Val Armorr, known as Karate Kid, was a mainstay of the Legion of Super-Heroes created by Jim Shooter with design by Curt Swan. His ability to defeat any opponent with martial arts made him popular in the 1960s. But his story became complicated with the reboots of the DC universe, leaving him relegated to sporadic appearances and without a clear place in the current continuity.
Martial arts as narrative technology 🥋
The premise of Karate Kid was simple but effective: in the 31st century, Val Armorr mastered all forms of hand-to-hand combat, even against technological threats. Jim Shooter conceived him as a counterpoint to the cosmic powers of his teammates. Curt Swan gave him a functional design, with a uniform reminiscent of a futuristic martial arts gi. However, his dependence on the Legion's context made him fragile in the face of editorial changes.
No, it's not the same one from the 80s movie 🎬
If you search for Karate Kid on Google expecting to see Ralph Macchio throwing kicks, you're in for a disappointment. Val Armorr had no sequels or cobra kai tournaments. His thing was being erased from continuity by a crisis and then resurrected so that no one remembers him. At least his name doesn't raise doubts about whether he's better than Batman: nobody asks who would win between Karate Kid and an ATM.