Cosmic Boy
Encyclopedia
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character
, a comic book
superhero
in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics
universe
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
#247 (April 1958). He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion. His character has been fairly consistent in past versions, with a serious attitude and a strong sense of duty, while the "Threeboot" version leans on the manipulative side.
, along with Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl
, and he has the superhuman
ability to generate magnetic field
s. Cosmic Boy's brother, Pol, eventually joined the Legion as Magnetic Kid
, but died during the "Magic Wars". Cosmic Boy is one of the few Legionnaires ever to have his own miniseries, which ran for four issues in the mid-1980s as a spin-off of the Legends
cross-over.
In the pre-Zero Hour Legion, Cosmic Boy was romantically involved with Night Girl
(Lydda Jath) from the Legion of Substitute Heroes
. During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, he lost his powers in the course of a war between the planets of Braal and Imsk
(the homeworld of Shrinking Violet), in which the Imskian army used a "dampener" on the magnetic fields within the Braalian soldiers. "Vi" was on the scene when her fellow Legionnaire was crippled by the dampener during the battle of Venado Bay, and harbored deep guilt for years. Now going by plain old "Rokk Krinn", Rokk retired to the slums of a demilitarized Braal with his wife Lydda, who gave birth to their son "Pol" (named for Rokk's brother). When Reep Daggle reformed the Legion, a powerless Rokk joined up, moving his family to the Legion's new headquarters. The former "Cosmic Boy" continued to serve with honor during the adult Legion's tour of duty, proving that he needed no powers to be a hero. Rokk did however regain his powers shortly before Zero Hour, thanks to a special pair of power gauntlets. He took on the codename "Polestar", only to renounce the power gauntlets after they began to affect his mind. After learning that he was apparently destined to become the Time Trapper
, Rokk and the rest of the Legion were erased from history by Zero Hour.
discovered and revealed the truth about Cuspin. Rokk promptly dismissed his manager and had him arrested. The founding members voted him leader, but soon after found out that Leviathan
, a Science Police
veteran, had been appointed to leadership by the United Planets
President. Leviathan would shortly thereafter give Cosmic Boy the leadership position after the death of Kid Quantum
, a position he served in very admirably. After the attack on Earth by the White Triangle
Daxam
ites, he seemed to turn into a controlling martinet under the thumb of UP President Chu. During this period, he made many unpopular decisions, including forcing his best friend Garth Ranzz
and Ultra Boy
off the team. However, this was a ruse planned by himself and Invisible Kid
to expose the corruption of the UP President.
After this, he voluntarily stepped down from leadership, feeling that he had served as leader for long enough. When Shrinking Violet fell under the influence of the Emerald Eye of Ekron
, Rokk was one of the team members the Eye sent to the 21st Century. During this period, he and Saturn Girl began a relationship, but was then rendered comatose during a battle with Doctor Psycho
. While he apparently recovered, it was later revealed that Saturn Girl had been subconsciously manipulating his comatose body since Psycho's attack. She also realized that she was in love with Garth. The relationship ended, but the two remained close friends. After returning to the 31st Century, he would deal with an attempt on his life by his former manager, who had been released from prison. After half the team was lost in a rift in space, the Legion was disbanded by Leland McCauley
, who had become the president of the United Planets. Brande quickly recruited him to reform the Legion in secret and Rokk again led the team for a short time, discovering that McCauley had been killed and was being impersonated by Ra's al Ghul
. After defeating Ra's, Rokk would step down from leadership again. Later, he began a relationship with the Legion's new leader, Kid Quantum
II.
' homeworld (he actually sends it to the Phantom Zone
), Cosmic Boy is voted out of office, being replaced by Supergirl
. He then joins a superhero team from the 41st century, who come back in time to offer him membership.
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
" story arc in Action Comics
. Cosmic Boy is included in their number.
Comics writer Geoff Johns stated about the characters:
limited series, it was written by Paul Levitz
, with art by Keith Giffen
, Ernie Colón
, and Bob Smith.
In the series, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl have traveled from the 30th century to enjoy a vacation in the 20th century. They find themselves threatened by many citizens and residents of the United States, who have been manipulated by Glorious Godfrey
as part of a scheme by Darkseid
to discredit Earth's superhero community. Soon after arriving, Cosmic Boy encounters Superman
, who does not recognize him -- even though Superboy
was a member of the Legion for years. He and Night Girl review videotapes of recent history, including references to the bombing of Hiroshima
, the explosion of the American space shuttle Challenger
, and the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
, but no mention of Superman's early career as Superboy. Cosmic Boy, a 20th century Earth history buff, insists that none of these events are correct. As theirs is one of the first journeys through time since the Crisis
, the couple fears that something is terribly wrong with history. The future could be in serious danger, since many of the worlds in the United Planets
were colonized by settlers from Earth. A space shuttle mission carrying a satellite crucial to Earth’s future development of space travel goes awry, with the shuttle exploding. Cosmic Boy magnetically catches the payload and sends the debris harmlessly toward the ocean, but American soldiers assume that he is a foreign spy. They attack him, implementing President Ronald Reagan
's directive outlawing all superhero activity.
Seeking to protect the satellite, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl travel to NASA
facilities in Houston where they meet Jason, one of the astronauts who designed the shuttle. They help to quell a riot that break out when demonstrators break down the gates at NASA, and Cosmic Boy becomes convinced that some unseen enemy is deliberately trying to prevent the mission. As they depart, the couple notes that both of their families are from worlds settled during the Great Emigration from Earth. They are unaware that the last name of Jason — the astronaut they just met — is Krinnski... which implies that he may be a distant ancestor of Cosmic Boy, whose real name is Rokk Krinn.
Cosmic Boy and Night Girl decide to return to the 30th century, where time travel experts Brainiac 5
and Circadia Senius might be able to determine the problem. Upon entering the timestream, their Time Bubble encounters a storm and starts to shake violently. They are forced to return to the 20th century. They turn to Jason Krinnski for assistance, who does his best to help them repair the Time Bubble. However, their second attempt to leave fails, as if there was a barrier blocking them. Realizing that they need a massive power source to propel the Bubble all the way to the 30th century, Cosmic Boy harnesses the electromagnetic energy from Earth's magnetic field. They breach the barrier, but are propelled past their own century, all the way to the End of Time, where they are confronted by one of the Legion’s deadliest enemies: the Time Trapper
.
The Trapper toys with the couple, giving them an hour to find their way back to the 30th century. They eventually make their way through the Trapper's Citadel to their Time Bubble, just as the last grains in the hourglass are about to fall. Cosmic Boy uses his power to warp the hourglass, closing it so that the last grain will never fall. Amused, the Trapper allows them to leave. He directs the Time Bubble to the 30th century, placing it right in front of Legion Headquarters. However, he warns the couple that this will be their final journey through time, and that "the next occasion when a Legionnaire dares break the time barrier will be the last." As the two of them race to warn the Legion about what has occurred, the Trapper realizes that the Legionnaires will be returning for him. He finds this quite satisfying, as he looks at a pair of statues of Superboy and his dog Krypto
.
The events of this series are continued in the story arc "The Greatest Hero of Them All
", published in Superman vol. 2, #8; Action Comics
#591; and Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3, #37-38 (August–September 1987).
with black glove
s and boot
s, with bare arms, shoulders, chest, and legs. This costume — one of several designed by Mike Grell
— received a mixed reaction from fans, some of whom felt it inappropriately sexualized Cosmic Boy, while others saw it as innovative and reflective of the times in which the comic was then being published. Cosmic Boy returned to a close variation on the original costume a few years later. As Polestar, he wore a black and purple bodysuit with a stripe up the side and a black cowl. In the post-Zero Hour Legion, he wore a version of his original costume with lavender as the primary color instead of pink. On this version of the costume, the four circles on the chest were actually discs that he could magnetically manipulate and use as weapons. The "Threeboot" version is a similar pattern, with blue as the primary color and black circles instead of white.
, along with Saturn Girl
and Chameleon
, titled "New Kids in Town". He was portrayed by voice actor Chad Lowe
. He later reappeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited
titled "Far From Home".
. It reveals that he was the original leader of the Legion. He is vocally played by Wil Wheaton
.
It appears that he has some romantic feelings for Saturn Girl in the season 1 episode "Chain of Command". He wanted (or ordered) Saturn Girl to stay with him and Brainiac 5
where she would be safe. Saturn Girl angrily objected that she was able to take care of herself. She flies off to help the rest of the teammates before Cosmic Boy tried to apologize. Whether or not they resolved their differences following the mission was never addressed.
He loses an election for leadership position to Bouncing Boy, but seems to have regained his position at the beginning of season 2.
and Lightning Lad, made his live-action debut in the eleventh episode of the eighth season of the CW series Smallville
, portrayed by actor Ryan Kennedy
. In the episode, Rokk is seen as the silent leader type. The most determined of the group, Rokk comes the closest to killing Chloe Sullivan
, only to be stopped by Clark Kent. When the group does defeat Brainiac
without the use of murder, Rokk changes the Legion rules accordingly. Just before he leaves, Rokk warns Clark of the days ahead, telling him to be careful. Though mainly referred to as Rokk, Lightning Lad calls him "Cos" at one point in the episode.
He later returns in the season finale to give Clark a new Legion ring after his was destroyed in "Infamous" and warns him that nothing can stop Doomsday
from killing him. He gives Clark the ring and tells him to send Doomsday to the future, as the Legion is prepared to fight him there.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#247 (April 1958). He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion. His character has been fairly consistent in past versions, with a serious attitude and a strong sense of duty, while the "Threeboot" version leans on the manipulative side.
Publication history
Original
Cosmic Boy is a founding member of the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, along with Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, and he has the superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
ability to generate magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
s. Cosmic Boy's brother, Pol, eventually joined the Legion as Magnetic Kid
Magnetic Kid
Magnetic Kid was a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman power of generating and controlling magnetism. He first appeared as a child in Adventure Comics #335 , and joined the Legion of Super-Heroes in volume 3, #14...
, but died during the "Magic Wars". Cosmic Boy is one of the few Legionnaires ever to have his own miniseries, which ran for four issues in the mid-1980s as a spin-off of the Legends
Legends (comics)
"Legends" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through a six-issue, self titled limited series and various other titles published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987...
cross-over.
In the pre-Zero Hour Legion, Cosmic Boy was romantically involved with Night Girl
Night Girl
Night Girl is a fictional character in the 30th century of the DC Universe. She is a member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes, and of the most recent incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
(Lydda Jath) from the Legion of Substitute Heroes
Legion of Substitute Heroes
The Legion of Substitute Heroes is a group of fictional characters in the future of the DC Comics universe. The "Subs", as they are often called, are a group of rejected applicants to the Legion of Super-Heroes who banded together, hoping to prove to the Legion that their powers were not as useless...
. During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, he lost his powers in the course of a war between the planets of Braal and Imsk
Imsk
Imsk is a fictional planet in the 30th century DC Universe. It is the homeworld of Legionnaire Shrinking Violet, as well as villain Micro Lad.-Imskians:All Imskians have the ability to shrink, as far as microscopic size...
(the homeworld of Shrinking Violet), in which the Imskian army used a "dampener" on the magnetic fields within the Braalian soldiers. "Vi" was on the scene when her fellow Legionnaire was crippled by the dampener during the battle of Venado Bay, and harbored deep guilt for years. Now going by plain old "Rokk Krinn", Rokk retired to the slums of a demilitarized Braal with his wife Lydda, who gave birth to their son "Pol" (named for Rokk's brother). When Reep Daggle reformed the Legion, a powerless Rokk joined up, moving his family to the Legion's new headquarters. The former "Cosmic Boy" continued to serve with honor during the adult Legion's tour of duty, proving that he needed no powers to be a hero. Rokk did however regain his powers shortly before Zero Hour, thanks to a special pair of power gauntlets. He took on the codename "Polestar", only to renounce the power gauntlets after they began to affect his mind. After learning that he was apparently destined to become the Time Trapper
Time Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, Rokk and the rest of the Legion were erased from history by Zero Hour.
Post-Zero Hour
In the post-Zero Hour Legion, Rokk Krinn came from a poor family but became a superstar in the Braallian sport of Magnoball, earning the nickname "Cosmic Boy" after winning the Magnoball Cosmic Games. He sent most of his earnings to his family, unaware that his manager, Alex Cuspin, was embezzling them instead. After being approached by R.J. Brande to form the Legion, Saturn GirlSaturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
discovered and revealed the truth about Cuspin. Rokk promptly dismissed his manager and had him arrested. The founding members voted him leader, but soon after found out that Leviathan
Gim Allon
Colossal Boy , also known as Leviathan and Micro Lad, is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe who has gone by a variety of superhero names over the past several decades, although originally Colossal Boy. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He...
, a Science Police
Science Police
Science Police is a fictional law enforcement agency in the . They were referred to as "World-Wide Police" in their first appearance in the 30th century. They were featured in a four issue limited series titled Legion Science Police. In the 30th and 31st centuries, the Science Police serves the...
veteran, had been appointed to leadership by the United Planets
United Planets
In the , the United Planets is a fictional governing body, traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st century.-History of the published versions of the United Planets:...
President. Leviathan would shortly thereafter give Cosmic Boy the leadership position after the death of Kid Quantum
Kid Quantum
Kid Quantum is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in comic books published by DC Comics, who were members of different incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Original:...
, a position he served in very admirably. After the attack on Earth by the White Triangle
White Triangle
White Triangle is a fictional racist organization in the post-Zero Hour continuity of DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes. They first appear in Legion of Superheroes vol...
Daxam
Daxam
Daxam is a planet within the DC Universe. It is home to a race called the Daxamites, who are descended from Kryptonian colonists.-History:Daxamites were originally Kryptonians who left their homeworld in order to explore the Universe. They are an intensely xenophobic race, and are fearful of alien...
ites, he seemed to turn into a controlling martinet under the thumb of UP President Chu. During this period, he made many unpopular decisions, including forcing his best friend Garth Ranzz
Garth Ranzz
Lightning Lad , also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries...
and Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...
off the team. However, this was a ruse planned by himself and Invisible Kid
Invisible Kid
Lyle Norg is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He was the first to assume the name Invisible Kid.-Lyle Norg:...
to expose the corruption of the UP President.
After this, he voluntarily stepped down from leadership, feeling that he had served as leader for long enough. When Shrinking Violet fell under the influence of the Emerald Eye of Ekron
Emerald Empress
The Emerald Empress is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain that is an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a member of the Fatal Five...
, Rokk was one of the team members the Eye sent to the 21st Century. During this period, he and Saturn Girl began a relationship, but was then rendered comatose during a battle with Doctor Psycho
Doctor Psycho
Doctor Psycho is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. A villainous telepathic dwarf, Doctor Psycho has traditionally been presented as an adversary for Wonder Woman...
. While he apparently recovered, it was later revealed that Saturn Girl had been subconsciously manipulating his comatose body since Psycho's attack. She also realized that she was in love with Garth. The relationship ended, but the two remained close friends. After returning to the 31st Century, he would deal with an attempt on his life by his former manager, who had been released from prison. After half the team was lost in a rift in space, the Legion was disbanded by Leland McCauley
Leland McCauley
Leland McCauley are fictional characters in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. They have been frequent antagonists of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Leland McCauley III:...
, who had become the president of the United Planets. Brande quickly recruited him to reform the Legion in secret and Rokk again led the team for a short time, discovering that McCauley had been killed and was being impersonated by Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
. After defeating Ra's, Rokk would step down from leadership again. Later, he began a relationship with the Legion's new leader, Kid Quantum
Kid Quantum
Kid Quantum is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in comic books published by DC Comics, who were members of different incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Original:...
II.
"Threeboot" continuity
In Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 5, #1, Cosmic Boy is the leader of the Legion of Super-Heroes. After seemingly destroying the DominatorsDominators
The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle on one's forehead...
' homeworld (he actually sends it to the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
), Cosmic Boy is voted out of office, being replaced by Supergirl
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
. He then joins a superhero team from the 41st century, who come back in time to offer him membership.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, featuring the Superman character and the return of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion of Super-Heroes...
" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. Cosmic Boy is included in their number.
Comics writer Geoff Johns stated about the characters:
Limited series
Cosmic Boy was featured in a four-part limited series, cover dated December 1986 through March 1987. A tie-in to the LegendsLegends (comics)
"Legends" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through a six-issue, self titled limited series and various other titles published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987...
limited series, it was written by Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
, with art by Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
, Ernie Colón
Ernie Colon
Ernie Colón is an American comics artist, born on July 13, 1931,Colón was born in Puerto Rico and began his professional career at Harvey Comics as a letterer. He later worked, uncredited, as an artist on titles including Monster in My Pocket, Richie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost...
, and Bob Smith.
In the series, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl have traveled from the 30th century to enjoy a vacation in the 20th century. They find themselves threatened by many citizens and residents of the United States, who have been manipulated by Glorious Godfrey
Glorious Godfrey
Glorious Godfrey is a DC Comics villain created by Jack Kirby, originally as part of The Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. He first appeared in Forever People vol. 1 #3 .-Fictional character biography:...
as part of a scheme by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
to discredit Earth's superhero community. Soon after arriving, Cosmic Boy encounters Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, who does not recognize him -- even though Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
was a member of the Legion for years. He and Night Girl review videotapes of recent history, including references to the bombing of Hiroshima
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
, the explosion of the American space shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
, and the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
, but no mention of Superman's early career as Superboy. Cosmic Boy, a 20th century Earth history buff, insists that none of these events are correct. As theirs is one of the first journeys through time since the Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, the couple fears that something is terribly wrong with history. The future could be in serious danger, since many of the worlds in the United Planets
United Planets
In the , the United Planets is a fictional governing body, traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st century.-History of the published versions of the United Planets:...
were colonized by settlers from Earth. A space shuttle mission carrying a satellite crucial to Earth’s future development of space travel goes awry, with the shuttle exploding. Cosmic Boy magnetically catches the payload and sends the debris harmlessly toward the ocean, but American soldiers assume that he is a foreign spy. They attack him, implementing President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's directive outlawing all superhero activity.
Seeking to protect the satellite, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl travel to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
facilities in Houston where they meet Jason, one of the astronauts who designed the shuttle. They help to quell a riot that break out when demonstrators break down the gates at NASA, and Cosmic Boy becomes convinced that some unseen enemy is deliberately trying to prevent the mission. As they depart, the couple notes that both of their families are from worlds settled during the Great Emigration from Earth. They are unaware that the last name of Jason — the astronaut they just met — is Krinnski... which implies that he may be a distant ancestor of Cosmic Boy, whose real name is Rokk Krinn.
Cosmic Boy and Night Girl decide to return to the 30th century, where time travel experts Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
and Circadia Senius might be able to determine the problem. Upon entering the timestream, their Time Bubble encounters a storm and starts to shake violently. They are forced to return to the 20th century. They turn to Jason Krinnski for assistance, who does his best to help them repair the Time Bubble. However, their second attempt to leave fails, as if there was a barrier blocking them. Realizing that they need a massive power source to propel the Bubble all the way to the 30th century, Cosmic Boy harnesses the electromagnetic energy from Earth's magnetic field. They breach the barrier, but are propelled past their own century, all the way to the End of Time, where they are confronted by one of the Legion’s deadliest enemies: the Time Trapper
Time Trapper
The Time Trapper is a fictional character, a supervillain in stories published by DC Comics. The Time Trapper's main enemies are the Legion of Super-Heroes...
.
The Trapper toys with the couple, giving them an hour to find their way back to the 30th century. They eventually make their way through the Trapper's Citadel to their Time Bubble, just as the last grains in the hourglass are about to fall. Cosmic Boy uses his power to warp the hourglass, closing it so that the last grain will never fall. Amused, the Trapper allows them to leave. He directs the Time Bubble to the 30th century, placing it right in front of Legion Headquarters. However, he warns the couple that this will be their final journey through time, and that "the next occasion when a Legionnaire dares break the time barrier will be the last." As the two of them race to warn the Legion about what has occurred, the Trapper realizes that the Legionnaires will be returning for him. He finds this quite satisfying, as he looks at a pair of statues of Superboy and his dog Krypto
Krypto
Krypto, also known as Krypto the Superdog, is a fictional character. He is Superman's pet dog in the various Superman comic books published by DC Comics. Krypto's first appearance was in a Superboy story in Adventure Comics #210 in March 1955...
.
The events of this series are continued in the story arc "The Greatest Hero of Them All
The Greatest Hero of Them All
"The Greatest Hero of Them All" is a story arc that was published by DC Comics, and presented in Superman vol. 2, #8, Action Comics #591, and Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3, #37–38 from August through September 1987. It was written by Paul Levitz and John Byrne, and pencilled by Byrne, Greg LaRocque...
", published in Superman vol. 2, #8; Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#591; and Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3, #37-38 (August–September 1987).
Costume
Cosmic Boy's original costume was pink with black at the sides, with four white circles, the code-name "Cosmic Boy" written on the chest, and a plastic bubble space helmet. After his first appearance, the helmet and the codename were replaced with white epaulets. For a period in the late 1970s, he was portrayed in a costume that was essentially a black bustierBustier
A bustier is a form-fitting garment for women, which is traditionally worn as lingerie. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper midriff and forcing the breasts up, while gently shaping the waist. Nowadays, it might also be worn as a push-up bra under a low-backed...
with black glove
Glove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
s and boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s, with bare arms, shoulders, chest, and legs. This costume — one of several designed by Mike Grell
Mike Grell
Mike Grell is a comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Jon Sable Freelance.-Early life:...
— received a mixed reaction from fans, some of whom felt it inappropriately sexualized Cosmic Boy, while others saw it as innovative and reflective of the times in which the comic was then being published. Cosmic Boy returned to a close variation on the original costume a few years later. As Polestar, he wore a black and purple bodysuit with a stripe up the side and a black cowl. In the post-Zero Hour Legion, he wore a version of his original costume with lavender as the primary color instead of pink. On this version of the costume, the four circles on the chest were actually discs that he could magnetically manipulate and use as weapons. The "Threeboot" version is a similar pattern, with blue as the primary color and black circles instead of white.
Superman: The Animated Series
Cosmic Boy's first appearance outside of the comics was in an episode of Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
, along with Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and Chameleon
Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy , also known as Chameleon, is a DC Comics superhero, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics #267 .-Silver Age:...
, titled "New Kids in Town". He was portrayed by voice actor Chad Lowe
Chad Lowe
Charles Conrad "Chad" Lowe is an American actor. He is the younger brother of fellow actor Rob Lowe. He won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in Life Goes On as a man suffering with HIV. He has also had recurring roles on ER, Melrose Place, and Now and Again...
. He later reappeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
titled "Far From Home".
Legion of Super Heroes
Cosmic Boy was a recurring member of the animated series Legion of Super HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
. It reveals that he was the original leader of the Legion. He is vocally played by Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
.
It appears that he has some romantic feelings for Saturn Girl in the season 1 episode "Chain of Command". He wanted (or ordered) Saturn Girl to stay with him and Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
where she would be safe. Saturn Girl angrily objected that she was able to take care of herself. She flies off to help the rest of the teammates before Cosmic Boy tried to apologize. Whether or not they resolved their differences following the mission was never addressed.
He loses an election for leadership position to Bouncing Boy, but seems to have regained his position at the beginning of season 2.
Smallville
Cosmic Boy, along with Saturn GirlSaturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and Lightning Lad, made his live-action debut in the eleventh episode of the eighth season of the CW series Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, portrayed by actor Ryan Kennedy
Ryan Kennedy
Ryan Kennedy is an Canadian actor. He is best known for his role "Travis Hollier" in the 2006 TV series Whistler and "Jake Harrow" in The CW 2010 TV series Hellcats.-Personal life:...
. In the episode, Rokk is seen as the silent leader type. The most determined of the group, Rokk comes the closest to killing Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
, only to be stopped by Clark Kent. When the group does defeat Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
without the use of murder, Rokk changes the Legion rules accordingly. Just before he leaves, Rokk warns Clark of the days ahead, telling him to be careful. Though mainly referred to as Rokk, Lightning Lad calls him "Cos" at one point in the episode.
He later returns in the season finale to give Clark a new Legion ring after his was destroyed in "Infamous" and warns him that nothing can stop Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
from killing him. He gives Clark the ring and tells him to send Doomsday to the future, as the Legion is prepared to fight him there.
External links
- Cosmic Boy at the DC Database Project
- Cosmic Boy at the Big Comic Book DatabaseBig Comic Book DataBaseThe Big Comic Book DataBase is a website containing information about comic books, and run by the maintainers of the Big Cartoon DataBase. , the database contains information on over 100,000 books in 5000+ series, including over 35,000 cover scans....