Legion of Super-Heroes/DCAU

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The DC Animated Universe

The DC Animated Universe, also known as the "Timmverse" or "DCAU", was the combined universe that consisted of all of the animated series produced or inspired by Bruce Timm, including several series starring Superman, Batman, and/or the Justice League. The Legion appeared in episodes of two DCAU series, once in Superman: The Animated Series and once in Justice League Unlimited, and Legion villain Mordru appeared in one episode of JLU. Because only these two time points were shown of the Legion, it is difficult to figure out much of a chronology of this timeline. However, some time did pass between the first and second Legion episodes, as the Legion was in its upside-down rocket ship clubhouse in the Superman episode, while that clubhouse was old and disused by the time of the JLU episode, and some Legionnaires had changed costumes in the interim.

  • The first Legion appearance was in an episode of Superman: The Animated Series titled New Kids in Town, set primarily in the 20th century in the recent past and partly in the 30th century (the year 2979). The featured characters were Chameleon Boy, Cosmic Boy, and Saturn Girl.
  • In the first season episode of Justice League Unlimited titled Greatest Story Never Told, Mordru's appearance was set in the present.
  • The Legion's second appearance was in the third season episode of JLU titled Far From Home, which begins and ends in the present but spends most of the time in the 30th century. The featured characters were Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, and Supergirl.

In both Legion episodes, a number of other Legionnaires had no more than cameos, so their names can only be speculated.

Main article: List of members/DCAU

Superman: The Animated Series

New Kids in Town

Main article: New Kids in Town

Thumb

Above: Saturn Girl shows Clark Kent (at left) an image of the future. From left to right: Ultra Boy, Apparition, Dream Girl, Live Wire, Gossamer, Brainiac 5, Triad, Bouncing Boy, Kid Quantum, Andromeda. Some names are inferred based on the costume.

Thumb At left: the Legion Clubhouse, 2979

Justice League Unlimited

Greatest Story Never Told

Main article: Greatest Story Never Told

Thumb At left: Mordru rampaging in the 21st century

No Legionnaires are seen in this episode, which takes place entirely in present-day Metropolis as Mordru rampages. No explanation is given for Mordru's appearance in the present.

Far from Home

Main article: Far from Home

Thumb Thumb Thumb

  • Above, left image: the old Legion Clubhouse.
  • Center image: From left, on screen: Ultra Boy, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Colossal Boy, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Wildfire, Blok. Front row: Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Green Lantern, Supergirl, Green Arrow.
  • Above, right image: the new Legion Clubhouse, 2980s

While the bulk of "New Kids" took place in the past, this episode is set almost entirely in the future. Since the "New Kids in Town" episode, some time has passed for the Legion. Various Legionnaires have had costume changes, getting away from a similar style (a large stripe of either black or white in the middle, with a color on either side, plus a belt with a large buckle) to a more individual look. See, for example, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, and Ultra Boy. The team had also moved from their old clubhouse to a new one, and the old one sat disused.

DC Animated Universe comics

The Legion appeared twice in the DCAU-inspired comics, once in Adventures in the DC Universe #10 and once in Justice League Adventures #28. The JLA issue features the DCAU Justice League and four Legionnaires as depicted in the original Superman episode, so they can be considered canonical. The issue cannot be definitively placed in relation to the "New Kids" episode in a chronological history, but based on the costumes it does take place well prior to "Far from Home".

In the Adventures in the DC Universe issue, however, the costumes, characters, and situations in that issue more closely followed those of the regular Legion book at the time than the DCAU, so it cannot be said with certainty that that story should be considered canonical DCAU.

Other issues of the various comics series included appearances of Durlans, Daxamites and Tharrians.