Dave Cockrum & Legion of Super-Heroes

[kybearfuzz]

First, let me say that I think Dave Cockrum was an amazing artist who helped create and/or re-designed many of the characters I loved as a kid -- The X-Men, The Legion, etc. I'm about to channel my inner Tim Gunn though.

Over the last few weeks I bought several hardbound compilations of "The Legion of Super-Heroes," specifically the Cockrum and Mike Grell years in the 1970's. These are issues that introduced new costumes for several Legionnaires, but also strengthened certain personalities and made the individual characters more unique. While most costumes were pretty good, some were odd and questionable.

Karate Kid's uniform became his definitive look. Duo Damsel donned her first orange-purple outfit that coolly divided in color when she split into two bodies (designed by a reader mainly, I know). Sadly, she got married and retired soon after it was introduced, so it wasn't seen much. I personally loved Phantom Girl's bell-bottomed costume. Lightning Lad and Timber Wolf got new outfits that are well known.

Some of the unusual ones though are signs of the time, in my opinion. Saturn Girl's pink bikini outfit was awful and didn't go with the character's personality of being cold and reserved. Around this time, Shadow Lass suited up in a black bikini, but being from a desert world and having a wilder personality, this was believable. Cosmic Boy's bustier outfit wasn't very practical, I did like that it showed off some skin. Conversely, Colossal Boy's outfit was overdone. In an emergency I bet it took him forever to get dressed.

Granted, these are just my opinions. Any other readers from this era have a comment or so?

Comments

[notmypresident.livejournal.com]

I think both Cockrum and Giffen had their heydays on the Legion before moving into phases of their careers where the art just didn't measure up. When Cockrum began working the back-up LSH stories in Superboy, it was clear that he was bringing something new and exciting to the game. And when Cockrum began to ink his own works, the art really exploded. No one could ink like Cockrum (I hated the inkers that Marvel used during Cockrum's X-Men period), and in his LSH work the characters had fluidity.

I never really thought much about the practicality of his costume designs. They were mostly just great to look at. And his Star Boy refit is still being used today...

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I think both Cockrum and Giffen had their heydays on the Legion before moving into phases of their careers where the art just didn't measure up.

I completely agree. And Star Boy's star-pattern uniform is one of the best I've ever seen. It's simple, yet futuristic, easy to draw but probably a pain to ink. :D

[maxauburn.livejournal.com]

I agree-Cockrum was the best inker suited to his artwork.

I own parhaps a dozen X-Men issues drawn by him.

I love Star Boy's "Starfield" outfit best.

I don't see Mon-El and Shadow Lass in that group LSH pic.

Maybe they were on leave at the time?
:)

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

The characters above were part of a spread in one of the SLSH issues where new costumes were introduced along with brief biographies. Mon-El and Shadow Lass weren't included in those pages. :)