Real Name: Rokk Krinn Home Planet: Braal Super-Power: Super-magnetism Member Since: 2962 Charter Member

Origin

"On the planet Braal, there are whole species of animals of living metal. Some of these are monstrous creatures, which are very dangerous. The humans of that world would long ago have fallen victim to these brutes if they had not evolved a method of combating them - magnetic powers which enable them to attract or repel certain metals, such as iron and nickel.

"It was on this planet that Rokk Krinn, son of Hu and Ewa Krinn, was born. When he was in his teens, a financial depression struck the entire world of Braal. Times were hard and jobs were difficult to come by. Since the people of Braal consider a person grown at the age of 14, Rokk decided to do something to help his family. He figured his magnetic powers would be useful in some industry on the planet Earth - so that's where he headed.

"It was just at this time that two other alien young people with super-powers chose to visit our world - Garth Ranzz and Imra Ardeen. Garth and Rokk met soon after they reached Earth and they roomed together. One day, they happened to be at the same place as Imra - and the three of them used their powers to save the life of the richest man in the universe. So impressed was he that he suggested they form a crime-fighting organization, which he would finance. This was perfect for Rokk, since their benefactor, Mr. Brandes, included ample money to support them and their families. The full story of the Legion's origin will be told in a future issue. Suffice it to add that Rokk, Garth and Imra became, respectively, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, and they have since used their magnetic, electrical and ESP powers to battle evil throughout the universe.

"Rokk brought his parents and his kid brother, Pol, to Earth, where the new Legion of Super-Heroes was headquartered. They live in a cottage in one of the suburbs of Metropolis. Oh, yes - Cosmic Boy became the first leader of the Legion. He has since been succeeded by Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid."

- Adventure Comics No. 352 (Jan. 1967) "Know Your Legionnaires - The Origin of Cosmic Boy"

Comments: The above text was written a year-and-a-half before the "Origin of the Legion" story in Superboy No. 147 (June 1968). Any new information in that story may be accepted as part of Legion history - such as the way Triplicate Girl and Phantom Girl joined - but all other information has been abridged for the conveniece of visitors. The earlier text contains more details.

In the very first Legion story, Cosmic Boy accredits his power to the "special serums" that gave him "magnetic eyes" (Adventure Comics No. 247). The humans who colonized Braal "evolved a method" of survival in the form of a serum that augmented their bodies natural biomagnetic field. This discovery, made generations ago, has not yet become a genetically inherited trait, which is why Rokk needed to take the serums - most likely on his 14th birthday, when he legally became an adult.

First Appearance: Adventure Comics No. 247 (written by Otto Binder, drawn by Al Plastino)

Super-Power

Utilizing his power of super-magnetism, now usually directed through his hands, Cosmic Boy can produce a number of effects:

He can manipulate, repel, or attract metal objects of varying sizes. Naturally, the more metal that is in an object, the easier it is for him to affect it magnetically. For instance, his super-magnetism has only a slight effect on the metallic particles of smog (Adventure Comics No. 362). Cosmic Boy is able to juggle smaller metal objects (Adventure Comics No. 362) and has pulled large iron meteors (Adventure Comics No. 347, Adventure Comics No. 342) and satellites (Adventure Comics No. 351) down from space with minimal effort, as well. He can use his magnetic power on rocks that contain iron ore (Adventure Comics No. 365). He once exerted "every bit" of his power to draw thousands of iron chunks upward into space (Superman No. 156). He has used his power to lift a globe of molten iron, alter the lines of force, and shape the metal into a rib for the hull of a spaceship (Adventure Comics No. 380).

Without the large gravitic-magnetic field of a planet with which to anchor himself against, a sufficiently large target object will magnetically draw him to it. Once, Cosmic Boy used this method to latch onto a passing meteor thereby pulling a super-light craft behind it through space; pressed up against the inside of the ship, Cosmic Boy had to endure incredible pressures (Adventure Comics No. 318).

Cosmic Boy can also erect a magnetic force-shield strong enough to repel tons of metallic debris (Adventure Comics No. 346), stand up to missile attacks (Adventure Comics No. 348)), and even withstand the cataclysmic impact and rending electrical explosion of two nucleonic generators colliding (Adventure Comics No. 357)).

He can create a magnetic net that can safely catch a ten ton block of steel (Adventure Comics No. 348), as well as emit a magnetic blast to deflect and repel flying objects (Adventure Comics No. 357, Adventure Comics No. 362).

By putting like charges in two areas through his hands, Cosmic Boy managed to crack through a foot-thick steel wall by internal repulsion (Adventure Comics No. 365). By summoning up all his magnetic might and emitting fields from both hands and feet at the same time, Cosmic Boy once generated an "amazing" force that broke through the metal hull of Tharok's armored space-citadel (Adventure Comics No. 352). He has used his magnetism to tear apart the hulls of spaceships (Adventure Comics No. 347), and pull apart electrically charged particles (Adventure Comics No. 353). By pressing his hands to the ground, Cosmic Boy can send magnetic rays underground to water pipes below and cause them to erupt, creating a geyser (Adventure Comics No. 366).

Cosmic Boy can magnetize metal objects so that they become magnets themselves and "stick" to metal objects (Adventure Comics No. 360, Adventure Comics No. 362), and he once created a home-made generator with his magnetic power (Adventure Comics No. 380).

By powering a mento-helmet with his super-magnetic emanations, he can send telepathic emanations through space for many light-years (Adventure Comics No. 352).

After years of practice and great skill, Cosmic Man learned to use his power on the air itself, as its two main components - oxygen and nitrogen - are slightly paramagnetic. He magnetized the air away from the super-villain Echo in order to render his sound-power useless and knock him out (Adventure Comics No. 355).

Limitations and Weaknesses: Cosmic Boy's power cannot affect non-magnetic metals, such as aluminum and gold (Adventure Comics No. 348, Adventure Comics No. 362, Adventure Comics No. 363, Adventure Comics No. 365), or organic substances like wood (Adventure Comics No. 326).

Distance affects the limit his magnetic control has over an object, as does the amount of metal in or on that object. For example, he once "caught" a falling worker who was less thean ten yards away, but since Cosmic Boy only had a small amount of metal to work with (the man's tools and belt-buckle), he considered the man "pretty far" away and had to "[strain] every fiber of his being" to do it (Adventure Comics No. 346).

Cosmic Boy's power was ineffective against repelling a cloud of Green Kryptonite dust that had settled into orbit around Earth by setting up a counter-magnetic field. The Earth's titanic magnetic field proved too powerful for his own abilities to overcome (Adventure Comics No. 350).

As a side-effect of using his power of magnetic attraction, nearby metal objects that aren't targeted are pulled slightly towards him (Adventure Comics No. 302). Once, a fine steel mesh was hurled at him while he was using his magnetic power of attraction and he became entangled in it for a few minutes (Adventure Comics No. 335).

The Persuader's great strength could resist Cosmic Boy's magnetism though he wore metal armor, and his atomic axe's nuclear emissions disrupt any energy flow, which also rendered magnetism useless against him (Adventure Comics No. 366).

"Spontaneous magnetism decreases as heat increases" (Adventure Comics No. 354), and as such, Cosmic Boy's power is weakened in the presence of fire or extreme heat. The only exception to this weakness was when his powers were greatly increased by Tharok's power-intensifier machine. He managed to keep the Sun-Eater's attack with tons of white-hot plasma from penetrating his magnetic shield (Adventure Comics No. 353).

Uli Algor's belt has the ability to turn Cosmic Boy's power back on himself to repell him backwards with great force (Action Comics No. 386/2).

Speculative Explanation of Power: All humans have a biomagnetic field, generated by the circulation of ferrous hemoglobin (iron) in their blood. Biomagnetism works to regulate and normalize hormone secretion in the glands. The pineal gland, located at the center of the brain, produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates the rhythms of several biological functions and is also considered to be a magnetoreceptor capable of monitoring magnetic fields and helping to align the body's position in space. Accounting for this are quantities of calcite microcrystals found in the pineal gland that are very similar to the otoconia of the inner ear, which help the body maintain its balance. These small calcium stones in the ear exhibit piezoelectricity, so it is likely that the pineal gland can also generate, and couple with, an electromagnetic field.

Birds, bees, and fish routinely use their pineal glands to detect changes in the Earth's magnetic field for navigational purposes. This magnetoception (or magnetoreception) is a subtle ability that is ignored by most humans but which is far more important to sightless individuals.

Furthermore, biological magnetite (a ferromagnetic mineral) has also been found in both the pineal gland and the ethmoid bone of the human skull. This bone separates the nasal cavity from the brain and is located at the roof of the nose, between the two orbits of the eyes. The special serum that Braalians take evidentally augments the body's natural biomagnetic field, and the pineal gland (and ethmoid bone) may be the focal point of that power. No doubt, this is why Cosmic Boy expressed that he had "magnetic eyes", when in actuality the field was being projected outward from between and behind his eyes.

It should also be noted that the pineal gland is large in children but shrinks at puberty. Abundant levels of melatonin are only necessary in children so as to inhibit sexual development. When puberty arrives, melatonin production is reduced, and calcification of the pineal gland begins (and continues on through adulthood). This means that the special serums would only work for Braalians who have reached puberty - the time when the calcite crystalization of the pineal gland starts to occur. This would explain the Braalian custom of considering people mature at age 14, since it coincides with the time that the magnetic power could be given to a person, as is their right by heritage.

Through practice, Cosmic Boy has learned to manipulate magnetic fields through this hands, which is his preferred method, and even through his feet when called for (Adventure Comics No. 352).

Personal Data

Physical Description: Rokk has black hair, parted on the left, with a high forehead. His facial features are sharp, with a straight nose.

Personality: On the highly dangerous frontier world of Braal, children are forced to grow-up faster than they do on Earth, and as such are considered adults by age 14. Upon reaching this age, they are legally allowed to work, marry, and start a family. Given this background, it is little wonder that Rokk has a high sense of duty and responsibility. This maturity is what led to the clubhouse computer's logical decision to select him as the first leader of the team (Superboy No. 147). He is a very gallant, respectful hero, and is often seen escorting various female Legionnaires around on his arm (Adventure Comics No. 350, Adventure Comics No. 357). He often calls Princess Projectra "Princess" or refers to her as "Her Highness" out of respect for her royal heritage. He has a strong sense of honor and tradition, knowing that it is "a supreme crime for a Braalian to mis-use their super-magnetic powers" (Adventure Comics No. 300). This constructive credo no-doubt influenced his original choice of occupation - to use his power in industry (Adventure Comics No. 352 "Know Your Legionnaires"). Rokk was the one who insisted on writing a code against killing in their Constitution, inspired by his hero, Superboy (Superboy No. 147).

An optimist and an idealist, Rokk had this view of the newfound Miracle Machine: "Why, we can use this machine to do anything! ... Create a Golden Age on Earth! New cities, buildings... why, we could create a new planet with it!" It is interesting to note that Rokk's first thoughts were of improving Earth and not his birth world. Obviously, with the depression on Braal, he knew his home planet was far from perfect, and would benefit from the Miracle Machine even more than Earth would. Probably it is because of his deep interest in Earth and the fact that it is the center of the United Planets, as well as the Legion's base of operations, that he expressed himself in that way. He can trace his roots back to Earth but his allegiance to Braal remains true, as the Krinn family proved on Parent's Day, when they proudly flew the Braalian flag during the parade (Adventure Comics No. 356).

Rokk likes things ordered and labelled, even things that are unknown to him. When he didn't know Jan Arrah's super-power he named him "Mystery Lad"; when he found out his power he renamed him "Element Lad" (Adventure Comics No. 307). He also named Unknown Boy (Adventure Comics No. 334) and Triplicate Girl (Superboy No. 147).

He is a down-to-earth, practical person, and is certainly not afraid to admit when he is wrong (Adventure Comics No. 301).

Rokk enjoys tracing his genealogy back through history, spending much of his free time using the HQ's ancestor visualization machine (Adventure Comics No. 328). He immersed himself in Terran history while at school on Earth (Adventure Comics No. 247) and uses his knowledge of Earth customs frequently. For instance, he once called R.J. Brande "the Santa Claus whose endowment helps support the Legion" (Adventure Comics No. 350), and called his own signature on the Legion constitution his "John Hancock" (Superboy No. 147). He also referred to a Science Police documentary as "no Hollywood premiere", and once called Brainiac 5 a "Sherlock" (Adventure Comics No. 365). On another occasion, he commented that he and his fellow Legionnaires were wired-up "like Christmas trees" (Adventure Comics No. 353).

Rokk shared an apartment with Garth Ranzz until he could afford to bring his family to Earth. The Krinn family now lives in a cottage in a Metropolis suburb (Adventure Comics No. 335, Adventure Comics No. 366).

Rokk is devoted to his family. He was willing to hand over the final key to the U.P.'s defenses rather than have the Fatal Five murder the population of Metropolis, which would have included his parents and brother (Adventure Comics No. 366). No matter how tired he is after his Legion missions, Rokk always has time and energy enough to play magno-ball with this younger brother, Pol (Adventure Comics No. 357). Pol admires his older brother greatly and is proud to have a Legionnaire for a brother; but his parents, particularly his mother, worry about the danger involved in his career (Adventure Comics No. 335). Although Braal continues to have dangerous metallic monsters roaming its surface (Superboy No. 147), they know that Braalians have adapted to protect themselves against them; on Earth, there are many other kinds of dangers for a super-hero to face.

Still, Rokk tries to get his parents involved in Legion activities such as parades on Parents' Day (Adventure Comics No. 356), and he was excited about giving them a Golden Anniversary gift - a miniature replica of the Legion Clubhouse from which emerge statuettes of his parents (Adventure Comics No. 328).

Rokk isn't the romantic type, and for a long time was unaware that Substitute Hero member Night Girl had a crush on him (Adventure Comics No. 315). Furthermore, he didn't take any part whatsoever in the fake Legion weddings, though he was there at the time (Adventure Comics No. 337).

Skills: Space navigation (Adventure Comics No. 318) and mapping (Jimmy Olsen No. 76)

Interests: For recreation, Rokk enjoys a fast game of magno-ball - a popular Braalian game similar to table tennis but with a metal ball hurled from player to player magnetically (Adventure Comics No. 357). He enjoys playing a satellite game with Superboy during quiet hours (Adventure Comics No. 362) and, "attracted" to the Boy of Steel, collects 20th century memorabilia of the Man of Steel and even owns the original music tapes from the 1966 Broadway play, "Superman" (Adventure Comics No. 357). He volunteers to help the Inter-galactic Explorers Society on mapping expeditions in space (Jimmy Olsen No. 76).

Previous Occupations: None, though he initially traveled to Earth to get a job in the construction industry (Superboy No. 147).

Nicknames: "Cos" (Adventure Comics No. 351, Adventure Comics No. 368)

Relationships: His closest Legion friends are Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad (with whom he once shared a room), and Superboy. He has also escorted Light Lass (Adventure Comics No. 350 cover) and Princess Projectra (Adventure Comics No. 357) on dates. Although for a long time it seemed as though Rokk would never know how Night Girl felt about him, the two were recently hooked up together by Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad when the two couples went on a triple-date along with Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl (Action Comics No. 386/2).

Known Relatives: Ewa Krinn (mother), Hu Krinn (father), Pol Krinn (younger brother by about four years) (Adventure Comics No. 352 "Know Your Legionnaires")

Membership Record

Induction: Cosmic Boy was a charter member of the Super-Hero Club, helping to found the Legion of Super-Heroes, after he, Garth Ranzz, and Imra Ardeen saved the life of R.J. Brande, the wealthy financier. With the richest man in the universe bankrolling them, they became the Legion of Super-Heroes. All three charter members were sworn-in as honorary citizens on all member worlds and were deputized as full-fledged Science Police officers in a public ceremony (Superboy No. 147).

Positions Held: Charter member, leader for 1st (2962-63) term, chief navigator (Adventure Comics No. 318)

Career Highlights:

Adventure Comics No. 247 (Apr. 1958) "The Legion of Super-Heroes"

Cosmic Boy, along with Saturn Girl and Lightning Boy, went back in time in the new time-bubble to invite the legendary Superboy to become an honorary member of the Super-Hero Club. Cosmic Boy put out a forest fire caused by an around-the-world rocket-liner crash by overflowing a nearby lake with iron meteors he pulled from outer space.

Adventure Comics No. 318 (Mar. 1964) "The Mutiny of the Legionnaires"

After Sun Boy went power-mad from space-fatigue, Cosmic Boy led the mutiny to regain control of the space-ark and save the thousands of Xennians aboard. Cast adrift with his fellow "mutineers", Cosmic Boy endured great physical challenges to bring them safely back to civilization and rescue the Xennians, with the intention of bringing Sun Boy to justice.

Adventure Comics No. 352(Jan. 1967) "The Fatal Five" / Adventure Comics No. 353 (Feb. 1967) "The Doomed Legionnaire"

Cosmic Boy was one of the five Legionnaires on duty on Earth when the Sun-Eater was discovered to be heading directly for the solar system. It was his idea to recruit the Fatal Five to help destroy the giant destructive cloud and it was his job to rescue Tharok from capture for the mission. The villain's power-intensifier increased Cosmic Boy's powers so much that he had to turn off his super-magnetism before he pulled the ship apart.

Adventure Comics No. 357 (June 1967) "The Ghost of Ferro Lad"

Conditioned by the Renegade Controller's psychic projector into believing that the ghost of Ferro Lad was haunting him, Cosmic Boy was tormented by nightmarish visions and feelings of guilt. When the attacks became physical, he barely erected a magnetic shield in time around himself and two of his teammates in order to protect them from two nucleonic generators that collided. He himself was surprised to discover that his magnetic shield was able to hold up against the cataclysmic impact and rending electrical explosion.

Adventure Comics No. 365 (Feb. 1968) "Escape of the Fatal Five" / Adventure Comics No. 366 (Mar. 1968) "The Fight for the Championship of the Universe"

Cosmic Boy was part of the team to infiltrate Talok VIII and discover why the people there had become so militaristic over such a short period of time. He personally fought and defeated the Persuader of the Fatal Five.

For information concerning Cosmic Boy after 2969, click here.