The Legion of Super-Heroes FAQ

[Paul Newell]

Heh. those issues are a product of their time. :)

You'll find the first 4 or so Archives the same....Though a lot of Legion Lore is still introduced in those stories. The fifth archive gets more serious, with the Jim Shooter run when he brought a bit more of a Marvel touch to the stories. You'll still get some of the "childish" Silver-Age elements mixed in, however.

The 70's stories begin in Archives 10 through to Twelve. Apart from that, you should try and track down a copy of the Great Darkness Saga and the "follow up" volume which'll be released soon. Other than that, most of the original issues can be picked up cheap....That's what I did and I never regretted it. :)

[king_ghidra]

Great thread Paul, stumbled on it while trying to work out exactly what version of the LOSH i had been reading as a kid.

The Legion that i grew up with was the Levitz/Lightle/LaRoque era from beginning up til Crisis. Not the Baxter stuff, but the Tales of the Legion of Super Heroes reprints.

I'd happily bring that back. I have a fondness for those stories that exceeds most of the other comics i've read over the years. Some of the interplay between the characters was superb. So many different personalities and stories to bounce off of each other, and it was all written so naturally.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I just brought the LOSH trade Teenage Rebellion by Waid and Kitson.
I really liked it.
However, I'm brand new to the Legion, and not really too keen to go read other versions at the moment, or any of this crossover business DC has a lot of at the moment..
Is this the official start of this LOSH (which I think is a yes from the FAQ), or is there other stuff I'm supposed to know?
(I get the vibe there are some 'in' references for long time readers, but I can follow it all fine, so I'm just wondering).
Is this a hard reboot (no continuity from before) or a soft one (some of it happened before etc)

Also, what's with Supergirl and the Legion Of Superheroes book?
Is that this Legion?
If so, at what point does it kick in? (ie at which point should I be picking up those trades).

Finally, is this series considered good by LOSH standards?
I think it's really good, so I'm intrigued if people think there are better written LOSH books out there.

[Paul Newell]

Is this the official start of this LOSH (which I think is a yes from the FAQ), or is there other stuff I'm supposed to know?
(I get the vibe there are some 'in' references for long time readers, but I can follow it all fine, so I'm just wondering).
Is this a hard reboot (no continuity from before) or a soft one (some of it happened before etc)

Sorry it took so long Funky, I was in Tassie.

Yep. Brand new start. You don't need to read any other versions, it was a total reboot. A few nods to old continuity, but nothing you need to worry about.

Also, what's with Supergirl and the Legion Of Superheroes book?
Is that this Legion?
If so, at what point does it kick in? (ie at which point should I be picking up those trades).

They changed the name of the regular title when OYL started. Issues 1 - 15 are collected in the first two trades. S&TLOSH #16 to whatever continues in trade 3 onwards.

Finally, is this series considered good by LOSH standards?
I think it's really good, so I'm intrigued if people think there are better written LOSH books out there.

That's an INCREDIBLY curly question when it comes to Legion fans. Very few enjoy all era's. Every era has its hardcore fans, (Including this version). You'll never get a satisfactory answer from any of them.

Except me. :)

There are better Legion era's out there, such as the Levitz/Giffen run, but I think this one is pretty good.

[Micro]

I've never really followed The Legion before, but with all the good im hearing about Shooters return I was thinking of getting into it. Because I'm new to the series I had a few questions, please forgive me if these are well known:

1.) It is my understanding that the Legion is from the 31st century of the DC universe. Is it ever explained or mentioned what becomes of well known Heroes or their legacy? I know a bit about Flash's history and how it connects with the future, as well as XS(which i guess has been retconned away now?), but I know nothing of what happens with Superman or Batman.

2.) Are there still Green Lanterns in the 31's century; if so what role do they play?

3.) Would you recommend picking up old TPB's, or just jump right into Shooters run?

4.) Is the "Threeboot" Legion the same as the Legion in Shooters run, or does no one know yet? I've heard they don't seem to be the same and that there is a different Legion in the current Superman storylines.

Thanks in advance to anything who can help me out with these.

[Paul Newell]

1.) It is my understanding that the Legion is from the 31st century of the DC universe. Is it ever explained or mentioned what becomes of well known Heroes or their legacy? I know a bit about Flash's history and how it connects with the future, as well as XS(which i guess has been retconned away now?), but I know nothing of what happens with Superman or Batman.

In the threeboot, no. But previous versions of the Legion have featured descendants of heroes. The Pre-Crisis Legion in particular.

2.) Are there still Green Lanterns in the 31's century; if so what role do they play?

We haven't seen any in the Threeboot, but the reboot had only one, Kyle Rayner's descendant. The original Legion still had the Corp existing but they were banned from operating in United Planets territory.

3.) Would you recommend picking up old TPB's, or just jump right into Shooters run?

Just jump straight in is my recommendation. If you want, the previous issues have been traded...But I do recommend searching out some of the earlier trades. To get a feel for the earlier versions of the team. In particular the Great Darkness Saga.

4.) Is the "Threeboot" Legion the same as the Legion in Shooters run, or does no one know yet? I've heard they don't seem to be the same and that there is a different Legion in the current Superman storylines.

Shooter is writing the Threeboot Legion. The Lightning Saga Legion, appearing in Action Comics, is a "New Earth" version of the original Legion.

[Paul Newell]

Took the time to do a little updating as well. :)

[kenaustin]

2.) Are there still Green Lanterns in the 31's century; if so what role do they play?

We haven't seen any in the Threeboot, but the reboot had only one, Kyle Rayner's descendant. The original Legion still had the Corp existing but they were banned from operating in United Planets territory.

The original Legion continuity also had Vidar, the Green Lantern who eventually became the criminal Universo; his son, Rond Vidar, who took up his ring after his fall from grace; and Celeste McCauley(Rockfish), who ended up housing the last of the Oan Green Lantern energy, becoming the living energy being Neon.

There's also the Emerald Eye of Ekron in all three "boots", which has been shown in 52 to be the eye of a giant Green Lantern from our time.

[legionnaire]

The original Legion continuity also had Vidar, the Green Lantern who eventually became the criminal Universo; his son, Rond Vidar, who took up his ring after his fall from grace; and Celeste McCauley(Rockfish), who ended up housing the last of the Oan Green Lantern energy, becoming the living energy being Neon. There's also the Emerald Eye of Ekron in all three "boots", which has been shown in 52 to be the eye of a giant Green Lantern from our time.

In the pre-crisis Legion, it has been established that the Green Lantern for the sector in which the Legion operates is a hero named Xenofobe (kinda ironic given the multitude of shapes and sizes that make up the GL Corps).
More can be found in Superman #295.

[Micro]

Thanks for all the info guys. I picked up the first two issues of the new Legion arch, the other day. Although I don't know much about the history of the characters or their world, I'm really enjoying the characters, the art and the direction of the story. I hope sometime in the future they do review some of the back history of the events that lead to this legion future, and maybe have some appearance by the descendants of other well known heroes.

All the Green Lantern stuff sounds pretty interesting, and it makes a lot of sence that out of all the current DC Heroes, the Green Lanterns would be around in some form. I would love to see the Corps of the 31'st century. Do they ever explain why they were banned from operating in United Planets territory?

[Paul Newell]

All the Green Lantern stuff sounds pretty interesting, and it makes a lot of sence that out of all the current DC Heroes, the Green Lanterns would be around in some form. I would love to see the Corps of the 31'st century. Do they ever explain why they were banned from operating in United Planets territory?

They do. A rogue Green Lantern tried to view the beginning of time at the Time Institute and due to his actuions and the problems caused, Green Lanterns were banned from UP space.

[HaroldAllnut]

I might be trying out the Shooter run soon, even though (from what I understand), it doesn't mesh with the Legion appearing in the current run of Action Comics.

They do. A rogue Green Lantern tried to view the beginning of time at the Time Institute and due to his actuions and the problems caused, Green Lanterns were banned from UP space.

Anyone in the DC Multiverse who wants to look at the beginning of time always gets in trouble, and for good reason! Just look at Krona, that mustachioed, egg-loving bastard.

[Ace Corona]

I bought the Supergirl & the Legion of Superheroes collection "Adult Education" that features Big City from issue #20. I'm interested in giant women, and I write stories about them. I've had one of them published in a British science fiction mag about a year ago.

I'd like to know if there are any other issues that feature Big City, or giantesses from Big City.

[lazlo_toth]

I bought the Supergirl & the Legion of Superheroes collection "Adult Education" that features Big City from issue #20. I'm interested in giant women, and I write stories about them. I've had one of them published in a British science fiction mag about a year ago.

I'd like to know if there are any other issues that feature Big City, or giantesses from Big City.

Big City is a new wrinkle in the Legion mythos. In all his previous incarnations, Colossal Boy was a normal human who gained the ability to grow. His being one of a race of normally giant-sized beings who gained the ability to shrink is something Waid made up for the three-boot, just like Triplicate Girl is now apparently just one of millions of clones generated from one original being (who doesn't remember anything prior to waking up on a devastated planet), rather than a member of an entire race that had the power to triplicate. Still not sure how I feel about those changes, but I admit that they do provide hooks that someday down the road somebody could base an interesting storyline on...

[HaroldAllnut]

I might be trying out the Shooter run soon, even though (from what I understand), it doesn't mesh with the Legion appearing in the current run of Action Comics.

Sorry for quoting myself, but just a little f.y.i.:

According to Comic Shop News #1082, the incarnation of the Legion seen in The Lightning Saga and the current arc in Action Comics are evidently going to be seen again in the near future.