Comments on: John Seavey's Storytelling Engines: Legion of Super-Heroes

By: John Seavey

John Seavey — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:43:53 +0000

For the curious, the "Legion flowchart" promo poster I mentioned in the article can be found at:

http://comicsworthreading.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/legionposter.jpg

It's a cute idea, but I do think it might intimidate potential readers.

By: Anthony Strand

Anthony Strand — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:17:46 +0000

MLViola - That show was just called "Gloria". Additionally, The Jeffersons spun off "Checking In" starring Flo, which lasted for about four weeks. And there was a short-lived series in 1994 called 704 Hauser about a black family living in the Bunkers' old house. It starred John Amos of Good Times, which is kind of weird. Yes, I really am that much of a nerd.

By: MLViola

MLViola — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:53:06 +0000

"Mork and Mindy did though, and maybe Laverne & Shirley, I forget." "Mork & Mindy", "Laverne & Shirley" and "Joanie Loves Cha Chi" were all spinoffs of "Happy Days" which in turn was a spin off of "Love American Style". There was a short bit called "Love in the Happy Days" which featured some of the Happy Days' main characters. "All in the Family", also had a fair number of spinoffs - Maude, Archie's Place, the Jeffersons and Good Times (which really was a spin off of Maude) I think there was another spin off from All in the Family with Gloria and her son after the divorce from Meathead

By: jccalhoun

jccalhoun — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:16:35 +0000

I never saw a need for Superboy in the Legion. I started reading the Legion during the Great Darkness Saga where Superboy had a minimal role. I liked Supergirl in the Legion better since I never really cared about her in the 20th centurey (or 21st for that matter).

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:51:00 +0000

I've never bought the "there has to be a Superboy for the Legion to be effective" argument, actually - the spin Waid put on it, with the kids being into nostalgia, was fine enough. Admittedly, it kind of turns them into a JLA more than anything else - complete with their own version of the trinity, even if Waid was more focused on the Cosmic Boy / Brainiac 5 dynamic - but that's probably an easier sell to a reader who, like myself, had only briefly sampled the Legion over the years.

By: Stephane Savoie

Stephane Savoie — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:45:55 +0000

I've seen the massive Giffen poster, but never the flowchart... is there an image online somewhere?
I'm frightened to say that at this stage, a manga-esque version of the Legion might be way to go... (Although I'm enjoying the Johns version, and would love to see it done by.... well, anyone but Johns).

By: wwk5d

wwk5d — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:43:35 +0000

Different Superboy, actually...;)

By: Jeff Ryan

Jeff Ryan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:47:19 +0000

I will 'fess up to not understanding a consarned thing about the Legion. This helped explain what was originally so cool about them. All I could think of was the insane flowchart and 35 people in similar jumpsuits and bodytypes, all somehow flying and smiling. I knew that although it was in the future it wasn't a DCU-heavy history the way that 2099 or Guaridans of the Galaxy was -- or evey DC One mIllion -- and that Superboy was sometimes in it, despite there not being a Superboy who wasn't a clone.

Hey, since Superboy-prime turned evil, does that make the Legion, like, his brotherhood of evil mutants?

By: wwk5d

wwk5d — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:57:31 +0000

I love the Legion. One of my favorite titles. I think that having such a large cast helps it, not hurts it - you're bound to like at least someone, if not many or all of them.

Despite the continuity problems that arose post-Crisis, the title has still managed to stick around. I don't like the idea of keeping 2 version of the Legion, one that has them as kids, and another to placate Geoff Johns self-indulgence (as much as I like that version of the Legion, and despite all of Johns' claims, there are too many mistakes for this to be the 'pre-Crisis' Legion). DC really should keep one version or the other, not both.

Still, as I said, one of my favorite series, and if not one of the most successful spin-offs ever, easily the most successful in comics.

By: Lothor

Lothor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:50:05 +0000

Yes, the Legion of Super-Heroes is a spin-off, and arguably one of the most successful spin-offs in history. (Did â€˜Frasierâ€™ get his own cartoon series? I donâ€™t think so.)

Mork and Mindy did though, and maybe Laverne & Shirley, I forget.