''Legends'' was a
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
story line that ran through a six-issue, self-titled
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
and various other titles published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
in
1986 and
1987. Each of the individual crossover/tie-in issues had a ''Legends Chapter
#'' header added to their
trade dress
Trade dress is the characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging (or even the design of a building) that signify the source of the product to consumers. Trade dress is an aspect of trademark law, which is a form of intelle ...
.
The series was plotted by
John Ostrander
John Ostrander (born April 20, 1949) is an American writer of comic books, including '' Suicide Squad'', ''Grimjack'' and '' Star Wars: Legacy''.
Career
Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes ...
, scripted by
Len Wein, pencilled by
John Byrne, and inked by
Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel (born January 7, 1959, Victor, New York) is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics. He is a member of Periscope Studio and is best known for his collaborations with fellow artis ...
.
Publication history
The six issues of the ''Legends'' series could be read as an abbreviated story by themselves, or all 22 chapters could be read as a longer story that included the ''Legends'' issues as well as issues from other titles including ''
Batman'', ''
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'', and ''
Secret Origins''. It was also the first major
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
crossover after the events of ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
''.
''Legends'' served mainly as a launching pad for several new comic series, including the latter-day ''
Flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
'' title,
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comics artist and writer. He is known for his work for DC Comics on their '' Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of Lobo.
Biography ...
and
J. M. DeMatteis
John Marc DeMatteis (; born December 15, 1953) is an American writer of comic books, television and novels.
Biography
Early career
J. M. DeMatteis's earliest aspirations were to be a rock musician and comic book artist. He began playing in ban ...
' comedy/action take on the ''
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
'', and the villain-based black ops ''
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
''.
The series also saw the
post-Crisis
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Ma ...
introduction into the DC Universe of
Captain Marvel (who was spun off in the miniseries ''
Shazam!: The New Beginning'') as well as
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
, who had been rebooted by DC Comics at the same time ''Legends'' was being published.
Plot
Darkseid makes a wager with the mysterious
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
that he can turn humanity against its heroes. To win the bet, Darkseid sends his minion
Glorious Godfrey
Glorious Godfrey is a DC Comics supervillain who is part of The Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s.
Publication history
Glorious Godfrey first appeared in ''The Forever People'' #3 (June 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.
In ...
to Earth, where Godfrey uses the sound of his voice to control people's minds and turn them against Earth's heroes. To further his scheme, Darkseid sends a fire elemental called
Brimstone to Earth to defeat the Detroit-based
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
along with
Firestorm
A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...
and a time-traveling
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy (Rokk Krinn) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics Universe. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion ...
. Darkseid also arranges for the cyborg villain Macro-Man to be killed by the mystic lightning that Captain Marvel uses to change into Billy Batson, and Captain Marvel is blamed by the media for Macro-Man's death.
Batman suffers his own loss when
Robin (Jason Todd) is trampled by a crazed mob. Fearing widespread panic, President
Ronald Reagan (the U.S. Commander-in-Chief at the time of publication) declares
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
and bans all superheroic activities in America. This angers several members of Reagan's department of defense, who - at the behest of
Amanda Waller
Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...
- activate "Project: Task Force X", a.k.a. the
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
. Recruiting a team of expendable imprisoned supervillains, Amanda Waller has the Suicide Squad destroy Brimstone.
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of multiple superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version of the character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More F ...
is forced to intervene when Glorious Godfrey uses his army of followers to invade Washington, DC.
Dr. Fate organizes
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
,
Batman,
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
,
Captain Marvel,
Guy Gardner Guy Gardner may refer to:
* Guy Gardner (astronaut) (born 1948), United States Air Force officer and former astronaut
* Guy Gardner (character)
Guy Gardner, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic ...
,
Black Canary,
Changeling
A changeling, also historically referred to as an auf or oaf, is a human-like creature found in folklore throughout Europe. A changeling was believed to be a fairy that had been left in place of a human (typically a child) stolen by other fairi ...
,
The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
, and the
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes who appear in a number of American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939. The most recent of the companies to own rights to Blue Beetle is DC Comics, which bought the ri ...
to oppose Glorious Godfrey. They are joined by the
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
, who responds to a JLA distress call from the President. They defeat the forces of Glorious Godfrey, including Darkseid's cyborg Hounds of War. The masses are freed from Godfrey's power when Robin gathers an army of children untouched by Godfrey's powers to serve as a human shield between the heroes and Godfrey. Godfrey strikes one of the children, and the shock frees the mob from his power. Godfrey is defeated when he steals Dr. Fate's helmet and puts it on, rendering him mindless. In the aftermath, the Martian Manhunter, Batman, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Captain Marvel and Dr. Fate form a new
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
. Superman and the Flash decline membership, stating that they will assist if needed, Wonder Woman quietly exits and Changeling opts to remain with the
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
.
Story chronology
The official reading order was announced as follows by DC Comics:
* Chapter 1 Cross-over: ''
Batman'' #401 (November 1986): "A Bird in the Hand..."
* Chapter 2 Cross-over: ''
Detective Comics'' #568 (November 1986): "Eyrie"
* ''Legends'' #1 (November 1986): "Once Upon A Time...!"
* Chapter 3 Cross-over: ''
Green Lantern Corps'' vol. 1 #207 (December 1986): "Simple Minds"
* ''Legends'' #2 (December 1986): "Breach of Faith!"
* Chapter 4 Spin-off: ''
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy (Rokk Krinn) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics Universe. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion ...
'' #1 (December 1986): "Those Who Will Not Learn the Lessons of History..."
* Chapter 5 Cross-over: ''
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in '' The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceive ...
'' #258 (January 1987): "The End of the Justice League of America: Saving Face"
* Chapter 6 Spin-off: ''
Secret Origins'' vol. 2 #10 (January 1987): "The Phantom Stranger"
* Chapter 7 Cross-over: ''
The Fury of Firestorm
Firestorm is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond (character), Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein fused together debuted as the first incarnation in ''Firestorm, the Nucl ...
'' #55 (January 1987): "The Stench of Brimstone"
* ''Legends'' #3 (January 1987): "Send For... the Suicide Squad!"
* Chapter 8 Spin-off: ''Cosmic Boy'' #2 (January 1987): "Is History Destiny?"
* Chapter 9 Cross-over: ''Justice League of America'' #259 (February 1987): "The End of the Justice League of America: Homecoming"
* Chapter 10 Cross-over: ''Firestorm, the Nuclear Man'' #56 (February 1987): "Firestorm No More"
* Chapter 11 Cross-over: ''
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes who appear in a number of American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939. The most recent of the companies to own rights to Blue Beetle is DC Comics, which bought the ri ...
'' vol. 6 #9 (February 1987): "Timepiece!"
* ''Legends'' #4 (February 1987): "Cry Havoc...!"
* Chapter 12 Cross-over: ''
Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
'' vol. 1, #114 (February 1987): "When A Legend Dies"
* Chapter 13 Spin-off: ''Cosmic Boy'' #3 (February 1987): "Past, Present...and Future"
* Chapter 14 Cross-over: ''Justice League of America'' #260 (March 1987): "The End of the Justice League of America: Flesh"
* Chapter 15 Cross-over: ''Blue Beetle'' vol. 6 #10 (March 1987): "Time on His Hands"
* Chapter 16 Cross-over: ''Warlord'' vol. 1 #115 (March 1987): "The Citadel of Fear"
* Chapter 17 Cross-over: ''
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'' vol. 2 #3 (March 1987): "Legends From the Darkside"
* Chapter 18 Cross-over: ''
Adventures of Superman'' #426 (March 1987): "From the Dregs"
* Chapter 19 Cross-over: ''
Action Comics
''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/ magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics Publications ...
'' #586 (March 1987): "The Champion!"
* ''Legends'' #5 (March 1987): "Let Slip the Dogs of War"
* Chapter 20 Spin-off: ''Cosmic Boy'' #4 (March 1987): "Time Without End"
* Chapter 21 Cross-over: ''Justice League of America'' #261 (April 1987): "The End of the Justice League of America: Last Stand"
* ''Legends'' #6 (April 1987): "Finale!"
* Chapter 22 Spin-off: ''Secret Origins'' vol. 2 #14 (May 1987): "The Secret Origin of the Suicide Squad"
Collections
A
trade paperback ''Legends: The Collection'' () was published in 1993 collecting the entire 6-issue limited series.
The three ''Superman'' issues have been collected in Volume 2 of the ''Superman: The Man of Steel'' trade paperback series and Volume 1 of "Superman: The Man of Steel" hardcover collection.
DC Comics published ''Legends 30th Anniversary Edition'' () in June 2016. It includes ''Legends'' #1-6. The crossover/tie-in issues are not included. This edition was made available for purchase in both print and digital formats.
The ''Batman'' issue was collected neither in the ''Batman: Second Chances'' trade paperback nor in Volume 1 of the ''Batman: The Caped Crusader'' trade paperback series.
The ''Detective Comics'' issue has been collected in Volume 2 of the ''Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told'' (focusing on Catwoman and the Penguin) and Volume 1 of the ''Batman: The Dark Knight Detective'' trade paperback series.
The "Green Lantern Corps" issue has been collected in Volume 1 of "Green Lantern Corps: Beware Their Power" hardcover.
References
{{Justice League International
Comics by John Byrne (comics)
Comics by John Ostrander
Comics by Len Wein
Justice League storylines
Cultural depictions of Ronald Reagan