La Legion Academy vista da Phil Jimenez

Una delle poche buone notizie ad aver sfiorato di recente il franchise della Legione viene dallo scorso New York Comic Con e riguarda il reparto grafico: Phil Jimenez, ottimo penciler californiano noto per i suoi lavori su “Wonder Woman”, “New X-Men” e tanti altri successi DC e Marvel, illustrerà un breve ciclo di “Adventure Comics” in uscita nel 2011. Yay!

La storia, su testi di Paul Levitz, vedrà come protagonista la Legion Academy, la scuola per aspiranti supereroi creata nel 1968 dall’incommensurabile Jim Shooter (per cui, cari fan degli Avengers, non osate pensare a un rip-off!).
Un primo assaggio della saga si è visto già la settimana scorsa – e, posso anticipare, con soddisfazione – nelle pagine finali di “Legion of Super-Heroes” (vol. VI) #6: per maggiori dettagli su questa anteprima, rimando però alle mie future recensioni.

Levitz said that “Legion of Super-Heroes” #6 will introduce Legion Academy in a backup feature illustrated by Phil Jimenez. This group will then move over into “Adventure,” and later get its own series.
“Legion Academy” will feature ties to 21st-century DC, but at present there are no plans for Superman and Batman’s descendants to appear, Levitz said when asked.

Jimenez sembra molto entusiasta per questo suo ultimo incarico, come non ha esitato a confessare ai reporter di Comic Book Resources:

What is it about the Legion that you think resonates with fans so strongly, because while they don’t have the largest base, those that consider themselves fans are rabid?

Your guess is as good as mine. I know why the book, at least, the periods of the book that I love, resonates for me. It’s the take on the future itself, a world that isn’t bleak, or dystopian, or grim and dark or full of despair. Instead, it provides an amazing alternative, a world of gleaming hope, of cosmic-level adventure, a world where young people aspire to be heroes in the truest sense of the world. For me, it’s a world I want to live on, a team of characters I want to know, and a team I want to succeed. Plus, the Legion has a really fun, dangerous roster of villains, and I sure hope I get to play with some of them along the way.

Sulla storyline ha speso infine qualche parole anche Levitz, nel corso di un’intervista ad hoc rilasciata al sito Newsarama:

Nrama: Is your hope to infuse the Legion mythology with some new faces?

Levitz: Sure. And I think, with any luck, we’ll see them become loved characters in the mythology. The wonderful thing about the Legion is the incredible passion people have for these characters. I think, once you introduce someone into the Legion world, you really don’t know where it’s going to go from there.

Nrama: Is it my understanding, then, that this “Legion Academy” is the planned focus of Adventure Comics going forward? And if so, does that comic keep its title, or are there different plans for it?

Levitz: It keeps the “Adventure” title and numbering. Obviously, with the new, reduced price, it becomes the whole content of the book. So Legion occupies all of Adventure Comics for, gee, I guess the first time regularly since 1968, which is kind of funky in its wonderful own way.

Nrama: And the Legion Academy is the ongoing focus, even past this storyline?

Levitz: We’ll see what comes. It might be more Legion Academy, if this picks up steam, and if Phil is excited and wants to stay on.

“Legion Academy” inizierà su “Adventure Comics” #523, in uscita oltreoceano il prossimo febbraio.