Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Legion of Super-Heroes #8 (+ Action Comics #1024, 2020) - Preview and Spoilers

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Action Comics #1024 -

The next page of Legion should contain this panel...


Interlac translations on Superboy's page -

"Headlines" above Superman/Lois.

"In Interlac on the side: Jon Kent is t[covered up - probably 'the']
creator and founder of the United Planets.
Named and designed after ancient Earth's
United Planet's. Jon Kent was the one to
convince the first order of the United
Planets to come together
Conner Kent did none of these things."

The Horraz would've been 100 times more interesting if their leader had been a version of Roxxas.

I legitimately chuckled at "My friends call me Wilimena Morgana Daergina". But is she not really a princess? Meh.

So Nura can show others her precog visions? Interesting.

I like that Projectra offered to finance the Legion, it feels like a deliberate call-back to the Threeboot (which Bendis has cited as an influence in an interview). Projectra also did a lot of standing in empty rooms filled with illusions at the end of that incarnation of the team.

Not sure that was what Imra meant. I thought it just showed that the magnificence of her palace was an illusion, not that she wasn't still a princess. Imra declined her offer of finance and authority but did not say that she didn't have it. I liked that Jeckie - Sorry - Wilmea Morgana Daergina - decided that joining a group on an equal footing might be something she needed, which I interpreted as her realising that she needed and being glad for the chance to get away from being a princess. Not clear enough to say one way or the other. Still if these sample pages and past issues are anything to go by they may well raise more questions than answer them, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I agree that Dream Girl being able to share her visions is interesting. I wonder what they saw?

The Horraz destroyed Trom? Ok. We'll see how that goes. I want to know a lot more about them first.

I liked that Jan can't put it back like it was. Change a table (floor? unclear) to gas and it will lose its structure. If he changes it back to the original elements they will now be different having moved around as a gas so not the same structure.

Also interesting to see the hint in the Interlac that the 31C UP we are seeing is modelled on/inspired by/"named and designed after" the original, suggesting that the original collapsed/failed/was disbanded at some time in the intervening centuries which leaves the present time writers freedom to do whatever they want with that version without invalidating the Legion's UP.

Yeah, I may be reading *way* too much into it, but I took it that she's created this whole illusory world where she's a princess and that the "I might need this" was about needing something to keep her grounded in the real world. My first impression of the last panel is that she's actually in a padded cell, but it's not really clear.

One page is just about long enough to get a sense of each Legionnaire...

Element Lad: I do like that Trom fought back, and I like the update on Horraz-killing-Trom. Still don't quite know who the Horraz are, other than they are terrible. That whole conversation seemed odd, though I'm gonna give the founders a small pass here, as Jan was also clearly mostly over Trom being dead. I think the founders were trying to be sympathetic. "Almost anything" is a good limit on his power as well. "Or we could think of something better..." heh.

Dream Girl: "Girl"? speaks volumes - do her people not have a concept of physical sex? I can get why she wanted to leave a planet full of pre-cogs. "No need to stand..." and foreseeing her own joining of the Legion, very nice. also, "you're all gorgeous" sounds like something Preboot vampy Nura would say. And I also like the "show others her visions" part, opens up possibilities re the interpretation of those visions

Projectra: I also noticed the Threeboot reference with the long name, and I am pretty sure some of those names at least came from there. Three doctorates (at least), makes sense for a Princess to study the histories of other planets. I like her trying to awe the team with her illusions, and Imra just snapping her out of it like "nope"! Garth is such a sweetheart, saying she's nice to offer. And I do like the implied arc of her learning to humble herself. I can see the padded call thing EDE mentioned, the walls of Projectra's place were really bare... on the other hand, the Founders' conversation at the beginning shows they had to jet over to Orando, likely because Jeckie was indeed royalty... I also liked the reminder: "Cos, you need to learn how to deal with people from diff. planets!"

So, framing device... President Brande making Cham show her about each Legionnaire. And she's trying to figure out which one is responsible for things going wrong. So not Superboy, the obvious choice, but someone else...

Looks ok from the first few pages.

I still cannot accept this new version of Dream Girl from a visual standpoint, but hopefully her character becomes as interesting and complicated as Levitz and Waid made the previous versions of her.

Princess Projectra might be a snake! LOL ..... * ducks quickly to avoid being hit by a solid flying object *
I do like this intro better though, but am a bit distracted by her purplish skin tone and that awful purple colouring around her word bubbles (I know, I know ... Bendis will explain that it is how the Princess "speaks" which is a weird alien way we're not used to seeing so far ...)

We'll see though ...... Bendis certainly took his time getting around to "introducing" us to two of my favourites (Dreamy and Jecky)

Jan looks stoned and way too "Sup duuudes" in this version. So far ME NO LIKE.

Fingers crossed for this Wednesday.......

If Element Lad was horrible in Sook hands... (and Sook art is very good)...here is worst! I miss my handsome White blonde guy...

The same feeling with my favorites White Platinum blondes....


This Alien Legion don't work for me....

Um...just read it. I am so confused about a lot of things. Will check back later to see how the rest of you think.

Edit: I can't wait...spoilers

Some SPOILERS...but I updated the info and some images to our Legion of Super-Heroes fansite.

I wonder if the "The Interlac narration will be something like:" was NOT supposed to be used in the text and the letterer or whoever forgot and included it.

^^Yeah, that seems really weird, otherwise.

Wait, this is the actual thread for reviews, so reposting from the other thread here.

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I think I would've preferred a whole issue like the preview pages, with flashbacks to various Legionnaire auditions.

Anyway, we do get a fair number of tidbits about various members, but this is stuff we should've been getting a lot more of all along.

I like that they kept the threeboot background for Gim, but the attempt to replicate the "Micro Lad" shtick felt really weak.

I'm much more iffy on this version of Mon-El. The 1000 years in the Phantom Zone was pretty central to him as a character, so this is a pretty massive change. Plus, I'd rather see Laurel Kent or Klar Ken or Kent Shakespeare, etc., as super-descendants. Mon and Tinya actually make a lot of sense as a couple. We get a confirmation of her being from another dimension, but not much else.

Also, wasn't Mon-El supposed to be the new ruler of Rimbor after he beat Crav in #3?

I didn't quite understand how Wildfire was taken out. It seemed like the Rimborian vaccumed up the entire suit or something. Weird.

I'm not sure why we wasted a whole page on Rose revealing that she'd been around for a 1000 years, which the reader already knew.

The overall plot is as dull as could be. At least the Rimborian elite guard now has a name, "The Parliament of Rimbor", but I wish the individual members had names.

So, yeah, this version of the Legion continues to exist, but I can't say it's really doing much for me.

Whoops, I will repost too.

And my thoughts are very similar to yours, EDE

eaving some spoiler space for those who look at RECENT POSTS...








Story flow was marginally better than previous issues. At least now I feel there's some narrative cohesion.

Still feel the glacial pace though. Basically this issue was - Rimbor attacks, Legion fights back, President Brande gets mad and grills Cham, and the Legion gets put on trial. K.

Character moments? We start to get some more, but I still feel like everyone has the same personality: young, aggressive, kinda dumb.

So Mon-El is now a Kryptonian AND a descendant of Superboy. huh. I don't mind that twist, and it explains why Mon can be so immature (spending 1000 years in the Phantom Zone toughens you up). Still hating his constant avoidant hissy fits, though at least he had the grace to think he was being an idiot after breaking up with Tinya. Still don't like him, though. Tinya/Mon, why not, I have no issues with the new relationships in this series.

OK, Gim has the Threeboot origin, Brin has his usual origin. Next.

I've already commented on the previews re Jan, Nura, Projectra.

Hate that this Legion has basically zero concept of strategy or battle tactics or teamwork. Same old formula. Attack the enemy one by one, get trounced one by one. I mean, the preview pages basically show us THREE Legionnaires who coulda made a difference: Jan transmuting the Rimborians' armor, or Nura predicting their attack (Brainy rags on himself for not calculating the Rimborians' move, well what about our precog?!), or Jeckie casting an illusion. Nope, nada, zilch. I hate that we don't see the Legionnaires combining powers or anything like that; the Legion was, IMO, built on members working together, where even weaker members had a lot to contribute.

OK, so we know Ayla has (had?!, considering her injury?!) lightning powers still.

Dawny trying to rescue Wildfire. hint of a romance, or...?

I still worry that we didn't get to know enough Legionnaires this issue, to complete the set next one.

Still waiting to see who Green Skeleton person is.

Cos... I like him a bit better now, what with him calling his dad, and running back to join the battle. Also: apparently he's one of the heavy hitters now, considering so many thought to look for him?

overall: i like this a bit better than previous issue, but still not sold.

SPOILERS

SPOILERS


SPOILERS


SPOILERS

Okay what is the deal with Ayla? She had lightning powers in the flashback with her and Garth on Winath, but she's been wearing the Light Lass costume in like every issue up until now. Does she have both power sets, was she supposed to be Lightning Lass this whole time and it was a mistake by editorial, or did Sanford Greene not know she was Light Lass?

They mention "Lightning Twins" on the cover of issue #9. I think Bendis changed his mind and decided to keep her Lightning Lass or as IB mentions this is now the moment her powers change due to the feedback she received this issue. Either way, our continuity is all over the place.

It's that kind of sloppiness that I just find incredibly frustrating, and is exactly the opposite of what we need in a Legion reboot/revival.

Yeah, but, Lightning Twins makes sense if that was a nickname which stuck before Ayla became Light Lass. If her powers change to anti-gravity NOW, then why was she wearing the Light Lass costume in all the other issues.

The reason this bothers me is because I haven't been fond of the subtext around keeping the "Ayla's power changes" plotline after also making her a Black woman outspoken against police brutality and fighting for change in a corrupt society. To have her go from an offensive ability like lightning generation to a more defensive one such as antigravity (even if it can be used creatively) kept saying to me she's allowed to be an openly emotional Black woman so long as her powers aren't so blatantly destructive.

(I honestly don't even know if this is a skewed perspective or not. Keep in mind I'm a white guy so I could just be reaching)

If she was always supposed to be Lightning Lass and editorial didn't change it until now, or she always had BOTH powers, that's one thing and I'll rescind my criticism. But this whole thing just has me too confused.

I bet Light Lass has control over all forms of light. From Dazzler/Jubilee light shows to precision laser light which is probably how she blasted the general. Just a guess.

I have a feeling someone over in legal told Bendis they should use both the names Light Lass and Lightning Lass for this version of the character for trademark purposes. I don't think the Preboot/Retroboot version of Ayla has used the name since the 1980s so maybe that name expired? I am no lawyer, but I know that if you don't use the trademarks you lose them (Hasbro lost a ton of their '80s trademarks).

That would be cool, like the Light Lass from Superboy's Legion.

That said, someday I wouldn't mind seeing a light-controlling character who hit all the beats. Blinding flashes. Lasers. Holograms. Invisibility. Maybe even start fires by using infrared light, or repel light to create areas of darkness. Of course, as a Legionnaire, that'd be a big deal, since it's like a mashup of Sun Boy, Invisible Kid, Shadow Lass and Princess Projectra... (Which, since Chameleon Boy kind of already has the powers of Colossal Boy and Shrinking Violet, as well as others, has precedent.)

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS RANT WARNING! (Spoiler-free.)

Never has the phrase "Kill it with fire!" been more apropos than in relation to this series.

If it were an animal, it would be put out of its misery. If it were a vehicle, it would be scrapped for junk. If it were a steaming pile of sh*t (which it is), it would be flushed, and then re-flushed, and then the toilet would be shot into space.

This is an absolute disaster of rushed, ill-conceived and unfinished ideas that the creators can't even keep straight, let alone the readers.

It adopts the absolute worst ideas from the absolute worst era of LSH ever ("OMG! Gim actually shrinks instead of grows so we shall call him Micro Lad instead of Colossal Boy! Do you get it? It's because he used to be called Colossal Boy but a really clever thing we're doing with this take of the Legion is that we're going to call him... MICRO Lad! Because he shrinks. Instead of grows. Isn't that so funny! Isn't it! It's so funny! Let's also make this the one personality trait we ever give him! And let's repeat this joke every time we show him in case you missed it the first time. Or it went over your head? Because it's pretty deep. Hahahahahahahahaha See what we did there? "Deep" is similar to "micro". Which is like Gim! Because he's Micro Lad! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha <head explodes>").

This comic is stunningly bad. STUNN.ING.LY. bad. Like, I've been reading comics for 33 years and this is honestly (and I mean honestly, honestly) one of the worst-written series I've ever read. And to think it's the poor LSH, at this juncture in its history when it really needed someone with talent and a love for this property and its characters to reinvigorate the franchise and shepherd it into this new post-comics, electronic media-focused present of DC/WB(*). And instead we get... this thing that Bendis has served up. What a tragedy!

How are we at issue #8, which was preceded by a 2 issue mini-series that was DEVOTED to her story, and we still don't know why or what the f**k Rose is doing here?!?! Why is she in this book?? Why are the Legion letting this rando that they don't even know and seemingly has no powers just hang around with them all the time? She seems to be filling Shvaughn Erin's old role as "Liaison Lass" but... how and why would she even have been given that job? Brande (her boss?) barely even seems to know who she is.

How this comic survived DC's recent purge of titles is beyond me. I don't keep track of sales but this title's can't be good can they? Surely the majority of readers share my opinion? I know I sometimes have a unique taste in comics (See: Mal Duncan being my favorite DC character) but I can't be that far off the mark with this one can I?

The problem is, I have no idea where the Legion can go to from here. Any return to previous versions will be seen as "white-washing"; but sticking with these vapid "in-name-only" versions of these characters is a total non-starter IMO. I actually think the Legion as we/I know it is now over. Each reboot has told a tale of diminishing returns. It actually feels to me like each subsequent version has been around for exactly half the time as the previous one? It won't be long before this property has been ground into dust.

(* We may as well drop the "DC"; this entity hasn't been run like a comic book publisher for a long time. It's just another arm of the Warner Bros. entertainment division now, where comics are nothing more than kernels of ideas to be torn from the ground and cannibalized and focus-tested into something that'll earn money for WB's TV and movie and computer game divisions.)

We could just always write my Invisible Brainiac LMB character into the team