WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Justice League #10 by Scott Snyder, Francis Manapul and Jae Lee, on sale now.


The Rebirth era of DC Comics has brought many of the publisher's characters back to their most recognizable states. However, not everyone has made their return yet, and some properties have not been dusted off in years. The Legion of Super-Heroes has not been seen in some time, but it's starting to look like DC is quietly building towards their return.

Several Legion characters and concepts have shown up in various comics over the last year. Separately, it might sound like a whole lot of nothing -- after all, the publisher should have free reign over its own characters -- but when put together, it's time to start wondering if DC is actually slowly working towards something big.

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Rumors about the Legion have been building throughout the industry. Who will be the writer to pen the team's return? We still don't know the answer to that question, but there are too many creators getting in on the action to dismiss it as a few rogue personnel. All signs point to some kind of editorial initiative taking shape. Even if DC is not yet ready to make an announcement, the evidence is mounting.

Evidence is Mounting: The Legion is Coming

The Legion of Super-Heroes had not been seen since the halcyon days of the New 52. That is, until Geoff Johns and Gary Frank revealed in DC Universe: Rebirth that Saturn Girl is in the 21st century. Her story has been told slowly over the course of Doomsday Clock, with recent references being made to a utopian society she hails from in the far future and a mission she has been sent on to save Superman from some unknown force. Perhaps the answers will not be given to us until Johns and Frank have a chance to tell their story, but that's not all.

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It might not be the real deal, but it's close enough for fans to wonder what it will mean in the end. The ragtag team of heroes in The Terrifics includes Linnya Wazzo, the modern day counterpart of Tinya Wazzo, the 31st Century's Phantom Girl. While they share powers, codenames and their home planet, they appear to be separate individuals. For all we know, Jeff Lemire and company will establish Linnya as an ancestor of Tinya, paving the way for the return of the popular Legionnaire.

Other recent appearances from the Legion have been relegated to out-of-continuity stories, like Injustice 2 and Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes. While we might not normally count these books, it should be noted that DC's willingness to use these characters in some capacity means good things for their in-continuity DC Universe equivalents, at least in theory. The good thing is that the story doesn't stop there.

An Alien Stands Revealed in Drowned Earth

Amazingly, a new Legion of Super-Hero character makes his Rebirth-era debut in the form of a very small and easily missed Easter egg in Justice League #10. As a lead-in to the forthcoming "Drowned Earth" crossover event, the planet is attacked by a group of water gods from other pantheons in the universe. After being taken to the interdimensional Blood Reef, Aquaman meets Earth's invaders, the appropriately named Captain Gall, Commander Drogue and Fleet Admiral Tyyde. However, they are not alone.

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Inside the Blood Reef are a collection of other undersea races who have no home to call their own. The invading forces plan to drown the Earth, take over the planet and give these sea creatures a place to call their own. While many of the denizens of the Blood Reef are rendered unspecified mer-people, there is one who stands out like a sore thumb, even if he's just a background character.

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Originally introduced in 1985 during the Paul Levitz era, Tellus is an aquatic, telepathic creature who went on to join the Legion of Super-Heroes. He was among the first non-humanoid members of the team and is easily identifiable by his monstrous form and the helmet he wears as a breathing apparatus. Tellus has been included on the roster across several iterations of the team, including Legion Lost during the New 52, where several Legionnaires were stranded in the 21st Century.

Why exactly he is here now is hard to answer, but even if he plays no other role in the event going forward, it's hardly an accident Scott Snyder and Francis Manapul decided to put him in there. Perhaps the Legion is currently scattered through time and space, and we may yet see more team members pop up in unexpected places going forward.

Laying the Groundwork for the 31st Century

All these characters popping up are just one part of the equation, though. It seems that DC Comics is also interested in first establishing the foundation of the Legion of Super-Heroes. They are apparently doing this in two separate projects. One is the recently announced Electric Warriors miniseries from Steve Orlando and Travel Foreman. The other is Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis' work on the Superman title.

RELATED: DC’s Electric Warriors #1 Cover Teases Fall Series from Orlando & Foreman

Previously announced to hit the stands in November, Electric Warriors will be set in the future of the DC Universe, as the Earth comes out of what is known as the Great Disaster to rejoin the galactic community. The concept of having warriors represent different worlds among the stars sounds very similar to how the Legion works with the United Planets. In fact, you could look at the series as something of a stepping stone between the present of the DCU and the future of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

As for how Superman will tie into the Legion, Bendis recently mentioned at New York Comic Con that his current story is going to establish the foundation of the the team. “I’m in the middle of a very long and epic Superman story called the Unity Saga,” the writer explained. “And in the end, we’re establishing where the United Planets came from.”

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How his current story about the alien warlord Rogol Zaar possibly being responsible for the destruction of Krypton will lead to the far future is hard to see at the moment. For all we know, the idea that there is a galactic syndicate secretly controlling the cosmos will eventually lead to the need to regulate intergalactic relationships.

What to Expect Next

It's hard to say where the next big hint will come from, but chances are we could see more Legion stuff in Bendis' run on the Superman titles. For all we know, the Man of Steel could run into Mon-El inside the Phantom Zone. You might also want to keep an eye out for Doomsday Clock, and what ultimately happens to Saturn Girl. Could she meet up with other members of her team?

RELATED: DC’s Electric Warriors Series Confirms a Major Change in DCU Continuity

Thanks to books like The Terrifics, Justice League and even Justice League Odyssey, there are plenty of places for Legion fans to be on the lookout. However, the next big moment could show up anywhere. It's only a matter of time before the heroes from the 31st Century return, so keep your eyes peeled for clues.