Superman | Team Infinity: Luthor's Ace Up His Sleeve

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"The citizens of Metropolis has been under the guidance of a being we know next to nothing about for far too long. Today, I present you a team worthy of your praise, your love, and your respect. All-American heroes. Now and forever. Infinity." - Lex Luthor, Infinity

Lex Luthor truly believes he knows what's best for Metropolis, and considering his distrust of Superman, an admitted alien hero, it's not surprising that he would want to create his own team of superheroes that he can control. By assembling Team Infinity (based on the Infinity, Inc. lineups of the 1980s and the most recent 52 version), he has better PR with the media, a roster full of young, marketable heroes, and a group that will put Superman out of the media spotlight.

The young heroes of Team Infinity are, for the most part, fans of the Man of Steel. Even team leader Skyman has modeled his outfit and chest emblem after his hero. Jade, the daughter of a retired west coast-based hero, admires him as does the glamorous powerhouse known as Matrix. Nuklon, the godson of another retired hero, doesn't impress too easily. The other two members, Fury and Silver Scarab, really don't care too much about him, though they do admire his heroism.

Skyman is the all-American boy-next-door, with boy-band looks, and an athletic background. Luthor picked him to be the face and leader of the team, though he knew he wasn't its most experienced member. As leader, Skyman has grown cocky and a bit arrogant, actually believing he was better than the man Luthor wanted him to supplant in the public eye, Superman, though they're not even in the same league. When the team becomes controlled by Cadmus, Skyman is the only one not willing to join, and in his frustration with the direction of the team, Skyman takes out a lot of his frustrations on Superman. He will be redeemed by the end of the 52 episodes.

The member of Team Infinity with the most experience is Jade, the daughter of a long-retired hero. Heroism is in her blood, literally. Her green skin, which Luthor originally thought was Kryptonian radiation, is actually a mutation resulting from her father's previous career as an energy-wielding hero known as the Green Lantern (though in this series, he won't be referred to by that name, but rather his given name, Alan Scott; he also won't be seen in costume). Jade can create energy weapons with a thought as well as form energy barriers around herself and her teammates in the heat of the battle. Of all the heroes on Team Infinity, She's the one that best exemplifies the spirit and confidence of a hero. She has earned the praise of the public as well as the respect of Superman, and the feeling is more than mutual.

Matrix has many of the same abilities and powers of Superman but none of the weaknesses. She is a powerhouse member of the team whose metagenes kicked in when she was a kindergärtner. Matrix aspires to be an actress and sees being a part of a high-profile team like Team Infinity as a step in putting her face in the public. Jade knows there's more to Matrix than another pretty face and realizes there's a true hero within her. Plus, Jade realizes that, at times, Lex is a little too clingy with Matrix.

Nuklon is the token big guy of the team. He's 7'6" on a normal basis and can manipulate his body mass and absorb energy. But he's a quiet giant, unlucky in love, and quite shy around women. Early on, Nuklon had a crush on Fury, who isn't really interested in anyone but Silver Scarab and herself. His relationship with Matrix is complex, compounded by the fact that Lex Luthor, his employer, is also attracted to the brunette powerhouse.

The final two members of Team Infinity are Fury and the Silver Scarab. Two powerful kids that come from privilege and pedigree. Fury is the daughter of Amazonian royalty that saw humanity as weak and powerless, and their so-called guardian, Superman, was seen by them as a false god. The Silver Scarab, a rich son of explorers (his parents are Carter and Shiera Hall, known in the DC continuity as Hawkman and Hawkgirl; they won't be seen in this series at all, though Luthor will know about Trevor Hall's parents and alternate persona), was in Lex's college fraternity by the time he joined Team Infinity.

Scarab forged a path and created an identity that created a strain from his parents, who were also teammates of Jade's father in a golden era of heroism. Fury and Silver Scarab are essentially the Heidi and Spencer of Team Infinity, but they will mature, especially when fate intervenes in their lives.

Next: The Doomsday Scenario