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Post-Zero Hour Reboot Legion #vol. 1
The Legion by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Vol. 1 (Legion of Super-Heroes
Dan Abnett (AQUAMAN, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Andy Lanning's (THE AUTHORITY, Guardians of the Galaxy) legendary run chronicling the Legion of Super-Heroes' adventures are collected here in THE LEGION BY DAN ABNETT AND ANDY LANNING VOL. 1. Joined by superstar artist Olivier Coipel (Mighty Thor), the creative team introduces an uncertain and exciting future for its greatest heroes with gripping characterization, cosmic-level threats and epic sci-fi storytelling!
Earth at the end of the 30th century. A super-modern age, and the pinnacle of human cultural endeavors. Then came the Blight. Who they are is irrelevant. What matters is what this highly advanced, techno-organic culture wants: the life energies of the worlds they come across.
Upon infiltrating the United Planets' means of hyper-accelerated interstellar transportation, the Blight entwine Earth and destroy its forces within hours. Where life once flourished, it now deteriorates. And those who don't die meet a worse fate: they become of the Blight.
That includes the Legion of Super-Heroes, the U.P.'s young champions. Unable to fend off the invaders, their once-great numbers now serve the Blight and hunt down the last resisting Legionnaires—the ones looking to find enough survivors and open one last Stargate to freedom.
Earth, the United Planets, the Legion of Super-Heroes…they're all damned.
Collects LEGIONNAIRES #78-81, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #122-125 and LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES SECRET FILES #2.
Earth at the end of the 30th century. A super-modern age, and the pinnacle of human cultural endeavors. Then came the Blight. Who they are is irrelevant. What matters is what this highly advanced, techno-organic culture wants: the life energies of the worlds they come across.
Upon infiltrating the United Planets' means of hyper-accelerated interstellar transportation, the Blight entwine Earth and destroy its forces within hours. Where life once flourished, it now deteriorates. And those who don't die meet a worse fate: they become of the Blight.
That includes the Legion of Super-Heroes, the U.P.'s young champions. Unable to fend off the invaders, their once-great numbers now serve the Blight and hunt down the last resisting Legionnaires—the ones looking to find enough survivors and open one last Stargate to freedom.
Earth, the United Planets, the Legion of Super-Heroes…they're all damned.
Collects LEGIONNAIRES #78-81, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #122-125 and LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES SECRET FILES #2.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 13, 2018
Abnett and Lanning come on board and turn the book back to grim and gritty. It was weird to me at the time just because they tried this same tactic with the Legion about 10 years before this with Earthwar and the 5 Years Later time jump. Then, DC decided readers didn't like a gruff and gritty older Legion rebooting it during Zero Hour back to its optimistic roots. Now, due to poor sales the Borg , I mean the Blight, invade the United Planets. Reading through this all at once, the book is very disjointed, especially between issues. There were times I was sure I'd skipped pages. This does lead directly into the Legion Lost story which I remember enjoying at the time.
Olivier Coipel's art started off so scratchy and grimy looking. You can actually see him start to refine his art with each issue as he finds his style.
Olivier Coipel's art started off so scratchy and grimy looking. You can actually see him start to refine his art with each issue as he finds his style.
November 5, 2017
It was five years into the Legion reboot run. Though the bright, light-hearted new comic had successfully moved away from the dour storytelling of "Five Years Later", and though it had introduced vibrant new characters like XS, Gates, and Kinetix, it had also destroyed the line's sales, so a change was needed.
Enter the writing team of DnA. They envisioned a darker Legion that was unlike anything that had come before it ... ironically except for the more adult "Five Years Later" run. Their three-year run on the Legion was basically v 2.5 of the comic, the reboot and a half, and it began here.
The heart of V1 is "Legion of the Damned", a four-issue story that had previously been reprinted in a 100-page giant. It echoes the long-ago EarthWar!, but it's nonetheless one of the best Legion comics of the '90s. The story of an Earth that's been lost and a desperate band of Legionnaires trying to overcome that, is a good one, and the darkness of that story is well-reflected here both in DnA's storytelling and in Olivier Coipel's dark and gritty artwork. The introduction of a totally new foe was also the sort of thing that was badly needed in a Legion universe that had become somewhat staid after the innovation of the '80s.
The rest of this volume includes two issues of setup and two issues (plus a Secret File) of follow-up. The setup issues are entirely mediocre, clearly written before DnA felt the ability to really take the Legion in hand. On the other hand, the follow-up issues do a good job of driving their new, darker narrative and setting up what comes next: "Legion Lost".
Overall, this is a great new direction for the Legion. It's terrific to have it all in a collection finally. (Now, if DC can only be trusted to carry through with the several more volumes needed to fill out the DnA run. Their track record says: probably not.)
Enter the writing team of DnA. They envisioned a darker Legion that was unlike anything that had come before it ... ironically except for the more adult "Five Years Later" run. Their three-year run on the Legion was basically v 2.5 of the comic, the reboot and a half, and it began here.
The heart of V1 is "Legion of the Damned", a four-issue story that had previously been reprinted in a 100-page giant. It echoes the long-ago EarthWar!, but it's nonetheless one of the best Legion comics of the '90s. The story of an Earth that's been lost and a desperate band of Legionnaires trying to overcome that, is a good one, and the darkness of that story is well-reflected here both in DnA's storytelling and in Olivier Coipel's dark and gritty artwork. The introduction of a totally new foe was also the sort of thing that was badly needed in a Legion universe that had become somewhat staid after the innovation of the '80s.
The rest of this volume includes two issues of setup and two issues (plus a Secret File) of follow-up. The setup issues are entirely mediocre, clearly written before DnA felt the ability to really take the Legion in hand. On the other hand, the follow-up issues do a good job of driving their new, darker narrative and setting up what comes next: "Legion Lost".
Overall, this is a great new direction for the Legion. It's terrific to have it all in a collection finally. (Now, if DC can only be trusted to carry through with the several more volumes needed to fill out the DnA run. Their track record says: probably not.)
January 24, 2022
While Bendis proceeds to run the Legion name into the ground, I thought I'd head back to the past and read one of the runs that's lauded as actually pretty good.
Before they tackled Guardians Of The Galaxy, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning took charge of the Legion, piloting them into the Legion Of The Damned crossover story between both Legion titles that were running back in the early 2000s.
It takes a second for the story to really get going, with a prelude story from Secret Files and then some set-up issues, but once Legion Of The Damned kicks in and you start to grasp who the characters are and what their relationships are with each other (a who's who page wouldn't have gone amiss), its easy to get sucked in. The hopelessness of the story is evident on every page, and while it's only a four issue story, it certainly feels much longer.
The aftermath of Legion Of The Damned is both epilogue and prologue, as DnA shift their pieces around to launch the Legion Lost maxi-series in its wake. These few issues made my blood boil, because it's all political maneuvering from horrible characters who want to capitalise on tragedy, so well done to the writers for getting such a visceral reaction out of me.
On art for the most part is Olivier Coipel in his first big comics work, but you'd never know it to look at his art now. It does the job, but it definitely has that late 90s/early 2000s DC house style of fitting in with everyone else. It's a bit blocky at times, and a far cry from the art style he'll eventually develop.
DnA's first Legion collection takes a second to spool up, but once the hyperdrive kicks in it's a rollercoaster ride to the finish, which isn't even an ending, just the beginning of something even bigger. I can see why people like this run already.
Before they tackled Guardians Of The Galaxy, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning took charge of the Legion, piloting them into the Legion Of The Damned crossover story between both Legion titles that were running back in the early 2000s.
It takes a second for the story to really get going, with a prelude story from Secret Files and then some set-up issues, but once Legion Of The Damned kicks in and you start to grasp who the characters are and what their relationships are with each other (a who's who page wouldn't have gone amiss), its easy to get sucked in. The hopelessness of the story is evident on every page, and while it's only a four issue story, it certainly feels much longer.
The aftermath of Legion Of The Damned is both epilogue and prologue, as DnA shift their pieces around to launch the Legion Lost maxi-series in its wake. These few issues made my blood boil, because it's all political maneuvering from horrible characters who want to capitalise on tragedy, so well done to the writers for getting such a visceral reaction out of me.
On art for the most part is Olivier Coipel in his first big comics work, but you'd never know it to look at his art now. It does the job, but it definitely has that late 90s/early 2000s DC house style of fitting in with everyone else. It's a bit blocky at times, and a far cry from the art style he'll eventually develop.
DnA's first Legion collection takes a second to spool up, but once the hyperdrive kicks in it's a rollercoaster ride to the finish, which isn't even an ending, just the beginning of something even bigger. I can see why people like this run already.
December 21, 2017
this was my first introduction to the Legionnaires and my favorite incarnation of the Legion. after waiting years, the Legion of the Damned story has finally been reprinted. Rereading it again brought that excitement back I had when first reading this story back in 99. I can't wait for more volumes of the DnA run on Legion.
February 26, 2018
The Legion of the late 90's was a far cry from the Legion of the 80's. The reboot / retcon created a younger, sillier Legion that just was not overly interesting. This volume reprints the 'Legion of the Damned' story line with the pre and post issues to the story. While the 'LoD' story has become a bit of a classic for the Legion books, it certainly has its faults.
Olivier Coipel's art is not at all pretty. This story is as much horror as it is superhero, and the art does help promote the horror aspect, but it does nothing positive for the superhero side of the comic.
There are a great number of Legionnaires in this book, but it is not clear where a lot of them are during the story.
I really disliked the whole Kids vs Adults theme that took hold in this version of the Legion (and carried over into the Mark Waid run). It felt really forced, and spawned silly situations where the adults acted ridiculously childish.
Olivier Coipel's art is not at all pretty. This story is as much horror as it is superhero, and the art does help promote the horror aspect, but it does nothing positive for the superhero side of the comic.
There are a great number of Legionnaires in this book, but it is not clear where a lot of them are during the story.
I really disliked the whole Kids vs Adults theme that took hold in this version of the Legion (and carried over into the Mark Waid run). It felt really forced, and spawned silly situations where the adults acted ridiculously childish.
September 13, 2019
Rereading for the first time probably since it originally came out, I'm struck by how fresh and forward it feels, even now. Abnett and Lanning do a fantastic job getting into the horror and claustrophia (much credit to Olivier Coipel for accentuating both aspects as well) of the Blight invasion, telling a terse, foreboding struggle for the survival of ... well, everything. The Legion has always been optimistic, and this saga pushes their ideals harder than any other. Great big sci-fi stuff with crushing desperation and some real solid, enjoyable character beats along the way - from Cham's desperation at being the last Legionnaire left to Jenni consoling Lori on the loss of her H-Dial. Coipel's art is raw, but full of energy and life, with compelling layouts - and importantly in a book with a cast this large, you can always identify all the characters. Strongly recommended for Legion, sci-fi and horror fans.
December 26, 2017
Is there any other mainstream, Big Two Superhero book that is like Legion of Superheroes?
Fantastic Four is pretty unique.
Doom Patrol is its own thang (Thanks David Pumpkins)
The Legion is so different from everything else, and it really only feels like it is made for hard core fans. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore fan, but I really love the dynamic of the massive team, filled with characters from different plans, all featuring different super powers, and each contributing to a massive, melodramatic soap opera.
This book, written by Abnett and Lanning, before their Marvel days, tears it all down. The United Planets, that the legion protects is almost completely wiped out by a horrific force, that also takes down the legion. The legionnaires are converted into mind controlled hunters. It is really grim stuff, and I loved every minute of it.
Fantastic Four is pretty unique.
Doom Patrol is its own thang (Thanks David Pumpkins)
The Legion is so different from everything else, and it really only feels like it is made for hard core fans. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore fan, but I really love the dynamic of the massive team, filled with characters from different plans, all featuring different super powers, and each contributing to a massive, melodramatic soap opera.
This book, written by Abnett and Lanning, before their Marvel days, tears it all down. The United Planets, that the legion protects is almost completely wiped out by a horrific force, that also takes down the legion. The legionnaires are converted into mind controlled hunters. It is really grim stuff, and I loved every minute of it.
November 18, 2020
What did I think of my first Legion of Super-Heroes book?
Not bad, at all. The art style was nostalgic for me as I'm a kid of the 80s and 90s. Being a team book and this being a collection that spans like a decade, there isn't much in the way of individual character beats. You either do or do not pick up on who these characters are with the hints given in the time they have.
That being said, it was nice to know almost nothing about a bunch of DC people and still enjoy the ride. If I'm correct, there is one more volume is this collection and I'll probably start that tomorrow. No reason not to take it all in this week.
Not bad, at all. The art style was nostalgic for me as I'm a kid of the 80s and 90s. Being a team book and this being a collection that spans like a decade, there isn't much in the way of individual character beats. You either do or do not pick up on who these characters are with the hints given in the time they have.
That being said, it was nice to know almost nothing about a bunch of DC people and still enjoy the ride. If I'm correct, there is one more volume is this collection and I'll probably start that tomorrow. No reason not to take it all in this week.
February 24, 2021
As a life long Legion Fan, I can't help but enjoy this story.
It takes the version of the Future that we have seen before and turn it to something that we would fear.
It's Scary Future... but it does have some light in it.
I so love to have Chameleon Boy as one of the Major Actors in this story. And Monstress? Someone that I wasn't too familiar with, but I've come to really like her as a part of the team, she brings such a different point of view.
Bottom Line:
I'll always buy any LSH book. And I enjoyed this one
It takes the version of the Future that we have seen before and turn it to something that we would fear.
It's Scary Future... but it does have some light in it.
I so love to have Chameleon Boy as one of the Major Actors in this story. And Monstress? Someone that I wasn't too familiar with, but I've come to really like her as a part of the team, she brings such a different point of view.
Bottom Line:
I'll always buy any LSH book. And I enjoyed this one
December 18, 2022
I really didn't know what to expect going into this. I'm not at all familiar with these characters or the lore of the team. I've also never read anything by these writers either. So what was a cumbersome start turned into a pretty decent read. Enough so that I'll continue with the next volume.
June 28, 2021
Reboot with mix and match, a burden on our beloved Legion
November 6, 2023
Best HH book I've read
July 31, 2021
Aunque conocía a este súper equipo desde que era un niño y había leído un poco de ellos siendo adolescente cuando algunos de ellos estuvieron varados en nuestra época, no fue hasta que, a principios de este siglo en mi segundo regreso a los cómics los comencé a leer regularmente cuando DC decidió publicar el título llamado sencillamente "The Legion". La serie no me atrapó de inmediato. Como mi presupuesto era muy limitado y aún no leía en digital (de hecho yo creo que aún no había comics digitales en ese entonces), cuando fui a recoger el #3 iba con la idea de cancelarlo. Sin embargo me esperé a leer ese número antes de hacerlo y pues el resto es historia. Me comenzó a gustar tanto que comencé a investigar tanto en revistas especializadas como en mi poco tiempo en internet sobre lo que había dado pie a esta nueva serie, ya que conseguir los números publicados en este compilado eran muy complicados de conseguir. En particular me llamaba la atención el arco denominado "Legion of the Damned" del cual según mis recuerdos se hacían muchas referencias en esta serie. Pasarían algunos años y, cuando ahora si comencé a leer en digital, cuando conseguí los números de la Legion fue lo primero que quise leer. Cual sería mi sorpresa que no, la verdad no me gustó. Después de eso la he leído en dos ocasiones posteriores, una de esas ahora, ya que estoy en un periodo donde decidí leer/releer el periodo denominado "reboot" o "Archie Legion" por los fans, es decir todas las historias de la Legion post Zero Hour, un evento similar a Crisis on Infinite Earths que intentó arreglar inconsistencias en el universo DC que este último evento no había podido arreglar. En el caso de este equipo se decidió comenzar de nuevo (de ahí el termino reboot) y acabo de llegar a estos números que significaron un cambio radical, tanto en arte como en el tono de las historias que se habían estado contando por unos cuatro o cinco años. Sigue sin gustarme.
Similar a lo que se había hecho una década antes con este equipo, el nuevo equipo creativo consistente de Dan Abnett y Andy Lanning en los textos y Olivier Coipel en el arte decidió dar un salto en el tiempo para presentar su historia. En ese entonces fueron cinco años, aquí fue un mes. A diferencia de aquella cuyo primer arco se podría decir que dura doce números, aquí solo son cuatro que se publicaron a lo largo de dos meses ya que en ese entonces este equipo contaba con dos series mensuales y por lo mismo la sentí demasiado precipitada. The Blight, los enemigos principales, logran conquistar varios planetas, incluida la Tierra justamente en ese mes. Si uno lee el primer número y ves que de todo el equipo solo quedan tres libres te invade la desesperanza. Crees que todo será muy complicado de arreglar (si es que se logra hacer). De hecho los nuevos enemigos son tan poderosos (han logrado controlar mentalmente a la gran mayoría de los Legionarios) que Cham, uno de los que aún quedan libres, decide hacer lo impensable, poner una de sus armas en modo letal, cuando de repente aparecen un grupo de cuatro miembros que estaban perdidos en el espacio y no saben que es lo que está sucediendo pero que están listos para ayudar como puedan. Wow. Estamos esperando con ansias quince días para ver que sucede. Sin embargo desde ahí la historia va para abajo. Insisto, creo que parte del problema es que no dejaron "marinar" la historia y todo sucede muy rápido y la amenaza se resuelve con un par de detalles que se me hicieron ridículos, primero el hecho de que no era posible que si ya habían conquistado tantos planetas jamás se hubieran enfrentado a personajes con poderes de velocidad/metabolismo como XS y otros con poderes mentales como Saturn Girl y segundo, no era posible que también, en ese tiempo, a nadie se le hubiera ocurrido separar a The Blight, de los Doda, los otros organismos que estaban unidos a ellos y que los habían ayudado a viajar por todo el universo.
De los otros tres números* la verdad es que hay poco de que hablar. Es una historia que solo sirve de puente para lo que vendrá, tanto como las mini-series "Legion Lost" y "Legion World" como para la serie regular que se publicaría año y medio después.
El arte me pareció muy sucio. Olivier Coipel mejoraría mucho, principalmente en "Legion", tanto así que Marvel se lo "robaría" y sería un dibujante exclusivo de ellos por mucho tiempo, pero aquí aún no sacaba su máximo potencial.
*De hecho son cuatro, uno anterior a Legion of the Damned, pero igual, tanto este como la historia de Legion of Super-Heroes Secret Files & Origins #02 solo están para dar contexto a lo que vendría.
Similar a lo que se había hecho una década antes con este equipo, el nuevo equipo creativo consistente de Dan Abnett y Andy Lanning en los textos y Olivier Coipel en el arte decidió dar un salto en el tiempo para presentar su historia. En ese entonces fueron cinco años, aquí fue un mes. A diferencia de aquella cuyo primer arco se podría decir que dura doce números, aquí solo son cuatro que se publicaron a lo largo de dos meses ya que en ese entonces este equipo contaba con dos series mensuales y por lo mismo la sentí demasiado precipitada. The Blight, los enemigos principales, logran conquistar varios planetas, incluida la Tierra justamente en ese mes. Si uno lee el primer número y ves que de todo el equipo solo quedan tres libres te invade la desesperanza. Crees que todo será muy complicado de arreglar (si es que se logra hacer). De hecho los nuevos enemigos son tan poderosos (han logrado controlar mentalmente a la gran mayoría de los Legionarios) que Cham, uno de los que aún quedan libres, decide hacer lo impensable, poner una de sus armas en modo letal, cuando de repente aparecen un grupo de cuatro miembros que estaban perdidos en el espacio y no saben que es lo que está sucediendo pero que están listos para ayudar como puedan. Wow. Estamos esperando con ansias quince días para ver que sucede. Sin embargo desde ahí la historia va para abajo. Insisto, creo que parte del problema es que no dejaron "marinar" la historia y todo sucede muy rápido y la amenaza se resuelve con un par de detalles que se me hicieron ridículos, primero el hecho de que no era posible que si ya habían conquistado tantos planetas jamás se hubieran enfrentado a personajes con poderes de velocidad/metabolismo como XS y otros con poderes mentales como Saturn Girl y segundo, no era posible que también, en ese tiempo, a nadie se le hubiera ocurrido separar a The Blight, de los Doda, los otros organismos que estaban unidos a ellos y que los habían ayudado a viajar por todo el universo.
De los otros tres números* la verdad es que hay poco de que hablar. Es una historia que solo sirve de puente para lo que vendrá, tanto como las mini-series "Legion Lost" y "Legion World" como para la serie regular que se publicaría año y medio después.
El arte me pareció muy sucio. Olivier Coipel mejoraría mucho, principalmente en "Legion", tanto así que Marvel se lo "robaría" y sería un dibujante exclusivo de ellos por mucho tiempo, pero aquí aún no sacaba su máximo potencial.
*De hecho son cuatro, uno anterior a Legion of the Damned, pero igual, tanto este como la historia de Legion of Super-Heroes Secret Files & Origins #02 solo están para dar contexto a lo que vendría.
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