Wonder Twins: Appreciation 2020

[CellarDweller]

A new thread for the Exxorian siblings, the Wonder Twins.

Other threads can be found here:

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...on-Thread-2019 (2019)

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...ciation-Thread! (2018)

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...ed-to-Superman


This thread can be used to discuss any appearances of Zan & Jayna on TV or in comic books.

[CellarDweller]

Zan & Jayna made their debut as part of The All New Super Friends cartoon, created by Norman Maurer.

The Wonder Twins made their DC Comics debut in issue #7 of The Super Friends comic book, and looked like this.




Their origin then was as follows:

According to the Super Friends comic book by E. Nelson Bridwell (writer) and Ramona Fradon (artist), Zan and Jayna are Exorian metas, genetic throwbacks to an ancient race of Exorian shapeshifters. Their parents died when they were still babies during a plague, and, because of their origin, no Exorians want to adopt them. They are adopted by the owner of a Space Circus who only wants to use them as sideshow freaks. However, the circus' clown (or "laugh-maker") is a kind man and raises them. He also gives them Gleek as a pet. Eventually, as teens, the pair escape the circus and hide on a planet where a space villain called Grax (an enemy of Superman) has established his headquarters. Spying on him, they learn that Grax is planning to destroy the Earth using hidden superbombs. The twins decide to travel to Earth and warn the Justice League, which is how they come to replace Wendy and Marvin (who were planning on retiring as heroes anyway) as their sidekicks. The heroes arrange for the kids to live with an old scientist named Professor Carter Nichols and they even take secret identities as Johan and Joanna Fleming. "Johan" and "Johanna" were supposedly transfer students from Esko, Sweden, disguised with blonde hair (Zan wore a wig, while Jayna uses her powers to transform into a human to change her hair color and ear shape), to allow them to attend Gotham City High School.

[CellarDweller]

The Super Friends was published from November 1976 to August 1981. The comic book series was launched by E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Ric Estrada.

After the comic was discontinued in 1981, Zan & Jayna had disappeared until 1996, when they reappeared in Extreme Justice, looking like this.




The twins were introduced into post-Crisis DC continuity in the series Extreme Justice as escaped slaves of an alien overlord. Unable to speak English, they inadvertently attack some civilians and the Justice League. During their fight with the JLA, Zan becomes an ice golem, a water monster, and a demonic-looking whirlpool, while Jayna becomes a griffin, a werewolf, and a sea serpent. The pair are later emancipated by the Justice League and join Captain Atom's team in issue #16 (May 1996). That same year, they appeared in the crossover storyline Final Night and in the series Total Justice.

[CellarDweller]

The Wonder Twins later appeared in some issues of Young Justice, and looked like this.




In a 2002–2003 storyline by Peter David and Todd Nauck in Young Justice, they help avenge the murder of Empress' parents, wearing uniforms which resembled T-shirts and jeans.

They didn't have a new origin, it was assumed it was the same as their origin from Extreme Justice, based on this panel from when they appeared in Young Justice, where their connection to the League is referenced.

[CellarDweller]

After this appearance, and Young Justice was discontinued, Zan & Jayna once again disappeared.

Brian Michael Bendis left Marvel Comics for DC Comics, and launched Wonder Comics. Wonder Comics would have a books for Young Justice, Dial "H" For Hero, new hero Naomi, and a 6 issue mini-series called Wonder Twins. The book is written by Mark Russell and drawn by Stephen Byrne.

In this new book, Zan & Jayna would look like this.





The mini-series was turned into a 12 issue maxi-series. In this series, Zan & Jayna left Exxor due to an issue on Exxor. Their father, who knows Superman, asked Superman to take them to Earth, to protect them. They have become interns at the Hall of Justice, and worked with both Superman and Batman in recent issues.

Since the reasons could be considered spoilers, I'm hiding the explanation. If you want to read it, see below.


spoilers:

It is revealed (via a conversation between Jayna and Polly Math) that Exxor is a utopia now, but that's only recently. Before they were born, Exxor went through a time of xenophia, where scores of Exxorians were banished to the Phantom Zone. Exxor passed through that time period before the twins were born, and after they were born, people didn't talk about that time (called "The Purges") so Zan & Jayna knew very little of them. When they grew older, they began to ask about their grandfather, who they never knew. Zan & Jayna's father finally gave in, and took them to the "Exxor Museum of Truth and Reconciliation". At that point Jayna began to suspect that their grandfather had been purged. They came face-to-face with the truth when they stopped in front of a large picture of their grandfather, named Raylon. Raylon the Judge had personally sent 5,000 Exxorians to the Phantom Zone. Zan & Jayna were embarrassed and ashamed, and their father, to protect them, sent them to Earth with Superman.

end of spoilers

[CellarDweller]

Zan & Jayna have appeared in Action Comics #1015.





They are also seen on the cover of Superman: Heroes #1, and will be in a Wonder Comics crossover event with Young Justice and Naomi.


Zan & Jayna made a live-action appearance on an episode of Smallville called "Idol" and also appeared in "Smallville: Titans", a 2013 story arc in the series Smallville season 11, Zan and Jayna are members of the team with Conner Kent/Superboy, Speedy, Blue Beetle and Miss Martian at Jay Garrick's school for the "gifted."


The characters of Shifter and Downpour appeared in Justice League Unlimited. They were based on Zan & Jayna, and they were part of a team called The Ultimen, which also featured characters based on Black Vulcan (Juice), Wind Dragon (Samurai) and Long Shadow (Apache Chief).

The Wonder Twins have also appeared in an episode of Teen Titans Go!, called You're Fired. In that epsiode, Beast Boy is fired, and the other Titans look for heroes with animal or shape shifting powers to replace Beast Boy. They also appear in the Teen Titans Go! To The Movies and the Lego Batman Movie.