As widely reported on our mothership site and elsewhere, Paul Levitz will be returning to write the Legion of Super-Heroes in Adventure Comics. This will, properly, mark the third tenure of Levitz as the scribe for the teens of the future. Though he did share scripting duties at times with Gerry Conway (among others), Levitz was at the helm during “Earthwar”, the multi-part epic that ran from Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #241 to #245 in 1978.
Levitz was off of the book by #252; by the time that he returned with issue #281, the title of the book had become, simply, Legion of Super-Heroes. Initially, Levitz was scripting Roy Thomas plots; after a Wildfire origin tale by Roy Thomas in #283, Levitz was sole writer on 284 (cover date February 1982). It’s here, in my estimation, that the reputation of Paul Levitz on the Legion begins in earnest.
I can’t tell you if it’s my memory from the time or reflection casting it in a particular way, but the “Levitz Run” really starts to crystalize for me with #287. In a back-up tale (with art by Pat Broderick), Mon-El and Shadow Lass happen upon a planet that boasts incredible war machines defending . . . something. As the heroes leave, a being of enormous power awakens. That, kids, was the prologue to “The Great Darkness Saga”.
With Levitz writing and Keith Giffen on art, “The Great Darkness Saga” roared out of the 30th Century. It pit the Legion (which had always had the knock of being so large a roster) against seemingly impossible odds: nearly indestructible Servants of Darkness, seemingly created from the DNA of heroes, and their unseen master. By the time that Brainiac 5 put it together, many of the DC hardcore had already guessed it: the Legion’s true enemy was Darkseid. Not only that, put Darkseid finally had the Anti-Life means to control a planet’s population, and he unleashed billions of super-powered Daxamites (that’s right; like Mon-El) on the United Planets.
The sheer scale of this thing was frankly mind-boggling. It wasn’t quite like anything that I’d ever seen in comics to that point. Even in the face of hopelessness, Levitz wrote the Legion as unbreakable and heroic. Giffen drew the holy hell out of it, and overall, it was an amazing experience.
At this point, the Legion was the #2 book at DC in terms of sales, behind the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans. By 1984, the more successful DC books were branching out into two titles. In a move that would occur with Titans and Outsiders as well, Legion became two books. There was was the direct-market “Baxter Series” (so-named for its paper type) Legion of Super-Heroes, and there was the mass-market Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. There was a year of new material in Tales before it became strictly reprints; Levitz co-wrote or co-plotted several of those issues with Keith Giffen and/or Mindy Newell.
The thing that really stood out for me at that point was the first arc of the Baxter series. It put the Legion against a revamped Legion of Super-Villains. By story’s end, one Legion member was dead and another had killed a villain in an act of vengeance. This wasn’t everyday stuff in 1984, and I was frankly pretty startled by the impact of it all. Levitz would go on to write and co-plot the series in some capacity until its end with #63. When the Legion returned later that year (1989), Giffen was in the driver’s seat for the “5 Year Gap” (which we’ll speak of in depth another time).
Now, after 20 years, Paul Levitz will be writing the Legion again. It’s interesting to note that the table has been set for him rather well, as “his” Legion is the Legion that Geoff Johns set up in the past couple of years. The “5 Year Gap” was even sectioned off into its own splinter of continuity, allowing Levitz to more or less pick the team up where he (and Johns) left them. A number of fans are very excited by this, but others are more cautious.
While it’s true that Levitz wrote many great Legion stories, some fans worry about writers returning after lengthy periods away. Chris Claremont’s various returns to the X-Men seemed to get less successful over time, while Jim Shooter experienced a rocky return to the Legion in the recent past. For Levitz, it may be much different; even though he’s been away from writing the Legion, he’s been at the company and been an extremely active part of its creative parts and presentation. In the interview that our own Vaneta Rogers conducted with him, he noted that one of the first things that he had to do is “research”. Frankly, that’s just smart writing; I’m sure that Levitz is well aware that he needs to get up to speed and remind himself of a few things before taking the wheel again.
On the pure fan side, however, I wonder what kind of Legion tales have been kicking around in the back of Paul Levitz’s brain for the past two decades. Maybe he’s got something new to say about the Khunds. Certainly the table is set for The Black Witch. You know, he might even figure out a way to toss in Kent Shakespeare if he (and Giffen) are so inclined. Really, the possibilities are wide open. And isn’t that what got us all excited about the Legion in the first place?
September 10th, 2009 at 12:51 am
Don’t know, after his mediocre-as-best JSA fill-in I don’t have much optimism about his return. But I wish him best and hope to be surprised.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:41 am
Color me excited!
September 10th, 2009 at 5:15 am
I loved the “Baxter Series” back in the day, still read it from time to time. I hope one of his first priorities is to bring back Sensor Girl, he did such a great job establishing her.
MattZ
September 10th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Shooter’s return to Legion was marred mainly by the fact that almost as soon as he came on board Legion of Three Worlds was announced, giving the general impression that the current Legion title was a lame duck session. Levitz, OTOH, will be given the wheel of a set of characters that have been re-introduced and re-invigorated by the single hottest writer DC has had in decades.
I would LOVE to hear an interview with Levitz and Johns, asking how much of the setup for Legion was Levitz involved in. The timing of the whole thing seems to perfect as to have been decided just days ago. I’m thinking this was in the plan for some time, and I’d love to know how much groundwork was laid in tandem.
I’ve said it already…Legion fans have just been given EXACTLY what they dreamed for. The Legion, in their own book, written by Paul Levitz. Any and all complaints that a return to the past is automatic bad thing will be met with a pointing finger and an accusatory “You LIE!”
September 10th, 2009 at 6:53 am
It says something about my life that this is the best news i’ve heard in quite awhile. i’m holding out hope that this isn’t another situation like that of claremont and shooter. i think it won’t. anyway, let me end by being completely sappy and fanboyish and say:
LONG LIVE LEVITZ! LONG LIVE THE LEGION!
September 10th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Well, at least this article was well-written, but I don’t hold out a lot of hope for this. Incredible comic writers of a certain age, like the ones you mention as well as Byrne, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman, heck, even Frank Miller, seem to lose their way and offer at best a pastiche of their own work, and in some cases, parody. Most of the time, it’s a bland rehashing of a different time and uninteresting. I think Levitz’s JSA run mentioned was barely passable.
I loved the Great Darkness Saga, as it hit me right between the eyes of my 12 year old reading experience. I didn’t know it was Darkseid until the story revealed it. That was both a product of great writing as well as a different time of exploding creativity and the absence of internet spoilers and discussion. Artists of any type rarely have a second act…much less a third. But I’ll be reading, and hopeful, but have very low expectations.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am
So will the Legion now be the main feature in Adventure Comics? Or will the Legion continue to be just in the back-up stories, with Superboy as the main star of the book? Or will the entire book be a more integrated “Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes” type title? Has this been answered yet?
September 10th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I’m excited. I need more Legion, and I’ve never read any of Levitz’s run on the Legion, so this will be a first for me.
Long Live the Levitz
September 10th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I think it’s fantastic news. As a life-long hardcore Legion fan, I am extremely excited to hear that Levitz is returning to the Legion. The Great Darkness Saga is one of the best storylines that I can remember in my 35+ years of comic reading.
LONG LIVE THE LEGION!!!!
September 10th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I am disappointed to see Johns leave the Legion so soon. For all the fair (IMHO) criticisms of him as a writer, I have really enjoyed his Legion stories over the past couple of years.
I am trepidatious about Levitz’ return. I agree that many times a writer returning after many years to a beloved character doesn’t always go well–add Mark Waid’s return to Wally West to that list.
I am curious to see if Levitz can write today’s style of comic. Often these writer’s who return after a period away from writing haven’t been able to evolve or react to the changing morays of the comic fan.
I am hopeful Levitz will prove the exception rather than the rule.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I change my morays every day, Argo. They get testy without fresh water.
Mores, dude. Spelled “mores”, pronounced “mor-ays”.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:33 am
“The Great Darkness Saga” deserves every iota of praise it has gotten here and over the years. The page that represented millions (or was it billions?) of mind-controlled Daxamites flying into space to serve Darkseid is in my list of “Top 5 All-Time ‘Oh My God!’ Moments in Comics.” But let me put in a good word for the “Earthwar” story, which also did a really great job of putting the Legion’s backs to the wall.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:16 am
#1. Let this be stated clearly: the single greatest use of Darkseid ever, was not by Grant Morrison, it was not by Jim Starlin, or John Byrne, it was not even by Jack Kirby. The only time Darkseid ever truly reached his potential as a character, instead of coming off as some sort of cheesy tin pot dicatator with delusions of grandeur, was when Paul Levitz wrote him. If you ever want to see Darkseid realized as the greatest villain in the DC Universe, a truly menacing villain, you need to read the Great Darkness Saga. It is one of the top 2 or 3 story arcs ever.
I’ve always thought Darkseid should have never been touched again in any 20th century story after the GDS and should have been left to the Legion, as he truly becomes a Lord of Darkness in their universe.
Now then, welcome back Paul. Paul is the kind of writer that can return home I think.
Just my observations and hopes as a fan:
Please don’t cast aside all the silver age elements of the Legion, including Superboy, Supergirl, the SuperPets, even Insect Queen Lana Lang, as many fans still love them dearly and their absence has been felt from every incarnation of the Legion since 1986 whether anyone realizes it or not. And to anyone that thinks these characters can’t be viable characters, in any continuity, please read Alan Moore’s, whatever happened to the Man of Steel, which is easily one of the greatest Superman stories ever written, and features the silver age elements of Superman in a very modern tale.
One other request of Paul, Brainiac 5: Supergirl? Laurel Gand? Please fix him.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:03 am
This has me VERY excited! Welcome back Paul!
September 10th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I like the LOSH. Ive been a fan since they had the relaunch with the zero hour crossover and enjoyed the legionnaires and the legion title as well.But with the last relaunch by Waid I chose not to read it because it seems like Legion books get canceled.I don’t understand why they don’t seem to last.I’m not a long time LOSH fan so maybe somebody can enlighten me as to why they get relaunch after relaunch.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I agree with the above poster that Shooter’s recent run WAS tailgunned by Legion of 3 Worlds project, but having Levitz return to the Legion - as cool as it is and as much I look forward to it - will not amount to much if he isn’t paired up with a marquee artist.
And quickly too.
DC really should hire Paul Pelletier & Rick Magyar for Adventure Comics now that Marvel’s War of Kings mini s run its course.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I think Paul Levitz could get Giffen’s help as co-plotter if he needs to be “up to speed” to write a Legion book. And I frankly disagree with Shooter’s “rocky return”: he was mistreated and frankly trampled by TPTB - his story was the best the book had since Giffen left Legion back then.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
CaptainAwesome, I would like an answer to this question as well:
“So will the Legion now be the main feature in Adventure Comics? Or will the Legion continue to be just in the back-up stories, with Superboy as the main star of the book? Or will the entire book be a more integrated “Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes” type title? Has this been answered yet?”
September 10th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I am excited about Paul Levitz return. I loved the Earthwar and Great Darkness Sagas. With Keith Giffen he caught lightning in a bottle..check out my gallery of their work on the CAF site.He mixed action and characterization beautifully. It is not easy to go “home’ again to a title as others have commented but the difference here is Paul Levitz, even after all these years has never stopped being a true Legion fan. That extra element made/makes for great storytelling. Paul did not just give us an amazing Darkeid but an incredible Kara/Supergirl.Outside the Crisis tale, the Great Darkness story showcases how to write a good Supergirl story.He did what so many other writers failed to do…blend her into the team without diminishing her abilities and outshining the rest of the team…Happy days are here again.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I’m just tickled with Paul coming back. My only regret is that everyone was assuming Johns was eventually going to write a full Legion book. With Johns, as 3 Worlds proved, you not only got solid storytelling but a gigantic fan base. I just pray everyone gives Paul a chance and 6-7 comics to get his wings back. Because I tell you, once Pual is back on top of his writing game it will be just outstanding!!!
September 10th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Have to agree that the last story Paul wrote in JSA just sort of missed. That can happen to anyone and as closely as he’s associated with LSH I too am optimistic.
Good luck, Paul !
September 11th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Yeah, the Darkseid storyline and then the whole Baxter series - that was the golden age of LSH as far as I’m concerned. Proper grown-up story telling that happened to be in comic book form.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I remember a shot story Paul contributed to a Legion annivesary title during the first reboot. I think Simonson may have illustrated it, but I’m not sure. It was one of the most intriguing stories from that era — but the follow-up by the regular writers was disappointing.
I’ll be Paul has it in him for another good run. I just think he needs an innovative artist to work with — and I don’t mean Giffen.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Everyone raves about Great Darkness Saga and with good reason but for me the stories of his that were the best were the ones that led up to the baxter series. He was continually taking the mythology of the title and building upon it while acknowledging the history of it as well.
His 2 part tale of Sarya of Venegar (The Emerald Empress) and her meeting with Sensor Girl was astounding and remains one of my favorite stories of all 5 volumes of the Legion to date. He reminded us of the mythology of the past and expanded upon it in a darkly ominous way all in 2 lines of dialogue. Search it out if you haven’t read it.
And he kept doing that type of thing over and over and over again all the way up to #313 when that volume and his tenure as writer ended (if I remember my history correctly).
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:00 am
Loved the Baxter series … it was great … it was great then and it remains great now … that said
Been reading the LSH since I was 4 yrs. old … 49 years ago …
Collected every issue with the LSH present … A TRUE OLD FAN …
I’m glad you’re all revelling in nostalgia … yeah, long live teh Legion and long live Levitz … while we are at it LONG LIVE DC!!! WOO WOO! … who at their discression will decide to chrush the life out of series as they have done time and time again just as they have recently done …
Here we are shoved to the back of someone elses comic … now it’s to not so super kid Conner Kent (go figure?)
There were good thing that went on with the Legion over the last twenty years … some good characters developed and I got into every run they through at us … 5 yr. gap, the archie yrs., when we were “ZEROED OUT”, DnA (which I think is still a GREAT RUN that DC snuffed out), WaK leading to the knife in Shooters back … I found something positive in all of them and now 20 years gets shoveled into the grave, never to have existed …
And to all of you this is a GREAT thing because OUR LSH is back! To me every LSH version has been mine … and again, as a LSH fan to my dying day I will pick myself up dust myself off … prepare for the next great coming of the LSH now starting back where we ended in 1984 … and like the last run was ended, the last 20 years was just a dream … and I’ll dive into the new LSH and Levitz will weave his stories and I’ll get comfortable and when we least expect it, Levitz will grow tired of writing and or DC will grow tired of the run and the plug will again be pulled and we will go through this all over again …
it’s just infuriating