Phaeton (League of Justice)

As a universe died, its engineers designed a great sphere to protect all the remaining beings. Worlds were saved, and the engineers became revered as gods. Yet some still desired eternity and control over future worlds. Drawing dark magic from the Irrational realm outside reality, they wrought great wars across the sphere, wiping out entire races, entire civilizations. The gods stepped in, and eventually only Luithorr was left, cut off from the Irrational.

While collecting power-stones from the destroyed world of Crypton, Luithorr discovered an infant in stasis. This last son of Crypton, raised by the evil sorcerer, became the conqueror Sovereign.

Phaeton

Pronounced: FAY-a-ton
Group Affiliation: Army of the Green Knight
Base of Operations: The world Yuirth
First Appearance: League of Justice #1 (1996)

Phaeton II

Real Name: Neil (last name unknown)
Base of Operations: Brattleboro, Vermont
Occupation: Summer camp counselor

[Neil bathing in dragon’s blood and donning the talismans] By the time Sovereign’s armies marched forth, the lands of Yuirth had gained protectors not unlike the heroes of another world. Among these were the mischievous Phaeton (FAY-a-ton), gifted with incredible speed by a set of talismans, and protected from friction by bathing in dragon’s blood.

While scouting for the armies of the Green Knight, set against Sovereign, Phaeton encountered four youths from a future world called Earth. These “unyetlings” had been brought to Yuirth by the Bird Lady, who had seen that outside help would be needed to stop Luithorr. Phaeton joined their quest to seek out the world’s other protectors and form a League of Justice, only to be gravely injured when ambushed by Sovereign. Knowing that he could not heal in time, he passed the talismans along to one of the youths, a boy called Neil.

As the group reached Luithorr’s Metropolis Tower, Neil found a dying dragon, bathed in its blood, and donned the talismans, gaining all of Phaeton’s speed. Working with his companions, each of whom by now had inherited one of the guardians’ powers, and those remaining of the original league, they kept the armies at bay even as the Bird Lady and Luithorr battled each other and were banished to the irrational.

Neil and his friends returned to Earth, with little memory of their experience. The talismans were lost in the journey through the Irrational.

Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.