assault Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 I've started taking notes on the characters in the current Legion of Super-Heroes series, with an eye to modelling them in HERO. As much as possible, I'm going to rely only on the current series, and not on any previous continuity. I'm currently only using issues 1-3. Subsequent issues will no doubt require an upgrade in their abilities. Because of the size of the cast even in those three issues, I'm going to have to make my notes in stages. I also need to stress that these are literally notes made while reading, and aren't necessarily easy to read. To start with: Mon-El, Ultra Boy, and another Daxamite These are the benchmark characters for invulnerability, super-strength, super-speed, super-senses and generally all things super. WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS! --- Mon-El Aka Lar Gand Homeworld: Daxam Abilities: Super-Strength, Speed, Senses, Flight and Invulnerability. Strength capable of lifting a large statue. Former Green Lantern. Brainiac 5: "Your Daxamite abilities still make you the most powerful legionnaire, so you should be up to any challenge we face…" Rivalry with B5. FTL Life Support Break through a wall. N-Ray. Acrobatics. Rivalry with Shadow Lass? Dependence: anti-lead serum. Mon-El: ”Let's just say I'm a little more used to action in shadow…" B5: "A wise man knows when not to comment, my friend." Renegade Aka Res-Vir Homeworld: Daxam Vision capable of seeing Chameleon Boy as a bug. One punch Chameleon Boy. Dependence: anti-lead serum Hearing capable of locating Phantom Girl from her whispers. Ultra Boy Aka Jo Nah Homeworld: Rimbor Abilities: Able to use one power at a time - Ultra-Vision, Strength, Speed, or Invulnerability. Vision capable of destroying stealth capsules, which were capable of orbital entry. Could have been designed for self-destruction. N-ray vision Telescopic? Vision Superspeed - impressive, but not unusual movement. Strength - presumably capable of destroying tower, but interrupted. Throw big chunk of rock. Summary: Strength and Invulnerability relate to each other with few outside benchmarks. Analysis of other characters (eg Sun Boy) and spaceships might provide more information. There's nothing here which is obviously outside the power level of standard 350 point supers. The variety of abilities shown would probably push Mon-El into the 450 point range though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted November 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Today I'm going to cheat and cover some of the characters who don't get to do a lot in these issues. Because they don't do much, this post isn't particularly spoileriffic. Unfortunately, it means it not particularly useful in modelling these characters, or setting power level benchmarks. I'm clearly going to have to refer to other issues to represent them properly. Hopefully the Levitz Legion and Legion Academy stories of the last year or two will provide enough material. I'll finish with these three issues first though. Colossal Boy Aka Gim Allon Homeworld: Earth Abilities: Giant Growth Currently serving in Starfleet In mourning for wife, and rather depressed in general. Powers relevant to strength comparisons. Cosmic Boy Aka Rokk Krinn Homeworld: Braal Abilities: Magnetic Manipulation Former Legion leader Apparent leading subteam Bossy Rivalry with any Legion leader who isn't himself. Contact with Daxamites - long history with them. Lightning Lass Aka Ayla Ranzz Homeworld: Winath Abilities: Electrical Generation Doing ship stuff - piloting Shrinking Violet Aka Salu Digby Homeworld: Imsk Abilities: Able to shrink to microscopic size. Doing ship stuff Invisible Kid Aka Jacques Foccart Homeworld: Earth Abilities: Invisibility Doing ship stuff -communications (Uhura boy!) Dream Girl Aka Nura Nal Homeworld: Naltor Abilities: Precognition Doing science-y stuff Apparent leading subteam Star Boy Aka Thom Kallor Homeworld: Xanthu Abilities: Induce mass to increase weight Injured In science lab, and presumably useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Mhoram Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Ultra Boy Just don't forget to model his powers one at a time - the man that gave his name to the Ultra (fixed) slot in a multi-power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Just don't forget to model his powers one at a time - the man that gave his name to the Ultra (fixed) slot in a multi-power. My Favorite LSH issue of all time, is the one where Ultra Boy Beats up the Pre Crisis Legion. ~Rex...Notes the Ultra Boy build should be paid close attention to, while it is just one power at a time it's more that he focuses the Ultra Energy into various parts of his body at a given time. That's why he can use "Ultra Strength" and pop a daxamite in the face without pulping his own hands. DC Heroes did a really good job stating him out once and a so so job the second time (between the LSH supplement and the Who's Who supplements...), gonna be tricky to do in HERO..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Mhoram Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members My Favorite LSH issue of all time, is the one where Ultra Boy Beats up the Pre Crisis Legion. Was that the one where he was on the run for murder and suckers Mon and Superboy into move-throughing each other. I loved that issue. One of the things I liked about the Threeboot legion was Kal teaching Jo how to focus, and how to switch his focus faster. I just loved the Martial artist teaching one of the potentially most powerful legionnaires how to use his powers better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Was that the one where he was on the run for murder and suckers Mon and Superboy into move-throughing each other. I loved that issue. One of the things I liked about the Threeboot legion was Kal teaching Jo how to focus, and how to switch his focus faster. I just loved the Martial artist teaching one of the potentially most powerful legionnaires how to use his powers better. Yep that's the issue, he basically flattens the Entire Legion while trying to prove that he is innocent. Since he can only really do one trick at a time, he's Really good at those tricks. Ultraboy still remains probably if not my favorite Legionnaire, pretty darn close to the top. Without digging out the issue, I want to say that's also the issue where he does some Vacuum exposure feats of Super Strength as well and some of his Use a Power Switch to another and so forth combo's are really well laid out in that issue. You also see what particular power actually got him in and kept him in the Legion, and what makes it different then similar powers Others have. ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephrosyne Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members I really look forward to seeing your work here. The Legion is my favorite superhero team. I actually discovered the team when I bought a supplement for the Mayfair DC Heroes game (late 80's) and started grabbing old, worn copies of their comics from a local used book store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted November 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members My biggest problem is attention span. I've still got twelve characters on my to do list, and that's just the three issues I've been working through. Then there's Legion Lost, the previous Legion run and the stories in Adventure Comics that ran parallel to that. Not to mention upcoming issues... Legion Lost is relevant, since it's set in the 21st Century, and thus involves interaction between Legionnaires and present day technology. We may not know what a starship's stats are, but current day stuff is fairly well documented. Of course, that raises the issue that mundane technology is very tough compared to superbeings in BtB HERO, which would suggest that the Legion really are built on massive point totals. But that's a problem for all characters that are meant to be relatively high powered. The Legion Academy stories in Adventure are relevant both for filling in the background of the Academy graduate characters that appear in the current series and more importantly for filling in the skills that a Legionnaire is likely to have. It seems likely that Legionnaires who never attended the academy would usually have acquired equivalent skills through other forms of training, not to mention field experience. Finally, the current Legion series is clearly intended to be in the same continuity as the previous one, which was also written by Paul Levitz, and harks back to the Good Old Days of Levitz' previous run back in the 80s - one of the Legion's finest periods. This is the Legion as it was meant to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Just stick to the current Legion. If you scatter out into the "other" stuff, you won't make it back intact. ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew_A Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Yep that's the issue, he basically flattens the Entire Legion while trying to prove that he is innocent. Since he can only really do one trick at a time, he's Really good at those tricks. Ultraboy still remains probably if not my favorite Legionnaire, pretty darn close to the top. Without digging out the issue, I want to say that's also the issue where he does some Vacuum exposure feats of Super Strength as well and some of his Use a Power Switch to another and so forth combo's are really well laid out in that issue. You also see what particular power actually got him in and kept him in the Legion, and what makes it different then similar powers Others have. ~Rex I haven't read that story, but I know the one you're talking about. I really want to see that one. What issue was it? I know it was sometime before the Earthwar arc. And I'm with you, Jo and Val are my two favorite Legionnaires, hands down. It's just a shame what DCs writers keep doing to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Mhoram Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Yep that's the issue, he basically flattens the Entire Legion while trying to prove that he is innocent. Since he can only really do one trick at a time, he's Really good at those tricks. Ultraboy still remains probably if not my favorite Legionnaire, pretty darn close to the top. Without digging out the issue, I want to say that's also the issue where he does some Vacuum exposure feats of Super Strength as well and some of his Use a Power Switch to another and so forth combo's are really well laid out in that issue. You also see what particular power actually got him in and kept him in the Legion, and what makes it different then similar powers Others have. ~Rex I can still see in my minds eye the panels of Him, SB and Mon flying - seen from a distance as only their blurs - and the voice saying something like "And while you are very powerful, you choose to hang around the two people more powerful than you. Which makes it so much sweeter when you defeat them" and the last panel has Jo pulled up - one leg raised - stopping his flight while Mon and SB slam into each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members I haven't read that story' date=' but I know the one you're talking about. I [i']really[/i] want to see that one. What issue was it? I know it was sometime before the Earthwar arc. And I'm with you, Jo and Val are my two favorite Legionnaires, hands down. It's just a shame what DCs writers keep doing to them. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #239 .....Got one sealed and Official like hanging on the wall. Got another bagged and boarded so I can still read it when I want. Not to hard to find at a good comic shop or con. The actual story is called Murder Most Foul. ~Rex.... Levitz on the Story for that one. Starlin on Pencils. Joe Rubenstein did the cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted December 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Three more characters down, nine to go. Reading the same three issues over and over again is making my brain hurt, though. Still, they are useful benchmark characters, which tend to support not needing excessive power levels to model these characters. Phantom Girl Aka Tinya Wazzo Homeworld: Bgztl Abilities: Intangibility Desol, duh. Legion training and skills. Legion equipment - this is how she can breathe while underground. Able to sabotage a starship - use of skills. Actually the biggest destroyer of ships in the big space fight. Sun Boy Aka Dirk Morgna Homeworld: Earth Abilities: Solar Energy Generation and Manipulation Vaguely Human Torch like visual effects "… on a planet, you'd melt through the ground if you got that hot!" "It's all in how you focus -- you'll learn." Destroys missiles, not starships. Polar Boy Aka Brek Bannin Homeworld: Tharr Abilities: Cold Control "However much shielding they put on these arks to keep out the cold of space, they need sensors to feed data inside… and that's a highway for some absolute cold waves… which their systems aren't built to handle." (ship goes boom) Find weakness? Phantom Girl demonstrated that Legionnaires are trained to deal with these particular vessels, so they would possibly gain pluses to such rolls. Conclusion: powers are capable of destroying missiles. Destroying ships requires taking advantage of a loophole. Earlier comment on a group of Legionnaires not including Sun Boy and Polar Boy: "In any case I observe none of the truly dangerous legionnaires." This could be construed as Mon-El and other "truly dangerous Legionnaires" being perceived as a direct threat to starships in terms of just punching them out, but could just be taken to mean that they can do what Polar Boy did and bypass their defences. It's not strictly necessary to assume massive power levels to do this - just stacks of skills, skill levels and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted December 4, 2011 Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Just to note....Phantom Girls power really isn't Just Intangibility, it's Extra Dimensional Movement since in the majority of her incarnations, Bgtzl is actually a planet in the Phantom Zone (Or Strongly Connected to it) (Exists, btw, In all but One issue basically so that could just be a writer Whoopsie). She can also See into that dimension (and communicate with it's inhabitants) from the mainstream one, and her powers are basically a function of phasing back and forth between the normal dimension and the Phantom Zone...She's got a few other tricks she can pull off as well. ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted December 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Since that hasn't been mentioned in the current series, it is irrelevant to what I am trying to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Well they can't go into the total backgrounds of every member every issue, especially with the relaunch issues only being up to #3 or so, but you're still talking about a comic series that's basically run since 1958, and since the the current Legion guys are just rolling through with their patched and fixed version (Instead of doing a "relaunch"), it's should all be relevant if you want any accuracy in the representation at all. Toss in long term Legion Fans who remember things like "Cosmic Boy's Worst Costume Ever" and more then a few folks are going to be interested in and looking for a lot of that Irrelevant stuff. ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Just to note....Phantom Girls power really isn't Just Intangibility' date=' it's Extra Dimensional Movement since in the majority of her incarnations, Bgtzl is actually a planet in the Phantom Zone (Or Strongly Connected to it) (Exists, btw, In all but One issue basically so that could just be a writer Whoopsie). She can also See into that dimension (and communicate with it's inhabitants) from the mainstream one, and her powers are basically a function of phasing back and forth between the normal dimension and the Phantom Zone...She's got a few other tricks she can pull off as well.[/quote'] Since that hasn't been mentioned in the current series' date=' it is irrelevant to what I am trying to do.[/quote'] Is this including the Legion - Secret Origin miniseries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Is this including the Legion - Secret Origin miniseries? Good catch on that. I need to take a closer look at it. The location of Bgtzl isn't explicit in issue 1, except that PG mentions that she came through a wormhole. In short, the Phantom Zone stuff is still non-canonical for what I'm trying to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted January 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Re: Notes on current Legion of Super-Heroes members Arise evil thread! I may be able to continue it soon, and in any case I want to be able to find my notes when I'm not at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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