Legion Solo Titles?

[MrHashasheen]

Wasn't sure if this went here or on DC Comics Forum, but since Legion of Superheroes is basically a Superman affiliated franchise, I figured this was a safe bet. My question is to Legion fans is this:

There a heck of a lot of Legionnaires (both dead and alive), and only in two titles. So which characters do you think could sustain a solo (or duo) spin off from the Legion? It's my understanding Valor/Mon-El & Karate Kid I had books at one point in the past, but I've got little understanding of current Legion continuity, active membership or events, so I was hoping for some explanations.

[Kymeric]

I would say almost none based on how the series have always struggled to stay alive. Not that I wouldnt like to see one of the big three feature in a solo story arc in the title now and then.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

Cosmic Boy got his own mini back in the 80s. Also the original 3 had a mini in the 80s--Legionnaires 3, I think.

Timber Wolf would have been a good candidate for his own title--as would Wildfire and Dawnstar when they were at their peak.

If they ever sort out the Superman/Legion continuity where it makes some sense, then they should do something with the Brainiac family. The connections between original Brainiac, Vril, and Querl would be good for lots of stories. As would the romantic relationship between B5 and Supergirl. And all the time paradoxes, Computo, and everything else with Brainiac 5.

[MajorHoy]

Cosmic Boy got his own mini back in the 80s. Also the original 3 had a mini in the 80s--Legionnaires 3, I think.

Timber Wolf would have been a good candidate for his own title--as would Wildfire and Dawnstar when they were at their peak.

If they ever sort out the Superman/Legion continuity where it makes some sense, then they should do something with the Brainiac family. The connections between original Brainiac, Vril, and Querl would be good for lots of stories. As would the romantic relationship between B5 and Supergirl. And all the time paradoxes, Computo, and everything else with Brainiac 5.

Didn't Timber Wolf have a mini-series where he was in the 20th century back in his fuzzy phase (during the Five Years Later run)?

[argon31pf]

Wildfire, Chameleon Boy, Brainiac 5, Shrinking Violet, and, if the writer is creative enough - Blok.

Taking into account that the solos of Mon-El and Karate Kid weren't successful, really good solos would provide enough time and pages to really deepen a character. DC could, although
unrealistically, do it for all major team members to make reading the team book all the more rewarding.

[The Frozen Reptile]

Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl could sustain one; they and Cosmic Boy are the most developed of the characters; and Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet could make appearances, with back up solo stories (featuring a mix of Sun Boy, Element Lad and Brainiac 5).

Or simply have a title like DC Universe Presents and have one or more different heroes per issue and rotate.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

Wildfire, Chameleon Boy, Brainiac 5, Shrinking Violet, and, if the writer is creative enough - Blok.

Taking into account that the solos of Mon-El and Karate Kid weren't successful, really good solos would provide enough time and pages to really deepen a character. DC could, although
unrealistically, do it for all major team members to make reading the team book all the more rewarding.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge that Karate Kid and Mon-El (Valor) weren't successful.

This is DC we're talking about where characters are lucky if their series lasts for six issues. And Karate Kid got 15 issues in the 70s, when DC books were being cancelled left and right. Even most of Kirby's books didn't last that long. At a bi-monthly schedule, this meant Karate Kid was in his own book for two and a half years--a major achievement for a DC character other than Batman or Superman. And this was right before the DC Implosion which killed so many DC titles.

Valor got 23 issues--which is a miracle for any DC character. And the book was probably only cancelled because of Zero Hour changing the very continuity that gave rise to Valor.

Both books offered ample time and pages for writers and artists to develop the characters. What really killed them were outside forces beyond their control. Which is another common feature of DC's titles.

[argon31pf]

I wouldn't be so quick to judge that Karate Kid and Mon-El (Valor) weren't successful.

You have a point An Ear In The Fireplace (fantastic username by the way), but it would all depend on how we define success. I suppose it is too much to ask for any Legionnaire solo book to reach at least a 100 issues unless the creative team is both motivated and talented - nonetheless, I'm hoping it happens.

[Kurosawa]

You have a point An Ear In The Fireplace (fantastic username by the way), but it would all depend on how we define success. I suppose it is too much to ask for any Legionnaire solo book to reach at least a 100 issues unless the creative team is both motivated and talented - nonetheless, I'm hoping it happens.

I doubt any DC title will ever see another issue 100. And if it does, it will be a fake 100 for the rebooted Detective, Action, Superman and Batman-books that will never be cancelled as long as DC is doing single issues.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

I remember as a teen in the 70s and a diehard DC fan looking over the fence at the greener grass in the Marvel yard, where second tier heroes like Daredevil and Iron Man got all the way up to a 50th and 100th issue, while deserving DC heroes like The Atom and Hawkman had to pool their efforts just to get to 40 (and never got to 50).

Such experience teaches a DC booster to lower ones expectations and celebrate the smaller achievements. Six issues of a DC run is worth twenty-four issues of a Marvel.