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Steve Ditko

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Legion of Super-Heroes (1980-1985) Vol. 1: Before the Darkness (Legion of Super-Heroes (1980-1989)) Kindle & comiXology

by Gerry Conway (Author), Paul Kupperberg (Author), E. Nelson Bridwell (Author), Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 158 ratings

Part of: Legion of Super-Heroes (1980-1989)

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The greatest heroes of the 30th century star in these classic stories that set the stage for “The Great Darkness Saga,” one of the most beloved tales in Legion history! First, the Legion-including Mon-El, Brainiac 5, and Phantom Girl-takes on a Circus of Death! Then, the villainous Dagon strikes, kidnapping several Legionnaires’ parents for ransom. And the Fatal Five return-now working for the Dark Man! Plus, find out startling new information from the pasts of the Legion and their ally R.J. Brande. This title collects Legion of Super-Heroes #260-271 and Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes #1-3.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gerry Conway began his professional comic book career in 1969, when DC Comics published his first work in its anthology The House of Secrets. He went on to co-create the characters Firestorm the Nuclear Man, Vixen, and Killer Croc for DC. Conway also worked for Marvel Comics, where he notably wrote "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" in The Amazing Spider-Man #121, as well as serving briefly as that company's editor-in-chief. His numerous writing credits include the first DC/Marvel crossover, Superman vs. Spider-Man.

In addition to comics, Conway has published the science fiction novels The Midnight Dancers and Mindship. He has also written for and/or produced such TV series as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Baywatch Nights, Silk Stalkings, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Huntress and Batman: The Animated Series.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08T64R2S5
Publisher ‏ : ‎ DC (February 2, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 2, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1284934 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #644,155 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,977 in Science Fiction Graphic Novels (Kindle Store)
- #4,066 in Science Fiction Graphic Novels (Books)
- #6,617 in Superhero Graphic Novels

Customer Reviews:
4.6 158 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

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Manganese

Pure retro legion fun

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2021

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This is one of the best periods for the legion and has some beautiful bronze-age art. The cover design is contemporary yet retro and the book itself is a hefty, premium-feeling hardcover. I really hope vol 2 & 3 come quickly so I can collect the run all the way up to the great darkness saga.

One person found this helpful

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C. Zickrick

Long Live the Legion!

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021

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Tempted to drop a star since while this volume is awesome it doesn’t have the holiday story where Superboy and the Legion hunt for the Christmas star. It does have the Legion miniseries though besides issues 260-271 of the regular series. We get to see the Legion’s parents. Tyroc gets an origon, Bouncing Boy & Duo Damsel return. The Fatal Five plus the Dark Man keep the Legion on their toes. Lot of good nostalgia for me in theses stories.

9 people found this helpful

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Axel

Bring on the next volume! And then a Levitz Omnibus!!

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2021

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If you’re a lover of the “classic legion,” you might be surprised at how entertaining these stories are, some forty years after they were printed. Gerry Conway does most of the scripts here, and while there’s nothing mind-blowing or revolutionary in their pages, they’re full of charm and energy that shines through.

I’m biased of course, because I love these characters, and love anything space and science fiction related, so this may not be for everyone. Admittedly, some of the stories are quaint. There are juvenile and fantastic plots, and characters spout melodramatic dialog that will make anyone who takes themselves and their comics too seriously, cringe with embarrassment. But for lovers of the Legion, these stories brim with an innocence and vitality that’s incredibly refreshing, many years on.

It also doesn’t hurt that the art on the book, mostly by Jimmy Janes and Dave Hunt, is solid, old fashioned style pencilling that’s hard to dislike. But there’s a lot going on visually in the book to enjoy. The majority of covers are by a very strong Dick Giordano. George Perez produces the cover used for the volume itself. There’s an issue drawn by Jim Sherman which is gorgeous, next level stuff, and all the guest artists produce competent, if not transformational work. Joe Staton and Steve Ditko produce some issues here, and by and large, all the artists deliver decent work that perfectly service the stories.

There’s a single issue by J.M. Dematties that perfectly showcases his particular style - zany plots steeped in faux-mysticism, with heavy exposition and dialog barely contained by the artist - but fun and entertaining, taken for what it is.

The volume itself is fantastic quality. Great, crisp, matte paper that perfectly reproduces the colors of the past. All the covers are included. There’s a contents page, and all the artists and creative people are properly attributed. And although I am not impressed by DC’s decision to re-use a cover from one of the books as opposed to producing a new image, it’s hard to deny that the dust jacket and wrap-around of the hardcover image underneath, are some of the best from the collection.

About the only somewhat annoying thing in the volume, is a slightly perplexing introduction by Paul Levitz, undoubtedly the best classic Legion writer and one of comics most underrated writers period. Levitz produces an introduction here, which, rather than celebrating the efforts of the artistes involved, offers an apology for the quality. This is a confounding pattern with Paul; who amusingly apologizes, after a fashion, to readers coming to a collection of the Great Darkness Saga, for the fact that they are robbed of the surprise of the main villain, by the very nature of coming to a collected edition, printed several years after the fact. In fact, he has “apologized” for other eras, and other stories, even including his own. And if I didn’t know the man better from his writings, his apology in this volume would smack of hubris - of a man returning to an era of comics which in his estimation, failed to achieve the creative genius of the days when he was in charge of writing it. Thankfully, I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.

Instead, I think it’s a misjudged attempt to explain away the lightness of the stories; the fantastical, frequently illogical aspects; the occasionally cringeworthy dialog; the slightly shifting and stilted characterization; and the sometimes silly plots; by trying to offer some historical context, of what was happening at DC Comics at the time, and how those events may have impacted the quality of the pages one is about to read.

There’s no need. No one coming to these volumes expects Shakespearean writing coupled with Michelangelo’s images. It also does the creators involved, a disservice. And really, it’s a message intended for the wrong audience. “New readers,” if such exist, are unlikely to have an interest in an obscure comic, about a group of teenage superheroes, set 1000 years into the future, inspired to do good, by Superman’s legacy. In fact, the only people likely to be buying these volumes, come for the nostalgia, and already know what to expect. They’re looking for a fix; a reminder of a time and place in their lives, when the “DC implosion” had no meaning, and all that mattered, were these brightly colored pages, about teenage superheroes, in far flung places, doing amazing things.

And a very good fix it is.

20 people found this helpful

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Bobah

Long Live the Legion!

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2021

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Long live the Legion! The entire series is super. (groan) Arrived promptly at a good price.

You have to love a book that starts with an apology

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2021

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The Legion of Superheroes has a long and varied history. Set 1000 years in the future, the Legion's story has gone from the Buck Rogers-style rocket ships and jet packs of the 50s and 60s, to the sexy disco fashions of the 70s, to continuity-intensive stories of the 80s, dark and gritty in the 90s, to multiple back-to-basics reboots in modern times. Each run has reflected America's hopes and fears for the future and every fan has their own favorite era.

But you would be very hard pressed to find anyone who names the early 80s as their favorite period, or considers them even... good.

And sure enough this reprint of LSH 260-271 from 1979 to 1981 opens with an apology of sorts from long-time Legion fan, author and former DC comics president and publisher Paul Levitz. He recounts how DC's financial issues at the time left them scrambling to find work for writers and authors resulting in some people being put on books they were ill-suited for.

And the stories show it. Adventures seem sort of random, finishing in a bizarre plot twist in the Secrets of the Legion of Superheroes mini series. Artists change frequently and various art, dialogue, and coloring errors are all faithfully reproduced.

But all that being said, it is still the Legion and the insane adventures of teenagers from the future IN SPACE and even when it's mediocre, it can be entertaining. I'd probably have passed on this book if it wasn't for my kids who recently discovered my stash of Legion books and devoured them. Knowing that this book would offer stories in the vein of the classic silver age books I got it to read with them and even when we're laughing at the stories it's still fun.

6 people found this helpful

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Terry Caughenbaugh

Next chapter in Legion of Superheroes series

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021

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Great book in the Legion's history

One person found this helpful

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