Does detach-and-place = generate?

I don't think so.
Most detachable bystandars give some sort of bonus to figure their attached to.
They enter thew game attached to figure (which mechanical that note their existance) rather then coming in to existance due a power or ability.

No, as IMO those figures are already on the map you're not "generating" them, to generate something by "wording" would seem to require that the "thing" being generated comes into play from outside the game or a sideline of some sort.

That was my thought, too, but wanted to get others' opinions.
Thanks for the input!!

How does Groot's trait interact with Dawnbreaker then? If you generate a Leslie Evans bystander for him, does he get a second one since you are generating it, or does the fact that the second one would get MAX 1 prevent that?

I suspect the first is correct, but I'm not sure.

MAX only prevents generation by the same character. Dawnbreaker generates the second one, so it doesn't have a problem with the MAX 1.

He also gets a pair of Walking Woods and other Walking Wood whenever Groot generates them

No. Dawnbreaker can only have one Walking Wood that he generated on the map at a time.

Oh, right I missed that "Max 1" clause