Libra (DC Comics)

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Publication information
Libra
Libra meets with the The Society. Interior artwork by Doug Mahnke from DC Universe #0 (2008).
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Justice League of America #111 (June 1974)
Created by	Len Wein (script) Dick Dillin (art)
In story information
Team affiliations	Injustice Gang The Society
Abilities	Superpower absorption

Libra is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe.

He first appeared in Justice League of America #111, published in June 1974, where he formed the first incarnation of the Injustice Gang (though there had been other villain groups with similar names, like the Injustice Society and the Injustice League).

Libra makes his return with a leading role in Final Crisis in 2008.

1 Publication history
2 Fictional character biography
3 Powers and abilities
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Publication history

Libra's only major appearance was in Justice League of America #111-112, in 1974.

In 2004, he made a brief cameo in the JLA/Avengers crossover (#4) by Kurt Busiek and George Perez.

Grant Morrison, the writer of Final Crisis, explained the reason for picking an obscure villain:^[1]

The reason I chose them was because Libra came from my favorite ever run of 'Justice League of America' and he's never been used again. He was a character who had stolen all the powers of the Justice League, but then couldn't handle it and ascended to some kind of screaming godhood where he became a million transparent body parts spread across the sky. So I thought if I was doing a thing about the New Gods, he'd be an interesting guy to bring back because I needed a masked mystery man to start a new recruitment drive for the Secret Society of Supervillains, because they become almost a terrorist sect. Under Libra's guidance, they start doing quite bad things, even to superheroes' wives and families, crossing the line. So there's that element to the story and I needed a masked guy, who people didn't really know that well. And I remembered Libra and the fact that he is connected to this ascending to godhood thing tied him in really quite nicely. What's really going on under the hood will be revealed later in the series.

In May 2008 his appearances were reprinted in DC Universe Special: Justice League of America at the same time as he was reintroduced, along with the Human Flame (a Martian Manhunter foe who appeared in Detective Comics #274) , in Justice League of America #21.^[1]

He returns, apparently retaining the full might of his godlike status, to lead a new and final incarnation of the Secret Society of Super-Villains, this time offering to every villain, from major ones to simple costumed crooks, the realization of his/her fondest wish.

[edit] Fictional character biography

Libra was a secret founder of the group of super-villains named Injustice Gang. He constructed an unusual device, the Transmortifier, that enabled him to steal half the powers or energies of a given person. By the end of the first appearance, it was revealed that their entire operation was a massive feint by their organizer, Libra, to test the Transmortifier. A series of "Plan B" devices the villains had been given in case the JLA defeated them absorbed half of the heroes' powers and transferred them to Libra. Satisfied with these results, he then turned his device upon the universe itself, hoping to become a god. Instead, Libra was absorbed into the universe itself, effectively disintegrating him and spreading his essence across the cosmos.

Libra returns in Final Crisis controlling an army of super-villains and threatening the entire Multiverse.^[2]. He is identified in Justice League of America #21 as an alien warlord, although no such origin was indicated in his initial appearance. During the events of Final Crisis #1 he kills the Martian Manhunter with his staff, granting the Human Flame's greatest desire.

[edit] Powers and abilities

In the beginning Libra was able to take half of the abilities away from each of member of the Justice League. The modus operandi of this ability was simply unrestricted. He was able to steal half of the brilliance and intelligence from Batman, half of the speed powers of the Flash, and half of Superman's powers. After he took half of the powers from the galaxy he became pure, disembodied energy and his essence is wandering around the universe. The accurate scope of his power is unknown.