Preface

A lot of people make fun of this character. He was introduced as a token in the 1970's and dressed as if he had literally escaped from some sort of crossdresser disco (not that there's anything wrong with that).

He has bizarre, undefined powers that mostly translated into him shouting at something (symbolism for the times? lack of imagination?). He was from a secret society of self-segregating blacks who had a Luna-sized chip on their shoulders about the REAL WORLD.

As did he.

He never said he hated Mr. Charlie but he got damned close. He was a pain in the ass and he was sent back to the obscurity from whence he came pretty quickly.

He was not missed by "mainstream" fans and is only ever really brought up now as a focus of mockery. I mean, look at him. Robin BARELY got away with that look and he was a child when he did.

I was a kid when I first discovered Tyroc in the back-issue bins and, though I was massively disappointed in the way his "character" was depicted, I was thrilled that FINALLY there was at least the ATTEMPT to put a black person into the perfect future presented by my favorite comic at the time. God forbid.

Tyroc deserved better than he got. And so did the little boy I used to be (when it came to comics).

So, after much thinking about how to fix what was broken-

Powers, check (my fix is so cool I hesitate to tell it here)
Home base, check (minor tweak but for the better)
'tude, check (Well, duh)
WARDROBE. CHECK! (see previous parenthetical)

- I came up with the following and presented to one Mike McAvennie, then the editor of the book in question.

Nothing ever came of it but, as I always say, it's much better to light a candle.

The following is that candle.

Please excuse the art. It's years old and I'm massively better now (probably never going to play in the big leagues, though).

Just enjoy the story. Long Live the Legion!




-geoff-