Kid Quantum

+ Proty I + Proty II + The Soul of Antares

Created by Keith Giffen and Tom & Mary Bierbaum
Jazmin created by Tom Peyer, Tom McGraw and Lee Moder

+ History

Kid Quantum is best known as the powerful female Legionnaire, Jazmin Cullen, from the "Legion 2" (Earth-247). She was preceeded by her brother in that universe. But the first Kid Quantum was a royal confusion of a retcon introduced in post-Crisis Legion lore.

Legion 2: Kid Quantum of Universe-247

KQ bites it early.
From Legion v.4 #62 (1994). Art by Lee Moder.

In the Second Galaxy.
From Legion Lost #120 (2001). Art by Olivier Coipel.

Lucky at leadership… and love.
From Legion v.4 #62 (1994). Art by Lee Moder.

James Cullen was the proud possessor of a belt that created a time-stasis field that could paralyze anything inside of it. When the Legion of Super-Heroes was formed, he was one of three contestants who were vying to become the Champion of Xanthu. (Legionnaires #0) His hopes for that title were dashed when the Xanthan government chose him to represent his planet as a Legionnaire instead—much to his dismay. As Kid Quantum, he grudgingly met his new teammates on Earth and immediately alienated them with his arrogance.

His pride quickly proved to be his undoing. In the Legion's first real fight, against an alien insectoid called Tangleweb, James ignored Leviathan's orders and tried to take on the creature himself. He managed to catch Tangleweb in his time-stasis field, but while bragging about it, the strain of it shorted out his belt. Tangleweb broke free and snapped James's neck. Kid Quantum became the first Legionnaire to die in action. (Legion v.4 #62) After his death, his funeral was hampered by hite Triangle terrorists, who booby-trapped his coffin. Only the quick feet of XS saved everyone present from being blown to bits. (Legionnaires #19 )

Xanthu soon replaced James in the Legion with Star Boy, one of his opponents for the "Champion" title. His sister, Jazmin, was led by her government to believe that the Legion's incomptetnce caused his death. She took his codename and joined Xanthu's own team of heroes, the Uncanny Amazers. When the Amazers met the Legion, she learned that his death was his own fault. (Legion v.4 #82)

Kid Quantum (James) has no known counterparts on any parallel Earths. However, the original Kid Quantum was a character created after the first Crisis. He is no longer a part of Earth-0 continuity.

Kid Quantum II

Jazmin Cullen was, like her brother James, born with the ability to create a time-stasis field in a limited area, a power which he augmented with a power-belt. Her brother died when his stasis control belt overloaded. This led Jazmin to take the power one step further by internalizing it. She studied the biophysics behind her powers and worked with Xanthu's scientists to increase her powers so that she'd never need to rely on external devices. The government of Xanthu then selected her to succeed James in joining the Uncanny Amazers.

After James' death, the government of Xanthu spun the story to make it seem that the Legion's own incompetence led to his death. Deep down, Jazmin suspected the truth: that her brother's arrogance had led to his demise. Still, upon her first meeting with the Legion, she bore a heavy grudge. On the Legion's first visit to Xanthu, the two teams were challenged to a friendly competition, and Jazmin was asked to "fix" the results in the Amazers' favor. During the bout, Jazmin overheard a Xanthan admitting that James' actions had been a public relations "problem." By fixing the battle with the Legion in the Amazers' favor, they hoped to solidify their reputation. Jazmin was incensed; she didn't care that her brother had disobeyed orders, only that he'd died in battle. (Legion v.4 #82)

When Xanthu was invaded by the Natra Dellons, Xanthan Legionnaires Star Boy and Monstress returned home to help repel them. Afterwards, Star Boy invited Kid Quantum to join the Legion— and she accepted! (#102) She was soon confirmed by an official vote. (Legionnaires #60)

In the Legion, Jazmin's star rose rapidly. Not long after joining, Earth was attacked by the Blight. The battle against the Blight ended in the creation of a spacial rift, into which Kid Quantum and other Legionnaires fell. (Legion v.4 #125) While they spent time in a so-called "Second Galaxy," Kid Quantum's confidence and leadership ability grew. They fought hard to return home (The Legion #1), and when the Legion was re-formed, Jazmin was elected as Legion leader. What's more, she found herself in a budding romance with Cosmic Boy. (#10, 26)

Kid Quantum became an effective leader, even applying her quantum powers to retard the accelerated growth of Apparition's infant son. (#19) She remains in that post, even after her Legion's universe was destroyed in the Infinite Crisis. After participating in an adventure involving the Legions of three universes, she led her team back into the multiverse, wandering in search of other survivors. (Legion of Three Worlds #5)

Olivier Coipel on Jazmin: People have asked about Kid Q's haircut and truth is, I couldn't draw the old one anymore! I like her new tough and sexy look, along with her costume, but it still isn't easy to show her powers at work! —Comic Book Resources

The Soul of Antares—the Post-Crisis Kid Quantum

Proty II as the Weirdo Legionnaire.
From Adventure #341 (1966). Art by Curt Swan.

Hiding out on Yal, as "Rouvin."
From Legion v.4 #33 (1992). Art by David A. Williams.

Prisoner of Leland McCauley (and his
Emerald Eye). From Legion #39 (1993).
Art by Keith Giffen.

Restored to glory. From Legionnaires #11 (1994).
Art by Chris Sprouse.

Earth-0: The Proteans of Antares II

In current Earth-0 continuity, there have been two members of the Protean race who've befriended the Legion: Proty and Proty II…

Both Protys hail from a race of small, amorphous creatures from the planet Antares II. The first Proty came to Earth at a time when the Protean race was regarded as … less than sentient by many. He befriended Chamleon Boy, in whom he found a kindred spirit (as they were both shape-shifters). Still, even Cham regarded Proty as his "pet." Proty appeared after the death of the Legionnaire, Lightning Lad. (Adventure #308) Afterwards, he became fond of Lightning Lad's girlfriend, Saturn Girl, as well. Proty followed her to his own end. When the Legionnaires agreed to perform a ritual to revive Lightning Lad, Proty sacrificed his own life so that she would not. (Adventure #312)

Later, a second Protean,Proty II, also befriended the Legion. He joined a group of other intelligent "animals" called the Legion of Super-Pets, who were asked by the Legion to guard their clubhouse. He underwent a series of trials to prove his worthiness and joined the Super-Pets. (Adventure #322) It was soon clear that the Protean race was fully sentient, certainly far more intelligent than normal Earth animals. Like his predecessor, he was selfless and quick to enter dangerous situations. When one of Triplicate Girl's three bodies was slain by Computo, Proty II attempted to distract Computo by posing as the Weirdo Legionnaire. (Adventure #341)

Proty II ultimately found the "pet" designation degrading, and left to pursue equal rights for all sentients. He still occasionally attends Legion events. (Legion v.2 #300)

Legion 1.5 (Post-Crisis)

NAME + ALIASES: James Cullen of Antares II
FIRST APPEARANCE: Legion of Super-Heroes v.4 #33 (September 1992)

In post-Crisis continuity (no longer in continuity), the Protys were retconned into part of an elaborate scheme by their kind to preserve their race—and more. In this timeline, Kid Quantum was the product of that Protean experiment…

When the Protean race was discovered on Antares II, the explorers who found it also found a gold mine of historical relics and scientific knowledge. The Proteans were an ancient race who learned their telepathic and shape-shifting abilities from a master race of galactic "stewards" called the Llorn. The Llorn left imprints of their peaceful reign across the entire galaxy. As eons passed, the Proteans, and Antares II were some of the only tangible links to Llorn culture and history.

Tthe Proteans granted the United Planets permission to explore their ancient artifacts. Two archaeologists whom the Proteans considered great friends of this one team were Niles and Esther Cullen of Xanthu. Less friendly was Dr. Norm Eldor, who was sent to prison for stealing artifacts and notes.

Soon disaster loomed: Glorith, the power-hungry empress of Baaldur, annexed Antares II and fancied a race of shape-shifting servants. The Proteans were unwittingly betrayed by one of their own, who gave their secrets away to the charming Glorith. Before she could enslave them, this Protean realized his error and alerted his people of the danger. The entire race amassed their collective consciousness and placed it inside of a humanoid shell that could not change shape. This "Soul of Antares" was to hide from Glorith until the threat passed. Only seven Proteans remained sentient in their original forms, to one day shepherd the souls back from the host. The Proteans entrusted the Soul to Dr. & Mrs. Cullen, who disguised it as their son, "James."

After staying with the Cullens for about a year, James decided that the newly-formed Legion of Super-Heroes would be a better place for him. Using one of his Protean relics—a time-stasis belt that incorporated the technology of the legendary Llorn race—he applied and was accepted as Kid Quantum. But soon the Proteans' secret was discovered by Glorith, and Kid Quantum was forced to take desperate action. He and the Proteans staged a fight on Mars, where Kid Quantum pretended that his belt overloaded and disintegrated him. The Legion believed him dead, and he was mourned as the first Legionnaire ever to die in the line of duty. (To prevent further such incidents, the Legion instituted a rule that would deny admission to anyone whose powers are based on outside devices.)

Quantum went so far undercover that even the Proteans didn't know where he went. For clues, one of the Proteans maneuvered itself into the Legion—as Chameleon Boy's pet, Proty. Proty grew attatched to the Legion and eventually sacrificed his life to revive Lightning Lad. But what actually happened that day was that Proty's soul was transferred into Garth's body. Proty became the consciousness and essence of Lightning Lad. (Adventure #312) Proty/Garth held this secret to himself for many years, only revealing the truth to his "sister," Ayla, years later. (Legion v.4 Annual #3)

A second Protean, Proty II, befriended the Legion, too, but neither ever found a clue to the Soul's location. (Legion v.4 #33)

Finally, Proty confided in the Legion's financier, R. J. Brande, and convinced him to take on the search. Brande and his son, Chameleon Boy, eventually converged on the far-off world of Yal, where Kid Quantum had been hiding. There they defeated the Hunter, who sought to capture Quantum for the Dominion. But another player swooped in for the prize: Brande's nemesis, Leland McCauley IV, who possessed the Emerald Eye. Kid Quantum was soon freed and he returned to Antares II. (#39)

Sometime after his arrival, Antares II was invaded by the Khunds. As fate would have it, a group of Legionnaires crashed on that planet and found the captive hero. (Legionnaires #10) The Proteans needed help in restoring the souls cotained within Kid Quantum. The magics of Dragonmage allowed them not only to complete the ritual, but it left the humanoid shell of Kid Quantum intact and internalized his stasis powers. (This body contained the individual soul of the Protean who had originally betrayed their secrets to Glorith). Kid Quantum chose to leave his brothers and head for Earth, to serve in with the teen Legionnaires. (#11)

Tom & Mary Bierbaum on Kid Quantum: His time in the Legion was shrouded in secrecy and the shame of a terrible personal secret (he was the Proty that unwittingly betrayed his race and caused its near-enslavement by Glorith). Guilt and regret have turned James into a being of enormous conscience and gentle wisdom. The Gandhi of the team. —Interlac (2000)

+ Powers

James had the abiltiy to generate a stasis field from his belt.

Jazmin had the same powers incorporated into her body. Xanthan genetic engineers were able to graft the powers of the original Kid Quantum's belt to her. She now has a natural command of the quantum field and uses it to create stasis and force fields, null gravity, null time, and concussive force. As she's gained experience with her powers, Jazmin has become potentially one of the most powerful Legionnaires. Not only can she speed and slow time, she has even used her powers to travel through time.

Appearances + References

 

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SERIES