Shooter returns to the LSH!

[yendi]

Jim Shooter will be taking over as writer on Legion of Super-Heroes.

I've got decidedly mixed feelings here.

On the one hand, Shooter, as a wunderkind, basically gave the LSH depth and personality.

On the other hand, Waid did an amazing job in his run, and I'm one of the minority of folks who also likes what Tony Bedard's doing there.

On the third hand, Shooter hasn't written anything good in, what, twenty years? Thirty? And yes, I'm including the Valiantverse.

On the fourth hand, remember how much the much-heralded return of Chris Claremont to X-Men blew (since he's still writing X-Books, you don't have to look far)?

On the fifth hand, the LSH have always been my favorite group, and short of bringing back Abnett/Lanning, there's little that will keep me away from the book.

So, the two-handed minority will win, short term. But I'm skeptical that Shooter can pull this off.

Comments

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Geez, what *is* the last good thing that Shooter wrote? His Avengers run in the 70s? Star Brand had some great JRjr art, but the plots were nothing to write home about. Valiant was "meh". And let's not even mention Secret Wars!

[yendi]

Hey, Secret Wars wasn't the worst thing he ever did; there was always Secret Wars 2!

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Secret Wars II: The Beyonder Goes Emo

[unwilly.livejournal.com]

Secret Wars 2 Meet The Beyonder and Smurfette!

[asim.livejournal.com]

"Jim Shooter will be taking over as writer on Legion of Super-Heroes"

And there goes any interest I had in the series. And I say this as someone who loved the early Valiant work.

Shooter was innovative, yet the best of the industry has simply passed him by. Unless he's greatly improved -- and the glimpses I've had of his last few projects don't show this -- he's going to have, in essence, 2D characters in a media that's treading, more and more, towards fully-fleshed out characters and plots.
And I don't have the time or money for half-baked works, anymore.

But then, I also loved TML/Vol. 4, and liked Abnett/Lanning. So you may take my commentary with the requisite pound of salt. :)

[yendi]

I'm with you there (aside from disagreement over the recent books). But I'll give him three or four issues to prove himself, one way or the other.

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

I've read some of Shooter's 1960s LSH stories, and I thought he wrote like a 13-year-old boy.

I liked the Valiant stuff that I've read: Eternal Warrior, Archer and Armstrong, the Unity event. But offhand I don't remember how much, if any, of that was written by him. I did read a preview of the Defiant books that he wrote (after being run out of Valianttown on a rail, because he's an egotistical asshole) and thought it was pretty bad.

Hey, and isn't Shooter an egotistical asshole?

Tangentially, when I emailed you with "WTF?" when Supergirl joined the Legion and added her name to the title, you told me it was a temporary change. Is that still the case? Because she seems pretty well entrenched there now. Your response to this question ideally will recognize that the only DCU titles I read are Legion and Catwoman.

[yendi]

Archer and Armstrong was Barry Windsor-Smith, until Mike Baron stepped in and sent it to the crapper in a span of about two issues.

I actually have the Plasm album from Defiant. It's exactly as nuanced and deep as a book written in the late '60s at DC would have been.

Hey, and isn't Shooter an egotistical asshole?

Yeah, but that's not tied to talent, alas.

As far as the title change goes, the Supergirl thing was definitely promised as "temporary" back when it was first announced; no idea if plans changed, or if it was a bluff. My only DCU books are JLA, LSH, and Shadowpact, so I'm not up on current events much, either.

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

Archer and Armstrong was Barry Windsor-Smith, until Mike Baron stepped in and sent it to the crapper in a span of about two issues.

That reminds me of something you'll appreciate: one of the attorneys at my office, Joe, is a huge Barry Windsor-Smith fan. His office is covered with original art by Smith, and Joe told me he once called Smith out of the blue one day when he happened to be near where Smith leaves, and Smith invited him over for a visit. They'd never met before, but Joe spent a whole afternoon with Smith at his home.

My only DCU books are JLA, LSH, and Shadowpact, so I'm not up on current events much, either.

I know Supergirl appears in several other titles, including her own, presumably all set in the 21st century, so I have to think there would be continuity conflicts if she's going to remain in the Legion. On the other hand, I know the Multiverse is back, too, so maybe this Supergirl is an alternate one. *shrug*

[murnkay.livejournal.com]

Naw. It's very simple. In the Legion she's there. However in "modern continuity" she was in the future and came back, within a few minutes time not remembering any of it. There! Stupid and simple!

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

time travel can be so convenient...

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to give Shooter a chance here, only cause I really think he is gearing up to make people realize he can be a threat writing wise. Plus, Francis Manapul on art is just a gimme. I mean...my favorite run was Keith Giffen's and seconded by the run drawn by Chris Sprouse. I'm not completely sold on LOSH yet, but it'll be under consideration when the time comes.

You're crazy about Claremont btw. Exiles and New Exaclibur are both excellent books... as good, if not better than those early issues of Sovereign Seven (although I'm in the camp that while S7 got tiresome, it never got so bad that it was unreadable.)