DC Comics’ Legion of Substitute Heroes is a fan-favorite super team, being a spin-off of the better-known Legion of Super-Heroes, DC’s premiere superhero team of the 31st century. The Substitutes consist of would-be heroes that didn’t make the cut in the main Legion’s superhero auditions but still wanted to help others. As such, they formed their own team, vowing to perform “substitute” superhero services when the main Legion couldn’t spare the time.
The Legion of Substitute Heroes spoke to many fans who felt slighted by the mainstream “cool kids” like the Legion of Super-Heroes. The team also inspired some endearing characters with offbeat powers – but few had a weirder name or power set than Drura Sehpt, aka Infectious Lass. Known for having the dubious power to “make people sick,” Infectious Lass seemed doomed to be a pariah, even among other superhero rejects.
Yet, surprisingly, the girl who had literally every illness in the universe proved quite popular with men. In one continuity, she even went on to marry Jacques Foccart, the second Invisible Kid, and the President of Earth. They’re probably one of the more unusual couples in the DC Universe, but perhaps a closer look at Infectious Lass can reveal why guys want to reach out to the girl with all the diseases.
Who is Infectious Lass?
Infectious Lass first appeared in Superboy Vol. 1 #201. An alien from the planet Somahtur, Infectious Lass’ people have bodies that house colonies of bacteria that they themselves have become immune to. Believing she could use this quality to become a superhero, Dura designed a costume (complete with a mask and cape that looks like dripping mucus) and auditioned for the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Although Infectious Lass’ powers could potentially be a huge asset (just imagine how ineffective a team of supervillains could be if they all suddenly came down with stomach flu), she often had a hard time aiming her diseases – or turning them off. As a result, she often accidentally made her teammates sick – as shown when she made Legionnaire Star Boy horribly ill during her audition. To top it off, some of Infectious Lass’ otherworldly illnesses were just plain weird and did bizarre things to other people – like the time she accidentally hit Color Kid with a gender-switching virus.
Despite this, Infectious Lass soon gained membership in The Legion of Substitute Heroes who thought she deserved a chance to prove herself. Her friendly, somewhat nerdy personality made her an endearing recruit, but the nature of her powers did make her very insecure in some stories. In one hilarious story, she attempts to seduce Ambush Bug with her “feminine wiles” but proves completely inept, even telling him how she “makes people sick” while trying to make small talk. In another story, she bemoans the fact that “I’ll never know the tender touch of a man,” prompting one of her teammates to suggest she change her name.
Infectious Lass Changing Over Time
As time went on, however, Infectious Lass grew more attractive in both looks and personality. Perhaps artists and writers found the dichotomy of a kind-hearted woman in a lethal body weirdly titillating, but Infectious Lass began to be drawn in a more seductive matter. Where her earlier appearances emphasized her gross, phlegm-like costume, during the 1990s, Drura was frequently depicted posing in bedsheets and lingerie. Moreover, she was clearly sleeping with Legion of Super-Heroes member Invisible Kid indicating that she had finally achieved some control over her powers (in the past her merest touch usually sent men into convulsions).
Infectious Lass also finally gained membership in the official Legion of Superheroes. While this was initially seen as a way of simply filling the ranks after the main members all left the team, Drura still managed to serve with distinction – infecting only those she chose to. Moreover, she ended up marrying the Invisible Kid and – when he became Earth President – wound up becoming First Lady and living in the London Presidential Palace. Drura even became one of her husband’s advisors, showing how she had grown in confidence since her early appearances.
Unfortunately, during the Zero Hour storyline, Infectious Lass was wiped from the timeline. She later showed up in a rebooted universe, once again trying out for the Legion of Superheroes. It wasn’t a complete backslide, however, as Drura was shown to still have better control over her germ warfare abilities. In Legion #37, Infectious Lass is actually accepted into Legion Academy and is even considered one of their “most promising cadets.” Once again clad in her mask and costume, Infectious Lass is nonetheless still showcased as an attractive young woman – more exotic alien than a gross sick girl.
And while Drura’s relationship with the Earth President appears to have been retconned out of existence, her popularity with men has apparently not waned. In Tales of the Unexpected #4, another rebooted version of Infectious Lass showed up in the past fighting a group of powerful overlords known as the “Architects.” Again wearing her classic mucus-like costume, Infectious Lass retained her cheerful attitude and managed to attract the swashbuckling pirate Captain Fear who confessed Drura left him lovesick.
For a character initially designed as a joke for the Legion of Super-Heroes, Infectious Lass has acquired a remarkably devoted following. Although the Legion has probably gone through more reboots than any other superhero team in the DC Multiverse, making her current status (or even existence) questionable, there’s an excellent chance this fan-favorite character will show up again – complete with some new admirers!
Next: How Morbius Saved Spider-Man With His Poisoned Blood
