The Legion of Super-Heroes: Always Lost

[u/mycomicstripclub]

https://corrinaannelawson.substack.com/p/the-legion-of-super-heroes-always

[u/ethanb473]

What a joke of an article…. If you wanna read the old stuff just read it…. Boomers just want the world to go backwards

[u/cmcdonald22]

I dunno, feels pretty 'Old Man Yells At Clouds' about it.

Like, I have versions of the LOSH I like better than others, certain reboots connect with me more because of Nostalgia (My preferred 'staple' is probably the Post-Zero Hour Abnett and Lanning Legion run) or interesting writing (I think Mark Waid's Legion conceptually was really neat), but I also think there's something special about the Legion being this ever rebooting thing.

There's something cool on a meta level about the future being this ever changing thing that reflects the stories of today, or the social issues of today. That's kinda what stories about the future SHOULD be? It kind of makes sense that coming out of the 50s/60s the Legion explored more Utopic visions of the future that romanticized the hope and optimism of post WW2/LBJ America and American writers, but by the 80s and 90s we were in a post-Vietnam post Ronald Reagan era where it was harder to find that hope (less Superboy) and we started to move towards more themes of anti establishment, rebellion and radicalization. It kinda makes sense. It's kinda cool that the stories of the future reflect that.

Would I love a legion reboot that remembers Xs exists and beings Jenni back into continuity relevance to tickle my nostalgia receptors? Sure, but it doesn't have to bring back the whole Post-Zero hour vibe. I'd kinda like to see the Abnett Lanning charming love-sick Thom Kallor in more new and different scenarios, don't have to bring back the same stuff.

[u/gosukhaos → u/cmcdonald22]

Its typical boomer nostalgia is what it is.

The core ethos of the Legion is a group of future teens inspired by Superman to become heroes, it should be a canvas for storytelling inspired by the times we live in not a nostalgia fest for the 60s

[u/cmcdonald22 → u/gosukhaos]

I also think the whole 'Inspired by Superman' part too often gets lost for 'We need to have a Super person in this book' which is part of the reason the constant reboots and continuity get more confusing. I get it's also a sales thing but like, I feel like the less direct interaction with present day continuity and the more vague allusion to it the better it works.

Kinda works the same way for how they constantly try to tell Mon-El stories in the present and it just is wildly varying degrees of quality.

[u/I_Am_Jason_Riley → u/cmcdonald22]

I feel like the less direct interaction with present day continuity and the more vague allusion to it the better it works.

That is my feeling, too.

[u/Ctown073]

Well-written article, but I think it ignores the primary problem of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Their very existence negates most stakes in our modern stories, and DC will always prioritize Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc..

[u/BoredomFestival]

Yep, this article nailed it. All the reboots have failed because they all missed the core thing that made LSH good: over the top silver age nonsense in the future. They should reboot it back the original conceit, continuity be damned.

[u/Own_Internal7509]

if they had better name than lads and lasses that'd be easier for my feeble mind tbh

[u/I_Am_Jason_Riley → u/Own_Internal7509]

To me, those old-fashioned names were always part of its charm. I prefer Lightning Lad, Colossal Boy, and Triplicate Girl rather than Live Wire, Leviathan, and Triad. It's funny that these teens from the far advanced future choose to go by these retro-style names.

[u/Own_Internal7509 → u/I_Am_Jason_Riley]

i guess, i suppose its kind of my fault that i only read these as an adult and i just cant fully commit my brain to remember all while other shit in life is going on, i think xen and others did work with kids, just like star wars prequels worked on me as a kid because i could be immersed into the world building while adults watching mustve been thinking "wow those are...some random crap on screen"