[Andrew999]

Who are your least favourite characters?

On television, for me it was that irritating little robot in the Buck Rogers series - kept making that silly sound (needy needy neep) when all I wanted to do was sit gobsmacked and stare at Erin Gray

In comic books, I think it was Charlie Peace - the stories were always so dull and the art cramped by too much text - and in American comics, I disliked Lois Lane - always wanted her to step to one side and let Lana in.

In books, I'm going for Pip in Great Expectations which we were forced to read at school - such a wimp - all I wanted to do was brain him.

[The Australian Panther]

DC's 'Brother Power, The Geek' would have to qualify.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Power_the_Geek

[misappear]

In comics no one character comes close to the idiocy of Bouncing Boy from the Legion of Super Heroes. In fiction, Gatsby is the top of the bottom for me.

[crashryan]

I dunno--I think Matter Eater Lad is even dumber than Bouncing Boy.

[paw broon]

Connie from Terry and The Pirates always seemed creepy to me.
In tv, Ruby from Death in Paradise was really annoying and up there with Ardal O'Hanlon's Inspector as least favourite character in the show.
Oh yes, Bouncing Boy for idiocy, but I if I had to, I might pick Stone Boy as the most useless and not one of my favourites.
When I started watching STNG, I couldn't stand Wesley.

[Andrew999]

Thank God DiP has tightened up with the new series - the new inspector is beginning to grow on me - Ardal O'Hanlan, though a nice guy, was way too drippy for the role - and most of all, the manic irritating Ruby has gone - hopefully never to be seen again.

[Andrew999]

If we are focussing on the LoSH - who are about to be relaunched, I hear - how about Spider Girl. I believe her superpower was she had strong hair - perhaps she used VO5 shampoo?

Also, here's a real nerdy sexist question - but I can't resist - who was your favourite LoSH superhero? Mine was always Phantom Girl.

[paw broon]

Re. DiP, the return of Florence really cheered me up.

[Andrew999]

Me too :>>

[mopee167]

My least favorite GA super-hero is Fighting Yank. Not only did he have a magic cloak that endowed him with invulnerability and super-strength, but his ghostly Revolutionary War ancestor kept popping up to bail him out.

Bouncing Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, and Stone Boy were all meant to be silly.

In books, Pip and Gatsby are both good choices.

[The Australian Panther]

Alan Moore in Top Ten referenced Bouncing Boy with the character Andy 'Airbag' Soames. Its clever and very funny. 
And Ditko used the idea of bouncing as a power with the original version of Speedboy. Another character that never reached his potential.   

Bouncing Boy, Matter-Eater Lad, and Stone Boy were all meant to be silly.

You would have to think so.
The LHS characters don't bear looking at too closely.
I could never work out why most of the substitute heroes were rejected. Always liked Night Girl Hey, can't superheroes work shifts?
Wildfire - pure energy in a suit. Puncture the suit, no Wildfire. And how did he get into the suit anyway?  the LHS has already  been rebooted, Bendis is writing them, but I think the reboot is about to be rebooted, as is potentially nearly every DC character in their Future State event. About the 12th time now?  Yawn!

When I started watching STNG, I couldn't stand Wesley.

Paw, that's how you are supposed to feel about Wesley! He's written that way.

[narfstar]

Favorite LSH girl would be Triplicate Girl for a wife for obvious reasons. Bouncing Boy may have been a silly character but a darn lucky one. One of my all time least favorite characters would be Zatara. Just talk backward and anything can happen. I don't like magic characters and he was one of the dumbest.

[The Australian Panther]

Musing on the LHS, I compared them to the X-men in my head.
A couple of obscure ones here,
and I have left out others that have non-X-men Marvel equivalents.   
No comparison really. here goes:-

Cosmic Boy - Magneto
Saturn Girl - Prof X, Marvel Girl, White Queen, etc.
Lightning Lad ?
Triplicate Girl - Madrox the multiple man
Phantom Girl - Shadowcat
Superboy - Juggernaut? Gladiator?
Braniac 5 -  The Beast, Forge, Dr Nemesis
Ferro Lad - Colossus
Timber Wolf - Wolverine
Tyroc - Banshee
White Witch - Scarlet Witch
Polar Boy - Iceman
Storm Boy - Storm
Visi-lad - Cyclops
VeilMist - Nightcrawler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Legion_of_Super-Heroes_members
There have been several attempts to update the names and get rid of 'boy' and 'lass' but they don't seem to stick.

Cheers!


   

[Robb_K]

EVERY superhero!  They're all tied for my least favourite character.  I guess the comic book character, Adolph Hitler, is also tied with them. 

[Andrew999]

Here's the thing though - I actually stopped watching STNG because of Wesley - they lost a customer. Especially after Tasha Yar died - there was nothing left to keep me on the team.

I became - gulp - a Babylon 5 man and then Andromeda and now the Orville

[paw broon]

"Paw, that's how you are supposed to feel about Wesley! He's written that way."  The Australian Panther
Well, it worked

[paw broon]

Nothing wrong with Babylon 5. Some amazing spaceships. 

[mopee167]

Having thought about it a bit, I nominate Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights as my least favorite literary character. His all-consuming rage, jealousy, and anger destroy both him and all those around him.

[mopee167]

Regarding AP?s post above: I would equate Lightning Lad to Cyclops (Scott Summers).

[Andrew999]

Wuthering Heights - dreadful book - but there's a good ghost story, as I recall, near the beginning.

[The Australian Panther]

Regarding AP?s post above: I would equate Lightning Lad to Cyclops (Scott Summers).

While there are a number of characters who wield lightning in Marvel continuity, there is only one who is specifically lightning-based, and that is the obscure Avenger just called Lightning. 
I should have probably said Storm, who has been known to wield lightning.
But my point in comparing LHS to X-men was that in any match-up, the X-men would cream the LHS.
This is not a specific bias on my part, just an observation.
Demonstrates that the LHS have never really matured from their original appearance in Superboy in the [50s?]. Maybe they should let Claremont write them. Or Grant Morrison.
Oh, and in his reboot of his reboot, Bendis is using Bouncing Boy! Go figure! 
Cheers!

[paw broon]

"But my point in comparing LHS to X-men was that in any match-up, the X-men would cream the LHS."
Australian Panther.
HMmmmmm.  Really?  I'm not so sure.  Let's go back to the early versions of the teams.  LSH with LL; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Ultra Boy; (Superboy).
X-Men Cyclops' Iceman; Jean Grey; Angel; Beast; Prof. Xavier. 
I think that one's The Legion's.  Oooo-err, missus.  Controversy.

[Andrew999]

Not to mention Mon-El, Brainiac 5, Supergirl and - umm - Bouncing Boy.

I'm definitely an LSH man.

I mean, the X-Men had Angel for goodness sake - at least the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants had Scarlet Witch and Lorelei - so you can guess which side I was rooting for.

[The Australian Panther]

This is not a specific bias on my part, just an observation.

The LHS originally was Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy. That was in the introduction when they went back in time and inducted Superboy. So if we talk the first iteration, that's 3 vs 5 plus Prof X. If we include Superboy, not sure Prof X couldn't take out Superboy mentally.And the X-men did take out Magneto in their first story.
However, my point was:- 

The LHS have never really matured from their original appearance in Superboy in the [50s?]

That is to say, the current line-up of the X-men are much more powerful and richer characters than the Legion, even tho the legion predates the X-men. I just think that's sad. Waste of potential. Which is why I compared some of them one-on-one, Like against like.
So maybe Bendis [not one of my favorite writers tho] by placing his new reboot [I think] at least a hundred years in their future, may remedy that.
Suoerboy?
Having Superboy clones in the LHS is also evidence of lack of imagination of the writers, in my opinion.
Star Boy [temporarily] Laurel Gand, Supergirl, Ultraboy, Andromeda, Mon-el/Valor/M'Onel,
Angel? Dawnstar. Who is a superior character. She can fly in space. Although with the Metal Wings, I dunno.
And in case you missed it, the X-men characters 'The Imperial Guard' are Claremont and Cockrum's version of the LHS, in their [The X-Men #117] first appearance. And that  makes the same point I just did.
And to my surprise I just found out that members of the Guard have appeared in 578 issues!
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/imperial-guard/4060-6097/
the LHS #1519 issues.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/imperial-guard/4060-6097/characters/
Disagreement?
'Dialogue is useful to share information that may be useful to the entire group.'
Parapharase from a book on communication I am currently reading.
Cheers!       

[Andrew999]

I can't believe I'm investing time and energy in this but the honour of the Legion is at stake!

1) Whilst it's true that only three members of the Legion visit Superboy in that first story, they say they are members of a club - this suggests that the other members are out there somewhere. That would be Chameleon Boy and Invisible Kid (arguably, these two were with the original three on that first trip  - how would you know), Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Triplicate Girl (don't like yours much), Shrinking Violet (mind where you put your feet), Sun Boy, Bouncing Boy (bouncy bouncy, oh yeah yeah), Phantom Girl (sigh - why does she never return my calls), and Ultra Boy. That's a pretty impressive line-up - enough to trounce those wimps in the X-Men anyway.

2) Okay, I accept Prof X could be a problem - Superboy/Superman was always a bit weak in the face of mental powers or magic - but the Prof is a smart guy - I think it's most likely he would ditch the mutants and offer to lead the Legion.

3) Of course the X-Men needed to develop and redevelop because they were so poor initially - but with the Legion, all that was required was a little trimming - Ferro Lad had to go.

4) I agree the Imperial Guard was a direct rip-off of the Legion. I'm surprised DC didn't sue - but I guess imitation is the finest form of flattery. To me, it was at that point that Marvel conceded they had lost the case and the X-Men (should that now be X-People) were inferior.

Hegelian dialectic dictates that discussion will lead to a new consensus. I fully concur - I'm sure everyone can  all agree that both groups are at least heaps better than those part-time Avengers :>