Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Who's Who: Antennae Boy

Antennae Boy
by Russell & Siskoid


Real Name: Khfeurb Chee Bez
Super-Power(s): Hears radio transmissions across space and time

Planet of Origin: Grxyor
Relationship to Legion: Legion reject and member of the Legion of Substitute-Heroes

Legion Log
Antennae Boy answered the call for new Legionnaires after the tragic death of Lighting Lad made the group even more well-known throughout the universe. Antennae Boy showed off his ability to pick up radio broadcasts from stations anywhere on Earth, whether they originated in the present, past, or future. However, not only was this ability not deemed important enough to gain membership, but Antennae Boy admitted that he could not control his ability completely.

Several years later, Antennae Boy, after better mastering his ability to cut through the radio static and chatter, attempted to join the Legion of Substitute Heroes. At this try-out he had the opportunity to team-up with Superman, who was time-traveling to the 30th Century trying to apprehend Ambush Bug. Although Antennae Boy (now calling himself Antennae Lad) helped the Man of Steel to capture the criminal genius, Antennae Boy was never seen with the Substitutes again.

During Antennae Boy's Legion try-out he also demonstrated an ability to "listen in" on other parallel worlds' transmissions. He was able to pick up a radio broadcast from an Earth where US President Kennedy was not assassinated in 1963, but instead went on to win re-election in 1964. Whether this was the Time Trapper's "Pocket Universe" or some other parallel world was never established.

After the so-called Five-Year Gap, Antennae Boy became a newscaster with the United Planets Broadcasting Service.

No mention of him was made after the Reboot or the Threeboot. After Infinite Crisis, Antennae Boy's original history has presumably been more or less restored.

Antennae Boy has appeared on the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, but has never had a speaking part.

Important Antennae Boy stories:

Adventure Comics #305
 (reprinted in LThe Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
 
Antennae Boy cannot control his power, so is rejected at try-outs

DC Comics Presents #59
 
Antennae Boy tries out for membership in the Subs 
the same day Superman and Ambush Bug come to the 30th Century.

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #11

Five years later, Antennae Boy anchors a news program

Legion of Super-Heroes animated series

Antennae Boy has a couple of cameos on the show, as a prospective Legionnaire

6 comments:

  1. The reason for the Kennedy "alternate universe" broadcast, obviously, was that Adventure Comics #305 came out in February 1963.

    Who knew, right? :(

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  2. I wish we'd seen "three-eyed Sam from the planet Wham."

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  3. Be patient, Eyeful Ethel is coming.

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  4. When the story was reprinted, they edited out the Kennedy reference and substituted, I believe Truman. Always struck me as unnecessary. After all, a thousand years is a long time, you could have a two-term Kennedy in there somewhere. Maybe a relative of JFK, maybe even not.

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  5. It just says Kennedy, could have been any other one later.

    ReplyDelete