5YL Poster From Legion of Super-Heroes #13

The Legion of Super-Bloggers was a home to me for many years. 

I was truly honored when I was asked to join the team. I had one request. Let me review the 5YL run, or at least that run up to Zero Hour. 

I loved that run. Loved it. And I poured everything I had into those reviews. I have been running my Supergirl site for 17 years, reviewing all sorts of books there. 

I consider my 5YL reviews to be the high water mark of my comic criticism.

I recently celebrated a birthday and wanted to treat myself to something special. So I bought an extra copy of the 5YL Legion of Super-Heroes #13 and carefully removed the poster.

And then I went and got it framed.

And here it is hung up in my place.

It is a beautiful piece and it looks gorgeous displayed. So snazzy!

I think about this series a lot. As a lifetime Legion fan, this stands out as my favorite run. 

I am eternally grateful that I got to meet Keith Giffen and tell him how much I loved it.

SUPER ZEROES

Remember Zero Hour?
    Indeed, some fans would probably prefer to forget it. The series was done with the best of intentions, aiming to clear up various inconsistencies caused by the landmark Crisis on Infinite Earths. It promised to consolidate the inconsistent future timelines of the DC Universe into a new unity.

The Numbers Game

click to enlarge to Colossal Boy size

In September 1998, a poster of the DC Comics line-up was given out on the summer convention circuit. It included most of the company’s characters at the time, with the Legion represented by the three founders and Brainiac 5. Although the figures were small in comparison to the size of others, they were featured smack dab in the center of the poster.

Alex Ross and the Legion of Super-Heroes

Legion fans know Alex Ross created an absolute masterpiece with his wall poster depiction of Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes. It was produced in 1997 as a huge 29” x 54” Giclee print for the Warner Bros Studio Store Gallery, with a run of only 500. 

DC Super-Stars Society

It was a poorly-designed house advertisement that ran in DC Comics’ December 1977 issues. Looking like a statement of ownership and circulation more than a major announcement, the memo-style document outlined the formation of The DC Super-Stars Society fan club, in type so small you could forgive readers for accidentally ignoring it.

Art Institute of Zwen: Neal Adams & Dick Giordano

In 1975 DC Comics and Warner Bros. Books published the 1976 DC Comics Calendar. Each month featured a "poster" scene of one of DC's main characters. And who was chosen to start the whole thing off in January 1976? The Legion of Super-Heroes, illustrated by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, that's who!
This picture was on the wall in my room for years, not only because it was so cool, but also because it helped me learn who all of the Legionnaires were!
Long-time Legion fans will notice that this scene must occur between Superboy/Legion #203 (the death of Invisible Kid) and Superboy/Legion #212 (the resignation of Matter-Eater Lad).
As far as I know, these pictures have never been collected.
Neal Adams drew quite a few covers for the classic Adventure Comics run, which we will begin to spotlight throughout the new year.
Long Live the Legion!

The Art Institute of Zwen: James Sherman & Jack Abel

In the 1978 DC Calendar, each month featured a different hero versus a different bad guy.
For December, the poster was of the Legion of Super-Heroes facing off against The Toyman. Some of the Legion come back to 1978 to visit Karate Kid to help him celebrate Christmas. Karate Kid was back in the past due to events occurring in his then on-going series, Karate Kid.
Art was by James Sherman, who was the then-current Legion Of Super-Heroes artist, and Jack Abel.