by Rosie Knight
One of the best things about superhero team-up comics are the strange and wonderful combos that they allow readers to experience. Warner Bros. Animation’s newest DC movie, Legion of Super-Heroes, takes that to the next level by teaming up Supergirl and Brainiac 5 with some of the most underrated and oft-forgotten DC heroes at the Legion Academy. Thanks to the brilliant Legion of Super-Heroes animated series and more contemporary iterations of the team, it can be easy to forget that they began as a comedic take on superheroics. The new movie leans into that, plucking some of the oldest and weirdest Legionnaires and throwing them into the spotlight!
If you’re wondering who Kara’s youthful deep cut colleagues are, we’ve got you covered. Let’s head to the future and dive into everything you need to know about Legion of Super-Heroes‘ surprising roster.
Bouncing Boy
Bouncing Boy first debuted in Action Comics #276, created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. As his name hints, his power is that he bounces—but first he blows up into a giant ball.
Bouncing Boy A.K.A. Chuck Taine’s origin is a unique one as he was born without any powers at all. But that all changed one day when he went to sip upon a delicious, refreshing soda and instead picked up a scientific plastic formula that gave him the ability to change his body shape and bounce like a plastic bouncy ball. Though he might not be a household name, he’s actually been a recurring figure throughout DC history after his Supergirl-centric 1961 debut.
Along with being a core member of the futuristic team, you may have seen him—in different iterations—in series as varied as Doomsday Clock, Action Comics and Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. Outside of the comics, he’s probably most known for his role in the popular Legion of Superheroes animated show. But he also showed up in episodes of Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. Bouncing Boy is a regular animation stalwart.
Triplicate Girl
Another young hero who debuted Action Comics #276—clearly a very important issue for the team—is Triplicate Girl, who does exactly what she says on the tin: she can split into three exact replicas of herself just like everyone on Cargg, the planet she hails from.
How do they have this magical skill? Well, that would be thanks to the three suns that the planet orbits around. It’s a power that surprises Linda Lee when the Legion comes to visit her in order to help her feel less lonely as a super-powered teen girl. The issue was obviously quite an influence on the Legion of Super-Heroes animated movie too as we see Triplicate Girl and her friends take Supergirl to try out for the Legion alongside other members, including love interest Brainiac 5.
Though her 1961 arrival in the DC Universe was in a lighthearted Supergirl story, throughout the years she’s been put through multiple grim and gritty reboots which have seen her lose her parents to grief, alcoholism and even left Triplicate Girl as the only surviving inhabitant of Cargg. During the Final Crisis event, it was revealed that she had married Bouncing Boy! It’ll be interesting to see if that relationship ever comes to pass in her new animated iteration.
Phantom Girl
Just like Bouncing Boy and Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl debuted in Action Comics #276. She was another of Supergirl’s “Super-Girlfriends” and visited Linda’s time to cheer the heroine up.
As for her powers, Phantom Girl’s name gives you a good hint. The alien teen can phase in and out of being as well as passing through objects and space. Also known as Apparition, the heroine has carved out a space as one of the most well-known Legionnaires with her adventures spanning decades. During her time on the team, she’s fought alongside famed DC heroes like Saturn Girl, Mr. Terrific and Plastic Man.
She’s another of the characters who would become a key player in the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series. She was also in Superman: The Animated Series and made an appearance in the beloved Young Justice show too. She also popped up in the eighth season of The Flash!
Dawnstar
Readers first met Dawnstar in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #226, and like many characters from the annals of Bronze Age comics history, her origin is ripe for a reimagining. In her first delightfully surreal issue, though, the heroine teams up with the LoSH in order to help them save the day. Paul Levitz, James Sherman and Jack Abel bring the tale to life with Dawnstar’s iconic look designed by Mike Grell. It’s a super fun adventure that sees Dawnstar and her partner Wildfire lead the Legion into danger before the former eventually saves the day.
The alien heroine has powers that include her iconic wings which give her the ability to fly at a supersonic speed, something that’s normal for people on her home planet. She can also use her enhanced senses to track anyone throughout the universe. Thanks to her alien physiology, she can also survive in deep space without any need for a suit or ship!
Invisible Kid
While the original Invisible Kid, Lyle Norg, debuted in Adventure Comics #267 and gained his powers from a special serum of his own invention, Legion of Super-Heroes‘ iteration of the character, Jacques Foccart, debuted decades later in DC history.
In Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1, readers were introduced to the young human who sought out Brainiac 5 in the hopes that the hyper intelligent android clone could help him cure his younger sister of a rare illness. Sadly, Brainiac 5 decided to try and help her via implanting a piece of an old artificial intelligence project into her brain, which quickly led to the evil Computo possessing the young girl. It was during the epic battle to save her and defeat Computo that Jacques took some of Lyle Norg’s potion, which gave him the power of invisibility. When he became a true hero in the wake of the battle, he took on the name Invisible Kid out of respect to Lyle and his creation.
Hailing from Côte d’Ivoire, the new Invisible Kid was quickly voted onto the team and became a vital new member. He would later go on to work as part of Legion splinter groups, futuristic resistance organizations, and even as President of Earth throughout his career as a superhero.
Arms-Fall-Off Boy
Though he’s called Arm-Fall-Off-Boy in the comics—including his first appearance in Secret Origins #46—here the weirdest of the film’s LoSH team is renamed as Arms-Fall-Off Boy. During a chat with DC.com, director Jeff Wamester revealed that one of the most appealing things about the new team members was how easy it was to explain their powers by simply saying their names. Never was that more true than in the case of this 1989 creation from Superman legend Curt Swan. As we see in the film, he can remove both arms at will, using them as weapons if and when he needs them. What a skill!
Though it’s never been confirmed, it was once stated by Matter-Eater Lad in the pre-Zero Hour continuity that Arm-Fall-Off Boy gained his powers due to an accident while messing around with the anti-gravity metal known as Element 152. Though that has since been written out of continuity, we’re hoping that his appearance here and in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad—there named T.D.K.—means we’ll get some more AFOB stories sooner rather than later!
Legion of Super-Heroes, DC’s newest feature length animated movie, is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray+Digital and Digital HD.
Rosie Knight is an award-winning journalist and author.