Ken Arromdee wrote:

I don't watch Doctor Who. However, as evinced by recent posts, I've
been lately thinking about the larger idea you raise, of how different
writers approach the work and the stylistic tools they use.

Retcons are an obvious and quantifiable example. Levitz's two runs on
the Legion totaled, what, eight or nine years, or about double that of
TMK's. Other than the (supremely elegant) Validus origin and Supergirl
as Brainy's motivation for time travel, I can't offhand think of a
single retcon from the Levitz years. Period. I'm sure other will now
respond with a half-dozen instances I'm forgetting, but my point would
still stand: Levitz certainly did not regularly use them as plot
points, and--with one major, involuntary exception--never as major
ones). Look at the major story arcs of his second run:

Random thoughts that spring to mind as I once again reread my complete
_Legion Archives_ collection:

* Has anyone ever connected Cosmic Boy becoming the Time Trapper with
the Hag (AKA Mysa Nal)'s painting in _Adventure_ #351 prophesying
his future fate, which Miss Terious (AKA Dream Girl) prevented Rokk
from seeing as it was "too dreadful"? The _Zero Hour_-related final
pre-reboot storyline I don't believe referred to this, which in
retrospect is somewhat surprising given its numerous references to
Legion history great and small. (Note, also, that while we do see
the paintings for Ferro Lad (accurately predicting his pending death
via the Sun-Eater) and Miss Terious, but beyond Cosmic Boy's
painting we also don't see Matter-Eater Lad's. I would hope it's not
"He becomes fat" or "He gets drafted into politics.")

* Best Legion retcons:

* Validus as Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad's child. Credit here, of
course, goes to both Levitz and to the letter writer who suggested
early on that the two Legionnaires' progeny would have mental...

Being separated by a thousand miles from my pre-2000 Legion
collection, I am unable to look this up myself.

I have in mind a two-page spread--perhaps a front-and-back
cover--depicting the Legion's first battle with Computo as done by a
more recent artist, possibly Steve Lightle or Greg LeRocque. More
precisely, it shows the moment in _Adventure Comics_ #341 that Brainy
and the other free Legionnaires are about to fire their anti-matter
weapon at Computo.

I thought it was one of the covers for _Who's Who in the Legion of
Super-Heroes_ (1988); it's not, but may have appeared in one of the
issues. Anyone know the issue and can point to an online electronic
version?