I agree, The post Zero Hour group was a bit “overly” optimistic at times. People referred to it as the Archie Legion. The whole concept sprang from the SW6 Batch introduced in the 5YL to more or less counter the grim and gritty stories there.
The “Archie Legion” lasted until the Blight storyline, where Abnett and Lanning (DNA) , went all grim and gritty, tearing down that sense of optimism and taking them through the “Legion Lost” series and the “Legion Worlds” series, … trying to put the pieces back together. When the “The Legion” series came out, the group went back to being a group of Super-Hero Adventurers! A fitting course for a group the began in Adventure comics.
But the fans began to fracture, some still wanted the 5YL Legion to return, some wanted the Archie Legion, while others yet wanted DNA to go back to the dystopian, grim-&-gritty future they’d decided to leave behind.
Sales suffered, and they brought Superboy [Kon-El] in to bolster sales. That worked for a while, but after he departed sales plummeted again and we were introduced to a new Legion — The “Eat it Grandpa” Retroboot Legion.
So far the Reboot Legion has done the best, spanning about 10 years in all; The longest run (to this day) since the original group.
Yeah, its an interesting thing to see. Having read through all the reboot through Legion 23, I think the MO for a comic like this is to rotate out the writers every 2-3 years. Reboot got REAL stale around LSH 100, to the point that SOMETHING had to change, and in comes DnA to effectively wipe away the playing board.
The problem there was that they went SO dark, it alienated a lot of folks and it stayed that way (arguably) through The Legion 19 or so. The DnA Legion effectively went so Sci-Fi that they de-emphasized the super hero aspect (and completely ignored the magic/mystic aspect of the universe) so much so that they ignored most of what had happened before their tenure. There was also the tendency to only focus on the characters from Lost, which wasn’t great for a team title with 24-ish members.
Dream Crime, which was the first full storyline with Stephen Wacker as the new editor, really felt like a change of pace, but I don’t think DnA had their hearts into the direction at that time (the re-introduction of Superboy, etc).
All this to say I think that in The Legion when McAvennie got fired, they should have also rotated DnA out once their stories with Ra’s were done.
I didn’t understand why so many people disliked the more recent of the Legion Lost title? I read a review b4 this site was up, under the best LOSH storylines. It said the 1st Legion Lost & even said make sure you don’t read the newer version. I read both, in the orders (separate) they had them in & both were amazing!!! I think I liked the version they said to avoid even better? Ty for all of that information. That lines up with what the reviews said. I guess some people felt it was taking away steam from the 1st one? I thought both were excellent!!?! Also, @JimboFett , lines up with what u said too. I guess I just didn’t have the problem so many others did with it?
Oddly enough, I haven’t ready the New 52 LL stories. I may get around to them after I finish the threeboot.
I do question the purpose of it though, as it doesn’t really relate to the New 52 Legion, right? Or does it?
I thought the first LL was well done, even if I didn’t agree with the length or the character choices made, but it effectively influenced the next three years of the Legion title, where I don’t know if the New 52 version did.
Yes it’s new 52. Characters at least. I love Shikari’s whole origin & Monstress’ origin. It’s like 2001’ & continues into Legion Worlds & The Legion. It has all the old characters & some new ones. Talking XS, Lightning Lad, Shadow Lass, Brainac 5, Saturn Girl with the new haircut, Chameleon Boy, Ultra Boy, the Fatal Five, to characters like the 2 up top plus Kid Quantum, Singularity Omniphagos. Man, now I wanna reread it lol. I personally think it’s one of the best when read all together in the order it’s intended. It’s also where this Emerald Empress pic I always use came from.
I think you may be blending the two 
Shikari is reboot, not New 52.
Well, the one u asked about is the one I gave info on regardless of whether it’s New 52 or not, idk? I just read lol.
Adventure Era
Backissue Era (Action and Superboy)
Superboy and the Legion Era
Tales of the Legion sidestep
Baxter Era
5YL Era
5YL+ SW6 tangent
Zero Hour Archies
Zero Hour DNA
Reboot beyond DNA
Threeboot
Retroboot? Superman &the Legion
Retroboot w/o Superman
New 52
The Infinitus Saga
Star Trek Legion
Bugs Bunny Legion
Batman 66 Legion
Scooby Doo Legion
Saturn Girl in Arkham Legion (Doomsday Clock)
Bendis Legion
You can excuse a soul for occasionally mixing them up !!! 
No arguments there! LOL 
Baseball tonight.
Impressive list, but what about Star Boy in the JSA period.
Yes ty for this list. @JimboFett I hope u didn’t take that as a smart@#$ comment. I sometimes forget that people on here don’t know me. I assume (wrongly) that people know where I’m coming from & that’d I’d never be an @#$&$&$ to anyone. Thanks to @kevin_oyer.50320 u can see what I was dealing with. I just assumed post 2,000 would be considered 52, but I couldn’t find anything concrete. So, I just went with my gut & tried to give u as much info as possible on what I’d read? Hopefully u got that. If not? I sincerely apologize for my ignorance. I do forget how hard it is to convey tone thru text & that people don’t know me irl. Which would make it a lot easier b/c I’m too laid back, & have too many real life problems then to try to be anything but cordial on here. That is my only mission in representing myself on here. If I ever come off any other way just DM me & I guarantee it’s a misunderstanding we can squash. Not saying that’s the case. Just saying if that’s the impression that I gave? It was purely unintentional.
No you’re totally good! Kev’s list shows exactly why the Legion is so confusing!!!
DC Editorial never makes it easy on us! LOL
Ok. I wasn’t sure, & always better safe then sorry. I get inside my own head a lot. Convince myself something that’s totally harmless, might’ve been taken in the wrong context. Then I can’t relax until I know for sure it wasn’t lol.
Yeah, no worries - I’m still in the middle of re-reading through The Legion series, so all those characters are still fresh in my head!
Thursday
Always remember, sometimes the thing others mock you about may actually be your best asset!
I like that motto. Also, ty @JimboFett. I literally was tossing & turning b/c I kept thinking- man, I hope that didn’t come off the way I’m torturing myself thinking it might’ve? I should know better, but, I never feel comfortable until I make sure nothing was misconstrued.
This Too Shall Pass
Plus
Try more water and less caffeine perhaps lol, I notice when I’m tired and living on caffeine and sugar I tend to let things bother me more than they should too.
Yeah, I it totally happens to me too, especially when I’m procrastinating on a deadline!
But it literally didn’t bother me at all - DC doesn’t make it easy for any of us when they have the same characters, or worse different characters with the same names, in their books, some of which ALSO have the same title! LOL
In other news, I caught up on Young Justice and will be watching the first four episodes of the new season tonight w/my kids. Eager to see the Legion in animation again!