posted
I was thinking recently about comic creators who - by virtue of the time they spent on the Legion - in my mind, would be defined primarily as a "Legion Creator,"
I'm not saying that their other work is somehow less important or anything, just that, for instance, if you were to read a retrospective or something, you would expect that their Legion work would be the number one thing referenced.
The list I came up with is surprisingly short, excluding some very important names like Shooter, Cockrum, Grell, and Swan for who - as important the contributions they made to Legion history - their time as a Marvel creator (in the first two cases) or their inseparable association with other characters (Green Arrow and Warlord for Grell and Superman for Swan) very likely would outweigh the "Legion Creator" tag.
The list I would come up with is limited to just:
John Forte Paul Levitz James Sherman Keith Giffen Steve Lightle Tom and Mary Bierbaum
and... that's it!
Every other name I tried to think of either had a more significant credit that they would primarily be known for, or had too short a run on the Legion for it to be considered "significant," at least in my mind.
So, do you agree with my choices? Think that Levitz's time as an exec would outweigh his Legion contributions? Think that Giffen's Justice League is a more significant legacy than his Legion? Think that an argument could be made that Cockrum's Legion work is as significant as his new X-Men?
What creators do you think are defined by the Legion?
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posted
I think you've got it pretty spot on. Perhaps Al Plastino, because co-creating the Legion IMO is his most major accomplishment (though he certainly had a long career doing Superman-related series). Meanwhile Otto Binder would be more known for his Captain Marvel family work and / or his incredible science fiction stories in MiS and Strange Adventures.
Giffen is the only one on the list that is iffy. Beyond Justice League or Legion, I think he'll be better remembered for his various funny characters that are "pure Giffen creations" like Ambush Bug, Lobo, the Heckler, Vext, etc.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Yeah, Giffen's inclusion might be my own personal bias, as I know he's had an incredibly varied career. It's just that every time he comes back for a short bit on the Legion (like in DC One Million or the recent annual) it always feels like he's coming "home".
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
I think it could be argued that "Tales of the Bizarro World" would be equally important for Forte.
What about Tom McCraw?
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Exnihil: Yeah, Giffen's inclusion might be my own personal bias, as I know he's had an incredibly varied career. It's just that every time he comes back for a short bit on the Legion (like in DC One Million or the recent annual) it always feels like he's coming "home".
I'm pretty sure that is indeed your personal bias. Giffen's done too much else.
What about Jeff Moy? He's done some other stuff in comics, like Star Trek (plus video game design work like X-Men Legends), but Legionnaires was his longest run, yes?
-------------------- My views are my own and do not reflect those of everyone else... and I wouldn't have it any other way.
posted
I'd add Tom McCraw for certain... not only for his writing stint but for the stunning and error-free colors he provided over the years. You can rest assured there was no yellow-haired Nura during his tenure.
posted
There's no way I'd leave Giffen OFF the list. For sure, his contributions to comics as a whole are VAST, but you just can't leave him off such a list.
There never seems to be any love for Greg LaRocque.
He only had two long runs -- on Legion and on Flash -- and on both he's been criminally underrated IMO. Come on -- he drew the Sensor Girl/Fatal Five Saga and the Universo Project!! Whereas on Flash, the only significant arc he drew was The Return of Barry Allen, which proved to be his Flash swan song and is arguably not as strong a story as the ones which Mark Waid immediately followed it up with. Therefore, LaRocque=Legion Creator.
posted
I totally agree with Greg LaRocque FL, he drew beautiful and strong looking women. His Nura was exquisite!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
From: here, more often than not | Registered: Sep 2003
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cleome46
or you can do the confusion 'til your head falls off
posted
I could never leave out LaRocque, either. The Universo Project is a huge favorite of mine. More so than the Great Darkness Saga, actually.
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From: Vanity, OR | Registered: Dec 2008
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This discussion is bringing back fond memories of that thread I did where I reviewed the Sensor Girl/Fatal Five saga. Hmmm...maybe it's due for a bump.
Jimmy Janes had about a 2 year stint on the Legion even though he didn't draw all the issues during those 2 years, I can't remember him doing any other series?
Plus he did the 3 issue Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes mini and this nifty ad!
-------------------- I tried to rip their soul out.I tried to make them forget Superman. But they won't.
From: Kentucky | Registered: Oct 2005
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Legion of Super-heros? Vampiella? Marval Teamup? Come clean, Cobie... are you actually Jimmy Janes?
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