Illogical comic book logic

[Mike Farley]

Probably because I'm a hardcore Legion fan.

If a few lads and lasses can save the day then the professional police, military, and rescue forces of that era, which have access to the exact same powers in larger quantities, should be able to do the same.

I have to admit that I've lost track of what is and isn't Legion Canon through thirty plus years of reboots and retcons but wasn't the original conceit of the group that they were a government-sanctioned peace keeping team?

The Legion was originally bankrolled by R.J. Brande, then eventually the United Planets took over the majority of the funding.

As for why the various worlds that sent Legionaires didn't just form a giant police force made up of those worlds, one can easily assume that there are all sorts of diplomatic and procedural issues in the 30th Century under which the UP might not have been able to even if they wanted that.

Plus Legionnaires aren't assigned to the LSH. They're individuals who chose to try-out (there was a draft early in the post-Zero Hour reboot version, but it was abandoned). You may have a planet full of people with "super powers," but who's to say they want to venture out and police the galaxy? And even amongst their own people, the Legionnaires are extraordinary. Titan might have been populated by telepaths, but few if any have Imra Ardeen's skill or power.

 

[Silvercrest]

...if Green Lantern rings are so powerful it can scan entire sectors why didn't Abin Sur's ring scan lead the ring to BATMAN rather than Hal Jordan? Are you saying that Hal is more fearless than Bruce?

According to an issue of Action Comics Weekly (#642), Abin Sur's ring originally selected Clark Kent to be the Green Lantern of Sector 2814. But because he wasn't a native of Earth, he was rejected.

Whaaat? That doesn't even make sense! You have to be a native of Earth to be the Green Lantern of Sector 2814? Then what was Abin Sur doing with the ring?

 

[Anwar]

Maybe Krypton wasn't in Sector 2814? Since it scanned him as being from a world not in that Sector it rejected him.

 

[Christopher]

Maybe Krypton wasn't in Sector 2814?

Indeed it isn't. It's in the sector next door, Sector 2813, which was patrolled by Tomar-Re. (Or since it's an odd number, maybe it's the sector across the street? )

However, I'm not sure there's any rule that a Green Lantern has to be native to his, her, or its assigned sector.

 

[Anwar]

Makes sense though, all the Lanterns we've seen patrolling Sectors are from those Sectors.

 

[Silvercrest]

Maybe, but the statement specifies Earth, and not just Allyn Gibson's post. A bunch of sources all say the same thing. But okay, let's assume we can equate Sector 2814 and Earth (which is really sloppy writing already). If the ring's programming amounts to "not a native of sector = ineligible", then the software has some serious bugs. The ring is capable of digging deep into your soul and analyzing your character. It really can't tell whether you're a lifelong resident of this planet or just passing through?

Also, Guy is part-Vuldarian. From what I've read of the Vuldarians, they're from nowhere near this sector either. If the ring's programming is so simplistic, why was Clark rejected and Guy eligible?

Finally, just because you get a ring doesn't automatically assign you to that sector. There are plenty of GLs the Guardians assigned to other duties, like direct service on Oa and so on. That means whether you're from a race native to that sector is irrelevant (or at least it's not a factor the ring needs to worry about).

I don't think there's a way around it. Even if these examples were explained, I bet other inconsistencies could be found.

 

[Christopher]

Maybe, but the statement specifies Earth, and not just Allyn Gibson's post. A bunch of sources all say the same thing.

It could be encyclopedic error -- something that happens when "a bunch of sources" all derive their information from the same earlier source and thereby repeat its mistakes. The most reliable source would be a screencap of the relevant panel(s) from the original story.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Right now the United Planets does not sponsor the Legion due to the current wave of xenophobia the planet has embraced but is slowly fighting as well. The silver age Legion has kind of been brought back with some new tweaks and retcons thanks to Geoff Johns and Paul Levitz.

 

[Silvercrest]

Christopher wrote:

It could be encyclopedic error -- something that happens when "a bunch of sources" all derive their information from the same earlier source and thereby repeat its mistakes. The most reliable source would be a screencap of the relevant panel(s) from the original story.

Sure, I'm just saying it's not a misquote that started with Ms. Gibson.

 

[Mike Farley]

Right now the United Planets does not sponsor the Legion due to the current wave of xenophobia the planet has embraced but is slowly fighting as well. The silver age Legion has kind of been brought back with some new tweaks and retcons thanks to Geoff Johns and Paul Levitz.

While I enjoyed the Reboot Legion and some of the Threeboot, the Retroboot is like coming home. These are my guys back after too long an absence. Levtiz can write this book forever as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Wholeheartedly agreed. I'm enjoying both "Legion of Superheroes" and "Adventure Comics".

 

[The Lensman]

Right now the United Planets does not sponsor the Legion due to the current wave of xenophobia the planet has embraced but is slowly fighting as well. The silver age Legion has kind of been brought back with some new tweaks and retcons thanks to Geoff Johns and Paul Levitz.

While I enjoyed the Reboot Legion and some of the Threeboot, the Retroboot is like coming home. These are my guys back after too long an absence. Levtiz can write this book forever as far as I'm concerned.

I just started reading the current Legion....as a fan of the Grell and Giffen era's, I have to say the costumes on the current Legion are horrible. SERIOUSLY horrible!!!

Remember Grell's bad ass Timber Wolf costume? Look at the atrocity he's wearing now!

And I missed the first two issues, but wheres Mon-El and why is Shady sleeping with Earth-Man?

Design wise, I'd like a return to the Giffen era, the new era just lacks anything memorable. I miss this era:

 

[JoeZhang]

Wholeheartedly agreed. I'm enjoying both "Legion of Superheroes" and "Adventure Comics".

I find Adventure comics boring, it seems to be some sort of 'gold watch' for Levtiz.

 

[JoeZhang]

As for the "must be a native of the sector" (which is what Abin Sur says, nothing about Native of Earth) - Charlie Vickers (later a Darkstar, later dead) was a native of Earth and was the Green Lantern of Sector 3319. The Action Comics run has lots of weird material in it that absolutely nobody has mentioned again (for example, the idea that the rings will only work properly in their assigned sector).

 

[Admiral_Young]

Mon-El is in the Phantom Zone still as per the ending of War of the Supermen and we've not been explained to about Shady and Earth-Man, which I have no problem with.

 

[Myasishchev]

Actually - talking about Black Mercy, the plant (and Mother Mercy!!!) made a reappearance in the current Green Lantern/Green Lantern Corps comics and also Mongul (the Alan Moore's Mongul's son also named Mongul - nobody dares call him junior!).

I have been reading the collected trades for those but was very confused by one thing - Mother Mercy promises (to Kyle?) that Mongul will never harm anyone again but a couple of comics later Mongul is terrorizing Daxam. What happened in-between? And to Mother Mercy?

I guess the writers forgot to retcon some very important stuff.

And speaking of Illogical comic book logic, here are some other topics to think about:

...if Green Lantern rings are so powerful it can scan entire sectors why didn't Abin Sur's ring scan lead the ring to BATMAN rather than Hal Jordan? Are you saying that Hal is more fearless than Bruce?

I'm sure that's exactly what Geoff Johns would say.

But, in fairness, Batman is afraid of all sorts of things, especially death, and even more specifically losing control. Contrary to conventional wisdom, I think he'd make a terrible Green Lantern. He's not even a particularly good defender of Gotham; I'd hate to see what Space Sector 2814 would look like with Bruce Wayne.

But why not Clark Kent? Not to be a total nerd, but in post-Crisis continuity wasn't he actually "born" on Earth, due to the mechanism of Kryptonian birthing chambers? :dork:

...how the hell is Joker still allowed to live?

The nature of serial comics as an IP life support system. Oh, and Batman is a self-righteous jerk.

...to that continuation, why is Lex Luthor able to regain power over and over again, complete with the public's trust?

Well, in fairness, he was able to blame the worst excesses on Alexander Luthor, Jr. But yeah, the DCU public is retarded, or else buys into Lex' paranoid ideology regarding superhumans, or both.

 

[Admiral_Young]

As I said, Lex is a master manipulator and knows how to use the media and public opinion in his favor. Even before Alex Luthor he was able to get away his previous crimes.

 

[Christopher]

But yeah, the DCU public is retarded, or else buys into Lex' paranoid ideology regarding superhumans, or both.

I don't think Lex's attitude toward superhumans is motivated by paranoia so much as egomania. He can't tolerate the notion that any being could be superior to himself in any way.

 

[Myasishchev]

Isn't he, like, broke again, though? I seem to remember post-52 his crimes were again exposed and he lost Lexcorp. Could be wrong, but it's almost like they want to move him back to his Silver Age status of "somehow dangerous despite lacking any resources" and "usually in jail."

The last time I saw him was in Blackest Night, hiding in a basement.

...Well, according to wikipedia, he still has Lexcorp. I don't get it.

Although, actually, that leads to another good example of illogical comic logic: corporate organization which permit our "heroes" to rob shareholders blind. I'm sure spending a billion dollars on Bat-vehicles is a good use of other people's money, Bruce. See also: Ted Kord (less so since he died), Tony Stark (less so since he went public), possibly Reed Richards.

Luthor and Wayne are definitely the worst offenders.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Lex is once again in charge of LexCorp. Paul Cornell has been writing an incredibly awesome Lex in Action Comics. I recommend checking it out. Yep as Christopher points out he can't tolerate anyone being superior as himself but he has been written in recent years has having some xenophobia in him as well which is apparent when he addresses Superman as alien. Even Damien called Kara alien in this manner in their crossover tale in Superman/Batman #77 but he's kind of been conditioned by the League of Shadows.