| Legion of Super-Villains | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman #147 (August 1961) |
| Created by | Robert Bernstein (writer) Al Plastino (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Member(s) | Akka Chameleon Chief Cosmic King Esper Lass Hunter Immortus Lazon Lightning Lord Magno Lad Micro Lad Nemesis Kid Ol-Vir Questor Radiation Roy Ron-Karr Saturn Queen Spider Girl Sun Emperor Sun Killer Titania Tyr Zymyr |
The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of supervillains who appear in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes. They first appeared in Superman #147 (August 1961).
The Legion of Super-Villains were created at a time when Superman editor Mort Weisinger was consciously adding new elements to the "Superman mythos" over a period of years, building an extended cast of supporting characters who could provide new story opportunities. The creation of the Legion of Super-Heroes was part of that plan, and in the Legion's fourth appearance ("The Army of Living Kryptonite Men" in Superboy #86, January 1961), it was suggested that Lex Luthor would someday lead a group of super-villains. This would come to fruition seven months later, in Superman #147's story "The Legion of Super-Villains".
In pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, the Legion of Super-Villains was founded by Benno Tarik, who suffered irreparable damage to his vocal cords during a battle with the Science Police and developed a pathological hatred of law and order. Tarik founded a school for supervillains, which served as the headquarters and recruiting grounds for the Legion's first incarnation, and blackmailed Colossal Boy into joining as a teacher.
The Legion first appears when Lex Luthor creates a radio to contact the future, feeling there must be an evil counterpart to the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is broken out of jail by a gun, flying belt, and force-field helmet being sent into his cell. Luthor meets the trio of villains - Cosmic King, Lightning Lord, and Saturn Queen - who tell him of their origins. They cause trouble for Superman and lure him to a planetoid where he is captured in a Kryptonite field. Superman is sentenced to death before the adult Legion of Super-Heroes appears and rescues him. Luthor threatens to kill Superman, but Saturn Woman offers herself in his place. Superman asks for a tribute and is released after promising not to rescue Saturn Woman. Saturn Queen is given a fragment of Saturn's rings, which influence her into reforming, and the other villains are jailed. However, they would battle Superman at other points.
Several other incarnations of the group form over the years, led first by Sun Emperor and then by Nemesis Kid. In the last incarnation, they conquer Orando, the homeworld of Princess Projectra, and transport it to another dimension as a base of operations. Each villain is assigned to kill one Legionnaire, but only Nemesis Kid succeeds, fatally wounding Karate Kid.
Following Zero Hour, the Legion of Super-Villains appears in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, a tie-in to the Final Crisis event. This incarnation of the Legion is led by Superboy-Prime and includes Lightning Lord, Saturn Queen, Cosmic King, Sun Emperor, Beauty Blaze, Ol-Vir, Tyr, Zymyr, Hunter, and Chameleon Chief as well as Black Mace, Universo, Dr. Regulus, Grimbor the Chainsman, Mordru, Esper Lass, Magno Lad, Micro Lad, Echo, Terrus, the League of Super-Assassins (Silver Slasher, Lazon, Neutrax, Mist Master, and Titania), the Fatal Five (Tharok, Emerald Empress, Persuader, Mano, and Validus), and the Justice League of Earth (Radiation Roy, Tusker, Spider Girl, Golden Boy, Storm Boy, and Earth-Man).
The remaining villains are members of the League of Super-Assassins:
The following joined the group during the Final Crisis storyline:
The Legion of Super-Villains appear in Legion of Super Heroes, consisting of Lightning Lord (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), Hunter, Tyr (both voiced by Khary Payton), Esper Lass (Tara Strong), Ron-Karr (Shawn Harrison), and Wave, who has no dialogue. This version of the group are extortionists and assassins led by Lightning Lord in the first season and Tyr in the second season. First appearing in the first season episode "Lightning Storm", the group masquerades as a superhero team called the Light Speed Vanguard to outperform the Legion of Super-Heroes before their true intentions are exposed. In the second season, Lightning Lord and Ron-Karr reform and leave the group.
