Legion of Substitute Heroes

The Legion of Substitute Heroes -- the "Subs" -- are a 30th-century team formed by teenage heroes turned down for membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes because their powers seemed too limited or impractical. Founders Polar Boy, Night Girl, Stone Boy, Fire Lad, and Chlorophyll Kid banded together to prove their abilities had value, each carrying a Legion Flight Belt as their consolation prize from the tryouts. The team operates as an unofficial backup force, stepping in when the main Legion is unavailable or outmatched, and has grown over the decades to include other rejected or reserve applicants. Long treated as a punchline within the Legion's own universe, the Subs have repeatedly proven decisive in a crisis, and membership has occasionally served as a stepping stone into the main Legion's ranks.