The wait is finally over, comic fans: The Legion of Super-Heroes are finally returning to DC's new continuity, thanks to writer Brian Michael Bendis--and they're more important to the future than ever before.
The acclaimed writer and current Superman scribe couldn't help but tease the announcement ahead of time, but DC Comics has now made it official. Beginning this September with Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium, Bendis and a team of artists will begin a single story spanning 1,000 years of the DC Universe. Having returned Young Justice to continuity, Bendis will turn to a new, immortal heroine to link the DC Universe of today with that of the Legion's in the 31st Century. After that? The new Legion of Super-Heroes comic series will officially begin.
The new ongoing series from Bendis and artist Ryan Sook may be the ultimate goal, and the dream come true for so many Legion fans. But the very reason the Legion slipped out of continuity is the challenge Bendis will first address with Millennium #1, arriving to retailers on September 18th, 2019. In short: how can the ever-changing future of the DC Multiverse produce a single Legion without causing even more continuity problems? Let's let the official synopsis of Millennium give the first hint of an explanation:
The series focuses on a most unlikely tour guide to the 31st century, a familiar face to DC fans who finds herself suddenly immortal. As she learns to cope with her newfound immortality and the reason she was chosen for this quest, her 1,000-year odyssey will connect all of DC’s future timelines for the very first time. Along the way she encounters a host of DC heroes from the future, as drawn by some of comics’ most popular artists.
As the mystery heroine (visible in the above cover art) travels across time, she'll share stories with Supergirl, as drawn by legendary artist and DC Publisher Jim Lee. Then the fan-favorite Batman Beyond, as illustrated by Dustin Nguyen. There's also Kamandi, drawn by Andrea Sorrentino, and André Lima Araújo's rendition of Tommy Tomorrow. And that's only the first issue. Come October, Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #2 will include stories with Booster Gold drawn by Nicola Scott, OMAC drawn by Jim Cheung, a DC “off-world” chapter drawn by Jeff Dekal, and last but not least, the final destination of the new Legion of Super-Heroes drawn by Ryan Sook as a lead-in to the duo's ongoing series.
In much the same way that the sprawling Dark Nights: Metal event was an effort spearheaded by Scott Snyder to unify disparate threads of DC's Universe into a single strand, it sounds like Bendis aims to do the same. Just... in the future, instead of the past:
“Since its Silver Age origin, the Legion of Super-Heroes has been the cornerstone of the future DC Universe. Over time, a wealth of future characters and stories have emerged since the Legion’s beginnings and connecting these threads to an updated version of the Legion is a story Ryan and I can’t wait to tell.”
For those who have been waiting years to see the teases of the Legion's return pay off, the wait is nearly over. For those unfamiliar with the future team of Superman-inspired heroes, there's no better time to jump in.
Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 arrives at your local comic book shop on September 18th, with the second issue coming the next month in October, and the full Legion of Super-Heroes series starting sometime after.
Source: DC Comics