Leland McCauley

Leland McCauley is the shared name of several fictional characters in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. They have been frequent antagonists of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Leland McCauley
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceLeland McCauley III:
Adventure Comics (vol. 1) #374 (Nov. 1968)
Leland McCauley IV:
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #214 (Jan. 1976)
Created byIII:
Jim Shooter
Win Mortimer
IV:
Jim Shooter
Mike Grell
In-story information
Alter egoLeland McCauley

Fictional character biography

Leland McCauley III

Leland McCauley III was a wealthy tycoon and industrialist, one of the richest men in the galaxy, though not quite as rich as Legion of Super-Heroes benefactor R.J. Brande.[1] This caused him no end of envy, and he always considered Brande a rival, though Brande seems to have considered him more of an annoyance at first. The Legion first gained his enmity after seemingly extorting him to pay them for their services in rescuing him. Although it was later revealed as a feint to capture a wily crime lord, and he was fully reimbursed, McCauley bore a deep grudge from then on. Later a rebellious son of his (not necessarily his namesake and heir) was saved by the Legion from a disgruntled former employee of his company. He was ultimately forced to retire after all his power and position in McCauley business interests were usurped by his ambitious son.

Leland McCauley IV

Leland McCauley IV resumed the vendetta against Brande. He employed an agent, Charon, to infiltrate Brande's staff on Brande's private planetoid. The agent was thwarted by members of the Legion, though the resulting attack caused a great deal of destruction and risked lives. When the Legion attempted to interrogate the agent, he replied that he knew they couldn't kill him because of the Legion code. Brande, who was not a member of the Legion, then threatened to kill him. Later the Legion broke into McCauley's fortified headquarters in the Himalayas to return the defeated assassin.

Five Years Later

One of McCauley's products, an "Omnicom" was featured prominently throughout the v4 Legion, including ones used by various Legionnaires to store and send messages, keep diaries, and so on. They appear to be a kind of personal communicator. His cousin Celeste (under the surname "Rockfish") becomes a member of the Legion.

McCauley was apparently involved somewhat in the resistance movement against the Dominators, and emerged as a powerful political figure after the earth was freed from Dominion control, where he was allied with Universo. He ultimately captures his nemesis, R.J. Brande, his son Chameleon Boy, fellow Legionnaire Kid Quantum, and a group of Protean associates, and places them in a private statuary collection consisting of beings frozen in emerald energy. They are shortly rescued by a team of SW6 Legionnaires. McCauley subsequently claims they were merely enjoying his hospitality which his former captives do not deign to dispute.

In the opening story-arc of Legionnaires, McCauley attempts to reform the Fatal Five as his personal supervillain team. Inevitably, they rebel against his control. It is revealed he is an extreme germaphobe who does not venture beyond his immaculately maintained habitat.

Post-Zero Hour

This McCauley resembled the younger version, but was not referred to as "IV". Once again a powerful industrialist, and again a rival of the Legion, to the point of funding his own private superhero team called the Workforce. He managed to lure Lightning Lad away from the Legion, and many pre-Zero Hour legionnaires were found in its ranks as well, including Karate Kid and Ultra Boy.

His industrial activities made him many enemies, including Mano of the Fatal Five, whose world was poisoned by McCauley. Mano attempted to assassinate McCauley on his Lunar homebase, but was prevented by the Legion.

Later, he hired Doctor Regulus whose experiments went out of control, dooming another world, and causing Leviathan to sacrifice himself in the process. He grants political asylum to Amelia Crugg of Khund and convinces both her and Legion wannabe Lori Morning (after learning of the teen's possession of the HERO dial) to join the Workforce.

Post-Legion Lost

Becoming a powerful political figure, after the events of Legion Lost the Legion returned to find McCauley was President of the United Planets. Again, he had a private superhero team, this time working for the presidency, which now included Mon-El. While fighting them, the Legion discovered the skeleton of Leland McCauley in a sewer, meaning the man claiming to be McCauley was an impostor. The impostor was eventually revealed as Ra's al Ghul.[2]

"Legion of Three Worlds"

The Pre-Crisis version of McCauley appeared in the first issue of the "Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds" miniseries. He assassinated R.J. Brande, revealing to the United Planets council that the Legion benefactor was really a Durlan, before aging rapidly and turning to dust. It is implied that the Time Trapper had a hand in this event.[3]

Order of Purity

During the "Battle for the Cowl" event, a 20th-century version of Leland McCauley appears in Gotham City as a member of the Order of Purity, helping to install the new Azrael. This version is apparently killed by a bullet to the head.[4]

Powers and abilities

Leland McCauley is an ordinary human being, and has no powers other than his vast wealth. He is intelligent, cunning, ruthless, and completely amoral.

References
  1. Booker, M. Keith, ed. (2014). Comics Through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ABC-CLIO. p. 1605. ISBN 9780313397516.
  2. Legion #3 (February 2002)
  3. Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #3 (October 2008)
  4. Azrael: Death's Dark Knight #1
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