Legion Flight Ring
| Legion Flight Ring | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #329 (February 1965) |
| Created by | Jerry Siegel |
| In story information | |
| Type | Weapon |
| Element of stories featuring | Legion of Super-Heroes Superman Supergirl Superboy Booster Gold |
A Legion Flight Ring is an object featured in comic book titles published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #329 (February, 1965) used by the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Contents
Legion of Super-Heroes
Origin
Although their origin varies between different incarnations of the Legion Of Super-Heroes, the Legion flight rings are usually invented in a joint effort by Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid. Engraved with the signature "L" of the Legion of Super-Heroes, this ring is also used by students in the Legion Academy when they are in training or on field missions. Legion Flight Rings are composed of a compound known as Valorium, which is derived from the Thanagarian Nth Metal, and possesses similar anti-gravity capabilities.[1]
Superman
Superman also possesses a flight ring, and used to keep it in the Fortress of Solitude as a reminder of his time spent in the 31st century. He now wears it, but it can be turned invisible upon mental command.
Superboy (Kon-El) has one for his time with the Legion of Earth-247, and Kid Flash (Bart Allen) may have one as well.
Earth-Prime
In Earth-Prime continuity, there is a shortage of rings because the metal is rare, and they are expensive to make. Brainiac 5 has to recycle the rings of deceased members such as Dream Girl. This also means that not everyone was equipped with a ring.
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is one of the few known non-Legionnaires allowed to use a Legion flight ring. It is the only piece of equipment stolen from the Space Museum that survived to the most recent version of Booster's suit unscathed. Its origins differ slightly between the 1987 and the 2008 series, but in both origins, it is revealed that the ring originally was the one held by Brainiac 5. In the alternate continuity of the Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century series, Brainiac 5 himself arranged the events leading Booster to steal a random flight ring, knowing about his heroic life in the 21st century from historical sources.
Capabilities
A Legion Flight Ring is controlled by mental command, and like a Green Power Ring, it can be willed for varying effects. For example, because of Dream Girl's strong will, she has used the Flight Ring to move other objects by negating the gravity around it. Its main function, however, is to allow its wearer to fly.
Another function of the Legion Flight Ring is to send out a distress call. If a Legionnaire rotates the "L" symbol 45 degrees, the ring will send out a distress message that will be received by other Legionnaires and the Mission Monitor Board at Legion Headquarters.
Brainiac 5 has modified the functions of a ring specific to each Legionnaire. For example, Colossal Boy's ring will enlarge with him, and Shrinking Violet's will shrink with her. Other examples of this include the Legion Flight Ring being able to "Duplicate" with Duplicate Damsel, resist temperature extremes around Sun Boy and Polar Boy and handle the increased mass of Blok as he originally has to wear three rings due to his massive size. Another modification he had recently made, was to Earth-Man's Legion Flight Ring, in order to keep him on a short leash and alter his morality.
A Legion Flight Ring is also used for security purposes. Only someone with a Legion Flight Ring is allowed to use certain equipment, including the Legion Cruiser.
In certain alternate universe versions of the Legion, it has other uses as well. Environmental protection is an added benefit for the Earth-Prime Legionnaires, for example. The Earth-0 and Earth-247 Legionnaires use Legion Transuits instead.
Similar devices
Flying Belt
The Legionnaires originally used Flying Belts purchased by their sponsor R.J. Brande when the Legion was founded. It was considered the state-of-the-art in 30th century personal transport technology.[2]
Legion of Super-Villains Rings
Legion of Super-Villains gained copies of the rings using an early version used by Nemesis Kid; when he infiltrated the Legion, it was never reclaimed after his treachery was exposed. [3]
