Khunds are forced to work with the Legion: Firefist, Veilmist, Blood Claw and Flederwerb. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44 (1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.After Mordru's defeat, the surviving Veilmist and Flederweb are forcibly taken back to Khundia. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #48 (1994); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.
This page covers the four Khunds who briefly served as Legionnaires during the Glorith Reality. When Mordru attacked multiple worlds by raising the dead, his powers reached into both United Planets and Khundish space. The Khunds called a temporary truce with the U.P. and assigned four super-powered warriors to join the Legion and fight together. The relationship was uneasy, and two of the Khund Legionnaires were lost in this battle. (Legion vol. 4 #44-48)
The group returned a second time, when the Khunds renewed their aggression and pressed into United Planets space. This time, the four were allied with the Heroes of Lallor, former Legion allies whose planet had fallen to Khund colonization. (#57-58)
The characters made cameos in Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #5 (Sept. 2009).
Note: The profiles below contain details about these characters' origins that come from C. Keller's Legion
Help File. However, no in-comic references can be found for them. Can you help me track them down?
Blood Claw is killed by the resurrected Magnetic Kid. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #45 (1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.Firefist returns reassembled, and with a new "Blood Claw." From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #57 (1993); art by Christopher Taylor and Dave Cooper.
Blood Claw
Name: Blood Claw of Khundia
First appearance:Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44 (June 1993) "Blood Claw II":Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #57 (May 1994)
The boy who became Blood Claw was born somewhat
misshapen, with a primitive look about him. Fortunately, his unusual build gave him super-strength. In time he gained stature
as an accomplished warrior and was awarded allowed cybernetic enhancements — a high honor for a Khund
soldier. He chose a pair of mechanical hands with sharp claws.
Blood Claw was one of four Khundish
warriors selected to join forces with the Legion of Super-Heroes. The Khunds needed the Legion's help to stop Mordru's growing army of the undead. (Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44)
Blood Claw's metal
claws proved to be a liability.
When Mordru sent the corpses of dead Legionnaires to face the live ones, Blood Claw
encountered the corpse of Magnetic Kid, which used its magnetic powers to make
Blood Claw cut himself to death. (#45)
The next this group of Khunds met the Legionnaires, they were joined by a large cyborg brute who replaced Blood Claw (no mention was made of his name). (#57) He also bore cybernetic enhancements: a set of four metal arms. They were sent to kill Starfinger, who was supporting the United Planets. This warrior's arms did not fare well against Starfinger's protector, Starbright. (#58)
The character of Blood Claw has not reappeared in any other incarnation of the Legion.
Note:Tom Bierbaum described them on his website: "Bloodclaw and Firefist were intended to be examples of the overdone macho heroes of that day, and we felt we could kill them off with some impunity."
Rokk and Firefist clash over leadership duties. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #45 (1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.Firefist's body is recovered from the battle with Mordru. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #48 (1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.
Firefist
Name: Firefist of Khundia
First
appearance:Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44 (June 1993)
Firefist was a warrior from Khundia whose strength, passion, marksmanship
and leadership abilities propelled him through the military ranks. He was honored with cybernetic enhancements that increased his strength and added an energy-blaster to his forearm. Firefist claimed a super-powered wife, the
beautiful teleporter called Veilmist.
Firefist was among four Khund warriors chosen to join the Legion in order to fight Mordru, whose power threatened the United Planets and Khundish space. (Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44) The deal between the Khunds and the Legion stipulated that Firefist would to co-lead
the team, but his manner caused so much friction that the Legionnaires
ignored him.
His hair-trigger
temper was his downfall as, in a fit of anger he lashed out at Legionnaire Devlin O'Ryan. O'Ryan's powers
reflected Firefist's blast back onto him, and the Khund was apparently killed
by his own gunfire. (#47) The Legion left him for dead, but he had actually survived (thanks to his cybernetic systems) and the Khunds began rebuilding
him. (#48)
When the Khunds renewed their push into United Planets territory, Firefist returned with his Khundish crew. Their assignment was to kill Starfinger, who was backing the U.P. Despite the intervention of the Legion, the Khunds succeeded in their mission, then retreated. (#57) When they reappeared next, Firefist killed Veilmist for betraying them. (#58)
The character of Firefist has not reappeared in any other incarnation of the Legion.
Notes:Tom Bierbaum noted, "It was definitely not our intention to "bring back" Firefist. The part of #48 that showed him being "re-assembled" was plotted completely without our participation or approval."
There is another DC character called "Firefist," a villain who first appeared in Blue Beetle #1 (June 1986).
Flederweb takes to the air fighting Mordru's zombies. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #47 (1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.Brainiac 5 frees Flederweb from Khund control. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #57 (1994); art by Christopher Taylor and Dave Cooper.
Flederweb
Name: Flederweb of Aetia
First appearance:Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 4
#44 (June 1993)
The boy who became Flederweb was born in Khundish-occupied Aetia. He was selected for scientific experiments that altered his body to produce bat-like wings and enabled him to cling to walls. Against his will, he
was inducted into the Khundish military service and fitted with a
mind-control device to ensure his obedience.
When Mordru raised the dead in an attempt to conquer the universe, Flederweb was one of four Khunds
placed in the Legion of Super-Heroes to help combat the magician. (Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44) Of all the Khund Legionnaires, Flederweb was least loyal to his masters. When the fight was over, he hoped to stay with the Legion, but he and Veilmist were forcibly taken back by the Khundish army. (#48)
He returned with his comrades a little while later, but in opposition to the Legion. During this fight, Brainiac 5 freed Flederweb from his Khund mind-control device, and he defected fully. (Legion vol. 4 #57) He helped free others who were being controlled. (#58-59)
The character of Flederweb has not reappeared in any other incarnation of the Legion.
Note: Tom Bierbaum described Flederweb: "Flederweb was a chance to show that Khunds come in all shapes, sizes and personalities, and aren't an entire race of belligerent, over-muscled warriors. We thought of Flederweb as surviving in that warrior race through wits and an adherence to a higher, truer morality than the warrior code that did in some of his teammates."
Veilmist immediately latches onto Ultra Boy, hoping he will free her from her betrothal to Firefist. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #45 5(1993); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.When Veilmist betrays the Khunds, she is killed by Firefist. From Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #58 (1994); art by Stuart Immonen and Ron Boyd.
Veilmist
Name: Veilmist of Khundia
First appearance: Legion
of Super-Heroes vol. 4
#44 (June 1993)
Female Khunds live under a repressive social system. Some like Veilmist rise to the warrior class by their prowess, or in her case, her teleportation powers. She was married to Firefist, a cybernetically-enhanced Khundish
warrior from whom she desperately wanted to escape.
Veilmist and Firefist were selected for a group of four Khunds to join the Legion of Super-Heroes
in their fight against the sorcerer Mordru. (Legion of
Super-Heroes vol. 4 #44)
Upon meeting the Legionnaire Jo Nah, Veilmist began attempting
to goad him into killing Firefist, (#45-47) which according to Khund law would automatically bind him to her. Instead, the young Legionnaire Devlin O'Ryan killed Firefist — accidentally. (#48) Her powers were instrumental in helping the Legion defeat Mordru's undead army. When at the battle's conclusion she attempted to remain with her new husband, she learned he was ineligible because he was a minor. She was forced to return to Khundia. (#49)
Firefist had actually not died and was 'reassembled.' Veilmist was again conscripted to fight with his group, this time against the Legion. (#57) In the middle of their confrontation, Veilmist offered to turn and help the Legion. Firefist killed her for her disloyalty. (#58)
The character of Veilmist has not reappeared in any other incarnation of the Legion.
