Earth Man
2976 - Kirt Neidrigh is born on Earth, the son of an archeologist with heavily xenophobic beliefs.
2993 - 17-year-old Kirt Neidrigh auditions for the Legion of Super-Heroes wearing his Amazo tech. He is rejected when Imra Ardeen detects his violently xenophobic beliefs.
2995 - 19-year-old Kirt Neidrigh uses bio-replication of his Amazo tech to grow new organs to replicate their abilities. He attempts to attack the Legion of Super-Heroes but is defeated and sent to prison.
3000 - 24-year-old Kirt Neidrigh escapes prison after the dissolution of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He returns to Earth, using the Dominator occupation to stir up anti-alien sentiment.
3005 - 29-year-old Kirt Neidrigh stirs further anti-alien fanaticism with the Dominators gone and Earth Gov in shambles. He begins assembling the Justice League of Earth.
3007 - 31-year-old Kirt Neidrigh stages the discovery of a crystal tablet proving that Superman was human. The Justice League of Earth goes public and stages a coup to control Earth's population using Dirk Morgna as a fuel source . They fight Legion of Super-Heroes and he is defeated by Val Armorr.
Earth Man's Comic HistoryLike all the members of the Justice League of Earth, Earth Man started out as a Legion candidate. His lone appearance was in Superboy #218 in 1976, the same issue that added the problematic character Tyroc to the Legion. Kirt at this point went by Absorbancy Boy, and when we see him he's basically in the background of a scene where two other rejected characters, Kid Quake & Infectious Lass, flirt with each other. The core premise of the issue is Tyroc being tested by a Legion member wearing a special costume as part of the ritual of joining, only to discover that the suit is actually being worn by Kirt. That is, for a long time, his only appearance ever.
When Geoff Johns created the Justice League of Earth, Kirt evolved quite a bit, getting overloaded with xenophobic nazi-energy. He's actually a really great villain, although for some reason after that story resolved he actually was made to join the Legion? Why would you do that? |
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Our Earth Man StoryThe first thing we did with Kirt was find an explanation for his powers we liked. Since he's all about absorbing the powers of others we tied him with the technology of the recovered head of Amazo, having him use it as an external powers source at first (giving the Legion an excuse to reject him when Saturn Girl discovers what a bigot he is), but then later having him actually grow new organs for himself that replicate the Amazo tech.
We don't actually have to do much else with him to make him work in our timeline. We had him start operating as a villain much earlier, and of course, our version is able to take advantage of the Dominators control of Earth to help foster the anti-alien bigotry that fuels his regime. One idea we also introduced is that Brainiac 5 has to deliberately go hunt down the one Legionare who can beat Earth Man, because he has no powers to absorb, Karate Kid. Oh, and it should go without saying, but we're not putting a space nazi on the Legion. |