The Legion of Substitute Heroes is a group of
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
s in the future of the
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
universeThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The "Subs", as they are often called, are a group of rejected applicants to the
Legion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
who banded together, hoping to prove to the Legion that their powers were not as useless as the Legionnaires claimed. They first appeared in
Adventure ComicsAdventure Comics is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983. It ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman and Batman...
#306 (March 1963). They were depicted as reasonably effective superheroes until
Keith GiffenKeith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
, during his tenure as
Legion writer, began depicting the team as something of a joke.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes was founded by
Polar BoyPolar Boy is a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:Brek Bannin grew up on the planet Tharr which is considered one of the hottest inhabited planets in the galaxy...
, Night Girl, Stone Boy, Fire Lad, and Chlorophyll Kid, five young heroes whose powers were not sufficient to earn them membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes is a group of
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
s in the future of the
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
universeThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The "Subs", as they are often called, are a group of rejected applicants to the
Legion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
who banded together, hoping to prove to the Legion that their powers were not as useless as the Legionnaires claimed. They first appeared in
Adventure ComicsAdventure Comics is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983. It ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman and Batman...
#306 (March 1963). They were depicted as reasonably effective superheroes until
Keith GiffenKeith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
, during his tenure as
Legion writer, began depicting the team as something of a joke.
Silver Age history
The Legion of Substitute Heroes was founded by
Polar BoyPolar Boy is a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:Brek Bannin grew up on the planet Tharr which is considered one of the hottest inhabited planets in the galaxy...
, Night Girl, Stone Boy, Fire Lad, and Chlorophyll Kid, five young heroes whose powers were not sufficient to earn them membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes. After receiving a consolation prize (a Legion flight belt), the five disconsolate teenagers decided to form a group that could pinch hit for the Legion. After several failures as a team, the Subs managed to save the Earth from an invasion by Plant Men while the Legion was off planet fighting a decoy armada of robot spaceships.
At first operating in secrecy, the Legion of Substitute Heroes was gradually recognized by the real Legion as a valuable asset, most notably after the assault on the Citadel of Throon when the regular Legionnaires were all defeated and it was left to Polar Boy and Night Girl to lead an effective attack on the fortress and end the siege. The Substitute Heroes saved the Legionnaires from such threats as the Taurus Gang and the lethal League of Super-Assassins.
Members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes include:
- Antennae Lad: has the power to tune into any broadcast from any era, but mostly at random.
- Chlorophyll Kid (Ral Benem from the planet Mardru): has the power to make plants grow super fast. He gained this power after falling into a vat of super plant growth formula as a small child. He has stated at various times that he can only accelerate plant growth, not control plant life, although some of his appearances seemed to contradict this.
- Color Kid
Color Kid is a DC Comics superhero, and a member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes in the 30th century.-Original continuity:...
(Ulu Vakk from the planet Lupra): can change the color of objects. Gained his power after being struck by a ray from another dimension. In the 1985 Legion of Substitute Heroes one-shot, he was temporarily known as Color Queen after being exposed to Granderian Gender-Reversal Germs by Infectious Lass.
- Double-Header: has two heads as a result of gradually splitting into two identical beings.
- Fire Lad
Fire Lad is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:Fire Lad was born Staq Mavlen on the planet Shwar. As a young man, he inhaled vapors from a crashing meteor and gained the ability to breath fire. He can set any combustible item on fire, melt thin...
(Staq Mavlen from the planet Schwar): gained the power to breathe fire (often accidentally, as he suffers from allergies that cause him to sneeze) after inhaling vapors from a crashing meteor.
- Infectious Lass (Drura Sehpt from the planet Somahtur): spontaneously generates infectious diseases. Her aim and control left something to be desired.
- Night Girl
Night Girl is a fictional character in the 30th century of the DC Universe. She is a member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes, and of the most recent incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
(Lydda Jath from the sunless planet Kathoon): has powers of super strength and invulnerability which were engineered for her by her scientist father, but which unfortunately are only effective in darkness.
- Polar Boy
Polar Boy is a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:Brek Bannin grew up on the planet Tharr which is considered one of the hottest inhabited planets in the galaxy...
: had the ability to project cold and ice. When introduced he had difficulties controlling the powers, but became quite effective after training for several years. Eventually, after the Substitute Heroes disbanded, he was admitted to the Legion proper, and was elected to lead the whole team.
- Porcupine Pete (Peter Dursin from Earth): has quills he can shoot from his body although generally not very accurately.
- Stone Boy (Dag Wentim from the planet Zwen): has the power to turn into stone as a way of hibernation on a planet whose night is six months long. Throughout most of his appearances, Stone Boy could only transform into an inanimate, insensate stone statue and was often used in humorous ways (e.g. being dropped on a villain from above by his teammates), or at best as a distraction while the other "Subs" carried out some mission. Stone Boy won a Legion test and was offered full membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes but he declined and stayed with the Subs. In one instance he is used tactically, as something for his allies to throw enemies at. During the "Five Year Gap", he underwent hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is therapy that is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis.The word "hypnosis" is an abbreviation of James Braid's term "neuro-hypnotism", meaning "sleep of the nervous system"....
and gained the ability to stay conscious during his transformation and, eventually, even to move in his stone state.
- Former Legionnaires Dream Girl and Star Boy
Thom Kallor is a comic book character owned by DC Comics, spanning many incarnations, all connected to the various incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The character has assumed the names Star Boy and Starman.-Legion of Super-Heroes:...
(who had been expelled from the Legion for killing) also served with the Substitute Heroes, but later rejoined the main Legion under the disguises of "Miss Terious" and "Sir Prize".
After a colorful, if not exactly impressive, career, the Substitute Heroes were disbanded by Polar Boy, after assisting Senator Tenzil Kem in averting an attempt by an army of replicas of Computo the Conqueror to take over Bismoll in a particularly wacky, inept, yet successful manner. Brek went on to attain full membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes. Many of the remaining members would eventually join the Legion as well during the "Five Year Gap".
Shortly before the "Five Year Gap", a new Legion of Substitute Heroes was formed. It consisted of former Legion of Super-Heroes members
Cosmic BoyCosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
,
Bouncing BoyBouncing Boy is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century. He is Chuck Taine of Earth, and he has the power to inflate like a ball and bounce. He received his powers when he accidentally drank a super plastic formula which he thought...
, and Duo Damsel, as well as Night Girl, a new
Karate KidKarate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st Century...
(Myg of Lythyl), and
Comet QueenComet Queen is a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. She was an ally of the Legion of Super-Heroes prior to Zero Hour.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
.
During the events of
Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4), the "Subs" came into their own as an insurgent group that was helping the Terran resistance to the
DominatorsThe Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle on one's forehead...
. Here, old Subs Fire Lad, Stone Boy, Chlorophyl Kid, Color Kid, and Porcupine Pete, were joined by new allies such as
Ron-KarrRon-Karr is a DC Comics supervillain, and an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #314 .-Fictional character biography:...
and Grinn.
Post-Zero Hour
Following the
Zero HourZero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the one-time hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction...
reboot, the Subs appeared in
Legionnaires #43 during Legion tryouts. Infectious Lass, Fire Lad, and Color Kid were seen on the cover, while Stone Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, Night Girl, and Polar Boy all tried out. Night Girl knew very well that the Legion wouldn't accept her because of her power's drawback, but she was really planning on meeting Cosmic Boy who, at the time, was trapped in the 20th century.
Polar Boy and Night Girl appear in one panel of
Legionnaires #49, concluding that their unseen team is not ready to aid the Legion against
MordruMordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
(Night Girl calls them a "poor substitute").
In the
Legion Worlds one-shot focusing on Braal, Cosmic Boy along with
Invisible KidLyle Norg is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He was the first to assume the name Invisible Kid.-Lyle Norg:...
, Leviathan, and
Chuck TaineBouncing Boy is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century. He is Chuck Taine of Earth, and he has the power to inflate like a ball and bounce. He received his powers when he accidentally drank a super plastic formula which he thought...
called themselves the "Legion of Subs"; the word 'Subs' is short for subterfuge.
Infectious Lass also reappeared as a student in the Legion Cadet Program just before the Legion's continuity was rebooted again.
Threeboot
In the "
ThreebootThe 2004 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the third major incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes after the 1958 and 1994 versions...
" Legion series launched in 2004, Polar Boy and Chlorophyll Kid (renamed
Plant Lad) appeared as a part of the new
WanderersThe Wanderers are a fictional group of superheroes appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They first appeared as allies of the Legion of Super-Heroes in Adventure Comics #375 written by Jim Shooter, illustrated by Win Mortimer with a cover by Neal Adams...
led by Mekt Ranzz. This version of Polar Boy can only slow molecular movement. Night Girl applied for membership in the Legion but was rejected and made a reserve member, (as part of the "Legion Reserve"), along with Sizzle, an energy manipulator, and Turtle, a strong and durable alien.
Post-Infinite Crisis
Versions of Infectious Lass, Polar Boy, Night Girl, Stone Boy, Fire Lad, and Chlorophyll Kid similar in appearance to their pre-
Crisis on Infinite Earths counterparts appeared in the
Tales of the UnexpectedTales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics from 1956 to 1968 for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982...
limited series and the
Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, featuring the Superman character and the return of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion of Super-Heroes...
storyarc in
Action ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series which introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. Porcupine Pete and Antennae Lad have not been seen.
- Infectious Lass: Drura Sehpt of the planet Somahtur. Was tossed into the time stream by Earth-Man, and has appeared as part of a group of forgotten comic book characters, including Dr. Thirteen, and battled against the Architects in the Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics from 1956 to 1968 for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982...
limited series. She's fallen in love with the deceased pirate Captain Fear.
- Color Kid: Ulu Vakk of the planet Lupra. Was blinded by Earth-Man.
- Double-Header: Was murdered by Earth-Man.
- Night Girl: Lydda Jath of the planet Kathoon. Now a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
- Polar Boy: Brek Brannin of the planet Tharr. Now a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Had his arm ripped off by Tusker, but has since replaced it with one made of ice.
- Stone Boy: Dag Wentim of the planet Zwen. No longer has the ability to move in stone-mode.
- Fire Lad: Staq Mavlen of the planet Schwar. Has moderate control over his fire-breathing abilities, and can actually turn his hair to flames when powered-up.
- Chlorophyll Kid: Ral Benam of Mardru. Claims he can talk to plants.
- Rainbow Girl
Rainbow Girl is a fictional character and a DC Comics super heroine. She first appeared in Adventure Comics #309 as a rejected Legion of Super-Heroes applicant. Her second appearance was 25 years later in Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #5, as a socialite...
: Dori Aandraison of the planet Xolnar. Possesses the ability to wield the power of the emotional spectrum, causing unpredictable mood swings from angryThe Red Lantern Corps is a fictional organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They debuted in Green Lantern #25 and were created by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver...
(red), to hopefulThe Blue Lantern Corps is a fictional organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They debuted in Green Lantern #25 and were created by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver.-Fictional group history:...
(blue), to confidentThe Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians; a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
(green), and others. She only appeared once, as a rejected Legion applicant in pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, and originally had the power to separate into four different-colored versions of herself. Red was heat, Blue was cold, Yellow was brightness, and Green was KryptoniteKryptonite is a fictional element from the Superman mythos, originating in the Superman radio show series.The material is usually shown as having been created from the remains of Superman's native planet of Krypton, and generally has detrimental effects on Superman and other Kryptonians...
. She was rejected because her Green Kryptonite self posed a threat to Superboy and Supergirl.
In part five of the
Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes story-arc in
Action Comics, Fire Lad, Stone Boy, Chlorophyll Kid, and Rainbow Girl are called in to help battle the
Justice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
of Earth, a tyrannical, alien-hating association formed out super-powered beings also rejected by the Legion. After the villainous group is defeated, the Subs decide to claim their satellite base as their own. During the coruse of the story, it is revealed that a large part of why the heroes were rejected from the original Legion was due subtle psychological scans run by Saturn Girl.
Legion of Super Heroes (animated series)
Characters from the Legion of Substitute Heroes first appeared in the
Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a group of...
episode entitled "Lightning Storm", and then again in the episode "The Substitutes", which focused completely on them.
They are portrayed as a mix of sympathetic and comedic characters who are determined to be heroes but not entirely aware of their limits.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes in the animated series consist of:
- Porcupine Pete – portrayed as something of a "mother's boy" who is not always good with his powers, but is determined to be a hero and has a definite sense of responsibility. Pete easily forgets that his quills can hurt others. He is the unofficial leader of the team. Voiced by James Arnold Taylor
James Arnold Taylor is an American voice actor and the current voice provider for Fred Flintstone.-Notable roles:...
.
- Chlorophyll Kid – portrayed as a classic nebbish, but clever at using his limited powers, such as creating cacti to distract an enemy with human-like silhouettes. When pushed, he'll take risks to protect others. Voiced by Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Niver Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
.
- Stone Boy – portrayed as highly intelligent. He once uses a fall in his stone form to strike an enemy, yet speaks little. In fact, his companions actually were surprised when he did speak up, suggesting they thought he was mute. His ability to use his stone form ranges from ineffectual to clever, perhaps because he doesn't have the sense of humor to realize when he is doing something silly. He also at times seems to forget to change back to flesh. He seems to have some small knowledge of science, which he shares with the team, giving an excellent insight on Starfinger
Starfinger is a fictional DC Comics supervillain. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #335 and was an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Lars Hanscom:...
's IonosphereThe ionosphere is the uppermost part of the atmosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
-gobbling space-worms and how to stop them. Voiced by Yuri LowenthalYuri Lowenthal is a voice actor that has voiced several anime and video game characters. He also voiced Kamal for the alternate reality game I Love Bees....
.
- Color Kid – portrayed as energetic, enthusiastic, often ignorant of danger, and a bit flamboyant and campy. He has an excellent eye for color, but hasn't caught on entirely how limited his powers are. His most noteworthy use of his abilities is to conceal an obstacle to trip a villain and conceal his fellow heroes. Voiced by James Arnold Taylor.
- Infectious Lass – portrayed as withdrawn and seems to suffer from a mild asthma
Asthma is a predisposition to chronic inflammation of the lungs in which the airways are reversibly narrowed. Asthma affects 7% of the population of the United States, and 300 million worldwide...
-like condition and sounds permanently congested. Her powers involve creating an infectious slime, but it seems limited to creating a quick, mild cold. Voiced by Kari WahlgrenKari K. Wahlgren is an American voice actress who has provided English language voices for dozens of anime titles and video games. She also provided the voices of the characters Tink in the 2003 film Neverland, Mindy in the 2008 film Bolt, and the computer program Jean in the 2009 television pilot...
.
In addition, Antennae Lad, Polar Boy, Fire Lad, Double-Header, and Night Girl all appeared in cameos in both episodes as prospective members of the Legion.
The Substitute Heroes were seen briefly in a
battalionA battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
during "Sundown" Part 2, although never actually participating in the fight against the
Sun-EaterA Sun-Eater is a fictional, artificially created living weapon in the DC Comics universe. It has played an important role in various storylines.-History:...
.
In the second-season (and series) finale, "Dark Victory", Polar Boy is shown among the heroes attempting to stop the renegade Brainiac 5. None of the other Substitutes are shown, although Polar Boy was not shown being inducted into the actual Legion.
Smallville
In the
SmallvilleSmallville is the fictional hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang and Pete Ross. Smallville was the setting of many Superboy comics, which depicted Clark as a young man...
episode "Legion,"
Cosmic BoyCosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
tells
Lightning LadLightning Lad , also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
that he's acting like a Sub when he asks
ClarkSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
to autograph the first baseball Clark had ever hit; claiming it was for his sister.
External links