(R.E.B.E.L.S. #6) - Ciji wanted to see order restored, because Vril's absence had caused Gordanians, Citadelians and others to start amassing war forces. Amon Hakk also joined the team, and they received a subspace transmission from the Dominator homeworld, which had been taken over by Starro the Conqueror and his High Vanguard. Vril regained Silica from Maltus, and attacked the Gordanians to get access to their subspace transmitter, with Tribulus easily overpowering the soldiers. Vril used Silica's failsafe programming and the transmittor to regain control of his L.E.G.I.O.N. peacekeepers. They left their client planets, flying to Maltus, forming a forcefield around the planet, effectively trapping Starro and his legions. Silica told Vril she loved him, and he had her activate her self-destruct protocol. Starro was in a fury, warning Vril he had no idea what a powerful enemy he'd made.Vril was pleased, saying an angry enemy made for a sloppy enemy.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #8, 9) - Vril gave Wildstar a sample of his son Lyrl Dox's hair, and she tracked him to the planet Voorl, which had become a refuge for various races whose planets had been taken by Starro. Tribulus easily captured Lyrl, who was in anguish because L.E.G.I.O.N. troops had killed Stealth. Vril took the news well, which surprised Bounder, and Vril told him he had no love for the woman who once assaulted and murdered him. Strata told Bounder it was a long story. Amon asked what happened after Vril left L.E.G.I.O.N. to raise his son, and he said that he first suppressed his intelligence, which was too dangerous without experience and maturity, and Stealth suggested he live in the jungle to hone survival skills. Strata told Wildstar Garv and her son Rocky were supposed to meet her on Voorl, and asked if she could track them. Wildstar was eager to help, and soon located them. Garv reunited with Strata and made it clear he didn't like the idea of Vril coercing her again, and telling Vril that the worlds he'd trapped near Maltus with his forcefield were furious at being in Starro's path. Vril said he never was one for popularity contests. Tribulus, always a good watch dog, snarled at Garv, but Vril told him to back down. Lyrl was still mad at Vril for taking away his intelligence, and started backtalking him. Vril said sarcasm was a lazy form of aggression, and even though he had no intention of bonding with his son he couldn't let him slip into Starro's hands for tactical reasons. Kanjar Ro contacted the team, offering his help, but the Dominator knew what he really wanted was a rescue because the Vanguard were on their way to Dhor. Ro mocked him for the failure of the Dominators to defend their world, and said he was a caste of one. The Dominator scratched off his caste circle before walking away. Ciji was bonding with him, and decided to call him Xylon to give him a sense of identity. Captain Comet and Adam Strange had gotten word of Starro's exploits, and used the Zeta Beam to reach Vril and offer his help. He told them to go to Dhor to retrieve the Gamma Gong, but the Vanguard were already there and had smashed the gong, so they rescued Kanjar Ro, it'sa inventor. Vril was not pleased, and said he could still use the metal from the gong for his plan. He would split the team to Dhor, Kalanor and the Dominator homeworld to retrieve the three items he needed to defeat Starro. Garv suggested they call themselves the R.E.B.E.L.S, and the members of the team that were part of the original team mocked Vril for the acronym he came up with. Garv had a change of heart, and convinced Strata to slip away with him and Rocky, saying their main priority was their son, and they had no reason to be loyal to Vril. Lyrl found them, and said he'd lead them to a spaceport if he could come with them. The High Vanguard arrived to kidnap Lyrl.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #10, 11) - Strange and Comet caught Vril up with the events of Blackest Night, which they'd first heard about from the JLA com channel. Lyrl Dox agreed to come willingly with the Vanguard, but only if Strata and her family were left unharmed, claiming they were his slaves. Vril was furious with them for letting his son get caught, and he directed the R.E.B.E.L.S. to fly offworld. He correctly predicted that Starro would unleash his son's 12th-level intelligence and disable the forcefield around Maltus. He suggested they go to Earth to seek aid from their superhero community when they flew into the middle of a battle between the Sinestro Corps and the Black Lantern Corps, and wildstar was left behind on Voorl. Black Lantern Corps member Harbinger destroyed the R.E.B.E.L.S. ship, and the resurrected Stealth wanted to kill Vril, who told her that even in death she was insufferable. When Sinestro Corps member Narok was killed by Harbinger his ring sought out the nearest being who could inspire great fear, and it chose Vril Dox, who found the newfound power exhilarating. Strange and comet brought the R.EB.E.L.S. to the planet Kandato, except for Amon Hakk, who remained in space to repair their ship, and was aided by Wildstar, who'd found her way off of Voorl. Stealth and Harbinger pursued them, and during their battle a transmatter portal opened, the creation of Lyrl for Starro. Lyrl, Starro, and High Vanguard members that had become Black Lanterns poured through. Vril tried to remove Lyrl's Starro spore, but his son told him to get away, and asked Vril to save his master Starro, shocking his father. Lyrl said he would be referred to only as Brainiac 3, and Vril used his power ring to push the Black Lantern's Vril, and Starro back through the portal to Maltus. The ring demanded Vril go to Korugar to join the rest of the Corps, and when he refused the ring flew off his finger for insubordination. Vril told the R.E.B.E.L.S. he was tired of waiting for Starro to slip up, and it was time to take the fight to him. It was clear he was taking it personally that his son had chosen a monster over his flesh and blood.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #12) - Garv and Strata had Vril drop them off at Port Slarvit, unwilling to go on what they saw as a suicide mission when they had their son to think of. Xylon said he would shoot the next person who tried to abandon the R.E.B.E.L.S., earning him points with Vril. Vril split the team up to complete his plan for a weapon that would sever Starro's connection with his slaves. Adam Strange, Ciji, Bounder and Xylon went to the secret Dominator science facility on Kaipei to retrieve a genebomb, which the Dominators had long denied having. The Dominator scientists were not eager to cooperate with Xylon, but military caste trumped the science caste, and he told them they didn't have a choice in the matter. On Kalanor Vril found the decapitated Despero, and told him he'd regenerate his body in exchange for help with Starro. On Dhor Kanjar Ro separated from Captain Comet and Wildstar, who gathered the fragments of the gamma going. Kanjar said he was going to retake his world by force, and Vril told his team to let him go. In truth Kanjar was on a side-mission for Vril which would end his feud with Despero. Despero admired how Vril played his teammates against each other, and wondered why he always pandered to law and order. Vril said law was a bludgeon in his hands.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #13, 14) - Vril Dox and his R.E.B.E.L.S. had need of the Psions' science labs, and Vril asked Elu where the Omega Men Were. He responded that they had been out of contact since leaving for Starro's home galaxy. Vril used the Psion's lab to grow Despero a new body, and presented him with the weapon he'd constructed from the gamma gong and genebomb that would sever Starro from his star-slaves. The last thing he needed was Despero's Flame of Pytar to charge its' psionic matrix. Lyrl Dox opened his transmatter portal, and snatched his father away. Starro was planning an invasion of Earth, but Lyrl had decided the warlord was beneath his 12th-level intelligence, and wanted to help Vril kill him. He'd deduced the weapon Vril would construct for the task, and broke Vril's arm, not wanting him to be the triggerman because he said he wanted him alive. Starro thought Lyrl's next transmatter portal would take him to Earth, but Lyrl said he'd be sending him to Vril's ship so he could be ambushed. The R.E.B.E.L.S. were prepared when Starro arrived, and the villain was not entirely surprised that Lyrl had betrayed him. Vril had made a rare miscalculation; his weapon had no effect on Starro. He clashed with the R.E.B.E.L.S. saying he'd miss them when they were dead because they provided so much sport. He discovered the Psions lab of genetically altered and dissected Starros, and flew into a rage. His proximity to them gave him control over them, and within moments all of the R.E.B.E.L.S. were his star-slaves, save for Vril, who threw up a personal forcefield. The Omega Men returned from their mission, armed with darts dipped in a poison that could kill Starros. They struck the Conqueror, but missed his Starro, forcing Vril to get close enough to him to kill the creature with a dart. The Conqueror's Starro died, severing his connection to trillions of mind-slaves, and killing their Starros as well. Despero performed the coup de grace, and told the R.E.B.E.L.S. they were invited to Kalanor to witness Starro's execution. Vril sent out a broadcast proclaiming his victory, giving his intention to put L.E.G.I.O.N. back on track and finding some way for everyone he helped to thank him. Adam Strange thought that Vril might be a worse manipulator than Starro.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #15) - All of Maltus protested Vril and the mess he'd made of the planet. Vril railed that he was being treated unfairly, but Amon Hakk told him the people had a point. A sniper almost killed Vril, and it was clear he could not rebuild the L.E.G.I.O.N. on Maltus. Adam Strange said he could use Rann as a base, and Vril promised he could find a way to revitalize the lifeless planet. Strange and Sardath took Vril to Ran, which was still a painful sight to Adam. He reflected on the many times he'd saved the planet, bemoaning that it took one failure to undo all the good he did. Sardath did not believe Vril could bring life back to Rann, because he himself had tried and found the situation hopeless. Vril dismissed him, saying all he needed to do was move the planet's current location and asking Sardath for the largest zeta-beam he had.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #17) - The invasion of Rann by Blackfire and her Tamaraneans was halted by GLs Altin Ad'ms and Gorius Karkum, and Blackfire wondered why the Corps was suddenly showing an interest in the Vegan system. Neither the Rannians nor the Tamaraneans appreciate the interference, and attacked the GLs. Adam Strange used a zeta-beam to teleport himself, the GLs and Blackfire into space. They said they could resolve their differences without outside help, and Blackfire agreed that she could talk to Adam if he was not directly working for Vril Dox. A Thanagarian warfleet interrupted their discussion. Vril Dox was aboard, having brokered a peace treaty between the Thanagarians and Rann. They no longer shared the same solar system, let alone the same planet, and those who blamed Rann for Thanagar's destruction were dead or deposed. They returned to Rann, and Vril offered the empty southern continent to Blackfire and her people as a new home. She admired the brilliant and ruthless egomaniac, seeing a lot of herself in him.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #21, 22) - Vril and Lyrl drove Brainiac from Colu, but the planet was left in ruins, and they clashed with the GLC, who wanted to arrest them for the damage.. Vril said he intended to rebuild Colu, so unless the GLC was up to the job they could forget about arresting him. He assured them Lobo would be in his safekeeping since he always paied his debts and Vril could help him with the bills he'd accumulated as archbishop of the triple-fish god. Vril was joined by his R.E.B.E.L.S., and said their name was apt because that's how the Guardians of the Universe viewed them. He said the L.E.G.I.O.N. used police by consent utilizing each planet's laws, but the Guardians sought justice using only their own capricious whims. Vril denied charges that Lyrl had invaded Colu, saying he was under the control of Pulsar Stargrave, and painted Stargrave as having always been Brainiac's pawn.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #24, 25) - Vril had a diplomatic dinner with Blackfire, and she told him there was no need for his bodyguard Tribulus. Vril said Tribulus was like a child, and he felt like a bad parent when he went abroad without him. Captain Comet drowned his sorrows in drink, and Lobo told him he had to face facts that Starfire didn't want anything from him beyond a physical relationship. Lobo got the whiff of Czarnian pheromone, but it was a trap laid by Astrild Storm-Daughter, who'd borrowed the pheromone from the Psions. she leeched his lifeforce until Starro's alien was at peak health, able to produce new starspore. Starro said he was already to attack the R.E.B.E.L.S. and Smite began the assault, hitting Vril Dox in his starship. Smite and Astrild kidnapped Dox after Smite buried a battleaxe in Tribulus' skull, grievously wounding him. Starro showed off his new army of mindslave Psions to Dox, as well as the cloned Czarnians the Psions created. Vril knew that if he could strike with them he would have already, correctly deducing that the clones of Lobo would kill themselves before being made into Starro mindslaves. Starro made Vril into a mindslave as his punishment for defying the conqueror. On Rann Adam Strange gave Lyrl Dox the job of trying to patch up Tribulus, and when Lobo went off after Starro half-cocked, the other R.E.B.E.L.S. were able to follow him using Wildstar's tracking ability. On the Psion Homeworld Astrild was eager to face Lobo in combat, but he put a quick end to things by putting his hook and chain through her head.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #26) - Lobo thought that under different circumstances he could have been close to Astrild, so he'd use her as motivation to brutalize Starro. Starro removed Vril's starfish and demanded he tell him how to stop Lobo, and Vril simply told him no one could beat Lobo and he'd hunt Starro to the ends of the universe. Starro made him his mindslave once again, and Smite suggested sending their cloned Czarnians against Lobo, uploading the information about how he'd destroyed all of Czarnia into their minds. Starro would not hear of it, not wanting to wakre the clones before he figured out how to make slaves of them, and told Smite to battle Lobo. Starro teleported to Rann where the Starros he'd left behind had taken over the military guard and Sardath. Lyrl Dox worked on saving Tribulus' life when he became aware of the Starros on Rann, and sealed the surgery bay until he could patch up Tribulus and sicc him on the invaders.

(R.E.B.E.L.S. #27, 28) - Lyrl rebooted Tribulus' brain, boosting his psionic lightning power. He called the R.E.B.E.L.S. and said they were needed back on Rann to deal with the invasion of Starros, so Adam Strange used his personal zeta-beam to return himself, Captain Comet and Starfire. Starro, with Vril at his side, declared himself ruler of Rann, and told Blackfire to kneel before him. She said she knelt before no man, and engaged him in battle, soon aided by the returning R.E.B.E.L.S. Lobo continued his fight against Smite on the Psion homeworld, and they recounted tales of gruesome mutilation and murder as they clashed. Lobo found him interesting, so when their fight carried them into a Psion bar they decided to talk things over, becoming fast friends. Lyrl sent Tribulus against the Starros, and he freed mindslave after mindslave by roasting their starfish. Lyrl sent Tribulus against Starro, badly wounding his alien and freeing Vril. Realizing he was near defeat Starro prepared to order his remaining slaves on Rann to commit suicide. On the Psion homeworld the R.E.B.E.L.S. used starro's transmatter portal, and called Dox, telling him to push Starro though. Back on the Psion homeworld Starro found himself face to face with Smite and Lobo. One week later Sardath, Blackfire and Vril signed a mutual defense pact. Blackfire told Vril not to get kidnapped again, because she didn't want people thinking her consort was weak. Ciji reported that Oa had gone black and Vril said it was a good thing the L.E.G.I.O.N. was back.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please visit The Official DC Comics Site at: http://www.batman.com