Legion of Doom (DC Comics)

Legion of Doom

Publication information
First appearance "Wanted: The Super Friends"
(Challenge of the Super Friends, Episode 1 - September 9, 1978)
In-story information
Base(s) Hall of Doom
Member(s) Bizarro
Black Manta
Brainiac
Captain Cold
Cheetah
Giganta
Gorilla Grodd
Lex Luthor
Riddler
Scarecrow
Sinestro
Solomon Grundy
Toyman

The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that originated in Challenge of the Super Friends, an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since appeared in other animated programs and has been adapted in published comic books.

History

In each episode of Challenge of the Super Friends that they appeared, the Legion of Doom would enact a plot against the Super Friends, only to be met with defeat by the end of the story. In some episodes, they would escape capture through a last-minute escape plan often contrived by Luthor. Other times, the Legion of Doom would end up captured.

When the Challenge of the Super Friends season was originally conceived, it was named Battle of the Superheroes and featured the introduction of Captain Marvel to the Super Friends. The group that challenged the heroes was to be called the "League of Evil", led by Captain Marvel's nemesis Doctor Sivana. However, Filmation was producing Shazam! and The New Adventures of Batman which prevented the use of characters such as Mister Atom, King Kull, Beautia Sivana, Joker, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and Catwoman. Early conceptual art drawn by Alex Toth also included Heat Wave, Poison Ivy, and Abra Kadabra.[1]

The Hall of Doom

The Legion of Doom's headquarters was the Hall of Doom that was located in Slaughter Swamp (just outside Gotham City). The facility, which has a close resemblance to Darth Vader's helmet, could be lowered or raised above the swamp water's surface. It could fly or enter space using rockets. The Hall's mobility could be controlled through remote control helping the Legion to escape on several occasions. Its defences included laser weapons and the ability to time travel. In Doomsday after Sinestro, Black Manta and Cheetah are abandoned by the rest of the Legion after they take control of a mental device and use it to create another Hall of Doom, which attacks the original one and enables the Legion to be captured. In History of Doom, the Hall is shown being constructed in a Barn just after the Legion formed before it is then flown to Slaughter Swamp.

Members

There were thirteen members of the Legion of Doom:

Member Alter ego Description Powers Traditional enemy Voice actor
Bizarro Bizarro Twisted doppelganger of Superman from Bizarro World Same as Superman, but often behaves in an erratic and irrational manner Superman William Callaway
Black Manta David (Last Name Unknown) Deep-sea diver and would-be ocean conqueror Enhanced strength, water breathing ability (through artificial gills), high tech equipment, laser beams Aquaman Ted Cassidy
Brainiac Vril Dox Evil android Super-intelligence, advanced technology Superman Ted Cassidy
Captain Cold Leonard Snart Blue-suited master of low temperatures Absolute zero ray guns The Flash Dick Ryal
Michael Bell (additional dialogue)
Cheetah Priscilla Rich Cat-suit-wearing woman Cat-like reflexes, claw-tipped gloves Wonder Woman Marlene Aragon
Giganta Doris Zeul Stole Apache Chief's magic powder to duplicate his powers Ability to grow, super strength Wonder Woman[2] and Apache Chief Ruth Forman
Gorilla Grodd Grodd Megalomaniacal exile from Gorilla City Super-intelligence, super strength The Flash Stanley Ralph Ross
Lex Luthor Lex Luthor Founder and leader of the Legion of Doom Evil genius, highly advanced weaponry Superman Stanley Jones
Riddler Edward Nigma Uses riddles to taunt and confuse adversaries while committing crimes Puzzle creation, problem solving, super intelligent evil genius, puzzle themed traps and gadgets. Batman and Robin Michael Bell
Scarecrow Professor Jonathan Crane Uses his fear gas to bring peoples' worst fears to life Fear gas Batman and Robin Don Messick
Sinestro Thaal Sinestro Renegade ex-Green Lantern Yellow power ring Green Lantern Vic Perrin
Don Messick (additional dialogue)
Solomon Grundy Cyrus Gold A super-powered zombie born from the swamp Great strength, invulnerability Green Lantern, Batman, and Superman Jimmy Weldon
Toyman Jack Nimball Dresses as a jester; uses toy-based tactics to commit crimes Creates destructive toys Superman Frank Welker

Other Legion episodes

While Challenge of the Super Friends was the series spotlighting the Legion of Doom, they appear in a few Super Friends shorts.

Members of the team have solo appearances in later episodes.

Lex Luthor appears in:

Brainiac appears in:

Bizarro appears in:

Riddler appears in:

Scarecrow makes an appearance in "The Fear", also introducing his real name Jonathan Crane (as seen in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians).

Appearances in comics

In other media

Television

Legends of the Superheroes

The two NBC televised specials of Legends of the Superheroes was based largely on Challenge of the Super Friends while featuring Adam West, Burt Ward, and Frank Gorshin of the 1966 Batman television series fame. The Legion of Doom featured Mordru leading Doctor Sivana, Riddler, Giganta, Sinestro, Weather Wizard, and Solomon Grundy (Superman, Wonder Woman, and their associate characters were absent due to the Superman film and Wonder Woman television series licensing the rights, respectively).

The Aquaman & Friends Action Hour

In 2003, Cartoon Network Latin America aired the spoof series The Aquaman & Friends Action Hour that starred Aquaman as a children's television show host and the Legion of Doom as his bankrupt villains.

Justice League Unlimited

An expanded version of the Secret Society is the primary focus of Season 3 of the 2000s animated series Justice League Unlimited. Although their swamp based headquarters is clearly based on the original Hall of Doom, the group is never called the Legion of Doom in the series (according to a post from Bruce Timm on ToonZone.net, this was a direct order from DC; however, every script his team worked on addressed the group as the Legion, as does the cover of the DVD season release), and is treated simply as an expanded version of the Secret Society previously formed by Gorilla Grodd in an earlier season and on camera referred to as such. Grodd is the leader of this "Legion," who refers to the group as a co-operative, a loose organization of super-villains that primarily work on their own, but back each other up when a member is challenged by the Justice League for a 25% portion of the requesting member's take of the crime commissioned at that time.

After the revelation that Grodd's ultimate plan in the creation of the new Secret Society was the ludicrous transformation of humanity into apes, Lex Luthor ousted him and assumed the position as leader with no objections from the membership (Luthor states he had planned this for a later time anyway). Solicitations for future episodes indicated that the team had a secret backer, but have turned out to be incorrect. Timm had also said he wanted to include Riddler and Scarecrow as villains in the group as a nod to the original Legion, but was prevented from doing this by the "Bat-Embargo."

Confirmed members of this "Secret Society" (the DCAU take on the Legion) are as follows:

During the two-part series finale, Lex Luthor tried to resurrect Brainiac by ordering the crew to transform the base into a spaceship, so that they could travel to the site of Brainiac's ruined asteroid base. With Tala's help, Grodd attempted a coup to retake control of the Secret Society, leading to a battle between members loyal to either Grodd or Luthor.

After a pitched battle, Luthor defeated Grodd by turning his mental powers back on him and shunting the ape out an airlock. The rest of Grodd's forces were frozen solid by a turncoat Killer Frost to spare herself from any retribution from Luthor (Blockbuster, Copperhead, Fastball, Goldface, Hellgrammite, Key, Parasite, Rampage, Shade, and Weather Wizard were shown being frozen).

When the Secret Society reaches the site of Brainiac's defeat, Luthor used Tala's magic to restore Brainiac, apparently killing her, despite a sudden warning from the New God, Metron. Luthor accidentally resurrected Darkseid merged with Brainiac instead, who rewards Luthor for his help by destroying the Secret Society's base in a fiery explosion. Darkseid's resurrection was possibly a last act of revenge from Tala. However, force fields produced by Star Sapphire and Sinestro saved Luthor's crew. Lightray, another of the Gods of New Genesis, spotted the explosion, and was subsequently robbed of his Mother Box after Evil Star knocked him out from behind, which allowed the remnants of the Secret Society to make it back to Earth to warn the Justice League of Darkseid's return.

At the conclusion of "Alive!", the first part of the finale, the only remaining members of the team are: Atomic Skull, Bizarro, Cheetah, Evil Star, Giganta, Heat Wave, Killer Frost, Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Star Sapphire, Toyman and Volcana. They team up with the League to face Darkseid's invasion of Earth by Parademons. Matt Wayne stated that he consciously tried to round up the original 13 Legion of Doom members in Luthor's team, and for that he cited this Wikipedia page as one source.[20] In "Destroyer", (the series finale) Luthor acquires the Anti-Life Equation after Metron takes him to the Source Wall, which Darkseid was searching for, and shares it with him – or possibly uses it on him. Both villains disappear in a flash of light, and Darkseid's forces leave Earth. The remaining members of the Legion survive the battle, and as a reward are given a five-minute head start by the Justice League.

It is assumed that all other villains that weren't with Luthor were killed.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Legion of Doom appear in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold series. In the teaser of "Triumvirate of Terror", they play a game of baseball against the Justice League International. Members of the Legion of Doom are Lex Luthor, Joker, Cheetah, Weather Wizard, Felix Faust, Chronos, Clock King, and Amazo. Later, Luthor, Joker, and Cheetah are shown at the Legion's headquarters, which is visually based on the Hall of Doom and in a Swamp.

Young Justice

In the Young Justice episode "Revelation", the team battles the Light's Injustice League in the Louisiana bayou. The group's headquarters and location is a homage to the Hall of Doom.[21]

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special

The Legion of Doom fitted prominently in the ongoing story arc of the Robot Chicken DC Comics Special. In the meeting room of the Hall of Doom, the Joker and Penguin were provided seats alongside the thirteen traditional members of the group. The Legion of Doom also have a mailroom worker named Glen who has a glandular problem and later dies during the commercial. Aquaman joins the group giving them access to the Justice League Watchtower in the final act after he was pushed too far by the other members of the Justice League. For the finale, this Legion of Doom was joined by Bane, Catwoman, Two-Face, Icicle, Mirror Master, Harley Quinn, Deathstroke, Mr. Freeze, Mister Banjo, Chillblaine, Darkseid, and original Robot Chicken character Humping Robot. It is soon discovered during Aquaman's "Trojan Cake" plan that the Justice League prepared a surprise party for Aquaman who ends up cutting into the cake enough for the villains to come out and fight the Justice League. The fight ensues until only Superman, Aquaman, and Lex Luthor remain standing. When Superman and Lex Luthor try to get Aquaman to hand each on the Kryptonite, Aquaman throws the Kryptonite and punches Lex Luthor as it is shown that the Kryptonite hit Superman by accident (yet Superman survived). Both sides attend the funeral of Glen.

In the second Robot Chicken DC Comics Special, titled "Villains in Paradise", the Legion of Doom is featured prominently. Lex Luthor is still the leader, but its core membership now features Bizarro, Poison Ivy, Black Manta, Joker, Penguin, Brainiac, Captain Cold, Scarecrow, Grodd, Sinestro, Catwoman, Riddler, Toyman, and Two-Face while Weather Wizard, Black Adam, Darkseid, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, and Clayface make cameo appearances among the core members. After escaping from Arkham Asylum (and an incident resulting in the death of Mr. Banjo), the Legion's members are shown as being overworked by the stress of their jobs along with Lex's daughter Lena Luthor having to work at the Hall of Doom's coffee shop called "Hall of Doom Coffee" on spring break when she wants to go to a beach resort with her boyfriend. During the meeting, the members of the Legion of Doom demand a vacation where Luthor states they have plenty of time off when they are in prison. After Lena leaves to go to the beach anyway without her father's permission where she enlisted Scarecrow's nephew Calvin to cover for her, Lex Luthor gets a hold of her location when Gorilla Grodd sees her Instagram profile being active. In retaliation, Luthor allows the rest of the Legion of Doom to go to Lena's location with him provided that they help him find Lena and bring her back. When at the beach, the Legion of Doom members end up taking part in some spring break activities. After an incident where Penguin, Scarecrow, Brainiac, Riddler, and Black Manta mistook the Justice League's private beach for a nude beach (since Penguin thought that they were the same thing), Lex Luthor discovers that Lena's boyfriend is actually Superboy (who is at the beach with the Justice League). The Legion of Doom and the Justice League briefly do battle over this before teaming up to fight a giant-sized Starro (who Captain Cold previously flushed down the Hall of Doom's toilet). After Starro was slain by Batman riding in Green Lantern's boat construct, both sides are present at Gorilla Grodd and Bizarro's wedding.

Six Flags

In 2007 at Six Flags New England, a live show written by Brandon T. Snider featured the Legion of Doom. This incarnation of the group involved Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Cheetah, Captain Cold, Riddler, and Joker.[22]

Film

Justice League: Doom

The Legion of Doom appear as the central antagonists in the animated film Justice League: Doom led by Vandal Savage.[23] The members here are Cheetah, Star Sapphire, Bane, Metallo, Mirror Master, and Ma'alefa'ak.[24] Cheetah is the only original member in this film.

JLA Adventures: Trapped In Time

In the animated film JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, the Legion of Doom travel back in time to eliminate Superman with the help of Time Trapper. The members here are Lex Luthor, Bizarro, Toyman, Solomon Grundy, Cheetah, Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, and Black Manta.[25]

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom features the Legion of Doom as the main antagonists. This version includes Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Black Manta, Captain Cold, Cheetah, and Gorilla Grodd. While Luthor is the one that formed them, it is in fact Darkseid that ordered him to do so. The Legion of Doom first appears where they attack Area 52 in order to free a capsule containing a specific alien and get away after a fight with the Legion of Doom. Upon releasing the alien, he introduces himself as J'onn J'onzz where he shows off his abilities. Lex Luthor persuades J'onn J'onzz to assist the Legion of Doom against the "dastardly" Justice League. With J'onn J'onzz's help, the Legion of Doom fools the Justice League into thinking that the prototype nuketron reactor core is going to explode as part of a plan to discredit them. Cyborg's readings of the core not exploding was repeatedly unheeded. After the Justice League are banished from Earth, the Legion of Doom rejoices as Sinestro is sent to use the Father Box to send the Justice League to the other side of the universe. Upon getting the info needed upon posing as Black Manta, J'onn Jonzz saves Cyborg (who had his dummy take his place in the Justice League's exile) by mind-controlling Sinestro (who was sent to destroy the Hall of Justice) into rescuing the Justice League from the black hole. Lex Luthor pilots the Hall of Doom as Darkseid sends some gifts to the Legion of Doom to help take over Earth. While Cyborg keeps an eye on J'onn J'onzz and Sinestro, the Justice League heads out to fight the Legion of Doom. Using the Hall of Justice's flight mode, Cyborg uses it to fight the Hall of Doom and shoot it down. J'onn J'onzz then helps to defeat the Legion of Doom. Afterwards, the Justice League are cleared of all charges and the Legion of Doom are arrested by the police.

Justice League vs. Teen Titans

In Justice League vs. Teen Titans, the members include Lex Luthor, Cheetah, Weather Wizard, Solomon Grundy, and Toymaster.

Video games

Miscellaneous

Cultural references

South Park's Legion of Doom. ---- From left to right: Osama bin Laden, Doctor Doom, Black Manta, Saddam Hussein, Cheetah, Kim Jong-il, David Blaine, and Doctor Octopus.

References

  1. Nobleman, Marc Tyler (29 July 2011). "Super ‘70s and ‘80s: "Super Friends" – Darrell McNeil, animator". Noblemania. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  2. Although she is depicted as an enemy of Apache Chief in Challenge of the Super Friends, Giganta first appeared as a Wonder Woman villain in 1944.
  3. Extreme Justice #17
  4. Extreme Justice #18
  5. Justice #10 (April 2007)
  6. Justice #9 (February 2007)
  7. Justice League of America #14 (December 2007)
  8. Superman/Batman #83 (April 2011)
  9. Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1
  10. Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2
  11. Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #3
  12. http://comics.ign.com/articles/116/1168864p1.html
  13. Teen Titans (vol. 3) #98
  14. Forever Evil #2
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Justice League Unlimited episode "I Am Legion"
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Justice League Unlimited episode "Dead Reckoning"
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Justice League Unlimited episode "The Great Brain Robbery"
  18. Justice League Unlimited episode "Alive!"
  19. Justice League Unlimited episode "Grudge Match"
  20. One of the nicest bits in "Alive!" was consciously making Luthor's team the villains that the audience had seen most of, more or less, and cared about. Which was good, since we were hopefully making the audience worry about and root for Luthor's group. This also let us come as close as we could to the classic 13 LOD villains. Grodd was now the enemy; Captain Cold wasn't around; Devil Ray and Grundy were gone and we couldn't use Scarecrow or Riddler, so we were left with: Luthor (who kind of counted as Brainiac), Bizarro, Giganta, Cheetah, Sinestro and Toyman. (And no, I couldn't keep all 13 straight two years later without referring to my script and Wikipedia.)
    Matt Wayne
  21. http://brandonvietti.blogspot.com/2011/11/season-one.html
  22. http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news/2007-news/2007-news-merchandise.php?topic=2007-news-merchandise/0701ii
  23. http://www.comicvine.com/news/nathan-fillion-joins-justice-league-doom-the-new-dc-animated-movie/143635/
  24. http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=1135
  25. http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/2014/01/logline-character-details-for-jla-adventures-trapped-in-time-animated-feature/
  26. Voecks, Krystalle (15 January 2011). "Massively exclusive: A chat with DCUO's Chris Cao, part two". Massively. Joystiq. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  27. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDSj5ZvlbuU
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