When Executive Editor, Dick Giordano first pitched the idea for the Legends mini-series to Editor, Mike Gold, the series was pitched as "Crisis 2." It was a follow-up, but not a true sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths. With the outcome of Crisis having been a merging together of the multiverse into a single universe, heroes who once inhabited different earths could now have their first major crossover without it requiring inter-dimensional travel.
The series is notable for several reasons, including the first appearance of the post-crisis Captain Marvel (Shazam). It also includes the first appearance of Amanda Waller and the modern origin of the Suicide Squad before Harley Quinn was even a thought. Even President Ronald Reagan plays a prominent role. The story also introduces a new Justice League line-up, transitioning from the Gypsy/Vibe/Vixen version to a roster including heroes who prior to Crisis inhabited a number of different earths. There was Dr. Fate (earth-two), Blue Beetle (earth-four), Batman (earth-one), Captain Marvel (earth-S), and others, but now all inhabiting a single universe.
The series had a fantastic creative team consisting of John Ostrander (plot), Len Wein (script), John Byrne (pencils), and Karl Kesel (inks). So the story is not shabby by any stretch and the art is even better. The story is a bit juvenile by today's standards, but still held my attention. The whole G. Gordon Godfrey thing was a bit lame IMO, with the now tired plot of a public figure trying to turn the populace against super-heroes and the government finally intervening. Not being a fan of Darkseid or the Fourth World, I prefer a crisis without his involvement. His discussions with the Phantom Stranger as they observe the human (and meta-human) responses to Darkseid's machinations, with Darkseid's low view of humanity and the Stranger's confidence in the heroic ideal, was reminiscent of the wager between God and Satan in the biblical Book of Job. This shouldn't be surprising considering Ostrander's background in theology and it was a welcome addition to the plot.
While the series was published in 1988, and I collected the series new, it took me until this month to finally read it. Only thirty years. But when it came out I was busy going to college and getting engaged. The start of a new vocation and an out-of-state move meant my comics hobby would go on hiatus for a while. I've been back into comics since around 1999, but just never got into Legends until now as I'm planning to read, or re-read, all of DC's major crossovers. Perhaps my reflections will be presented here.
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