posted April 08, 2003 04:39 AM               

With volume 12 of the Legion archives shipping in the next week or two, I got to thinking that it would be interesting to try to jump on board the series for a sampling of pre-boot continuity.

I'm relatively new to the Legion, having only started buying the current book with #1, and having gone back to buy a handful of back issues. So I must admit to knowing pretty much nothing about the series past.

Therefore I'd appreciate some advice on which volume of the archives would be the best for me to start with? Where is it that a significant creator's contribution to the canon starts? Where are the best stories in your opinion? That sort of thing.

Now, the logical answer is for me to start at vol 1 and work my way up. Which I would normally do, but that's a $600 investment more or less, and whilst that's not particularly an issue for me if I enjoy the stories, I would be disappointed to find out that I would really enjoy vol 7 upwards (for example), but I never get that far because I didn't like the earlier volumes and gave up on it before that point.

posted April 08, 2003 05:12 AM            

Volume 5 and 6 starts the Jim Shooter/Curt Swan era. Jim was 13 at the time he starting writing the LSH, showing that he had a gift for the medium at an early age. There are some grand epics starting at this point through volume 8. This is a period where the LSH really took off.

Volumes 9 and 10 are the period where the LSH were mostly a back up feature again (not as many full length tales). These mostly stand alone, spotlighting a few members.

Volumes 11 and 12 (coming out this week) feature the beginnings of the Mike Grell era of art.

If you were going to jump in randomly, its a hard call. The LSH has such a rich history that jumping on later might lead to some confusion. I'd go for some of the earlier volumes - maybe 3 or so. Another thing to consider is checking out ebay or other places to see if you can find some of the early volumes in a cheap bundle (I think I got 1 to 4 there once for like $120). That way you aren't investing a lot but are getting enough of a sampling to see if its worth your while.

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Martin Maenza

posted April 08, 2003 06:49 AM            

I agree with the above comments that the Legion was barely getting its footing during the first two volumes. Really, where you start indicates your personal preference of artists who were working on it over the years. If you want Curt Swan, then start at volume 5. If you like Mike Grell, start at 11.

posted April 08, 2003 08:56 AM            

I've been an LSH fan since the 70's (right about where this week's release starts to cover). I read many of the early LSH stuff in the Adventure Comics digests of the early 80's. I was so glad to finally jump on board with the LSH archives this year and have been enjoying reading the tales in order since (currently on volume 7, though I have all 11 - 12 tomorrow).

Another thing any reader post-Zero hour (1994 reboot) will discover - a lot of the relaunched team's adventures are loosely based on original classic tales. So, you'll see some things in the archives that might seem vaguely familiar as a reader of the more recent series. Just to note where they were done first.

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Martin Maenza

posted April 08, 2003 10:47 AM               

I agree that the Shooter era (volume 6 & 7) are probably my favorites today. They are the Legion equivlanet of Hamlet, if you will. It is difficult to be a Legion fan and not have a passing knowledge of them. That may be recommendation enough.

Certainly, I have a hard time faulting anyone for recommending them.

But I would like to suggest that volume 10 or 11 may be more accessible to a reader who is just casually looking back.

Volume 10 is nice BECAUSE it's mostly back ups. Volume 11 is also a good bet for accessibility. (Grell and Cockrum)

In volume 10, the art by Murphy Anderson and Dave Cockrum is very nice but the stories take the time to explain the Legion's existence a little. The back up stories are also "easy" reads. Cary Bates focussed on small groupings of characters which made the stories less daunting for the "new" reader.

Volume 11 features some unintentionally funny grell work from early in his career and two of the most touching Legion stories ever written.

Unfortunately, not much "lasting" happens in these Archives. Other than Timber Wolf's encounter with Tyr, a battle royale with the Fatal Five back in 1960's era Smallville, Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel's wedding and the deaths of Erg-1 (to be reborn as Wildfire) and Invisible Kid, not "much" happens and Element Lad's revenge on the murderer of his planet. (Hey, it's the Legion, there's always SOMEthing big going on )

posted April 08, 2003 12:05 PM            

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Martin Maenza

posted April 09, 2003 01:14 AM               

As to which ones not to buy first...

12 because who knows how long it will take to get #13.

9 great book but a low point between Swan & Cockrum