Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! The ALL-Let's talk about the positive aspects of Mark and Barry's run thread!

In honor of Mark and Barry's departure, I picked up the first 3 trades and have been re-reading from the beginning. Damn, these stories were good. No doubt that since Supergirl made the scene things have slowed down, but I think that was the result of a) Waid's work on "52" and b) the need to calibrate the LSH story with "52." That is perhaps regretable, but I think at most we've had 1 issue too many of strung-out stuff. These days, that doesn't seem like a lot to complain about. And man, I cannot believe any of us complained about the non-Kitson artists. They did a great job.

So, here's my list so far:

Bad Ass Cosmic Boy -- you may not like him all the time, but damn he's a fine leader and this team has needed that.

Best.Brainiac.5.Ever. -- It shows that this is Waid's favorite character. Can't help but think Waid imagines himself talking to us when he writes Querl's dialogue.

Sun Boy -- It is too bad he's been gone so long, but Mark and Barry have made him the character he always should have been -- a charismatic Apollo of a leader. If any character deserved some time in the sun (sorry) after the last 20 years, it's Dirk.

Element Lad -- I know that's controversial, and I haven't liked everything about him, but I think the reduced, limited power is a very good thing, especially after the DnA run.

Phantom Girl -- Barry's costume has restored beauty and curves to the 31st century, and the character has a measure of the grace, charm and playfulness that were her hallmark under Cockrum and Bates (I did NOT like the Levitz PG at all!) I know Dave Cockrum is smiling from the great beyond.

Atom Girl -- Violet is one of the few current Legionnaires who has had a varied and interesting run over the last 20 years, but Mark and Barry found an original take on her that integrates some of the best stuff that Paul, Keith, the Bierbaums, etc. did with the character. I loved the idea of a team urban legend!

This is getting too long, so let's point out the other characters that Mark and Barry have just ACED in this new Legion:

Star Boy!
Karate Kid!
Shadow Lass!
Dream Girl! (sniff, I want her body back. In a good way.)
Timber Wolf!
Princess Projectra! (Check Book Lass!)
Light Lass!
Triplicate Girl!
Lightning Lad!
Mon-El!
Chameleon!
Colossal Boy! (OK, Gim, "Micro Lad")
Mekt!
and of course, Supergirl!

I look at that list, and I realize that's the heart and soul of the Legion, and a group of characters abused, misused and/or ignored for the better part of the last 20 years. Mark and Barry have restored the core of the Legion, reinvigorated it and updated it while keeping virtually everything most of us would consider essential about the characters. You look again at the character designs Barry shared with us (and are published in the first trade) and you realize Mark and Barry just GET these characters. Yes, I want Bouncing Boy and Matter Eater Lad, too. But I am just so glad we have most of the Legion back, as good as or better than ever.

Thanks Mark and Barry.

One more thing: the sex! These Legionnaires are sexy, the look sexy, and they have relationships, and all this happens without being gratuitous or out of character. Way to go!

Where?! What did I miss?

The art first and foremost was amazing. Best work of Barry's career that I've seen.

The majority of the costumes were great.

B5, Timberwolf, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet all rocked!

The character interaction and moments were fantastic.

I love the villains which I notice many others didn't. Terror Firma, Helter Skelter (was that his name?), the Wanderers, love the Science Police.

They also did a great job of building a strong base. Any writer can easily take this Legion and change things without worrying about a few 800 pound gorillas in the room. Well, ok Dream Girl is dead but besides that.

First and foremost, it got me back into reading the Legion, and not only that but acted as a launch-pad for reading more comics (i.e. got me back into comic-shops).

Second, the Brainy/Nura thing, all of it including the 'resurection' was pure genius. I only regret that it was not developed more, and I hope future writers will work on it... because it should make for some very good story telling.

Third, Barry Kitson. I love the new costumes, and the artwork was hands down beautiful.

Fourth, Micro Lad and Atom Girl... some very witty humor was tied to each... i.e. everyone calling Gim, Colossal Boy despite his protests, and Violets doubtful existence. Not to mention that the name Atom Girl was a nod to the Atom and all that... as least the way I see it.

Fifth, I really like Shady's relationship with Ultra Boy, and the advice her ex- Karate Kid provides, there was some fun interplay there.

Sixth, Invisible Kid's crush on Kara... which is really funny when compared to Power Boy's crush... is it something about her that attracts the stalker/creepy kind...

Seventh, Mon-El. After a more than a decade he's really back! The real deal that is.

Eight, Triplicate Girl and her multiple dates... of not being the crush that one of them develops on Element Lad. Also her origin is really cool... a visit to Cargg at some point would be awesome.

Ninth, I've always had a soft spot for Timber Wolf, and the new look really does him justice (i.e. no more 'furball').

Tenth, Princess Projectra being the cash cow of the team and then turning out to be 'actually' useful was a good twist.

Eleventh, I actually like the new Element Lad look... I was never a big fan of his old costume... although I did like the 5YL look...

Twelth, Cosmic Boy and Brainy's little rivalry makes for some really good interactions.

Thirteenth, Phantom Girl's origin is oool, as was that entire back-up featuring her and Karate Kid.

1) The artwork, even fill-in spots, was always top-notch.

2) There obviously was a lot of effort put into establishing the reboot at the start.

3) Dream Girl, Brainiac 5 and Shadow Lass evolved as interesting characters.

4) 30 pages of artwork each issue was a good thing while it lasted.

It got me into the Legion. I had one issue of the Legion that I had picked up for a quarter when I was a kid and I always enjoyed the Legion when they crossed over into books I was reading (like Superboy), but I never actually picked up their book.

Well, I picked up this version when it first came out and really enjoyed it. My fave issue is still where Brainy, Karate Kid, Shadow Lass and Dream Girl go to Nura. Everything was just 100% pure gold.

Well, this caused me to care more about the Legion and I ended up picking up back issues whenever I could find them cheap and now I just love the Legion!

So whatever else people (or I) may say about this run, it got me into the Legion and for that I will always have to be grateful because I never would have bothered otherwise.

Hey stephbarton, that's still my favorite issue so far, too! I think it's classic textbook example of how to tell a great one issue story that advances a larger plot AND helps you learn ALOT about the characters, without a bunch of clunky exposition.

Yeah, the view of Naltor was awesome. It was easily the best of the 'new' worlds.

Another addition to the list: 3boot flight rings.

Incorporating the protection of transuits and adding costume morphing and psi-shielding to the flight ring technology was absolutely *brilliant* and should be retroactively applied to all earlier versions of the Legion. (Why didn't Brainy think of it before?)

I agree wholeheartedly. This is the prize aspect for me.

Oh, and it's <strike>humorous</strike> funny.

I can't add that much cause I really felt the first two years of stories were very lame, but:

The return of the old codenames was wonderful!

The art was very consistent (no guest artists, am I right?) and well done. A little bit too much L.E.G.I.O.N. but still well done.

The story went kind of SciFi with the Dominator plot, and I like it when the Legion gets more SciFi centered. Good move, too late but good.

Nice costumes.

That's all, apart from that there was a lot I did not like - where can I post that :-) ?

Colu as the 'Bottle Planet' - absolutely blinding idea!

Cargg full of Lu's (so to speak)

Dissention amongst the ranks - for instance, Garth signing the UP agreement was well played.

Fabbo costume designs!

Sun Boys parents, Theena and the 'li'l L legionnaires'

History will make fools of the scoffers, I think despite a few inconsistencies this has been an amazing run!