As a non-Legion follower, Can I ask why not?

I understand Superboy inspired and was a member of the Legion. But wasn't there a way just to move forward, cite a different person as the inspiration, and ignore references to Superboy? Sure back issues would have him, but so what?

I was asking a legitimate question.

 The Legion, by all accounts, was ruined by Crisis/Man of Steel. I rarely hear something different

 There was no Superboy in Man of Steel and therefore he could not be in Legion of Superheroes or inspire them

  and I am wondering why that had to be so. I didn't read it, in part because everyone always said that the Legion was a mess post-crisis.  I am just wondering why it had to be that way.  I am not saying people should or should not be upset by the absence of Superboy.  Just curious whether that alone or other factors runied the Legion.

With so many characters it would seem like the absence of one, even one as important as the inspiration, would not necessarily ruin the team and make it super confusing especially given they take place in the future.  and yet, everyone says  it was ruined.

I wasn't saying anyone should move on or forget Superboy existed, just why did the Legion hinge on that part, if indeed it did.   If people wanted to drop the Legion because of Superbpy being removed, or Superman, or DC in general, I have no problem with that. That said, me personally, I have different rules for Marvel and DC anyway, and Spider-man is a special case to me

Sure, you were asking a legitimate question, Rob, but it was followed with this: "But wasn't there a way just to move forward, cite a different person as the inspiration, and ignore references to Superboy? Sure back issues would have him, but so what?"

So basically, because you admittedly have no attachment to these characters, everyone should just ignore Superbody and so what if they don't like it?  Given your stance on the Spider-Man marriage, this stinks highly of hypocrisy.

That's not what I was saying.  If it read that way, I worded  it wrong. I was talking more from a storytelling perspective than a fan attachment perspective.  I understand why the X-men, say were muddled completely and how that could be confusing. I do not know, not because I disagree but literally do not know, how the Legion was.

I was just trying to ask, how come the Legion had to be ruined post crisis? Presumably by the absence of Superboy? Were there other factors? Was he that crucial to them (and admittedly he was the inspiration) that they effectivelty could not function if Superboy didn't exist?

  Let's say Hank Pym was erased for continuity. he helped found and named the Avengers I believe. But the Avengers could go on in the future without him.  Back issues would still have him, and that's something of a problem, but future issues wouldn't depend on Hank Pym existing.  And stories talking about the beginning could have someone else name them and perhaps someone else help found them. It wouldn't mean the Avengers were impenetrable or ruined.  or even Wonder Woman. She now did not found the Justice League (I think), so they just retroactively say Black Canary did (I think).  and past adventures show black Canary no matter what the back issues say. It didn't necessarily ruin the Justice League.  Even the Justice Society, though somewhat weakened maybe as a concept, were fit in to Earth 1.  Or how the Chameleon now really wasn't a commie.

So why was the Legion ruined?  I am not saying they weren't and I am not saying Superboy wasn't crucial, but I don't know enough to know why they couldn't have been salvaged (albeit there is a reboot now). Why couldn't they been inspired by superheroes in general or the Teen Titans if it is crucial youth inspired them?

and of course I would care about characters I have an emotional attachment to. That's kind of the definition. But I never meant fans should move on and forget about it.

John Mietus wrote: The Legion never did recover.

Until very recently, IMO.