Putting the Racism in Legion of Super-Heroes!

[theanswer]

 The first issue of their new series opens with Cosmic Boy and Ultra Boy confronting an Earth government military representative. The Legion is very angry with the Earth Gov's decision to force the Legion into accepting Earth-Man as a member.

For those who do not know, Earth-Man was a super hero who went by the name of Absorbency Boy and applied for membership into the Legion, but was rejected because the founding members deemed his abilities too limited. He has the power to absorb the energy residue of super powered beings and duplicate their abilities, which doesn't seem limited to most people, but this is Legion. After being rejected he wore the costume of a fake supervillain called Zoraz and used his abilities to defeat the Legion by himself in order to show them that they were wrong. He was so powerful that he was able to defeat some Legionaries with their own abilities, including Superboy (Clark, not Conner).

Kurt Niedrigh (that's his real name) was eventually revived along with the original Legion and became the antagonist in the story that reintroduced them. When Superman is reunited with his 31st century friends from his childhood he learns that Earth has turned their back on the Legion and embrace a new superhero team called Justice League Earth, lead by someone called Earth-Man.

Justice League Earth began spreading xenophobia and hatred towards alien races, directing much of that hatred towards the Legion, who then became outlaws. Earth-Man and his JLE began capturing and imprisoning members of Legion so that he could absorb and use their powers whenever he wished. He also managed to capture Sun Boy and attach him to a machine that forced him to transform the Sun into a red star, as he anticipated Superman's arrival. The members of Earth-Man's JLE were also Legion rejects (Spider-Girl, Tusker, Radiation Boy, Eyeful Ethel, Storm Boy, and Golden Boy).

Part of his propaganda against the Legion involved accusations that they rewrote history to make Superman "one of them." Alleging that Superman was a human being and that the Legion changed history to advance their pro-alien agenda. He was eventually defeated once Sun Boy was rescued and the Sun was restored to yellow. The restoration of the Legion was brought on soon after and the crimes of the JLE were made light, but the xenophobia and racism they spread still remained. Some of Earth-Man's followers protested and lobbied against the Legion because there wasn't a "true" human representative on the team. So in order to calm his supporters, Earth-Gov is forcing the Legion to accept the man that tortured, imprisoned, and maimed them.

Here is how Brainiac 5 reacts to the news that the Legion must accept Earth-Man into their ranks.



Earth-Man is a little shocked that he's actually being welcomed into the Legion, but there is a catch.



But, elsewhere on Oa... Sodam Yat wallows in his failure to revive the Corps after his boost in confidence in the Legion of Three Worlds. A strange being called Dyogene suddenly emerges from the dusty planet and vaguely resembles a Guardian. It wants to take Sodam's ring, but settles for one of the others. Back on Earth the strange being appears and inducts Earth-Man into the Green Lantern Corps.



So yeah... here is the newest Legionnaire and 31st century Green Lantern. Hitler-Man, now with muttonchops.

Suggested Tags:
char: brainiac 5/querl dox
char: cosmic boy/rokk krinn
char: ultra boy/jo nah
creator: paul levitz
creator: wayne faucher
creator: yildiray cinar 
group: legion of super-heroes
publisher: dc comics 
title: legion of super-heroes

Comments

[foxhack]

So is anyone getting an obvious "these aren't the real guardians" vibe off these scans?

Because that douchebag is not the best cohice for the job. :p

[theanswer]

The creature doesn't claim to be a Guardian and it doesn't pretend to be noble. It tried to take Sodam's ring, but stopped when Sodam threatened it. I just pointed out that it vaguely resembles them.

[skjam]

I think this is going to be "yet another brilliant plan by the Guardians that comes back to bite everyone in the butt."

"We're going to create a backup ring-bearer chooser that combines all of our worst decision-making traits! That will work!"

[cmdr_zoom]

Why break with tradition?