Legion Elseworlds, Part 2 (2000–present)

This section covers appearances of the Legion of Super-Heroes that are, intentionally or not, non-canonical (or "outside of continuity").

Table of Contents

Superboy's Legion (2001)

Prestige format one-shot (2001)

By Alan Davis and Mark Farmer

Story: In 2987, R. J. Brande discovers a space craft in the debris from the doomed planet Krypton. Inside the craft is an infant boy, whom Brande adopts as his son. As the boy grows, he develops amazing powers, which the local Science Police find threatening. One day, after a serious reprimand from his father, Superboy hurtles himself deep into space where he meets a Green Lantern, Talu-Katu. Talu inspires Superboy to form his own corps of heroes to protect the regions of space where the Lanterns no longer patrol.

Superboy finds his first recruits en route back to Earth on the luxury cruiser, Lystrata. He helps young Rokk Krinn and Imra Ardeen save the ship from an alien predator. Afterwards, he invites them to join his new crusade, and the three advertise for new members to join Superboy's Legion.

The call brings scores of young heroes from across the galaxy, most of whom are rejected. Among those accepted are Sun Boy, Colossal Boy, Shadow Lass, Shrinking Violet, Element Lad and Bouncing Boy. Elsewhere, more teens (Triplicate Girl, Lightning Lad, Light Lass, Sensor, Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid) view the proceedings via video and make their way to Earth as well.

Soon after this audition, Superboy is approached by young reporter Lois Olsen. She tells him about a huge asteroid heading for Rimbor. Though the others are hesitant to jump into a mission so soon, Superboy takes the team and heads into space. They are followed by Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid, who have calculated that Superboy's powers will not be sufficient to destroy the asteroid. They call on that sector's guardian, Starboy, who helps Superboy succeed. On Rimbor they acquire more Legionnaires, Ultra Boy, his girlfriend princess Tinya, and her bodyguard Reep Daggle.

Elsewhere, the Legion are monitored by Lex Luthor, whose mind survived the 20th century inside the S.P.'s Universo computer. Luthor spots Brainiac 5, his ticket back to the secreted world of Colu and sends his minions the Fatal Five after Querl. The Legionnaires are unprepared for such an onslaught. Cosmic Boy loses his arm to the Persuader and Colossal Boy is killed. (#1)

Gim's death and Brainy's abduction lead many Legionnaires to blame Superboy. The team splits up, and they acquire new members Karate Kid and Ferro Lad. On Earth, the Science Police's megacomputer, Universo experiences malfunctions as Luthor exerts his control. Meanwhile, the villain sends the Fatal Five to Colu after the Legion. It succeeds in its mission — to find an intertron shell to house its consciousness. This shell is called Vril Dox by the Coluans, which means "eternal brain."

The Legionnaires defeat the villains on two fronts. First, the Emerald Eye is released from the Empress' control, and it assumes the normal control of the Universo computer. Second, the Legion forces Luthor into self destructing. Superboy and Ultra Boy fly his shell into space, where it explodes. Afterwards, the Legion meets Querl and Lyle's parents, Coluans who exist in non-corporeal form. Back on Earth, the Legion continues to expand. (#2)

NOTES: The Legionnaires in Superboy's Legion are similar in appearance to those that appear in Alan Davis' JLA: Another Nail (2004), but it's unlikely that these two series share a timeline.

The Green Lantern in this story mentions the destruction of Daxam and a "Sinestro War." Light Lass actually manipulates light, not weight. It is suggested that Projectra is a snake. Shadow Lass' powers are magic based. Tinya's mother is queen of their world. Brainy is a "semi-sib" cloned from Lyle on Colu; Lyle's parents died looking for Colu and the natives took him in. The Vril Dox takes the form of the evil android Brainiac.

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001)

 

3-Issue Limited Series, Prestige format (2001)

By Frank Miller

Since this is an official Earth in the multiverse, one can reasonably assume that there is a Legion of Earth-31. In issue #3, a 21st century Saturn Girl says "It's not really my name, but the real Saturn Girl's letting me borrow it. She's not using it right now, on account of she's not born yet." Also, the Joker appears in a Cosmic Boy costume, then an Element Lad one (issue #2). (The two pink ones, hmmm...)

Story: Batman — whom the world believes dead — assembles a covert League to bring down the American establishment. The heroes of the Justice League have been captured and hidden away for years. Batman's sidekick, Caroline Keene Kelley, the former Robin now aides him as Catgirl. She recruits the Atom, the Flash (Barry Allen), the Question, and Green Arrow. This draws the ire of Superman, who is allied with Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. (#1)

Superman is beat back by Batman's kryptonite gloves, and Diana introduces Clark to their daughter, Lara. Batman recruits the Elongated Man, the psychotic Plastic Man, the Martian Manhunter; and the Thanagarian hawk-children. Meanwhile, the Joker kills the Guardian and the Creeper. And in space, the retired Hal Jordan leaves his alien family to return to Earth. (#2)

Kara attempts to save Kandor by sacrificing herself to Luthor, but Batman's allies intervene and take him down. In space, Hal and Lara disables Brainiac's satellites with the help of the freed Kandorians. The "Joker" is revealed to be a genetically modified and raging Dick Grayson, whom Superman helps dispose of. (#3)

DC/Wildstorm: DreamWar (2008)

6-Issue limited series, Prestige format (2008)

By Keith Giffen and Lee Garbett

When a boy known as Chimera dreams, the heroes of multiple Earths are collected across space and time, and come into conflict in the Wildstorm Universe. Along with the original JLA and New Teen Titans, the Legion Clubhouse is unceremoniously dropped in the midst of Earth-50. (#1)

The entire Legion (wearing a mix of Adventure and 1970s costumes) holds a meeting about their predicament, and mention following the lead of Kid Chimera. (#2) When they attack Stormwatch (then changed to original costumes), Element Lad and Sun Boy are killed. (#3)

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes (2011)

6-issue limited series (2011–2012)

By Chris Roberson and Jeff Moy

This series was given rather the royal treatment by publisher IDW. Each heavy, glossy issue featured no fewer than three stunning variant covers by top talent. These included Phil Jimenez (who did one for every issue), Mike Allred, and Legion "alums" Keith Giffen, Steve Lightle, Chris Sprouse, and Mike Grell. It occurs towards the end of the original Star Trek's "five year mission," and sometime after the Legion's "Great Darkness Saga." Many of the covers were decorative and featured various Legionnaires that were not part of this mission.

Story: The core team of Star Trek (the original series) and six Legionnaires find their universes merged, each while in an in-between state. For the Legion, it was amid time traveling; for the crew of the Enterprise, during teleportation. Both crews quickly realized that they were not in their home time or universe when they were immediately attacked by soldiers of the Imperial Planets. (#1) In this version of the 23rd century, Castellan Kajz (Brainiac 5's father's name) was a high ranking officer, serving under the immortal Vandar the Stone (a combination of DC's Vandal Savage and Star Trek's Flint, revealed in issue #4). Spock discovers that this timeline diverged from theirs beginning in ancient times. The Roman empire never fell, advanced and went into space sooner—as conquerors. (#2)

When the two teams met, a senseless clash was soon followed by a truce brokered by the teams' scientists. They concluded that there was no longer any "home universe"—that reality had been fundamentally altered. They're attacked by the Imperial Elite (Fatal Five), led by Ruk (Tharok), Emerald Empress (an Orion woman), Validus (a horned alien), Mano, and Slar of Gorn (Persuader). After defeating them, they split into two mission groups: one back in time to find the point of divergence, and the other to seek out another temporal disturbance on Earth. (#3)

Both teams met the mastermind of their situation simultaneously—Vandal Savage, aka Flint. (#4) Those in the distant past discovered that he had imprisoned Q, who had come from the future, was trapped by Vandar and enslaved. Back in the 23rd century, the Emperor Vandar showed the heroes his "trophy room" containing a Time Bubble, the Time Treadmill, a Dr. Who phone booth, Lazarus Pit, Star Wars cruisers, a Stargate, and more. (#5)

When they managed to free Q (who had waited millennia for the right time travelers to succeed), he wasted no time in reverting reality to its original state. Afterwards, Q visited Flint at his home on Holberg 917G. He was living a long-peaceful life. (#6)

Notes

There were many cameos in this series including aliens from Durla, the Controllers, Organians, Klingons, Khunds, Tyrraz/the Borg, Talok, and Capt. (Tommy) Tomorrow.

» SEE ALSO:

• Allyson Gibson: On the Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes Crossover (11 October 2010)
• CBR: Roberson Beams Up "Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes" (21 July 2011)
• J.K. Woodward shows the process of painting issue #6 cover variant (10 November 2011)
• Star Trek Comics Checklist
• TrekInk: Review of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1 and #2 (8 November 2011)
• TrekWeb reviews

Cover Gallery

Each issue sported three impressive variants. Click to enlarge:

                

Justice League 3000 (2014)

In 2014, another alternate timeline was created by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis in Justice League 3000. Fans were miffed to see a series set in the year 3000... which had always been the Legion's home. But this usurper Justice League was no-holds-barred fun (despite the jabs it took at the Legion), and the art by Howard Porter was eye-popping.

The series was was clearly not based in the mainstream DCU timeline, nor any specific Legion timeline, but it did have concrete connections to post-Crisis Justice League history (which was also the creation of Giffen and DeMatteis). Nothing definitive was ever stated in regards to this Earth's designation in the multiverse.

Justice League 3000, 15 issues (2014–15)

Early in the 31st century, across the galaxy life has collapsed into a more primitive state following a crisis. For ten years they have been ruled by The Five: including the Convert, Coeval, Kali and Locus. Geneticist Ariel Masters worked on Cadmusworld, ceding it to her successors the "Wonder Twins," Teri and Terry Magnus — the latter of which was secretly the Five's leader. They used Masters' cloning process to recreate the original Justice League: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash and Green Lantern. (Justice League 3000 #1)

Locus sent the League to the prison planet, Takron-Galtos (#2), which we learned was actually Earth! (#3) Terry Magnus killed his sister, Teri, (#7) and she was resurrected as the second Flash. (#8)

The Five were defeated (#10), but Terry Magnus then created his own Injustice Society: clones of Bane, Lois Lane, Mirror Master, Sinestro, and Zeus. (#11)

Justice League 3001, 12 issues (2015–16)

On Wodin 12, the Justice League investigated the killing of a group of young metahumans who attempted to interfere with the Starro Consciousness, which was in violation of a treaty. In their one-panel appearance, it was clear that this group was meant to look like Legionnaires. Discernible among the dead bodies were Sun Boy, Duo Damsel, Element Lad, Wildfire, Dawnstar, Chameleon Boy, Ultra Boy, and Projectra. (Justice League 3001 #1)

From elsewhere in the galaxy, Lady Styx of Naltor took over the Commonwealth. She commanded a Legion of her own operatives who included Captain Imra Ardeen. (#8) Prior to this, Lady Styx was a space conqueror who appeared in pre-Flashpoint continuity, in 52 #31 (Dec. 2006). Clues like Naltor and Styx's boots (see Adventure Comics #350, Nov. 1966) are nods to the character being a version of the White Witch.

Lady Styx then transformed Terry Magnus into the new host for Eclipso and he led her royal guard, called the Legion of Death. (She also had a bodyguard called Scion, who was inheritor to the power of Shazam.) The Legion of Death was clearly analogous to the Legion of Super-Heroes. Only one other member was named, Salu (Shrinking Violet). Others in the group included counterparts for Wildfire, Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy, Timber Wolf, Colossal Boy, Phantom Girl, Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Blok/Sun Boy, Mon-El and Shadow Lass. (#9-10)

They clashed with the Justice League (at that time they were called the "Legion of Doom"). (#11)

This story was somewhat unresolved when Justice League 3001 was canceled. In the last issue, Lady Styx revealed that she was the mother of the Magnus twins! She also possessed power over time, and she sent Teri and Batgirl to the 21st century. (#12)

Blue Beetle vol. 9 #13

But wait! The story concluded in the "Rebirth" era of DC publishing, in Blue Beetle vol. 9.

The Flash (Teri Magnus) appeared in the 21st century and became employees of Kord Industries. (Blue Beetle vol. 9 #1, Nov. 2016) She and Batgirl played supporting characters until issue #13 (Nov. 2017), when Teri finally recruited Jaime Reyes (the Blue Beetle), whose scarab supplied the power for her Cosmic Treadmill, which they used to return to the 31st century. They helped the Justice League send the Legion through a transversal gate to the planet Nirvana.

Supergirl said of the Legion: "Styx's influence over them might just wear off." This suggests that perhaps these Legionnaires were actually the heroes shown in Justice League 3001 #1, and they had not been killed but were turned evil by Lady Styx. Note: This story identified Saturn Girl, Mon-El and Wildfire by name.

After the battle, Styx summoned Teri and Jaime to Naltor. She revealed that she was eons old and Blue Beetle knew her in El Paso as Amparo Cardenas, aka La Dama. Further, she claimed to be Teri's mother. She returned them to the 21st century. Note: She first appeared in Blue Beetle vol .8 #1 (Nov. 2011).

Convergence (2015)

"Convergence" was a 2015 event that was meant to celebrate the continued existence of characters and timelines from across DC's histories. Instead, it's inconsistent execution led to confusion as to its purpose. A "meta" version of Brainiac had supposedly been collecting cities from every dying timeline and he planted them on an alien planet called Telos. The cities were overseen by a being of the same name.

At a certain point, Brainiac decided that the city-states must do battle with one another to fight for their own survival. The victors were offered the hope that their city would be reinstalled in the "real" universe. Two cities held Legionnaires; one with the SW6 Legionnaires, and the other the post-Crisis Legion.

Convergence: Blue Beetle

2-issue limited series (2015)

In Hub City, home of the Charlton Comics heroes the former Earth-4, the Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question conferred about how to handle Brainiac's ultimatum to fight to the death. Cosmic Boy of the Legionnaires decided to approach them diplomatically. They agreed to ally with one another and the Blue Beetle created an illusion to make Telos believe the Legionnaires had triumphed. (Convergence: Blue Beetle #2)

Some of the Legionnaires in the story were also from the post-Zero Hour Legion, which was probably due to poor research.

Convergence: Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes

2-issue limited series (2015)

On the patchwork world of Telos, all inhabitants lived without their powers, but the Legionnaires could still use their flight rings to help the people of Metropolis. They included the post-Crisis Superboy, Brainiac 5, Colossal Boy (who was trapped at 12 feet tall), Sun Boy, Ultra Boy, Lightning Lass, Shadow Lass and Invisible Kid (Wildfire had dissipated). In this isolation, Ayla and Superboy nearly shared a kiss as their powers returned. Immediately, they were confronted by the Atomic Knights. (Convergence: Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes #1)

The Atomic Knights unsuccessfully proposed that the Legion surrender, to save violence. Superboy managed to negotiate a truce and Brainiac 5 proposed combining their technologies to track down their jailer instead. Superboy kisses Lightning Lass before the Legionnaires depart for the Knights' Durvale with supplies. (#2)

All of the heroes who were released from their cities eventually convened and were sent on a mission — to prevent the collapse of the original multiverse in Crisis on Infinite Earths! They magically succeeded, and the result was the restoration of their "homes" in the current multiverse. As Brainiac explained it, their homes were sort of updated, "Each world has evolved, but they all still exist." (Convergence #8)

This did not affect the Legion's place in the multiverse or restore the Legions that appeared in Convergence. The only significant outcome of the event was the creation of Jonathan Kent, the son of the post-Crisis Superman and Lois Lane. This family was ultimately restored to full in-continuity status and replaced the New 52 Superman. Jon became the new Superboy, and he was recruited by a new official Legion (Rebirth).

Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes (2017)

2 issues (digital release; one-shot in print)

By Lee Allred and Michael Allred

The Adventure Comics era Legion go back to 2966 to meet their hero, the legendary Dick Grayson, aka Robin! Their history held mistaken tales of Robin having various super-powers — those acquired by Jimmy Olsen.

They are in pursuit of Universo, but their Time Bubble is stolen by Egghead, who goes into the future. Half of the team takes Batman back to 2966. When the two villains meet, they realize that Universo is the descendant of Egghead.

In this timeline, Ferro Lad was restored to life. Brainiac 5 comments that it took months to "fix" the Time Trapper's branch in time that led to Ferro Lad's death. He is alive now later in the Legion's history, when Shadow Lass is their "newest Legionnaire." Also, the Legion makes its home in Gotham City, not Metropolis.

Robin is offered membership in the Legion, but he can't fathom leaving Batman's side.

Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny Special #1 (Aug. 2017)

By Sam Humphries, Tom Grummett and Scott Hanna

In a story loosely set around the time of Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3 (1985), Supergirl has been infected with Rigel Fever. Brainiac 5's new helper, Computo 2 (who was programmed to love) was ordered to go into the past and retrieve Superboy. But Computo was in love with Brainiac and tried to sabotage the plan to save Supergirl by bringing Bugs Bunny back with him instead.

When Validus attacked the Legion, Bugs ate a special crystalline carrot, which transformed him into Super-Bugs. When Validus was defeated, Brainiac discovered that those carrots contained the element needed to cure Supergirl.

The story is told twice, in the styles of Looney Tunes and of the classic Legion.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up (2017)

Digital first: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #65–66 (2017)
In print: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #33 (Feb. 2018)

By Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela

The Scooby Doo team is recruited by the Legion to help them investigate the haunting of their hedquarters — by the ghost of Ferro Lad! This echoes the Silver Age story, "The Ghost of Ferro Lad," from Adventure Comics #357 (June 1967).

Their first suspect is Douglas Nolan, Ferro Lad's surviving twin brother, but he checked out OK.

The real culprit revealed herself: the Emerald Empress — backed by the entire Fatal Five! Astonishingly, the gang was able to help disable some of the members and their most terrifying, Validus, was reduced to acting like an affectionate child when he saw Scooby.

Injustice 2 #65 (2018)

Injustice 2 (2018 #65 digital; #33 print)

By Tom Taylor and Xermanico

The Legion appears in the comic book adaptation of the Injustice 2 video game. The appearance is from the digital comic Injustice 2 #65 (3 July 2018), which was printed in Injustice 2 #33 (Early Nov. 2018) and trade paperback volume 6.

The Legionnaires appear to be those of the Reboot era Legion, the exception being that Karate Kid in his original uniform. In the story, Booster Gold and six Legion members come to the 21st century to rescue Conner Kent and Cassie Sandsmark (Superboy and Wonder Girl), who had become stranded in space. They never reappear before the end of the series.

Suicide Squad: King Shark (2022)

Suicide Squad: King Shark #12 (digital; #6 print)

By Tim Seely and Scott Kolins

In a story where King Shark is liberated from Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad, he learns his girlfriend Defacer, aka Shawn Tsang, is pregnant. The happy scene flashes forward to show a hopeful future protected by Graffiti Boy and the Legion of Super-Animals.

This was a digital-first comic that was printed in Suicide Squad: King Shark #6 (April 2022).

» SEE ALSO:

• Don Sakers' exhaustive list of Alternate Universe Legions
• Legion Fanfare: Legion Analogs and Parodies