posted
I was thinking about the old Mission Monitor Board with its symbols and pining for the days when we'd see someone on monitor duty and use the MMB to catch up on the various Legionnaires' doings. It was one of various storytelling tools that Levitz used to be able to handle writing the Legion and I have to wonder if DnA are missing something?
The board connected the disparate events of the story and made the team, or a team member our conduit for checking in on everyone's storylines. While it can just as easily be done through narration and cutting between scenes, it diminshes the sense of the team as a whole unit.
There was also the Encyclopedia Galactica entries and later Giffen's Omnicon text pieces which helped to fill us in on the larger picture or add details that couldn't be explored in the main comic.
I think one of the things I miss in DnA's Legion is that sense of the team getting together -- whether it be in their meeting hall or the rec room playing D&D or whatever. The machinery of Legion World has only helped to make the team feel even more spread out as they now have tons of support staff.
Maybe it's just the next natural step for the team away from the original "clubhouse" mentality, but I hope DnA find something else then to bring that sense of cohesion to the team.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by DrakeB3003: I was thinking about the old Mission Monitor Board with its symbols and pining for the days when we'd see someone on monitor duty and use the MMB to catch up on the various Legionnaires' doings. It was one of various storytelling tools that Levitz used to be able to handle writing the Legion and I have to wonder if DnA are missing something?
The board connected the disparate events of the story and made the team, or a team member our conduit for checking in on everyone's storylines. While it can just as easily be done through narration and cutting between scenes, it diminshes the sense of the team as a whole unit.
There was also the Encyclopedia Galactica entries and later Giffen's Omnicon text pieces which helped to fill us in on the larger picture or add details that couldn't be explored in the main comic.
I think one of the things I miss in DnA's Legion is that sense of the team getting together -- whether it be in their meeting hall or the rec room playing D&D or whatever. The machinery of Legion World has only helped to make the team feel even more spread out as they now have tons of support staff.
Maybe it's just the next natural step for the team away from the original "clubhouse" mentality, but I hope DnA find something else then to bring that sense of cohesion to the team.
I addressed the same issue over in the NEw Creative Team thread, although not as eloquently as you just did.
I called it "heart" but maybe it is a "clubhouse mentality" that seems to be missing right now...
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
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That's a good way to put it. Also, except for Val and Andy, there does not seem to be that personal connection so much. Legion Lost had alot of group dynamic. Even there, the plot was to try and tear them apart to show Legion would overcome.
Levitz and Giffen get alot of credit, but I want to through a little love Conway's direction. I do not recall if he started these plotlines, but he ran with them well. He used a scheme similar to Legion Lost to break up the team, sending one of with Brande to remake the fortune, some stayed around the clubhouse, and then there were the married pairs.
That was an older Legion, but this Legion is for the most part at that age where they go from pack mentality to smaller groups and pairings.
To be fair, are we comparing issue by issue to years of remembered history? Those relationships used to create that clubhouse feel were developed over thirty years. Post Z-hour, they seemed to start up some of that (though honestly I didn't care for this period), then the blight hit. Monstress was the center of a good bit of that clubhouse feel, as well a happy Vi. So post Lost, it really hasn't been that long.
Maybe it would have been better to stick with the Legion World concept a bit longer to redevelop relationships before throwing the team into this series of epics?
From: East Toledo | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Drake and BB have perfectly framed some of my own musings, so I won't run out my own words much, but merely cite where they hit the space-nail squarely:
[DrakeB3003] {[...] The machinery of Legion World has only helped to make the team feel even more spread out as they now have tons of support staff. }
That's exactly what has long been bugging me in my subconscious, I think, about that thang. When you have a (mini)planet-sized HQ, how can you casually get together? Or have a sense of fighting danger, us vs. the world, when you are the (mini)world?
[Blockade Boy] {[...] To be fair, are we comparing issue by issue to years of remembered history? Those relationships used to create that clubhouse feel were developed over thirty years. }
Exactly the pitfall for those of us who dote on any prior era. It makes me think that this is the simple reason why the new setups are so easily accepted, even with "shortcomings" ... by new readers.
From: Starhaven Consulate, City of Angels | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by DrakeB3003: I was thinking about the old Mission Monitor Board with its symbols and pining for the days when we'd see someone on monitor duty and use the MMB to catch up on the various Legionnaires' doings. It was one of various storytelling tools that Levitz used to be able to handle writing the Legion and I have to wonder if DnA are missing something?
The board connected the disparate events of the story and made the team, or a team member our conduit for checking in on everyone's storylines. While it can just as easily be done through narration and cutting between scenes, it diminshes the sense of the team as a whole unit.
There was also the Encyclopedia Galactica entries and later Giffen's Omnicon text pieces which helped to fill us in on the larger picture or add details that couldn't be explored in the main comic.
I think one of the things I miss in DnA's Legion is that sense of the team getting together -- whether it be in their meeting hall or the rec room playing D&D or whatever. The machinery of Legion World has only helped to make the team feel even more spread out as they now have tons of support staff.
Maybe it's just the next natural step for the team away from the original "clubhouse" mentality, but I hope DnA find something else then to bring that sense of cohesion to the team.
i still really miss those TOOLS from the LEVITZ/GIFFEN era !!! the MMB was great at showing where everyone was, and the GRAPHIC symbols were cool !!!
the reader was able to see straight away, where the LEGIONNAIRES were !!!
Matthew.
From: Manchester United Kingdom | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I am in 100% agreement with the previous posts. One thing that has troubled me about DnA's Legion, although they are generally better IMHO that the committee of writers that immediatly precesded them on the book, is the epic scope of each story line. DnA have given us story after story that required the entire Legion in a battle to save the entire Universe. There has been little down time, few character bits, and not much room for setting an overall general atmosphere for the 31st century.
I'd like to see some of the following:
A few stories of one or two issues of a less epic proportion that focus on smaller teams of Legionnaires on more routine missions.
More use of the MMB to track characters. One cool thing is the Leigon fans tend to be fully vested in the Legion universe. All you need to do is show on the MMB that one group is on a mission to a certain world while you focus on another group, and Legion fans will write that story themselves.
More evidence of individual personality traits and interests. Does NO ONE play D&D anymore?
More interaction with the support staff. All that is needed is a panel or two, or even just evidence of the support staff inthe background. Again, Legion fans will play with the particulars on Boards like these.
More visits to various worlds. A little local flavor would be nice.
More use of the Encyclopedia Galactica, Omnicom pages, or even Daily Planets articles to flesh out characters, background events, and settings beyond what can be done in the stories themeselves. DC could even set up another media support similar to the Smallville Ledger which supports the WB's Smallville.
More minor characters can also support and flesh out stories, provide background material, and give fans something to play with. For example, an uncharactisticly verbose Kwai guide could serve as a sort of "Space Cabbie" to introduce new settings.
posted
Yes yes yes yes to everybody's comments (I think).
I hadn't really noticed the monitor board was missing - but it did add to the story, and someone was always griping about monitor duty. I miss the meeting hall, too - corny as it was at times. In this run, we've seen them gathered (standing) in a circle as RJ explains his mission to the Kwai, and they were in some auditorium or stadium for the leader election results. Didn't give a sense of place.
From: Café Cramer | Registered: Jul 2003
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