Ultra Boy

Ultra Boy (Lar Gand) is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is primarily associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Publication History: Ultra Boy first appeared in Superboy #98 (July 1962) and was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. He is a prominent member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries.

Fictional Character Biography: Lar Gand is from the planet Rimbor. He gained his powers after being swallowed by an ultra-energy beast during a space flight. This exposure granted him a unique set of abilities, though he can only use one at a time. He journeyed to Earth where he joined the Legion of Super-Heroes and adopted the codename Ultra Boy.

Powers and Abilities: Ultra Boy possesses a unique power set derived from his exposure to the ultra-energy beast. He can access one of the following powers at any given moment:

• Super Strength: He can lift immense weights.
• Super Speed: He can move at superhuman speeds.
• Invulnerability: He is resistant to virtually all forms of physical harm.
• Flight: He can fly at supersonic speeds.
• Ultra-Vision: A form of enhanced vision that includes x-ray vision, heat vision, microscopic vision, and telescopic vision.

Ultra Boy's limitation of only being able to use one power at a time requires him to be strategic in combat and makes him distinct from characters with similar but simultaneously active abilities.

Other Versions: Like many long-running comic book characters, Ultra Boy has been featured in various iterations and reboots of the Legion of Super-Heroes, sometimes with slight alterations to his origin, powers, or personality.

In Other Media: Ultra Boy has made appearances in animated form in various DC Comics animated series, including Superman: The Animated Series and Legion of Super Heroes.