Legion of Substitute Heroes
| Legion of Substitute Heroes | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #306 (March, 1963) |
| Created by |
Edmond Hamilton (script) John Forte (art) |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | Metropolis (31st century) |
| Member(s) | Antennae Lad Chlorophyll Kid Color Kid Double Header Dream Girl Fire Lad Infectious Lass Night Girl Polar Boy Porcupine Pete Rainbow Girl Star Boy Stone Boy |
The 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 banded together, hoping to prove to the Legion that their powers were not as useless as the Legionnaires claimed. They first appeared in Adventure Comics #306 (March 1963). They were depicted as reasonably effective superheroes until Keith Giffen, during his tenure as Legion writer, began depicting the team as something of a joke. The Subs regained some respect when founding member Polar Boy joined the main Legion and a new Legion of Substitute Heroes was formed.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes was founded by Polar Boy, 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 — Night Girl for example could only use her powers in the dark. After receiving a Legion flight belt as a consolation prize, 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 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:
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 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".
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