"Word reaches me that Paul Levitz has been talking about the possibilities of a "Legion" cartoon. The usual reasons against such a project, too many characters, was knocked by the "X-Men Evolution" cartoon, and buried six foot deep by the new "Justice League Unlimited" animation."
Taken from CBR (http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=13)
Nice. I say they use a core of 5 and then just guest star 2 to 3 others a show.
Jorge
Posted by Future on :
Ooh! Sounds good. I can actually see this working, following somewhat of a style JLU has worked on: focus on the founders and a few more popular characters before spreading out to more members.
This'll be exciting to see how it develops! If Levitz is behind the project for the long haul, it'll be like a big wave of support from DC and he'll hopefully help guide the writers on how to juggle the characters.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
All right! Hey, it could work, and with Teen Titans being a bit preteeny, JLU having adult characters and X Men Evolution cancelled I think, this could fill the demand for teen heroes!
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
And they could spin-off a new comic from it like the JLAdventures and Teen Titans-GO!.
Posted by Pov on :
And we'd get action figures that don't cost $15, and include female Legionnaires and villians!
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Paul Levitz rocks!
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
quote:Originally posted by Pov: And we'd get action figures that don't cost $15, and include female Legionnaires and villians!
But the females and villains would be short-packed by Mattel and you'd need a loan to buy them off of eBay.
Posted by Princess Crujectra on :
I'm just afraid that they'll do it too much like Titans. If Shadow Lass' eyes turn into hearts when Mon-El is near, I think I'll hurl...
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
Paul's going to be quite busy, getting a Legion cartton of the ground AND moving DC's offices to the west coast.
Posted by Kid Prime on :
I really do believe if things on Cartoon Network continue the way they have been, this cartoon is inevitable. I'm excited to hear Levitz may be in on it.
HURRAY!!!
Posted by lil'rhino on :
quote:Originally posted by Lurker Lad: Paul's going to be quite busy, getting a Legion cartton of the ground AND moving DC's offices to the west coast.
The "DC moving to Cali" rumor got a red light with good reason though: MY mole @ DC says they're moving the DC offices to the just opened AOL/Time Warner Center right here in NYC, just a few blocks north of their current quarters.
lil'rhino
Posted by MLLASH on :
quote:Originally posted by Kid Prime: I really do believe if things on Cartoon Network continue the way they have been, this cartoon is inevitable. I'm excited to hear Levitz may be in on it.
HURRAY!!!
I felt the same after the debut of JL Unlimited! Great news!!
Posted by Tromium Crystal on :
I wonder, classic LSH or reimagined LSH? Possibly the latter if PL's pushing the idea again now.
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by lil'rhino:
quote:Originally posted by Lurker Lad: Paul's going to be quite busy, getting a Legion cartton of the ground AND moving DC's offices to the west coast.
The "DC moving to Cali" rumor got a red light with good reason though: MY mole @ DC says they're moving the DC offices to the just opened AOL/Time Warner Center right here in NYC, just a few blocks north of their current quarters.
lil'rhino
They should move right here to Maine. They could OWN an entire old mill building for less then they curently pay in RENT. Plus they'd only be a couple of hours away from their printers in Quebec.
And, of course, then I could be the mole!!
:::hmmm... wonder who Rhino's mole is?:::
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Great news! Paul Levitz space-rawks!
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I'm pretty sure Rhino's mole is some dude named Will Eisner? I think he's a copy-boy or intern!
Posted by Kid Prime on :
It certainly lends new meaning to the phrase "Deep Throat."
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
Posted by lil'rhino on :
Can't reveal my mole, BUT I CAN tell you just how much Paul Levitz space-rawks: Over the last 7 or so years, I have written 3 letters to Mr. Levitz and he wrote me back each time! Not only that, but 2 of his 3 reply letters were HAND WRITTEN! Not typed, not form letters!(The 3rd was typed but he signed it.) The best part: written on DC stationary, sent in DC envelopes!
lil'rhino
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
I've always heard he was a good guy but with all the internet rumors and the current hostilities between Bob Wayne and everyone at Marvel you never know how things currently stand.
Posted by SoM on :
quote:Originally posted by lil'rhino: Can't reveal my mole, BUT I CAN tell you just how much Paul Levitz space-rawks: Over the last 7 or so years, I have written 3 letters to Mr. Levitz and he wrote me back each time! Not only that, but 2 of his 3 reply letters were HAND WRITTEN! Not typed, not form letters!(The 3rd was typed but he signed it.) The best part: written on DC stationary, sent in DC envelopes!
lil'rhino
So he can't type, so what? Posted by Omni Craig on :
As long as it is not a "Manga" Legion... I can't stand the Teen Titans-GO! thing that is on now!!!
Here's hoping the rumors are true! Go Paul!!
Posted by Monkey Eater Lad on :
Awesome! I'll take a Legion cartoon in ANY format. Legion of Super-Carebears? Fine! My Little Legion of Ponys? Do it! Legimon: Gotta Catch 'Em All? Well maybe not...
I love the idea of modern Legion action figures (though my shelf space isn't happy)! Here's the toy line breakdown:
PHASE I Brainiac 5.1 with light up facial markings and twitching Koko! Lightning Lad with 'joy buzzer' shocking action and homicidal older brother! Ultra Boy with 'ultra kicking'action and Rimbor temporary gang tattoos! Andromeda with 'power punch' and tight fitting tunic! Persuader with 'hero chopping action' action and bad B.O.!
PHASE II Cosmic Boy with real magnetic power action and harddrive scrambling powers! Ultra Boy (wetsuit costume) with 'ultra swimming' action and gigantic space whale-thing! Chameleon with interchangable head and hands - also changes appearance in water! Triplicate Girl with 'tri-jitsu' action (three pack of figures)! Mano with light up glowing hands and familial gravestones!
And later on...
PHASE XVI Infectious Lass with mucous secretion and real living bateria! Chlorophyll Kid with potent seeds and 'plant watering action'! Ultra Boy (artic costume) with 'ultra skiing' action and wearable earring! Proty/Lightning Lad with lightning wand and 'self-sacrificing action'! Time Trapper with 'reality altering action' and um..doom!
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Omni Craig: As long as it is not a "Manga" Legion... I can't stand the Teen Titans-GO! thing that is on now!!!
I was prepared to hate the TT cartoon as well, and as such did not even bother watching it until just a month or so ago.
and even though it is manga-ish, I am prepared to admit I was wrong. TT ROCKS!
Groovey theme some helps!
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Monkey Eater Lad: PHASE I Brainiac 5.1 with light up facial markings and twitching Koko!
hmmmmmm
Is that a twitching Koko in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Monkey Eater Lad: PHASE II Ultra Boy (wetsuit costume) with 'ultra swimming' action and gigantic space whale-thing!
hmmmmmm
Is that a gigantic space whale-thing in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Monkey Eater Lad: PHASE XVI Chlorophyll Kid with potent seeds and 'plant watering action'
hmmmmmm
Is that a potent seed with plant watering action in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Posted by Lurker Lad on :
I'm not doing a very good job of just lurking, am I?
Posted by Monkey Eater Lad on :
Well LL, as long as you promise to lurk in other threads, we'll overlook you outburst of posting !d
I forgot to add, between PHASE IV and PHASE V there'll be a Kellogg's box top send away exclusive Ultraboy figure - Ultraboy with spousal infidelity action! Start savin' them now!
Posted by LyleLyle on :
I think manga-style would be just fine for the Legion, tho a different style that Teen Titans uses. It needs to be organic to the story, however. The storytelling style of Teen Titans goes with the art style and the art doesn't come off as a ripoff of the manga style, but an organic redesign of the characters that was influenced by manga and anime styles.
Considering the Leigon's history and appeal, a manga style would make a lot of sense, though I'd look for a different anime style to take inspiration from.
Posted by Nightcrawler on :
Please no Manga!
How about the MTV Spider-Man cartoon style?
Posted by MLLASH on :
I personally love the style of the TT GO! 'toon.
I don't care WHAT style they use for LEGION as long as it gets DONE and done WELL.
Posted by Super Lad Kid on :
Wow, after years of dreaming, there's finally a bit of hope that an animated Legion will become reality. Between this news and being able to play a Legionnaire on City of Heroes, who needs the comic?
Posted by Jorge Martinez on :
I would have to say with the traditional JL style just have them as teenagers.
Paul Levitz does rock. You can't be on top without some people disliking you. I think he is a true comic fan first and this isn't all about money for him. I remember reading he started in fan-zines back in the day.
Levitz is the man.
Jorge
Posted by googoomuck on :
The same style as the Legion appearance in Superman The Animated Series works for me.
Posted by Suddenly Seymour on :
Woot woot woot woot!
And, yes, Levitz does rock. The first year I went to Wizard World in Chicago, he came to the online Legion fans dinner (with the Moys and Tom McCraw) and quietly picked up the tab.
[ August 25, 2004, 04:25 AM: Message edited by: Suddenly Seymour ]
Posted by SoM on :
How'd we get this far without someone mentioning the Legivolution attempt?
quote:Steve L said: Last year, some of you may remember my mentioning that I had been commissioned, by DC Comics, to do some design work for an animated series that was being proposed.
The premise was, The LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES for a POKEMON audience. It was not intended as a faithful adaptation of any particular preexisting Legion era, but as a separate interpretation altogether.
They had apparently had other artists designing it, but were so unsatisfied with the results that I wasn't even shown their work as reference material. In fact, I got very little in the way of reference ... in fact, nothing visual ... although they were very clear about the audience that they wished to reach.
They seemed to be very happy with my presentation boards (one of which is attached), but I have heard nothing back from DC about the future of the proposed series.
I did ask if there was any chance of getting work on the production end, if the series were picked up, but was told that Keith Giffen had suggested the idea ... which pretty much told me that he had already secured a cushy position should the series go into production ... Deja vu.
Anyway, many of you asked me to share some of these designs some time ago, but I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag too soon. Since it has been quite some time, and I haven't heard anything about the animated series getting the "green light" I decided to show you some of what might have been ... perhaps it still may be.
Personally, I'd like to see something more along the lines of the treatment given to the animated Batman, Superman & the Justice League. I'm not sure that this is the treatment that would be best for the Legion, but it is certainly interesting.
quote: Steve L again: It was about a year ago that I was asked to design presentation boards for a cartoon proposal.
The requirements were that I show examples of how very youthful versions of the Legion (and their foes) could evolve through a series of three different power levels. They wanted each one to have its own separate appearance. I suppose that this is similar to how characters "evolve" or power-up on Japanese import cartoons like Dragonball Z and Pokemon.
I was told that some artist had already supplied character designs, but that they were unusable, for one reason or another. They instructed me to design versions of the characters, reflecting this new approach, without ever seeing the work that they had already had done. Apparently, they didn't want any influence from the previous effort leaking through.
I turned in the pages, and was told that I had captured just what they were looking for. I asked whether, since I had prepared these designs, I might be involved with the animated project in some fashion. That's when I was told that this was Giffen's baby. If the project went through, he would be at the front of the glory grabbing line. I think I'll hold back my desire to explain, in detail, just how familiar the feeling was that this news provoked in me.
Anyway ... I've never heard whether or not the powers that be have been successful in their efforts to "green light" this cartoon project. For all I know, it's gone no further than the creation of these drawings.
So, for your amusement, I present Lightning Lad and the Emerald Empress ... in their varied forms.
[ August 25, 2004, 05:12 AM: Message edited by: SoM ]
Posted by Outdoor Miner on :
quote:Originally posted by Suddenly Seymour: And, yes, Levitz does rock. The first year I went to Wizard World in Chicago, he came to the online Legion fans dinner (with the Moys and Tom McCraw) and quietly picked up the tab.
That dinner has passed into fan legend.
I met up with some of the attendees recently, and they still talk about that, and about how cool he was.
Posted by Outdoor Miner on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: I personally love the style of the TT GO! 'toon.
I don't care WHAT style they use for LEGION as long as it gets DONE and done WELL.
I like the TT style as well.
I wouldn't use it for the LSH if only because there would be accusations that they were just copying TT.
Best to try to find a distinctive style for an LSH cartoon, IMO.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
That dinner really is a legend. I read about it in either CBG or somewhere else a few years ago.
Posted by Jorge Martinez on :
Wow Paul quietly picked up the tab. That is very nice of him.
I honestly reread his Legion issues all the time to see how he managed so many characters and subplots so well. See if he had a system or something.
Jorge
Posted by Yellow Kid on :
That's a pretty interesting idea, Jorge. If you ever break it down and put it to text I'd love to see your analysis. _______________________________________________
The anim style used for JLA would be just fine for me but the quasi-japanese style of the Titans would be ok too. After all they want to sell advertising time and grab the biggest audience possible.
...as long as it's not Beavis and Butthead style animation I'll probably be ecstatic-
Posted by matlock on :
I believe Levitz kept a chart or something like that with all the various plots and subplots and character bits that were ongoing. I think it went about 6 months in advance so that he could keep everything moving. He was really good at foreshadowing events to come, which seems like kind of a lost art these days.
Posted by Arachne on :
Wasn't that in the interview he did for the Legion Companion?
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