Legion of Super-Heroes Archives (Vol.1)

Rating:
Summary: Coloring gaffes distract from fantastic content
Review: As a collection of essential comic book classics this can't be beat. Each one of these stories is a winner. Unfortunately, as one of the first editions in DC's Archive series it suffers from a number of production missteps that too often distract.
1.) Although like all DC Archive Editions this is printed on sturdy archival paper designed to last for ages, the dust jacket was not produced with logevity in mind. I have had my copy for ten years now and the dust jacket has already become very yellow. So yellow in fact that the Super-Hero Clubhouse on the cover has become the exact same color as the once-white background.
2.) A lot of noise was made by DC when these editions were first released regarding an extensive color reconstruction that, theoretically, was to remain faithful to the original material with the exception of minor corrections where neccessary. Sadly, the colorists involved in this edition took great liberties. Comparing the original comics with the Archive edition can be a real shock as some stories, for example the story introducing Ultra-Boy, seem to be colored without consulting the originals at all. Another annoying choice made by the colorists involves alterations of a 'retroactive continuity' sort. In the early stories there was always a scene near the end that showwed a handful of anonymous members of the Legion. In the Archive edition the colorists have changed the coloring on these unnamed characters to make them appear to be characters who would be introduced later (e.g. coloring a character green with yellow hair to make it appear Brainiac Five had been there from the first story). These coloring changes now become editorial decisions that do more harm than good. As for color corrections where neccessary, the Archive edition manages to make many mistakes that were never in the originals. Just witness the inconsistant all-yellow and sometimes yellow-and-red of Supergirl's "S" insignia on her cape. These mistakes are not present in the original comic.
3.) The coloring is made up of very large pixels that don't conform to any shapes other than rectangles. This was an early attempt at using the computer to color a comic, it didn't work that well and it's painful to behold. At the price these books are listed, one would have hoped DC would've worked out the kinks in their coloring software before using it on such a project. Another glaringly anachronistic coloring gaffe is made by continious use of an airbrush or spray paint effect (it honestly looks like it was applied using a mouse in an old MacPaint program). Airbrushing effects were simply impossible using the 4-color printing process of the late fifties and early sixties, and it really looks awful besides.
Now the good news: DC has had ten years to get it right and I can report that they have indeed. A comparison of this edition with Volume 11 will reveal all these issues have been corrected in later editions. But the mistakes in these early editions were never corrected...

Rating:
Summary: The births of heroes presented in a great format
Review: The DC Comics Archive Editions may come with a high price point, but it would be hard for any fan to argue he wasn't getting his money's worth. Where else could you get the entire history of the Legion of Super-Heroes (in order of publication, no less?) -- up to ELEVEN volumes now!

This first volume, of course, contains the first several appearances of the Legion and of Legion-related characters, back when they were mainly supporting members of the Superboy -- and later Supergirl -- cast. The Legion plays a very peripheral role in several of the stories -- the one where Supergirl is trying to find Superman a wife, for instance -- and in some the Legion doesn't appear at all (such as the Mon-El and Ultra Boy origin stories where the Legion is merely alluded to). Eventually the book makes it to the era where the Legion got their own serial -- "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes," and although members of the Super-family still appear in most of these, the Legion is finally being allowed to come into its own.

The characters introduced in this volume range from the inspiring (Brainiac 5, trying to atone for his ancestor's sins, the poor, exiled Mon-El, etc.) to the deliciously silly (I confess, I'm a big fan of Matter-Eater Lad and Bouncing Boy. I'm probably the ONLY fan of Matter-Eater Lad and Bouncing Boy) and this book also contains something that was pretty rare at the time -- the death of a superhero. You just didn't see that sort of thing in DC Comics in 1958.

I can't wait to pick up volume two. Oh -- and kudos to DC for keeping the cover design of their Archives uniform for so long. Unlike Marvel's similar "Masterworks" series, I can start my LSH Archives collection right now and I know that all eleven volumes will look like a set on my shelf once I've got them. It's a small thing, I know, but it's something I appreciate.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Start for the Legion
Review: Volume 1 of the Legion of Super-Heroes is an interesting look at their earliest appearances. The team grows in fits and starts as seen through other series (Superboy, Supergirl, and Superman) as a strange assortment of teens from the future appear in Smallville and Midvale for a wide variety of odd reasons. It is hard to keep track of the growing membership as many appear only in the background and main plot points often revolve around a new member appearing for the sake of the story, such as the rather odd Star Boy and the more interesting Ultra Boy storylines. Only near the end of the volume does the Legion itself get its own storylines and the early issues begin with a bang as the Legion suffers its first death, Lightning Lad. The promise of greatness is apparent in a few of the stories, if not quite delivered, but this volume is still essential for any Legion fan.