Newsboy Legion - Post-Crisis Version

Post-Crisis Version

Post-Crisis, the Newsboy Legion's 1940s history was unchanged, as was their later involvement with the DNA Project (now called Project Cadmus). Instead of having identical sons, however, the new Newsboy Legion were now said to be clones, created by the same technology that recreated the Guardian, as part of an Apokolips plot that went wrong. Like the Guardian clone, they shared their "fathers'" memories, at least up to their current age, meaning that they were sometimes unfamiliar with the modern world (the new Flip's memories dated from the fifties, rather than the forties). They first appeared in this form in Superman Annual #2 (1988), written by Roger Stern, and were extensively featured in Karl Kesel's run on Adventures of Superman, including breaking Kon-El out of Cadmus. The clones were always getting into trouble, such as when they hid the existence of a large monster that ate furniture.

The post-Crisis Newsboys were also given real names: Big Words was Anthony Rodriguez; Gabby was Johnny Gabrielli and Scrapper was Patrick MacGuire. They were briefly joined by the Guardian's niece "Famous" Bobby Harper, but she subsequently went to stay with another relative.

The Legion rebel against Cadmus for the first time when they the adults have stolen Superman's body. They join with an infiltration team composed of Lois Lane and several super-powered 'Underworlders', a Metropolis faction devoted to Superman. The group fails to regain Superman's body.

The incident with Harper involved the Legion taking down an operation run by Granny Goodness; an orphanage that was a secret kidnapping ring for the dark realm of Apokolips.

Both versions of the Legion would deal with adversaries such as the insane scientist Dabney Donovan and lackeys of Darkseid. The Cadmus project entire would deal with attacks and manipulation from Lex Luthor's forces.

In Superboy #56, significant changes in Project Cadmus meant the Newsboys, original and clones, left the Project. It was briefly suggested that the clones were investigating what was really behind these changes, but this was not followed up on.

The Newsboy clones rescued Jimmy from the sewers beneath the project in Countdown #29 (Oct 10 2007), following his breakout from Cadmus. They allowed Jimmy to stay in the "Legion Clubhouse" (a boarded-up storefront) while he tried to resolve his situation, but he was kidnapped by the second Forager (Countdown #28, Oct 17 2007). Their "fathers" were not mentioned.

The group appears in issue one of Death of the New Gods (Dec 2007). Using the Whiz Wagon's computers, they assist Jimmy in gaining photographic evidence of the death of the Black Racer.

In Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (one-shot, Dec 2008), the original Newsboy Legion members were killed by Codename: Assassin. The fate of the clones remains unknown.