Of all the DC animated series in the modern era, Legion of Superheroes just may have drawn the shortest straw. The show ran just 26 episodes over two seasons, and was cancelled before a planned third season could be produced. To this day, the second season has not been released on home video. Although the series was affected by the end of the Kids WB programming block on the CW network, the series also suffered from less than super ratings. And while Superman's shield symbol was prominent on the series logo, perhaps a title like Superman and the Legion would have drawn larger audiences.
The first season introduced Clark Kent just beginning his career as Superman and discovering his powers while serving as a Legionnaire in the 31st century.
Season 2 began two years later with a more seasoned Superman. The Legion was also joined by another genetically engineered Superman from the 41st century, Superman X AKA Kell-El. Kell-El was created from Kal's DNA and kryptonite, giving him a unique power set. Had a season 3 occurred, an even older Superman would have returned to the ever growing Legion lineup.
During the second season finale, the two Supermen had to merge into an ultra Superman in order to fight Brainiac. I found this to be a bit of a nod to the electric Red/Blue Superman saga of the 1990s. Along with the return of Brainiac, the series introduced several 31st century versions of classic Superman villains. Among them were the bald genius Alexis, the mischievous and powerful imp Zyx, and the Phantom Zoner Drax. In the end, Legion of Superheroes was a great showcase for the Man of Steel that started a little shaky but was firing on all cylinders by the end of its run.
Check back next week for another chapter in The Super History of Superman.
Loved this show - a shame it never got (and apparently still doesn't get) the attention it deserved.
ReplyDeleteI always liked this one. Cartoon Network has a long and annoying history of stopping their shows immediately after they find their groove.
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