little too far out.
  
  Nrama: Is this Superman/Batman Annual at all connected to the changes we're going to see to the Superman/Batman title?
  
  DiDio: It's just a stand-alone Superman/Batman Annual, although it's oversized. Did I mention the word beyond?
  
  Nrama: Oh jeez. I can't believe I didn't pick up on that the first time. So we're talking about Batman Beyond appearing in this annual?
  
  DiDio: Exactly. That's the story that Paul is writing.
  
  Nrama: Will it tie into the Batman Beyond mini-series that's coming in 2010?
  
  DiDio: No, it's just a stand-alone story dealing with Batman and Superman and Batman Beyond.

  
  
• Chris at the Invincible Super-Blog was asked to sign a copy of Teenagers From the Future.
  
  
• It's Nerdsville and Newsarama's Legion Blogpost review the "Legion of 3 Worlds" hardcover.
  
  
• CBR's Comics Should Be Good is looking at a Year of Cool Moments. This particular one is from the conclusion of the Quiet Darkness storyline in v4.
  
  
• The Trusty Plinko Stick found some convention/commission sketches of the Legion by the late Mike Wieringo (co-creator of Impulse).
  
  
• Major Spoilers has a Hero History of Gazelle (and check out their many other Legionnaire histories too!).
  

Finishing up soon....

Bits of Legionnaire Business

More bits...

Some reviews of Adventure Comics #2:

• Matthew at Legion Abstract "reviews" the issue, but the discussion in the comments section is more interesting.
  
  
• Pulptone:
  "Characters I only know on surface value but everything you need to know about the story is right there. The comic reads just like it’s name. Adventure."
  
  
• Comix101
  "Although this is my first introduction to the Legion I like what Geoff is doing here so far and look forward to the rest of the story... Absolutely recommend this book. Even if you’re not familiar with the characters like I am with the Legion, you will not be disappointed."
  
  
• Paradox Comics
  "I’ve never been that fussed with the Legion of Superheroes but while I’m a way off from considering myself a fan, the second instalment of the backup was a lot more involving than the first, and I’m quite intrigued by the direction Johns is taking the story."
  
  
• Newsarama's Best Shots
  "While I wasn't a fan of last month's debut, seeing the Legion in their natural habitat really was great this time around."
  
  
• Rokk's Comic Book Revolution
  "And what hurts the pace Johns has decided to take with this series is that we already know that he is going to be leaving this book after issue #6 to work on the new Flash ongoing series, and taking Francis Manapul with him. This kills any sort of momentum that this series might have had as Johns has clearly written these first two issues as start up points for an even larger story he was waiting to tell. But because his run on this title ends with issue #6 any long-term plans he had for this series is thrown out the window as with a new creative team there will most likely be a new direction for this series.
  
  Also I am not too sure about the choice of Paul Levitz, former President of DC Comics, being helmed to take over writing duties. I am not familiar with Levitz's work but it feels like a strange choice for a series about a teenage superhero. And I am not taking his age into account but it is more that it has been a long time since he has written anything of note that he will probably be very rusty. Coming on to write a book like Adventure Comics seems like an odd choice for him to begin writing on an ongoing basis again.
  

Superhero Times reviews the new DC Direct Booster Gold figure, whose sculpt includes a Legion flight ring on his right hand.

Don "Get-a-Life Boy" Sakers thinks he's come up with a fairly ingenious way to fix the Legion timeline.

The Problems:

1. The Legion is 50+ years old, but its members are in early adulthood (20s - 30s).

2. The Legion interacts with the "present day" DC Universe on a fixed 1,000-year interval.

3. Reconciling these two conditions results in a Legion chronology that is ever-changing and ever-shrinking to match the current DC Universe.

4. Everybody keeps messing with the Legion, and there is no agreement on fundamental principles.

5. By the nature of the problems, most solutions are only temporary. Ideally, any solution should still stand when the Legion celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2058.

Subzero at Tales from the Kryptonian thinks he's figured out why sometimes in the early stories the Legion was referred to as being from the 21st century instead of the 30th. Hint: it involves Cosmic King of the Legion of Super-Villains.

Legion Abstract looks back at the Omen/Prophet storyline. Bonus points for the title of this entry: "Step 1: Omen. Step 2: ??? Step 3: Prophet!"

Anyway, that's “Omen and the Prophet” for you. Not a great story, not as bad as its reputation, some obvious flaws, some points of interest. Give it another look.

Bits of Legionnaire Business

It's too late for in-depth links to Legion of 3 Worlds or Adventure Comics #1, but here are some items I didn't get around to posting on my last Bits column that aren't too outdated already. It's a long one, chock full of good stuff all the way down to the bottom. Now I'm caught up through this weekend.

• Those of you on Facebook might be interested in groups for the Interlac language, LegionWorld.net, and the old Legion apa's (like the Outpost, Interlac, etc.).
  
  
• The Fortress of Baileytude has a series of podcasts covering Superman's history from Crisis (on Infinite Earths) to Crisis (the Final kind). Episode 10 covers August 1987, when the 4-issue storyline on Superman, Superboy, and the Pocket Universe appeared.
  
  
• Again with the Comics looks at Tenzil for the Defense.
  
  
• Remember how at the end of LSH v3 #5, five Legionnaires left through a stargate to make it back home (as seen in the recently reprinted "An Eye for an Eye" TPB)? Well, they had a detour in the 20th century with Superman and Brainiac, first.
  
  
• TroopNY shows off his custom-made reboot Cosmic Boy costume at the League of Heroes site.
  
  
• Newsarama interviews Tony Bedard on what's coming up in R.E.B.E.L.S.
  
  
• Did you know that the M'rissey character that showed up in Jim Shooter's recent run on the Legion was based on long-time fan Rich Morrissey? Rich helped create Legion fandom in the early 1970s and was one of the great comics historians. Here's a little bit of the character on scans_daily and the obituary that Mark Evanier wrote in 2001.
  
  
• Chris Mosby reveals why LSH v3 #312 is the most pivotal Legion issue EVER.
  
  
• The Legion Abstract's Matthew was a guest of the Legion of Substitute Podcasters following the end of Legion of 3 Worlds. Worlds will live, worlds will die in this crossover!
  
  
• Major Spoilers has an in-depth Hero History of the Legion of Super-Pets.
  
  
• It's too late to go into detail about the Adventure Comics #1 reviews, but here are links to them anyway. Legion Abstract, Read/Rant, CBR, Shotgun Reviews, IGN, ComiXtreme, Get-a-Life Boy, Comic Book Legacy, Newsarama's Legion Blogpost, Comix411, Examiner, Keith's Comics Revue, Comics And..., and Comic Nexus.
  
  
• The Origins and Powers of the Legionnaires, as posted by Diversions of the Groovy Kind. These are pages from the All-New Collector's Edition book that had the wedding of Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, these pages with art by Jim Sherman and Jack Abel.
  
  
• Info on costume designs by Mike Grell and Dave Cockrum, from an issue of Back Issue magazine.
  
  
• If you're into Mighty Muggs, how about this custom Wildfire on ebay?
  
  
  
• Whatever happened to those goats that L3 Brainiac 5 had in the HQ?
  
  
• The Major Spoilers poll and podcast: the Legion vs the X-Men
  
  
• Mattel, on what their next plans are for Legion action figures: "We do have some great plans for the Legion of Superheroes, but when and how they will be released has yet to be announced!"
  
  
• Oh Noes! Clark needs to get to the 30th century right away, but he's cuddling with Lana. How will he get away?
  
  
• Ah, Laurel Kent. Post-Modern Barney calls Superboy sick and wrong for hitting on his multi-great granddaughter, while Armagideon Time lists her in one of his "Nobody's Favorite" histories.
  
  
• Gratuitous Legion references of the day: from the Sacramento Bee, talking about the University of Florida's "inevitable" march to the national championship game. "The Gators fit the bill. They've got the smarty-pants football coach. They've got the pretty-boy quarterback who works on making the world a better place in his spare time. They've got more speed than the Legion of Super-Heroes."
  
  Second, from the Wall Street Journal, on Disney's acquisition of Marvel: "Disney agreed Monday to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc., adding a legion of superheroes to a durable family of children's favorites."
  
  
• Wil Wheaton talks a bit about his role as Cosmic Boy on the Legion TV series in an interview about his role on a recent episode of "Leverage".
  
  
• It's time to play "Crazy Celebrity Baby Name or Member of the Legion!"
  
  
• Here's a fabulously retro look at the Legionnaires on the cover of Adventure 247, by ~Quimbus on deviantART.
  
  
• The Legion cartoon airs at 10:30am Sundays in Brisbane. In case you were wondering.
  
  
• Blake's 2-in-1 Podcast looks at Mon-El - who is he, and what's his story?
  
  
• Finally, my Google Alert subscription notifies me of these things from time to time, where somebody uses the phrase "Legion of Super-Heroes" but not actually referring to our team. This one is kind of cute, from the Willard Central Elementary School in Springfield, MO. The super-hero theme this year at the school "will focus on developing HEROES – Honorable, Empowered, Responsible, Organized, Exceptional Students." That's so cool! I hope DC/Warners doesn't bust them for trademark infringement or something.
  

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Woww, it's been slow with no new Legion book. Hurry up, Adventure Comics!

• Writer James Gunn asked on his Facebook page and on Twitter, "Which Super-Hero would you want to sleep with?" Yes, we are all still 14. No Legionnaires made the list (except for Supergirl), but L2 Violet and Triplicate Girl made the comments. Mildly NSFW for language and pictures of scantily clad super-heroines that you can see in comics anyway.
  
  
• Matthew at the Legion Abstract gives odds on what the fate of Superboy-Prime will be at the end of "Legion of 3 Worlds".
  
  
• Travis aka Tpull starts a series at FilmFodder on "Deconstructing/Reconstructing the Legion".
  
  
• I'm way behind in all my books, but apparently there's something cooking with Booster Gold and the Legion. From a May 23rd interview with Dan Jurgens at Newsarama:
  

  BLOG@: The message boards over at Newsarama were already buzzing when they saw your preview pages—Proty and Ivo? Will the Legion of Super-Pets be somehow involved with the much-ballyhooed story of Brainiac 5 coming after Booster’s ring?
  
  DJ: Could be! There is a definite plan for the Legion story, what we will deal with, etc. We’re simply waiting for the right time to plug it in.

  
  The latest Gold Exchange update from Newsarama:
  

  BLOG@: ...Well, inside the lab we have a solitary blackboard note this month. Superman 2965? Is that going to tie into the upcoming story with the Legion of Super-Heroes?
  
  DJ: Possibly!

  
  
• The newest version of Daily Scans has this sequence from the SW6 tryout featuring Cera Kesh, Plaid Lad, and the Emerald Empress.
  
  Then there's this recap of the Great Darkness Saga. For those who read it as it came out monthly, without the internet to spoil things, it was amazing. All you knew of what was going to happen came from the "next issue" blurb on the letters page or the last page of the story. Nobody knew who the villain was; Darkseid hadn't been seen for years. Best Story Ever.
  
  Next, some pages from the storyline including L3 Lightning Lad and Starman, stuff that didn't make it into either the Lightning Saga or the Superman & The Legion reprint books.
  
  Some pages from LSH v2 #259, where Superboy leaves the Legion for good (not counting the time he left because for tax purposes they could only have 25 members).
  
  Lastly, "one perfect moment" where Saturn Girl totally pwns Universo, at the end of the Universo Project storyline.
  
  
• The Gay League reviews the history of Lightning Lass with Violet, and Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin.
  
  
• Until we get the Season 2 DVD, here's a link to a torrent file to download the entire season 1 and 2 episodes of the Legion animated show.
  
  
• DCAUYojimbo put together the Legion series entry for the DCAU Resource, with info on everyone, everything, and everywhere that appeared in the Legion animated show.
  
  
• Brendan McCarthy posted about a rejected pitch he had for DC, which would have starred Jimmy Olsen and Saturn Girl as immune to a "terrible reverse-Bizarro plague", called Delinquent Jimmy Olsen.
  
  
• Finally, via MTV's Splash Page, actor Danny McBride ("Land of the Lost", "Tropic Thunder") wants to make a movie that adapts the Ait/Planet Lar comic book “Hench,” about the sad life of a supervillain’s henchman.
  

  Asked whether Warner Brothers’ association with the film would mean we’ll see some familiar characters from the DC Comics universe, McBride said the audience will “see a lot of the superheroes,” but later added, “once we write this filthy dirty script, probably no one’s going to want to be involved with it.”
  
  Pushed to offer the one character he’d want more than any other in the film, McBride suggested a DC character who could pull off his own arms and use them as weapons — a suggestion that we admit being a bit mystified about. Was he talking about Arm Fall Off Boy from the Legion of Superheroes? Calling all DC geeks!

  
  

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Stuff and more stuff, thirteen items.

• The Life and Death of Ferro Lad came out in hardback a couple weeks back, reprinting Adventure Comics #346, 347, 352, 353 and 357.
  
  
• Last time I told you about the Space Canine Patrol Agents. Now Brian Hughes at Again With the Comics brings the awesome sequel, where the SCPA fights not only the Mutt and Meow Gallery (including Fido Felon and Kid Kitty) but also the Phanty Cats, who were so evil that when their owners got banished to the Phantom Zone from Krypton, their cats got banished too. No, really.
  
  They appeared in SBOY 136 (3/66). For what it's worth, over at Marvel the same month you could have read Fantastic Four #48 which introduced Galactus and Silver Surfer. That's the difference between DC's and Marvel's Silver Age.
  
  
• The BEAT has sales for the end of the Legion title.
  
  

  86 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
  01/2004: Legion #29 — 24,908
  01/2005: LoSH #2 — 42,261 [48,584]
  01/2006: LoSH #13 — 32,730
  01/2007: SLoSH #26 — 32,342
  —————————–
  01/2008: LoSH #38 — 33,045 (-27.9%)
  02/2008: LoSH #39 — 31,123 (- 5.8%)
  03/2008: LoSH #40 — 30,377 (- 2.4%)
  04/2008: LoSH #41 — 28,939 (- 4.7%)
  05/2008: LoSH #42 — 27,940 (- 3.5%)
  06/2008: –
  07/2008: LoSH #43 — 27,531 (- 1.5%)
  07/2008: LoSH #44 — 29,954 (+ 8.8%)
  08/2008: LoSH #45 — 25,783 (-13.9%)
  09/2008: LoSH #46 — 24,959 (- 3.2%)
  10/2008: LoSH #47 — 23,751 (- 4.8%)
  11/2008: LoSH #48 — 22,917 (- 3.5%)
  12/2008: LoSH #49 — 22,180 (- 3.2%)
  01/2009: LoSH #50 — 22,327 (+ 0.7%)
  —————-
  6 months: -22.3%
  1 year : -32.4%
  2 years : -31.0%
  5 years : -10.4%
  
  The final issue of the property’s current incarnation gets a slight boost, presumably on the basis that its number is a multiple of 25.
  
  In one of those baffling management catastrophes that seem to happen all the time at DC, the entire creative team was exchanged on short notice, just one issue before completing a year-long storyline — according to the credits, the writer is one “Justin Thyme” (a commonly used pseudonym for hack jobs), while the title of the story is “Hack the Infinity Net!”
  
  I’m sure this guarantees people are going to be standing in line for the paperback collections for decades to come.

  
  I'll be updating my sales charts shortly.
  
  
• Richard Caldwell at ComicNews.info has a 2-part interview (part 1, part 2) with former Legion artist Mike Grell. He doesn't talk about the Legion, but I know that many Legion fans are also fans of Grell.
  
  
• Did you hear that they made a movie about "Watchmen"? I keep getting these email alerts for various articles about the movie because it uses the words "legion of super-heroes" in close proximity, which in a way points out that the Legion is at the fringes of the mainstream. Some examples:
  

  Siu~V:
  Set in a gritty and alternate 1985 in US, it tells the story of Rorschach, a costumed vigilante who investigates the murder of an ex-superhero. His journey reunites him with his former legion of superheroes, thus unraveling some of the deepest darkest conspiracies and secrets about them.
  
  New York Newsday's Frank Lovece, in an article on Zack Snyder:
  “It may be too early to call him the next Ridley Scott,” he says of Snyder, “but visually he’s freaking extraordinary. Anybody who says he’s not, after they see the first 15 minutes, they’ll be eating their hats.” And unless you’re Matter-Eater Lad of the Legion of Super-Heroes - the very antithesis of “Watchmen” - that just won’t do.
  
  Black Voices:
  It took a legion of superheroes to bring Madea down. Dropping to second place after landing the top spot during the last two weekends was 'Madea Goes to Jail.'

  
  
• Matthew at the Legion Abstract writes about what kind of Legion stories would he like to read.
  
  
• The Legion Flight Ring made an appearance on the 3/12 episode of "Smallville" titled "Infamous" (read recap here).
  
  
• The Bottle City of Kanga reminds us that Mon-El is starting his year-long(ish) run in "Superman", starting in issue 685.
  

  So this issue is the set up for Mon-El to take over as the lead in the Superman books which, supposedly, should have really taken place in the soon-to-be-relaunched Adventure Comics. But they can’t relaunch Adventure until Legion of Three Worlds finishes which will tell the reader which of three versions of the Legion DC are planning to stick with. That won’t conclude until George Perez actually pulls his finger out and finishes drawing the series though which already seems to be around a year behind it’s original conclusion date. Gah!
  
  So poor old James Robinson has to introduce Mon-El without giving away which version he’s supposed to be...

  
  
• L3 Brainiac 5 returns in R.E.B.E.L.S. #2, where he tries to assemble his own version of the Legion.
  
  
• Oklahoma's NewsOK has an interview with Yuri Lowenthal, voice actor of Superman on the animated Legion show. He talks about his audition for the show a few years ago. They also list his favorite episodes. In a third article, Lowenthal talks about his inspirations while voicing Superman.
  
  
• The Idol-Head of Diabolu (a Martian Manhunter blog) looks back at DC Comics Presents #43 from 1982, featuring Superman and the Legion vs Mongul and a Sun-Eater.
  
  
• Tilting at Pinwheels has a few more Legion sketches from what we saw last time.
  
  
• Daily Scans looks back at "Legionnaires" #7 because everyone is drawn by Adam Hughes and is wearing a bathing suit. This is v4-era after the Earth had been destroyed.
  

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Ten random links:

• Suite 101 has a history of the Persuader on TV, in honor of his Smallville appearance.
  
  
• Pendragon's Post has a Q&A with Mattel, in which they still claim to have a Legion figure set out sometime this year:
  

  5) Not sure if the Legion of Super-Heroes is on your list of figure to make, but if you are in a planning stage, which verison of the Legion are you looking at (1st Appearance, 70's, 80's, current, etc.)?
  
  We do have a LOSH JLU 4 pack coming up later in 2009. All the figures are in the costumes they wore on the show (hey there were a lot of LOSH members in those big fight scenes!). As for doing LOSH in the 6” line, when we get to the Legion we would likely find a way to do figures with variants to try an put out multiple versions since Legion of Super Heroes is one of those few teams that has had quite a few signifigant and different reboots and redesigns over the years.

  
  
• Looks like New Zealand is getting season 1 of the Legion animated series, Saturdays at 8:45am. It's about time! Any Kiwis out there, holla!
  
  
• Don found a familiar panel in Futurama Comics #35, from January 2008.
  
  
• The Comic Treadmill closes out the Legion's run with a review of Adventure 379 and 380.
  
  
• The Arisverse has a retro-review of LSH v4 #47-50, featuring the final battle with Mordru and Glorith.
  
  
• Tony Bedard talks about R.E.B.E.L.S. with Ain't It Cool News (and thanks, Maurice, for the link!):
  

  TB: The original series began with Dox in control of his organization, and only changed titles to R.E.B.E.L.S. when Dox’s evil son took over L.E.G.I.O.N. This time around, we begin with Dox on the run, having to fight an insurgency against his own robo-troopers and the mysterious foe who stole them. So it’s R.E.B.E.L.S. for the foreseeable future, and if Dox wins back his command, who knows? Maybe then we’ll switch to L.E.G.I.O.N.
  
  But there’s another reason we’re going with R.E.B.E.L.S. We want to stress that this book is not yet another alternate version of the Legion of Super-Heroes. This book has a lot for Legion fans to love, but it is its own animal. It’s not as bright at LEGION, and it’s not as noble as GREEN LANTERN. It’s a darker, grittier kind of space opera, with a wicked sense of humor and a high bodycount.
  
  ... BUG: Will Vril and Supergirl’s relationship be a key part of this series or just this first issue? There seems to be an awful lot of things unsaid between the two of them.
  
  TB: They play off each other so well because they’re such polar opposites. He needs her because of her previous connection to the Legion of Super-Heroes, and she plays a big part as the adventure begins, but events will soon move beyond Earth.
  
  ... BUG: From original pitch to final product, can you tell us about any changes made to your story in R.E.B.E.L.S. to fit into the malleable continuity of the DCU at the moment?
  
  TB: Y’know, most series morph a bit here and there as they go through the development process, but this one might’ve set a record. I originally pitched this as “L.E.G.I.O.N.”, with Dox and Mon-El fighting Brainiac. Of course, I changed that once I found out more about Johns’s plans in ACTION COMICS (and I was glad to do so – ACTION was my favorite comic of 2008).

  
  
• The third Legion Blogpost at Newsarama remembers LSH v2 #300.
  
  
• The Cool Kidz Table would like to see Earthwar collected.
  
  
• Newsarama had an interview with voice actor Yuri Lowenthal (who played Superman on the Legion cartoon) and his wife Tara Platt (who played Dream Girl).
  

  NRAMA: Also, considering your admitted geekdom, what was it like playing Superman?
  
  YL: Once again, don't even get me started. I couldn't even— I still can't even — wrap my head around it. As a comic book nerd who grew up running around the yard in tights and a cape — even, you know, last week [laughs] — you play a role like that and you might as well retire afterwards. The pressure I felt going into it was immense. Like it wasn't hard enough auditioning for a role like that, but actually getting it. I don't know. I wish I could have done it longer.
  
  Legion of Super Heroes was a really good show that fell victim to bad timing and studio mismanagement. I'm glad that team at least got to go on to Batman afterwards. Brave and the Bold is pretty damn cool. But in the end, I got to be freakin' Superman. What else is there to say?

  
  

More Smallville feedback

Some more reactions from around the blogosphere as well as TV-land...

E! Entertainment Online has the ratings info:

The introduction of Cosmic Boy and other Legion of Superheroes members helped lead CW's Smallville (4.3 million) to its biggest audience since early November, the network said. The show also did its anti-Gossip Girl thing, and won the 8 p.m. hour in men 18-34.

The LA Times blog Hero Complex had an interview with Geoff Johns the day that the show aired.

JP: And about the "Legion" episode tonight?

GJ: Well, we introduce Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. Three founding members of the Legion.

JP: Any other characters that you may have wanted to add?

GJ: Well, we kind of introduce another one, but you'll have to watch and see. Legion fans will definitely get it.

TV Squad has a list full of in-jokes and references, most of which I got.

Screenrant calls it a "huge letdown".

Let’s cut to the chase - they were awful.

Now I get it - maybe in the comic books this is how “Lightning Lad” (Calum Worthy) acts, but to have someone as a member of something called the “Legion of Superheroes” who acts like a 12 year old twit was frankly, beyond annoying and just plain stupid. You’d think that 1,000 years in the future teenagers with such responsibility would be more mature.

On the other hand, Geekshow calls it "The single best episode of Smallville ever constructed".

The Legion of Superheroes took a visit to Smallville tonight in an episode written by comic scribe Geoff Johns. It was, without a doubt, the BEST episode of the entire series to date. Geoff Johns succeeded where every writer to ever work on the show has failed… he wrote the perfect episode of Smallville.

iFMagazine gave it a "B".

I liked the allusions to Clark’s future in this episode. Listening to Lightning Lad’s (Calum Worthy) criticisms of Clark lacking his cape or not being able to fly was just plain funny. Hearing Clark being called the Man of Steel or Davis being acknowledged as Doomsday for the first time was entertaining as well. As has been the theme for most of this season, SMALLVILLE is slowly catching up with Superman.

A recap from Beesite:

The trio that went back in time were perfect for taking down Braniac. They were kind of goofy though with Rokk reminding me of Mack from Always Sunny and Garth being a straight up dork. I am curious about what Lana is planning on doing and hope that her character stays on the show for a while.

Newsarama has the post-game wrap-up:

Was I the only one who viewed the trio of Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad as a sort of superhero version of Harry Potter, Ron and Hermoine? Certainly reminded me of them.

...My take on the Legionnaires? The telepathic Imra, Saturn Girl, was nice to look at, but seemed off at times, a tad distant and removed when communicating telepathically. Rokk, Cosmic Boy, displayed intelligence and good leadership skills at times on top of his power over magnetism. I just thought at least with the hair that he looked like a 1991 throwback, like someone you'd see at a Gin Blossoms show, or the movie Singles. Garth, Lightning Lad, definitely brought energy to the trio, not surprising considering his electrical powers. Way more geeky than I'd even envisioned LL, but still fun to follow. His fascination in Superman mementos, like Clark's letterman jacket (found at the "Levitz Museum," natch), was endearing.

io9 says that the future looks familiar:

...How did the Legion of Super-Heroes (and writer Geoff Johns) hold up in their series debut?

The honest answer would be an uncertain "Pretty well, maybe?" While Johns' script was perfectly fine, it was also more of a regular Smallville effort than what comic fans have come to expect from Johns. Yes, there were the geek-friendly shout outs (A Legion of Substitute Heroes reference? Really?). But the scale was smaller and the formula much more generic than fans of his Green Lantern or even his Action Comics runs would've expected.

Here are the Television Without Pity recap and forum discussion of the episode, the Zap2It recap, and the CW Source recap.

Previously:

• Legion World
  
• the ifanboy.com liveblog/live comment thread
  
• the Twitter search
  
• review at Republibot
  

You can also watch the episode online (for as long as this lasts) at MegaVideo and TV Dome.

Bits of Legionnaire Business

Random bits:

• The Legion of Substitute Podcasters talks about ADV 300.
  
• The Comic Treadmill has their penultimate look at the Legion in Adventure Comics, issues 376-378.
  
• The Legion Abstract looks at the history of the Legionnaire Computo.
  
• Wizard Universe published an article online reprinting their print story on the Legion's cancellation.
  
• Via The Comics Reporter, the Washington Post lists the "Superman and the Legion" hardcover as one of the top six comics of the year.
  
• Meanwhile, Wizard has Action Comics (including the Legion arc) as the best book of 2008.
  
• Chronic Cerebral Evacuations is this month's web page spotlighting the relative lameness of Arm-Fall-Off Boy and Matter-Eater Lad. Like we haven't heard the arguments before.
  
• The new crew at Blog@Newsarama has got a new feature on Mondays, called Legion Blogpost. After a kickoff/intro post, episode 2 takes a nostalgic look back at the v4-era Legion. Welcome to the Legionblogosphere, guys!
  
• Paul and John Review (that is, make fun of) Adventure 371.
  

More Bits of L3W Business

More "Legion of Three Worlds" #1 reviews, not including the annotations (which I'm still working on updating);

• Miscontinuity:
  

  I have great faith that this will turn into a great series. If it drew me in, a long-time non-Legion fan, I can only imagine what it does for those who understand the franchise. It is a well crafted book, with all the right elements for an exciting futuristic adventure.

  
  
• Fascination Place:
  

  The biggest risk the series runs is that of not just having a single large cast of Legionnaires, but three of them, and characterization getting lost in the shuffle - always a risk with any Legion series. But the most encouraging thing is Superman’s stated goal at the end of the issue: Not to just to stop Prime, but to redeem him. I’ve been pretty unhappy with how this character has been treated, and finding a way to redeem him would be a challenge well worthy of a 5-issue series illustrated by George Pérez. Here’s hoping Geoff Johns can pull it off; he’s off to a good start.

  
  
• Pop Syndicate:
  

  Johns’s writing is loud and bombastic. It’s actually a style that he developed during Infinite Crisis but has refined since then, particularly for the Sinestro Corps War storyline. Like he did with that story, Johns writes Legion of 3 Worlds at such a high intensity that you can’t believe this story is anything other than a mega-blockbuster event. He’s the Michael Bay of DC, except that he can actually tell a story in between the explosions. ... In George Pérez, Johns has found an artist who can keep up with him. On these big mega stories (see JLA/Avengers,) Pérez draws the same way that Johns writes. By now, you know what you’re going to get with George Pérez and he doesn’t let you down. His panels, crammed with every possible minute detail practically screams “Crisis-level event going on here!” It’s loud, intense, bombastic and filled with more detail than humanly possible. ... Legion of 3 Worlds #1 is a solid adventure story that delivers what you expect out but rarely exceeds those expectations.

  
  
• Panels of Awesome:
  

  Overall, what’s set in place will probably rock all of our socks off. Within one issue, instead of three or four like some writers like to do, both Superman and Superboy-Prime have gathered, for the most part, their respected armies and know exactly what they need to do: beat the holy hell out of each other. With four more issues to go, this is already much more promising, in my opinion, than the actual Final Crisis book and I’m already looking forward to book #2, which will be hitting shelves October 1st, for those of you that were wondering. Legion of Three Worlds #1 is a wonderfully well written and expertly drawn book any fans of the Legion will want to pick up and any fans of the DCU will probably want to at least give a shot.

  
  
• FilmFodder:
  

  The Legion has so much potential, it feels like Johns has done more in one issue with the story of the Legion than Jim Shooter’s entire run so far on the Legion’s own series. This was easily the best read of DC this week.

  
  
• Rack Raids:
  

  Writer Geoff Johns does what he does best, telling a tale that weaves the past into the future. While I enjoyed it, there was a ton of backstory that needed explaining simply in order to get to the good parts, using Jimmy Olsen as our guide was an inspired bit of casting. The good parts being Superman and The Legion are fighting for the future and that makes Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds well worth coming back for.
  
  ... Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1 is a fun little read, succeeding on two levels: giving newbies an enjoyable Legion primer while giving the Legion faithful even more reason to be so.

  
  

Bits of L3W Business

Grife, that was both fun and tough. It took me a few hours to do the writeup for L3W #1, with lots of Googling, lots of looking stuff up at the Grand Comics Database, and frantically thumbing through my copies of "Who's Who in the LSH" and Mark Waid's "Legion Index". I'll make more corrections and additions in the next day or so.

In the meantime, if you want to read about what the rest of the comicsblogosphere thinks, here are some places to go (in the order that I received the Google Alert):

• Doug Wolk's Final Crisis Annotations
  
  
• Tim Callahan's Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1 Annotations
  
  
• Diamondrock at Title Undetermined:
  

  This could be the beginning of the greatest comic story I have ever read. I say that with absolutely no irony.

  
  
• Blog@Newsarama
  

  The Legion of Super-Heroes, with its reboots, threeboots and sprawling cast, can be a little confusing — even for longtime fans. So, how can a new reader expect to untangle all the characters and references in Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds? ... It’s Annotations of Three Worlds!

  
  
• Todd Seavey:
  

  Look, I want off the stuff as much as any addict, but all this happening in the same month is the sci-fi-leaning, continuity-obsessed, reality-warp-examining comic fanboy’s equivalent of delivering all the crack in the world to one crack addict’s doorstep in a single morning — and unlike the members of the Legion, I’m only human.

  
  
• Matthew's Legion Abstract reviewing L3W #1:
  

  I'll make another prediction: Chameleon Boy, one of the missing Legionnaires, is not exactly missing. He's deep undercover. And he's going to reveal himself at a key moment in issue #3 or #4 of this series, in the best Chameleon Boy tradition.
  
  ...It's easy to imagine that Superboy-Prime, unlike Luthor, is achievably redeemable. He was a hero, after all. Sure, he's crazy, and he's killed Frith knows how many people, but he's got the seeds of Superman in him. It can be done.
  
  ...Let's keep our expectations in check for the second issue. First issues are notorious crowd-pleasers; second issues are trickier. There could be a bit of consolidation but that's okay. Perspective.
  
  This was a good start. If the rest of the story can live up to it, FC:L3W will be one to remember for a long time.

  
  
• IGN's review of issue 1:
  

  Frankly, the only connection I can form between Final Crisis and Legion of Three Worlds is that both books are packed with characters and not overly accessible to new readers. Both are rewarding experiences to those with a reasonable knowledge of the DCU, however, and that should be enough for most readers. Rating: 7.4 (out of 10)

  
  
• Comic Book Catacombs reviews issue 1:
  

  I recommend this series to all who enjoy good superhero slug fests.

  
  
• Kimota94:
  

  And as cool as it's going to be to have three different versions of the Legion in subsequent issues - representing the 50-year history of the team, which has been rife with reboots and retcons - it seems a bit convenient that the main group's knowing about the other teams, and bringing them into their universe, are going to prove to be about as complicated as ordering a pizza. And finally, I've yet to figure out exactly why this is a Final Crisis series. There doesn't seem to be any tie to the events of the main series, even tangentially (like having Superman be plucked from some Final Crisis moment). Right now it smells like more of a marketing move than a story-driven one.

  
  
• Newsarama's review:
  

  Granted, a good portion of this is set-up, and we already know what a big story point is going to be from the very title of the thing. Still, this is a top-notch start. I’m actually excited to see the Legions interact, and I’m eagerly waiting to see how Perez makes it all look. That dovetails into this strange feeling I had the entire time I was reading . . . what is that? Oh, yeah. It’s called fun.

  
  

Plus other stuff:

• Jim Deitz talks about when he first read the first Legion tabloid, the Limited Collector's Edition story reprinting the Shooter/Swan Mordru story.
  
  
• Tim Callahan tells readers at CBR "Don't Fear the Legion" as he lists ten stories for Legion newbies:
  

  I'm sure DC hopes that you'll be fascinated enough by the appearance of the characters to seek out more Legion comics. But where do you start? The Legion is the largest super-team in history, and there are three versions to choose from? It can be intimidating, but if you can overcome your fear, I have some suggestions about where you might want to look for more of your Legion fix. Because once you get hooked, like I did, there's nothing to do but give in to the pleasure of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
  
  Because you probably don't have infinite resources, I'll restrict myself to ten essential Legion stories. If you can track these down, you'll have the beginnings of a Lifetime Legion Reading Plan. And these ten stories will give you perspective on each of the three Legions. You won't need these comics to understand what Johns and Perez are doing in their series, but reading these stories might help you appreciate why the Legion has such a special place in so many hearts. (Either that, or you'll think Legion fans are crazy, and you'll steer clear of us at conventions. Whatever.)

  
  
• Tim Callahan (him again?), this time at Newsarama, talks about his books on Grant Morrison and the Legion.
  

  NRAMA: The Legion has proven to be one of the most enduring concepts in DC's stable, despite its many incarnations. Why do you feel it has such a following, and what is unique about this following?
  
  TC: I'm definitely on the periphery of Legion fandom, and even though I've read every single Legion story, I still can't answer most of the trivia questions Michael Grabois posts on his Legion Omnicom site. But I think there's definitely a hardcore Legion base in fandom who care more about the team than they care about anything else in pop culture, and I think that's awesome.
  
  But here's the thing—almost all the hardcore Legion fans I've met are only hardcore about one particular era—usually the era from Edmund Hamilton in the 1960s to Paul Levitz in the 1980s. They aren't insanely devoted to the Legion as a concept, no matter the version.
  
  They are insanely (and I mean this only in the most positive way) devoted to the Legion when it was at its best. When it was one of the few comics in the world that had fantastic ideas, complex subplots, and actual, real character arcs. People in the Legion died. And sometimes even stayed dead! That just didn't happen, and still doesn't happen, in superhero comics.
  
  The Legion in many ways—at its best—fulfills the potential of the superhero genre by blending the wish fulfillment with the science fiction and the operatic emotional heights.

  
  

"LEGION isn’t a comic; it’s a lifestyle"

I am such a slacker. Here are some items that I would have posted in the last few weeks if I wasn't being lazy:

• The Legion Abstract has a sneak peek at some promotional art for the San Diego Comic Con's Legion panel, titled "We Are Legion".
  
  
• Tim Callahan has the cover (hmmm, that design looks kind of familiar....) to his upcoming book of essays entitled "Teenagers from the Future", published by Sequart. It'll be available at the New York Comic Con next month, and in stores in May.
  

  Here's Matt Fraction, from the Foreword: "LEGION isn’t a comic; it’s a lifestyle. Its fans are rabid, loyal, and exasperated by people like me who get fed up trying to parse its history and understand it. They rock non-ironic flight rings and remember where they were when Chemical King died.
  
  And it’s because of that dedication and love I find them, and the LEGION, fascinating; because of that, this book is really kind of a godsend. Or whatever pantheistic super-deity they may or may not worship in the 30th century. What’s that? 31st century? Great. Okay. See how much I need this book?"

  
  So where were you when Chemical King died (on-sale date March 21, 1977, as if I needed to remind anyone)? I was in 5th grade and had only been reading the Legion for a couple of years. I probably bought that issue from the 7-11 (which amazingly is still there) just north of Menlo Park Mall in Edison, NJ. Beyond that, though, I can't pin it down further.
  
  
• Larsworld has some custom action figures depicting the Legionnaires in their Grell-era costumes.
  
  
• Nobody told me that Major Spoilers was back. They've got a series of a couple dozen outstanding Hero Histories dating back to last summer. (via)
  
  
• Shayera at scans_daily catches everyone up on the Legion of Substitute Heroes from their original appearances to last month's Action issue.
  
  
• Christopher Bird continues his increasingly mis-numbered Top 30 Reasons why he should write the Legion. Here's reason #36 and #37. See here for more.
  
  
• The Comic Treadmill continues its retro-review of all the Legion stories, this time from the second quarter of 1965, featuring Adventure Comics 331-333.
  
  
• Here's a YouTube mashup of the Legion cartoon with a popular song. Check out the sidebar there for numerous others. Most of them feature Brainiac 5, with some saying he's gay for Superman and others denying it.
  
  
• WordBalloon had a podcast of a career-spanning interview with Mike Grell.
  
  
• I should have mentioned it at the time, but Legion Abstract had a great 50th anniversary tribute last month.
  

Episode 2.05 "Karate Kid"

You may recall last spring when I mentioned Wil "Cosmic Boy" Wheaton was doing voices for some of the episodes. In late March, Wil was apparently working on this episode, where he mentioned the "It's a trap!" line from early in the show. Later, he wrote of this episode:

Legion was awesome today, and in a cruel twist of fate, I'd really like to write all about the various jokes we made, the outrageously talented guest stars I got to work with, and how fucking awesome the show is . . . but it would reveal way too much that Warner Brothers wants to keep secret (and spoil the show for the audience, which sucks) so I'll just have to file those notes away and use them when this episode airs. And no, I can't even say the title, because that would give too much away.

I've asked him to unfile those notes, we'll see what happens.

I saw the ending as soon as they showed how Nemesis Kid's powers worked. However, I anticipated that it would be Karate Kid vs Nemesis Kid, of course, not Karate Kid vs Grimbor using a weapon to simulate Nemesis Kid's powers. Up until the very last minute, I thought for sure Nemesis Kid was going to reveal that he was working for Imperiex, the Dominators, or Grimbor.

Torrent: via Torrent Portal
Legion Wiki: The Karate Kid

• Occasional Superheroine:
  

  This episode was the most mind-bogglingly patronizing thing I've ever seen since viewing the silent movie "Shadows". In that movie, Lon Chaney takes the role of the wise, stomach-churningly humble, hardworking Asian laundryman. The fact that around 80 years have passed since that film & this cartoon but the Asian protagonist has been portrayed so very similar is troubling.

  
  Some good discussion as well as some good trackbacks.
  
  
• Legion Abstract:
  

  But unfortunately the thing that struck me the most about this episode was the scene where they made Karate Kid do laundry. It was not the most racially sensitive thing I've ever seen. Now, I'm not accusing anyone of anything, and I know there was the other scene at the end where Nemesis Kid made nice, but... are we really sure that this scene was such a hot idea?
  
  I'm kind of getting sick of this characterization of Cosmic Boy. Maybe it's useful in the story, but it's not what the character's like. And I don't mean it's not what he's like in the comic books--he wasn't like this in Season 1 either. On the other hand, we're seeing more of Superman's greater experience: he's now showing Legionnaires what being a superhero is all about.

  
  
• Superman Home Page:
  

  What a complete and utter mess.
  
  Characters are forced to do and say things they wouldn't simply to move the story forward, and don't do or say the things they should. I speak chiefly of Superman, and that is never going to sit well with me.
  
  ...Superman then brings Karate Kid back and introduces him as a Legion member... and nobody accepts it and assigns him to laundry duty?! Okay, if Nemesis Kid had done that, I'd expect that response, because he's new and they don't know him very well. But this is SUPERMAN. The best there is, even by Legion standards. They went into the past just to get HIM and revere him and they don't listen to him when he says Karate Kid is worth being a Legionnaire?
  
  I don't buy that. Not at all.
  
  And does Superman stand up for Karate Kid? No. Nah. Why would he? He only found him and believes in him and brought him to the Legion. But they want to act like he's worthless and make him do laundry? Well, that's okay by Superman!
  
  Not any Superman *I* know, actually. That angered me more than anything else in the episode. Superman should have told them Karate Kid deserved a fair shot and should have seen to it that he got it. But Superman did none of those things and that's just incredibly out of character.

  
  
• Luagha's LJ:
  

  The best definition of Karate Kid's power is 'good enough at martial arts to beat Superman if Superman doesn't use super-speed, or just fly away and eyebeam/cold-breath him for a few hours until he gets too tired to dodge.' And here he is basically weak and pointless except for spirit and determination and happening to have the right (lack of) powers for this particular episode.
  
  ...This was a classic example of the 'fight that Cosmic Boy should have won before he walked in the door so he should have been left out of this episode' but they needed him to be the harsh taskmaster so they kept him in. I mean, Grimbor uses metal chains, metal nets, and explosives attached to metal chains and metal nets... which Cosmic Boy shows the demonstrated ability to control so he should never be hit by them, affected by them, he should be able to tie Grimbor up with his own chains or at least rip off all his metal technological equipment.

  
  
• Talkbacks on the ToonZone, Legion World, and DC Comics message boards.
  

Episode 2.04: Chained Lightning

First, I want to say that I love Shrinking Violet in this episode. Her little "snort" at the end of her laugh is very endearing, though I'm sure some will hate it. She had one of the best lines of the show, talking about Lightning Lad's new arm: "It fires explosive charges, lasers, and of course lightning, all powered and amplified by his own bioelectrical energy. In other words, it makes things go boom. Ha ha [snort]."

Of course, by far the most important thing we found out in this episode is that the people who have been pronouncing "Ayla" as "eye-la" like "Delilah" have been wrong all these years, and those who, like me, pronounce it as rhyming with "Layla" (as in the Eric Clapton song) have been right all along. HA!

Two interlac sightings this week. Scrolling interlac is hard to make out, even when I've got a TiVo, but I managed to get almost all of it. In one scene where the trio were approaching Korbal in flashback, the computer reads in Interlac (in part) "... BASED LIFE NON SENTIENT ENERGY FIELD ..." with pictures of a Lightning Beast on it. In another scene, as Lightning Lad stares at a map of the cloud, text reads "LIGHTNING BEAST STRIKE".

Here's the Legion Wiki article I wrote up, the torrent, and a page to download all season 2 episodes via Rapidshare.

Review roundup:

• Legion Abstract:
  

  Mixed results on characterization. Shrinking Violet gets her first full speaking part in this episode, and is a breath of fresh air... but Lightning Lad adjusts to his new arm a little too quickly, and the writers seem to have taken their hands off the steering wheel when it comes to Superman-X's personality. In the first two episodes, he was all business, with no time for friendship or civility or even for simple tactics: it was all stuff that interfered with his Imperiex-fighting time. Since then, he's been callous when it's convenient for the plot that he's callous, and sympathetic when it's convenient for the plot that he be sympathetic. I was expecting Superman-X's emotional education as a hero to be the main arc of this season, but so far it's all been circumstantially driven.

  
  
  
• Adventures in Comic Book Land:
  

  This week’s episode of Legion of Super-Heroes managed to recaptured some of that je ne sais quoi that was notably absent in last week’s Timber Wolf episode. It played the emotions of the audience well, and the writing was probably the best it’s been this season. That’s impressive, as this season hasn’t exactly been a downer.
  
  I couldn’t listen to anything [Violet] was saying because I just wanted her talking to be over. Other than that personal quirk of mine, it was difficult to get onboard with it because Vi came across as being desperately competitive, like rather than just being intelligent she craved proving it and being put on equal footing with Brainy. In the realm of Level 12 intelligence, equal footing is kind of a myth. So, I didn’t like that.

  
  
• Fortress of Fandom:
  

  Brainy still has it bad for ‘our’ Clark. ;) He was dissing Shrinking Violet since she was taking the place of Superman during the latest mission. He learned, poor boy, he learned! J
  
  Kell-El grows on you. He’s all tough and “You’re not crying, are you?” but he was moved by the family reunion.
  
  This was a very interesting story. Mekt finally allowed his feelings for his family to trump his lust for power. Even when he flew away after Garth had been terribly hurt, he was upset and angry that Imperius had done such a thing, cloaking it “It was my fight”. Their sister was the bond between them, and I’m a sucker for redemption fic. J

  
  
• Darklore Circus:
  

  I just have to say this morning that today's Legion of Superheroes was probably the best piece of American animation I've seen for quite some time. It had everything: siblings, limb loss, sexual tension, Superman being all Heero Yuy, monsters, electricity... it was really pretty good. I liked the whole thing with the brothers and Mekt's redemption, and the Braniac 5/Shrinking Violet thing was cute (he's still a creepy little dude, though).

  
  
• Spandex Justice:
  

  The four episode, though, was terrific. "Chained Lightning" gave us the origin of Lightning Lad and his brother Mekt, while also updating the story of their sister, Ayla. It was both exciting and poignant. Plus, Shrinking Violet snorting when amused is just about the cutest thing I’ve seen so far this season. Her interactions with Brainiac 5 were also great fun.
  
  They really need to do a Legion Espionage Squad episode, now that they have Chameleon Boy and Shrinking Violet around.
  
  Overall, I am enjoying the new season, but the immediacy of Imperiex’s invasion seems to have waned quite a lot, and the new Superman seems more wishy-washy every time he appears (one week, he’s "We have to get Imperiex" and the next episode, Imperiex can wait. But I’ll keep watching.

  
  
• Plus commentary from the LegionWorld, ToonZone, and ComicBloc forums.
  

Plus: some bonus pictures sent out by WB.