Who's Who: Starburst Bandits

Starburst Bandits
by Russell & Siskoid

Members: No individual names ever given

Super-Power(s): Bursts of stellar energy from their palms
Planet of Origin: Unknown

Relationship to Legion: Adversaries

Legion Log
The Starburst Bandits "burst" into action against the Legion of Super-Heroes flying through the sky on winged horses made of fire. Although their planet of origin and actual race are not known, their ruthlessness as thieves is. They are well-known throughout the United Planets for their blood-thirsty nature; they have often killed in the course of their robberies via their powerful energy bursts.

The Starburst Bandits first encountered the Legion soon after the cataclysmic events of the Earth War and the Omega Attack, when Earth and the Legion were at a low in morale. They easily defeated the initial group of Legionnaires who went up against them. Only after Lighting Lad and Sun Boy deduced that the Bandits must be trying to steal energy from our Sun were the Legionnaires able to defeat them. At this time, it appeared that their starbursts were from weapons strapped to their arms. In their second appearance, however, it became clear that the Starburst Bandits' energy was natural, and that their "weapons" were conduits or possibly even diversions to make police officers think that they could be disarmed.

After their first attack, the Starburst Bandits were defeated and incarcerated in an Earth prison in the mountains of the Himalayas. However, they pooled their energies and were able to escape, killing several Science Police guards in the effort. The Legion was called to battle them again, but the first group assigned to face them were four Legion applicants. Of these, only Blok was able to resist their starburst powers. He absorbed all of the energy from their starbursts and then returned it to them, knocking them out. For this display of valor and ingenuity he was awarded Legion membership.

No motives for their attacks on Earth were ever given. And unlike most races the Legion has encountered, the Starburst Bandits did not speak Interlac.

Although there is no way of knowing for sure, it would appear that the writer or editor of Who's Who in the Legion got the ending of the "Starburst Bandits" entry mixed up with the Resource Raiders' entry (or possibly, the Sklarian Raiders', on the same page), as they are referred to as "the Raiders" in the last sentence (reprinted above) instead of as the Bandits.

The Starburst Bandits never reappeared, in any continuity.

After Infinite Crisis, the Starburst Bandits' original history has presumably been more or less restored.

Only Starburst Bandit stories:

Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes #252

 The debut of  the Starburst Bandits

Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes #272

The return of the Starburst Bandits