Sun Boy
Encyclopedia
Sun Boy is a fictional character
, a 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 he wishes, from enough to light a single candle
to enough to melt nearly any obstacle.
Sun Boy first appeared in 1961 during the Silver Age of Comic Books
.
Dirk Morgna's father owns a nuclear power plant
, where Dirk works as a helper. While he is delivering supplies to one of the plant's scientists, Dr. Zaxton Regulus, the machine the scientist is working on explodes resulting in the death of fellow worker Zarl Hendricks. Dr. Regulus blames the accident, and his subsequent dismissal, on the interruption. He tries to gain revenge on Dirk by throwing him in an atomic reactor; however, due to Dirk's "one-in-a-million genetic structure
" instead of killing him, the radiation
gives him the power to generate heat
and light
.
Dirk applies for the Legion, as Sun Boy, but is rejected as he has only demonstrated his ability to generate light. He is later accepted when he shows his heat-generation ability.
control and Dirk complies with their demands despite personal misgivings. When the truth is revealed, he is branded a traitor to the Legion and Earth. Dirk is later exposed to a fatal dose of radiation when a powersphere explodes next to him during the destruction of the Moon. He is killed by his sometime lover Circe, in an act of euthanasia
. His corpse is later animated for a short time by former teammate Wildfire
.
Shortly before Dirk's death, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teeange Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. After Earth was destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of Krypton
over a millennium earlier, a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstituted their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remained, and their version of Sun Boy assumed the code name Inferno.
Inferno made an appearance in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5, among many Legionnaires from throughout the Multiverse.
continuity, Dirk Morgna is a supporting character, who occasionally gains "Sun Boy" powers, but is not a member of the Legion.
Again blaming Dirk for his dismissal, Dr. Regulus attempts to kill Morgna by injecting him with radioactive gold
. This instead causes him to glow white hot, blinding Regulus. He is unable to control this power and has to wear a special suit to protect others from it. While helping the Legion battle Regulus, he uses up all the energy and returns to normal.
Dirk returns in Legionnaires #71 (May 1999), in which he is possessed by an elemental spirit called Ph'yr, one of the four Elements of Disaster, and turns into a living humanoid fireball. The elementals wish to gain Mordru
's power. Dirk manages to regain control, and helps the Legion and the stone elemental Brika/Roxx defeat the two who had given themselves over to the elemental spirits.
names him the group's field leader. Confused as to whether or not his Legion membership is his desire or that of his parents, Dirk ultimately opts to resign from the group. He then decides to help the myriad of exiled descendants living in "otherspace" in the wake of the defeat of their leader, Praetor Lemnos. Ruefully, the Legion accedes to his request, but hope that Dirk will eventually return to their ranks.
Dirk and his associates are kidnapped by the Dominators, who wish to steal their powers, but they are rescued by the Legion and the Wanderers
.
Sun Boy returns to the Legion and reveals that he has had all remaining members of Terra Firma arrested. His return is put to a vote per his request.
This version of Sun Boy was killed by Superboy-Prime
in Legion of Three Worlds #3. His body is later revived as part of the Black Lantern Corps
in Adventure Comics (vol.2) #4.
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
. In the latter storyline, Sun Boy had been captured by Earth Man
and plugged into a machine, which used his powers to turn many of the suns in the galaxy red. Sun Boy is later rescued by his teammates.
storyline, which follows on from Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Sun Boy is shown to been deeply weakened and traumatised by his imprisonment, to the point where he cannot use his powers anymore. To this end, Dirk hands in his Flight Ring, effectively resigning from the Legion. In the course of the adventure, the other two Legions are pulled in to battle the Legion of Super-Villains. During the fight, the "Threeboot" Sun Boy is frozen solid and crushed to pieces by Superboy-Prime
, causing the elder Dirk pain. Soon after, Dirk decides to don his flight ring again, and joins the fight, just in time to save Polar Boy
from death at the hands of Superboy-Prime.
, both heat and visible light. He is also immune to virtually all forms of heat and radiation (except when he was killed off during the "Five-Year-Gap" era).
Though it rarely came up given his ability, Dirk was revealed to suffer from nyctophobia
.
In "Cry Wolf", when Timber Wolf
provokes the patrons in the bar he had fallen into, after Superman X used his heat vision to make a hole in the floor were Timberwolf was standing, to attack the Legion in retaliation to the impending attack, Sun Boy melted all of the attackers' weapons with a wave of his arm; before this he melted the door to the bar and entered followed by Colossal Boy. He also appears in the Season Two finale and plays a somewhat major role. He along with Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad form a single file and use their powers to create a huge gash in Brainiac 5's
giant robot form. Despite this he is defeated when Lightning Lad's arm cannon is taken over by Brainiac 5. He was defeated with a single lightning blast to the chest as was Cosmic Boy. He is digitized along with Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. At the end of the episode however he is returned to normal like all of the other Legionnaires. Despite his regular appearances in the program, he has yet to utter a single word onscreen; the most he has uttered are grunts and cries of pain. He has been called by name in one episode; this was during the two part Season One finale when Bouncing Boy
yells out: "Sun Boy now!" telling him to use his heat generation power to draw the Sun-Eater to him. During the same episode Bouncing Boy again states his name saying that the Sun-Eater is falling for their trap by being draw to Sun Boy's heat powers. He also appears in the episode "In the Beginning", where he appears at the end reciting the Legion oath. In this appearance his costume is slightly different from what he wears later in the series; he is also younger with shorter hair.
His overall appearance somewhat differs from his comic book counterpart. His hair is longer, his forearms and the back of his hair light up on fire when he flies or uses his powers, leaving a fiery trail when he flies, and his eyes are black with gold pupils; similar to Superman X. His costume however is similar to his original costume.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a 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 —...
in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The 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...
. Sun Boy (real name Dirk Morgna of the planet 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...
) is a 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....
member with the ability to unleash internal solar energy to whatever degree he wishes, from enough to light a single candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
to enough to melt nearly any obstacle.
Sun Boy first appeared in 1961 during the Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
.
Silver Age
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
, where Dirk works as a helper. While he is delivering supplies to one of the plant's scientists, Dr. Zaxton Regulus, the machine the scientist is working on explodes resulting in the death of fellow worker Zarl Hendricks. Dr. Regulus blames the accident, and his subsequent dismissal, on the interruption. He tries to gain revenge on Dirk by throwing him in an atomic reactor; however, due to Dirk's "one-in-a-million genetic structure
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
" instead of killing him, the radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
gives him the power to generate heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
and light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
.
Dirk applies for the Legion, as Sun Boy, but is rejected as he has only demonstrated his ability to generate light. He is later accepted when he shows his heat-generation ability.
"Five Years Later"
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Sun Boy becomes leader of the Legion amidst a series of defections which results in his resignation. Soon afterwards, Sun Boy is hired by Earthgov as a public relations liaison, using his good looks and popularity to spin public opinion. Earthgov is revealed to be under DominatorDominators
The 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...
control and Dirk complies with their demands despite personal misgivings. When the truth is revealed, he is branded a traitor to the Legion and Earth. Dirk is later exposed to a fatal dose of radiation when a powersphere explodes next to him during the destruction of the Moon. He is killed by his sometime lover Circe, in an act of euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. His corpse is later animated for a short time by former teammate Wildfire
Wildfire (comics)
Wildfire is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero in that universe's 30th and 31st centuries. Created by Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum, the character debuted in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #195 .-Publication history:...
.
Shortly before Dirk's death, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teeange Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad 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...
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
Sun-Eater
A Sun-Eater is a fictional, artificially created living weapon in the DC Comics universe. It has played an important role in various storylines.-History:...
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. After Earth was destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
over a millennium earlier, a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstituted their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remained, and their version of Sun Boy assumed the code name Inferno.
Inferno made an appearance in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5, among many Legionnaires from throughout the Multiverse.
Post Zero Hour
In post-Zero HourZero 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...
continuity, Dirk Morgna is a supporting character, who occasionally gains "Sun Boy" powers, but is not a member of the Legion.
Again blaming Dirk for his dismissal, Dr. Regulus attempts to kill Morgna by injecting him with radioactive gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. This instead causes him to glow white hot, blinding Regulus. He is unable to control this power and has to wear a special suit to protect others from it. While helping the Legion battle Regulus, he uses up all the energy and returns to normal.
Dirk returns in Legionnaires #71 (May 1999), in which he is possessed by an elemental spirit called Ph'yr, one of the four Elements of Disaster, and turns into a living humanoid fireball. The elementals wish to gain Mordru
Mordru
Mordru 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...
's power. Dirk manages to regain control, and helps the Legion and the stone elemental Brika/Roxx defeat the two who had given themselves over to the elemental spirits.
Threeboot
In the 2004 revised Legion continuity, unlike the rest of his Legion comrades, Dirk Morgna's parents openly support the galactic movement the Legion represents. Joining the Legion as Sun Boy, Cosmic BoyCosmic Boy
Cosmic 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...
names him the group's field leader. Confused as to whether or not his Legion membership is his desire or that of his parents, Dirk ultimately opts to resign from the group. He then decides to help the myriad of exiled descendants living in "otherspace" in the wake of the defeat of their leader, Praetor Lemnos. Ruefully, the Legion accedes to his request, but hope that Dirk will eventually return to their ranks.
Dirk and his associates are kidnapped by the Dominators, who wish to steal their powers, but they are rescued by the Legion and 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...
.
Sun Boy returns to the Legion and reveals that he has had all remaining members of Terra Firma arrested. His return is put to a vote per his request.
This version of Sun Boy was killed 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...
in Legion of Three Worlds #3. His body is later revived as part of the Black Lantern Corps
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
in Adventure Comics (vol.2) #4.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite 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...
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
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 Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. In the latter storyline, Sun Boy had been captured by Earth Man
Kirt Niedrigh
Kirt Niedrigh is a fictional character, a semi-reformed supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Cary Bates and Mike Grell, Niedrigh is a former hopeful for the Legion of Super-Heroes under the guise of Absorbancy Boy...
and plugged into a machine, which used his powers to turn many of the suns in the galaxy red. Sun Boy is later rescued by his teammates.
Legion of Three Worlds
In the Final Crisis: Legion of Three WorldsFinal Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds
Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds is a five-issue 2008 limited series produced by DC Comics. The series is a tie-in to Final Crisis. It is scripted by Geoff Johns, and drawn by George Pérez....
storyline, which follows on from Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Sun Boy is shown to been deeply weakened and traumatised by his imprisonment, to the point where he cannot use his powers anymore. To this end, Dirk hands in his Flight Ring, effectively resigning from the Legion. In the course of the adventure, the other two Legions are pulled in to battle the Legion of Super-Villains. During the fight, the "Threeboot" Sun Boy is frozen solid and crushed to pieces 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...
, causing the elder Dirk pain. Soon after, Dirk decides to don his flight ring again, and joins the fight, just in time to save Polar Boy
Polar Boy
Polar Boy is a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe, initially suggested by reader Buddy Lavigne of Northbrook, Illinois in the letters page of Adventure Comics #304, January, 1963.-Fictional character biography:...
from death at the hands of Superboy-Prime.
Aftermath
In the new Legion of Super-Heroes ongoing series, Sun Boy is one of many Legionnaires appalled by the Earth Government forcing the Legion to take on Earth-Man as a member. Still incensed over the way he was used, Sun Boy is steadfastly disgusted by Earth-Man's place on the team, even after the former criminal saves him from a Xenophobe attack. However, during an attack from the xenophobe group "Earthforce", Sun Boy saves Earth-Man from certain death, declaring that "The Legion takes care of its own."Powers and abilities
Sun Boy can internally generate a seemingly limitless amount of electromagnetic radiationElectromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space...
, both heat and visible light. He is also immune to virtually all forms of heat and radiation (except when he was killed off during the "Five-Year-Gap" era).
Weaknesses
Sun Boy's power to radiate light and heat can be reflected back on him by mirrors, jewels and creatures that are reflective. If he increases his radiating power to full strength he can crack mirrors in these situations. One limit to his power is that he cannot risk melting metal in proximity to any persons, since the intense heat required would be lethal.Though it rarely came up given his ability, Dirk was revealed to suffer from nyctophobia
Nyctophobia
Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by a severe fear of the darkness. It is triggered by the brain’s disfigured perception of what would or could happen when in a dark environment....
.
In other media
Sun Boy appears in the Legion of Super Heroes animated series, in the two part episode "Sundown" and "Cry Wolf" in Season Two as well as multiple other episodes in Season Two (in addition to the Season Two titles).In "Cry Wolf", when Timber Wolf
Timber Wolf (comics)
Timber Wolf is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He comes from the planet Zoon . His powers are enhanced strength, speed and agility...
provokes the patrons in the bar he had fallen into, after Superman X used his heat vision to make a hole in the floor were Timberwolf was standing, to attack the Legion in retaliation to the impending attack, Sun Boy melted all of the attackers' weapons with a wave of his arm; before this he melted the door to the bar and entered followed by Colossal Boy. He also appears in the Season Two finale and plays a somewhat major role. He along with Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad form a single file and use their powers to create a huge gash in Brainiac 5's
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
giant robot form. Despite this he is defeated when Lightning Lad's arm cannon is taken over by Brainiac 5. He was defeated with a single lightning blast to the chest as was Cosmic Boy. He is digitized along with Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. At the end of the episode however he is returned to normal like all of the other Legionnaires. Despite his regular appearances in the program, he has yet to utter a single word onscreen; the most he has uttered are grunts and cries of pain. He has been called by name in one episode; this was during the two part Season One finale when Bouncing Boy
Bouncing Boy
-Fictional character biography:Bouncing 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...
yells out: "Sun Boy now!" telling him to use his heat generation power to draw the Sun-Eater to him. During the same episode Bouncing Boy again states his name saying that the Sun-Eater is falling for their trap by being draw to Sun Boy's heat powers. He also appears in the episode "In the Beginning", where he appears at the end reciting the Legion oath. In this appearance his costume is slightly different from what he wears later in the series; he is also younger with shorter hair.
His overall appearance somewhat differs from his comic book counterpart. His hair is longer, his forearms and the back of his hair light up on fire when he flies or uses his powers, leaving a fiery trail when he flies, and his eyes are black with gold pupils; similar to Superman X. His costume however is similar to his original costume.