JUSTICE SUBSIDIARY
During a battle between Justice Inc. and one of their enemies three kids were accidentally exposed to extra-dimensional radiation. When Justin Knowles, his younger brother Peter, and Peter's friend Alex Brisby developed metahuman abilities as a result of the accident, Tarantula of Justice Inc. asked Alex "Sandy" Hawkins (formerly known as Sandy the Golden Boy) to help train the kids in the use of their newfound powers.
Alex agreed, and soon he gained three more pupils: the brother and sister team of Video and Amplifier and young Lisa Grant. When Sandy was kidnapped by the Ultra-Humanite, the kids succeeded in rescuing both him and members of Justice Inc. who had also been captured. Peter suggested the team was like a subsidiary of Justice Incorporated so from then on they referred to themselves as the Justice Subs.
While unwilling to let the kids endanger themselves by fighting crime, Sandy reluctantly let them go into battle on a few occasions, but only in extreme circumstances. Sandy himself always accompanied them, using the code-name Sandstone.
With the older members having become full-fledged heroes as members of other teams and their mentor occupied with his role in the Justice Society the Justice Subs have effectively disbanded.
The Justice Subs are:
Sandstone: Alexander "Sandy" Hawkins was the sidekick of the Golden Age Sandman during the 1940's. Accidental exposure to an experimental "Silicoid Gun" transformed him into a silicon creature and Sandman had him institutionalized until a cure could be found. Alex was eventually turned back into a human decades later and discovered his body had not aged, he was still physically a teenager. He went into limbo with the rest of the Justice Society until they were rescued years later by Waverider. As a result of his earlier transformation and time in limbo, Sandy's body is that of a man in his mid-20s even though his birth certificate indicates he is a senior citizen. A side effect of his exposure to the Silicoid gun has left Alex with a very low level ability to control the earth. As Sandstone he wore a costume with special circuitry that amplified this ability. Sandy can now utilize the full range of his abilities without the suit and has accepted the role as chairman of the new Justice Society. He has since adopted the identity of his original mentor, the Sandman.
Video and Amplifier: Little is known about the history of Darren and Alexis Charters, including how they got their powers. They first appeared as reluctant members of Thrasher's villain group, the Backbeat and battled some members of Justice Inc. When Quiksilver saw them risk themselves to save bystanders, he let them go free instead of turning them in with the rest of the villains. They agreed to let Sandstone help them learn to control their powers, but are reluctant to use them, concentrating more on their burgeoning careers as musicians. Amplifier's powers include control of air and she can create powerful blasts of sound. Video can project powerful illusions into the minds of anyone who hears his voice. He controls this power by singing. Video has since gone on to become a member of Heroes Incorporated while Amplifier accepted an invitation to join the New York-based team called J-Force.
Torch: The exposure to unusual energies gave Justin Knowles the ability to project searing flames. Of the members of the Subs he was the most interested in playing the role of super-hero. Torch eventually joined Justice Inc. as a full member and later left them to join the newest iteration of Guardians. See his individual entry for full details.
Fast Forward: Torch's younger brother Peter has developed superspeed powers as a result of the accident. As the oldest of the younger members of the Subs, he has taken a leadership role among them. Fast Forward was always a super-hero fan, in fact it was because he was trying to get a better view of the super-battle that he and the others were exposed to the alien energies that gave them their powers.
Skyscraper: The alien radiation granted Alexander Brisby the ability to grow to a height of over 20 feet. He has taken the super-hero name of Skyscraper.
Snowball: Lisa Grant was only eight years old when she developed the ability to create what she calls "snowballs". These are small white spheres made of energy that explode when struck with enough force. When her powers first appeared she was scared and ran away from home. She was soon found by Nemesis and he brought her to Sandstone who has helped her learn to control her powers. Snowball is the youngest of the Subs.
