DC Brings Back its Best Team (But Fans Aren’t Happy)

After a few years of teasing, the Legion of Super-Heroes is back, but not in a way that fans were hoping. The Legion has had a terrible couple of years, suffering through an ill-liked reboot under the penmanship of Brian Michael Bendis and being stuck in perpetual purgatory. An evil version of the team was introduced in DC All-In, working for Darkseid. Superman has finally confronted the new Omega Legions in the pages of Joshua Williamson’s Superman comics. After making uneasy alliances with the Time Trapper, who is a future version of Doomsday, and Superboy-Prime, the Man of Steel made his way to the future to reunite with a good version of the Legion.

While there were hints that something terribly wrong had happened in the future, Superman #29 confirmed Legion fans’ worst fears – the Legion of Super-Heroes had been wiped out. There have been multiple versions of the Legion throughout the decades, but the comic specified that Darkseid’s crew defeated all four main versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes. It’s a devastating moment in the comic, especially for fans who’ve been waiting for a real version of the Legion to return after the lukewarm reception of Bendis’ Legion comics. Is there any hope for the Legion of Super-Heroes?

What Happened to the Legion of Super-Heroes?

Writer Brian Michael Bendis and a team of artists gave the Legion a complete overhaul in 2019. Bendis’ Legion didn’t become the runaway hit that DC hoped for, leading to the team being put in stasis. Bendis’ Legion of Super-Heroes’ most significant appearance after Bendis left DC was a cameo in Williamson’s Green Arrow comic. Fans recognized that Williamson was setting something for the Legion of Super-Heroes, reintroducing concepts like the Legion ring and the Great Darkness. When the Omega Legion was introduced, Willismon hinted that something bad had happened in the future, with Superman #29 confirming it.

The Superman comic established the four main variants of the Legion of Super-Heroes teamed up against the Omega Legion and were nearly wiped out. Superman and Superboy-Prime found several survivors among the wreckage, including all four versions of Brainiac 5. The surviving good Legion members were able to capture Darkseid’s Brianiac 5, discovering how Darkseid created the new Legion. Superman attempted to inspire the surviving Legion, but the group’s hideout was quickly infiltrated by an evil Chameleon Boy, who summoned the rest of the Evil Legion, with one of the Brianiac 5’s dies in Superman’s arms. The Man of Steel then rushes to the Time Institute to rescue Booster Gold. However, Superboy-Prime seemingly betrays the heroes and has switched sides, attacking Superman.

Can Superman Save the Legion?

Long-suffering Legion fans weren’t too pleased with the team’s portrayal in Superman #29. After so many years being sidelined, the Legion of Super-Heroes is introduced in the most horrific way possible. The bodies of several incarnations of the group are scattered across the battlefield, a far cry from the optimistic retro, silver age futurism the team used to represent. The surviving Legion members are depressed and hopeless, with the issue even ending with the death of one of the main Brianiac 5s.

Fortunately, there is a silver lining to the chaos and destruction. Readers believe the Legion will rise from the ashes after DC K.O., the upcoming event series where the heroes and villains join a tournament. Despite the team being neglected, the Legion of Superheroes is one of DC Comics’ premier superhero teams. The team will always have a spot in the DC library, no matter how many poorly received reboots are thrown fans’ way. The Legion is too important to Superman’s history, and the Man of Steel will likely find a way to save his childhood friends from the future.

Are you a Legion of Super-Hero fan? Did Superman #29 make you happy or upset? Comment below to give us your thoughts!

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