Editing Element Lad

{{short description|DC Comics character}}
{{redirect|Trom|the television series|Trom (TV series)}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:wikiProject Comics-->
|image=ElementLad-AdventureComics323.png
|caption= Element Lad as depicted in ''Adventure Comics'' #323 (August 1964). Art by John Forte (penciller) and [[George Klein (comics)|George Klein]] (inker).
|character_name=Element Lad
|real_name=Jan Arrah
|publisher=[[DC Comics]]
|debut=''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #307 (April 1963)
|creators=[[Edmond Hamilton]]<br>[[John Forte (comics)|John Forte]]
|homeworld=[[List of DC Universe locations#Planets and moons which exist during the era of the Legion of Super-Heroes|Trom]]
|species= [[List of alien races in DC Comics#Trommites|Trommite]]
|alliances=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]
|aliases=Mystery Lad, Alchemist, Starfinger, Progenitor
|powers= Element transmutation<br>'''Equipment:'''
* Legion flight ring
}}
'''Element Lad''' ('''Jan Arrah''') is a superhero appearing in media published by [[DC Comics]], primarily as a member of the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] in the 30th and 31st centuries. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to [[alchemy|transmute]] [[chemical element]]s.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book | last = Jimenez | first = Phil | author-link = Phil Jimenez | contribution = Element Lad | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | pages = 114 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4119-1 | oclc = 213309017}}</ref>

==Publication history==
Element Lad first appeared in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #307, and was created by [[Edmond Hamilton]] and [[John Forte (comics)|John Forte]].<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=100}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
===Pre-''Zero Hour''===
Element Lad, whose real name is Jan Arrah, first appears in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' (vol. 1) #307 (1963). In this first story, he is briefly known as "Mystery Lad" as the Legionnaires do not initially know his powers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-4012-1389-3 |page=62}}</ref> Jan is the last survivor of Trom, as he was in space while the space pirate Roxxas massacred the Trommites for refusing to transmute valuable elements for him.

With the aid of the Legion, Roxxas is brought to justice and Jan joins the Legion, using the codename Element Lad. He is a member of the Legion for many years, serving terms as leader and deputy leader. He later enters a relationship with [[Shvaughn Erin]], the [[Science Police]]'s Legion liaison.

===="Five Years Later"====
During the [[Legion of Super-Heroes#"Five Years Later"|"Five Year Gap"]] (1989), Earth falls under the control of the [[Dominators (DC Comics)|Dominators]] and leaves the [[United Planets]]. It is revealed that Shvaughn was born male and became female using the drug ProFem.<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn">{{cite web |url=http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |title=Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin |access-date=December 17, 2007 |last=Companik |first=Chris |website=Gay League |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071217093553/http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=139 |archive-date = December 17, 2007}}</ref> With ProFem no longer available, Shvaughn reverts to her original form. Jan is unfazed, and continues their relationship.<ref name="GayLeague Shvaughn"/>

Additionally, a temporal clone of Element Lad named '''Alchemist''' is introduced.<ref>''Legion of Super-Heroes'' (vol. 4) #38 (Late December 1992). DC Comics.</ref>

===Post-''Zero Hour''===
In post-''[[Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!|Zero Hour]]'' continuity, the Trommites were killed by [[Daxamites|Daxamite]] terrorists.<ref name="dc-ency"/> After an encounter with [[Mordru]], Jan's powers change so that he can transmute himself into elements.

In ''[[Legion Lost]]'', Element Lad is lost in deep space for billions of years, driving him insane and leading him to become the villain '''Progenitor'''.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #10 (February 2001). DC Comics.</ref> [[Garth Ranzz|Live Wire]] sacrifices himself to defeat Progenitor, but [[Kid Quantum]] recovers crystals from Progenitor's body which grow into a new body housing Garth's consciousness.<ref>''Legion Lost'' #12 (April 2001). DC Comics.</ref>

In ''[[Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds]]'', the post-''Zero Hour'' Legion is brought to the pre-Crisis Legion's timeline to help battle [[Superboy-Prime]] and the [[Legion of Super-Villains]].<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #3. DC Comics.</ref>

==="Threeboot"===
In the [[Mark Waid]]/[[Barry Kitson]] 'reimagining', Element Lad is the lone survivor of a lost planet.<ref>''Action Comics'' #850 (L. July 2007). DC Comics.</ref> This version's powers are triggered by touch and only last several minutes.<ref name="dc-ency" />

This version of Element Lad also appears in ''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'', where he is killed by Superboy-Prime.<ref>''Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds'' #4. DC Comics.</ref>

===Post-Infinite Crisis===
The events of the ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' miniseries restore a close analogue of the pre-''Crisis'' Legion to continuity.

In ''[[Last Stand of New Krypton]]'', Element Lad is part of a secret team sent by [[R. J. Brande]] to the 21st century to save the future, posing as a chemistry teacher in [[Smallville (comics)|Smallville]].

In ''[[Doomsday Clock (comics)|Doomsday Clock]]'', Element Lad is among the Legion of Super-Heroes members who appear in the present after [[Doctor Manhattan]] restores the timeline, resurrecting the Legion and the [[Justice Society of America]].<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
Element Lad is able to transmute objects by touch and change one chemical element into any other, for instance, lead to gold or iron to aluminium. He can transmute an element even if it is part of a compound and can change solid objects into gaseous ones. Like all Trommites, Element Lad could sense the elemental composition of any substance, and could change one element into another by creating or breaking electron bonds. He also possesses extensive knowledge of chemistry and how to use his abilities effectively.

As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Element Lad is provided a Legion Flight Ring, which allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.

==In other media==
* Element Lad makes non-speaking cameo appearances in ''[[Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)|Legion of Super Heroes]]''.
* Element Lad appears as a character summon in ''[[Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=July 29, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
* Element Lad appears in ''[[Adventures in the DC Universe]]'' #10.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |title=''Adventures in the DC Universe'' #10 - The Blobs (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/adventures-in-the-dc-universe-10-the-blobs/4000-153328/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620091547/https://comicvine.gamespot.com/adventures-in-the-dc-universe-10-the-blobs/4000-153328/ |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |access-date=June 22, 2023 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}</ref>
* Element Lad appears in the one-shot comic ''[[Batman '66]] Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/batman-66-meets-the-legion-of-super-heroes-1-atomi/4000-609276/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818222413/https://comicvine.gamespot.com/batman-66-meets-the-legion-of-super-heroes-1-atomi/4000-609276/ |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |access-date=August 18, 2023 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://majorspoilers.com/2007/09/05/hero-history-element-lad/ A "Hero History" of Element Lad] covering his many incarnations.

{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}
{{Superman characters}}

[[Category:Characters created by Edmond Hamilton]]
[[Category:Characters created by John Forte]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1963]]
[[Category:DC Comics aliens]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics LGBTQ superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics male superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics orphans]]
[[Category:Fictional bisexual men]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional sole survivors]]
[[Category:Legion of Super-Heroes members]]