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Legion of Super-Heroes (2004 team)
Encyclopedia
The 2004 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes (often referred to as the "Threeboot" Legion) is a fiction
al 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. It first appears in Teen Titans/Legion Special (November 2004) and was created by Mark Waid
and Barry Kitson
.
Following a crossover with the Teen Titans in Teen Titans #16 and the Teen Titans/Legion Special, a new series was launched; written by Mark Waid
, who previously rebooted the title following the events of Zero Hour
, and penciled by Barry Kitson
. This new series — the fifth series entitled Legion of Super-Heroes — recreated the team from the ground up and uses the Boy/Lad/Girl/Lass/Kid names from which the end of the "Preboot" era and the prior reboot had moved away from using. Waid has stated that this is the first view of the DC Universe after the events of Infinite Crisis, as shown in a line referring to Infinite Crisis in the Teen Titans/Legion Special. The current continuity is sometimes referred to as the "Threeboot" continuity by fans as it is the third incarnation of the Legion that has been published since 1958.
Issues following #16 featured a modified One Year Later logo, shown as 1,001 Years Later, referring to the current Legion's adventures taking place 1,000 years after the One Year Later storyline. Beginning with issue #16, The Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) was retitled Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Initial issues of the current title reintroduced the characters and provided new and divergent origins for them. Most characters resemble their previous counterparts in costume and powers, with the most notable exceptions including Chameleon Boy
, now called simply Chameleon and depicted as an androgynous creature, Star Boy
, who in this version of the Legion is black, Colossal Boy, who is now a giant who shrinks to human size, and Phantom Girl
, who exists in two universes at once and has conversations with people in her own dimension while talking to Legionnaires at the same time.
The future universe of this Legion is an emotionally and mentally repressive society which involves human sexuality and contact being kept at arms' length as well as Orwellian
surveillance of minors. The Legion's main goal is social reform as well as protecting people and inspiring them with the legends of superheroes of old, even though the team isn't appreciated by various government authorities.
The Legion is worshiped by thousands of "Legionnaires"; young people on various worlds who worship the group in a cult
-like manner. Some of the Legionnaires keep a constant vigil outside Legion headquarters.
When confronted by the Legion, Supergirl insists she is the real Supergirl, Kara Zor-El
. She then informs the Legion that they are in fact not real, and exist only because she is dreaming them. Cosmic Boy theorizes that Kara has gone through so many traumatic experiences during her brief career as Supergirl that ending up in the 31st century has caused her to assume that everything she's experienced since Krypton's destruction has all been an extended dream. Supergirl is then mentally probed by Saturn Girl, who learns that Kara's last memory before arriving in the 31st century was of the war between Rann and Thanagar
during the events of Infinite Crisis
.
Meanwhile a group known as the Wanderers
wreaks havoc in the galaxy, first letting loose on Earth
a group of giants, then striking the team on Kandor itself where they had gone with Supergirl. As a side-effect of a psi-attack, Saturn Girl
becomes able to sense and communicate with Mon-El
, who is trapped in the Phantom Zone and is able to exist as an invisible and intangible wraith on Kandor
. While some Legionnaires are trying to free Mon-El, the Wanderers attack Legion HQ, trapping everyone inside. Several Legionnaires as well as Mon-El are recruited by the Wanderers to help combat an imminent Dominator threat.
The Dominators' attack on Earth was started after Booster Gold
jumped through time and stole an advanced weapon which he needed to stop Mister Mind in the final battle of the 52 weekly series. They mistook Booster's speech while taking the weapon ("for saving 52 worlds") as a warning that Earth had teamed up with 52 unnamed worlds to declare war on the Dominion and had broken the non-aggression treaty signed after the Invasion
a thousand years before. To further complicate matters, the combined forces of the Legionnaires and the Wanderers that were attacking the Dominion in a preemptive strike was perceived as proof of Earth's new alliance with 52 unnamed worlds.
The Waid/Kitson run ended with issue #30 after Barry Kitson's move to Marvel Comics
with Tony Bedard
becoming the new writer for a six-issue run from #31 to #36, culminating with Supergirl's return to the 21st century during the events of World War III.
(who wrote several Legion stories in the late 1960s and early 1970s) started an open-ended run with Francis Manapul
as the artist. The title of the book reverted to Legion of Super-Heroes.
After Supergirl's return to the 21st century, Lightning Lad becomes Legion leader due to being the runner-up in the leadership elections. His first day on the job does not go well as he faces the Legion losing the support of the United Planets.
DC Comics announced on September 29, 2008 that the current Legion series would end with issue 50. Shooter had planned out a sixteen story arc but had to create two fill-in issues, cutting his planned story arc down to fourteen issues. Shooter suggests the ending of the series was not connected with sales, stating "I think canceling the book is a graceful way of getting rid of me. I complain too much and too loudly". Shooter was not credited with scripting the final issue of the series, #50, which left several of Shooter's plot threads unresolved, and credit instead went to a pseudonym, "Justin Thyme", which was previously used by uncredited comic book artists.
and drawn by George Pérez
. The mini-series features the "Threeboot" Legion teaming up with the "Reboot" and post-Infinite Crisis incarnations of the Legion and Superman to fight the Time Trapper
and a new incarnation of the Legion of Super-Villains
(led by Superboy-Prime
). It is revealed at the end of the mini-series that this version of the team inhabits Earth-Prime
, the home of Superboy-Prime.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team in the 31st century of the . The team is the third major incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The 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....
after the 1958
Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)
The 1958 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the first incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, followed by the 1994 and 2004 rebooted versions...
and 1994
Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team)
The 1994 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the DC Universe. The team is the second major incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes after the 1958 version and followed by the 2004 version. It first appears in Legion of Super-Heroes The 1994...
versions. It first appears in Teen Titans/Legion Special (November 2004) and was created by Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
and Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson is a British comics artist best known as a penciler of major superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC.-Biography:Kitson's first professional work was Spider-Man for Marvel UK...
.
Publication history
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
, who previously rebooted the title following the events of Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former 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 of...
, and penciled by Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson is a British comics artist best known as a penciler of major superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC.-Biography:Kitson's first professional work was Spider-Man for Marvel UK...
. This new series — the fifth series entitled Legion of Super-Heroes — recreated the team from the ground up and uses the Boy/Lad/Girl/Lass/Kid names from which the end of the "Preboot" era and the prior reboot had moved away from using. Waid has stated that this is the first view of the DC Universe after the events of Infinite Crisis, as shown in a line referring to Infinite Crisis in the Teen Titans/Legion Special. The current continuity is sometimes referred to as the "Threeboot" continuity by fans as it is the third incarnation of the Legion that has been published since 1958.
Issues following #16 featured a modified One Year Later logo, shown as 1,001 Years Later, referring to the current Legion's adventures taking place 1,000 years after the One Year Later storyline. Beginning with issue #16, The Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) was retitled Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Initial issues of the current title reintroduced the characters and provided new and divergent origins for them. Most characters resemble their previous counterparts in costume and powers, with the most notable exceptions including Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy , also known as Chameleon, is a DC Comics superhero, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics #267 .-Silver Age:...
, now called simply Chameleon and depicted as an androgynous creature, Star Boy
Star Boy
Thom Kallor is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, spanning many incarnations, all connected to the various incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, who in this version of the Legion is black, Colossal Boy, who is now a giant who shrinks to human size, and Phantom Girl
Phantom Girl
Phantom Girl is a fictional comic book superhero who appears in books published by DC Comics. In the Post-Zero Hour continuity, she is known as Apparition, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
, who exists in two universes at once and has conversations with people in her own dimension while talking to Legionnaires at the same time.
The future universe of this Legion is an emotionally and mentally repressive society which involves human sexuality and contact being kept at arms' length as well as Orwellian
Orwellian
"Orwellian" describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free society...
surveillance of minors. The Legion's main goal is social reform as well as protecting people and inspiring them with the legends of superheroes of old, even though the team isn't appreciated by various government authorities.
The Legion is worshiped by thousands of "Legionnaires"; young people on various worlds who worship the group in a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
-like manner. Some of the Legionnaires keep a constant vigil outside Legion headquarters.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
. She then informs the Legion that they are in fact not real, and exist only because she is dreaming them. Cosmic Boy theorizes that Kara has gone through so many traumatic experiences during her brief career as Supergirl that ending up in the 31st century has caused her to assume that everything she's experienced since Krypton's destruction has all been an extended dream. Supergirl is then mentally probed by Saturn Girl, who learns that Kara's last memory before arriving in the 31st century was of the war between Rann and Thanagar
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
during the events of Infinite Crisis
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, and a number of tie-in books...
.
Meanwhile a group known as the Wanderers
Wanderers (comics)
The 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...
wreaks havoc in the galaxy, first letting loose on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
a group of giants, then striking the team on Kandor itself where they had gone with Supergirl. As a side-effect of a psi-attack, Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
becomes able to sense and communicate with Mon-El
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
, who is trapped in the Phantom Zone and is able to exist as an invisible and intangible wraith on Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
. While some Legionnaires are trying to free Mon-El, the Wanderers attack Legion HQ, trapping everyone inside. Several Legionnaires as well as Mon-El are recruited by the Wanderers to help combat an imminent Dominator threat.
The Dominators' attack on Earth was started after Booster Gold
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
jumped through time and stole an advanced weapon which he needed to stop Mister Mind in the final battle of the 52 weekly series. They mistook Booster's speech while taking the weapon ("for saving 52 worlds") as a warning that Earth had teamed up with 52 unnamed worlds to declare war on the Dominion and had broken the non-aggression treaty signed after the Invasion
Invasion! (DC Comics)
Invasion! was a three issue comic book limited series and crossover event published in late 1988-early 1989 by DC Comics. It was plotted by Keith Giffen, and ties up a great many plotlines from various Giffen-created DC series, including Omega Men, Justice League International, and Legion of...
a thousand years before. To further complicate matters, the combined forces of the Legionnaires and the Wanderers that were attacking the Dominion in a preemptive strike was perceived as proof of Earth's new alliance with 52 unnamed worlds.
The Waid/Kitson run ended with issue #30 after Barry Kitson's move to Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
with Tony Bedard
Tony Bedard
Antony "Tony" J. L. Bedard is a writer and editor who has worked in the comic book industry from the early '90s through the present. He is best known for his work at CrossGen Comics, where he was under exclusive contract, and for his run writing Marvel Comics X-Men spin-off Exiles.-Career:Tony...
becoming the new writer for a six-issue run from #31 to #36, culminating with Supergirl's return to the 21st century during the events of World War III.
Jim Shooter era
Beginning with issue 37, former writer Jim ShooterJim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
(who wrote several Legion stories in the late 1960s and early 1970s) started an open-ended run with Francis Manapul
Francis Manapul
-Career:Manapul is known for his work on Witchblade and The Necromancer for Top Cow, working on the former for three years, off and on, returning for the tenth anniversary issue in 2005.He provided covers for various titles, most notably for some G.I...
as the artist. The title of the book reverted to Legion of Super-Heroes.
After Supergirl's return to the 21st century, Lightning Lad becomes Legion leader due to being the runner-up in the leadership elections. His first day on the job does not go well as he faces the Legion losing the support of the United Planets.
DC Comics announced on September 29, 2008 that the current Legion series would end with issue 50. Shooter had planned out a sixteen story arc but had to create two fill-in issues, cutting his planned story arc down to fourteen issues. Shooter suggests the ending of the series was not connected with sales, stating "I think canceling the book is a graceful way of getting rid of me. I complain too much and too loudly". Shooter was not credited with scripting the final issue of the series, #50, which left several of Shooter's plot threads unresolved, and credit instead went to a pseudonym, "Justin Thyme", which was previously used by uncredited comic book artists.
Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds
The Threeboot Legion also appeared in the 2008-2009 Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds limited series, written by Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and drawn by George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
. The mini-series features the "Threeboot" Legion teaming up with the "Reboot" and post-Infinite Crisis incarnations of the Legion and Superman to fight the Time Trapper
Time Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and a new incarnation of the Legion of Super-Villains
Legion of Super-Villains
The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future...
(led by Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
). It is revealed at the end of the mini-series that this version of the team inhabits Earth-Prime
Earth Prime
Earth Prime is a term sometimes used in works of speculative fiction involving parallel universes or a multiverse, and refers either to the universe containing "our" Earth, or to a parallel world with a bare minimum of divergence points from Earth as we know it...
, the home of Superboy-Prime.
See also
- Legion of Super-HeroesLegion 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....
- Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)The 1958 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the first incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, followed by the 1994 and 2004 rebooted versions...
- Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team)Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team)The 1994 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the DC Universe. The team is the second major incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes after the 1958 version and followed by the 2004 version. It first appears in Legion of Super-Heroes The 1994...
- List of Legion of Super-Heroes members
- List of Legion of Super-Heroes publications