Superman Through the Ages! Forum

:D Hello,
i recentely read a nice review about this elseworld adventure,immediately i begin my search on Ebay for the books but i discovered that the miniseries in issue is hard to find and very expensive,so before i try to buy it i would like to read some impression from fans that have read it.
It is worth the price? Please someone can give me a suggestion?

Thank's.

Good luck in your search -- #1 is apparently harder to find.  I found many copies of #2 in the back bins before finally locating a #1.  Either #1 wasn't a large print run, or perhaps not as many readers purchased #2, leaving them to molder on the store shelves.

There's a less-than-enthusiastic review here:

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/2001-post-crisis-reviews/c-review-2001.php?topic=superboys-legion1

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/2001-post-crisis-reviews/c-review-2001.php?topic=superboyslegion2

One reason for the reviewer's poor ranking of this series is because he wasn't a Legion follower and the sheer number of Legion characters left him confused.  While I enjoyed "Superboy's Legion" far more than this reviewer, I must admit that unless you are a die-hard fan of the classic Legion of Super-Heroes much of the magic is lost.  Seeing familiar characters and noticing the changes from standard continuity is a big part of the fun.

I certainly prefer "Superboy's Legion" over the current Legion series, and I wish the long-rumored sequel is eventually published.  But I suspect this project may be on hold indefinitely due to the ongoing Superboy litigation.   :(

Alan Davis doing a Superboy and Legion book?

How did this go under my radar? :shock:

Maybe DC might collect these if the TV show happens?  

http://www.lightninglad.com/art/wallpaper/superboyslegion2.jpg

Looks like a fun pastiche of the silver age LSH (which I adore)

I was really excited about this series until it finally came out.  I don't remember the story or details that well, but I think I'd give a "just OK" rating.  Perhaps I took issue with Superboy's characterization.

(http://superman.nu/fos/comingsoon/superboyslegion/SuperboyLegion.jpg)

:s:

Well since i'm best in touch with the old Legion continuity i will give it a try .
Thanks to evryone for their answer/opinion. :s:  :s:  :s:

By chance, I came across my copy of “Superboy’s Legion” just yesterday, and I spent the evening enjoying this story once more.  (Sorry, Sword of Superman, but I’m keeping it in my collection.)   :wink:

Here are a few thoughts:

I know many Legion traditionalists might question the changes in this Elseworlds tale – “Why couldn’t the writers preserve ALL the characters and environment of the “Classic Legion” and just add Superboy as R.J. Brande’s adopted son?” they might grumble.  But NOT having a Superman in the 20th Century had MAJOR repercussions in 3001 -- imagine a situation akin to “The Nail” gone horribly wrong, resulting in WWIII and the subsequent rise of the Science Police and the all-protecting Universo super-computer.  So with the history of 31st Century Earth so dramatically different, you might as well make other tweaks in characters.  After all, an “Elseworlds” SHOULD be more imaginative than a slavish Xerox of old “Adventure Comics”, right?   :wink:

Not to say that I approve of all the variants.  Portraying Garth and Ayla Ranzz as somewhat stuffy aristocrats was initially amusing, but I’m not sure I could long tolerate a series featuring this style of dialogue:

Garth:  “A whole Legion… trifle AMBITIOUS, what?

Sensor:  “I say we join.”

Anya:  “Yes.  It’ll add a bit of class to the proceedings.”

By the way, Sensor is in her lovely Princess Projectra incarnation.  So glad to see she’s not a snake… or IS she?   :shock:

I really didn’t care for making Reep Daggle more “comic relief” as Queen Winema Wazzo’s undercover agent.  (Her daughter and heir to the throne is “slumming” with Rimbor gang leader Jo Nah.)  Even though Reep is a very competent shape-changer and fighter, his dialogue made me grind my teeth the same way I did when watching Jar-Jar Binks in the Star Wars movies:

Tinya Wazzo:  “MY MOTHER sent you to SPY on me?!”

Reep Daggle:  “Not spy.  PROTECT.  She very upset, afraid you lie with fleas and catch dogs.  Reep not understand.”  

Jan Arrah as a Krilli acolyte sworn to use his atomic reconstructuring powers non-aggressively was OK by me – considering what poor Jan went through during the Zero-Hour Reboot Legion, I’m just grateful to see him alive and sane again.  And the religious angle does make Jan’s personality stand out from the others in a positive manner.

But the most intriguing change surrounds Lyle Norg and Querl Dox.  A very radical approach to Coulans, but I rather liked it.  Thom Kallar as a Star Boy “older brother” figure was also a good fit.  Other characters seemed closer to their originals, or cookie-cut from the generic “enthusiastic, well-intentioned but fun-loving youth” mold.  And due to the huge cast of characters, some only had a dialogue-free cameo.

And as for Superboy himself, I wasn’t happy with his first appearance, but then he’s NOT the same kid brought up by the Kents and experienced with his powers.  Instead, Kal is the somewhat sheltered and spoiled 14-year-old son of the richest man in SP space, who recently acquired his powers and is indulging in a “cosplay” fantasy lifestyle based on the legendary (and tragic) heroes of the Twentieth Century.  (Yes, it’s somewhat of a stretch that Kal would name himself “Superboy” and create a costume exact down to the “S-Shield” even though no “Superman” ever existed before, but perhaps chalk it up to “racial memory” or “harmonic alignment”.  Whatever.)    :roll:

So perhaps in this case Kal would be more immature and rebellious – he’s only too aware that as the sole Kryptonian with such powers he’d never really “fit in” with normal humans, and he’s chafing under the close scrutiny of the Science Police.  (Actually, Kal’s not paranoid; they really ARE out to get him!)  This of course sets up the “Moment of Truth” when a beaten and emotionally upset Kal realizes the true meaning of a heroism and rejoins the good fight.

Naturally the main foes are the Fatal Five, though their boss is a bit of a surprise.  There’s even a nod to the mecha-android Brainic in the climatic battle.  And you know the Science Police aren’t the benign guardians of Earth when their control room looks like the Monitor Room from “The Prisoner” TV series, and they resemble foot soldiers from the Planet Mongo.  Science Police Commissioner Leeto (a major antagonist) looks like Ming the Merciless with a trimmed mustache.

Minor notes:

While “Superboy’s Legion” was predominantly based on the classic Pre-Crisis Legion, there were some Post-Crisis influences.  Superboy’s rocket was the Byrne gestation unit, and Legionnaire powers not credited to alien physiology were due to the metagene.  And in the closing page showing the enlarged Legion, there are members of the Post-Zero Hour Reboot incarnation:  Gates, Thunder, Monstress, etc.

The glory days of the Green Lantern Corps are past, according to Talu-Katu, the aging protector of Sector 3142.  But his devotion to duty despite the Corps’ decline made Talu-Katu brief appearance memorable.  And in fact he’s the one that inspires Kal to found the Legion.  Nice touch.

Also clever was how Ferro Lad helped save the day.  With earlier references to magic, I should have seen that coming…

There are traditional Legion themes a-plenty in this tale – a desperate plan to use a mega-bomb to stop a planetary threat, a Legionnaire makes the ultimate sacrifice while another loses an arm, Legion tryouts and even some familiar-looking rejects muttering “We’ll show ‘em.  We’ll start our OWN team.”  (Another unfortunate Legionnaire wannabe was the rejected “Lucy Lastic”, wearing a “Mr. Fantastic” costume that’s only missing the number “4”.  Ha!)   :lol:

Since R.J. Brande was always depicted as a Legion “father figure” (and he WAS at one time the father of Reep Daggle), his depiction as the doting but worried father of Superboy worked very well.  And when the story’s narrator turns out to be reporter Lois Olsen, you KNOW what eventually develops.   :wink:

You might just read “Superboy’s Legion” once for the story.  But Legion fans will be going through it numerous times to catch all the little extras like character cameos, familiar plot themes and even dialogue.  The ending might be TOO “happy ever after”, but considering the long-running legal questions over “Superboy” you might have to accept it “as is”.  I personally doubt we’ll see a sequel anytime soon.    :(

Well a guy can always hope,no?  :wink3d:  

Anyway you made me really curios about this Elseworld,and since i find the previous work made it by Alan Davis so great on the NAIL and in ANOTHER NAIL i will begin my search immediately,thanks for sharing your opinion dto! :s:  :s:  :s:

Other day, I finished reading Superboy's Legion. I'm still new to Silver Age Legion history so I am unsure about the characterization. It's a fine story with superb artwork. My interest is now peaked in the LoSH.