Sun Boy

Continuity-Related Comic Book Character
Sun Boy
Information
Real name:	Dirk Morgna
Species:	Human United Planets (citizen)
Homeworld:	Earth
Universe:	Earth-One Earth-1A
Relatives:	Derek Morgna (father)
Occupation:	Legionnaire
Base:	Legion Clubhouse 30th century
Affiliations:	Legion of Super-Heroes

Legion of Super-Heroes Team Member

Sun Boy's origin. As depicted in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981).

Sun Boy's origin. As depicted in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February 1981).

The first appearance of Sun Boy's real name. As depicted in Adventure Comics #302/2 (November 1962).

Sun Boy is a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries. Sun Boy (his real name Dirk Morgna of the planet Earth) is a Legion of Super-Heroes member with the ability to unleash internal solar energy to whatever degree he wishes, from enough to light a single candle to enough to incinerate a planet.

Background Information

In the parallel-universe of Earth-One, in the 30th century, Dirk Morgna's mother died during child birth and Dirk was raised by his distant, business-minded father Derek Morgna. Dirk's father owned a nuclear power plant and Dirk worked as an assistant there as an adolescent. His father raised him to stand up to humiliation and injury by responding in kind. Dirk often found himself badly alienating anyone who started up with him. This turned out to be a bad move in the case of Doctor Zaxton Regulus, who had been employed by Dirk's father at a time that Dirk was doing odd jobs in his laboratory. The two got along badly from the start, and Dr. Regulus's anger burned even hotter. On one of Dirk’s deliveries, he interrupts an illegal experiment that Dr. Regulus was performing. The machine the scientist is working on explodes. The resulting accident killed one of Dirk's co-workers, and destroyed Dr. Regulus's career. Dr. Regulus blames the accident, and his subsequent dismissal on Dirk, (who had ignored warning signs around Dr. Regulus's lab, and so, to an extent, was responsible despite the illegality of the experiment) and locked him in a nuclear reactor for revenge. But Dirk got lucky. Due to his "one-in-a-million genetic structure" instead of killing him, the radiation gives him the power to generate heat and light. He essentially became a living sun.

With the power to radiate bright light, he tried out for the Legion with code name ‘Sun Boy’, but was turned down for that year’s membership slots. Instead Brainiac 5 and Supergirl were chosen instead. He reapplied later after discovering that he was also able to project heat and was accepted. He was once forced to leave the Legion after a temporary power loss, but this was very short-lived.

Unfortunately, he never felt that the Legionnaires truly accepted him, and constantly set out to prove his potency as a Legionnaire and as a man. His insecurities once led him to take too many space missions, driving him mad with space fatigue and almost dooming himself and the entire population of the planet Xenn. Dirk has come to be known as a womanizer, and has never kept a relationship for long.

Sun Boy and his fellow Legion heroes battle an immensely powerful being shrouded in darkness, ultimately revealed to be the ancient ruler of Apokolips, Darkseid. He makes his way to the 30th century with an ingenious plot to finally conquer the universe and with his evil minions (Servants of Darkness) he sets out to do so. Sun Boy’s powers were instrumental in weakening the Servants of Darkness, even though he was nearly by Darkseid himself.

His past too also back to haunt him. Doctor Regulus become one of the Legion's most persistent enemies.

Powers and Abilities

As seen in Legion of Super-Heroes, Vol. 3 #17 (December 1985)

Super Powers

• Unique Physiology: As a metahuman Dirk's latent physiology enabled him to survive the nuclear accident that grants him his powers.
  • Energy Projection: Sun Boy can internally generate an almost limitless supply of solar energy, from the smallest candle flicker to a blistering furnace.
  • Energy Resistance: He is also immune to virtually all forms of heat and solar radiation.

Abilities

• Aviation: Sun Boy was an above-average pilot and frequently piloted the Legion LX-811 space cruisers.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): As a cadet, all potential members of the Legion undergo personal combat training.
• Mechanical Aptitude: Sun Boy possessed a small degree of understanding when it came to 30th century technology, and could often be found repairing Legion star cruisers.
• Photography: Sun Boy was an amateur photographer, but typically only engaged in the activity as a hobby in his spare time.

Weakness

• Reflections: Sun Boy's power to radiate light and heat can be reflected back on him by mirrors, jewels and even creatures that possess reflective physical characteristics.
• Nyctophobia: Sun Boy has a fear of the dark. Fortunately for Dirk, his powers compensate for this fear, and it rarely presents a problem for him.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Legion Flight Ring: As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes he is provided a Legion Flight Ring. It allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments. With his Legion flight ring (or earlier flight belt) he can use another power while flying.

Appearances

• SuperFriends Comic Book:
  • Super Friends #7 and Super Friends #8 references the following cross-universe story:
    • All-Star Comics, #68 (October 1977) -- implied only
    • Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #147 (October, 1977) -- directly referenced
    • Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #148 (November, 1977) -- directly referenced
    • All-Star Comics, #69 (November 1977) -- implied only

Notes

• Sun Boy was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney.
• His real name was first revealed in Adventure Comics, #302 (Nov. 1962).

External Links

• Sun Boy at the DC Database
• Sun Boy at Wikipedia