Polar Boy

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Polar Boy

Publisher DC COmics
First appearance Adventure Comics #306
Created by Edmond Hamilton
and John Forte
Characteristics
Alter ego Brek Bannin
Species Human, from Tharr
Affiliations Legion of Substitute Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Wanderers
Abilities Controls cold

Polar Boy is the name of a fictional character, a superhero from the 30th century of the DC Universe.

Brek Bannin grew up on the planet Tharr which is considered one of the hottest inhabited planets in the galaxy. Brek's family live in the hottest valley of the planet where the inhabitants developed the power to create super cold, snow and ice as a way to combat the persistent heat.

He first tried out for the Legion in Adventure Comics #306 but was unable to control his powers. He was rejected because members felt his powers might interfere in missions. Bannin then started the Legion of Substitute Heroes with other rejected applicants, and was their first leader.

He was the youngest person to ever try out for the Legion. He and the Subs aided the Legion numerous times mostly as local law enforcement while the Legion was off-world. Later he disbanded the Subs and joined the regular Legion, eventually becoming their leader and staying with them until they disbanded.

Polar Boy was often characterized as well-meaning but overeager by Legion writers. He was almost always illustrated as being considerably shorter than the other Legionnaires.

Following the Zero Hour reboot, Polar was reintroduced in Legionnaires #43 (Dec 1996), in which he was once more rejected for unstable powers, and formed the Substitute Legion. It was mentioned that this incarnation was not younger than the other Legion candidates, but was assumed to be such due to his height.

Polar Boy appears in the Threeboot Legion as a member of the Wanderers. His powers are described as slowing molecular movement.

[edit] Powers and abilities

Polar Boy can reduce the heat around himself or other objects, creating a drop in temperature ranging from mild to intense. Because of this, Brek can withstand hotter than normal temperatures because of his Tharrian heritage. Often when he makes an item very cold, ice or frost will condense on its surface. He often wears warm clothes due to the cooler temperatures on Earth.