The Legion Outpost
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Legion Outpost |
| Publisher: | |
| Editor(s): | Mike F. and Harry B. |
| Type: | |
| Date(s): | June 1972 - Spring 1981 |
| Frequency: | |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Legion Outpost was a Legion of Superheroes fanzine from the 1970s that ran for ten issues. It was part of The Legion Fan Club.
It would not only feature art and articles by fans but also by comic book professionals such as Murray Boltinoff, Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum.
Legion had more female fans than many other super comics did at the time, and so a lot of the fanzine was dedicated to “shipping” and speculation over which of the male Legionnaires were gay.
Parts of the fanzine were later published in The Best of the Legion Outpost book edited by Glen Cadigan.
Issues
Issue 1
Issued in June 1972.
The first issue was more of a club newsletter than an actual fanzine and was brought to the world by editor: Mike Flynn and managing editor: Harry Broertjes. [...] The issue mostly featured ads for members of the Legion Fan Club running for the offices of President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer for their fan club. Though there was a nice one page Legion Fact File done by Brad Lawrence Petzke featuring Mon-El. [...] The other main feature of the first issue of The Legion Outpost was a large listing of pen-pals. The youngest were twelve year olds. The eldest two, were young women, who were twenty-one.
Issue 2
Issued in November 1972.
This issue gave the results of the voting for the club officers. [...] The very first Legion Update was provided by Jay Zilber, who reviewed the Legion of Super-Heroes stories that had appeared beginning in 1977, since the Legion lost its spot in Action Comics, through their most recent appearance in Superboy #191. Margie Spears wrote an article on “Those Awful New Uniforms” that were introduced in Adventure Comics Giant #403. [...] This issue was the first that long-time Legion fan, Mercy Van Vlack’s, artwork appeared in. She supplied the back cover and also a couple of untitled, but fun, Legion comic strips! Comic historian and fan, Rich Morrissey, also made his first appearance with an article entitled, “On the Lifespan of the Inhabitants of Colu”.
Issue 3
Along with this artwork, Cockrum provided a two page article, “Ack! How Dare You Tamper with the Legion??” In this article, he talks about wanting to kill off a dozen members, or retire them, or get them lost semi-permanently in another dimension to trim down the membership to a more manageable size. Many more articles were found in this issue; The LFC Gab Corner by Flynn, Fandom Report by Broertjes, Legion Update by Zilber, My Place by Flynn, Lore of the Legion: The Legion’s Ten-Most Wanted List by Balko, How Superboy Joined the Legion by Haven Metzger, Legion Lowdown: The Admission of Members by Richard Foster, part 2 of The Legion – 1965 by Broertjes and Public Popularity by Margie Spears.
Issue 4
Issued in Summer 1973.
Last issued featured art and an article by Dave Cockrum and this issue features a short piece from Legion editor, Murray Boltinoff, and an interview with Legion writer, Cary Bates.Petzke provided another Legion Fact File, number 6 in a series, this time focusing on the Legion Rogues’ gallery and Universo!
Other articles were provided by Zilber (The Time Paradox Syndrome), Morrissey (Romance in the Legion) and Broertjes (The Legion – 1966). Terry Curtis Fox provided an article on WARP, the Broadway play, which tanked, with costumes and sets designed by Neal Adams. Mike Flynn’s “The Ytterium Trail” fiction story was wrapped up in this issue, as well. Artwork this issue was supplied by Van Vlack, Petzke, Laney Loftin, Spears, Mike Harkins, Neal Adams and Dave Sim. Yes, that Dave Sim, the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark!
The Neal Adams art was a convention sketch of Superboy and looks like it took all of one minute. Carol Strickland, Jim Balko, Mike Flynn and Harry Broertjes provided other fiction.
Issue 5
Issued in Fall 1973.
It leads off with a nice Night Girl cover drawn by Willard Harrison and finishes with a nice “retro” Legion founder back cover by Dave Sim. Other terrific art was provided by Spears, Allen Matsumoto, Bob Layton, Duffy Vohland, Cockrum, Mike Harkins, Van Vlack, Neal Pozner, Gary Roberson and the afore mentioned Misters Harrison & Sim.The issue leads off with Legion writer, Cary Bates, providing a one-page article entitled, “Action over Characterization … for now”. [...] Next up was Harry’s column, “For the Record”, followed by Flynn’s “My Place”. Then Harry again with “The (still!) Protracted Conflict” which went into detail why the Outpost was late, yet again. Then he moved into a rebuttal of a review of The Legion Outpost # 4, which ran in issue number 102 of The Rocket’s Blast/Comicollector (RBCC), which in reprinted in total this issue.
“Legion Census” by Rick Foster appeared this issue. Rick gives a count of the appearances, of each and every Legionnaire,by panel. Yes, that’s right, by panel. Next up was an interview with C. C. Beck the creator of Captain Marvel, at this time known as Shazam [...]. Next up is the best article, at least in my opinion, “Mon-El is not Lar Gand … Saturn Girl knows this … So why isn’t she telling?” by Margie Spears. Professional writers; Tom & Mary Bierbaum, used some of these ideas during their run on the Legion of Super-Heroes comic!
After a nice Karate Kid gallery, there is a long article about Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster by Dennis Dooley. Then a report on the New York Comic Art Convention of 1973, by Mike Flynn, which also included pictures of some of the pro guests, including Dave Cockrum, Russ Heath, Bernie Wrightson and Alan Kupperberg.
More fan fiction was presented this issue, as well. Wrapping up this fine issue is a long review column focusing on books and other fanzines and a letters column, plus ads from fellow comic book fans selling comics.
Issue 6
The first article is “Introducing the K.A.L.–E.L. Society” by Len Rosenberg. [...] Next up are a couple of articles by DC Comics‘ Martin Pasko, discussing the DC Junior Bullpen program of 1973-1974 and Roger Slifer, just having gone pro as an assistant editor at Marvel Comics, discussing Joe Brancatelli’s fanzine, Inside Comix.
Next up; Harry Broertjes’ “For the Record” column. [...] Mike Flynn then checks in with his “My Place” column and he talks about the state of affairs in fanzines, etc. Rich Morrissey provides an excellent article on “Britain’s Hardcover Comic Annuals – And the Men Behind Them”. [...] The books featured reprints of American comics, but also included text stories featuring the heroes written by non-comics people.
Lee Rebain contributes a crash course in third-millennium Terran history, including a map of the thirtieth century Earth. Jay Zilber pipes in with another “Update”. Zilber also reviews Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #s 199, 200 & 201.
The sixth issue is wrapped up with a nice correspondence section, including letters from Dave Cockrum, departing Legion artist, Mort Weisinger and Irene Vartanoff. Through-out the issue there is some very nice filler artwork by someone named Matsumoto, Bob Layton & Duffy Vohland and Mercy Van Vlack.
Issue 7
Issue 8
Issued in Summer 1974.
I promised to have the low-down on the LEGION OUTPOST situation, but just now, the “low-down” has changed again, with a deal with National itself apparently fallen thru. TLC #8, one year old, is still available however, and it is an excellent ‘zine, with interviews with Otto Binder and Jim Shooter (before his current return to comics) and art by Matsumoto, Van Vlack, and Patterson between two nice Dave Cockrum covers. It’s $1 from Harry Broertjes, [Evanston, IL]. Supplies are low, so hurry.Robert Rodi, The Heroine Addict #6, August 1975
Issue 9
Issued in summer or fall of 1975.
Issue 10
Issued in spring of 1981.