The following is from Comic Book Resources (09/10/13):

SALES ESTIMATES FOR AUgust, 2013

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
138	—	11.39	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #23	$2.99	14,600	-0.86%

Here are the continuing series titles on either side of the Legion book:

Star Wars Legacy II #6
Journey Into Mystery #655
All-Star Western #23
Fables #132
Batman: Li’l Gotham #5
Smallville: Season 11 #16
—> Legion of Super-Heroes v7 #23
Sex #6
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #5
Chin Music #2
Fairest #18
Batman: Arkham Unhinged #17
Angel and Faith #25
Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #8
Thief of Thieves #16

[The final issue of Legion of Super-Heroes.  The relative placement in the charts with resepct to other titles again remains consistent.]

Compare to July 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
161	—	11.15	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #22	$2.99	14,726	-1.82%

Compare to June 2013:

(not available)

Compare to May 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
142	—	12.04	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #20	$2.99	15,532	-3.01%

Compare to April 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
128	—	12.12	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #19	$2.99	16,014	-0.81%

Compare to March 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
132	—	11.71	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #18	$2.99	16,148	-0.58%

Compare to February 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
128	—	10.78	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #17	$2.99	16,242	-1.53%

The following is from The Buy Pile (08/22/13):

The BUy Pile for August 21, 2013

Kevin Maguire's artwork on Legion of Super-Heroes #23 was perfect, down to the facial expressions, but Levitz' story made the machinations of Coruscant's Galactic Senate seem like a roller coaster ride with the JLA and the Avengers by comparison.  Quite a lame ending for the future's finest super team.

The following is from Bleeding Cool (08/22/13):

Has The Legion Of Superheroes Been Shunted Off Into Earth 2?

So this week saw the final issue of the Legion of Super-Heroes.  In an epilogue, it featured this panel, with Bouncing Boy talking to Triplicate Girl:

Bleeding Cool reader Michael S. Lucart writes:

Unless that’s a tease for something coming up in “our” universe, that means that the Legion of the past 23 issues has been in the 31st century of Earth-2′s universe!  Could that mean that, potentially, the only time we’ve seen Lightning Lad and the others were in their Morrison-Action Comics cameo appearances?

How that pertains to the whole Legion Lost stuff I have no idea.  It’d be too much of a coincidence that all of the LL Legion (as well as the villains Alastor & Harvest) went back to the past and ended up in another universe.  But it would also add a bit more intrigue to the fact that when they returned to the 31st century, (“our” 31st century) they found the Legion headquarters in ruins.  Ironically enough Tyroc even wonders if they could’ve stumbled into a parallel universe!

Reader Wade Dove had a different theory;

Could the next major DC event be the Death Of Superman?  Again?

If that isn’t a clue to the next New 52 event, it certainly fits the direction DC appears to be heading with their characters.  Wonder Woman hangs out with the New Gods, now there is a Superman/Wonder Woman ongoing series.

Just let me also take a moment for the passing of the Legion.  I’ve read the Legion since I would steal my big brother’s issues of Adventure Comics.  Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes was my favorite comic book during its run.

A little trivia fact is that the Bronze-Age Ma & Pa Kent died because Superboy brought back a virus from the future and accidently exposed them to it.  Yes ladies and gentleman, Superman not only kills… but he committed matricide and patricide before packing his bags for the big city.

But what it the re-launch of the Legion in the New 52 never happened?

Sun Boy, a teenaged Bruce Wayne-like character who got superpowers, but never stopped acting like a millionaire playboy, would still be with us.  Maybe Phantom Girl is lost finding him.

Star Boy was originally likeable, but lame.  The multidimensional suit and medical condition in recent years, however, made him one of the most interesting, but sadly abandoned concepts.  Maybe he escaped death through his own uniform.

Mon-El wouldn’t be at risk of becoming the first Handi-capable member of the Superman Family.  Superman-strengthened crippled hero should be Captain Marvel Jr.’s niche.

In short there is only one last thing to say…“Long Live the Legion”.

The first theory seems to hold more water, but this could lead to a totally new Legion of Super-Heroes in the New 52, couldn’t it?

The following is from The Buy Pile (08/22/13):

THE BUY PILE FOR AUGUST 21, 2013

Kevin Maguire’s artwork on Legion of Super-Heroes #23 was perfect, down to the facial expressions, but Levitz’ story made the machinations of Coruscant’s Galactic Senate seem like a roller coaster ride with the JLA and the Avengers by comparison.  Quite a lame ending for the future’s finest super team.

The following is from Buzzfeed (08/15/13):

From The 31st Century Comes The History Of The Man Of Steel

18. Matter-Eater Lad

Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes
Powers: Eats matter in any and every form.
In his defense: No structure can hold him — he’ll just eat through it.

 

 

17. Bouncing Boy

Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes
Power: Inflates into a ball, bounces.
In his defense: He’s actually a pretty effective weapon, as long as he bounces himself in the right direction.

 

 

14. Stone Boy

Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes
Powers: Turns self into stone, at which point he becomes immobile.
In his defense: He eventually learned how to move in his stone form.  Good for him!

 

 

13. Arm-Fall-Off Boy

Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes
Powers: Detaches his arms for use as blunt weapons.
In his defense: It would really hurt to be hit over the head with an arm.

 

 

4. Color Kid

Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes
Powers: Changes the color of any object at will.
In his defense: The world is prettier with Color Kid in4 it.

 

 

3. Rainbow Girl

Affiliation: Legion of Substitute Heroes
Powers: Wields the power of the emotional spectrum, leading to unpredictable mood swings.
In her defense: She’s apparently very charming for a confusing and ambiguously sexist creation.

 

The following is from Comic Book Resources (08/13/13):

SALES ESTIMATES FOR JuLY, 2013

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
161	—	11.15	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #22	$2.99	14,726	-1.82%

Here are the continuing series titles on either side of the Legion book:

All-Star Western #22
Batman Beyond Unlimited #18
Wolverine: in THE Flesh #1
Fables #131
Smallville: Season 11 #15
Superman Unchained — Director’s Cut #1
Batman: Zero Year — Directors Cut #1
Invincible #104
—> Legion of Super-Heroes v7 #22
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #4
Uber #3
The Movement #3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: THE New Animated Adventures #1
Sonic the Hedgehog #250
Thief of Thieves #15
X-O Manowar #15

[Legion of Super-Heroes has only one issue to go, and sales keep dumping.  The switch away from Giffen in this storyline couldn’t have helped.  Despite sales dropping, though, the relative placement in the charts with resepct to other titles has remained consistent.]

Compare to June 2013:

(not available)

Compare to May 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
142	—	12.04	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #20	$2.99	15,532	-3.01%

Compare to April 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
128	—	12.12	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #19	$2.99	16,014	-0.81%

Compare to March 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
132	—	11.71	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #18	$2.99	16,148	-0.58%

Compare to February 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
128	—	10.78	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #17	$2.99	16,242	-1.53%

Compare to January 2013:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
122	—	11.30	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #16	$2.99	16,494	-2.47%
141	—	9.26	Legion Lost #16 (FINAL ISSUE)	$2.99	13,510	-3.53%

Compare to December 2012:

QTY RANK	DOLLAR RANK	INDEX	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	EST. SALES	% CHANGE
117	—	11.16	LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #15	$2.99	16,911	-4.83%
146	—	9.24	Legion Lost #15	$2.99	14,004	-5.17%

Compare to November 2012:

(not available)

The following is from Bleeding Cool (07/16/13):

From The 31st Century Comes The History Of The Man Of Steel

This new tome looks at the history of Superman as compiled through newspaper clippings, photos and stories by the Man of Steel’s futuristic friend and Legion of Super-Heroes member Brainiac 5.  Writen by the real-life Matthew Manning, this 312-page hard-bound book is crafted as a tribute from a admirer in the 31st century and to be cherished by fans here in the 21st as well.

Far into the future, the legacy of the world’s greatest Super Hero endures . The Superman Files (Andrews McMeel Publishing, November, $75) celebrates the triumphs and trials of 75 years of the Man of Steel in the most comprehensive and complete chronicle of his life ever created.

One thousand years from now, a group of super-powered teenagers are inspired by Superman’s legacy.  As the Legion of Super-Heroes, they dedicate their lives to fighting crime and protecting the citizens of the United Planets.  Like many in our current time, members of the 31st Century Legion idolize Superman.  They frequent the Superman Museum, marvel at tales of his past, and a few of them even travel back in time to Clark Kent’s teenage years.  In a future without precise records of the 21st Century, Brainiac 5 (a highly intelligent descendant of Superman’s arch foe, the original Brainiac) takes it upon himself to compile a tribute to his hero and friend.  Collecting accounts from a myriad of sources, he compiles the greatest historical record in the universe of the life and times of the Man of Steel in The Superman Files.

Produced in conjunction with DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Andrews McMeel Publishing is proud to present Brainiac’s groundbreaking volume outlining the history and evolution of the heroic icon.  From recounting Superman’s birth on Krypton as Kal-El and his voyage to Earth onward, The Superman Files provides a fascinating look at the enigmatic figure that millions of fans call their own Super Hero.

Details about Clark’s friends — including his beloved Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and seasoned newspaper editor Perry White, as well as Superman’s adversaries Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Doomsday, and Bizarro, appear throughout this remarkable treasure of Superman facts.

A formidable volume filled with exquisite detail, The Superman Files is the perfect gift, a must-have for hardcore Superman fans, and a collector’s dream sure to thrill fans past, present, and future.

Among its features:

• Secrets of the daily life of Clark Kent
• Daily Planet newspaper articles and eyewitness accounts of Superman’s exploits
• Never-before-seen childhood mementos and journal entries by Clark Kent
• Top-secret case data only known to Superman
• Favorite destinations in Metropolis
• Surviving artifacts from Krypton
• Schematics for the Fortress of Solitude and other technology employed by Superman
• Files from Stryker’s Island Prison
• Hundreds of images of Superman’s enemies and allies

The book can be preordered on on Amazon.com.

The following is from Comic Book Resources (07/01/13):

LEVITZ BIDS “LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES” FAREWELL

DC Comics’ Legion of Super-Heroes began life in the late ’50s in the Silver Age pages of Adventure Comics as a group of 30th century teenagers inspired by Superboy to form a super hero club.  Growing in popularity over the ’60s the group began to headline Adventure Comics, eventually branching out into their own solo title, aptly named Legion of Super-Heroes.

After two years in the New 52, the long-running adventures of the Legion are coming to a close.  It was announced in May that Legion of Super-Heroes would be cancelled with August’s issue #23, along with Demon Knights and Dial H.  But while the news came as a blow to modern Legion fans, as ex-DC President and longtime Legion writer Paul Levitz pointed out the Legion has always come back “in one form or another.”

Levitz first wrote Legion back in the 1970s, working with artist James Sherman to write one of the Legion’s most ambitious stories at that time, the galactic “Earthwar” arc.  His next turn on the futuristic super team came in the ’80s where he worked alongside artist Keith Giffen, famously writing “The Great Darkness Saga” that helped define the Legion at that time.  Levitz would then return to the series shortly before the 2011 DC relaunch and continued writing through the New 52, first with artist Francis Portela and then with artist Kevin Maguire.

Looking ahead to the end of the comic and back to his previous turns with the characters, Levtiz spoke with Comic Book Resources about Legion, his time on the series and why he doesn’t think he’ll be coming back a fourth go ’round with the futuristic teens.

CBR News: Let’s talk about Legion, which we know is ending in August.  Since this isn’t your first rodeo with these characters, how did it feel to come back to the characters in the New 52 versus the first time you tackled Legion of Super-Heroes?

Paul Levitz: Well this is the third time because my first run was ’76 to ’78 and then I came back on it from about ’80 to ’85.  It was weird but kind of wonderful as I was coming back to writing for the first time in almost, what, sixteen years?  So to be able to come back and start with characters that were old friends in so many ways was a very nice feeling.  And its sad to say goodbye to them in this fashion, but I really had so much fun working with them for so long it’s time to let other people get a chance to do something fresh with them, whatever that next incarnation will be.  I’m sure there will be one at some point.

Especially since we restarted the whole DC Universe with the New 52, how do you look at the Legion now versus when you first started writing them decades ago?  Have the characters changed, or has your perspective on them changed a great deal?

I think both of those things are true, but the biggest change is the audience.  When I began writing Legion in the ’70s the universal assumption was that comics were for kids and maybe Legion was for slightly brighter kids, a hair older kids than some of the other titles in the DC lineup at the time, and certainly was perceived to have a larger fan base.  But there was no assumption at that time that there was likely to be anybody thirty years-old reading Legion and people in their twenties reading it were looked at with a little bit of suspicion.  Now you have an audience for the books that includes, based on the people I’ve met at conventions who talk about reading it, young kids who discovered it fresh which is wonderful and people who are in their fifties and sixties to everything in between.  That’s a very different world.

Working on the New 52 version, did you keep that in mind, that you were trying to write for the older fans and those in their 20s and 30s who are now the ones primarily buying comics?

It was part of what you try to pay attention to.  The other part is even for the younger people we’re living in a different time that the heroes emerged.  When I began writing comics long before the era of the Internet, now if you’re writing a story and you include a reference to something that is unfamiliar people can take two seconds, Google it, and there it is.  So you have a little more courage putting in references to more unusual places, more unusual pieces of history, scientific theories and I think that’s coming to the work a little bit too.

What was the biggest challenge wrapping up the book for August, sending off both the universe and ending the series altogether?

It’s coming at the end of a massive storyline that Keith [Giffen] and I started and both had some influence on but there were a lot of missing pieces to be wrapped up.  Hopefully, if I’ve done my job right, there’s some stuff in the final issue that will make the long-term fans smile and make the people who came in with that story smile.

When you first began on this incarnation you also wrote a standalone miniseries, Legion: Secret Origin.  While the ongoing ends in August, would you want to come back and do more miniseries like that where we explore individual characters or points in Legion history?

I think I’ve probably written as many Legion stories as anyone ought to write of any one character over the years!  I wouldn’t run from it if the guys came down the hall and said, “Can you do this?”  It’s an honorable pile of paper — but it’s time enough to do some other stuff.

What would that other stuff entail?  Would you want to take on different properties at DC, or would you want to do something entirely outside the realm of superheroes or do a creator-owned work?

Sure, I mean the last “creator-owned” project I did was in 1978 with Steve Ditko before the term creator-owned came into the language of comics particularly.  It would certainly be interesting to go back and do something like that at that point.  I have some book projects I’m working on now that will be part of the game but who knows where comics stuff and the rest of it will lead?  I’m enjoying doing a mixture of writing and teaching right now and we’ll see where the balance goes. 

Looking back at your three eras on the book, is there a Legion story — either one you had a hand in or one by another writer — that you feel really cuts to the heart of who these characters are and what’s compelling about Legion of Super-Heroes?

There’s some great stories from my childhood that were both Jim [Shooter’s]: the “Fatal Five” story that Ferro Lad died in, which was just a great heroic moment, and the “Adult Legion” story right after that.  It looked ahead in an unusual fashion for the time about what could happen to all the characters going forward and those were both really wonderful pieces of work.

Out of my own material I certainly bow to the general audience in thinking “Great Darkness” was my favorite.  I’m very fond of the Universo four-parter that I did and certainly the arc with Sensor Girl, I think both were strong stories.  And the very first arc from the Baxter book, “An Eye For An Eye” with the death of Karate Kid, that had some very special moments in it.

Is there anything you’re really glad you had the opportunity to write an ending to, or revisit from threads you started years ago?

I had a couple of moments in the last issue that made me smile and hopefully will make some of the long-time readers smile.  Even if it was as simple as getting the Science Police motto in the last issue for two seconds, we’ll see who responds to what piece of it.  I tried for some nice moments; Kevin [Maguire’s] art is due at any moment and I’m looking forward to seeing that, he’s been doing wonderful, emotional work.

You can’t wrap up as diverse a universe as Legion tying everything up neatly, but I tried to pull a bunch of my loose threads together, and hopefully did!

Legion of Super-Heroes ends with issue #23, on sale August 21.

The following is from Newsarama (06/27/13):

Top 10 Villain-Superhero SIBLING RIVALRIES

6. MEKT RANZZ

Superhero Relative: Lightning Lad (brother), Lightning Lass (sister)

Supervillain Origin: OK, as a Legion of Super-Heroes villain, it’s almost a given that Mekt’s backstory is going to be a little wacky, right?  The short version is this: he’s jealous that he doesn’t have a twin because everyone else on his planet does, so he’d declared war on the universe (and, in particular, his siblings) as a result.  Which, let’s face it, is as sensible as anything else in a world where Bouncing Boy exists.

Jail or Family Therapy?  Definitely the latter.  The whole “Hating everyone because I don’t have a twin” thing is classic transference.  The man just needs a hug.  Or someone to pretend to be his long-lost twin.