Shvaughn Erin

Last updated
Shvaughn Erin
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #241 (July 1978)
Created by Paul Levitz
Jim Sherman
In-story information
Species Human
Place of origin Earth (31st century)
Team affiliations Science Police
Notable aliasesSean Erin

Shvaughn Erin is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics Universe, appearing primarily as a supporting character in the various Legion of Super-Heroes series. A native of Earth, she is a member of the Science Police, the law enforcement arm of the United Planets. She was one of the first characters in superhero comics to be identified as transgender. [1]

Contents

Fictional biography

Original continuity

In the 30th century, the Resources Raiders attack Earth just as a diplomatic crisis develops between the United Planets and the Dominion. These dual crises prevent neophyte Science Police officer Shvaughn Erin from informing the Legion of Super-Heroes that one of its enemies has escaped from imprisonment. Both events are precursors to the so-called "Earthwar", wherein the U.P. is attacked by the Khund empire and the Dark Circle. The architect behind the conflict is eventually revealed to be the sorcerer Mordru—the escaped foe about whom Shvaughn tried to warn the Legion. She and Karate Kid fend off Khund troops at the Science Police headquarters, which allows the combined forces of the Legion of Super-Heroes and the Legion of Substitute Heroes to defeat Mordru and end the war. [2] [3]

The following year, Shvaughn is appointed Science Police Liaison Officer to the Legion. On the first day of her new assignment, she is present when the rogue artificial intelligence Computo possesses Danielle Foccart and seizes control of Legion HQ. The crisis is averted when Danielle's older brother Jacques drinks the invisibility serum developed by Lyle Norg, allowing him to attack and immobilize Computo without being detected. [4] Shvaughn works closely with and enters a relationship with Element Lad, a character whose sexual orientation had previously been ambiguous, and many readers had interpreted as gay. [1] [5]

Years later, Shvaughn has ended her relationship with Jan Arrah (Element Lad), and Earth's government has fallen under the covert control of the Dominion. When a Dominion soldier assassinates Earth President Tayla Wellington on live galaxy-wide video broadcast, full-scale war breaks out. [6] During this period, it is revealed that Shvaughn was born a man named Sean Erin and used the medication Profem to complete his gender transition and biologically transform into a female. [7] [8] [1] With open warfare across the planet, he is unable to maintain constant access to Profem. Jan is completely supportive when Sean physically reverts to his original gender. [9] Ultimately the Dominators are defeated, and Sean is appointed chief of the Science Police contingent on New Earth. [10]

Post-Zero Hour

In post- Zero Hour continuity, Shvaughn Erin is once again a Science Police officer. In the aftermath of a battle with an Emerald Eye-enthralled Shrinking Violet, Shvaughn is transported back in time to 20th century Earth, along with Workforce member Inferno and a faction of eight Legionnaires. [11] [12] After many months and several encounters with 20th-century Earth’s superhero community, Shvaughn and the Legionnaires eventually find their way back to their own era.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Plummer, Jessica (May 4, 2023). "Queer Superhero History: The First Trans Characters in Comics". BOOK RIOT. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  2. ↑ Levitz, Paul  ( w ), Staton, Joe  ( p ), Giella, Joe  ( i ),Adams, Cory ( col )."The Dark Circle That Crushed Earth" Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 1,no. 244(October 1978).DC Comics.
  3. ↑ Levitz, Paul  ( w ), Staton, Joe  ( p ), Anderson, Murphy  ( i ),Adams, Cory ( col )."Mordru: Master Of Earth" Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 1,no. 245(November 1978).DC Comics.
  4. ↑ Levitz, Paul  ( w ), Giffen, Keith  ( p ),Patterson, Bruce D. ( i ), Gafford, Carl  ( col )."Monster in a Little Girl's Mind" Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 2,no. 1(August 1982).DC Comics.
  5. ↑ Finn, Charlotte (November 24, 2015). "Lost in Transition: LSH and the Uneven Footsteps of Progress". ComicsAlliance . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ Bierbaum, Mary ; Bierbaum, Tom ; Giffen, Keith ; McCraw, Tom ( w ),Giffen, Keith; Pearson, Jason  ( p ), Gordon, Al  ( i ),McCraw, Tom ( col )."The Terra Mosaic" Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 4,no. 29(May 1992).DC Comics.
  7. ↑ Reinhard, Carrielynn; Olson, Christopher (2017). Heroes, Heroines, and Everything in Between: Challenging Gender and Sexuality Stereotypes in Children's Entertainment Media. Lexington Books. p. 240. ISBN   9781498539579.
  8. ↑ Cronin, Brian (February 26, 2012). "The Abandoned An' Forsaked - Who's That Element Lad's Dating?". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  9. ↑ Bierbaum, Mary ; Bierbaum, Tom ; Giffen, Keith  ( w ), Swan, Curt ; Giffen, Keith; Doran, Colleen  ( p ), Gordon, Al ; Kesel, Karl  ( i ),McCraw, Tom ( col )."The Terra Mosaic" Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 4,no. 31(July 1992).DC Comics.
  10. ↑ Bierbaum, Mary ; Bierbaum, Tom  ( w ), Immonen, Stuart ; Sprouse, Chris  ( p ),Boyd, Ron; Story, Karl  ( i ),McCraw, Tom ( col ). Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 4,no. 41(March 1993).DC Comics.
  11. ↑ Peyer, Tom ; McCraw, Tom ( w ),Moder, Lee ( p ),Boyd, Ron ( i ),McCraw, Tom ( col )."Emerald Legion" Legion of Super-Heroes ,vol. 4,no. 84(September 1996).DC Comics.
  12. ↑ Companik, Chris. "Element Lad & Shvaughn Erin". GayLeague.com (Internet Archive). Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
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