quote: Paul Levitz, who has served as President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will segue from that role to return to his roots as a writer for DC and become a contributing editor and overall consultant to DCE. This transition will take place as expeditiously as possible without disrupting DC’s business operations.
In his new role, Levitz will be called upon for his deep knowledge and more than three-decade history with DC Comics, both as a comic creator and an executive. Besides serving as a writer on a number of DC Comics titles, he will be a contributing editor and consultant to DC Entertainment on projects in various media. Additionally, he will consult as needed on the transition and integration of the DC Comics organization into DC Entertainment and will utilize his unique experience, knowledge and relationships with the comics industry’s creative community to help achieve DC Entertainment’s goal of maximizing the value of DC properties. Further, Levitz will advise DC Entertainment on creative and rights-holder relationships, in particular regarding the legacy relationships that have been a part of DC Comics for decades.
Widely recognized and respected for his support of writers, artists and creators in the comics industry, Levitz is best known creatively for his work with DC Comics, having written most of the classic DC characters, including Batman, Wonder Woman and the Superman newspaper strip. At Comicon International in 2008, Levitz was awarded the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award as part of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the only industry executive ever so honored.
“DC Comics and its super hero characters are truly touchstones of popular culture, and the formation of DC Entertainment is a major step in our company’s efforts to realize the full potential of this incredible wellspring of creative properties,” said Meyer. “Diane knows our studio as a creative executive, a marketer and a senior manager, and this varied background will help her effectively and creatively integrate the DC brand and properties across all our businesses. We’re also thrilled that Paul will remain involved with DC and we’ll be able to tap his expertise to help us reach our goals for this new business.”
“It’s no secret that DC has myriad rich and untapped possibilities from its deep library of iconic and lesser-known characters,” said Horn. “While we’ve had great success in films and television, the formation of DC Entertainment will help us to bring more DC properties across additional platforms to fans around the world, while maintaining brand integrity and authenticity. Diane is a terrific choice to lead DC Entertainment, and with Paul in his new role as a valued consultant and contributing editor, both our company and comic fans win.”
So he is back into Legion??? That would be the best news since Geoff has left the franchise!
[ September 10, 2009, 08:48 AM: Message edited by: Nightcrawler ]
Posted by Quislet, Esq. on :
Maybe this is why Geoff Johns is leaving Adventure Comics after only 6 issues.
Posted by Ricardo on :
And IT IS CONFIRMED:
quote:Dear Friends,
Thank you for your efforts, your support, and your contributions to DC Comics over the long years that I’ve had the honor of serving as part of DC’s leadership team. Together, our staff, creative contributors, readers, retailers and business partners have helped bring us to the beginning of what looks to be a new golden age for comics in the United States, and one that will bring more respect for the talent and the medium.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who’s heard me answer a comic convention request, “When are you going to do more Legion stories?” that I’m going to step away from my executive desk in coming months to resume my writing career, in comics and hopefully other forms as well. One of the lessons I learned from my many great teachers, from Frank McCourt through Joe Orlando and Jenette Kahn, is that creative work is more enduring than executive acts, and I look forward to adding to the stories I’ve told. Expect to see my byline at DC, as it has appeared for almost 37 years, adding what I can to a mythology and company that has my enduring affection, and expect to see me around the world of comics, which I hope never to leave. I already hear Karen and Dan sharpening their blue pencils with glee, waiting for my first pages.
DC will remain in the hands of the people who have had ultimate responsibility for its success throughout the past two decades, the management team of Warner Bros., headed by Barry Meyer and Alan Horn. They have encouraged our growth as a creative enterprise, and I have confidence that the people they will select to join the DC team, beginning with Diane Nelson, will do their best to make DC a success. While that transition process is taking place, I’ll continue to run DC until the baton can be carefully passed, and afterwards will have a role in which I can provide my advice and help.
On a personal note, I deeply appreciate the warmth and friendship I have found in these halls since my first visit, as a 13 year old comics fan. The relationships I have made here, including one that began in a DC circulation meeting and developed into the first DC marriage in four decades (thereby rebooting a grand tradition?), have been and will remain central to my life.
And now, if you forgive me, the future is calling.
Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: So he is back into Legion??? That would be the best news since Geoff has left the franchise! [/QB]
I'm glad to see you're happy about the person who called the weekend he read the 5YG the worst weekend of his life spent outside of a hospital, returning to the book.
I'm mixed over it...despiute sharing some of his opinions on various Legions.
On the one hand Levitz wrote arguably the greatest Legion story ever....on the other hand by the time he was done writing the Legion(due to editorial policy as much as anything he did) there wasn't must left to write about...
It seems kind of opportunistic if he's back to write just as the Legion has returned to more or less it's most iconic interpretation...
I'm sure Mark Waid, DnA, Shooter, Gail Simone, Tom and Mary Bierbaum and even Keith Giffen would have liked the opportunity to write that Legion as well.
There's no doubt in my mind Paul Levitz is a very smart man...if he returns to writing(and I have a hunch he'll have Keith Giffen in tow if he does) he'll have coincidentally bypassed all the Legions that had a much tougher hill to climb to success.
Then again...I know he wasn't behind the decision to screw up the continuity, but I have problems with the direction he took the book beyond the problems created by the Crisis, mainly that it was an extremely depressing read at times.
[ September 09, 2009, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: Superboy ]
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe [/QB]
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art?
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art? [/QB]
I think Giffen might be around for some fun, but I doubt Giffen will get back to be a monthly artist at this point, being tied up in 2 books and a third project with J.M. deMatteis (unnanounced). However, we don't know whether Levitz will get the monthly or simply do that Graphic Novel he was supposed to do with Giffen.
And Levitz never let me down on Legion or JSA, so I am very pleased. I don't care if he didn't like 5YG as much as I did - fact is he is a very competent writers and probably one of the 5 people who really understands what makes a Legion book (the other ones are Waid, Giffen, Shooter and Busiek).
Posted by Ricardo on :
So there you are, from Dan Didio at DC THE SOURCE:
quote: You may have heard that Paul Levitz will be once again adding his considerable talent, drive and creativity to our ever expanding universe as a regular DC Comics writer.
So, what’s his first writing assignment?
Paul is returning to the title he made great as both a writer and editor, ADVENTURE COMICS, and with his eyes set to the future, he brings several of his favorite characters with him. ADVENTURE is the first in a number of projects, both ongoing and mini-series that Paul will be taking on as he joins of our list of top notch creators here at DC.
As Executive Editor, and as a fan, I can’t wait for him to get started.
-Dan DiDio
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
This is the best news I've heard in a LOONNGG time.
No one showed more respect for the Legion and it's past than Paul. This is the one thing I think has been missing from every incarnation of the Legion since the Superboy-fiasco. Especially from this latest retro-boot.
I'm finally very happy!
I also hope that this means that the Legion will take over the book and Kon will become the back up.
Posted by rickshaw1 on :
This is Great for the LEGION.
Sucks for DC.
I foresee even more culling of DC books from my buy pile.
In the last few years, independents that had never been on my radar are starting to make significant inroads into my purchases, and edging out DC. They cancel a book, and don't have anything good to replace it with, and I just buy from an independent now.
Woo HOooooooooo! Now we can get a bright shiney happy lobo. Death, don't look like a goth chick from Gaiman. Thats depressing. Focus groups say that turning Starfire into a manga cat girl will drive up sales. We gots to luv us some demographic based heros.
Yee frickin' Ha.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: I think Giffen might be around for some fun, but I doubt Giffen will get back to be a monthly artist at this point, being tied up in 2 books and a third project with J.M. deMatteis (unnanounced).
Hmmm...he's tied up in a project with JM DeMatteis beyond the Metal Men storyline? I hadn't heard about that...
Interesting enough, JM DeMatteis was one of the writers on the Legion cartoon.
Giffen has said he'd like one more shot at the book...I personally think he and Levitz are better as a team on the Legion than they are separate.
quote: However, we don't know whether Levitz will get the monthly or simply do that Graphic Novel he was supposed to do with Giffen.
I don't have a doubt that Levitz is going to carry on some of the things Johns has set up...in Adventure.
I know he's a Superboy fan, but not the Kon-el Superboy, so if he's taking over Adventure to me that means the Legion is definitely about to jump to the forefront of that title.
quote: And Levitz never let me down on Legion or JSA, so I am very pleased. I don't care if he didn't like 5YG as much as I did - fact is he is a very competent writers and probably one of the 5 people who really understands what makes a Legion book (the other ones are Waid, Giffen, Shooter and Busiek).
And interestingly enough all those writers have now written cancelled or outdated versions of the Legion....
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about Levitz return..at the same time, I'd also be lying if I said I had blind faith that it's nothing but blue skies from here on out.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Nightcrawler:
I also hope that this means that the Legion will take over the book and Kon will become the back up.
I definitely don't think Paul is picking up Adventure just so he can write Kon-El...he's doing it to write the Legion. I don't have a doubt in my mind about that.
It's pretty interesting, because this Legion is more or less at the point where the Crisis started to impact Levitz direction on the book..in the original continuity.
What I'm interested in seeing is if the direction he goes now will in any way resemble the direction he took the book originally.
Posted by Quislet, Esq. on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art? [/QB]
The Legion had many great artists. I don't think that Legion specifically needs the Levitz/Giffen team. I liked Giffen's early Legion work, but his later Legion work left me feeling blah towards his artwork. But I am excited to see Paul Levitz writing the Legion again.
Posted by Superboy on :
The first thing that comes to my mind...
We're definitely going to find out what the deal is with Brainiac 5 and Supergirl now...that was an important relationship to Levitz and not one he would ever overlook or just cast aside.
I kind of wish he'd stayed the publisher so he wouldn't get overruled by the Superman editors or DC Brass....
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Quislet, Esq.:
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art?
The Legion had many great artists. I don't think that Legion specifically needs the Levitz/Giffen team. I liked Giffen's early Legion work, but his later Legion work left me feeling blah towards his artwork. But I am excited to see Paul Levitz writing the Legion again. [/QB]
Yah, Giffen's artwork has never been the same since early in his original run...but Giffen is a very creative writer and he does humor well. I always figured he could return to his original style anytime he wants...he just doesn't want to.
Giffen is still a fantastic layout artist though and has never stopped being one, even as his style changed...no one draws fight scenes like Keith Giffen.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: We're definitely going to find out what the deal is with Brainiac 5 and Supergirl now...that was an important relationship to Levitz and not one he would ever overlook or just cast aside.
Yeah, if nothing else, we can probably at least count on Levitz to come up with a definitive and coherent continuity for the current team.
Posted by rickshaw1 on :
Yes to Giffen co-plotting the legion.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! to his drawing the legion in his "new" style.
Freakin' hated it then....hate it more now.
DC..who ever you put on this book....look at the heyday years. Please.
The art was crisp. Clear. Bright. Befitting a future where there was hope and joy, not the grim, gritty era of so depressing it made me wanna put a bullet through the book.
LEARN FROM YOUR PAST SCREWUPS!
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Quislet, Esq.:
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art?
The Legion had many great artists. I don't think that Legion specifically needs the Levitz/Giffen team. I liked Giffen's early Legion work, but his later Legion work left me feeling blah towards his artwork. But I am excited to see Paul Levitz writing the Legion again.
Yah, Giffen's artwork has never been the same since early in his original run...but Giffen is a very creative writer and he does humor well. I always figured he could return to his original style anytime he wants...he just doesn't want to.
Giffen is still a fantastic layout artist though and has never stopped being one, even as his style changed...no one draws fight scenes like Keith Giffen. [/QB]
Giffen is probably one of the best storyteller around. He knows how to pace and breakdown a story like very few others. And I like how much he takes risks with his artwork - that's why I liked all his styles throughout the years. But my favorite was his early 5YG run, just the right mix of futurism and Kirbyness. But I bet on a Legion GN with Levitz finally coming out.
Posted by LardLad on :
Maybe Manapul will be staying on? Seems unlikely, I suppose, since Francis has already been there and done that.
Posted by Superboy on :
Yeah, an overly impressionistic style in a book with 25+ characters isn't exactly the best match...
You gotta be able to tell who the characters are.
So who is the artist?
Does Clayton Henry continue?
Not to dimish Mr. Henry, whose art I like, and who does have a very clean style, but drawing the Legion is an equally tough drawing assignment and if they take over Adventure there's no guarantees he can handle that workload...that's been the problem with a lot of great Legion artists.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by LardLad: Maybe Manapul will be staying on? Seems unlikely, I suppose, since Francis has already been there and done that.
Lardy, he's going to the Flash with Johns and his last issue will be Adventure #6.
Posted by rickshaw1 on :
Maybe they will get Ivan Reis? He's used to drawing umpteen million characters in one book. Look at what he did for GL.
Posted by Quislet, Esq. on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: Yeah, an overly impressionistic style in a book with 25+ characters isn't exactly the best match...
You gotta be able to tell who the characters are.
Which is why 5YG was never my favorite era. And it is the one time I stopped reading Legion.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo:
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Quislet, Esq.:
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: ]Now I have faith in DC again... hehehe
What do you think the odds are that he's going to get Giffen to do the art?
The Legion had many great artists. I don't think that Legion specifically needs the Levitz/Giffen team. I liked Giffen's early Legion work, but his later Legion work left me feeling blah towards his artwork. But I am excited to see Paul Levitz writing the Legion again.
Yah, Giffen's artwork has never been the same since early in his original run...but Giffen is a very creative writer and he does humor well. I always figured he could return to his original style anytime he wants...he just doesn't want to.
Giffen is still a fantastic layout artist though and has never stopped being one, even as his style changed...no one draws fight scenes like Keith Giffen.
Giffen is probably one of the best storyteller around. He knows how to pace and breakdown a story like very few others. And I like how much he takes risks with his artwork - that's why I liked all his styles throughout the years. But my favorite was his early 5YG run, just the right mix of futurism and Kirbyness. But I bet on a Legion GN with Levitz finally coming out. [/QB]
Well Giffen is a goodstoryteller, as I said he's a great layout artist, but that style makes it nearly impossible to tell which characters are which at times....I never had a clue Bounty was Dawnstar for instance...I think one fan in all of Legiondom figured that out at the time...and if the people who know Giffen's art and the characters are struggling with that, you can imagine how a great many fans that had never read the book before felt about it.
I would definitely welcome Giffen's return as a co-plotter and layout artists...not so much as the regular penciller.
He can do layouts faster than the Flash...he did the layouts for every issue of 52 and Countdown, weekly comics for 2 years straight...and that was while he was writing Annhilation for Marvel and doing some other projects as well.
Posted by LardLad on :
quote:Originally posted by rickshaw1: Maybe they will get Ivan Reis? He's used to drawing umpteen million characters in one book. Look at what he did for GL.
Yeah, I assumed Ivan was going to that Flash book with Geoff. Since that's not happening, maybe he can go to Adventure! Ivan is one of the very best artists in the biz right now, IMO.
Posted by Superboy on :
It would be insane if we could get Ivan Reiss...
I look at it though and the list of artitst that have said they would do the Legion again or like to work on it, is an impressive one.
#1. Mike Grell has said he'd do it again.
#2. Keith Giffen has said he'd do the Legion again.(he wasn't clear on writing or art though).
#3. Jim Lee has said he'd like to do the Legion(although he might have satisfied his urge after working with Levitz on that one story and he's not exactly great at meeting deadlines).
#4. Dan Jurgens has said he's always wanted to work on the Legion regularly and the only reason he's never done it regularly is because he was never asked to. Dan Jurgens is a Legion fan from way back as evidenced by his letters in old 70' s Superboy lettercols...he's an extremely under-rated artist who is extremely fast, and can change his style within his style like few others, and he definitely has a classic clean style.
#5. Oliver Copiel has said he'd like to return to the Legion someday(I was hoping for he and JMS to get a stab at this Legion). He might be the one dirty artist who can pull off the Legion....he was my favorite artist of all the post Crisis Legion artists.
[ September 09, 2009, 12:43 PM: Message edited by: Superboy ]
Posted by Ultra Jorge on :
I'm excited. I have been a fan of Geoff's work...didn't love it but I liked it. But Levitz? Oh yeah!
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: So there you are, from Dan Didio at DC THE SOURCE:
quote: You may have heard that Paul Levitz will be once again adding his considerable talent, drive and creativity to our ever expanding universe as a regular DC Comics writer.
So, what’s his first writing assignment?
Paul is returning to the title he made great as both a writer and editor, ADVENTURE COMICS, and with his eyes set to the future, he brings several of his favorite characters with him. ADVENTURE is the first in a number of projects, both ongoing and mini-series that Paul will be taking on as he joins of our list of top notch creators here at DC.
As Executive Editor, and as a fan, I can’t wait for him to get started.
-Dan DiDio
Of course when PL was on Adventure, it was Aquaman not the Legion. But the Legion is what made PL one of DC's mega stars.
I just hope this means a full Legion book not 32 pages of aquaman and a Legion back up.
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Silver Age Lad:
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: So there you are, from Dan Didio at DC THE SOURCE:
quote: You may have heard that Paul Levitz will be once again adding his considerable talent, drive and creativity to our ever expanding universe as a regular DC Comics writer.
So, what’s his first writing assignment?
Paul is returning to the title he made great as both a writer and editor, ADVENTURE COMICS, and with his eyes set to the future, he brings several of his favorite characters with him. ADVENTURE is the first in a number of projects, both ongoing and mini-series that Paul will be taking on as he joins of our list of top notch creators here at DC.
As Executive Editor, and as a fan, I can’t wait for him to get started.
-Dan DiDio
Of course when PL was on Adventure, it was Aquaman not the Legion. But the Legion is what made PL one of DC's mega stars.
I just hope this means a full Legion book not 32 pages of aquaman and a Legion back up.
I think the quote "with his eyes set to the future" is pretty self-explanatory.
Posted by shanealt on :
Yeah, I'm not exactly jumping with joy over this. He wrote two of the best Legion runs ever, but Marv Wolfman enjoyed the same success with New Teen Titans, and Claremont enjoyed the same success with the Uncanny X-Men. Neither of their recent "returns" were anything spectacular, and all I've seen of Levitz's recent writing, while not bad, seemed...dated. Bland.
I'm of course going to read it--I buy all DC collections--but I'm not so sure that I feel a desperate need to buy this monthly anymore. Either way, while I could've seen Adventure Comics under Johns and Manapul as a top book for DC, I'm seeing it under Levitz as going to mid-range at best, and that disappoints me.
Posted by Matthew E on :
It's been a tumultuous time recently, hasn't it? I know it isn't as simple as this, but from my point of view it seems like it worked out this way:
Disney buys Marvel. Therefore Paul Levitz is back on the Legion.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: It's been a tumultuous time recently, hasn't it? I know it isn't as simple as this, but from my point of view it seems like it worked out this way:
Disney buys Marvel. Therefore Paul Levitz is back on the Legion.
From what I'm reading over at Newsarama regarding the restructuring of TimeWarner and DC in response to Disney buying Marvel...it may indeed be just as simple as that.
Posted by rickshaw1 on :
They say it was in the works for over two years. If so, this probably hastened it is all. 'course, that could just be corporate spin.
Posted by LardLad on :
I'm really rooting for Paul to succeed in his return. I honestly thought that Johns was gearing up to relaunch the book when his schedule freed up some, though. My main worry is that Paul's been on the editorial side for so long, that he may be too out of touch writing. I know he did some work on JSA a few years back, but I haven't read those issues.
Anyone read that story with Jim Lee? How was it?
In any case I feel Paul did more for the Legion as a writer than any other writer in its history, and I know he has the passion for them that we want. If not Geoff Johns, I can't think of any other writer I'd rather take on our Legion--especially the current version.
Posted by andrewnolan2001 on :
This is great news! I look forward to Paul Levitz writing the Legion again!
Posted by Blacula on :
I hate to be pessimistic but I kinda think this could be a bad move by Levitz.
Right now he's considered one of, if not the best writers the Legion's ever had, writing the team when they were at their best-selling best and being responsible for their most famous and well-loved story. Where else is there to go from there but down?
I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "you can't go home again" and I think Levitz might be attempting to do just that here.
Don't get me wrong - I'm sure he's capable of giving us great stories and great characterisation, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he brings us, I just can't help but think that people are always going to be comparing this era of the Levitz-Legion to the previous era of the Levitz-Legion... and guess which one will come out on top.
Posted by rickshaw1 on :
That's a fair comment, I think. I do look forward to it, I do want it to succeed, but DC has a history of people returning to great books and not doing well.
then again, look at Geoff and Flash, or the JSA. Lots of people didn't like either return, but even more did like it.
So, it could go either way. Hoping for the best, it couldn't get any worse than Legion #50 of the last run.
Well, unless Didio pops up again and starts monkeying around.
Posted by Para-Dox on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: The first thing that comes to my mind...
We're definitely going to find out what the deal is with Brainiac 5 and Supergirl now...that was an important relationship to Levitz and not one he would ever overlook or just cast aside.
That is what I'm excited about. He was famously reluctant to let kara go and now she's back. If anyone is going to put that right its Levitz. I wouldn't mind at all if we saw an older Supergirl appear in Legion while the younger one was in the monthly.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
Don't DO IT Paul,
We're message boarders.
We'll eat you ALiiiivvvve.....
It's like,..
our job you know.
Posted by shanealt on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: It's been a tumultuous time recently, hasn't it? I know it isn't as simple as this, but from my point of view it seems like it worked out this way:
Disney buys Marvel. Therefore Paul Levitz is back on the Legion.
From what I'm reading over at Newsarama regarding the restructuring of TimeWarner and DC in response to Disney buying Marvel...it may indeed be just as simple as that.
This sort of thing would be impossible to set up in...what, a week and a half? This is a huge deal, involving the hiring of many people and, well, a complete restructure of the division. There's no way that it's in response to Disney buying Marvel.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Wow,I just asked this question over at newsarama on Aug 12th 2009,in 20 questions with Dan DiDio.
wildwolfkid says.
Hi Dan,just want to say congrats on getting The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents,one of my favorite Silver Age teams along with The Doom Patrol and especially The Legion of Super-Heroes,though The Bronze Age Legion is my favorite era.
I have two questions.
1.Is DC looking to purchase or lease anymore defunt comic book companies or creators characters,such as The Futurions or Atlas/Seaboard etc...
2.Any chance of luring Paul Levitz out of retirement to write or co-write The classic Legion of Super-Heroes in their very own monthly title.
My question didn't get picked,but it might come true,which is better.
Posted by Sir Tim Drake on :
Woo-hoo! Now maybe I'll be able to buy DC comics again.
Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by Blacula: I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "you can't go home again" and I think Levitz might be attempting to do just that here.
With the horrorshow that has been Claremont's 'X-Men Forever,' I'm also in the 'fingers crossed' camp, hoping that Levitz isn't trying to relive glory days and has something new and exciting up his sleeves.
As for the art, pretty much anyone who can make the characters crisp and distinctive. I don't care if they 'pull a Byrne' and skimp on background in four out of five panels. I understand that not everybody can be George Perez, and fill every panel with incredibly detailed fractured ground and whatnot (and Lo3W proved that even George Perez can't live up to the standards of his past, these days).
Posted by Fat Cramer on :
I don't want to get my hopes up too high either, but I feel like the sun just came out.
Posted by andrewnolan2001 on :
quote:Originally posted by Blacula: I hate to be pessimistic but I kinda think this could be a bad move by Levitz.
Right now he's considered one of, if not the best writers the Legion's ever had, writing the team when they were at their best-selling best and being responsible for their most famous and well-loved story. Where else is there to go from there but down?
I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "you can't go home again" and I think Levitz might be attempting to do just that here.
Don't get me wrong - I'm sure he's capable of giving us great stories and great characterisation, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he brings us, I just can't help but think that people are always going to be comparing this era of the Levitz-Legion to the previous era of the Levitz-Legion... and guess which one will come out on top.
Just a reminder that the Great Darkness Era/Baxter Era was Paul's second attempt at writing the Legion. Most people would agree (myself included) that this was a memorable era for the Legion.
Nonetheless, you have a valid point. I was excited to learn that Jim Shooter was returning to the Legion and we all know how that concluded.
I remain optimistic though!
Posted by stephbarton on :
Exciting news but I approach it with a little trepidation, as most writers have failed to return to properties where they have had great runs. I also worry about how his writing skills have held up, I read the JSA story that he did awhile back, and although I don't think it was as bad as many people say, it wasn't great either, it was just there (of course the timing was bad, it was the end of the series and was essentially a fill in).
Anyways, if Levitz is coming back because he has more stories to tell with the Legion then I think it will be great, but it's obvious that by the end of the Baxter series he had run out of stories to tell, and who knows if he has come up with a new run's worth since then.
But still, pretty exciting news.
Posted by doublechinner on :
I'm such a sourpuss that my first reaction was "can't ANYONE else write the Legion?!?" After that initial reaction, I began to realize it's a good thing that anyone IS writing the Legion, or that there will a Legion to write, and if it has to be Paul, we could probably do worse. While nothing would surprise me, I think it less likely that DiDio would totally set up his former boss for total disaster. Levitz has said that he has a LOT of catching up to do on the state of things, which is probably a good sign. At his best, Levitz's stories built strongly from one to another, and that's something some of today's most successful writers (Johns, Brubaker) are good at, and I think it's a model that suits the Legion well. At the same time, the Legion's history is so rich that there's plenty of opportunity for "lost tales" too (which the Legion origin was, originally, as written by E. Nelson Bridwell). I too hope he comes in with lots of new energy and really cuts loose with something daring, creative and new. Whew. What a few days it's been.
Posted by Superboy on :
I'm never going to be convinced that Johns not continuing was a good thing for this Legion. The guy made Green Lantern and JSA better than they ever were before, he loves the DC Universe, he seems to be the only guy with his finger on the pulse of the DC Comics audience as a whole. On top of all that, he's pretty much the top writer draw at DC. There's no way that was a good thing...regardless of how hard it is for other writers to follow him.
But...the last time the Legion truly clicked on all cylinders, Paul Levitz was the guy writing it. Unfortunately he was also the guy that was writing it when it stopped clicking on all cylinders and whether that was his fault or not, the association I have mentally with him and the decline is a tough one to overcome.
I do not think he's really like Marv Wolfman, Claremont or even Jim Shooter as a writer...he's definitely more of a technical writer than they are, and he usually has an awesome first major arc planned well in advance...and this time around he's got Johns' subplots to play with and Johns is arguably the best setup man in comics right now. Plus Levitz knows the continuity issues that irk the heck out of us....and it's really not fair to expect anyone else to really understand that.
That said, the first time I see an issue with 55 pages of Element Lad, Dream Girl and Brainiac 5 discussing the downside of being Legion leader with, with the other 22 characters getting their allotted panel of characterization time and the death of classic hero or villain thrown in in the name emotional impact...I will drop the book and I will never look back at it again.
I've been through that before....it sucked harder than any other experience in my comics reading lifetime....and I'm not going through it again.
It's at the top of things I never want to see again...
Don't go there Paul, don't go there ever again.
Space, Planets, Time Travel, Alternate Dimensions, Galactic Wars, Darkseid, Mordru, new ones even...that is the ticket. Not 3 characters sitting around in a room chatting for 3/4ths of an issue. That is my definition of suck.
Ok I take that back, that's not the thing I most do not want to see...Mike DeCarlo being listed as inker on anything with the word Legion in the title is the #1 thing.
Posted by Mystery Lad on :
Holy guacamole! I always thought Levitz would someday return to writing Legion, but I'm still surprised! It's hard not to link this to Disney's purchase of Marvel... I'm sure the formation of DC Entertainment has been in the works for much longer, but perhaps Levitz's decision to step down as publisher was influenced by the Disney/Marvel deal.
I certainly look forward to his writing the LSH- though he doesn't have long to get it in gear, does he? I wonder if he has a drawer/file/laptop full of ideas for the Legion that he's saved over the years?
It's also hard not to think about returning writers like Claremont to the X-Men and Wolfman to the Titans (sort of) and wonder if there'll be a similar disappointment.
The fact that he says he has 'homework' to do, is, in my view, a very good thing. I hope he makes good on the utilization of all three (or more) legions in ADVENTURE, while simultaneously giving some characters the patented Levitz spotlight. Tall order.
I do have other concerns- that some characterizations could be dated (Dream Girl, Element Lad) and his spotty track record creating villains (Legion needs this badly... though the various folk filling the ranks of the LSV in LO3W could keep things humming for quite awhile).
Posted by matlock on :
Actually Superboy, I wouldn't mind a few "downtime" issues again. It seems like the Legion has been a blur of non-stop end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it stories for far longer than I care to remember. If I see another Galactic War, I won't look twice.
I'd be a lot happier about this if I didn't think Levitz will play the hand dealt him and follow through with all the Johns characterizations that I don't enjoy: Angry Garth, Wolf-cliche Timber Wolf etc. I wouldn't care if he tossed those over and used his old characterizations, but I guess he'll probably just use them as is. It's the "right" thing to do, just not to my taste. Still, I expect better from him than what we've had lately and I hope DC will give him some latitude after so many years of service as a "suit."
Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by matlock: I'd be a lot happier about this if I didn't think Levitz will play the hand dealt him and follow through with all the Johns characterizations that I don't enjoy: Angry Garth, Wolf-cliche Timber Wolf etc. I wouldn't care if he tossed those over and used his old characterizations, but I guess he'll probably just use them as is. It's the "right" thing to do, just not to my taste.
Agreed. I'm really not loving the characterization of Garth, in particular, and the longer goes between mentioning Wildfire-as-Red-Tornado or Emotional-Spectrum-Rainbow-Girl, the happier I'll be.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
The number one thing about Paul Levitz is he understands and respects the Legion,its history and characters better than anyone.
Though I have said in the past,alot of people seem to think their was never a Legion before Levitz and Giffen were doing it,I on the other hand seem to think their was never a Legion after they were doing it.
Other thoughts
Levitz biggest weakness was creating interesting villians for the Legion to face.
I would not be surprised if Giffen gets involved in someway,as he has said in the past that he was trying to get Paul to get back in the game and do something Legion related.
This very well could have been the plan all along,Johns fixing the Legion for Levitz to take over,Paul has said in the past that he hopes to write again one day.
I hope I get as excited when they announce the artist as I did when they announced the writer!
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
I have mixed feelings, frankly. It is all too easy to get one's expectations up into high gear, even more than with Shooter (who has baggage and was stuck with a lesser incarnation of LSH), and it is all too easy for our collective expectations not to be met.
on the other hand, I really *want* this to be the event we can all envision.
More than Claremont, I'm thinking George Lucas: Willow and The Boredom Menace. It is possible to get rusty, to stay out of the captain's chair too long.
I almost rather they kept this as a surprise, and even a pseudonym until the results stand on their own. Then, the buzz could draw people back and catch up on a hit-in-progress, rather than the height the bar is now set at.
That said, I think Johns has built a worthy launching pad for Levitz to leap from. I will hope for the best.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Keith Giffen quote from CBR
"And right now, it's just everybody speculating. It's a tempest in a teapot, and if I pay too much attention to it my eyes start to bleed. I just hope that everything works out well for everyone involved. Seeing Paul Levitz's name on the creator's masthead again? I'm really looking forward to it. [When it comes to us collaborating on the Legion again] all Paul has to do is pick up the phone and tell me when. And if comic book fandom knows a good thing when they see it, they should be popping champagne corks at the fact that Paul Levitz is returning to the 30th Century. Knowing Paul, it's not like he ever 100% left."
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire: Keith Giffen quote from CBR
"And right now, it's just everybody speculating. It's a tempest in a teapot, and if I pay too much attention to it my eyes start to bleed. I just hope that everything works out well for everyone involved. Seeing Paul Levitz's name on the creator's masthead again? I'm really looking forward to it. [When it comes to us collaborating on the Legion again] all Paul has to do is pick up the phone and tell me when. And if comic book fandom knows a good thing when they see it, they should be popping champagne corks at the fact that Paul Levitz is returning to the 30th Century. Knowing Paul, it's not like he ever 100% left."
Translation: There's no Val for him to kill yet.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Hopefully Levitz calls him to do the relaunch of the Karate Kid title,where Val becomes the new Resurrection Man,that way Giffen can kill him in every issue and he keeps coming back.
And in the first issue Val Armorr takes out Lobo with one punch!
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
but Lobo isn't even worth one panel.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by rickshaw1: They say it was in the works for over two years. If so, this probably hastened it is all. 'course, that could just be corporate spin.
It's hard to believe that there hasn't been some sort of change in plan. Otherwise, why not have Levitz come on board with the first issue?
Posted by ultrajo on :
Well this news just brightened my lousy day. Happy, happy!!!!!
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester:
quote:Originally posted by rickshaw1: They say it was in the works for over two years. If so, this probably hastened it is all. 'course, that could just be corporate spin.
It's hard to believe that there hasn't been some sort of change in plan. Otherwise, why not have Levitz come on board with the first issue?
It's interesting reading the quotes of other creators at CBR...
For one thing, Marv Wolfman said Levitz has wanted to step down from being publisher and return to writing for years now. That makes it sound like Levitz wasn't really demoted but was actually looking to get out of the corporate side of things and this was his opportunity. Looking at this whole merger thing, it seems to be more of an evolution than anything else...I was on the fence about it until I found out the hot chick who is now running the show has been in charge of the DC Animated features...
The DC Animated Features are awesome. If that's what got her this job her promotion was well deserved.
Maybe Paul feels like he's played his part in the evolution of the industry as much as he could and now it's time to return to his first love(the Legion).
If this has been in the works for years, it's entirely possible Johns has been setting this up for Levitz to take over from the get go...Johns is a fan of the Levitz Legion too.
What if setting up this Legion was something Paul wanted to do while he was still in a position to do it? I know from various interviews with Didio and Waid that fixing the Legion is something that Levitz was interested in...
And the point at which Johns rebooted this Legion is just about around the time I would think Levitz thought things started to go sour himself.
I know one thing...Levitz has an extreme amount of patience and would build up to things over the course of years, I could just as easily see the way this reboot has been handled as being seeds he was planting as much as Johns himself...since both of them tend to do that.
[ September 09, 2009, 09:01 PM: Message edited by: Superboy ]
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy:
quote:Originally posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire: Keith Giffen quote from CBR
I'm really looking forward to it. [When it comes to us collaborating on the Legion again] all Paul has to do is pick up the phone and tell me when.
Translation: There's no Val for him to kill yet.
Levitz will want to make Giffen happy. He will probably marry Val to "Duplicate Girl" so that there will be as many KK's to kill as Giffen has pencils.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
Re: other creator comments.
In the Wed Comics interviews on CBR or some site a couple writers/artists when asked what they'd like to see if the project continues is a Levitz Legion.
That would be the best of all worlds to me. A Levitz Legion not contrained by continuity.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Blockade Boy: That would be the best of all worlds to me. A Levitz Legion not contrained by continuity.
Now *that* would get me excited.
Posted by cleome on :
I finally go to work for a day and all... something breaks loose.
Well, I wish everyone involved good luck, of course. Really can't afford to jump in with a regular book the way prices are nowadays, though. Also, isn't there a saying about how you can't go home again?
Even if they do return, Levitz and Giffen aren't the same people they were in 1982 (or whenever) and neither are we.
Posted by Jerry on :
This is certainly an interesting development. I lean toward being skeptical regarding the idea that one can truly ever go home. Lightning rarely strikes twice. It wasn't that long ago that fans and press releases heralded the return of Jim Shooter. Fan response to to his writing was, at best, lukewarm and editorial pulled the rug right out from under him. I predict that Levitz will have a more successful return than Shooter, even though that isn't a very high bar. At the very least, Levitz has the reputation of being a professional and a company man. He will be treated with respect, and will be given the chance to finish the story that he starts. How long has it been since that has happened on a Legion book?
Regarding artists, I would love to see some brief and fun reunions. However, the Legion always works best with a hot new talent who has a fresh visual perspective on the team. I hope that is what we end up with.
[ September 09, 2009, 11:11 PM: Message edited by: Jerry ]
Posted by Arm Fall Off Boy on :
Well, to say that reaction on this board is mixed is an understatement. I'm in favor of Levitz returning. Geoff Johns said he was a big fan of the Legion and he was gonna do this and that and blah,blah,blah, at San Diego in '08 I believe, and overall, he did some good things, but in general, I think we got hosed.
As many have said, Levitz has a real respect for the history of the Legion. When I emailed him once upon a time he said he'd love to write it again. I agree that there will likely be a "transition" toward the Legion being the main feature of the book. As Levitz transitions out of his old role, he will likely write shorter stories, just to get his feet wet and set up some foundations for the future, no pun intended. Then as he establishes more, the Legion takes over the bigger portion, if not the entire book.
As President, Publisher, and fanboy, he knows the Legion as well as anyone, I think. as far as his stories being dated, has anything worked REALLY well with the Legion in the last dozen or so years? I'm not saying we settle, but it has to be an improvement. As far as comparing his situation to that of Jim Shooter, let's face it, Jim Shooter has a...ah...problem with not doing things his way and taking orders. He tends to rub people the wrong way, whereas Levitz is respected and simply seems to get things done.
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: On the one hand Levitz wrote arguably the greatest Legion story ever....on the other hand by the time he was done writing the Legion(due to editorial policy as much as anything he did) there wasn't must left to write about...
How could that be possible? It's the future! In a comic book! He can write in what ever direction is needed!
I do hope you can go home again...again.
As far as artists go, much has been made about those who burn out on the Legion. The late great Curt Swan never really enjoyed the Legion and literally needed a scorecard with a color key to tell himself who to color what color. On the other hand, there a number of artists, like Grell, the late Dave Cockrum, Steve Lightle, Terry Shoemaker Dan Jurgens, and others who have said they'd do it again in a heartbeat. Personally, I'd take any of them. IVAN REIS?!? Holy cow, I'd cry with joy every month I opened the book! He did some of the most breathtaking work I've ever seen on Green Lantern.
Keith Giffen on the other hand--he has his place in Legion history as a writer/plotter and artist, but I really want him far, far, far away from the art chores, unless he could go back to his orginal style. At his age and after so many years however, I don't think that's possible.
To sum it all up, for the first time in months, I have...hope.
2010 has to be a better year than 2009 for the Legion.
Posted by Candle on :
Levitz. He's old enough to retire, right? Writer's aren't like athletes, so maybe his age won't be a bad thing.
He probably won't like the New Wanderers (aka. ) much, or and .
I guess I should be happy, Waid turned Shady into a one dimensional caricature of herself and Shooter didn't really write about her at all.
Is Levitz the one who had cut off her finger and then, become a nun? (Please tell me he didn't have marry !)
I really respect Paul Levitz, though. This is just an awful lot of change and I'm .
I mean, more than usual but I'll still be hopeful for the Legion. It's just that I've been so done with this Legion for so long. sigh
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Arm Fall Off Boy: The late great Curt Swan never really enjoyed the Legion and literally needed a scorecard with a color key to tell himself who to color what color.
It was funny when Swan said he'd rather retire that go back to doing the Legion after Byrne replaced him on Superman. He wanted no part of drawing all those characters and all that futuristic stuff...a shame too because he was really good at it.
Hmmm...Al Plastino's still around.
Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Candle: [QB] Levitz. He's old enough to retire, right?
He's really not that old Candle...53. He started really young.
Er...actually he's not 53 yet.
Posted by Candle on :
The article said he went through the DC headquarters at 13 and somewhere it said he worked for DC 37 years. I thought he must have gone to college, but he could have started as a page or something.
So, he's 52?
Well, that's young enough to still be a strong force with futuristic ideas and everything! Thanks, I feel much better.
Here, I was thinking that he was at least my age! Posted by Superboy on :
quote:Originally posted by Candle: The article said he went through the DC headquarters at 13 and somewhere it said he worked for DC 37 years. I thought he must have gone to college, but he could have started as a page or something.
So, he's 52?
Well, that's young enough to still be a strong force with futuristic ideas and everything! Thanks, I feel much better.
Here, I was thinking that he was at least my age!
He wrote his first Legion story when he was 17 or 18 or something. He was an editor when he was like 19 or 20 or something and he's been on the DC executive board for as long as I can remember...since the mid 70's. He was in his early 20's when he wrote the Great Darkness Saga...
If he went to college it was probably while he was working for DC.
But you know...you might have stumbled onto something here about the Legion writers...
It seems like the most popular ones have been really young guys.
Jim Shooter was 13, Levitz was 17...I bet Cary Bates wasn't much older either because he was part of the same youth movement that brought Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Shooter, Bridwell and I guess Levitz into comics.
Maybe the problem has been the writers have all been too old since Levitz....I don't think any of them have been under 30.
[ September 10, 2009, 01:35 AM: Message edited by: Superboy ]
Posted by Omni Craig on :
Paul has tremendous respect for the Legion, and I'm more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as to whether he can write the 30th (31st) century again! He's one of the reasons the Legion has always been my favorite team!
I appreciate that Giffen would jump if Paul called, but I actually never cared for his artwork (regardless of how he changed his style).
Can't wait for this to happen! (and I was worried when I heard Geoff was leaving 6 issues in...guess you gotta have faith!)
LLLL (long live the Legion and Levitz!) (Hey NC, we need a Paul Levitz graemlin!! )
Posted by Candle on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: He wrote his first Legion story when he was 17 or 18 or something. He was an editor when he was like 19 or 20 or something and he's been on the DC executive board for as long as I can remember...since the mid 70's. He was in his early 20's when he wrote the Great Darkness Saga...
If he went to college it was probably while he was working for DC.
But you know...you might have stumbled onto something here about the Legion writers...
It seems like the most popular ones have been really young guys.
Jim Shooter was 13, Levitz was 17...I bet Cary Bates wasn't much older either because he was part of the same youth movement that brought Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Shooter, Bridwell and I guess Levitz into comics.
Maybe the problem has been the writers have all been too old since Levitz....I don't think any of them have been under 30.
Maybe you're right! I think the artists, most of them(?) were youngish though, when they started with the Legion.
Coipel was very young, I know. (But then, I call my husband's sons 'kids' and they're 48 and 50.)
Maybe DC should hire the boy that wrote 'Eregon'. He should be in his middle teens still.
[ September 10, 2009, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: Candle ]
Posted by stuorstew on :
Yay! Just Yay!
Posted by Para-Dox on :
I'm 21, will graduate in english next year. They should give me a call Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
Paul Levitz to return to the LEGION OF SUPER HEROES!!!!!!
please look at existing threads before starting new ones.
this thread is going to be deleted soon.
Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
i did look sorry didnt see it.
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
no worries. It is an exciting topic. but lately we have a rash of duplications, that only add work for Gary.
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
Thanks Sean! (Combined)
Posted by MLLASH on :
Well this was at least as unexpected as Infectious Lass appearing in TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED.
I refuse to go space-ape over it though. I already did that when it was announced that Shooter was returning.... and we all know how that ended up.
What would get me excited is the announcement that Giffen is going to co-plot or pencil or both. Yep... space-ape city.
If Levitz is to go it alone, though, I only hope he has paid attention to other writers' usage of characters he didn't care to use much. Otherwise I fear the usual suspects will get dumped right off the bat.
Fans of long-ignored or mishandled characters like Blok, Dawnstar, Wildfire, Timber Wolf and Element Lad should be rejoicing though.
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: Fans of long-ignored or mishandled characters like Blok, Dawnstar, Wildfire, Timber Wolf and Element Lad should be rejoicing though.
Ditto Dream Girl and (as far as mishandled goes) Lightning Lad and Star Boy/man
Posted by Tromium on :
I'm not the world's biggest Levitz fan to say the least, but ....
THANK GOD GEOFF JOHNS IS OFF THE LEGION!
And good, freakin' riddance to him.
I hope and pray Levitz ignores Johns' repulsive Legion of Super-Imposters and does his own thing. (First order of business -- chuck Johnsboot Schizoman into a black hole.) But if that thing of his smacks of old-school fogeyism, or reads as lackluster and lethargic as the last 4 or so years of the Baxter series, I'll be here ranting against *him* this time next year.
I wish Mr. Levitz luck, and I'm grateful to anyone and everyone responsible for riddng the Legion of Geoff Johns, but he's not getting a free pass. Levitz has to *prove* he can create something more tenable than a quaint exercise in moldy nostalgia before he gets my vote.
P.S. Paul, steer clear of Keith Giffen unless you have a mind to commit creative harakiri. Dredging up ugly memories of the TMKboot is the *last* thing you need right now.
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
Wow. This brought Trom back!
Posted by Superboy2000 on :
Has anyone ever thought that maybe Mr. Levitz will give us the untold story of the Legion's first meeting with Mordru??? There are still alot of untapped stories for him to WOW us with!!!
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I think Superboy made a good point earlier in this thread about Levitz being a good technical writer. One of his strongest qualities is being able to guide a series in several ways many current writers cannot:
*keep story arcs at different lengths
*keep threats on various degrees of how dangerous they are - i.e., mega-galactic threat one issue vs. minor space-thief the next
*keep the pacing of the story moving forward so it remains exciting, while having it all flow evenl
*balance several subplots over a series of issues so there are the "long game" ones and the "short game" ones
*keep continuity tight while not focusing stories on the concept entirely
*have different characters interact with one another than previously.
All of these things keep a certain sense of the dynamic. They are also harder to recognize on a smaller 6-issue arc, but really bear fruition over a long multi-year run. Things like dialogue and tension might take him a few issues to get back up to speed on, but the overall mechanics are there I think.
Posted by Chemical King on :
Wow... been away for only a few days from this board, and now this...
Cool!
What does this mean for Adventure Comics? Will the Legion stay in the backup role? Does Superboy have a future in this book now that Johns is leaving? Will Levitz pick up the Retroboot Legion and go from there, or what?
Levitz back on the Legion seems to be good news. Here's hoping that he still has some stories left to tell - comebacks like these don't always work out well, as can be seen with Claremonts 21st century X-Men stories...
Posted by Chemical King on :
By the way: Does that mean that Dan Didio is praised away to become the new DC president (where he can't do that much damage)????
Uhm... well.
So in my eyes, Geoff Johns cleared up the status quo with L3W, and now Levitz can go from there. Seems a good transition as Johns doesn't have enough time on his hands anyway...
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
1) Lost_Daughter wrote: The Adventure Comics changeover. How did that happen? Was it planned? Will Legion be the stars? Will Levitz continue with Geoff's plans?
Dan DiDio: The change was in the works already before Paul stepped into the mix. And the change started at the moment we decided Francis was going to be the artist on The Flash.
What we're planning to do with The Flash ongoing series, we needed to get Francis and Geoff off the Adventure Comics series so they could concentrate on The Flash ongoing.
So we knew we had a change there. We just weren't sure exactly where and when. And we were going back and forth on which issue it was because Geoff had a really wonderful Superboy story that he wanted to tell that, unfortunately, will have to be pushed to a later date.
But my goal now is to get those guys going on Flash as soon as possible. And then when all the changes started to occur, Paul was our only choice for the series. And to be quite frank with you, before even knowing everything that was taking place, Paul was the person we were thinking about approaching for the series as well, given his association with the Legion, given his association with Adventure Comics, and his love for the title, and his love for those characters. It only made sense for him to be the one to take this and move it to its next incarnation.
Newsarama: There's no doubt that when you think of Paul, you think of Legion of Super-Heroes. But there are Conner Kent fans out there that are wondering - what's going to happen to the Superboy piece of this comic?
DiDio: We're going to see Conner's, probably, gradual leave from that book. But that's not to say Conner won't be joining a team book soon, or appearing in another series of his own at some point. Nrama: Then as a follow-up to that question, ds69 wrote: Dan, you now have the GREATEST LSH writer back on the title, you must use an A-list artist. Who will it be?
DiDio: I don't have the artist chosen yet. We have several people in mind. What I really want to do is sit down with Paul to see what his direction, tone and feel is. And to work with him on selecting the proper artist. We want to make sure he's a part of the process as well, in choosing the artist for the book.
But because there are so many things going on now, that's a little on hold for the second. What Paul's been doing is actually getting up to speed on the Legion of Super-Heroes. He's just been going through all the work Geoff has done on the characters lately, as well as James Robinson. And he's looking to build on the foundation we have going right now. Posted by cleome on :
[pictures Mr. Levitz at Fat Cramer's place, ordering half a dozen more double espressos and saying, "Just tell Dan I'll call him when I figure it out, okay? Gah. Lookit' this mess!"]
Posted by Chemical King on :
Oh my, this is DC at work again... they launch a book, and just about half a year into it, another cool idea for another book comes along... and that's all, "Good bye book number one, I have gotten the idea that my first plan was not so good anyway, we will be doing something different."
This is the exact way of chaotic planning that brought us Shooters Threeboot run, especially its abysmal ending (and three issues too soon).
Only this time, we're on the receiving end cause we suddenly - like an unexpected Christmas present at Easter - are getting our monthly Legion book back and it's the Superboy fans out there who have got enough reason to complain.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to see Paul Levitz back on the Legion, especially with the current Retroboot roster. But hey... what kind of strategy is this? Maximum Chaos?
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
There are alot of Kon-el fans talking smack about the Legion,in this newsarama post question section,Legion World needs to go over there and let their presence be felt and defend their beloved Legion!
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
Saw it. I'm trying to log in but it won't let me.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Here's my not so nice comment on newsarama.
I could not be happier about the Legion taking over Adventure Comics,as I was skipping over the Kon-el pages anyway,I never liked the character to begin with,as the only Superboy for me is Kal-el,Long Live The Legion and Long Live The Levitz!
Posted by doublechinner on :
I feel bad for those Superboy fans. And we know EXACTLY how they feel, don't we?
DiDio seems incapable of effective long range planning, doesn't he? Or he's crappy at explaining WHY plans change, or both. Who thought anyone BESIDES Johns would be writing the Flash? Especially after the disasters of Bart-Flash and Waid's aborted run? So, if you KNOW you want Johns to do that, why start something with Superboy that he can't finish? Or, at least space things out so Johns can tell the "Superboy Returns" story he wants and then let Adventure move on to something else? Wasn't it SUPPOSED to be Legion in the beginning, then for some reason became Superboy? Why was that? Did Johns decide he wanted to tell a Superboy story first? Again, if that's the case, why not just SAY so?!!?!?! It all smacks of the Pee Wee Herman "I meant to do that" post-hoc rationalization. The announcement last week about how awesome it was that Johns & Manapul were dropping Superboy right out of the starting gate is the worst sort of example of that behavior.
Now, another possibility I've toyed with: What if Levitz INSISTED on the Legion as a condition for going quietly out of the president/publisher's seat? Maybe he feels like he has to save the property and this was his last best chance to do it? Diane What's her name gets DiDio on the phone and says "you have to give Paul a whole book for his Legion of Super-Whosits. Now!"
Posted by Set on :
I kind of liked Conner better paired up with the Young Justice / Teen Titans crew, rather than read the continuing non-adventures of Conner in Smallville, which, while a nice bit of character study, felt like filler.
He plays better off of other characters, and is very much not a solo act, IMO.
I'm not thrilled with this particular changeover tactic, as it sounds like a built-in excuse for canceling Adventure when numbers drop after the Superboy fans move on, but, like many Legion fans, I'm just the dog who'se cringing in anticipation of the next kick.
As always, I'll take whatever Legion I can get, as long as they'll give it to me.
A stronger focus on a Levitz Adventure / Legion definitely sounds like it will lead to an abandonment of the reboot and threeboot teams, for now. I'm ambivalent on that. I guess I'd rather see one Legion (any of them, really) done well, than scattershot attempts at doing stories about all three. So this could be a bit of good news, for fans of one Legion in particular.
Posted by Jerry on :
As messed up as the logic and planning obviously are, I'm okay with the result. Conner gets a nice six issue reintroduction to the DC Universe, and the Legion is back in the lead on Adventure Comics.
Posted by Spellbinder on :
I my mind, Paul Levitz is to the Legion what Wolfman and Perez are to the Titans: even on his worst day, no one has done them better. Maybe the Legion can finally make it's way back to being one of DC's flagship titles.
Posted by Director Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Silver Age Lad: We're going to see Conner's, probably, gradual leave from that book.
Ha! We've done it again! For the third time in comics history (and the second in a title called Adventure) the Legion has pushed Superboy out of a book! Now we just have to watch out for Supergirl and hope her book doesn't get canceled...
I'm cautiously optimistic about Levitz's return to the Legion. As many here have pointed out, his was the definitive run on the book and, for me, was when I really loved the team. As much as I've ultimately enjoyed most other incarnations of the Legion, none has been "my" Legion like Paul's Legion. If he can bring the depth of character and subtlety of story back to the book that he had in the period of a couple of years before 300 through a couple of years after (with stories like the Legionnaires stranded on the asteroid, the Great Darkness Saga, 300 itself, Violet's story, and the Cosmic Boy spotlight) we're in for a treat. But, if we get the Paul Levitz that wrote the Fatal Five story featuring Mentalla? I do hope it's the former. After all, he's had 20 years to think up new stories. I'm certainly willing to give him the chance to wow me.
As for Gif, I'll take him as co-plotter, artist, or any combination of the two. I've liked pretty much everything Keith has done visually with the Legion in his time with them and I think the team was really hot, story-wise, when Keith and Paul were collaborating.
[ September 15, 2009, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: Director Lad ]
Posted by Omni Craig on :
Ask Val how he feels about that... Posted by Candle on :
The New Wanderers. It was a heartening idea for me, for awhile.
I just so hate to loose some of those characters. sigh
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
I'm not sure how Superboy can gradually leave. He's either there or not.
I hope that once the Legion becomes the main feature/only feature that the #1/2/3 numbering is dropped and the ongoing series is #509 onwards.
Posted by Matthew E on :
I wonder if Adventure is still going to have a backup story. If so, maybe Superboy II is a good candidate to fill that slot. I mean, he's not my favourite character but I certainly don't begrudge him or his fans a regular showcase for him.
Posted by Para-Dox on :
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: I wonder if Adventure is still going to have a backup story. If so, maybe Superboy II is a good candidate to fill that slot. I mean, he's not my favourite character but I certainly don't begrudge him or his fans a regular showcase for him.
while it would be a great idea to team them up with someone like aquaman following Blackest Night I would prefer a 'tales of the legion of super-heroes' back up to iron out some continuity issues.
To Director Lad: Supergirl is outselling Wonder Woman currently. If they cancel her and Keep wondie going I will cause hell. DC's character favouritism with the trinity rubs me the wrong way as it is but hell hath no fury like a supergirl fan scorned. (of course by supergirl I mean Kara Zor-El but I don't acknowledge the numerous subsequent imposters)
Posted by lil'rhino on :
I'm thrilled that the Legion are taking over Adventure Comics!!
Posted by Matthew E on :
quote:Originally posted by Para-Dox: I would prefer a 'tales of the legion of super-heroes' back up to iron out some continuity issues.
I, for one, don't care if I never see another story written to iron out a continuity issue.
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: I wonder if Adventure is still going to have a backup story. If so, maybe Superboy II is a good candidate to fill that slot. I mean, he's not my favourite character but I certainly don't begrudge him or his fans a regular showcase for him.
My guess from the interview? Didio will drop Conner and he will move to Titans. It's pretty clear Superboy is not going to stick there. At the same time, he ALSO mentions other space teams (with Animal Man) and THAT may say a bit about the direction of Adventure Comics: a more space-oriented book. I am glad if that happens.
And I wouldn't completely blame Dan DiDio on this: it's pretty clear that Johns is gradually gettting more work from the entertainment side of Warner and that means less time to write comic books. He has quit Superman books, he left Booster, and will pretty much stay with GL, Flash and one crossover here and there.
Posted by Korbal on :
Paul Levitz is the definitive Legion scripter, however, his (self-professed) greatest weakness--inventing original adversaries for the Legion to battle--is something ADVENTURE COMICS will desperately need in the near future...
Posted by Candle on :
I don't know.
There are so many 'old' villians running around that we haven't seen in a long time, maybe he doesn't need to be too inventive.
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
The Mysa/Mordru story, the Fatal Five (originals back Yay!), Universo and the LSV without Prime would keep us going for a fair few issues and for new(ish) readers would be new and exciting. But some original bad guys are needed in the long run.
I wouldn't be too upset if a Tamaranian or Thanagarian for example showed up, and the status of Daxam needs exploring.
Posted by Ricardo on :
Oh come on, where is Dr. Morlo? Such untapped potential... How about the Brain-Globes? I bet the ALL-NEW KILLING-MACHINE Brain-Globes of Rambat would double sales of Adventure Comics.
Posted by Matthew E on :
No, I'm with Korbal. Let's see something new!
Posted by Blacula on :
I think I'd love it if Aquaman got the second feature spot in this title!
1. Because Aquaman's time in the original Adventure Comics is one of my favourite comic runs of any character ever!
2. Because the DCU NEEDS Aquaman to come back and since he might not be able to support his own ongoing just yet a back-up role might be good for him.
and
3. Between the rabid Aquaman fans and the rabid Legion fans this book could become a force to reckon with!
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: No, I'm with Korbal. Let's see something new!
Well, Shooter tried that... and people seeemed to prefer that Superboy hack from Johns. Me? Shooter's, anytime.
Posted by doublechinner on :
I don't know. I used to want things COMPLETELY new, but I now tend to worry that without some Legion connection they feel grafted on, artificial, competing with the Legion for incredibly scarce panels. I guess I might advocate new villains/adversaries that help illuminate the Legion characters themselves. For example, space pirates & Element Lad, gangs/organized Crime and Ultra Boy, sports corruption and Cosmic Boy, a corrupt/failing monarch and Projectra, etc.
Posted by Director Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Para-Dox: To Director Lad: Supergirl is outselling Wonder Woman currently. If they cancel her and Keep wondie going I will cause hell. DC's character favouritism with the trinity rubs me the wrong way as it is but hell hath no fury like a supergirl fan scorned. (of course by supergirl I mean Kara Zor-El but I don't acknowledge the numerous subsequent imposters)
Actually, I was making a joke based on the fact that Supergirl replaced the Legion in Adventure after their original run ended.
Just as a side note, DC will always have a Wonder Woman book in publication. If they don't keep a WW title on the stands, the rights to the character revert to the creator's family. After thre Superboy debacle, I think they'll be extra cautious about that in the future.
Posted by Matthew E on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo:
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: No, I'm with Korbal. Let's see something new!
Well, Shooter tried that... and people seeemed to prefer that Superboy hack from Johns. Me? Shooter's, anytime.
I liked the new aspects of what Shooter was doing. However, I didn't like the dialogue, many of the characterizations, the extended storyline...
doublechinner: Well, there'll be a Legion connection if they appear in a Legion story, won't there?
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
If Paul has an interesting story to tell about an existing villain then, why not? In fact, many Legion Villains haven't been used in a long time. I'd like to see them again as much as I'd like to read about the Pre-Crisis Legionnaires.
The distinction for me is for the story to build upon the existing stories. No reboots or re-imaginings of which Johns "Pre-Crisis" Legion has been nothing but. Tell me a story that doesn't contradict what's already established (you don't even have to reference anything), just keep the momentum going.
The Miracle Machine's return in FINAL CRISIS didn't work because it was presented as something new and never before seen. It could have and should have been a continuation of it's story. Same goes for everything else.
We've been inundated with "NEW!" that's really "RE-IMAGED!" Let's see new that's really new AND let's see new stories about what already exists...Legionnaires, Villains, Worlds, etc.
And pick a demarcation line and go from there. Don't contradict (unless there is an actual story behind the change and not the whim or laziness of the writer) and move forward.
Posted by MLLASH on :
quote:Originally posted by Candle: I don't know.
There are so many 'old' villians running around that we haven't seen in a long time, maybe he doesn't need to be too inventive.
Agreed... Exhibit A: Absorbancy Boy as Earth Man. Abs. Boy had immense potential as a powers-absorber, Johns realized that and ran with it.
Posted by Candle on :
Yes, I don't mind 'reimaginings'. They could also be called 'updatings'.
Science, especially, has come so far in the last 50 years that concepts for heroes and villians that happened in the 60's and 70's are kind of lame by today's standards and rethought possibilities.
But, I also agree with Nightcrawler, connect, say, Absorbancy Boy to Earth Man (which isn't that much of an improvement in name, really.) The one grew into the other.
The Taurus Gang maybe a little silly if you lift them directly from the past, as is, but if you think of them as naturally progressing to become something more in tune with today's grasp of powers and possibilities, they could be great.
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Nightcrawler: If Paul has an interesting story to tell about an existing villain then, why not? In fact, many Legion Villains haven't been used in a long time. I'd like to see them again as much as I'd like to read about the Pre-Crisis Legionnaires.
The distinction for me is for the story to build upon the existing stories. No reboots or re-imaginings of which Johns "Pre-Crisis" Legion has been nothing but. Tell me a story that doesn't contradict what's already established (you don't even have to reference anything), just keep the momentum going.
The Miracle Machine's return in FINAL CRISIS didn't work because it was presented as something new and never before seen. It could have and should have been a continuation of it's story. Same goes for everything else.
We've been inundated with "NEW!" that's really "RE-IMAGED!" Let's see new that's really new AND let's see new stories about what already exists...Legionnaires, Villains, Worlds, etc.
And pick a demarcation line and go from there. Don't contradict (unless there is an actual story behind the change and not the whim or laziness of the writer) and move forward.
What he said...
Posted by Chemical King on :
Has Final Crisis really happened, or was it just a dream Pamela Ewing had just after she dreamt that Bobby was dead? Uhm...
... okay as for old villains reimagined, I'm still waiting for a Doctor Mayavale story done right! The first important task would be to get a decent artist this time who would do the bondage scenes right
Maybe he could team up with Grimbor?
Don't blame me for letting my mind go astray, at least this idea would be more original than the umteenth battle with Mordru... Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by Chemical King: Don't blame me for letting my mind go astray, at least this idea would be more original than the umteenth battle with Mordru...
I kind of liked that Mordru was redeemed back in the day, restored to a kind of child-like innocence. It seemed like real character development (along with the developments with Mekt), and Johns pretty much destroyed it for the sake of giving them cameos as part of his Legion of Prime Worshippers.
Posted by Chemical King on :
That's a long time ago... was it after Giffen left 5YL?
I personally liked the redemption of Lightning Lord. Him being a friend in 5YL was kinda nice to see - of course, Johns undid that one as well, though he was not the first - in the end, it was Waid and his henchmen who undid all those character developments with Zero Hour...
Posted by Ricardo on :
quote:Originally posted by Chemical King: That's a long time ago... was it after Giffen left 5YL?
I personally liked the redemption of Lightning Lord. Him being a friend in 5YL was kinda nice to see - of course, Johns undid that one as well, though he was not the first - in the end, it was Waid and his henchmen who undid all those character developments with Zero Hour...
He was wiped in pre-Zero Hour Legion, indeed. And DC is to blame for reboot, not necessarily Waid.
Posted by Candle on :
I saw part of a show about comics on the History channel this week.
I saw Paul Levitz for a few seconds.
He doesn't look anything like I imagined! lol
Posted by Arachne on :
I'm just now clueing into this. I've got to get my internet time better organized.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
quote:Originally posted by Superboy: It would be insane if we could get Ivan Reiss...
I look at it though and the list of artitst that have said they would do the Legion again or like to work on it, is an impressive one.
#1. Mike Grell has said he'd do it again.
#2. Keith Giffen has said he'd do the Legion again.(he wasn't clear on writing or art though).
#3. Jim Lee has said he'd like to do the Legion(although he might have satisfied his urge after working with Levitz on that one story and he's not exactly great at meeting deadlines).
#4. Dan Jurgens has said he's always wanted to work on the Legion regularly and the only reason he's never done it regularly is because he was never asked to. Dan Jurgens is a Legion fan from way back as evidenced by his letters in old 70' s Superboy lettercols...he's an extremely under-rated artist who is extremely fast, and can change his style within his style like few others, and he definitely has a classic clean style.
#5. Oliver Copiel has said he'd like to return to the Legion someday(I was hoping for he and JMS to get a stab at this Legion). He might be the one dirty artist who can pull off the Legion....he was my favorite artist of all the post Crisis Legion artists.
Nice list I'd like to add Gene Gonzales to it,He's a big fan who can't seem to get the Legion bug out of his system.
Our Mr. Kayak asked a question in this week's Q&A with DiDio on Newsarama:
quote:Mr. Kayak wrote: Who will be drawing Paul Levitz's Adventure Comics?
DiDio: We don't have an artist finalized right now, but we guarantee there will be an artist on board, and once we're ready to announce what issue Paul will be taking over with, we'll have the artist attached at that time.
Nrama: Does that mean Paul doesn't take over with Adventure Comics #7 once Geoff Johns' is gone after Issue #6?
DiDio: He will not be jumping on with Issue #7. He'll be coming on a little bit later down the line. There will be a couple of issues and an event taking place, a separate story arc, involving characters tied to the current goings on in the New Krypton storyline that's unfolding in Superman right now.
Sour.
Posted by Set on :
quote: DiDio: We don't have an artist finalized right now, but we guarantee there will be an artist on board,
Oh, well that's comforting. I was afraid there wouldn't be any art on the pages, just word balloons and dialogue!
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Or worse: plain text. Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
An All-Encyclopedia Galactica series!
Posted by Director Lad on :
Given that
quote:Originally posted by Matthew E: Our Mr. Kayak asked a question in this week's Q&A with DiDio on Newsarama:
quote:Mr. Kayak wrote: DiDio: He will not be jumping on with Issue #7. He'll be coming on a little bit later down the line. There will be a couple of issues and an event taking place, a separate story arc, involving characters tied to the current goings on in the New Krypton storyline that's unfolding in Superman right now.
Sour.
Given this news, I wonder if Paul's first issue will be out in time for us to gush over (and get signed) at San Diego next year.
Posted by Pariscub on :
Oddly enough, with him leaving the book, geoff Johns says in an interview for Wizard that there's plans for the Legion outside of Adventure Comics, that the first six mini-stories are leading to a bigger story, that two Legionnaires will change and that there will be new Legionnaires.
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Pariscub: Oddly enough, with him leaving the book, geoff Johns says in an interview for Wizard that there's plans for the Legion outside of Adventure Comics, that the first six mini-stories are leading to a bigger story, that two Legionnaires will change and that there will be new Legionnaires.
This clearly ties into what Robinson is doing with Superman. Presumably Levitz is letting this run its course.
If the previews are to be believed, a Green Lantern is joining and Blok is obviously changing.
The likelyhood is that the Black Witch persona won't last.
[ October 03, 2009, 05:59 AM: Message edited by: Silver Age Lad ]
Posted by Reboot on :
quote:Originally posted by Ricardo: And DC is to blame for reboot, not necessarily Waid.
"...all the continuity changes and flip-flops have made the Legion's history an unsalvageable mess. Continuity wasn't "in bad shape." It was Chernobyl. This revision wasn't a decision made lightly; KC Carlson and Tom McCraw and I spent literally hundreds of man-hours over the past year trying to come up with a less drastic solution to the continuity problems than simply wiping the slate clean, and we could *not find one.* [...] I'm sorry if I sound cranky, but this wasn't an editorial fiat from DC. This drastic change was my choice, and DC chose to back me." (Mark Waid, 1994) Posted by Nightcrawler on :
Former DC publisher Paul Levitz will be writing three annuals in 2010 for DC Comics, one of which will include "Batman Beyond."
...
Levitz will also be writing an Adventure Comics Annual that will be setting up his upcoming run in Adventure Comics, DiDio said.
"So really, his run kicks off with the Adventure Comics Annual first, then it goes into Adventure Comics," he said. "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."
Artists for the annuals were not released, and the third annual written by Levitz, the title of which remains unannounced, will come later in the year.
DiDio also gave hints about who would be handling writing chores on Adventure Comics following Geoff Johns' departure from the title and before Levitz comes on board, and what those stories will tie into. Check later for more details in today's "10 Answers and 1 Question" on Newsarama.
Posted by Matthew E on :
Jam tomorrow.
Posted by cleome on :
I would read a Jam/Legion crossover. Even if the former is a product of Canada.
In an exclusive first interview since his return to full-time writing, Levitz told CBR News that he plans to pick up on some plot threads he left dangling from his previous runs on "Legion of Super-Heroes," hopes to introduce at least one or two new Legionnaires and is going to "blow some stuff up real good."
...
Due in large part to the size of the team and a continuity that would make some readers' heads explode, the Legion of Super-Heroes is a different beast than the Justice League or even Justice Society. That said, readers that love Legion, really love Legion. What is it that you love about them, and how do you make them work in a team book?
It's the same thing. The virtue and the challenge of the series is its enormity. You just have such depth of material to work with that, as a writer, you can sit there and say, "Whose life haven't I screwed up lately?" And it's really the equivalent of being able to put yourself in the middle of a high school and play with the entire grade. And tinker with it that way. On the other hand, "[Whines] You've got to know all of their lives." And if the book isn't being written absolutely perfectly, which few of us do, that means when you first pick it up, it may mean, "Who are all of these people?" And, "How do I figure this out?"
I literally, as is well known, used a scorecard to write the book. Hopefully people didn't need a scorecard to read it.
I'm not sure what you can share in terms of storylines, but is there a nod to any of the plot threads from your previous work?
Right now, I'm still doing my homework. And trying to both read the material that happened in between and figure out how the DC Universe fits together and how the future fits, which is enormously challenging because, although I've been involved, obviously, with the DCU for the last 20 years, there's a difference between being involved behind a desk at a distance and being immersed in it as a writer or a reader. So I have a lot of learning to do before I figure out how all the pieces fit together, but I hope to return to some of the characters I love and explore some things that I hadn't got to.
I hope to also explore things and take advantage of how the medium has changed. Readers have different expectations. "Legion" was the second, direct-market only continuing book that DC launched when I was writing it. And I was talking with somebody the other day about that moment of time and saying, it was really one of the first handful of titles where you had to have an assumption that the readers were more than 10 or 11 years old. And we didn't set out to do anything X-rated, or even NC-13 rated, as a result, but it became, "Well, I can assume the reader will be able to understand something more complicated. I can assume they are going to come back month after month, and I can tell a more complicated interwoven story." Well now, 20 years later, you can obviously make a far more complicated set of assumptions about who our readers are. We know the level of sophistication is enormously greater. So how do you write for that fully? How do you take the best advantage of it?
Are there any specific storylines you can tease for "Adventure Comics?"
I can tease you, but I don't know. I came up with a title that I really liked to potentially use on the annual yesterday (Wednesday), which I'm not going to share with you. My editor was very happy with it. We talked about the idea, and the title came naturally. And now I have to figure out how to make that work.
I think the thing to be effective with in the tease is to say, it's my hope to pick up on all the existing plotlines that I can find and identify. It's my hope to touch as many of the characters as possible within the first few issues. The first time I did a "Legion" annual, which was actually the first annual DC ever did back in, God, '81 or '82, I managed to get every single active Legionnaire at that time in that annual for at least a cameo. I don't think I'm going to try that trick again. It worked that week. I am hoping to have at least one or two new Legionnaires introduced through the course of my first year. And I'm going to have some stuff blow up real good.
Do you have a favorite Legionnaire?
It really depends on who I am writing. In the story where Dream Girl won an election on ballot stuffing, but it was the kind of ballot stuffing that we didn't have the sense to identify in the rules as being against the rules, so I felt obliged to do it. I'd never really cared for the character before that, and God, did I have a ball with her. And I think the readers did ultimately, too. So, some of them you just discover along the way.
Do you know when the artist you're working with will be announced?
I know the guys have a pretty solid idea of who they want as the primary artist or two. But with the number of pages we're looking to produce, it's unlikely in today's world that any one artist can do it all. But I don't know when they are going to announce any of that.
I'm an unusually ignorant writer of the process, considering what I've been doing for all of these years, because I've really seen the process from a whole other direction. And for the most part, you're a writer and you're getting your first big assignment in a number of years, you've been sitting on the sidelines watching.
But I'm very anxious to please the readership and to give them a good ride. I always enjoyed the back and forth with the readers through the letter columns. It's one of the things that I miss about comics today. So, hopefully, that kind of dialogue will continue, whether it's through sites like yours or the DC Comics site or through conventions. I think the number of years I've been behind the desk makes it easy to forget that I was a comic fan foremost. The first fanzine that I did, that had a circulation of more than about four, had a huge one page article on the Legion in it that I did. This has been very much a piece of my life since I was a very little kid and it brings out my second or third childhood.
Currently in "Adventure Comics," Superboy is the main feature and the Legion is the co-feature. Understanding that the Legion will be moving to the main feature, will the title continue to have a co-feature?
I think the theory is that it's going to be pre-dominantly Legion material in the book. It's certainly possible that if, either I get into trouble, or the artist gets into trouble, or if someone walks into Dan [DiDio]'s office with some brilliant new idea, that he'll say, "Look, can we have a piece of space to tell this other story for a number of months?" No problem. But most of the time that I was writing the Legion, I managed to con the company into giving me more than 20 pages to do it in. I was on the book five issues before we changed it from 17 pages to a double-sized book back in the 1970s. And then we did the hardcover/softcover, and then we did matching miniseries and all sorts of tie-in stuff. And of course the Baxter book was, I think, 25 or 27 pages for most of its life. This is a large cast. There is a lot of room to tell a lot of stories. And I'll fill as many pages as I can get away with.
And again, you're starting the run with an annual, correct?
I think that's the plan. They're going to use a couple of issues of "Adventure" to wrap up the Legionnaires of the 20th Century plotlines that have been running in "Superman," which I think makes a lot of sense, because it will make my head hurt less. And I suggested the annual as a way to bridge in. We never had an "Adventure Comics" annual, so it gives us kind of a cool #1 moment to launch with and then we can dive in full strength.
Posted by Fat Cramer on :
New legionnaires!
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Sweet,I hope Paul proves you can go home again!
{I am hoping to have at least one or two new Legionnaires introduced through the course of my first year}
And he is looking to the future,in more ways than one!
More than one artist,I hope Gene Gonzales gets a shot,he's a crazy Legion fan,and a good artist.
Posted by Set on :
quote: I think that's the plan. They're going to use a couple of issues of "Adventure" to wrap up the Legionnaires of the 20th Century plotlines that have been running in "Superman," which I think makes a lot of sense, because it will make my head hurt less.
Oh, thank goodness. Wrap up as much of the current stuff as possible and move on to new stories set in the 31st century and focused on Legionnaires, instead of random 21st century heroes!
For me, the biggest strength of the Legion as a storytelling 'stage' was that it could draw upon resources from all over the DC Universe without becoming hopelessly wrapped up in crossovers and stunt-casting, as it was 1000 years away from that sort of nonsense.
I'm thrilled with a Legion that has a descendent of Superman hanging around or makes a passing reference to a many-times-removed-descendent of Batman, but not one that ends up sucked into whatever 'event' of the season is going on (with Laurel-Kent-as-Manhunter being the most egregious example of that going horribly wrong I can think of).
Posted by cleome on :
[moved]
Posted by lil'rhino on :
I gotta say, Paul's love for the Legion just oozes from every word he says in that interview.
Posted by future king on :
This last interview (above) with Mr. Levitz is very encouraging and gives me new hope. He clears up speculation that's been flying around since the changes in Adventure Comics were first announced, and that keeps things honest in my opinion. So far so good. Obviously he's as excited to be doing "his" book again as we are to have him back on it. That enthusiasm will only work to his advantage. Plus it sounds like he actually has a plan.... and that is always a good sign. I for one am very pleased that Paul Levitz will be writing the Legion again and I cannot wait for it all to begin!
Posted by Chemical King on :
Paul Levitz is the man! No, let me correct this, he is the Legion man!
What he's telling in the interview not only does give me hope, it also makes so much sense! And any issues with Legionnaires characterisation that people were having here with Johns on the helm - be sure, Mr. Levitz will use his intimate knowledge of classic Legion Lore to fix any inconsistencies...
Posted by jimgallagher on :
Legion is taking over Adventure? That's awesome! I've been saying for YEARS that they should give Adventure back to the Legion!
I can't wait for the annual!
Dream Girl won by ballot stuffing? I never knew that! I just thought she was really that popular and her winning the fan election is what it took to get the bozos at DC to actually realize it and start using her.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Levitz (I always enjoyed the back and forth with the readers through the letter columns. It's one of the things that I miss about comics today. So, hopefully, that kind of dialogue will continue, whether it's through sites like yours or the DC Comics site or through conventions.)
I wonder if Paul knows about Legion World,and if he would ever grace us with his presence.
Posted by lil'rhino on :
I'm sure he knows about LW, just as I'm sure he visits!!
Posted by MLLASH on :
Levitz' letters columns were awesome ways for him to communicate directly to fans back then... (same with the Bierbaums) I wish DC still had letters columns...
Posted by jimgallagher on :
Yeah, bring back letter columns!
Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: Yeah, bring back letter columns!
And other fan-interaction, like Legion Leader votes! IMO, fans are *way* more likely to be invested and enthusiastic about a series that feels like 'theirs' in some way, that they've, however minutely, had some say in, and not just a product being sold to them.
Posted by Blacula on :
^^^ Yes to more fan interaction. No to Legion leader votes. They just turn into popularity contests and I've seen more than enough of Rokk, Imra, Garth and Querl over the last 10 years to want to see any of them hogging more space as Legion leader.
Unless there's a fan of one of the more little-seen members of this team out there who's prepared to rig the votes in favour of their hero like that Dream Girl fan who got her elected way back when.
Posted by Set on :
They had a Legion leader contest over at the DC boards recently, and I think Dawnstar won it.
So yeah, maybe not. Maybe just BITS of Legion Business style contests where fans submit ideas for people to get rejected at tryouts or new costumes or something...
Posted by jimgallagher on :
Well, the way they did the elections in the olden days was to disqualify anyone who had already served. That would eliminate Rokk, Garth, Imra, and Brainy, along with Ultra Boy, Mon-El, Wildfire, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Polar Boy, Sensor Girl. I miss anyone who isn't dead?
Posted by Set on :
I grew fond of Ayla and Tinya kind of backseat moving things along (and smoothing over Garth's rough patches) during the last Shooter run. It might be neat to see one of them as leader. Or Lu, for that matter.
Posted by Sarcasm Kid on :
What if they elected Tyroc? That should be... interesting?
Posted by future king on :
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: Well, the way they did the elections in the olden days was to disqualify anyone who had already served. That would eliminate Rokk, Garth, Imra, and Brainy, along with Ultra Boy, Mon-El, Wildfire, Dream Girl, Element Lad, Polar Boy, Sensor Girl. I miss anyone who isn't dead?
I think they should allow any of the founders the chance at leadership if they were the majority vote. At least at the start of Levitz's new run. After that I would like to see members have a try at it that were too new or inexperienced before (Dawnstar). That would be really great.
Posted by KryptonKid on :
I'd like to see a popular vote to keep the readers more involved (and therefore loyal), and TPTB choose from the top three a leader that they can work with and that fits into their plot plans. What Levitz managed to do with the election of Dream Girl was seamless and brilliant, but more than I could expect a second time.
Speaking of Tyroc, Mr Levitz, might we just give him a canary cry and abandon all the magical/interdimentional undefinable horsefeathers we've been subjected to the last 30 years?
Posted by Ferro Man on :
I can't recall Tyroc using his powers since he helped move the pocket universe earth into our universe (which I thought was a brilliant idea at the time) at the end of the Valor series. So we really haven't been subjected to much for like fifteen years. But why limit Tyroc? If Zatanna can produce nearly any effect by just talking backwards, why can't Tyroc do concievably the same thing, by finding the right note? Tyroc could then be established as one of the great powers of the Legion, with the supers, Wildfire, and Element Lad. We really haven't added anyone like that since Wildfire, someone who shakes up the status quo, just with how powerful they are.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
The White Witch could do pretty much anything.
Kid Quantum II was insanely powerful as well.
Posted by Ferro Man on :
Right, I was actually thinking about including the White Witch, but she usually needed like a couple hours of preparation/meditaion to do the big stuff. Except for her "absorb Mordru" spell, which she always keeps handy. Anyway, since it seems she won't be on the active roster for some time, Tyroc could easily pick up in her niche.
Kid Q II... time freeze, right? Stasis field. Lots of applications, but I'm not sure she's up with the big boys. Kind of like in the Star Boy area, when all's he's got is gravity powers. Personally, I'd leave her in the second tier, I think.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Ferro Man: If Zatanna can produce nearly any effect by just talking backwards, why can't Tyroc do concievably the same thing, by finding the right note? Tyroc could then be established as one of the great powers of the Legion,
Didn't Superman reestablish a multi-verse or something by whistling? I didn't really get all that final crisis stuff but I think that was the gist of it.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Ferro Man:
Kid Q II... time freeze, right? Stasis field. Lots of applications, but I'm not sure she's up with the big boys. Kind of like in the Star Boy area, when all's he's got is gravity powers. Personally, I'd leave her in the second tier, I think.
At least by DnA's run, she had to the power to "manipulate matter at a quantum level" or somesuch. In other words, she could basically do anything.
Posted by Ferro Man on :
If that's the case (I don't recall it but I'll take your word for it) then she's the Molecule Man and we don't need any other Legionnaires. Of course, when you come down to it, there shouldn't be a problem that the team of Brainiac 5, Element Lad, Mon-El and Saturn Girl couldn't take care of. They might get tired after a while though...
Posted by Set on :
Enormous post eaten. Grr. Take my word that it was a thing of beauty and I would have won an internet for it.
Short version.
Tyroc's powers would be neat if they were just codified as sonic / vibrational based. With no effort at all, he could be said to be able to resonate his harmonics or whatever and destroy matter, make it explode or even reinforce it structurally. This being the DCU, where the Flash tells us that you can vibrate your molecules to pass through solid matter would mean that Tyroc could plausibly produce a tone that would cause a solid item to become intangible. Or he could vibrate it's outer molecules (or agitate the air around it) to set it on fire, or counter the vibrations of the air around it / the object itself to freeze it solid.
Emotion effects or sickening / nauseating effects would be easy enough, with a little technobabble about him using subsonic to affect the fear centers of the brain, or induce vertigo and nausea through destabilizing the internal organs / vibrating the fluids in the inner ear, etc.
And that's without getting into Thetan stuff, or tapping into the Marvel Universe's most head-scratchingly insane idea ever, *hard sound.*
As for Kid Quantum, she seemed to be time control lass, which was a pretty cool power, even if she just slowed down and froze people. It would be even cooler if she could speed people up, similar to the Mutant Liberation Front character Tempo.
A Kid Quantum with powers more evocative of quantum theory might have a Carggite-like ability to duplicate herself, but by summoning up selves from alternative quantum realities adjacent to her own (or not-so-adjacent, perhaps leading to her often calling versions of herself that are *radically* different). Such a character, in theory, would be Choose Your Own Path Lass, able to flit in and out of quantum alternatives to the current reality, and see in advance what things 'didn't work,' and advice her teammates to 'choose the right path.'
So, not only would she stomp all over Triplicate Girl's schtick, she'd also be peeing on Dream Girl's tree as well. It's probably for the best if Kid 'Quantum' doesn't really have much to do with quantum mechanics or quantum theory...
Posted by Blacula on :
Kid Quantum II was great when she just had stasis field/time freeze powers.
Why DnA had to muddle her up by giving her the power to do almost anything I'll never know. Talk about ruining a great character.
It's interesting to think though that between her and Tyroc - two of the Legion's most powerful members ever are black. Shame we so rarely got to see either of them.
I'd love it if Levitz brought Tyroc back(*) and treated him with a level of respect though - but I'm not holding my breath. Doesn't Levitz hate him?
(* As long as he got rid of all that EEOOYYOO and OGGAAEEE and HHOOAAII junk. That stuff was painful to read!)
Posted by Portfolio Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Blacula:
I'd love it if Levitz brought Tyroc back . . . As long as he got rid of all that EEOOYYOO and OGGAAEEE and HHOOAAII junk. That stuff was painful to read!)
Oh, I dunno. That's part of what made Tyroc one of my most very fav characters ever when I was a kid. I mean, when it came to imitating the adventures of my heroes, I couldn't run super-fast, or bend steel in my bare hands, but, by golly, I sure could scream at the top of my lungs.
I must also admit that, even though I knew better than to jump off the garage roof in an attempt to fly, I always suspected, deep in the back of my mind, that if I could just duplicate a Tyroc scream just right, something weird might happen.
Weirdest thing that ever happened though was my mother swinging a broom handle at my head in an attempt to get me to "SHUT THE HELL UP!"
=)
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Blacula: It's interesting to think though that between her and Tyroc - two of the Legion's most powerful members ever are black. Shame we so rarely got to see either of them.
Of course, the reason we didn't see much of them is probably connected to the fact that they were so uber-powerful.
As far as Tyroc, I'd give him a limited, specified number of screams. Maybe he could periodically learn a new one or something.
I'd keep the KQ's with fairly limited time-manipulation powers rather than the vague "I was reading a pop physics book the other day and thought of a cool idea for something she could do" powers.
Posted by cleome on :
Actually, EDE's guidelines work for any character on a team. It's a team, Folks. No one person should be able to do everything and anything, or it defeats the reason for having a team.
Posted by Portfolio Boy on :
True, otherwise, you have to invent a Time trapper to keep the more powerful members busy on a "special mission."
Posted by Blacula on :
PofoBoy - Your poor mother.
Re: Tyroc - Instead of all that OOEEYYOOO stuff, what would people think of him using musical notes to activate his powers?
The idea of him singing up a dimension door rather than screaming it like some unhinged lunatic seems like it would work better on the page to me.
Posted by jimgallagher on :
Why can't they just make him like Banshee? He's powerful enough, without being omnipotent.
When do Levitz and the Legion take over the book?
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by jimgallagher: When do Levitz and the Legion take over the book?
My understanding is that it will be once the Robinson Legion-in-the-21stC storyline finishes which appears to be in Superman #700 which comes out in May. So the Adventure Annual that starts PL's run is likely to come out in late May/June.
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
He starts by "destroying a Legionnaire's homeworld"? That's not exactly promising.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
You got to love the innocence of him asking questions like "How did Quislet come back?", as if he expects that recent creative teams had actually thought up an answer.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: He starts by "destroying a Legionnaire's homeworld"? That's not exactly promising.
"Screan heard round the world"? Tyroc's?
We've got to have faith, Eryk! Things can only get better!
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Well, at least he didn't say he was starting with a massive alien horde invading the U.P.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
The bad news.
A massive alien hoard invades Earth after their planet is destroyed. The REALLY bad news?
They can eat anything!
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
*Gasp*! Even Darkseid didn't mess with the Bismollians!
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Actually, my guess is Titan. The "scream heard round the universe is a billion or so dying telepaths broadcasting their thoughts.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Alternatively, Hykraius for the same reason.
Posted by Silver Age Lad on :
a retcon of TMK's retcon - the destruction of Daxam makes sense. All those potentially super-powered beings make the universe unbalanced - a bit like New Krypton.
Posted by Matthew E on :
The other phrase conspicuously, and thankfully, absent from what Levitz wrote?
"Sixteen-issue mega-arc".
(Of course, Levitz's entire writing career was kinda one big arc, but still.)
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Silver Age Lad: a retcon of TMK's retcon - the destruction of Daxam makes sense. All those potentially super-powered beings make the universe unbalanced - a bit like New Krypton.
Except that Levitz has already screwed with Daxam. I would hope he wouldn't repeat himself.
Posted by Set on :
On the side-topic of Daxam, it occurs to me that now that the Threeboot Legion is established as being the future of Superboy Prime's universe, I wonder if Prime is going to meet Mon-El and send him into the Phantom Zone, since that's already been established as having happened in Threeboot Mon-El's past.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Wasn't it also established that he had met Supergirl, as well?
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
EDE is right. It has to be Titan or Hykraius. I guess since 2009's Star Trek movie, it's trendy to wipe out planets with telepathic populations.
Posted by Sarcasm Kid on :
It could Tyroc, guys. I mean, the man's name translates to Scream of the Devil, and his whole existence has been something of a sore spot in Legion lore.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Except Tyroc's homeworld = Earth.
Posted by Sarcasm Kid on :
Well just because he said homeworld doesn't mean he meant a planet.
Posted by Set on :
It's conceivable that Marzal could be considered a pocket world of some sort. It's not like an island could actually physically exist seperated from earth in another dimension, without gravity or sunlight or air or any of that stuff that's kinda/sorta important...
On the other hand, I'd bet he meant a Legionnaire that we've heard of.
Orando got beat up pretty bad in the LSV war thing, which, granted, was decades ago in the real world, but 'just happened' from a narrative standpoint (in that the classic team hasn't had a whole lot of adventuring time since then, being replaced by other teams most of the time). On the other hand, it's a backwater world in a shiny happy future. On the other, other hand, it got blown up recently in the threeboot as well, so it would seem unoriginal.
Daxam has been crapped upon in living memory as well, although the existence of a planet full of Supermen could be seen as problematic.
Earth is out, as it isn't 'a' Legionnaires homeworld, it's homeworld to multiple Legionnaires (Sun Boy, Wildfire, Bouncing Boy and Invisible Jacques, off the top of my head).
Blowing up Winath would be a blow to the UP, as it's their breadbasket, and personally affect Garth and Ayla (and Mekt). Although Garth is already being written as an Image character, all '90s and growly, so I can't imagine him acting *more* like Wolverine...
Blowing up Braal could be done to affect Cosmic Boy similarly, after Johns portrayal of him as someone who has 'given up everything' to be a Legionnaire. He's another one I don't care for the personality tweak towards, and blowing up his homeworld (and presumably his family / brother, again, if they aren't still dead) would just make him darker and edgier and more like something Rob Liefield would write, so I don't care for that idea either.
[I also hate when a secondary character, usually a girlfriend or wife or child, is killed off to advance the story of a primary character, or 'darken him up.' (See the origin story of the Punisher for details.) Blowing up a planet just to rationalize making Garth or Rokk act even *more* out of character would be exponentially more annoying to me...]
We haven't seen enough of Cargg to really give a crap if the planet blows up. Ditto Tharr, really. Or Hyrkraius.
Bgtzl could count as a 'homeworld,' and might make for an interesting choice. Tinya's powers would change slightly, as she's been portrayed as not only being able to go out of phase with material objects, but also to 'go home' to Bgtzl, and with no 'home' left to go to, who knows how that might affect her abilities. We've also met people from Bgtzl (mainly her mom), making it a more relevant place than if Hyrkraius blew up (for example). The exact nature of the place has never been clear, as Bgtzlns can apparently reach anywhere in the United Planets, and beyond, despite returning to their home planet. Is there an entire universe around Bgtzl, 'on the other side?' Head-scratching stuff, really. One the one hand, it might be easier to blow it up than explain it. On the other hand, it might be a better writing challenge to figure out what the hell it is before blowing it up.
Durla and Talok VIII are interesting worlds, and I'd rather they not be blowed up (not that I want *any* of them blowed up!). Imsk, eh, never much impressed me. Threeboot Naltor was kinda neat, but the other versions I don't know enough about. I think Dryad has already been blown up... Also, Krypton, although for Giffen to fulfill this prediction with a time-travel story back to pre-explosion Krypton could be hilarious, especially if Brainy builds a robot to shrink a Kryptonian city and save it before the planet 'splodes.
Colu? Scary choice.
Blowing up Trom would just absolve Jan from having to go back there and tend to all the graves. Kinda anticlimactic, really.
Posted by Omni Craig on :
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: *Gasp*! Even Darkseid didn't mess with the Bismollians!
You don't think so? I've always thought Bismoll was prime to be the new Apoko-lips!
(Rimshot)
Insert Cricket noises here... Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
I'm sure everyone's seen this and im just repeating known news but just in case...
Paul Levitz Returns To The Future With Legion of Super-Heroes
The future of the DC Universe is brighter than it's been in a long time. Not only is classic writer Paul Levitz returning to theLegion of Super-Heroes, but he's doing so with two series. We talked to him exclusively.
Following fan-favorite writer Geoff (Blackest Night, Green Lantern) Johns' high-profile relaunch of the 51-year old Legion of Super-Heroes franchise over the last few years in stories such as "The Lightning Saga," "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" and Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Levitz - whose 1980s tenure as Legion writer saw the series become one of DC's most popular titles - is returning to the future not only in the current Adventure Comics series, but also a brand-new Legion of Super-Heroes book. We talked to him about the future of the Legion, society and why xenophobia is a good thing... in terms of writing.
IO9: You're taking over Adventure Comics and also launching a new Legion of Super-Heroes book as well.
PL: Yep, that seems to be how it mutated.
IO9: You have an incredible history with the Legion. This will be your third time writing the team.
PL: You know, it's not only my third time, it's also my second time taking it over after Jim Shooter. I'm thrilled beyond words.
IO9: What is it that keeps bringing you back? What is it that interests you about these characters?
PL: I think there's a few levels to answer that on. The first, most primal, one is my inner five-year-old. Legion was the first book that I really fell in love with as a kid, the first book I collected... My bound volumes still include a lot of my subscription copies with the damn crease in the middle. I used to make little Legion figures out of paper dolls and Creepy Crawler molds when I was really young, so it's very satisfying to a very small person within me.
On a more professional level, one of the things that's always been satisfying to me as a writer is working in the corners of the DC Universe where I didn't have to play well with others all of the time - things like Justice Society [of America] and Legion where, although they fit the continuity of the line, you didn't have to do a ballet around "Why isn't Superman just flying in from Metropolis to solve the problem this week?" That's always been attractive.
Most significantly, and what I think is key to the readers of the Legion, is that it's a world that is large enough and imaginative enough that you can really fuck up the lives of so many different characters, and there's always someone new to play with. I don't know when you were a Legion reader, what kind of terrible things I was doing that week -
IO9: I pretty much was in it all the way from "The Great Darkness Saga" all the way up to the "Five Years Later" run.
PL: Then you got to watch me do a bunch of terrible things to people! We killed characters in that time, we screwed around with their love lives... We had what might have been arguably the first extra-marital affair going on in mainstream superhero comics... All of those things provides you enormous ammunition as a writer. I lead off the new run by destroying the homeworld of one of the characters.
IO9: Start small.
PL: [Laughs] Yeah, it's got subtlety going for it. But that gives you material as a writer. It's so challenging as a writer - I have so much respect for the guys who are working on franchise characters where you have to create excitement but always come back to where you started. That's an enormous challenge. The challenge in the Legion is to sort through all the richness that you have to work with, and come up with something that's new and not what was there before, and challenging, and surprising, but yet, not contradictory on what's already been established.
IO9: So the Legion you're going to be working with in the regular Legion of Super-Heroes book, that's based on what you left behind, and as updated by Geoff Johns. It's come back around after a couple of reboots.
PL: I think I would characterize it by saying that we're picking up the story after some gap after my last issue and what we saw in Geoff's work in Legion of Three Worlds and "Superman And The Legion of Super-Heroes." Something's happened in that time that Quislet came back, Tyroc showed up, other stuff has happened - I don't have a complete list of things to be revealed, but it's quite clear that things have happened in people's lives. There's at least one major Legion romance that's gone to hell in the time inbetween. And that's a great liberty as well, it's not leaping forward but stepping forward just enough so that you have some abiguities to work with.
Visually, I've always taken the approach that you have to convey the story in a fashion that makes sense to readers in a particular time period. So, really, the costumes can be updated and technology can be updated. You'll see more of a visual evolution.
IO9: Are you going to be dealing with the gaps between your last issue and Geoff's first?
PL: My first story picks up more from the end of "Superman and The Legion of Super-Heroes" than Legion of Three Worlds, in the sense that you get [alien-hating supervillain-turned-faux-superhero] Earth Man back. The first page of the first issue deals with Earth Man getting dealt with by the Science Police, and not necessarily gently, and it kinda goes running from there. I imagine I'll go back and explore things that happened in the inbetween on occasions, but I don't think those will be flashbacks. I think you'll pick up the story when the story is and you might learn things that happened that you didn't know about.
IO9: You talked about sidestepping continuity, but isn't the Adventure series "Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes: Secret Origin"? Isn't that based firmly in continuity?
PL: I don't mean sidestep continuity in the sense of development, I love continuity as development. I meant continuity in the sense of making sure you line up with what everyone else is writing that week.
IO9: So what is "Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes: Secret Origin"?
PL: It starts from a challenge that Geoff [Johns] gave me, which was that if you want [a new reader] to pick up Legion of Super-Heroes, there's no book to hand them. You're bringing someone in in the middle of the story no matter what you're doing. You can say, "Here's 'The Great Darkness Saga,' this is the best regarded Legion story published," but then you have to hand them the Cliff's Notes to go along with it because of that wonderful insanity. [The challenge was] can you do something with what you're doing in Legion that would be a good first Legion book?
I'm trying to do something that will be an introduction to the characters, an introduction to the worlds, an introduction to some of the history in it, without being a version of the old Mayfair Games Sourcebook that I did. I've done one chapter that I had a ball with, which is "The Last Will and Testament of RJ Brande." In one of Geoff's stories, [Legion founder] RJ Brande is assassinated, and this is a pre-recorded will as he's telling Brainiac 5 what a pain in the ass he's been since he's known him from when he was a child, apologizing to Chameleon Boy for abandoning him on Durla, revealing things about his own background about how he got off Durla, how he made his money, how he lied to the Legionnaires over the years... Over the course of it, we retell the incident that created the Legion, and we begin to show a little bit of the history and a little bit of the relationships. That may be the first or second story, we're playing with doing one that's very Superboy-focused as a way of edging into more easily than that, but I haven't hit the keyboard so I don't know how well that'll work out.
IO9: Is this the modern Superboy, or the Clark Kent Superboy?
PL: It's Clark Kent. It's the current modern take of Clark Kent as Superboy, but it's not Connor Kent.
IO9: Is this an ongoing series, or a limited run inside Adventure Comics?
PL: I assume success and failure will determine that [laughs], but as far as I know, I have the space as long as I want it.
IO9: Something that characterized the Legion up until the end of your run, and that seems to have gone to the background since, is the optimism behind the concept. Geoff's "Superman and The Legion of Super-Heroes" - and to a lesser extent, Legion of Three Worlds - focused more on a xenophobic future, which seemed at odds with that. Are you looking to return to the optimism, or stay with the more pessimistic status quo?
PL: Both. I think what Geoff introduced with the xenophobia is a very natural tension that allows some very modern storytelling. The whole issue of "Are we going to learn to get along with each other as a planet" is even more topical today than it was when I gave up the Legion 20 years ago. You look around the world and so much of the challenges to do with our survival have to do with, can we figure out a way to realize the labels we attach to our different tribes are going to unite or divide us? I take particular joy in doing this new version of the book with Yildiray Cinar, an artist from Turkey - where I don't think we've ever had an artist from before - The world is getting to be a smaller place. We damn well better figure out how to live together.
The perhaps naive optimism that was expressed in the earlier Legion that it will all just evolve this way naturally is challenged by what's been introduced, but that's one reason why I find Earth Man such an interesting character to screw around with: He embodies that set of contradictions and that set of challenges. The story that I just finished for Adventure, we go back and, not retcon, but reveal a dimension of what went on on [his home planet] Durla and what went on there, which is another piece of that same xenophobia. I think it's enormously fertile territory to work with as a writer.
IO9: Since you last wrote Legion, comic storytelling has shifted, especially in mainstream comics. It's gone to - maybe not a more mature place, but definitely a more mature audience. Is that something that you're keeping in mind as you return to the book?
When I was writing Legion last time, the idea of writing a five part story was a fairly unusual thing. I think I wrote two of the first three or four of those stories that DC ever published. So you've got a change in dynamic there that needs to be addressed. The question is - if I boil it down - "Your audience is older, what does that allow you to do?" Well, I really wrote Legion two different ways in the past. The [1984 relaunch] Baxter book was the first direct market-only version of the Legion and one of the first direct-only books at DC, so we moved to assuming that we were dealing with a more mature audience there. You had a greater level of sexuality, a greater level of diversity and a greater level of violence even. With the death - the first death - of Karate Kid, [his wife] Projectra's execution of Nemesis Kid was the first time in DC history that we had a superhero deliberately killing a villain. I would hope to continue that process of evolution.
I'm certainly aware that I'm writing for an audience now that is not just older in years, but also older in sophistication. When I look at my kids, they know about how the world works emotionally, socially, sexually, much more than I did at the same age. I think that evolution takes place at all ages now. We're more plugged in, we're more aware. Knowledge of science is wider-spread, we're dealing with a much more sophisticated audience in all those areas, and you'd better be feeding them something interesting. Hopefully I can rise to those challenges.
IO9: Talking about, I don't want to say "growing up faster," but having more sophisticated ideas at a younger age, does an awareness of that change the way that you write the characters? If the teenagers and young adults of the 21st century are more evolved than their 20th century counterparts, how does that impact characters of the same age in the 31st century?
PL: I think what's going on now, in 21st century life, is that people are growing up faster, but they're also growing up slower, too. I've heard one theorist make the argument that we've added a new stage to life; now it goes, Childhood, Adolescence, Odyssey, Adulthood. The idea that people of a certain age are discovering themselves more, trying on new careers, traveling the world more because it's more accessible... So they're more mature in some ways, more experience, but not as committed to a path as early. I'm sure it will continue to evolve over the next thousand years. I mean, adolescence is a modern invention; I don't remember the sociology exactly, but I think it was 19th century? It used to be that you'd go straight from childhood to adulthood: "Get your ass out there and start working for a living." I'm sure there will be a lot of nuance and changes, but I try not to define all of those pieces too exactly. We're talking about fictional characters a thousand years from now, so I try to talk metaphorically about age, not literally. The occasions when I've been more literal about it have blown up in my face.
IO9: How does it feel to be returning to the characters after so long? Does it feel like you're competing with yourself? As you said, "The Great Darkness Saga," is the most highly regarded Legion story and for many people, myself included, you're the definitive Legion writer.
PL: I'm not so much competing with myself as I'm competing with the wonderful new talents who have come along since then. Guys like Geoff, Grant [Morrison] - Grant had a couple of things published when I left Legion, Geoff was just reading comics - so many wonderful guys at DC and elsewhere. I'm competing to see if I can play the game at the standard that I believe in.
I'm also competing with having sit behind a desk [as DC's President] for a number of years saying, "Guys, we can do better!" Well, this is put up or shut up time.
IO9: Is there some odd thrill in coming back to writing after 20 years of writing less, a kind of "Now I get to play with all these things I've seen other people do?"
PL: It's more a, there's a bunch of things we couldn't do then. When you talk about the change in the form, in the change of the medium. When I stopped doing Legion, DC had collected one storyline with "The Great Darkness Saga," and their entire graphic novel and trade paperback backlist was around twenty books. There's something about doing a story knowing that it will be collected that provides new challenges and new opportunities. The changes in the audiences, distribution, technology... The changes in color! I gave a copy of "Great Darkness" to a young friend who was curious about the Legion and their comment was "Wow, that's awfully magenta."
I'm anxious to see how all of this plays out. I've watched all of this and seen it play out day to day, but I haven't had a chance to pick up the key tools. My strengths as a writer, I think, are more in the long-term. I'm not someone who you'd read and say, "Wow, that line there - That's a piece of poetry..." I'd leave that to, in my generation, writers like Len Wein or Steve Gerber. It's what I did with characters over time, and I haven't been able to do that for over 20 years, because I've been doing a single issue short story, or a short fill-in arc. This is the first time I get to do that, like I said, to fuck with their lives, and that's how you get interesting stories. Or, at least, how I do.
IO9: Is there any character arc that you've wanted to, and for whatever reason didn't get a chance to?
PL: Eh, there were small things I never got around to. But this isn't about unfinished business for me, this is about trying to do my best work under the current conditions and seeing if the skillsets that I've got, that were significant in this business, are still significant and good tricks in this day. This isn't going back and telling the missing "lost piece." I'm more interested in, if I can bring in xenophobia as a thread, what does that really mean? What does that do to the future? I've had the pleasure of listening to a really interesting Harvard professor talk on the subject of implicit bias over the last couple of years, the idea that we can and cannot shake ourselves clear of our prejudices. I'm curious to take what I've heard about that and analog it in the Legion, and see how the characters react.
IO9: You've read the Legion stories since you read last time -
PL: Most! Not all. The first two times I took on the Legion, I read the complete run from the beginning. I confess not to having had the courage to do that this time [Laughs].
IO9: There's a lot of stuff! I don't blame you. Is there anything you're bringing in from other Legion runs, or anything you want to deal with?
PL: Some of it I'm inheriting from Geoff. XS seems to be around in this universe, and I need to find a way to make that fit. I don't have an answer for you on that yet, but at least I know I have a question. I'm sure I will find other pieces, because there were some wonderful character moments and stories done. I enjoyed lots of work during that period. I don't have it planned that tightly. Obviously, there's a precarious balance between "Oh God, now I can tell the stories that I want to" and "Well, people really want to see what happens to this Earth Man guy. What incredibly terrible thing can I do to him that will devastate Legion fans and get them talking, and make them think of how interesting this can be." He's the centerpiece of the first five issue arc of the book, and I think the places we take him will shock the hell out of him, and hopefully shock the people reading.
IO9: You talk about Legion fans, and Legion fans can be pretty hardcore and very devoted.
PL: God bless 'em!
IO9: You engaged them a lot in previous runs on the book. Are you going to be doing leadership contests and letter columns for this new run?
PL: I love the fact that the fans are engaged. Part of the magic of the Legion is that the fans are involved, and the depth involved. That's what seduced me as a child, and I think it's the same thing about Pokemon that seduced my son when he was a child, and he had his chart of the 150 different Poke-creatures and what their powers were and how they involved and all that nonsense. I certainly would like to create an environment and relationship with the readers that could take advantage of that.
At the same time, because the Legion isn't as popular as it was when I took on the book either of the two previous times, I recognize that I have a real responsibility to invite a whole new audience in, and the first thing they want to see is not a chart of 150 characters and their homeworlds and their powers and how they all fit together. So I'm going to see if I can manage the two contradictory worlds.
I think the schtick that Geoff started, with what I've come to call "identifier captions," where instead of having Saturn Girl say "And by the way, I read minds," there's a caption saying "Saturn Girl, Powers: Telepathy" is a wonderful tradition and I'm hoping that will help. Also, there's an advantage that a lot of the Legion is in the 21st century [as part of ongoing storylines in the Superman books], getting them off-stage, helps to make a bit more of a gradual introduction. If you're a deep Legion fan, definitely there are easter eggs in the first issues of both of the titles that certainly you will understand that someone just showing up today will miss entirely. I hope that it's transparent enough that the new person showing up will have a good time too. For the longterm fan, if you look closely at a certain Legionnaire and they have ten fingers, fully-grown, and you know enough, that should tell you something about the last batch of years. But unless you're deeply steeped in that material, you're not going to know what that means. It won't hurt you!
IO9: You've now got me wondering who shouldn't have ten fingers. Will both series be running parallel to each other, with crossovers?
PL: The arc of Secret Origin is really about the past. It's not linking into the continuity in the sense of reading from one series to the other, although that may evolve after we finish the first arc. There's a planted bit in the Brande story that may help with your understanding of what's happening in the other story, however.
IO9: Completely fanboy nerdy question: Is Keith Giffen going to be drawing anything at some point?
PL: I have one storyline listed that I gave [Editor] Brian [Cunningham] that Keith circled with "I WANNA DO THAT!" Keith is interested in doing something, I had a couple of delightful lunches with [classic Legion artist] James Sherman and he wants to come back and do something... There're so many guys, either old friends or new friends who've come into the business since I was active as a writer, that it'd be great to work with.
IO9: When do the titles launch?
PL: May for Legion of Super-Heroes and June for the series in Adventure Comics. The delightful thing is, I'm ahead of schedule so far.
From Superboy-Supergirl: I JUST HAD A NERDGASM!
[ January 14, 2010, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: Superboy-Supergirl ]
Posted by Superboy-Supergirl on :
Levitz Writing ADVENTURE COMICS; & LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES?
After announcing a few months ago that Paul Levitz would be taking over Adventure Comics, with the lead story becoming the tales of the Legion of Super-heroes, DC this morning announced they'd be changing their plans slightly. Levitz will still be writing Adventure Comics, and he'll still be writing Legion of Super-heroes, but he'll be doing it in two books.
In Spring 2010, Legion of Super-heroes #1 will launch, written by Paul Levitz and drawn by Yildiray Cinar (Click through the gallery for his first sketches for the book). In his first interview on the launch with our friends at io9, Levitz says he's "thrilled beyond words" at the prospect of picking back up with the team that made both heroes of a far-flung future, and the name Paul Levitz, household names.
The former President and Publisher of DC goes on to describe his new series as picking up an undisclosed time after Geoff Johns' stories wth the Legion in Legion of 3 Worlds, the Superman family of books, and the Adventure second feature.
In the aforementioned interview, Levitz notes that Legion will begin in May, with Adventure following in June. His first Adventure Comics arc will be called "Superboy and the Legion of Super-heroes: Secret Origin," and will update Clark Kent's initial adventures with the Legion, based on the most recent origin-refresh seen in Geoff Johns' Superman: Secret Origin mini-series.
Posted by Dev Em on :
Guess who now has a Facebook page,a certin Mr.Levitz,I invited him to join the Facebook group Legion of Super Heroes,and he did. Posted by Sarcasm Kid on :
Link, please.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Here's the link for the facebook Legion group,you can find Mr.Levitz profile on there.
Paul Levitz:Thanks for the kind words and the suggestion of a friend to add, but I'm not actively searching out fans to add on Facebook at this time--happy to add any of my fans/readers who ask me, but I'm new to the FB system, and going slowly...
Posted by Dev Em on :
Just joined the Legion group as the 666th member...bewahahahahahahaha!
[ January 24, 2010, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: Dev Em ]
Posted by Kara Zor-El on :
I think the Levitz return to the Legion is the greatest thing to happen to the Legion since Johns decided to bring the 'original' team back. I just hope that he hasn't lost his touch as a writer and that he does something with Brainiac Five and Supergirl.
Posted by Sarcasm Kid on :
Um guys, I don't have a facebook account, so, if anyone would mind asking Mr. Levitz about the Ranzz kids that would be supah.
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
quote:Originally posted by Sarcasm Kid: Um guys, I don't have a facebook account, so, if anyone would mind asking Mr. Levitz about the Ranzz kids that would be supah.
Maybe we could make a thread (or use this one) and collect questions for him?
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
PAUL LEVITZ Talks LEGION OF SUPERHEROES @ C2E2 2010
Tyroc by issue #2 !! Awesome.
Posted by Blacula on :
That Tyroc news is seriously cool! In issues 2 & 3!
I wonder if that means Marzal is the homeworld/island being destroyed? Or do we already know that's Titan?
I hope Paul does Tyroc justice. I know he wasn't a fan of his.
Posted by Blacula on :
Other than his statue in Lo3W and that infuriatingly misleading cover in the Threeboot will this be the first time Tyroc has been on panel since the Reboot 16 years ago?
Posted by Ken Arromdee on :
To tell the truth I don't want to see a homeworld destroyed. Why? Because we've seen it happen plenty of times already, both in LSH and elsewhere, and it's almost always done for shock value at the cost of damaging the series in the long term. It's sort of like killing off a character.
We've learned our lesson from the excesses of the Dark Age of Comics (or whatever you want to call comics post-1986). Heck, we've learned our lesson from the TMK era. Haven't we?
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
I have yet to see anyone who seems excited about the "destroying a world" idea.
Honestly, other than the fact it's Levitz writing, very little I've seen of the new Legion series gives me much cause to be excited.
Adventure, however, sounds pretty interesting.
Posted by Korbal on :
New Levitz interview on NEWSARAMA with two pages from LEGION #1
And those two pages do absolutely nothing to increase my interest.
Posted by doublechinner on :
I wasn't thrilled with the pages either, since they had no Legionness about them. But, if a bunch of GL fans buy the book, it's a small price to pay. The tricky thing is doing a future of the GLC that isn't invalidated next month in the GL/Brightest Day books. I would expect Paul to be up to that challenge, but it's not entirely up to him.
I AM somewhat intrigued by the idea of Earth Man being forced to join. The Legion has always benefited, in the past, from new/rebel member type stories. Ultra Boy, Karate Kid, Timber Wolf, Wildfire, Dawnstar, Tyroc, Invisible Kid (Jacques) all had arcs like this, and it's a natural way to teach new readers about the Legion (as new companions do for Dr. Who). As long as it isn't dragged out ad nauseam and ad absurdum and ad annoyum, I think it should be fun.
Posted by doublechinner on :
Two other things (now that I think about them). Paul clearly LIKES the lore of the Corps (sorry) -- namely, the story of Krona bringing evil into the universe as the impetus for the Guardians and the GLC (remember his flashback "why the GLC is banned from earth" story?) I think that mythology is cool, too, and sadly overshadowed (or worse) by that Blackest Night...stuff. So, if Paul has a fun way to weave that GL mythology into something organic and meaningful for the Legion, I'm happy to give him the chance to show it.
Second, Yildiray's art is awesome, at least what I've seen of it at C2E2 and in previews. His Legionnaires have an individuality, vitality and emotion that we haven't seen for a LONG time. I love Barry Kitson, but I think Yildiray's art has more emotion and dynamism to it, which I think is essential to get people interested in the book. Otherwise the Legion ends up as a complicated and boring costume drama, Masterpiece Theater in space.
Posted by HamzHutch on :
yea...more GL stuff. Are any Legionnaires even going to appear in the first issue?
Posted by HamzHutch on :
quote:Originally posted by doublechinner: Second, Yildiray's art is awesome, at least what I've seen of it at C2E2 and in previews. His Legionnaires have an individuality, vitality and emotion that we haven't seen for a LONG time.
I absolutely agree. His art is fantastic. I met him at C2E2 and he is also I very nice guy Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by doublechinner: I AM somewhat intrigued by the idea of Earth Man being forced to join. The Legion has always benefited, in the past, from new/rebel member type stories. Ultra Boy, Karate Kid, Timber Wolf, Wildfire, Dawnstar, Tyroc, Invisible Kid (Jacques) all had arcs like this, and it's a natural way to teach new readers about the Legion (as new companions do for Dr. Who). As long as it isn't dragged out ad nauseam and ad absurdum and ad annoyum, I think it should be fun.
I'm all for new members. But none of the folks you mention were murderers/torturers before joining the team. Even Blok, the one "super-villain" to have joined the team, was a pretty gentle villain.
Posted by doublechinner on :
Oh, I agree, I think Earth Man's behavior has been reprehensible. That's why I'm all the more intrigued to see what happens. What's so serious that Earthgov or the UP would insist on the Legion taking in such a scoundrel?
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I'm willing to give Paul a chance to see how this works. I don't think he'd be willing to let a murderer be forgiven in the larger scheme of things, and can provide a dynamic story with Earth Man.
Posted by Mediocre Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by doublechinner: Two other things (now that I think about them). Paul clearly LIKES the lore of the Corps (sorry) -- namely, the story of Krona bringing evil into the universe as the impetus for the Guardians and the GLC (remember his flashback "why the GLC is banned from earth" story?) I think that mythology is cool, too, and sadly overshadowed (or worse) by that Blackest Night...stuff. So, if Paul has a fun way to weave that GL mythology into something organic and meaningful for the Legion, I'm happy to give him the chance to show it.
Second, Yildiray's art is awesome, at least what I've seen of it at C2E2 and in previews. His Legionnaires have an individuality, vitality and emotion that we haven't seen for a LONG time. I love Barry Kitson, but I think Yildiray's art has more emotion and dynamism to it, which I think is essential to get people interested in the book. Otherwise the Legion ends up as a complicated and boring costume drama, Masterpiece Theater in space.
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marry ![[Mordru]](graemlins/Mordru.gif)
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