Legion of SuperHeroes goes Montly in May }

[The Toyroom]

So all the seventies Legions are back in continuity for Reals! So the Clark Kent Superboy is back in continuity as well? I'm behing on Secret Origins. Is he Superboy in Smallville, or just when he visits the future and has adventures with The legion?

I don't think it's been fleshed out yet but I would assume that eventually we'll see some Superman as Superboy in Smallville stories....Cause it appears that most, if not all, of John Byrne's "Man of Steel" Superman origin has been undone.

[The Toyroom]

Man, I've grown to like Connor, but he's not Superboy to me. He's a clone whom Superman is nice to.

To me, Superboy is Superman when he was a boy.

Excellent way to put it Superboy (i.e. Superman as a boy) is important to the Legion mythos and I'm glad that they've rectified what Byrne and company saw fit to change.

Removing Superman from the Legion's backstory is what caused the Legion "5 Years Later" relaunch to be rebooted so soon with like the 4th issue in order to replace Superboy/man with Mon-El as the inspiration for the Legion's existence. Which may have seemed cool and a good idea at the time (as a reader) but in hindsight (as a Legion historian) it actually led to the downfall of the Legion, causing constant relaunches and reboots to "fix" the history and continuity of the team. Remember Laurel Gand/Andromeda being brought in to replace Supergirl?

[madmarva]

I liked Byrne's Superman a lot. And with the revamp, I see whey they did away with Superboy and brought back the Kents, but as Toyroom stated, it gutted the Legion's history.

Mon-EL's a nice character and all but he would have to have supplanted Superman in history to inspire the Legion, and that's just wrong. it was a good fix, but just didn't hold up as well.

The first issue of Secret Origins established Superboy again as it was hinted at when One Year Later came after Infinite Crisis.

What's been hinted at is that Superboy's adventures were more clandestine than portrayed from the 1945-1986, but he has the costume and will be part of the Legion series in Adventure Comics. My understanding is that he won't be involved in the Legion stories in their own book which are Legion stories taking place after recent Johns Legion stories in Action and Legion of 3 Worlds.

Both Legion stories will be written by Levitz. Atom will be the back-up in Adventure.

If you like the Legion, the Last Stand of New Krypton storyline is interesting. The Legion espionage squad traveled to the past to help Superman and Mon-El defeat Brianiac and save a bunch of shrunken cities that many of the future Legionaires are from. Cool stuff. This is basically what Johns had planned to bring back the Legion — starting back with the Starboy(man) joining the JSA and the teamup between the Legion/JLA/JSA that he worked on with Meltzer.

[samurainoir]

Remember Laurel Gand/Andromeda being brought in to replace Supergirl?

Is Laurel Gand the Laurel Kent reboot (or whatever Superman's Pre-Crisis descendent was named)?

All the reboots have me so confused.

Did Barry Allan's other grandchild XL (Bart's cousin Jenni) make it through into the new Legion status quo? I would imagine she share's Bart's "reboot immunity".

[The Toyroom]

Is Laurel Gand the Laurel Kent reboot (or whatever Superman's Pre-Crisis descendent was named)?

All the reboots have me so confused.

Laurel Kent was outed as a Manhunter robot, post-Crisis but prior to 5 Years Later.

Laurel Gand was a Mon-El descendant and was created to replace the Supergirl element in Legion. (post 5 Years Later)

Did Barry Allan's other grandchild XL (Bart's cousin Jenni) make it through into the new Legion status quo? I would imagine she share's Bart's "reboot immunity".

I believe that, as of Legion of 3 Worlds, XS (Jenni) is part of the Threeboot Legion timeline as is part of an alternate earth.

[The Toyroom]

I liked Byrne's Superman a lot. And with the revamp, I see whey they did away with Superboy and brought back the Kents, but as Toyroom stated, it gutted the Legion's history.

Mon-EL's a nice character and all but he would have to have supplanted Superman in history to inspire the Legion, and that's just wrong. it was a good fix, but just didn't hold up as well.

Originally they revealed that the Superboy that had appeared with the Legion since its inception was not the new Byrne Superman but one that was created by The Time Trapper who made a Pocket Universe taking a sliver of time from "our" universe.

For some reason though they back-peddled on this and had Glorith defeat The Time Trapper, take his place and create a new Legion timeline with Mon-El in the Superboy position as inspiration for the Legion.

[madmarva]

Yeah, The whole pocket universe thing was even more convoluted than the Mon-El storyline.

To me the Legion just doesn't make sense without the direct connection Superman/boy. That doesn't mean there weren't plenty of good Legion stories post-crisis. it's roots were just watered down.

That's why I liked the cartoon a while back and introducing the Legion on Smallville.

It's peanutbutter and jelly or Milk and cookies or BBQ potato chips and onion dip, well maybe not the last one, but try it you might like it.

[BlackKnight]

Man ..., I have always liked Conner Superboy , his releationship with Tim, how he's afraid he will turn out to be a Luthor, and How he went back to live with Ma Kent and how Krypto is Kinda his Pooch makes for good reads for me.

[The Bat]

I can honestly said I've never read a Legion of SuperHeroes Comic before, except when they appeared as Guest Stars in other DC Books. But this new one has got me interested, and the Art looks good(that's a deal breaker for me).
So I think I'll pick it up.

[The Toyroom]

^ Pickup the recent Legion 50th Anniversary TPB....it's a nice starter look through the various incarnations.... (1050 into the Future or something like that)

[madmarva]

Man ..., I have always liked Conner Superboy , his releationship with Tim, how he's afraid he will turn out to be a Luthor, and How he went back to live with Ma Kent and how Krypto is Kinda his Pooch makes for good reads for me.

See most of that stuff has developed in the last 10 years or so after he lost the shades, skater cut and ear ring and I have grown to like the character.

The only part of the Death of Superman story which Connor flowed out of that I really cared for was Funeral for a Friend, but that was about it. The four imposter Supermen eventually led to the destruction of Coast City and Hal going nuts and the Super-mullet. Plus the whole Azreal as Batman came along at about the same time. To me, that's the crappiest time in DC's publishing history.

I know a lot of people like that stuff and that's fine, but to me it wasn't fun or interesting. A lot of the people who really liked that stuff have big problems with what's going on at DC now, but I've really enjoyed a lot of what's happened since Didio took over and the biggest part of that is Hal Jordan being back.


I enjoyed the Superboy stories in Adventure Comics and prior to that Teen Titans a good bit. I'm not advocating Connor going away in favor of Superman as a boy. I want both.

But I'm excited about the Legion for the first time since 1986 because it works better to me with Superboy.

I know most readers today really go into the Legion after Superboy quit regularly appearing in the title or after Crisis zapped him out of existence, but my favorite Legion stories are from Jim Shooter's run in the 1960s and then Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell's stories in the 1970s.

[BlackKnight]

There's been a few different great stories with the Legion these last few yrs, that I have been able to read. I think Anthony is right on the Money with his statement..., Johns Did make the Legion cool, with Jordan and the Green Lantern world...., perhaps better than it's been, and perhaps better than it's ever been in the future, like what's going on in GL ..., time will tell I suppose.

I look forward to the New book, and the conclusion of Last Stand.

[madmarva]

I want to see that new artist draw Validus. And a Teen Titans/Legion/new JLA teamup to fight Trigon would be pretty entertaining if executed by the right creative team.

[BlackKnight]

I want to see that new artist draw Validus. And a Teen Titans/Legion/new JLA teamup to fight Trigon would be pretty entertaining if executed by the right creative team.

Since that Pin-Up got this Dude a Job ..., I wonder if it is an Idea on the Table for the Future ?. I'd hope so.

[The Toyroom]

But I'm excited about the Legion for the first time since 1986 because it works better to me with Superboy.

I know most readers today really go into the Legion after Superboy quit regularly appearing in the title or after Crisis zapped him out of existence, but my favorite Legion stories are from Jim Shooter's run in the 1960s and then Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell's stories in the 1970s.

YUP! That was indeed the seminal period in the Legion's history.....everything after Paul Levitz left the book has been different approaches to solving the problem of making the Legion a cool must-read book again.

I think the problem has now been solved by Geoff Johns giving the people what they want...by going back to the basics. DC should have done this from the get-go but instead they seemed to not want to embrace the Legion's lush history...afraid that new readers wouldn't want to read their "dad's Legion".

But ironically, that very history is what makes the Legion what it is. Legion is NEVER going to be the kind of accessible book that Superman or Batman can be to the general public or the casual or new reader. It's a fan-driven book that has a rich backstory...so DC should embrace it and give the Legion fans what they want and stop trying to convert Titans or JLA fans to Legion fans. If the book is good, they'll find it on their own...the Legion did very well on its own years ago, as a Legion book, instead of trying to reinvent itself every 3 to 5 years.

Sorry for the soapbox....LONGTIME Legion fan!