Why EVERYONE Wants To Join DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes

Earning a place on a superhero team can be tough – but people auditioning for the Legion of Super-Heroes in DC’s future have it particularly rough. Not only do Legion members make immediate judgements when applicants demonstrate their strange superpowers and skills, they do so by screaming “Rejected!” at the would-be hero. Long before (or perhaps long after?) shows like American Idol, the Legion was exhibiting behavior that would make Simon Cowell blush.

And yet, the Legion never seems to have any problems attracting hopeful superheroes to audition for their team. Several “audition” issues show long lines of teenagers journeying from far-off worlds just for a chance at joining the famous team. While it’s possible these superhumans are simply hopeful, it’s also possible they have an eye on a different prize…

Legion of Super-Heroes fans know that when a new hero is inducted into the team, he or she is given a Legion Flight Ring designed by super smart hero Brainiac 5. Not only does the ring bestow the gift of flight on the heroes, it allows them to travel through outer space, communicate across vast distances, and even travel through time. To top it off, the ring functions very much like a policeman’s badge, giving Legionnaires jurisdiction on different alien worlds.

Yet, while a Legion Flight Ring is a powerful tool for new members, rejected heroes often get a prize as well – in the form of an antigravity flying belt that also gives them the power of flight. Although considered an outdated form of technology after the invention of the Legion Flight Ring, the Flying Belt still lets people fly and soar through outer space.

In other words… even people who fail to be accepted into the Legion of Superheroes walk away with more superpowers than they came in with. Granted, the flight belt is only given to “worthy applicants,” meaning you probably couldn’t get one by dressing up in a costume and pretending to have the amazing power to suck milk through your nose and squirt it out of your eye… but a creative cosplayer with the ability to construct a few flashy gadgets might be able to fool the Legion into giving him or her an antigravity belt.

Indeed, some rejected Legion applicants wound up using their belts to still become superheroes – most notably the Legion of Substitute Heroes who used their C-list powers, antigravity technology, and teamwork to tackle the sort of low-level threats the regular Legion couldn’t be bothered with. Eventually, their efforts were noticed and some of them were invited onto the actual Legion.

Weirdly enough, however, most rejected Legion applicants always seemed to walk away from their auditions feeling clinically depressed and borderline suicidal – even though they just received a superpower most people dream of having all their lives. Perhaps antigravity technology is so common in the 30^th century that most people don’t see it as a “real” superpower anymore – still, one has to wonder if any of these “rejected” Legion of Super-Heroes applicants knew how lucky they really were.

About The Author

Michael Jung
(700 Articles Published)

Michael Jung is a mild-mannered freelance writer-for-hire, actor, and professional storyteller with a keen interest in pop culture, education, nonprofit organizations, and unusual side hustles. His work has been featured in Screen Rant, ASU Now, Sell Books Fast, Study.com, and Free Arts among others. A graduate of Arizona State University with a PhD in 20^th Century American Literature, Michael has written novels, short stories, stage plays, screenplays, and how-to manuals.

Michael’s background in storytelling draws him to find the most fascinating aspects of any topic and transform them into a narrative that informs and entertains the reader. Thanks to a life spent immersed in comic books and movies, Michael is always ready to infuse his articles with offbeat bits of trivia for an extra layer of fun. In his spare time, you can find him entertaining kids as Spider-Man or Darth Vader at birthday parties or scaring the heck out of them at haunted houses.

See also  Spider-Man & Spawn Finally Team Up in Todd McFarlane Cover

Visit Michael Jung’s website for information on how to hire him, follow him on Twitter Michael50834213, or contact him directly: michael(at)michaeljungwriter(dot)com.

More From Michael Jung