Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)
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The 1958 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes (also called the original or Preboot Legion) is a
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al
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
team in the 31st century of the . The team is the first incarnation of the
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
, and was followed by the
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and
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
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ed versions. It first appeared in ''
Adventure Comics ''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' #247 (April 1958) and was created by
Otto Binder Otto Oscar Binder (; August 26, 1911 – October 13, 1974) was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories, and comic books. He is best known as the co-creator of Supergirl and for his many scripts for '' Captain Ma ...
and
Al Plastino Alfred John Plastino (December 15, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American comics artist best known as one of the most prolific Superman artists of the 1950s, along with his DC Comics colleague Wayne Boring. Plastino also worked as a comics w ...
.


Publication history


Superboy's supporting cast

Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
was the featured series in ''
Adventure Comics ''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' in the 1950s. In ''Adventure Comics'' #247 (April 1958) by writer
Otto Binder Otto Oscar Binder (; August 26, 1911 – October 13, 1974) was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories, and comic books. He is best known as the co-creator of Supergirl and for his many scripts for '' Captain Ma ...
and artist
Al Plastino Alfred John Plastino (December 15, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American comics artist best known as one of the most prolific Superman artists of the 1950s, along with his DC Comics colleague Wayne Boring. Plastino also worked as a comics w ...
, Superboy was met by three
teenagers Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...
from the 30th century: Lightning Boy,
Saturn Girl Saturn Girl (Imra Ardeen) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Saturn Girl is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Imra's "Saturn Girl" title refers to her homewo ...
, and
Cosmic Boy Cosmic Boy (Rokk Krinn) is a fictional Character (arts), character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics DC Universe, Universe. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in ...
, who were members of a "super-hero club" called the Legion of Super-Heroes. Their club had been formed with Superboy as an inspiration, and they had
time travel Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a w ...
led to recruit Superboy as a member. After a series of tests, Superboy was awarded membership and returned to his own time. Although intended as a one-off story focusing on Superboy, the Legion proved so popular that it returned for an encore in ''Adventure Comics'' #267 (December 1959). In this story, Lightning Boy had been renamed Lightning Lad, and their costumes were very close to those they wore throughout the
Silver Age of Comic Books The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an int ...
. The Legion's popularity grew, and they appeared in further stories in ''Adventure Comics'', ''Action Comics'', and other titles edited by
Mort Weisinger Mortimer Weisinger (; April 25, 1915 – May 7, 1978) was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' ''Superman'' during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books. He also co-created such features a ...
over the next few years.Mort Weisinger's run on the Legion of Super-Heroes
at the
Grand Comics Database The Grand Comics Database (GCD) is an Internet-based project to build a database of comic book information through user contributions. The GCD project catalogues information on creator credits, story details, reprints, and other information useful ...
The ranks of the Legion, only hinted at in those first two stories, was filled with new heroes such as
Chameleon Boy Chameleon Boy (Reep Daggle), also known as Chameleon, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. Publication history Chameleon Boy first appeare ...
,
Invisible Kid Invisible Kid is the name of two fictional characters, comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. Publication history The first Invisible Kid debuted alongside Cha ...
,
Colossal Boy Gim Allon, also known as Colossal Boy, Leviathan, and Micro Lad, is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Jim Mooney, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' ...
,
Star Boy Star singers also known as Epiphany singers, or Star boys' singing procession (England), are children and young people walking from house to house with a star on a rod and often wearing crowns and dressed in clothes to resemble the Three Magi ( ...
,
Brainiac 5 Brainiac 5 (Querl Dox) is a fictional superhero character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is from the planet Colu and is a long-standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The first live-action version of the c ...
,
Triplicate Girl Triplicate Girl (Luornu Durgo) is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. She has also had the aliases Duo Damsel, Triad, Una, Duplicate Damsel and Duplicate Girl. Pub ...
, Shrinking Violet,
Sun Boy Sun Boy is a fictional superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. Sun Boy (real name Dirk Morgna of the planet Earth) is a Legion of Super-Heroes member with the ability to unleash internal solar energy to whatever degree ...
,
Bouncing Boy Bouncing Boy is a superhero appearing in American comic books by DC Comics, usually as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Born on Earth as Chuck Taine, Bouncing Boy has the power to inflate like a giant ball and bounce around. This combinat ...
,
Phantom Girl Phantom Girl (Tinya Wazzo) is a superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. In the Post-'' Zero Hour'' continuity, she is known as Apparition. She has the power ...
, and
Ultra Boy Ultra Boy (Jo Nah of the planet Rimbor) is a superhero appearing in DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He gained his powers after being eaten by an whale-like beast in space and being ...
. Even
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her fir ...
was recruited as a member. In ''Adventure Comics'' #300 (September 1962), the Legion received their own regular feature, cover-billed "Superboy in 'Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes'". While they would share space with Superboy solo stories for a couple of years, they eventually displaced Superboy from the title entirely as their popularity grew. Lightning Lad was killed in ''Adventure Comics'' #304 (January 1963) and revived in issue #312 (September 1963). It was the ''Adventure Comics'' run which established the Legion's general workings and environment. A club of
teenagers Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...
, they operated out of a clubhouse in the shape of an inverted yellow
rocket ship A space vehicle is the combination of a spacecraft and its launch vehicle which carries it into space. The earliest space vehicles were expendable launch systems, using a single or multistage rocket to carry a relatively small spacecraft in p ...
which looked as if it had been driven into the ground. The position of Legion leader rotated among the membership. Each Legionnaire had to possess one natural superpower which no other member possessed; despite this, several members had overlapping powers, particularly
Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
,
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her fir ...
,
Mon-El Lar Gand, known mainly as Mon-El (and alternatively as Valor and M'Onel), is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman. The cha ...
, and
Ultra Boy Ultra Boy (Jo Nah of the planet Rimbor) is a superhero appearing in DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He gained his powers after being eaten by an whale-like beast in space and being ...
. Some issues included comical moments where candidates with bizarre, useless, or dangerous abilities would try out for membership and be rejected; five of these flawed candidates went on to form the
Legion of Substitute Heroes Legion of Substitute Heroes is a group of fictional characters in the future of the DC Comics universe. The "Subs", as they are often called, are a group of rejected applicants to the Legion of Super-Heroes who band together, hoping to prove to t ...
. The Legion was based on Earth and protected an organization of humans and aliens called the
United Planets The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st cent ...
. The regular police force in the United Planets was the
Science Police The Science Police is a fictional law enforcement agency in the , active in the 21st, 30th and 31st centuries. The organization has also appeared in the '' Legion of Super Heroes'' animated series, the ''DC Universe Online'' video game, and the ...
. The setting for each story was 1000 years from the date of publication. In ''Adventure Comics'' #346 (July 1966),
Jim Shooter James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor and publisher for various comic books. He started professionally in the medium at the age of 14, and he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comic ...
, who was 14 years old at the time, had his first Legion story published. Soon thereafter, Shooter became the regular writer of the Legion stories, with Curt Swan, and later
Win Mortimer James Winslow Mortimer (May 1, 1919 – January 11, 1998) Note: The Marvel Comics 1978 Calendar merchandise lists Mortimer's birth date as June 23 and ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' lists it as May 23 per was a Canadian comic book and comic strip arti ...
, as artist. Shooter wrote the story in which
Ferro Lad Ferro Lad (Andrew Nolan) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth and is known in Post-''Zero Hour'' continuity simply as Ferro. Publicatio ...
died – the first "real" death of a Legionnaire (although Lightning Lad had been believed dead for a while before) – and introduced many other enduring Legion concepts, including the
Fatal Five The Fatal Five is a supervillain team of the 30th century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Jim Shooter and first appeared in '' Adventure Comics'' #352 (1967) as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Fictional team history Origi ...
,
Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the '' Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and ...
,
Princess Projectra Princess Projectra is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. Typically portrayed as a haughty member of an alien royal family, she lives in the 30th and 31st centuries, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. ...
,
Shadow Lass Shadow Lass is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared as a statue in ''Adventure Comics'' #354 (March 1967), and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan. She was called Shadow Woman, was ...
, the
Dark Circle The Dark Circle is a criminal organization that appears in comic books from DC Comics, primarily part of the Legion of Super-Heroes comic books. They first appeared in 1968, created by Jim Shooter as a criminal organization founded by five membe ...
,
Mordru Mordru (also known as Mordru the Merciless) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Curt Swan, Mordru first appeared in '' Adventure Comics'' #369 (June 1968). Considere ...
, and the "Adult Legion", a conjecture regarding what the Legionnaires would be like when they grew up. The Legion's last appearance in ''Adventure Comics'' was #380 (May 1969), and they were displaced by Supergirl in the next issue. The early 1970s saw the Legion relegated to the status of back-up feature. First, the team's stories were moved to ''Action Comics'' for issues #377–392 (June 1969 – September 1970). Following Mort Weisinger's retirement from DC, the Legion was passed to the oversight of editor
Murray Boltinoff Murray Boltinoff (January 3, 1911 – May 6, 1994 in Pompano Beach, Florida) was a writer and editor of comic books, who worked for DC Comics from the 1940s to the 1980s, in which role he edited over 50 different comic book series. Biograph ...
and began appearing occasionally as a backup in ''Superboy'', starting with #172 (March 1971), with writers E. Nelson Bridwell and
Cary Bates Cary Bates (born 1948) is an American comic book, animation, television and film writer. He is best known for his work on ''The Flash'', '' Superman'', ''Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes'' and ''Captain Atom''. Biography Early career Bates ...
and artist
George Tuska George Tuska (; April 26, 1916 – October 16, 2009),George Tuska
at the Social Security Death Index via Fami ...
.
Dave Cockrum David Emmett Cockrum (; November 11, 1943 – November 26, 2006) was an American comics artist known for his co-creation of the new X-Men characters Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, and Mystique, as well as the antiheroine Black Cat. Cockrum was ...
began drawing the series with ''Superboy'' #184 (April 1972), again increasing the team's popularity.


''Superboy'' and their own title

The first comic book published under the title ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' was a four-issue series published in 1973 that reprinted Legion tales from ''Adventure Comics''. In the same year, the Legion returned to cover billing on a book when ''Superboy'' became ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with #197 (August 1973). Crafted by Bates and Cockrum, the feature proved popular and saw such events as the wedding of
Bouncing Boy Bouncing Boy is a superhero appearing in American comic books by DC Comics, usually as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Born on Earth as Chuck Taine, Bouncing Boy has the power to inflate like a giant ball and bounce around. This combinat ...
and
Duo Damsel Triplicate Girl (Luornu Durgo) is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. She has also had the aliases Duo Damsel, Triad, Una, Duplicate Damsel and Duplicate Girl. P ...
in ''Superboy'' #200 (Feb 1974). Issues #202 (June 1974) and #205 (Dec. 1974) of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format. Cockrum was replaced on art by
Mike Grell Mike Grell (born September 13, 1947) is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', '' The Warlord'', and '' Jon Sable Freelance''. Early life Grell studied at the University of W ...
as of issue #203 (August 1974) which featured the death of Invisible Kid. With #231 (September 1977), the book's title officially changed to ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' and also became a "giant-size" title. At this point, the book was written by longtime fan
Paul Levitz Paul Levitz (; born October 21, 1956) is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles. Along with publisher Jenette Kahn ...
and drawn by James Sherman, although
Gerry Conway Gerard Francis Conway Thomas, Roy. "Roy's Rostrum" ("Bullpen Bulletins") in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' #43 and other Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1974. (born September 10, 1952) is an American comic book writer, comic book editor, screenwriter, t ...
frequently wrote as well. Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad were married in '' All-New Collectors' Edition'' #C-55 (1978), a treasury-sized special written by Levitz and drawn by Grell. In #241–245 (July–December 1978) Levitz and Sherman (and then
Joe Staton Joe Staton ( born January 19, 1948) is an American comics artist and writer. He co-created the Bronze Age Huntress (Helena Wayne), as well as the third Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Kilowog and the Omega Men for DC Comics. He was the artist of t ...
) produced what was at that time the most ambitious Legion storyline: "
Earthwar "Earthwar" is a story arc that was published by DC Comics, and presented in ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #241-245 (July–November 1978). It was written by Paul Levitz, pencilled by James Sherman and Joe Staton and inked by Bob Mc ...
", a galactic war between the United Planets and the Khunds, with several other villains lurking in the background. During this period,
Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the '' Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and ...
was spun off into his own 20th Century-based self-titled series, which lasted 15 issues. Levitz left the book, to be replaced full-time by
Gerry Conway Gerard Francis Conway Thomas, Roy. "Roy's Rostrum" ("Bullpen Bulletins") in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' #43 and other Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1974. (born September 10, 1952) is an American comic book writer, comic book editor, screenwriter, t ...
. Superboy departed from the Legion due to a plot of a villain, and the book was renamed simply ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' starting with issue #259 (January 1980). Editor
Jack C. Harris Jack C. Harris (born August 30, 1947) is an American comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics. Biography Early life and career Jack C. Harris attended the Philadelphia College of Art and grad ...
hired
Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular act ...
as guest artist on several issues, a decision which garnered a mixed reaction from the title's readership.
Jimmy Janes Jimmy Janes (July 17, 1947–September 1, 2020) was an American comics artist and storyboard artist best known for his work on DC Comics' '' Legion of Super-Heroes'' series. Early life Jimmy Janes was born July 17, 1947 on Staten Island, New ...
became the regular artist in a lengthy tale by Conway (and later
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
) involving Ultra Boy's disappearance during a mission, and his long odyssey to rejoin the team. This story told the tale of the Legionnaire Reflecto (only glimpsed during the "Adult Legion" stories in ''Adventure Comics''), featured villainy by the Time Trapper and Grimbor the Chainsman, and saw Superboy rejoin the team.


Paul Levitz era

Paul Levitz returned to write the series with #284.
Pat Broderick Pat Broderick (born November 26, 1953) is an American comics artist, known for his work on the ''Micronauts'' and ''Alpha Flight'' for Marvel Comics, and ''Legion of Super-Heroes'', ''Captain Atom'' and ''Green Lantern'' for DC Comics. Broderick a ...
and Bruce Patterson illustrated the title for a short time before
Keith Giffen Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comics artist and writer. He is known for his work for DC Comics on their ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of Lobo. Biography K ...
began on pencils, with Patterson, and then Larry Mahlstedt, on inks. The creative team received enhanced popularity following "
The Great Darkness Saga "The Great Darkness Saga" is a five-issue American comic book story arc featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes. It was written by Paul Levitz, with art by Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt. Published by DC Comics in 1982, the arc first appears in ' ...
", which ran from #287; #290–294; and ''Annual'' #3, featuring a full assault on the United Planets by
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
. Comics historian
Les Daniels Leslie Noel Daniels III, better known as Les Daniels (October 27, 1943 – November 5, 2011), was an American writer. Background Daniels attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he wrote his master's thesis on ''Frankenstei ...
observed that "Working with artist Keith Giffen, Levitz completed the transformation of ''Legion'' into a science-fiction saga of considerable scope and depth." The Legion celebrated issue #300 (June 1983) by revisiting the "Adult Legion" storyline through a series of parallel world short stories illustrated by a number of popular Legion artists from previous years. The story served to free up Legion continuity from following the "Adult Legion" edict of previous issues. Giffen's style changed abruptly a few issues later, to a darker and sketchier style inspired by
Argentinian Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...
artist José Muñoz. A new ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' comic (the third publication under the title) was launched in August 1984. The existing Legion series, renamed ''Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #314, continued running new material for a year, then began reprinting stories from the new ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #326. ''Tales'' continued publishing reprints until its final issue, #354 (December 1987). The new series was launched in August 1984 with a five-part story featuring the
Legion of Super-Villains The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of supervillains who appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future. They first appeared as adults in ''Superman'' #147 (Aug 1961) and as teens ...
. Giffen left in the middle of the story and was replaced by
Steve Lightle Steve Lightle (November 19, 1959 – January 8, 2021) was an American comics artist who worked primarily as a penciller. He was best known as the artist of DC Comics' '' Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Doom Patrol'' titles. Biography Steve Light ...
, who stayed on the book for a year. The debut story arc saw the death of
Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the '' Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and ...
in issue #4 (November 1984). Levitz and Lightle co-created two Legionnaires,
Tellus Tellus is a Latin word meaning "Earth" and may refer to: * An alternative name for the planet Earth * Tellus of Athens, a citizen of ancient Athens who was thought to be the happiest of men * Tellus Mater or Terra Mater, the ancient Roman earth mo ...
and
Quislet The Legion of Super-Heroes is a superhero team in comic book series published by DC Comics. The team has gone through various iterations. Starting with the founding trio of Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, and Saturn Girl, all versions of the team in ...
, whose unusual appearances contrasted with the
humanoid A humanoid (; from English ''human'' and ''-oid'' "resembling") is a non-human entity with human form or characteristics. The earliest recorded use of the term, in 1870, referred to indigenous peoples in areas colonized by Europeans. By the 20t ...
appearances of the other Legionnaires.
Greg LaRocque Greg LaRocque (born February 24, 1954) is an American comics artist best known for his work on the ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''The Flash''. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, LaRocque worked as an assistant teacher at the Professional I ...
began a lengthy run in #16 (November 1985), including a crossover with John Byrne's recently rebooted
Superman titles Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and pub ...
in #37 and #38. The crossover was the first of several attempts by DC editors to explain the origins and fate of Superboy and his history with the Legion, in light of the revisions to the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
caused by ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
'' that removed Superman's career as Superboy from his personal history. In the crossover, the Legion's Superboy was revealed to have come from a parallel "Pocket Universe" created by the
Time Trapper This is a list of fictional characters from DC Comics who are enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Legion of Super-Heroes enemies In alphabetical order (with issue and date of debut appearance). In other media See also List of Superman ...
. The crossover ended with Superboy's death. Levitz's run ended with the return of Giffen and a four-part story "The Magic Wars", concluding in #63 (August 1989).


"Five Years Later"

Giffen took over plotting as well as penciling with the ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' volume 4 title which started in November 1989, with scripts by Tom and
Mary Bierbaum Tom and Mary Bierbaum are an American husband-and-wife writing team, known for their work on the DC comic book ''Legion of Super-Heroes''. Biography The Bierbaums entered the world of professional comic book writing through Legion fandom. Tom Bie ...
and assists by
Al Gordon Alan Gordon (born June 22, 1953) is an American comic book creator primarily known as an inker and writer. He is best known for his 1990s work on DC Comics' ''Legion of Super Heroes'' and the ''Justice League of America'', Marvel Comics' ''Fanta ...
. Five years after the Magic Wars, the United Planets is a darker place and the Legion a distant memory. However, a group of former Legionnaires worked to re-form the Legion in this harsh new universe, in which Earth was ruled by the alien Dominators. Shortly after this storyline began, the decision was made to retroactively remove Superboy completely from Legion history. Writer Mark Waid stated that "Because of inter-office politics and machinations...it was decided that there was no Superboy, but we weren't even allowed to reference him at ''all''." This left the question of where the Legion's inspiration came from without the influence of Superboy. The writers' solution was a massive
retcon Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
, in which Mon-El served in the role of paragon instead of Superboy, with several more retcons to follow. Issue #5 featured an alternate universe story in which the restructuring took place, and the Time Trapper was replaced in continuity by his onetime underling
Glorith The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st cent ...
. One major storyline during this period was the discovery of Batch SW6, a group of clones of the early Legion, c. their ''Adventure Comics'' days, created by the Dominators. Keith Giffen's original conclusion for the storyline was that the clones would eventually have been revealed to be the real Legion, and the ones whose adventures had been chronicled since the 1950s were actually the clones. The adult Legion's secret programming would kick in, forcing them to fight the younger Legion and leading to a fight to the death in which Legionnaires on both teams would die, with the victims’ names being picked at random out of a hat. Afterwards, the older team would explore the Vega System as a 30th-century version of the
Omega Men The Omega Men are a fictional team of extraterrestrial superheroes who have appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. They first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #141 (June 1981), and were created by Marv Wolfman and Joe ...
in a new series while the younger team would act as the main Legion on Earth. Giffen's other conclusion was for several of the younger and older Legionnaires to die while liberating Earth from the Dominion. The older Legion would defend Earth while the younger Legion would act as the last line of defense for the United Planets as the Omega Men. Instead, a parallel title, ''Legionnaires,'' was launched, starring the "SW6" Legion, whose origins were not resolved until the ''Zero Hour'' crossover by a different writing team. ''Legionnaires'' was lighter in tone than the main Legion book, and was written by the Bierbaums and drawn by
Chris Sprouse Chris Sprouse (born July 30, 1966) is an Americans, American comics artist. Sprouse has worked for multiple publishers and has won two Eisner Awards for his work on ''Tom Strong'', a series he created with writer Alan Moore. Early life Chris Spro ...
. Giffen left the book after a storyline which involved the destruction of Earth, and the Bierbaums continued writing, overseeing the return of several classic characters. When the Bierbaums left, writer Tom McCraw took over and made a number of changes, such as forcing several Legion members underground, which required them to take on new identities and costumes, and bringing back long-absent Legionnaire
Wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
. As part of the '' Zero Hour'' company-wide crossover, the Legion's original continuity came to an end with ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' vol. 4 #61 (September 1994).


Post-Infinite Crisis (2007–2015)

The " Lightning Saga" crossover in ''
Justice League of America The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
'' (vol. 2) #8–10 and ''
Justice Society of America The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
'' (vol. 3) #5–6 featured the return of the original versions of Star Boy (now called Starman), Dream Girl, Wildfire, Karate Kid, Timber Wolf,
Sensor Girl Princess Projectra is a fictional character (arts), character, a Superhero#Female superheroes, superheroine in the DC Comics DC Universe, universe. Typically portrayed as a haughty member of an alien royal family, she lives in the 30th and 31st ...
,
Dawnstar Dawnstar is a superheroine appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. She was created by Paul Levitz and Mike Grell, and first appeared in ''Superboy and ...
, and Brainiac 5. Though several differences between the original and ''Lightning Saga'' Legions exist, Geoff Johns stated that this incarnation of the Legion shares the same history as the original Legion up to the events of ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
'', with Clark Kent having joined the team as the teenage
Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
prior to the start of his career as Superman. This version of the Legion next appeared in the " Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" storyline in ''
Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics ...
'' #858–863. In the year 3008, the Earth's sun has turned red and several failed Legion applicants who were born on Earth have banded together to form the Justice League of Earth under the leadership of Earth-Man after he claims that Superman was a human who gained his powers from "Mother Earth". Earth-Man uses the claim to have Earth secede from the United Planets and ban all aliens from Earth, resulting in several Legionnaires going underground. With the help of Superman, the Legion eventually restores the Sun to its normal state and defeats Earth-Man and the Justice League of Earth just as the United Planets is about to attack the Earth. This version of the Legion next appeared in the 2008 '' Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' limited series, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by
George Pérez George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' and ''The Avengers (co ...
. The mini-series features the post-''Infinite Crisis'' Legion and Superman teaming up with the "Reboot" and "Threeboot" incarnations of the Legion to fight
Superboy-Prime Superboy-Prime (Clark Kent, born Kal-El), also known as Superman-Prime or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain and an alternate version of Superman. The character first appeared in ''DC Comics Presents'' #87 (November 198 ...
, the
Legion of Super-Villains The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of supervillains who appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future. They first appeared as adults in ''Superman'' #147 (Aug 1961) and as teens ...
, and the
Time Trapper This is a list of fictional characters from DC Comics who are enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Legion of Super-Heroes enemies In alphabetical order (with issue and date of debut appearance). In other media See also List of Superman ...
. It was revealed in the mini-series that the "Reboot" Legion came from Earth-247 (a
metafiction Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own narrative structure in a way that continually reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...
al homage to the Legion's first appearance in ''Adventure Comics'' #247), which was destroyed in ''
Infinite Crisis "Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...
'', and the "Threeboot" Legion came from the reconstructed Earth-Prime. Geoff Johns stated that the intent of the mini-series was to validate the existence of all three versions of the team while simultaneously restoring the pre-''Crisis'' Legion's continuity as well. The incorporation of the three teams into mainstream DC continuity was shown in ''Action Comics'' #864 (June 2008). In the story,
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
recounts the JLA and JSA's battle alongside the original Legion to defeat Mordru, the "Reboot" team's assistance in destroying a Sun-Eater in the 20th century, and his own recent encounter with the "Threeboot" team. This version of the Legion was featured in the second ''
Adventure Comics ''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' series from September 2009 to October 2011, with the feature focusing on the Legion Academy from April 2011 onwards. This Legion played a part in the " Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton" storyline in 2010, where the ongoing continual events of "
The Lightning Saga "The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: ''Justice League of America'' and '' Justice Society of America''. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by ...
" concluded in its entirety. A new ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' ongoing series was published from May 2010 to August 2011, written by
Paul Levitz Paul Levitz (; born October 21, 1956) is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles. Along with publisher Jenette Kahn ...
and drawn by Yildiray Cinar, featuring the post-''Infinite Crisis'' version of the team.


The New 52 (2011–2015)

''Legion of Super-Heroes'' was relaunched in September 2011 with issue #1. Simultaneously, DC Comics cancelled ''Adventure Comics'' and replaced it with a new volume of ''
Legion Lost ''Legion Lost'' is the name of two superhero titles published by DC Comics, both starring the Legion of Super-Heroes. The first series was a 12-issue comic book limited series co-written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, often collectively referre ...
''. While ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' continued the adventures of the team from that title's previous volume, ''Legion Lost'' featured
Wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
,
Dawnstar Dawnstar is a superheroine appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. She was created by Paul Levitz and Mike Grell, and first appeared in ''Superboy and ...
, Timber Wolf,
Tyroc Tyroc is a fictional character in the DC Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. Created by writer Cary Bates and artist Mike Grell, he first appeared in ''Superboy'' #216 (April 1976), a year before Blac ...
,
Tellus Tellus is a Latin word meaning "Earth" and may refer to: * An alternative name for the planet Earth * Tellus of Athens, a citizen of ancient Athens who was thought to be the happiest of men * Tellus Mater or Terra Mater, the ancient Roman earth mo ...
, Gates and Chameleon Girl stranded on 21st century Earth on a mission to save the future and are forced to remain there after contracting a pathogen that could destroy the 31st century if they returned. The ''Legion Lost'' series ended with the time-lost Legionnaires still stranded in the 21st century. This era of the Legion's publication concluded with issue #23 in August 2013 with the title's cancellation. In the final issue, the United Planets disbands the Legion after a cataclysmic battle with the Fatal Five, and the individual Legionnaires retire to their homeworlds or the Science Police. It is hinted that this iteration of the Legion exists on the New 52 version of Earth 2, with character dialogue suggesting the perseverance of the Legion in other times and realities. Writers Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen clarify that the Legion's placement on Earth-2 is just one possibility, with Giffen stating, "I think the ending is open to interpretation. The way I saw it was, it could be Earth 2. It might be Earth 1. It could be an Earth we've never seen before. It could be another universe." The entire Legion was re-mobilized to battle Infinitus in the six issue "Infinitus Saga" in ''
Justice League United Justice League United or JLU, are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was created by Jeff Lemire and Mike McKone. First appearing in their eponymous series, ''Justice League United'' #0 (pub ...
'' written by
Jeff Lemire Jeff Lemire (; born March 21, 1976) is a Canadian comic book writer, artist, and television producer. He is the author of critically acclaimed titles including the '' Essex County Trilogy'', '' Sweet Tooth'', and '' The Nobody''. His written work ...
(December 2014 – May 2015) which featured
Brainiac 5 Brainiac 5 (Querl Dox) is a fictional superhero character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is from the planet Colu and is a long-standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The first live-action version of the c ...
as leader, the return of the ''
Legion Lost ''Legion Lost'' is the name of two superhero titles published by DC Comics, both starring the Legion of Super-Heroes. The first series was a 12-issue comic book limited series co-written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, often collectively referre ...
'' team to active Legion status and the inclusion of a number of Legionnaires from other continuities in the Legion's active ranks.


Members


See also

*
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
*
Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team) The 1994 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes (also called the Post-Zero Hour or Reboot Legion) is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the DC Universe. The team is the second incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, following a ...
*
Legion of Super-Heroes (2004 team) The 2004 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the third incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes after the 1958 and 1994 versions. It first appears in ''Teen Titans/Legion ...
*
List of Legion of Super-Heroes members The Legion of Super-Heroes is a superhero team in comic book series published by DC Comics. The team has gone through various iterations. Starting with the founding trio of Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, and Saturn Girl, all versions of the team incl ...
*
List of Legion of Super-Heroes publications This article is a list of Legion of Super-Heroes publications. The list is in approximate chronological order. Legion volumes The Legion of Super-Heroes became a regular feature in ''Adventure Comics'' with issue #300, but were relegated to back-u ...


References


Notes


External links


The Legion of Super-Heroes Online CompanionThe Legion of Super-Heroes Reference FileLegion of Super-Heroes
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics {{DEFAULTSORT:Legion Of Super-Heroes (1958 Team) Characters created by Otto Binder Comics by Paul Levitz Comics characters introduced in 1958 DC Comics superhero teams *