Before the Legion of Super-Heroes, there was the L.E.G.I.O.N. - 11/02/04 08:15 AM
<font size="10">L.E.G.I.O.N.</font s>
Base of Operations: The planet Cairn First Appearance: INVASION! #2 (1989)
(left to right: LYDEA MALLOR, GARRYN BEK, CAPTAIN COMET, MARIJ’N, VRIL DOX, LADY QUARK, PHASE, LOBO, STEALTH, TELEPATH; rear: STRATA, GARV)
<font size="3">HISTORY</font s>
The Licensed Extra-Governmental Inter-stellar Operatives Network - or L.E.G.I.O.N. - is a vast and powerful peace-keeping squadron that acts as a police force for those worlds that choose to subscribe to its "service." Though it has a relatively small core membership, the L.E.G.I.O.N. employs literally hundreds of operatives from many different worlds, many of whom have paranormal abilities that make them particularly effective on specific missions.
The L.E.G.I.O.N. was organized by Vril Dox II, one of the most brilliant and inventive minds in the galaxy. Dox was one of thousands of aliens taken as prisoners of war by the Alliance, an organization of extraterrestrial races intent on conquering the Earth. Dox, who refused to accept imprisonment in the Alliance's "Starlag," engineered a revolt and, in the ensuing riot, led several fellow prisoners to the docking bay, where they stole a starship and made their getaway.
The Starlag escapees - Garryn Bek, Lyrissa Mallor, Strata, Stealth, and an unnamed Durlan - were anxious to resume their lives. Instead, they were duped by Dox into accompanying him back to his homeworld, Colu. There, Dox enlisted their reluctant aid in overthrowing the computer tyrants that ruled the planet.
Successful in their mission, the escapees decided to remain together as a team rather than let the untrustworthy and megalomaniacal Dox – and his newest ally, a vicious psychopath named Lobo – loose on an unsuspecting galaxy. Next, they accompanied him to Cairn, home to a narcotics network that spanned five star systems. Dox’s plan was to establish and lead a peace-keeping force with a galaxywide reputation for effectiveness; to that end, he manipulated Cairn’s warring druglords into exterminating each other, assassinated the head druglord himself, and thus cleaned up one of the dirtiest planets in the universe. As a result, not only had Dox almost instantly built the reputation he had craved, but the entire police force of Cairn came under his control as well and formed the foundation of Dox’s L.E.G.I.O.N. The team is overseen by an inner circle comprised of the Starlag escapees and is led by Dox.
L.E.G.I.O.N. members routinely leave Cairn to aid the planets under their protection; the L.E.G.I.O.N. has even traveled to Earth in pursuit of Vril Dox’s father, Brainiac. Their most celebrated case, one that added immeasurably to their notoriety, involved Dagan-Ra, a slave trader and interstellar criminal, Dagon-Ra, who could transmute elements at will, quickly proved to be the L.E.G.I.O.N.’s most formidable opponent; working together, however, they defeated him and released his captives, many of whom have joined the L.E.G.I.O.N.’s ranks in gratitude.
The L.E.G.I.O.N. has endured several changes to its core membership since the team was founded. Shortly after Lobo’s arrival, the Durlan was shunted through time to the 30th century by a sorceress named Glorith; he was later to adopt a Terran name, R.J. Brande, and finance the Legion of Super-Heroes. Glorith replaced the Durlan with the 30th century heroine Phantom Girl, who arrived in the 20th century; though suffering from amnesia, she retains her powers and operates under the code name Phase. Lady Quark and Captain Comet, both involved as solo agents in the Dagon-Ra case, also joined the Network subsequent to Ra’s defeat, as did a new hero, Telepath. Shortly thereafter, Lyrissa Mallor was killed, a victim of the Colu Computer Tyrants.
text: MARK WAID/art: BARRY KITSON/colors: TOM McCRAW