The Legion Turns 50

[68 Guns]

Back before I could read,I was already a huge Legion Of Super-Heroes fan. Seems like we grew up together.I remember how excited I was when they bought in four new members and totally shocked when Nemisis Kid turned out to be the traitor,not Karate kid.I guess,in retrospect,N.K.s name might have been a hint.
Ferro Lad was the first hero I watched die,and later stories of his ghost haunting the HQ saddened me.I followed them thru the Grell/Cockrum era before losing interest,only to return in time for The Great Darkness Saga,which still is one of my favorite arcs. To me,they reached new heights with their Baxter series,peaking with the four part The Greatest Hero Of Them All arc resulting in the death of Superboy.
After the Superman reboot and the Crisis intervention,the Legion lost its way. No Superboy,no Supergirl,no Mon-el. Soon there was no earth and the Legion seemed to become a bizarro imitation of itself.
Anyone else a fan?

[pasnat54]

I became a fan around the same time you did. I remember the Legionnaires being held on that prison planet, when Triplicate Girl became Duo Damsel, and how the Legion helped create the Fatal Five. I had a big crush on Duo Damsel.

Lightning Lad had a robot arm when I started reading, then I went and picked up the back issues at a used book store — 8¢ each — and found out what happened.

I stuck with the Legion through the Grell and Cockrum years, and like you, I think The Great Darkness saga was one of the best. Not just for the Legion, one of the best comics arcs ever. I didn't guess who the villain was, and I was blown away when I found out. A character from completely outside the Legion Universe... I never saw that coming. It was so strange and utterly cool.

I don't remember much after that. I picked up a random issue now and then and didn't like the changes. The LSH as an outlaw group, in trouble with Earth's government. Didn't care for that.

I'm reading Shooter's current run, but don't find it that compelling.

I have a copy of Adventure 247 in poor condition; cover is complete, but it has water damage. Still, it's a valued book in my collection.

[jordanscott]

I loved the Legion when I was a kid. Loved the Adventure Comics.

A lot of the modern stuff though, really didn't do much for me. L.E.G.I.O.N.? ugh.

Even the most recent relaunch couldn't quite pull me in so I waited on the trades and they were much better in groups than waiting on the monthly books.

I added the monthly to my pull list when Shooter was announced as returning and I've really been enjoying it.

Wish they'd put out more trades to bridge from the first two to events prior to Shooter's return. Well, maybe they are out there and my old LCS just never stocked them.

I read on a message board that Shooter won't be on the book long term, so that's disappointing but I guess he served his purpose and brought back another reader for DC.

Can't wait for the Legion of 3 Worlds mini.

[jaydeebee]

For me, it was Giffen's "5-years later" phase that really damaged the LOSH and made me lose interest. It just seemed like he was bored with the Legion and with drawing anything that looked at all like a human being. I was very glad when he left the series and the Legion got somewhat back on track.

Funny thing is, through it's ups and downs and really downs, I've never quit buying the LOSH, and have only missed an issue or five along the way (by accident, not on purpose). But through that, I really didn't see the Legion I knew until the recent "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" arc in Action Comics...what a treat! :D

[comicstock]

Back before I could read,I was already a huge Legion Of Super-Heroes fan. Seems like we grew up together.I remember how excited I was when they bought in four new members and totally shocked when Nemisis Kid turned out to be the traitor,not Karate kid.I guess,in retrospect,N.K.s name might have been a hint.
Ferro Lad was the first hero I watched die,and later stories of his ghost haunting the HQ saddened me.I followed them thru the Grell/Cockrum era before losing interest,only to return in time for The Great Darkness Saga,which still is one of my favorite arcs.

I loved reading the LSH starting with the Starfinger issues a year or so before the Karate Kid / Nemesis Kid story you mentioned. Computo, The Fatal Five, etc...great times. As a kid, reading the Jim Shooter stories werewonderful! Followed them thru the end of their run within Adventure Comics. Read some of the early Grell issues but it wasn't the same for me. Makes me wish I was ten again...

[pasnat54]

jdb, what was the "5-years later" period? Five years after his best work, or five years Legion time after some big event?

I loved Keith Giffen's work with Paul Levitz, particularly as I've stated before, the Great Darkness saga.

I picked up one Giffen book several years later that I found in a 25¢ bin and it was just dreadful. Giffen at his best is great, but his work often looks sloppy and rushed... or maybe he's going for trendy.

[68 Guns]

As much as I liked Giffens early work on The Legion,I've come to really dislike his current work.
But his one-shot featuring The Substitute Legion and Ambush Bug is an all-time classic.

[jaydeebee]

jdb, what was the "5-years later" period? Five years after his best work, or five years Legion time after some big event?

I loved Keith Giffen's work with Paul Levitz, particularly as I've stated before, the Great Darkness saga.

I picked up one Giffen book several years later that I found in a 25¢ bin and it was just dreadful. Giffen at his best is great, but his work often looks sloppy and rushed... or maybe he's going for trendy.

The 5-years later was five years after the end the "Magic Wars" and the cancellation of the first "Baxter series", the series that began in 1984, even though it was only a few months really.

The series was rebooted at number one and events were set five years after the end of the "Magic Wars" and featured a much darker, grittier LOSH and horrendous looking art. A lot of really bland and forgettable new characters were introduced and the look of the Legion was Blade-Runnerized. The mistake on my part was stating that Giffen wrote and drew those issues, he actually did draw them (from the look of them, with his eyes closed) and he plotted them, but the writing was done by the Bierbaums. Eventually the whole thing just got out of hand, the SW6 clone Legionnaires came on the scene and in the end, ZERO HOUR wiped the whole mess out of existence, mercifully, although it took with it all the Legion continuity from day one. Thankfully, the JLA's "Lightning Saga, and the Superman and the LOSH run in Action Comics has restored a much more familiar LOSH to continuity. #woohoo#

Wikipedia has a pretty decent LOSH entry which explains it all it better detail than I.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Super-Heroes

[comicworkbench]

As much as I liked Giffens early work on The Legion,I've come to really dislike his current work.
But his one-shot featuring The Substitute Legion and Ambush Bug is an all-time classic.

I agree that Giffen's early LSOH work was his best. I never really liked Ambush Bug but remember buying the Christmas special. I think it may have been my age but I didn't think it was that funny.

[Duffman_Comics]

I have always had a soft spot for the Legion, up until about 1985 when everything went to pot. Their early adventures were convoluted, stilted and overburdened with "you have got to be kidding" resolutions, but from about 1964 they really hit their straps.

Great thread !!

Gives me a chance to break this one out, procured many years ago:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/pwing75/Adventure247585x822.jpg


Besides, what's a thread without pictures?
http://www.comicscorral.com/forums/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/pwing75/Adventure247585x822.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

[comicworkbench]

I became a fan around the same time you did. I remember the Legionnaires being held on that prison planet, when Triplicate Girl became Duo Damsel, and how the Legion helped create the Fatal Five. I had a big crush on Duo Damsel.

Lightning Lad had a robot arm when I started reading, then I went and picked up the back issues at a used book store — 8¢ each — and found out what happened.

I stuck with the Legion through the Grell and Cockrum years, and like you, I think The Great Darkness saga was one of the best. Not just for the Legion, one of the best comics arcs ever. I didn't guess who the villain was, and I was blown away when I found out. A character from completely outside the Legion Universe... I never saw that coming. It was so strange and utterly cool.

I don't remember much after that. I picked up a random issue now and then and didn't like the changes. The LSH as an outlaw group, in trouble with Earth's government. Didn't care for that.

I'm reading Shooter's current run, but don't find it that compelling.

I have a copy of Adventure 247 in poor condition; cover is complete, but it has water damage. Still, it's a valued book in my collection.

One of my favourite reads is the Great Darkness Saga. As I stated in an old thread, I credit LOSH with being my first real comic book with #289. I am quite sentimental about the P.L./Giffen issues from that period. I have found some of the Grell issues which are fun to read. Is there one that is a must have?

[Shadow_Ferret]

I'm wondering if you guys are slightly older than I. I loved LOSH, but to be honest, I can't really remember many of the stories. I recognize a few covers when I see them, but aside from that...

I mean, someone mentioned Triplicate Girl becoming Duo Damsel. I recall that issue. But that's about all I remember.

My favorite characters were Mon-El, Ultraboy, Lightning Lad, Brainiac 5, and Phantom Girl. Whoohoo, she was hot in that white uniform. *cough* Ahem, I mean, for a cartoon. ;)

And I stopped reading LOSH when I discovered Marvel.

[mordo]

I just finished reading "The Great Darkness Saga" for the first time. I'm used to the 1960's Adventure Comics material, so this long and epic tale was a different animal altogether. The Legionnaires of my childhood had grown up. They didn't quite look the same either. For the most part, it was a pleasant and very entertaining read, and the story kept me at the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

[68 Guns]

I still remember the chill I felt when Darkseid moved Daxam into a yellow stars solar system and unleashed a planet of super-powered slaves,each as powerful as Kal-El.
One of the biggest drawbacks to reading TPBs is not appreciating the ending of one chapter and the thirty day wait for the next one.

[comicworkbench]

I still remember the chill I felt when Darkseid moved Daxam into a yellow stars solar system and unleashed a planet of super-powered slaves,each as powerful as Kal-El.
One of the biggest drawbacks to reading TPBs is not appreciating the ending of one chapter and the thirty day wait for the next one.

The Supergirl Darkseid battle was awesome! A pre-crisis Supergirl bash em up.