Television Review: The Legion of Super-Heroes

Martha Thomases

Martha Thomases brought more comics to the attention of more people than anyone else in the industry. Her work promoting The Death of Superman made an entire nation share in the tragedy of one of our most iconic American heroes. As a freelance journalist, she has been published in the Village Voice, High Times, Spy, the National Lampoon, Metropolitan Home, and more. For Marvel comics she created the series Dakota North. Martha worked as a researcher and assistant for the author Norman Mailer on several of his books, including the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Executioner's Song, On Women and Their Elegance, Ancient Evenings, and Harlot's Ghost.

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10 Responses

  1. David Gallaher says:

    This past Saturday, the first new episode of the season explored the origins of Timber WolfActually, it was the third new episode of the season. The first two episodes dealt with the threat of Imeperiex and the new Superman

  2. Rick Taylor says:

    Being a long-time fan, the new Legion series has me as confused as the nine or so restarts of the comic series post-Crisis. They now have two SuperMEN (not SuperBOY). This is most surely a result of the lawsuit. They exist in the 31st century now (not sure why) and although they pay lip service to the original series, it's obvious that they want to imitate the success of the Teen Titans show which in my opinion was just as convoluted. As a kid I would have loved to see a Legion animated series. As a chronilocical adult I can honestly take it or leave it. For me the Legion stopped when Bates, Shooter and Cockrum left. I never thought I would have such an inflexible opinion. Sigh, I have my old comics and that's enough.

  3. David Gallaher says:

    >> This past Saturday, the first new episode of the season explored the origins of Timber Wolf >>Actually, it was the third new episode of the season. The first two episodes dealt with the threat of Imeperiex and the new Superman

  4. Rick Taylor says:

    The Imperiex thing was kinda clunky, too. I guess every show needs it's Darkseid. I've honestly only seen about half of the episodes produced (and it's always the same four shows). That may be be a sign that I'm not dying to tune in and see them all. I think the lack of time travel, it's distance from the DCU and the missing status of Superboy and Supergirl (until recently) lead to my lack of interest (even when I worked at DC) in the comic. Like I say, too many restarts (Dark Legion, Clone Legion, etc., etc.) and a general shoving the kids into the farthest corner of the DCU as possible. The TV shows, both Legion and Titans have that 'pick-and-choose' point of view about both series histories that I find a little boring.

  5. Mike Gold says:

    I miss the efforts of Dini and Timm. What I'd like to see is a Green Lantern Corps series, but without the style, energy and craft of the Justice League Unlimited / Batman Adventures folks, we're probably better off without.

  6. Rick Taylor says:

    Honestly, the best thing about the TV Legion was the Happy Meal toys and the possibility of Mattel figure.Now that the series future is in question, who knows if it will happen.

  7. Rick Taylor says:

    BTW Martha. I believe Timber Wolf was introduced earlier than the late 60's. He was Lone Wolf as a one off who had a thing for Light Lass. Later, when Shooter did the story where Colossal Boy got sent back to the Legion Academy because crooks were holding his folk hostage. That netted the group Timber Wolf and Chemical King. Just being a geek.

    • Martha Thomases says:

      According to a site I looked up to check my history, Brin joined in the year 2967, or thereabouts. I figured that meant the story was published in 1967. However, since my mom threw out all my comics, I'll admit to the possibiity that I'm wrong.

  8. Jonathan Miller says:

    Martha–the character appeared several years before he actually joined the Legion (after the first Legion of Supervillains story, same time as Chemical King). It was in this second story that he was first called "Timber Wolf" (as opposed to the original "Lone Wolf"). So the site you checked was right, but the character still appeared earlier than 1967.This has been your pedantic Legion fan (who loves the new cartoon, by the way) comment for the day. ;-)

  9. Rick Taylor says:

    I Googled the Legion and the site I found listed the Lone Wolf story as published in 1964 and the Colossal Failure 2 parter as seeing print in 1968. But their research could be wrong, too.