Legion of Super-Heroes - the 1980s run

[Grant Goggans]

Are there any LSH fans among us?  (Other than The Adventurer, I mean.)  I have begun a reread of Paul Levitz's celebrated run on the book - it's something like 90 consecutive issues - and will be blogging about it kinda-sorta like how I do Thrillpowered Thursday, but less frequently.  The first post is up now over at my Bookshelf, setting the stage and then talking about Levitz's first seven issues, from March 1982.  I hope people like it, and if you know any LSH fans, drop 'em a link!

[The Adventurer]

I'm a...

(Other than The Adventurer, I mean.) 

Oh... 

[Colin YNWA]

I had a brief and passionate fling with Legion a few years or so back. I really enjoyed the Waid series whenever that was and then became intrigued by the Levtiz and Giffen run. Some cheap ebay purchases later and I had an almost complete run from 259 to the end of the Baxter series. Really enjoyed them... or so I thought. When Levitz came back on board a couple of years back I read through a number of them again wasn't too fussed (still like the Waid stuck). So I've re-ebayed a lot of the stuff. Weird it was brief and fun but nothing serious.

[starscape]

Yep, I'm a big fan.  The Great Darkness Saga was a fave of mine.  Such a shame the cover gives away the villain - but what a villain!

[Colin YNWA]

One thing I'd always wondered about the Great Darkness Saga was that [spoiler]Darkseid's [/spoiler] first appearance outside the New Gods stuff? For some reason I've always had the impression it was, though for the life of me can't think why that would be?

[starscape]

Amazingly, in as much as Loki formed the Avengers (in a way), [spoiler]Darkseid[/spoiler] formed the Secret Society of Super-Villains.  Just seems a bit frivolous. 

Maybe the [spoiler]New Gods[/spoiler]/JLA/JSA team-up (JLA #183-5) is also worth a mention.  Not exactly outside his area but really the first time he's part of the wider DCU.

[Colin YNWA]

Maybe the [spoiler]New Gods[/spoiler]/JLA/JSA team-up (JLA #183-5) is also worth a mention.  Not exactly outside his area but really the first time he's part of the wider DCU.

Man there are two GREAT covers in that story. Hmmm I'm tempted top track them down I have to say. Any good?

[JamesC]

Maybe the [spoiler]New Gods[/spoiler]/JLA/JSA team-up (JLA #183-5) is also worth a mention.  Not exactly outside his area but really the first time he's part of the wider DCU.

Man there are two GREAT covers in that story. Hmmm I'm tempted top track them down I have to say. Any good?

They're on Comixology:

http://www.comixology.com/Justice-League-of-America-1960-1987-183/digital-comic/ICO002075

May have to have a look myself.

[starscape]

Man there are two GREAT covers in that story. Hmmm I'm tempted top track them down I have to say. Any good?

Yeah.  It's Gerry Conway that wrote it, so it's action and subplots (but not too much alter-egos) all the way.  Been a couple of years since I read them.  Must do again soon. Love these JLA/JSA team-ups.  Shame they brought the Freedom Fighters from Earth-X (where the JLA have no super-powers) to Earth-1.  That could have been a fun Earth for writers to play in. No idea where it all fits in now.

[Rio De Fideldo]

One thing Ive always thought about the Levitz run is that the cover to 296 is the direct inspiration to Crisis on Infinite Earths 7 Crying Superman holding Supergirl. As Crisis 7 is such a homaged cover Im surprised Legion 296 is never mentioned.

[starscape]

100% correct and I've never made the connection.  There's even a massive sun in the background.  Well spotted there sir.

[Grant Goggans]

A note about JLA #183-5, which is where I first met Darkseid - I imagine that y'all have probably heard of America's "Bible belt," and tut-tutted accordingly.  I was born in 1971 and probably first experienced comics in 1975 or so, too late to have seen the New Gods title.  But I honestly believe the apocryphal story that the reason DC canceled it in late '72 was because the distributors in the south refused to rack it anywhere.  When DC brought it back in 1977, I saw the house ads for it in other comics and was absolutely shocked by the title.  That was the most blasphemous thing I'd ever heard of.

So naturally, I just had to find these comics.  These were the days of spinner racks in every drug store and gas station convenience store in the suburbs, and I could not find "Return of the New Gods" *anywhere*.  I looked for months; nobody carried it.

I somehow missed part one of that JLA crossover, which, sadly, was Dick Dillin's final art job, so episode two was my first experience of the New Gods.  I remember being totally afraid that my mom was going to find the comic and freak out about having "New Gods" in it.   I have, sensibly, thought that Mr. Miracle was the coolest superhero in the world ever since.

I came a little late to LSH - around 297, I think - and so Darkseid's return was spoiled for me by the letters pages, but by Ymir, "Great Darkness Saga" is a really fantastic story, isn't it?  I've always wondered what that was like in 1982, with no internet around to spoil anything, and seeing Mordru just get annihilated by this strange somebody, having no reason to guess that the mystery villain was actually anybody from the DC Universe's past.  Must've been amazing.

[gdwessel]

Hummmm I think LSH #296's cover (February 1983) might have been a bit influenced by this one that came out August 1980. A bit.



Mind you, there probably were others before with that pose too, but at the time that would've been the more famous one to pastiche for CRISIS #7...

[The Adventurer]

All those covers are directly inspired by Michelangelo's Pieta

[Grant Goggans]

Funny you should mention Michelangelo, because in part five of "The Great Darkness Saga," there's a two-page spread similarly inspired by "The Creation of Adam."  Part two of my series is up today!