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{{short description|DC Comics character}}
{{short description|DC Comics character}}
{{redirect|Trom|the television series|Trom (TV series)}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:wikiProject Comics-->
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:wikiProject Comics-->
|image=ElementLad-AdventureComics323.png
|image=ElementLad-AdventureComics323.png
|caption= Element Lad, from ''Adventure Comics'' #323 (August 1964)
|caption= Element Lad as depicted in ''Adventure Comics'' #323 (August 1964). Art by John Forte (penciller) and [[George Klein (comics)|George Klein]] (inker).
|character_name=Element Lad
|character_name=Element Lad
|real_name=Jan Arrah
|real_name=Jan Arrah
|publisher=[[DC Comics]]
|publisher=[[DC Comics]]
|debut=''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #307 (April 1963)
|debut=''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #307 (April 1963)
|creators=[[Edmond Hamilton]]<br>[[John Forte]]
|creators=[[Edmond Hamilton]]<br>[[John Forte (comics)|John Forte]]
|homeworld=[[List of DC Universe locations#Planets and moons which exist during the era of the Legion of Super-Heroes|Trom]]
|homeworld=Trom
|species= [[List of alien races in DC Comics#Trommites|Trommite]]
|species= Tromite
|alliances=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]
|alliances=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]
|aliases=Mystery Lad, Alchemist, Starfinger, Progenitor
|aliases=Mystery Lad, Alchemist, Starfinger, Progenitor
|powers= The ability to transmute [[chemical elements]]<br>Flight and protection from vacuum of space and dangerous environments via ring
|powers= Element transmutation<br>Flight and protection from vacuum of space and dangerous environments via ring
|}}
}}
'''Element Lad''' ('''Jan Arrah''') is a [[fictional character]] in the 30th and 31st centuries of the {{DC Universe}}, a member of the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]]. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to [[alchemy|transmute]] [[chemical element]]s.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book | last = Jimenez | first = Phil | author-link = Phil Jimenez | contribution = Element Lad | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | pages = 114 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 0-7566-4119-5 | oclc = 213309017}}</ref>
'''Element Lad''' ('''Jan Arrah''') is a superhero appearing in media published by [[DC Comics]], primarily as a member of the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] in the 30th and 31st centuries. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to [[alchemy|transmute]] [[chemical element]]s.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book | last = Jimenez | first = Phil | author-link = Phil Jimenez | contribution = Element Lad | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | pages = 114 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4119-1 | oclc = 213309017}}</ref>


==Publication history==
==Publication history==
Element Lad first appeared in ''Adventure Comics'' #307 and was created by [[Edmond Hamilton]] and [[John Forte]].<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=100}}</ref>
Element Lad first appeared in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #307, and was created by [[Edmond Hamilton]] and [[John Forte (comics)|John Forte]].<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=100}}</ref>


==Fictional character biography==
==Fictional character biography==
===Pre-''Zero Hour''===
===Pre-''Zero Hour''===
Element Lad first appears in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' (vol. 1) #307 (1963). In this first story he is briefly known as "Mystery Lad" as the Legionnaires try to guess his superpower.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=1-4012-1389-8 |page=62}}</ref> Jan is the last survivor of Trom; with all of the planet's natives sharing Jan's abilities, the other Trommites had been massacred by the space pirate [[Roxxas]] for refusing to transmute valuable elements for him. Jan had only survived this genocide because he had been in space at the time.
Element Lad, whose real name is Jan Arrah, first appears in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' (vol. 1) #307 (1963). In this first story, he is briefly known as "Mystery Lad" as the Legionnaires do not initially know his powers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-4012-1389-3 |page=62}}</ref> Jan is the last survivor of Trom, as he was in space while the space pirate Roxxas massacred the Trommites for refusing to transmute valuable elements for him.


With the aid of the Legion, Roxxas is brought to justice and Jan joins the Legion, using the codename Element Lad. He is a member of the Legion for many years, serving terms as leader and deputy leader. He is eventually linked romantically to [[Shvaughn Erin]], the [[Science Police|Science Police's]] Legion liaison, who herself first appeared in ''[[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes]]'' #241 (July 1978).
With the aid of the Legion, Roxxas is brought to justice and Jan joins the Legion, using the codename Element Lad. He is a member of the Legion for many years, serving terms as leader and deputy leader. He later enters a relationship with [[Shvaughn Erin]], the [[Science Police]]'s Legion liaison.


===="Five Years Later"====
===="Five Years Later"====
In November 1989 the Legion continuity jumps ahead five years; during this [[Legion of Super-Heroes#"Five Years Later"|"Five Year Gap"]] following the Magic Wars, Earth had fallen under the covert control of the [[Dominators (DC Comics)|Dominators]], and had withdrawn from the [[United Planets]]. In a storyline written by [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum]], it is revealed in ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' (vol. 4) #31 (July 1992) that Shvaughn had been born as a male named Sean, and had taken a futuristic [[sex-change]] drug called ProFem in order to secure Element Lad's love.<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn">{{cite web |url=http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |title=Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin |access-date=December 17, 2007 |last=Companik |first=Chris |publisher=GayLeague.com ([[Internet Archive]]) |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071217093553/http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |archive-date = December 17, 2007}}</ref> With ProFem no longer available in the tough economical times, Shvaughn reverts to Sean; Jan is unfazed, saying "Look, it doesn't matter. Don't you understand ... ? Anything we ever shared physically ... it was in spite of the ProFem, not because of it ... !"<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn"/>
In November 1989, the Legion continuity jumps ahead five years. During this [[Legion of Super-Heroes#"Five Years Later"|"Five Year Gap"]] following the Magic Wars, Earth falls under the control of the [[Dominators (DC Comics)|Dominators]] and leaves the [[United Planets]]. In a storyline written by [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum]], it is revealed in ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' (vol. 4) #31 (July 1992) that Shvaughn had been born as a male named Sean, and took a drug called ProFem to [[gender transition|change genders]] and thereby secure Element Lad's love.<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn">{{cite web |url=http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |title=Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin |access-date=December 17, 2007 |last=Companik |first=Chris |website=Gay League |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071217093553/http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |archive-date = December 17, 2007}}</ref> With ProFem no longer available, Shvaughn reverts to Sean. Jan is unfazed, and continues their romantic relationship.<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn"/>


At the same time, the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escapes captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appears to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to [[Ferro Lad]]'s death at the hands of the [[Sun-Eater]].<ref>''Adventure Comics'' (vol. 1) #353 (1967). DC Comics.</ref> Later, they are revealed to be [[Temporal paradox|time-paradox]] duplicates. After Earth is destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of [[Krypton (comics)|Krypton]] over a millennium earlier,<ref>''Legion of Super-Heroes'' (vol. 4) #38 (Late December 1992). DC Comics.</ref> a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstitute their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remain, and their version of Element Lad assumes the code name '''Alchemist'''.
At the same time, the Dominators' classified "Batch SW6" - temporal clones of the Legionnaires - escape captivity.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #353 (1967). DC Comics.</ref> After Earth is destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of [[Krypton (comics)|Krypton]] over a millennium earlier,<ref>''Legion of Super-Heroes'' (vol. 4) #38 (Late December 1992). DC Comics.</ref> a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstitute their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remain, and their version of Element Lad assumes the code name '''Alchemist'''.


===Post-''Zero Hour''===
===Post-''Zero Hour''===
Line 35: Line 36:
After an encounter with the sorcerer [[Mordru]], Jan's powers change so that he can transmute himself into elements as well; he is subsequently often seen in metal or crystal forms, exploring the nature of his physical self.
After an encounter with the sorcerer [[Mordru]], Jan's powers change so that he can transmute himself into elements as well; he is subsequently often seen in metal or crystal forms, exploring the nature of his physical self.


In the ''[[Legion Lost]]'' limited series (2000–2001) it is shown that the events from "Widening Rifts" had caused Element Lad to become lost in deep space for billions of years, whereby his perspective changes to a point of arguable insanity and he becomes the extremely powerful villain '''Progenitor'''.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #10 (February 2001). DC Comics.</ref> He is eventually killed during this story by [[Live Wire (DC Comics)|Live Wire]] (Garth Ranzz, the Legionnaire formerly known before ''Zero Hour'' as [[Lightning Lad]]), who sacrifices his own life in the process.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #12 (April 2001). DC Comics.</ref> However, Garth later reappears in another form. [[Kid Quantum]] had taken the few crystals left from the destruction of the Progenitor and had left them on Shanghalla, the heroes' resting place. It turns out that Garth's essence had survived in the crystals; Jan's body had regrown, but housing Garth's consciousness. The reincarnated Garth is able to use both the Element Lad and Lightning Lad powers in his new crystalline body, but his relationship with other Legionnaires (including former love [[Saturn Girl]]) is strained due to his outward resemblance to the Progenitor. Before this plot is resolved, the Legion's continuity was [[Legion of Super-Heroes (2004 team)|rebooted a third time]] in 2004.
In ''[[Legion Lost]]'', Element Lad is lost in deep space for billions of years, driving him insane and leading him to become the villain '''Progenitor'''.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #10 (February 2001). DC Comics.</ref> [[Garth Ranzz|Live Wire]] sacrifices himself to defeat Progenitor, but [[Kid Quantum]] recovers crystals from Progenitor's body which grow into a new body housing Garth's consciousness.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #12 (April 2001). DC Comics.</ref>


In the ''[[Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds]]'' [[miniseries]] (2008–2009), the post-''Zero Hour'' Legion is brought to the pre-crisis Legion's timeline, to help battle [[Superboy Prime]] and the [[Legion of Super-Villains]]. During this time, the pre-crisis [[Brainiac 5]] uses a specially charged lightning rod to increase the transmutation ability of Element Lad's body, allowing Garth to mutate the body itself into a match for his own.<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #3. DC Comics.</ref>
In the ''[[Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds]]'' [[miniseries]] (2008–2009), the post-''Zero Hour'' Legion is brought to the pre-crisis Legion's timeline to help battle [[Superboy-Prime]] and the [[Legion of Super-Villains]]. During this time, the Pre-Crisis [[Brainiac 5]] uses a specially charged lightning rod to enhance Element Lad's abilities, allowing Garth to mutate the body itself into a match for his own.<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #3. DC Comics.</ref>


==="Threeboot"===
==="Threeboot"===
In the Waid/Kitson 'reimagining' Element Lad is the lone survivor of a lost planet.<ref>''Action Comics'' #850 (L. July 2007). DC Comics.</ref> This most recent version has to touch things in order to transmute them, and anything he transmutes reverts to its original chemical composition in a matter of minutes; both are limitations he never had before (all previous versions of Element Lad have been able to transmute matter permanently and to do so from great distances).
In the [[Mark Waid]]/[[Barry Kitson]] 'reimagining' Element Lad is the lone survivor of a lost planet.<ref>''Action Comics'' #850 (L. July 2007). DC Comics.</ref> This version's powers are triggered by touch and only last several minutes.<ref name="dc-ency" />


⚫
This Element Lad and the corresponding Legion also appear in ''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds''. He attempts to fight Superboy-Prime by transforming the ground around him into [[Kryptonite]] before being killed by him.<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #4. DC Comics.</ref>
He finds physical fights barbaric and has romantic feelings toward [[Triplicate Girl]].<ref name="dc-ency"/>

⚫
This Element Lad and the corresponding Legion also appear in ''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds''. He turns the ground around Superboy-Prime into Kryptonite, causing him great pain. Superboy-Prime retaliates by throwing a Kryptonite rock through Element Lad's body, killing him.<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #4. DC Comics.</ref>


===Post-Infinite Crisis===
===Post-Infinite Crisis===
The events of the ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' Legion to continuity, as seen in "[[The Lightning Saga]]" story arc in ''[[Justice League of America]]'' and ''[[Justice Society of America]]'', and in the "[[Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes (comics)|Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes]]" story arc in ''[[Action Comics]]''. This version of Element Lad is among a group of Legionnaires listed as missing.
The events of the ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' miniseries restore a close analogue of the pre-''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' Legion to continuity.

Element Lad appears in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' (vol. 2) #1, where it is revealed he is one of the Legionnaires stationed in the 21st century. He poses as Mr. Janson, the chemistry teacher at [[Smallville (comics)|Smallville]] High School. As revealed in ''Adventure Comics'' (vol. 2) #8, Element Lad is part of a secret team sent by the late RJ Brande to the 21st century to save the future in the ''[[Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton|Last Stand of New Krypton]]'' storyline.


In the ''[[Last Stand of New Krypton]]'' storyline, Element Lad is part of a secret team sent by the late [[R. J. Brande]] to the 21st century to save the future, posing as a chemistry teacher at [[Smallville (comics)|Smallville]] High School.
⚫
In the "[[Watchmen]]" sequel "[[Doomsday Clock (comics)|Doomsday Clock]]", Element Lad is among the Legion of Super-Heroes members that appear in the present after [[Doctor Manhattan]] undid the experiment that erased the Legion of Super-Heroes and the [[Justice Society of America]].<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.</ref>


⚫
In the "[[Watchmen]]" sequel "[[Doomsday Clock (comics)|Doomsday Clock]]", Element Lad is among the Legion of Super-Heroes members who appear in the present after [[Doctor Manhattan]] restores the timeline, resurrecting the Legion and the [[Justice Society of America]].<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.</ref>
⚫
==Powers and Abilities==
⚫
Jan has got the native power of Trom,which is the ability to change the elemental structure of any object, just by touching them.Element Lad can change one chemical element into any other, for instance, lead to gold or iron to aluminium. He can transmute an element even if it is part of a compound. He can change solid objects into gaseous ones.Like all Trommites Element Lad could sense the elemental composition of any substance, and could change one element into another by creating or breaking electron bonds. As a member of the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] he is provided with hand-to-hand combat training.


⚫
==Powers and abilities==
==Abilities==
⚫
Element Lad is able to transmute objects by touch and change one chemical element into any other, for instance, lead to gold or iron to aluminium. He can transmute an element even if it is part of a compound and can change solid objects into gaseous ones. Like all Trommites, Element Lad could sense the elemental composition of any substance, and could change one element into another by creating or breaking electron bonds. He also possesses extensive knowledge of chemistry and how to use his abilities effectively.
His knowledge of chemistry is extensive, and Element Lad knows what elements to create in order to combine with other elements present to produce a desired effect.


==Equipment==
===Equipment===
As a member of the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] he is provided a [[Legion Flight Ring]]. It allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.
As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Element Lad is provided a Legion Flight Ring, which allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.


==In other media==
==In other media==
Element Lad made cameo appearances in the ''[[Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)|Legion of Super Heroes]]'' TV series.
* Element Lad makes non-speaking cameo appearances in ''[[Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)|Legion of Super Heroes]]''.
* Element Lad appears as a character summon in ''[[Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=July 29, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
* Element Lad appears in ''[[Adventures in the DC Universe]]'' #10.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |title=''Adventures in the DC Universe'' #10 - The Blobs (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/adventures-in-the-dc-universe-10-the-blobs/4000-153328/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620091547/https://comicvine.gamespot.com/adventures-in-the-dc-universe-10-the-blobs/4000-153328/ |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |access-date=June 22, 2023 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}</ref>
* Element Lad appears in the one-shot comic ''[[Batman '66]] Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/batman-66-meets-the-legion-of-super-heroes-1-atomi/4000-609276/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818222413/https://comicvine.gamespot.com/batman-66-meets-the-legion-of-super-heroes-1-atomi/4000-609276/ |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |access-date=August 18, 2023 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:DC Comics aliens]]
[[Category:DC Comics aliens]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics LGBT superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics LGBTQ superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics male superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics male superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics orphans]]
[[Category:DC Comics orphans]]
[[Category:Fictional bisexual males]]
[[Category:Fictional bisexual men]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional sole survivors]]
[[Category:Legion of Super-Heroes members]]

Latest revision as of 13:58, 16 October 2024

"Trom" redirects here. For the television series, see Trom (TV series).
Element Lad
Element Lad as depicted in Adventure Comics #323 (August 1964). Art by John Forte (penciller) and George Klein (inker).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAdventure Comics #307 (April 1963)
Created byEdmond Hamilton
John Forte
In-story information
Alter egoJan Arrah
SpeciesTrommite
Place of originTrom
Team affiliationsLegion of Super-Heroes
Notable aliasesMystery Lad, Alchemist, Starfinger, Progenitor
AbilitiesElement transmutation
Flight and protection from vacuum of space and dangerous environments via ring

Element Lad (Jan Arrah) is a superhero appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.[1]

Publication history

[edit]

Element Lad first appeared in Adventure Comics #307, and was created by Edmond Hamilton and John Forte.[2]

Fictional character biography

[edit]

Pre-Zero Hour

[edit]

Element Lad, whose real name is Jan Arrah, first appears in Adventure Comics (vol. 1) #307 (1963). In this first story, he is briefly known as "Mystery Lad" as the Legionnaires do not initially know his powers.[3] Jan is the last survivor of Trom, as he was in space while the space pirate Roxxas massacred the Trommites for refusing to transmute valuable elements for him.

With the aid of the Legion, Roxxas is brought to justice and Jan joins the Legion, using the codename Element Lad. He is a member of the Legion for many years, serving terms as leader and deputy leader. He later enters a relationship with Shvaughn Erin, the Science Police's Legion liaison.

"Five Years Later"

[edit]

In November 1989, the Legion continuity jumps ahead five years. During this "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth falls under the control of the Dominators and leaves the United Planets. In a storyline written by Tom and Mary Bierbaum, it is revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #31 (July 1992) that Shvaughn had been born as a male named Sean, and took a drug called ProFem to change genders and thereby secure Element Lad's love.[4] With ProFem no longer available, Shvaughn reverts to Sean. Jan is unfazed, and continues their romantic relationship.[4]

At the same time, the Dominators' classified "Batch SW6" - temporal clones of the Legionnaires - escape captivity.[5] After Earth is destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of Krypton over a millennium earlier,[6] a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstitute their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remain, and their version of Element Lad assumes the code name Alchemist.

Post-Zero Hour

[edit]

After Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #61 (September 1994), DC Comics rebooted the Legion continuity as part of the Zero Hour company-wide crossover storyline. In post-Zero Hour continuity, Jan is still the last survivor of Trom, however the Trommites had been killed by the heat vision of Daxamite White Triangle terrorists who had decimated Trom from space. After a brief period of the traumatized Jan being brainwashed into becoming the villainous Starfinger, this version of Element Lad serves with the Legion for some time.[1] Jan's previous history with Shvaughn Erin is erased in this continuity.

After an encounter with the sorcerer Mordru, Jan's powers change so that he can transmute himself into elements as well; he is subsequently often seen in metal or crystal forms, exploring the nature of his physical self.

In Legion Lost, Element Lad is lost in deep space for billions of years, driving him insane and leading him to become the villain Progenitor.[7] Live Wire sacrifices himself to defeat Progenitor, but Kid Quantum recovers crystals from Progenitor's body which grow into a new body housing Garth's consciousness.[8]

In the Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds miniseries (2008–2009), the post-Zero Hour Legion is brought to the pre-crisis Legion's timeline to help battle Superboy-Prime and the Legion of Super-Villains. During this time, the Pre-Crisis Brainiac 5 uses a specially charged lightning rod to enhance Element Lad's abilities, allowing Garth to mutate the body itself into a match for his own.[9]

"Threeboot"

[edit]

In the Mark Waid/Barry Kitson 'reimagining' Element Lad is the lone survivor of a lost planet.[10] This version's powers are triggered by touch and only last several minutes.[1]

This Element Lad and the corresponding Legion also appear in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds. He attempts to fight Superboy-Prime by transforming the ground around him into Kryptonite before being killed by him.[11]

Post-Infinite Crisis

[edit]

The events of the Infinite Crisis miniseries restore a close analogue of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion to continuity.

In the Last Stand of New Krypton storyline, Element Lad is part of a secret team sent by the late R. J. Brande to the 21st century to save the future, posing as a chemistry teacher at Smallville High School.

In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", Element Lad is among the Legion of Super-Heroes members who appear in the present after Doctor Manhattan restores the timeline, resurrecting the Legion and the Justice Society of America.[12]

Powers and abilities

[edit]

Element Lad is able to transmute objects by touch and change one chemical element into any other, for instance, lead to gold or iron to aluminium. He can transmute an element even if it is part of a compound and can change solid objects into gaseous ones. Like all Trommites, Element Lad could sense the elemental composition of any substance, and could change one element into another by creating or breaking electron bonds. He also possesses extensive knowledge of chemistry and how to use his abilities effectively.

Equipment

[edit]

As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Element Lad is provided a Legion Flight Ring, which allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.

In other media

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Jimenez, Phil (2008). "Element Lad". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  2. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  3. ^ Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman. DC Comics. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4012-1389-3.
  4. ^ a b Companik, Chris. "Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin". Gay League. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
  5. ^ Adventure Comics #353 (1967). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #38 (Late December 1992). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Legion Lost #10 (February 2001). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Legion Lost #12 (April 2001). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3. DC Comics.
  10. ^ Action Comics #850 (L. July 2007). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #4. DC Comics.
  12. ^ Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.
  13. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  14. ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  15. ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
[edit]
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