Workforce (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Workforce is a semi-heroic super-team in DC Comics
' post-Zero Hour
Legion of Super-Heroes
continuity. It was introduced in Legion of Super-Heroes #64 (January 1995).
as a response to the Legion of Super-Heroes, founded by his rival R.J. Brande. When Live Wire was replaced in the Legion by his sister Spark, he joined the Workforce with the belief that McCauley could help him find his brother Mekt
. While the team often appeared to be performing heroic deeds, everything they did was designed for McCauley's profit. Karate Kid
commented that the only reasons for being in the Workforce were selfish ones.
The team had little teamwork skills, often getting in each other's way in battle. McCauley would often shout orders at them through holographic projection, thereby telegraphing their moves to their opponents. Live Wire eventually quit and rejoined the Legion, inspiring other members to do the same, which forced McCauley to hire new members frequently.
A later version of the group consisted entirely of adults, to make the point that the Legion was endangering teenagers. However, a member of this group was actually the eight-year old Lori Morning
, using her H-Dial
to appear adult.
The group disbanded during the "One Year Gap" and was replaced by the "Oversight Watch." Neither team is a part of current Legion continuity.
, has some similarity with the Workforce, most notably by being a team of apparent heroes who work for profit, and by having Lightning Lad temporarily join before realizing the truth.
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...
' post-Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
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....
continuity. It was introduced in Legion of Super-Heroes #64 (January 1995).
Fictional history
The Workforce was founded by the corrupt industrialist Leland McCauleyLeland 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:...
as a response to the Legion of Super-Heroes, founded by his rival R.J. Brande. When Live Wire was replaced in the Legion by his sister Spark, he joined the Workforce with the belief that McCauley could help him find his brother Mekt
Lightning Lord
Lightning Lord is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. The older brother of Lightning Lad and Lightning Lass of the Legion of Super-Heroes, he first appeared in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan....
. While the team often appeared to be performing heroic deeds, everything they did was designed for McCauley's profit. Karate Kid
Karate Kid (comics)
Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
commented that the only reasons for being in the Workforce were selfish ones.
The team had little teamwork skills, often getting in each other's way in battle. McCauley would often shout orders at them through holographic projection, thereby telegraphing their moves to their opponents. Live Wire eventually quit and rejoined the Legion, inspiring other members to do the same, which forced McCauley to hire new members frequently.
A later version of the group consisted entirely of adults, to make the point that the Legion was endangering teenagers. However, a member of this group was actually the eight-year old Lori Morning
Lori Morning
Lori Morning is a fictional character in DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes.-Early appearances:She first appeared as part of the Underworld Unleashed crossover, as the ten-year-old daughter of one of Chronos's henchmen; her father Ron first appeared in a 1989 issue of The Atom, also written by Tom...
, using her H-Dial
Dial H for Hero
Dial H for Hero is a comic book feature published by DC Comics about a mysterious dial that enables an ordinary person to become a superhero for a short time, by selecting the letters H-E-R-O in order. Each time it is used, the dial causes its possessor to become a superhero with a different name,...
to appear adult.
The group disbanded during the "One Year Gap" and was replaced by the "Oversight Watch." Neither team is a part of current Legion continuity.
Original members
- Live Wire (quit, rejoined Legion)
- Spider GirlSpider GirlSpider Girl is a fictional character in DC Comics.The character was first mentioned as a concept in the letters page of Adventure Comics when a fan suggested a character with the power of super-strong prehensile hair....
(fired to create "Adult Workforce") - EvolvoHeroes of LallorThe Heroes of Lallor are a group of fictional superheroes in the DC Comics universe. They appear in stories featured in Adventure Comics involving the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Fictional history:...
(fired to create "Adult Workforce") - Ultra BoyUltra BoyUltra 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...
(quit, joined Legion) - Karate KidKarate Kid (comics)Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
(quit, joined Legion) - InfernoInferno (DC Comics)Inferno was also the name of the "SW6" version of the Legionnaire Sun Boy.Inferno is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe...
(transported to 20th century Earth)
Later members
- Blast-Off ("killed", see Wildfire)
- Particon (contract bought out by R.J. Brande)
- Radion (contract bought out by R.J. Brande)
Appearances in other media
In the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, the "Light Speed Vanguard", although mostly based on the Legion of Super-VillainsLegion of Super-Villains
The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future...
, has some similarity with the Workforce, most notably by being a team of apparent heroes who work for profit, and by having Lightning Lad temporarily join before realizing the truth.