The Children Of The Sun

 History

The origins of the Children Of The Sun can be traced back to Westchester Science, a research facility where scientist Raymond Dark proposed unorthodox use of nuclear power. Fellow scientist Silas Stone found his measures too unstable, prompting Dark to retaliate and accuse Silas of being a communist sympathizer. Under a cloud of suspicion, Silas was forced to leave Westchester Science to take a job at S.T.A.R. Labs with his wife, Elinore.

But the board at Westchester Science later read Silas’ report and ultimately agreed with his findings. They pulled the plug on Dark’s projects, causing him to leave the company and swear revenge on Silas Stone, who he blamed for his misfortunes.

Dark went on to create his own company which he called the Children of the Sun. Garbed in a black hooded robe, the delusional Dark had become obsessed with power. “So now we push ahead to create a new sun,” he exclaimed,  ”To create a world greater than any God ever did. We are greater than Hyperion and Thia! We are greater than Zeus and Hera! And one day we will be worshipped!” To this end, Dark created a process which granted super powers, but had the unfortunate side effect of  killing its victims in a number of hours. He recruited followers to his cause and sent them on suicide missions to further his own twisted agenda.

Evil vixen Vicki Grant – under the influence of the Children of the Sun -
vexes Chris King in NEW TEEN TITANS (second series) #46 [1988].

The Children of the Sun also searched for super-powered beings they could exploit for their own purposes. In San Francisco, they recruited Vicki Grant to their cause. The evil group corrupted Vicki, twisting the once innocent girl to internalize her H-Dial powers and use them for nefarious purposes. Now motivated towards destruction, Vicki targeted her former H-Dial partner and boyfriend, Chris King. She would have succeeded in killing him had the Teen Titans not intervened. With their help, Chris escaped Vicki’s wrath, as he vowed to someday rehabilitate her.

The Children of the Sun, under the direction of member Carl Vesper, next attacked the Titans in their dreams through a mysterious man known as Muse. Raven was able to rally the Titans to defeat him.

Some time later, Dark attacked the Titans when he learned that Cyborg was the son of Silas Stone. The Titans fought his super-powered dupes and eventually found the lair of the Children of the Sun. Meanwhile, Dark’s followers grew tired of his obsession regarding Silas Stone, which they thought was detracting from their true goals. They revolted and killed Dark, intent on still carrying out his new-world vision.

The Titans intervened, however, and tracked them down. The remaining Children of the Sun attempted to board a submarine and escape. But the sub exploded, thus putting a permanent end to the Children of the Sun.

ABOVE: Raymond Dark swears vengeance in NEW TEEN TITANS (second series) Annual #5 [1989].
BELOW: The Children of the Sun turn on their master in NEW TEEN TITANS (second series) Annual #5 [1989]. 

 Powers and Abilities

Raymond Dark apparently had some sort of super powers, most likely acquired through the wealth of scientific equipment at his disposal. He was able to emit flames from his hands. The Children of the Sun created machines that bestowed super-powers to regular mortals, but the process would kill them in a short period of time.

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 Crisis Conundrums: The Children of the Sun

In 1985, DC Comics attempted to streamline and modernize their characters with the Crisis On Infinite Earths. Within the 12-issue mini-series, time and space twisted, forever altering the histories of various heroes in its wake. This gave DC an opportunity to go back and revise some of the more out-dated elements of the DC Universe – but it also introduced a host of unforeseen continuity problems.

Many Titans characters had their origins and histories altered. In the Post-Crisis universe, Wonder Woman was relaunched in modern day. This beget changes to Donna Troy’s history as Wonder Girl, which were later addressed in New Titans #50-55 [1989], wherein Donna was retro-fitted as an adopted child of the Titans of Myth. These alterations invalidated The Children of the Sun’s story as told in New Teen Titans (second series) # 7-10. Below is their original origin, tied to the Titan goddess, Thia.

The Children of the Sun
Pre-Crisis History

The ancient Titan sun goddess Thia freed herself from imprisonment in Tartarus and roamed the earth as a human woman. Taking many mortal husbands and lovers, she bore many children, who have since become the most politically and economically most powerful people on earth. These well-connected individuals called themselves the Children of the Sun – and the Titan known as Lilith Clay was one of their offspring. Lilith’s father was the owner of Sun Publishing, and was killed by Thia once he served his purpose. Lilith was later lost to her mother when a young nurse abducted her as a child.

As Lilith entered adulthood, Thia found her daughter and explained her origins. The sun goddess then abducted Lilith to Mount Olympus, where the Titans gave chase. Thia’s bid to take over Olympus was eventually thwarted by the Titans and her once-husband Hyperion, who sacrificed himself to destroy Thia in a blast of godlike flames.

Carl Vesper, son of Thia, later learned of his mother’s death. He resolved that the Children of the Sun would continue to carry on their mother’s mission and one day rule the world.

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Essential Reading

New Teen Titans (second series) #7-10 [1985]: Lilith discovers her true origin as the daughter of Thia, renegade member of the legendary Titans. First appearance of Thia in issue #7. First appearance of Kole in issue #9. First appearance of Children of the Sun in issue #9. Lilith is proclaimed a goddess and leaves the Titans in issue #10. The events of this issue have been negated by the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
New Teen Titans (second series) #45-46 [1988]: It is revealed that the Children of the Sun abducted Vicki Grant and taught her how to draw the power of the H-dial into herself. Now motivated towards destruction for destruction’s sake, she decides to use her powers to kill Chris King – until the New Titans intervene and save him. First appearance of the Children of the Sun, post-Crisis.
New Teen Titans (second series) Annual #4 [1988]: The Children of the Sun attack the Titans in their dreams through a mysterious man known as Muse. Raven is able to rally the Titans to defeat him, and he is left incoherent and mentally shocked.
New Teen Titans (second series) Annual #5 [1989]: The Children of the Sun target Cyborg when they learn he is the son of Silas Stone. Their leader, Damien Dark, blames Silas for past misfortunes and later founded the Children of the Sun, an elitist group. The Titans fight his super-powered dupes and eventually find the lair of the Children of the Sun – which is destroyed along with Dark and his followers. First appearance of Raymond Dark. Origin of the Children of the Sun, post-Crisis. Apparent demise of Children of the Sun and Raymond Dark.

Sources for this entry: The New Titans Sourcebook [Mayfair Games, 1990], The DC Comics Encyclopedia, supplemented by titanstower.com