Legion of Super-Heroes 10-27-07 "The Karate Kid"

[tirofiban]

So what did you think of this episode?

What did you think of this version of Karate Kid? Not what I expected from what I remember from the comics. He's a little too short and not very muscular.

I've been liking this season so much that I bought volumes 10 through 12 of the DC Archives Edition of the Legion of Super-Heroes. It's all the old comics reprinted in hard cover. I haven't read the legion comics since I was a kid. The funny thing is, I was just reading about the Nemesis Kid and Grimbor this week in Volume 12.

I thought Karate Kid doing Nemesis Kid's laundry was funny because the 2 battle each other in Karate Kid's first comic book.

I read about Grimbor in the Nov 1976 comic. He has a female companion that no man can resist, named Charma. I was hoping she would show up.

Anyone else know more about Nemesis Kid or Grimbor?

It's kind of neat to see these old characters appear in the TV show. It's also neat to see how the characters compare to the comics of the 70's. I know there's been several versions of the Legion in the comics. But the ones from the 70's will always be the original ones for me.

For the other Legion fans, when would you consider the "Classic" Legion period in the comics?

[FuzzyDolly]

I kept wondering why no one refferenced Batman. He was in the legion and had no superpowers. Wouldn't that policy be considered discrimination?

[WinBear]

Nemesis Kid's power in the classic era wasn't precisely to nullify super-powers. He had the power to defeat any single opponent. For a long time, his apparent weakness was the "single opponent" but no one knew how that manifested. Eventually, it was revealed that his power provided an escape (disappeared or teleported away, although I think this was revealed in a flashback type story) when confronted by more than one opponent. Also, in the classic era, Nemesis Kid was revealed as a traitor working in cahoots with the Khunds. Karate Kid and Nemesis Kid were introduced together with Princess Projectra and Ferro Lad.

I kept wondering why no one refferenced Batman. He was in the legion and had no superpowers. Wouldn't that policy be considered discrimination?

Batman was never in the Legion of Super-Heroes, although he had at least one time-travelling cross-over with them in Brave & the Bold or the old "Composite Man" stories

[Dmon4u]

Probably meant to say Justice League of America !

[JYoung]

Nemesis Kid's power in the classic era wasn't precisely to nullify super-powers. He had the power to defeat any single opponent. For a long time, his apparent weakness was the "single opponent" but no one knew how that manifested. Eventually, it was revealed that his power provided an escape (disappeared or teleported away, although I think this was revealed in a flashback type story) when confronted by more than one opponent. Also, in the classic era, Nemesis Kid was revealed as a traitor working in cahoots with the Khunds. Karate Kid and Nemesis Kid were introduced together with Princess Projectra and Ferro Lad.




Don't forget that Nemesis Kid also tried to frame Karate Kid as the traitor.

In the comics, Nemesis Kid was also defeated by Duo Damsel when she split into two and double teamed him.


Later, Nemesis Kid killed Karate Kid in one on one combat while invading Orando.
In her rage, Queen Projectra summarily executed him.


I wonder how long Nemesis Kid will stay with the Legion?
I also thought that Cosmic Boy was too much of a dick this episode.

[Graymalkin]

Cosmic Boy has been portrayed pretty much like a jerk the whole season.

Is Saturn Girl still in that coma?

[Big_Daddy]

Cosmic Boy has been portrayed pretty much like a jerk the whole season.


That's the truth. And it's too bad, Cos was always one of my favorite legionnaires.

I really enjoy how they are tying in old story idea and legion history with newer plotlines and the "reimagined" characters. I'll be interested to see where they take the Nemesis Kid storyline.

[JYoung]

Cosmic Boy has been portrayed pretty much like a jerk the whole season.

Is Saturn Girl still in that coma?

Yes, and it bugs me.

I think so, as still is Matter-Eater Lad.

Newsflash to Rokk and Garth, this might be a good time to recruit Jo Nah.

[tirofiban]

Yes, and it bugs me.

I think so, as still is Matter-Eater Lad.

Newsflash to Rokk and Garth, this might be a good time to recruit Jo Nah.

You have my vote for Ultra Boy! 'I just hope he doesn't have to constantly announce which power he's using at the time.

"I'm flying, but I'm using my Legion Filght Ring, so I still get one more power. Imperiex is about to hit me. I think I'll use.....Invulnerability! Imperiex just stole my flight ring. I'm falling!" :rolleyes:

[TonyD79]

No comment on the race of KK?

The original KK was a white guy. Now we do KK as Asian? Odd that the stereotype of a karate expert being Asian comes later rather than earlier.

[TonyD79]

I also thought that Cosmic Boy was too much of a dick this episode.

Major.

He and Nemisis Kid "saved" themselves by using their flight rings. Yet Cos claims Karate Kid "proves" he can't save himself. Uh, yeah, because he doesn't have a flight ring!

[allan]

Major.

He and Nemisis Kid "saved" themselves by using their flight rings. Yet Cos claims Karate Kid "proves" he can't save himself. Uh, yeah, because he doesn't have a flight ring!

Bingo! Cos might have been able to save himself with his magnetic powers, but "neutralizing superpowers" wouldn't have done squat in that situation.

[doom1701]

That's what really irks me about the Legion of Superheroes (I've only seen them in this form and in the Batman/Superman: TAS universe): they seem to be pretty lame heroes with those amazing flight rings. This episode (and that one instance in particular) really shows how lame the heroes are.

[JYoung]

No comment on the race of KK?

The original KK was a white guy. Now we do KK as Asian? Odd that the stereotype of a karate expert being Asian comes later rather than earlier.

While Val Armorr was originally drawn with Caucasian features, he was actually the son of Japanese Crimelord (Kirau Nezumi) and an American Secret Agent (Valentina Armorr).

When the Legion was rebooted a couple of years ago, Val was drawn with more defined Asian features.

Currently, the "Classic" Karate Kid is being drawn this way

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Karatekid.PNG

That's what really irks me about the Legion of Superheroes (I've only seen them in this form and in the Batman/Superman: TAS universe): they seem to be pretty lame heroes with those amazing flight rings. This episode (and that one instance in particular) really shows how lame the heroes are.

You're just upset because Superman ranks Karate Kid as a Class 15 fighter while Batman is only ranked as Class 12. :p

[sieglinde]

Wow, comic geeks!!! :)

I haven't read a comic in years so I have no idea what you all are talking about but there are a couple of discrepencies. Since when does Superman need a ship to fly in space? What happened to the alternate Superman who had been cloned from Superman's DNA?

I thought The Chamelion (or whatever he is called) was a Green Lantern since they can be of any species and his suit looks almost the same.

Some of the episodes this year have actually been good SF. I don't think this episode was but it was actually good children's programming showing that hard work and determination can sometimes get you ahead of people with greater natural talents.

[WinBear]

I thought The Chamelion (or whatever he is called) was a Green Lantern since they can be of any species and his suit looks almost the same.

Chameleon isn't a Green Lantern as the Legion doesn't permit members whose sole powers are derived from external sources. In one version of the Legion, a "reserve member" was a Green Lantern, but his being a GL had nothing to do with his reserve status.

[tirofiban]

when does Superman need a ship to fly in space? What happened to the alternate Superman who had been cloned from Superman's DNA?

Superman doesn't need a space cruiser, but his fellow legionnaires do. It would be rude to fly ahead of your superhero friends because they can't travel in space without a Legion cruiser. Super-hero etiquite demands this. Superboy flew in the Legion cruiser all the time in the comics from the 70's.

I assume the cloned Superman is off somewhere with some other legionnaires hunting Imperiex. The comic books would often feature different groups of legionnaires in each story. It's hard to include everyone in a single story. After all it's a freaking LEGION. It's not like a league. In a league of super-heroes, you could have everyone in the story, even the hero that lives in the ocean. But an entire legion is just too big for a single story, unless we're talking about a giant-sized comic book. :D

[Rob Helmerichs]

I assume the cloned Superman is off somewhere with some other legionnaires hunting Imperiex. The comic books would often feature different groups of legionnaires in each story. It's hard to include everyone in a single story. After all it's a freaking LEGION. It's not like a league. In a league of super-heroes, you could have everyone in the story, even the hero that lives in the ocean. But an entire legion is just too big for a single story, unless we're talking about a giant-sized comic book. :D
Actually, you'd think a league would consist of a whole bunch of teams... :D

[allan]

The comic books would often feature different groups of legionnaires in each story. It's hard to include everyone in a single story. After all it's a freaking LEGION. It's not like a league. In a league of super-heroes, you could have everyone in the story, even the hero that lives in the ocean. But an entire legion is just too big for a single story, unless we're talking about a giant-sized comic book. :D

I remember a lot of stories that only had a few Legionnaires. Sometimes someone would complain about being shorthanded because a bunch were on some other mission. But, of course, they had to protect the galaxy. The JLA had it easy with just one planet. :)

[JYoung]

I remember a lot of stories that only had a few Legionnaires. Sometimes someone would complain about being shorthanded because a bunch were on some other mission. But, of course, they had to protect the galaxy. The JLA had it easy with just one planet. :)


And the Legion really doesn't get any help from the Green Lantern Corps these days.....