Jim Shooter's Legion Blues

You can always count on Jim Shooter to provide a frank -- if unflinching -- perspective on things. His interview with CBR regarding his departure(s) from Legion Of The Superheroes -- and the current title's demise -- is no exception.

In the interview, Shooter goes over what he felt was his own failures on the series -- as well as expressing the opinion that he was treated to an extent unfairly by DC. In fact, he goes so far as to allege that the real reason Legion is being cancelled at #50 is to get rid of him:

"Sales of ‘The Legion of Super-Heroes’ aren’t great, but they’re a lot better than those of some of the titles they’re keeping. I think canceling the book is a graceful way of getting rid of me. I complain too much and too loudly.

I'm torn on this issue, as I do have a great amount of respect for Legion editor Mike Marts. I worked with him at Acclaim Comics, and he is a class act all the way.

On the other hand, I think Shooter is an elder statesman of comics, and especially of Legion of the Superheroes. He originally wrote the title, I believe, while still a teenager. I know he has a reputation of being persnickety, outspoken, and uncompromising, but I still think he is a dedicated and talented writer.

Further, in a world full of spin and passing the buck, Shooter in that interview reserved the biggest criticism for himself:

"But let’s focus on the real culprit – me. I guess what it really all comes down to is that my work wasn’t good enough to overcome all the small problems further down the line. If you’re out at first base, it doesn’t matter if you slide in at second."

I said this once about John Byrne, and I'll say it now about Jim Shooter -- like him or hate him, he's one of those people who had an enormous impact on this industry, and will always be remembered as one of the key figures in comic book history. I'm sad to see him leave the title he was so much a part of on such a bitter note.

That said, if I had to guess, I would think that Geoff Johns' own plans for Legion probably played a part in both the problems with the book and its subsequent cancellation. Perhaps at some point DC decided that they really wanted to go with Johns' plans for the book more, and so in the battle for competing visions for the future of the title, Shooter lost.

This not to suggest that Johns in any way specifically was looking to jettison Shooter's Legion. This the way things fall sometimes. That said, it would have been far better to let Shooter's story be told first, give him some room, and wait before launching a new direction on the book.

I wish Shooter's return on Legion didn't have to end so abruptly.