February 26, 2006
LEGION OF SUPERHEROES ANIMATED SERIES NEWS
Ok. Excuse me while I geek out on here for the next 100 lines or so. I'm a Comic book geek, and have followed the Legion of Superheroes (LSH) since the 4th grade. Long ago I acquired every panel appearance, slurpee cup, and promotional item that had anything to do with the LSH. So excuse the hell outta me if I am looking forward to the upcoming LSH cartoon that will replace the recently cancelled Teen Titans cartoon.
I tried to hold off getting to excited for a while. An LSH cartoon was talked about and abandoned years ago. This time however it really looks like it's going to happen. The Justice Leage Unlimited episode that airs in 2 weeks will test the water a bit with an featuring the LSH. This however will be based on the designs of Bruce Timm. Bruce Timm is the genius that guided Batman the animated series, Superman TAS, and Justice League Unlimited thus far. JLU is his swansong with the DC universe charcters and Warner Bros has moved towards a more Japanimation style with Teen Titans ( love that J-Pop theme song). Legion looks like it will follow along with that "neo-jap", super-deformed anime style.
A few charecter designs have begun leaking out. These may not even be the designs chosen ( several designers have been commisioned) but it gives us a glimpse of where they are headed.
The First of the designs comes from OVI NEDECLU who's worked on WB cartoon Static Shock as well as Juniper Lee. She's also part of the design team for Neil Gaiman's Coraline.
CLICK ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE
I like this style a lot. But the idea that XS as a woman of color has big thighs and a ghetto booty seems kinda racist to me. She runs at super speed for chissakes! I'm thinking she'd work that ass off in no time flat. I also like the fact that Timberwolf has his "oldschool" costume from the 1960's.
I like the way Brainiac 5 is portrayed here but Saturn Girl's bell bottem type pants have got to go!
Below are designs by Ben Caldwell from the Star Wars: Clone Wars 'toon. His designes are already rejected but I posted them here anyhow.
I Like Brainiac 5's look here as well. It's very reminiscent of his evil ancestor...just not AS evil.
Young Clark Kent looks very 2006 here. It looks like he could come right out of my kids middle school. I like the skater-boy look on the left the best of all.
and here is Clark as Superboy...
Saturn Girl is about what I'd expect. I like the way her hair stands on end when using her power in the image at far right.
My favorite of all the Ben Caldwell Designs is the Timber Wolf design. Looks like he'll be able to turn into the FURBALL version of timberwolf at will. I hated the FURBALL charecterization of Timber wolf but in a cartoon aimed at kids it would be right on target.
Posted by wayneb at February 26, 2006 10:05 AM
Please, oh, please let this come to pass. A successful cartoon means...toys!
They look cute but I'd prefer the Bruce Timm design of animation. If its indeed his swansong, that means we won't be able to see any future franchises of other big characters like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern or JSA.
I hate Teen Titans though.
shakir said:They look cute but I'd prefer the Bruce Timm design of animation. If its indeed his swansong, that means we won't be able to see any future franchises of other big characters like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern or JSA.
I hate Teen Titans though.
I'm sad to see Timm go. However I like the fact that Dc is making cartoons aimed at kids again. I hated the titans at first and then it grew on me and is kind of charming now. I hope legion is somewhere in between. Less serious tham the timm-universe but maybe a little more than the TT series. I hope there is a great theme song like the Titans theme.
Just to update the story... there have been at least three voices cast so far (Superboy, Timber Wolf, and Lightning Lad), and voice recording started a couple of weeks ago.
I've got a Legion blog that tracks all the news about the comic and upcoming show at http://adventure247.blogspot.com - and I've also got screencaps of the entire JLU episode on there too.
My only concern is that I won't have enough space in my comic room for all the toy spinoffs that will inevitably come!
Michaels blog is indeed the shit! check it out. He also was the source of the link in my Tyroc thread to Tyrocs list of yells and the powers associated with them.
Woohoo! I'm the shit! Thanks, dude!
Its not racist to show fearures that are prominent in a race. What will be called racist by PC nazis next? Skin colors thar are right and eye slants for asians?
Why does the Lightning Lad design have to look like Syndrome?
I think it would behoove WB to follow Timm's animated design,
#1-it's already easily recognizeable and there are over 50 figures in the JLU line alone, not counting BATMAN TAS and SUPERMAN TAS.
#2-I saw that blog too and it indeed is the shit. The JLU episode that has LSH in it will be awesome. If the art design is already done, why not just go with it?
#3-Its adults who are into the show that are buying up JLU/BTAS/STAS merchandise, why not gear the line towards the kids as well as the adults. I geeked out over the JLU line and I LOVE IT. Seeing Brainiac, Wildfire and the others would be great. There is already a system set up to do this style of animation as well as the toy line. If it aint broke, dont try to fix it.
I think they want a younger and larger audience. Yes the JLU audience skews older but I think JLU only has a fraction of the viewership of teen titans.
Don't like them at all. Whats wrong with the old style? You don't see anime shows changing into Bruce Timm. There are fans for both these styles. They're just trying to hook those 9 year old kids watching pokemon and whatnot on a saturday afternoon. You can't just stock chocolate ice cream even if its the best seller. You still have mint or something. Next we'll be seeing "JUSTICE GUNDUM!!!!!!!!" or "SUPERMAN X98!!!" In the shelves of comic shops.
Wonderful to see them conforming to the rest of the world.
"You don't see anime shows changing into Bruce Timm."
Ever hear of Big O?
Holy crap, they gave Wayne a blog. I have The Fear. Took me a minute of browsing thru the archives to suss out that it was indeed the one and only Wayniac 5...
Nice one, though, mate--guess you outscooped me on this one. Hadn't seen these character designs yet. Makes up for me knowing about the JLU episode before you did!
Oh, and Hi.
I liked teen titans, don't get me wrong, even at its most annoying it was watchable and had good dialogue and characterization, but a teen titans style LSH show would be a crime against the rest of the DCAU. We just lost JLU, why release a half-retarded aimed at kids "look I'm japanese" clone? I say extend the titans contract and give us a new adult DCAU series to replace JLU, like John Stewart and Wally West brave and the bold or a Question spinoff. Just no more fanime, please!
i hate anime. i love the legion though.
where's wildfire?