Who's Who: Kid Psycho

Kid Psycho
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Grill Opral

Super-Power(s): Mental force fields, psycho force drills, telekinesis
Planet of Origin: Hajor

Relationship to Legion: Reserve Legionnaire

Legion Log
Kid Psycho was born a mutant after his parents, who were both astronauts, were bathed in Radium while destroying a space monster that had threatened their planet. As a child he demonstrated the power of telekinesis. Then as a teenager, he learned that he could create psycho-force fields.

Unfortunately, Kid Psycho's planet was destroyed by a wandering asteroid when he was still a young man. He managed to escape with the help of his parents. Heading towards Earth, he decided to join the Legion of Super-Heroes.

However, he was rejected. Feeling that his rejection was in error, Kid Psycho drilled through the time barrier via his psycho-force to visit Superboy in Smallville, helping the Boy of Steel on several missions. Impressed by Kid Psycho's abilities, Superboy returned to the 30th Century with him and personally vouched for him for membership.

Saturn Girl then explained to Superboy and to Kid Psycho himself that his powers were draining his life force. Because every time he used his mental powers, he was slicing off a year from his potential life span, the Legion had no choice but to reject him.

Even faced with this terrible burden, Kid Psycho offered his services to the Legion if they were ever in dire need of him. Touched by his spirit of sacrifice, and at Superboy's suggestion, Kid Psycho was then named a Legion Reservist.

During the Great Crisis, when a wall of anti-matter energy threatened to destroy Great Britain, Kid Psycho led the evacuation of civilians away from the threat. Unfortunately, he was hit by debris from a shattered building and knocked unconscious; he was then killed by the anti-matter energy.

Although Kid Psycho was never shown to have been called upon by the Legion, he did presumably visit Legion headquarters on a semi-regular basis. For example, he was invited to the wedding of Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy, two Legionnaires who were not specifically shown to be at either of his Legion try-outs. Also, at his funeral, Element Lad mourned Kid Psycho and told Shadow Lass that he liked him, even though they were never shown to have actually met.

Kid Psycho's real name and home planet were not mentioned in his origin story. Conversely, it was clearly shown that his parents perished when his home planet was destroyed. Clearly, the Who's Who profile above is not correct when it states that Kid Psycho lived with his parents in Metropolis; perhaps it is incorrect on other notes as well.

In the Reboot, Kid Psycho applied for Legion membership but was rejected under unknown circumstances (nor do we know if his dangerous condition was diagnosed). Note: On Legionnaires #43's cover, he is drawn as a member of the book's creative team.

Kid Psycho does not appear in the Threeboot.

After Infinite Crisis, Kid Psycho's original history has presumably been more or less restored. He is part of the three Legions summoned to fight Superboy-Prime during the Final Crisis.

In the Tangent Universe (Earth-9), Kid Psycho is the code name of a psychic villain who, along with his version of the Fatal Five, is responsible for the death of Earth-9's second Atom.

Important Kid Psycho stories:

Superboy #125
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 2)

The debut of Kid Psycho

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #200
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 10
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 5)

Kid Psycho attends the wedding of Duo Damsel & Bouncing Boy

(hanging out with Heroes of Lallor & Color Kid of The Subs)

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #300
(reprinted in The Legion: 1050 Years of the Future
and The Legion: The Curse)

 

Kid Psycho attends the Legion's anniversary celebration

(still hanging out with the Subs)

Crisis on Infinite Earths #3
(reprinted in Crisis On Infinite Earths collected editions)

 

The death of Kid Psycho

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #18

The funeral of Kid Psycho

Legionnaires #43

Kid Psycho is among the heroes who apply to the Legion en masse after the Reboot

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5

Kid Psycho joins the Legions during Final Crisis

Tangent Comics: The Atom #1

In the Tangent Universe, Kid Psycho is a member of a 20th Century Fatal Five