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| "Long Live the Threeboot Legion" from Legion of Super-Heroes vol.5 #1 (DC, 2005) by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson |
In 2004, the Legion was rebooted again, lasting 15 issues before becoming Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes, then reverting to its original title for issues 38-50. Mark Waid's so-called "Threeboot Legion" introduced a very different 31st-century from what Legion fans were used to. This future repressive and Orwellian, and the members of the LSH become the center of a youth cult, protecting worlds that officially do not appreciate it. Waid was writing a book that was about something, using the Legion as a metaphor. After Supergirl left, Jim Shooter returned to the property that had made his success back when he was a teenager writing comics. That old magic really wasn't there however, and the book became rather dull, with slow-moving storylines that had little spark. Meanwhile, DC was bringing back the Legion of my youth in a JLA/JSA crossover in preparation for a Final Crisis not-really-tie-in Legion of 3 Worlds, which brought all the various versions of the Legion together in a big George Perez-drawn blow-out that would ultimately restore the original continuity pre-5YL.
This was my least favourite era of the LSH - it was far too politically correct [ a black Star Boy replacing Thom Kallor, a mute Saturn Girl, etc] and an overabundance of 'worthy' storytelling. The voices were off sometimes - Brainy was downright rude and nasty at times and even Karate Kid called someone 'hairy-ass' in one issue. Things seldom improved when Shooter rejoined the book, having his characters hed wrote so well back in the 60s now speaking like badly-punctuated teenagers - or how he thought teenagers talked. So embarrassing!
ReplyDeleteI did rate Kitson's art though.
I like Kitson's art as well.
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