Workforce (comics)


The Workforce is a fictional semi-heroic-super-team, in DC Comics' Post- Legion of Super-Heroes continuity. The group was introduced in Legion of Super-Heroes #64.

Fictional history

The Workforce was founded by the corrupt industrialist Leland McCauley as a response to the Legion of Super-Heroes, founded by his rival R.J. Brande. When Live Wire was replaced in the Legion by his sister Spark, he joined the Workforce with the belief that McCauley could help him find his brother Mekt. While the team often appeared to be performing heroic deeds, everything they did was designed for McCauley's profit. Karate Kid commented that the only reasons for being in the Workforce were selfish ones.
The team had little teamwork skills, often getting in each other's way in battle. McCauley would often shout orders at them through holographic projection, thereby telegraphing their moves to their opponents. Live Wire eventually quit and rejoined the Legion, inspiring other members to do the same, which forced McCauley to hire new members frequently.
A later version of the group consisted entirely of adults, to make the point that the Legion was endangering teenagers. However, a member of this group was actually the eight-year-old Lori Morning, using her H-Dial to appear adult.
The group disbanded during the "One Year Gap" and was replaced by the "Oversight Watch."

Membership

Original members

In the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, the "Light Speed Vanguard", although mostly based on the Legion of Super-Villains, has some similarity with the Workforce, most notably by being a team of apparent heroes who work for profit, and by having Lightning Lad temporarily join before realizing the truth.