Should Triumph Be a Founding Member of the Justice League?

[The Darknight Detective]

In alternate realities? Sure, why not? Beyond that? No.

[Adekis]

All retcons in which one character's role in a story is replaced with another, are unsustainable at best. Iron Munro might be the best version of that, but I still think he only really works because he was a major player in stories published to be about Iron Munro - and not about Superman. Triumph by contrast has a pretty small set of actual appearances, and most of what I've read serves mostly to illustrate why he's firmly not as good as Superman.

So if Triumph wants one of those infinite Earths that I've heard so much about, then he can have one. But as far as I'm concerned, in contrast with his cohort Tomorrow Woman, I wouldn't even really care for Triumph to exist in the mainline DCU in the first place. Not to be too dismissive, but I've just never really found a reason to care about him.

[ducklord]

Triumph... sigh.

As a story idea, he's not bad. "Founding member of the original Justice League gets erased from history, returns, and is a little peeved that no one remembers him." Fine, I guess.

But the execution never really clicked for me.

For one, intentionally setting out to make Triumph a bit of a stick-up-his-butt jerk was a bold choice, but man did that NOT make readers inclined to give him a chance.

For two, nothing about Triumph screamed "time-tossed refugee from the Silver Age." From his costume to his attitude to his power set, everything about the guy screamed "I'm a 90's character." You couldn't really imagine him fighting along side the original JLA, 'cause he just didn't fit.

For three, he never really got better. By the time Morrison finished him off, it was kind of a mercy killing.

I imagine a whole legion of retconned heroes:
Triumph
Moon Maiden
Sentry
Kid Quantum
Jessica Jones

Cripes, the Avengers has a bucketful of these now.

[John Venus]

Not a fan of him being a founder.

I think a lot can be done with him as a fallen hero though without the retcon.

[Gaastra]

Funny thing is marvel did a take on this story with a female hero showing up claiming she was a founding avenger. Turns out she wasn't and it was a plot against the avengers. She turns good and helps the avengers and gets to be a real avenger for her trouble but was not a founding member.

[SJNeal]

Just realized - didn't Waid basically do something similar with Voyager in Avengers: No Surrender?

Granted, Triumph wasn't a plant by one of their enemies, but the basic initial premise of the characters are the same...

[MajorHoy]

Still "No".

It was an interesting idea during Zero Hour when realities were screwed up, but once everything settled back down he wasn't really needed (or wanted).

[The Cool Thatguy]

Triumph... sigh.

As a story idea, he's not bad. "Founding member of the original Justice League gets erased from history, returns, and is a little peeved that no one remembers him." Fine, I guess.

But the execution never really clicked for me.

For one, intentionally setting out to make Triumph a bit of a stick-up-his-butt jerk was a bold choice, but man did that NOT make readers inclined to give him a chance.

For two, nothing about Triumph screamed "time-tossed refugee from the Silver Age." From his costume to his attitude to his power set, everything about the guy screamed "I'm a 90's character." You couldn't really imagine him fighting along side the original JLA, 'cause he just didn't fit.

For three, he never really got better. By the time Morrison finished him off, it was kind of a mercy killing.

I imagine a whole legion of retconned heroes:
Triumph
Moon Maiden
Sentry
Kid Quantum
Jessica Jones

Cripes, the Avengers has a bucketful of these now.

In fairness, he only turned into a 90s character when they threw him onto Taskforce and gave him a jacket as a costume. His blue and gold uniform was pretty good for a Silver Age throwback, IMO.

I wouldn't mind him back, if they tried to make him sympathetic. I love Priest, but I'm still baffled by why he's so proud of how he wrote Triumph.

[Sutekh]

I 1000% would rather have Moon Maiden back. And even that's more of an itch, not a burning desire.

[Zero Hunter]

This is the new DC remember. Everything happened and everything counts so he is a founding member.

[SJNeal]

This is the new DC remember. Everything happened and everything counts so he is a founding member.

Not gonna lie - it brings a smile to my face to think that all the early/mid 90's JL stories I love (and everyone else hates) are canon once again...

[BatmanJones]

I don’t very much like any changes to the founding 7, but Black Canary and Cyborg were palatable. Triumph was a silly idea that’s rightfully come and gone. I mean unless a writer wants to pick him up again which is fair game in the it all happened era.

[SJNeal]

I don’t very much like any changes to the founding 7, but Black Canary and Cyborg were palatable. Triumph was a silly idea that’s rightfully come and gone. I mean unless a writer wants to pick him up again which is fair game in the it all happened era.

You mean the founding 5?

[nx01a]

I remember him from that JLA story. Poor guy.

No, no he shouldn't be a founding member. If the twist is that he's been mind controlled to think he was a founding member and has to navigate that not being real while earnestly working with people he considers friends who don't know or trust him, that might be interesting for an arc. Of course, he'd have to heroically sacrifice himself at the end.

[D.Z]

Founding 8 sure.