One of DC Comics’ longest running superhero teams is the Legion of Super-Heroes, a group of teenage crimefighters from various planets based in the 31st century. Although they primarily operate in their own era, they occasionally time travel back to the present day to assist the modern DC heroes. While not nearly as famous as the Justice League, they’ve had their share of big moments in the comics, and for fans of DC’s growing crop of TV shows, the team is going to be hinted at in the near future.
This past weekend at the Television Critics Association press tour, DC’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns told reporters that the Legion of Super-Heroes will be teased in one of the DC series, though he wouldn’t identify which one. Here's how he put it, according to TV Line:
You’ll see a hint of the Legion on one of our shows. Keep watching.
With Gotham doing its own thing, Arrow dealing with magic and street crime and The Flash delving into Earth Two, that leaves two candidates for where the Legion of Super-Heroes are likely to appear: Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. Supergirl makes the most sense, given the Legion’s long history with the Superman family. The team made their first comic book appearance in 1958’s Adventure Comics #247, where Superboy was added to their ranks, and a few years later, Supergirl also joined the team. Plus, many of the Legion’s members don’t hail from Earth, and it would be easy enough to include them on Supergirl, since aliens play a key role on that show.
On the other hand, Legends of Tomorrow’s main hook is time travel. Thanks to Rip Hunter, the protagonists are traveling through time to stop Vandal Savage, visiting periods like the 1950s, the Old West and the late 22nd century. They might not be able to incorporate the alien members, but it’s plausible that the team may learn about the Legion either through an off-handed comment by Rip or a clue discovered in one of the time periods they visit. Heck, they may even visit the 31st century!
This won’t be the first time the Legion of Super-Heroes are seen in live action. The team previously appeared in the Smallville Season 8 episode “Legion.” Primarily represented by founding members Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad, they helped Clark Kent battle Brainiac. Cosmic Boy returned in the Season 8 finale “Doomsday,” and team member Brainiac 5 (Brainiac’s benevolent descendant) showed up in the Season 10 episode “Homecoming.” The Legion’s appearances outside of the comic books also include their own animated Legion of Superheroes, as well as guest spots in Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. There are also rumors that DC has a Legion of Super-Heroes movie in the works, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Without any clues about where the Legion of Super-Heroes might show up, viewers will just have to keep paying attention for them until new information is disclosed. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere schedule to find out when you can catch new episodes of your favorite DC shows.
