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Deathstroke Inc. #5 (Image via DC Comics)

Who is DC's Libra? Comic origin and powers explored

Libra is one of the most underrated and intriguing DC villains. He has achieved some remarkable feats with his intellect and abilities but still hasn't gotten enough praise for his extraordinarily clever plans that revolve around destroying the universe with the mighty Darkseid.

DC has introduced fans to some of the most incredible villains of all time, including characters like The Joker, Lex Luthor, Reverse Flash, Riddler, Deathstroke, and Penguin.

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While these villains constantly shine among fans, other capable villains like Libra, Blockbuster, Felix Faust, Mongul, and Doctor Destiny do not get nearly as much attention as they deserve. However, things are looking bright this decade with new characters stepping into DCEU.


Comic book origin of Libra

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The Justice League of America #111 (Image via DC Comics)

Libra, or Justin Ballantine, first appeared in Justice League of America #111 in June 1974. When he lost his mother to a measurement accident, he was only a kid. She died when her pharmacist gave her the wrong medicine dosage due to a weighing scale mishap because the man was drunk while doing his daily job.

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Shortly after, Justin and his father lived alone in their house, and both mourned the loss differently. Justin's father even began to abuse him after some time.

Justin found that looking at the stars helped him to escape his daily horrors, and he bought a telescope after saving some money. One day when he looked at the sky, his father came to the roof angrily and fell from the terrace in an accident.

It’s been 10 Years since @DCComics’ Libra was kind of a big deal...

Dipped in shock, Justin looked at his father's corpse until the police came and somehow got the ill idea that:

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"Life is just a matter of balance."

A few years later, he got a scholarship from Opal University and decided to take the class of his idol, Ted Knight, famously known as Starman. Starman was a valuable member of the Justice Society of America at the time and a noteworthy scientist at Opal University.

He invented a Cosmic Rod, which helped him control gravity, giving him the ability to fly and shoot energy bolts. The hero is still quite famous among comic book fans, and so is his current successor in DC Comics, Stargirl.

Recommended #Comic - #JusticeLeagueOfAmerica #111 (1974) - First appearance of #InjusticeGangOfTheWorld (#InjusticeGang) & #Libra (#JustinBallantine) - #InjusticeGangSatellite - #JLA - #DC #Comics #DCcomics
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Under Ted's guidance, Justin took inspiration from the Cosmic Rod and built a device constructed to create a cosmic balance, as it emptied half the powers of any object and transferred it to the wielder. He even closely based the device's technology on the stolen blueprints of Starman's Cosmic Rod and called it Energy Transmortifier.

After using the device for ill-thought purposes, Justin Ballantine started referring to himself as Libra and went on to find the Injustice Gang to test the capabilities of his device.


Libra has only had a limited number of appearances in the comics. Although his powers are somewhat similar to Parasite, who is another of the lesser-known and capable villains in the DC universe, Libra has an intriguing personality that has accounted for some of the most intriguing titles in DC.

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Edited by
Srijan Sen
 
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