#thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Captain Cold

“I don't believe in "evil." Different shades of gray is all.” - Captain Cold

Real Name: Leonard “Len” Snart

Aliases:

Citizen Cold

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 196 lbs (89 kg)

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Abilities:

Leadership

Marksmanship

Tactical Analysis

Thievery

Equipment:

Captain Cold's Snow Goggles

Captain Cold's Cold Gun

Universe: 

Earth-One

New Earth

Base of Operations: Central City 

Citizenship: American

Parents: Lawrence Snart; father

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Professional Criminal

First Appearance: Showcase #8 (June, 1957)

Last Appearance: Brightest Day #18 (March, 2011)

Abilities

Leadership: He is a natural leader and has lead the Rogues through countless years of criminality. He also led a splinter group of villains during a hellish event.

Marksmanship: In addition, Leonard Snart is a very skilled marksman, though not on the same level as people like Deadshot and Deathstroke.

Tactical Analysis: He also has a very tactical mind, and his own personal sense of honor.

Thievery

Equipment

Captain Cold's Snow Goggles: Minimize the flashes of energy given off by his guns within his field of vision.

Captain Cold's Cold Gun: Cold created his own freeze guns off of machine parts from a custom-made ice vehicle. They can create ice slicks, shatter metal or entomb victims in suspended animation in blocks of ice.

Origins

Leonard Snart grew up with an abusive, hard-drinking father. Through his beatings, Leonard's father taught him that emotion was a weakness, and that a cold heart would take him further in life. Leonard's grandfather protected him and whisked him away to his ice cream truck. It was cold, but one of the only places Leonard felt safe. Only when he was older did he eventually run away from home. Through a life of crime, he was eventually caught and placed in jail by the Flash. Seeking to counter the Flash, Snart researched an article that theorized that the emissions of a cyclotron could interfere with the Flash's speed. Using a stolen cyclotron, Snart constructed a gun which shot ice that reduced temperatures to absolute zero, and began calling himself Captain Cold. Most of his crimes were in attempt to win the heart of a lady. Often he would team up with Heat Wave or his sister, Golden Glider.

Cold escaped from prison when he learned that the Picture News was planning to raise $100,000 at a charity event, which he planned to steal. However, Trickster had done the same thing. At first competing for the money, they decided to join forces when they were pursued but not only one, but two Flashes, as Jay Garrick had briefly come out of retirement. The pair successfully made their getaway, but were later captured when the two speedsters lured them into a trap by claiming that a recently discovered meteorite contained a fortune in diamonds.

After Captain Cold was released from prison, his fellow Rogues held a party for him, which turned into a riot.

Cold supposedly reformed from his criminal ways, even making a guest appearance on the Guillermo show announcing his new way of life. With his sister, Golden Glider, Snart, established Golden Snowball Recoveries, 1-800-GET-COLD, a company which recovers lost or stolen items or your money back.

The Rogues were later hired by the city council of Swainsville, New Mexico, to find the Porcupine Man and his victims. They battled with the Porcupine Man, who turned out to be Wally West. However, West evaded them and quickly got away. Three boys had been trapped in a nearby cave, and were have thought to have been the victims of the Porcupine Man. They were not, and it was even Wally who saved them. West later split the reward money with Golden Snowball.

During this time, he flew to Los Angeles and killed former prison mate Brad Brickley, resulting in a murder investigation that remained unsolved, eventually becoming a project to challenge cadets at the LA Police Academy. It was finally solved five years later by Bart Allen.

Underworld Unleashed

The Rogues undertake a strange mission under the urging of Abra Kadabra. Given little explanation, they agree to strike at five specific though seemingly unremarkable locations across the United States. Each attack is committed simultaneously yielding explosive results far beyond their expectations. Each of the Rogues is consumed by raging green fire as their respective target sites go up in flames. These explosions formed a pentagram and unleashed the lord of hell, Neron.

Pretty soon after, the soulless husks of Captain Cold and the other Rogues were sent to terrorize Earth by Neron. Wally West and Linda Park were able to negotiate with the demon and got the Rogues' souls back in exchange for their love.

Afterwards, Snart remained as a low profile citizen in Keystone City and he was occasionally spotted watching hockey games. One time, a new monster appeared and tried to steal the hockey trophy during a game. Flash arrived in time to confront the creature known as Tar Pit and Snart decided to help Flash. In the struggle, Snart was attacked by Tar Pit and Flash had to deal with the monster alone. As he got the situation under control, Snart managed to sneak away unnoticed by the police and Flash.

The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive

Inertia reunited Cold and the rest of the Rogues, claiming that he could build a device that could stop time, allowing them to do whatever they wanted. However, the machine's actual use was to transfer the Speed Force from the new Flash to himself. When the Flash arrived to stop them, the machine rendered him powerless. However, the Rogues soon realized that someone was helping the speedster, and it was possible that his powers could be returned. Not wanting this to happen, Cold, along with Heat Wave and Weather Wizard, shot the powerless Flash in the back, resulting in his death.

Final Crisis

After being hunted remorselessly by heroes, and a year of chaos and trouble, including deportation to the Hell Planet during the events of Salvation Run, the Rogues' decided to quit the business, but not before they strike back against Inertia during the events of Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge.

Secret Society of Super-Villains

Captain Cold, along with the rest of the Rogues, has met with constant trouble from Libra and his new Secret Society of Super-Villains, attempting to press them into their ranks as a safety precaution against Speedsters. Cold, however, angrily rejected Libra's invitation, saying that the villain community had done nothing to help the Rogues following the murder of Bart. As of yet, Cold and the Rogues have completely outright refused membership, despite numerous threats made to their families. The New Rogues were sent to enlist them by holding Captain Cold's father hostage, but after Cold had the rest of the Rogues slaughter the new group, he had Heat Wave murder his father.

Following the murders of the New Rogues, Cold and the other Rogues resumed their plan to kill Inertia. However, they had trouble from Inertia's new mentor, Zoom. They were also still stalked by Libra, who had Weather Wizard's infant son. Inertia killed the boy and took on the mantle of "Kid Zoom", vowing to cause tragedy to the Rogues. Paying him back for all the trouble he had caused them, the Rogues broke their unspoken pact against killing speedsters for a second time. Pleased, Libra revealed why he so desperately wanted the Rogues in the Secret Society: Barry Allen had returned from the dead, and the Rogues were the only ones who knew him well enough to stop him and allow evil to triumph. Though shocked at the news of return of Barry Barry, Cold still rejected Libra's request for membership, saying he did not believe in evil. Inertia's body was left in front of the Keystone City Police Department, next to the written words "Tell the Flash we're even - The Rogues". Following these events, Cold announced that he was not going to retire, both to not appear as a quitter to Barry Allen, and because he knew that Barry would not just let him walk away.

Fun Facts

Snart went straight around the same time as the Trickster who was working as a technical adviser for the Institute for Hyper-Normal Conflict Studies. Snart visited as a guest lecturer, which he claimed was as lucrative as a life of crime. Jesse wanted the gig for himself and secretly manipulated Snart into breaking into a radiation lab. The framed Snart was arrested while Jesse took his lecture circuit.

#captain cold #leonard len snart #leonard snart #len snart #citizen cold #rogues #the society #Suicide Squad #Secret Society of Super Villians #secret society of super-villians #secret society of supervillians #golden snowball recoveries #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Apollo

“Somehow, I figured the coming of the lord would be a little more auspicious.” - Apollo

Aliases:

Sun King

Gender: Male

Eyes: Blue

Hair: White

Powers:

Unique Physiology

Abilities:

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Leadership

Weaknesses:

Solar Depletion

Vulnerability to Extreme Temperature Changes

Equipment:

Photosphere of Earth

The Carrier

Universe: Wildstorm Universe

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: 

The Carrier

Eye of the Storm

Parents: Peter Desmond; father

Marital Status: Married (Midnighter; husband)

Occupation: Soldier

First Appearance: StormWatch Vol 2 #4 (February, 1998)

Powers

Unique Physiology

Solar Absorption: Apollo's powers are dependent on the Sun needing only exposure or access to sunlight to activate. Apollo's body behaves more like a battery as his powers are far more directly dependent on the sun.

Flight: He can fly at great speeds. He has been shown to easily cross the entire globe in less than 30 Seconds.

Self-Sustenance: Apollo does not require food or drink as his body is entirely sustained by his solar energy. He can survive in anaerobic environments indefinitely.

Invulnerability: He has walked and survived in the Sun without any sign of discomfort and has been able to easily enter a lava flow to deactivate a volcano.

Accelerated Healing: Apollo can be injured by the depletion of his solar energy reserves. While he is still durable, he is susceptible to physical damage. When presented with solar energy his wounds heal within a matter of minutes if not seconds normally.

Heat Vision: His eyes are constructed to channel solar energy into laser like blasts, literally concentrated sunlight. The limit of his "laser vision" has not been discovered but it is so powerful that he has scorched the entire surface of the Moon without any effort.

Energy Projection: Apollo can also release his solar energy from other parts of his body like his hands or omnidirectionally from his entire body.

Superhuman Speed

Superhuman Stamina

Superhuman Strength

Abilities

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Leadership: Apollo was the leader of a black ops StormWatch team.

Weaknesses

Solar Depletion: Apollo can drain himself through overuse of his powers since living on the Carrier does not provide him with a constant exposure to solar energy. However, even when drained he will be able to fly after 20 seconds in direct sunlight, though it would take him 2 hours to be at full charge. This can be somewhat circumvented by transporting into close proximity to the sun. He may weaken, but it's in the same vein as an athlete who has exhausted himself, rather than a car that has literally no fuel left to function. He is still nearly invulnerable, and very strong. Apollo will die if he completely depletes his solar stores, and his strength/resilience drop accordingly when weakened to the point where he's essentially normal. It has been seen that his power can be easily depleted when he is blocked off from solar energy when it has no way at all to reach him and he expends energy. The signs of this are he becomes increasingly withered and aged.

Vulnerability to Extreme Temperature Changes: Apollo's powers can be heavily affected by extreme temperature changes, like hitting him with a blast of enhanced liquid nitrogen which quick cooled Apollo robbing him of much of his solar power as all the heat in his body had been rabidly evaporated into sweat.

Equipment

Photosphere of Earth

The Carrier

Origin

Apollo was a former U.S. soldier and the leader of a black ops StormWatch team so secret that no-one but the first Weatherman, Henry Bendix, knew of its existence. Apollo was a normal human, bio-engineered by Bendix to have fantastic abilities including super-strength, heat vision, and a high degree of invulnerability. Apollo derives his power from solar energy, and becomes vulnerable to attack when that energy is depleted.

Of the seven-member team, only Apollo and Midnighter, Apollo's future husband, survived. Due to circumstances surrounding the mission, they went rogue and spent the next five years fighting undercover for a finer world in the alleyways of America.

After Bendix's fall in 1998, Christine Trelane discovered files hinting at the existence of Apollo and The Midnighter. Jackson King, formerly Battalion, now the new Weatherman, ordered them found, not sure if they were heroes or villains. Apollo and Midnighter were tracking weapons made in the "Nevada Garden", a leftover of the first Engineer. He ordered Fahrenheit and Hellstrike to tag them with fetishes so they could be transported into SkyWatch. At first, Apollo and Midnighter attacked the StormWatch team, believing them under Bendix's orders. However, they ceased the attack once they were told Bendix was dead. With King's help, they destroyed the Nevada Garden, and Trelane gave them new lives away from Stormwatch.

The Authority

In 1999, Jenny Sparks convinced both Apollo and The Midnighter to come out of retirement to join a new team, dubbed The Authority. The Authority distinguished itself from other super-human teams in that it answered to no governing body or external authority, such as the United Nations. Rather, for the first time, these were super-humans fighting for a better world on their own initiative.

Throughout the course of their membership in the Authority, Apollo and Midnighter's relationship was revealed further. Apollo also developed a friendship with Jennifer Sparks, who felt comfortable confiding in him.

On December 31, 1999, Jennifer Sparks died. Her spirit was reincarnated in an infant girl born the next day in Singapore. As soon as the child was identified, a bloody battle broke out between competing forces--including The Authority--for control of the child, code-named Jennifer Quantum. Apollo was severely beaten in the course of the battle. After the battle, the Commander raped Apollo. Consequently, the Midnighter gored the Commander with a jackhammer.

When the Authority battled a renegade Doctor, a powerful shaman who usurped the powers of the Authority's Doctor and ended up regretting his crimes and repenting, Apollo fried him to a crisp with his eye-beams.

When Seth Cowie defeated and captured the entire team, Apollo was depowered and kept on board the Authority's Carrier which was then used by the G-7 nation's Authority. The Authority's replacements were, in reality, government lapdogs and were cruel, homicidal and masochistic. Apollo was used as a punching bag by two of the villains, Teuton and Last Call, who were his and Midnighter's respective replacements. Teuton almost raped him before the Midnighter appeared and shot Apollo's assailant through the back of his skull. Apollo then fried the head of Midnighter's replacement and later did the same to The Machine, who had taken the powers of Apollo's friend the Engineer. After having killing the G7 Authority and the miserable defeat of Seth Cowie, Apollo and Midnighter were married and adopted Jenny Quantum. From this point on, Apollo was referred to as The Midnighter's husband, and vice versa.

Apollo participated in the beating of Kevin Hawkins, an SAS agent and rampant homophobe. Apollo had forgiven Kev for actually killing the Authority in the past but this was one step too far.

Human on the Inside

The U.S. President ordered an assault on The Authority which resulted in doubts, depression, and human foibles overcoming them. The Midnighter kissed another man, but when he confessed this to Apollo, Apollo became enraged and struck him, sending him through a wall. This is the first time that Apollo and The Midnighter became physically violent with each other.

Coup D'Etat & Revolution

Following a deadly mistake by US leaders, Authority team leader Jack Hawksmoor decided that the time had come to remove the US executive branch and run the country their way. The takeover went smoothly, but the occupation did not go as planned. Shadowy forces intervened to destroy the Authority and put corporate interests back in power.

During this Apollo and Midnighter were sent to raid the base of Stormwatch: Team Achilles, but they found it booby-trapped. After narrowly escaping with their lives, their next mission was to eliminate the US military's super-human training camp. Midnighter returned with the declaration that the program was "Not so special."

The Midnighter received a revelation about the future which compelled him to leave The Authority, permanently. He left Apollo and Jenny Quantum without an explanation and returned to the underground. Following a humiliating nuclear incident in Washington, DC, Hawksmoor resigned as President of the US and announced elections. The Authority disbanded. From 2005 to 2008, Apollo raised Jenny alone in San Francisco, under the watchful eye of the US Government.

When Jenny was eight years old, a series of events propelled her to take matters into her own hands and rebuild the team. She caused herself to jump in age to fourteen, precipitating a verbal confrontation with her father, Apollo. With Apollo's support, she set about to round up the surviving members of The Authority, including The Midnighter. In a painful moment between Jenny, Apollo, and Midnighter, Jenny told Midnighter that she was "the product of a broken home."

In the battle that followed, Henry Bendix revealed that he had gained control over The Midnighter through a Trojan Horse strategy which delivered nanites into Midnighter's body. The Midnighter then fought Apollo and Jenny. Midnighter told Apollo that he must kill him if he got the chance, but Apollo refused. Midnighter, with the aid of a device stolen from Dr. Krigstein's laboratory, defeated Apollo in battle, but Jenny was able to engage Midnighter long enough that the Engineer could remove the mind-control implants and restore Midnighter.

Worldstorm

Apollo battled Captain Atom and his allies in a attempt to stop the destruction of the Wildstorm universe. He killed Grifter in the battle by incinerating his head, but he was later killed by Captain Atom in retaliation. Aftewards, Void recreated the Wildstorm universe, and Apollo lived on.

Utopian

While recharging himself, he was taken down by U.S. Military forces during his attempt to aid injured people in Afghanistan.

World's End

During the events of World's End, Apollo was separated from Midnighter and the rest of the Authority when a thick layer of smog covered the Earth, preventing sunlight from reaching the surface. Apollo was forced to remain in the photosphere to absorb the radiation he needed to survive, visiting the surface in brief periods to help the team. While on the surface, environmental conditions sapped his powers, giving him a gaunt appearance and limiting his ability to fight.

He was later infected by the Warhol Fever, a super power-inducing virus, that evolved and became sentient by incubating in his body. Claiming to be "The Burn", the virus overrode his mind and attempted to escape into The Bleed. The Authority was forced to put Apollo in suspended animation, frozen and in an anaerobic room to keep the infection from spreading.

When Kaizen Gamorra and his forces attacked the Carrier and stole its technologies, Apollo was released into Gamorra Tower from the rest of Gamorra island, causing pure havoc. Apollo confronted Kaizen and killed him by incinerating his head. Apollo was sealed inside Gamorra Tower and the entire building was dropped into the Norwegian Trench so The Burn would go dormant in the cold environment.

Apollo was subsequently cured of his infection after Midnighter traveled to Scotland where he stopped a mad Habib Bin Hassan and was given an apple by Gaia Rothstein that cleansed Apollo's infection. The couple finally embraced after a long time. He and his husband later decided to stay on Earth after the Carrier left the planet, subsequently separating from the Authority, as Apollo's life depended on Earth's sun. Both Apollo and Midnighter then helped the heroes of Earth in battling the Knights of Khera, in which Apollo fought the Majestic-level Sebastian and was beaten when the Kheran warlord punched him to a un-sunlit Wales. Fortunately, he was teleported out of Wales by Stormwatch technician Link over five miles above the North Pole where he was fully recharged and able to destroy the Kheran's terraforming machines.

Fun Facts

Apollo is gay and married to The Midnighter and is the adoptive father of Jenny Quantum.

Apollo is the confidant to the Engineer, like his relationship with Jenny Sparks. He would tease her, calling her his 'fag hag'.

#apollo #sun king #StormWatch #The Authority #stormwatch zero #superman of the multiverse #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce #midnighter #lgbt #lgbtqia #lgbt+ #gay #gay man

[thedcdunce]

Max Mercury

“Just because you live in Alabama and not the thirtieth century doesn't mean you're surrounded by hicks, future boy. That's a stereotype.” - Max Mercury

Aliases:

Maxwell "Max" Crandall

Ahwehota

Windrunner

Lightning

Blue Streak

Quicksilver

Whip Whirlwind

Thunderpace

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 177 lbs (80 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Grey

Powers:

Speed Force Conduit

Speed Force Empathy

Abilities:

Meditation

Multilingual

Universe: New Earth

Base of Operations: Manchester, Alabama

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: Single

First Appearance: The Flash Vol 2 #76 (May, 1993)

Powers

Speed Force Conduit: People who, for whatever reason, are connected to the Speed Force are sometimes called Speed Force Conduits. This means that they are connected to the Speed Force and are tethered to it.

Accelerated Healing: The Speed Force connection allows the speedster's body recover from injury much faster than normal.

Enhanced Senses: The Speed Force enhances the speedster's senses, allowing them to perceive the world at a rate attuned how fast they can react.

Phasing: Speed Force conduits can tap into the Speed Force to vibrate their molecules in a way to achieve intangibility for short bursts, allowing them to phase through objects.

Speed Force Aura: The Speed Force also manifests an aura around the speedster and whatever they are carrying, protecting them from adverse effects of their speed, such a friction with the air.

Superhuman Durability: The Speed Force Aura also protects speedsters from kinetic impacts, which in turn, makes them much more durable and resistant to injury than any normal human.

Superhuman Stamina: While not unlimited, the connection to the Speed Force does bolster the speedsters stamina well beyond the limits of a normal human.

Superhuman Speed: The main effect of the connection is to allow a speedster to move at vast superhuman speeds.

Superhuman Agility

Superhuman Reflexes

Vortex Creations: Speed Force conduits are able to create vortices of air by running in circles or rotating their extremities at super-speed. These vortices can be used for a number of effects.

Speed Force Empathy: Max can sense when another Speed Force conduit is troubled, and can be drawn to the location of that speedster.

Abilities

Meditation: Max practices a form of meditation called "hypermediation", that allows him to detect various aspects that are inside the Speed Force, such as a voice or a visual.

Multilingual: He is able to speak Japanese, English, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, and possibly more.

Origin

Max Mercury was born in the early 19th century. By 1838, he had been assigned as a messenger at a fort. He made friends with the local Blackfoot clan. Unfortunately his fort commander, who did not trust any of them, leveled a bounty on the clan and ordered a full-scale massacre. The shaman of the clan, with his dying breaths, told Max that many tribesman were returning from the hunt, and that they would be ambushed if not warned quickly. With a pinkish substance, the shaman drew a lightning bolt on Max's chest, gave a prayer to the god of the storm and the wind, and died. Max ran faster and faster and faster still. As swift as the wind, he took the soldiers' weapons and caught the Blackfoot arrows in midair. He devoted the next few years of his life to protecting the natives and the settlers from one another as Ahwehota, or as he was better known, Windrunner. However, one night during a thunderstorm, Max felt drawn to the lightning from deep within his heart. He ran as he had never run before, breaking all barriers, and he began to be drawn into the speed force, the energy field that gives speedsters their power. He finally had met his glorious destiny, but fear stopped him, sending him ricocheting through time to New York of July 14, 1891.

Again and again, he tried to get to the speed force and failed. He continued his super-hero career as Lightning, Blue Streak, and Quicksilver between each jump in time.

Golden Age

By 1947, Max had established the his current name, Max Mercury. He was sometimes called "The Whirlwind of the West." He often would team up with other speedsters, including the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and Johnny Quick, who would never believe that there was a speed force. Somewhere along the line, he got to know Zatara, the great magician who is father of Zatanna.

In 1949, Jay Garrick saved him from the Screaming Skull, a debt which Max vowed only to pay in a life or death situation.

In late 1947, Max saved the small town of Manchester, Alabama from Dr. Morlo and his toxic bombs at great cost to himself. Max's lungs were burned and his blood was tainted when he breathed in Morlo's mustard gas. Fortunately, the local physician, Dr. David Claiborne, found him lying in a culvert. David and his wife, Laura, cared for Max, who was out for nine weeks. He awoke to a new year and a new home. With David, he found a best friend with whom he shared a love of fishing, tennis, and the "Shadow" radio show. Laura, however, was special. She was lonely because David was always so busy, being one of the few doctors in the area. Max stayed with the Claibornes for quite some time. One lonely night, Max and Laura sat on the rooftop, looking at the stars. Laura felt so lonely with David always gone, and she and Max had grown to love each other. The inevitable happened. When David returned home, Max just ran. He jumped in time again, this time to New Year's Day, 1957.

By the sixties, Max again showed up, teaming with Johnny Quick as they fought the villain Savitar. Max chased after Savitar, a sprint that sent him flying into the seventies. He began to keep a journal in Korean, and he would often probe the speed force, trying to sense the presence of Savitar.

Eventually, Max gave up on his superspeed. Living in the Central Keystone area, he got a job selling subway tokens for MTA.

Return

However, when Professor Zoom was in town, pretending to be the late Barry Allen, Jay Garrick and Johnny Quick enlisted his aid, recalling the Screaming Skull incident. Jay had kept Max's old, forties costume. Max joined Jay, Johnny, and the current Flash, in fighting Professor Zoom. He began to teach Wally to find the Zen of speed, thus gaining the nickname, "The Zen Guru of Speed."

After Zoom was defeated, Max disappeared for awhile. When Wally was trapped in time after adding Johnny's speed formula (3x2(9yz)4a) to his own speed, Max appeared. He could only remain at that high speed for a short time, but he taught Wally a valuable lesson about making decisions. Later, Max would occasionally keep an eye on Wally, peering into his house through the window or watching from a nearby alley.

Mentor to Impulse

Max again showed up after Bart Allen had arrived from the 30th century, to teach Wally about the Speed Force, help train Bart, and lend a hand in defeating Kobra, who had unleashed Project Morpheus on Keystone City.

After trying to locate Laura Claiborne, only to find that she had died a while ago, Max learned that he had a daughter, Helen, who still lived in Manchester. Wanting to keep an eye on her, he decided to move there. Wanting Bart to be taught the finer secrets of speed, Wally sent him with Max to Manchester. Max, known to the average citizens as Max Crandall, Bart Allen's uncle, always stressed keeping a secret identity. He would put Bart through challenging drills, such as solving jigsaw puzzles in midair; dodging knives, axes, maces, swords, etc; and running obstacle courses while dodging knives, axes, maces, swords, etc.

One day, Max met his daughter, Helen, in the library. She took an instant liking to him. Not knowing that he was her father, she would always flirt with him, but he obviously never returned those feelings. He often would help her around the house. Bart, also not knowing the secret, would urge their relationship on.

One night, after Bart had returned from fighting Blockbuster, Max disappeared. He had been kidnapped by Savitar's ninjas and taken to his fortress, where he was tortured. Fortunately, just before he was to be killed, he escaped. He ran to his home, where he was met by Wally, who took him to the hospital. Using a map carved on Max's chest, he and Jesse Quick went off to fight Savitar. When Jesse destroyed Savitar's speed battery, Max felt a surge of speed energy, and was able to help the others fight Savitar. During this adventure, Johnny finally accepted Max's lessons about the Speed Force, and perished saving his daughter. After Savitar was defeated, Max and Bart returned to Manchester.

One day, Max and Bart showed up at Helen's to find her being beaten up by her ex-husband. Max's scream--"Take your hands off my daughter!"--revealed to Bart and Helen Max's secret. Max had to tell Helen the whole story, including his and Bart's identities. However, they now shared even closer bond.

Into the Speed Force

Max finally become one with the Speed Force after his body was taken over by Jay's nemesis, Rival.

The Speed Force eventually sent Max, along with Barry, Wally, and Bart, to an alternate Earth. Here, they decided to allow Bart to absorb the power of the Speed Force so that he could be sent back home to defeat Superboy-Prime.

Fun Facts

Max Mercury has gone by many nicknames over the years. Akin to the 'Scarlet Speedster', Max was called the Whirlwind of the West, Zen Guru of Speed, and Laughing Robin Hood.

#max mercury #Flash family #maxwell max crandall #maxwell crandall #max crandall #ahwehota #windrunner #lightning #blue streak #quicksilver #whip whirlwind #thunderpace #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Azrael

“My name is Azrael, and I am probably the closest thing you'll ever see to an avenging angel. At least in this life.” - Azrael

Real Name: Jean-Paul Valley Jr.

Aliases:

Batman

Johnny Valli

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 210 lbs (95 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Blonde

Powers:

Genetic Enhancement 

Abilities:

Acrobatics

Computer Operation

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Intimidation

Investigation

Multilingualism

Mechanical Aptitude

Swordsmanship

Swimming

Artistry

Medicine

Weaknesses:

Mental Illness

Equipment:

Kevlar Body-Armor

Battle Gauntlets

Universe: New Earth

Base of Operations:

Ossaville

Gotham City

Citizenship: American

Parents: Jean-Paul Valley, Sr.; father

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Student

Security Guard

First Appearance: Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (October, 1992)

Appearance of Death: Azrael: Agent of the Bat#100 (May, 2003)

Powers

Genetic Enhancement: Raised in a test tube and put through various DNA experimentation in his fetal state, Jean-Paul's physiology allows him enhanced strength, speed and reflexes, and even durability.

Accelerated Healing

Enhanced Senses

Enhanced Durability

Enhanced Stamina

Enhanced Strength

Enhanced Speed

Enhanced Reflexes

Abilities

Acrobatics

Computer Operation: Jean-Paul Valley studied Computer Programming at Gotham University.

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Mental programming from The System has led Azrael to become a vastly above-average hand-to-hand fighter. While not on the same skill-level as Batman, he has proven himself more than capable of handling most physical threats. This was mainly due to that fact that his full combat potential was limited by his easily exploited Mental Illness. Batman has asserted in the past that if not for this factor, Azrael could become a better fighter than him.

Intimidation

Investigation

Multilingualism: Thanks to the System, Jean-Paul is able to understand foreign languages.

Mechanical Aptitude: Thanks to the system, Jean-Paul could design and create objects from scratch, as his batsuit.

Swordsmanship

Swimming: Jean-Paul proved to be an excellent swimmer, crossing a turbulent river.

Artistry: Bruce Wayne noted the talent of the artist from Jean-Paul.

Medicine: He learned a lot while working with Dr. Leslie Thompkins.

Weaknesses

Mental Illness: The Sacred Order of St. Dumas purposefully built an almost split-personality into Jean-Paul Valley. While the "normal" persona of Jean-Paul Valley was quite passive and mild mannered, and had no seeming irregularities, the Azrael persona is much more ragingly violent, and believes itself to be the manifestation of an actual biblical angel of vengeance. Originally, he was only able to manifest his superhuman abilities while in the Azrael costume and mindset. Later in his career, although he was still plagued by inner demons, and often even hallucinations, he gained better control over his two conflicting personalities, including the ability to utilize Azrael's abilities while acting as Jean-Paul.

Equipment

Kevlar Body-Armor: Azrael's suit was bullet and fire resistant.

Battle Gauntlets

Projectile Blades: The blades telescope to the sleeves of the gauntlets and remain attached to prevent loss.

Flaming Sword: A fire module on the base of the gauntlets feed fuel for the blades to ignite.

Flamethrower

Personalities

Due to the effects of "The System," Jean-Paul Valley developed a sort of split personality; Himself and Azrael. While Jean-Paul Valley was kind, gentle, and could be described as a "computer geek," Azrael was irritable, violent, and vengeful. This contrast was strongly evident in this respect: As the sect that conditioned him was a largely medieval organization, other members of the Batman Family would notice that occasionally Azrael's solutions to problems would ignore easier actions he could have taken using modern technology. For example, during the events of "Contagion" where he had to deliver an antidote recipe into the quarantined Gotham City, he attempted a mad rush of the surrounding fences past the military, and did succeed; but meanwhile his accomplices simply e-mailed it to the hospitals. This is contradictory to his mindset as Jean-Paul, who would normally, as a student of programming, been very aware of the possibility of such a solution. He also had a smaller, less developed personality, which he began to regress into shortly before his death; Batman. During his time as Batman, Jean-Paul had developed a third personality that combined the intellect of Jean-Paul Valley and the bloodlust of Azrael, but lacked the empathy and compassion of Jean-Paul Valley. It has been theorized that Jean-Paul's continued mental illness was only due to emotional and familial neglect from either of his father, or Batman.

Overview

Jean-Paul Valley, better known as Azrael, is a vigilante who formerly operated out of Gotham City. Most of his extraordinary abilities come from severe amounts of subconscious training and conditioning he was put through during his youth, unaware that he was being controlled by a 500-year old devout religious sect called the Order of St. Dumas. Named after the Angel of Death, Jean-Paul Valley is actually descended from a long line of crimefighters using the Azrael suit and name. As Azrael, his main nemesis was Carleton LeHah, an evil man of wealth who believed himself to be serving the demon Biis, the Order of St. Dumas' sworn enemy.

Origins

A test-tube baby, from his conception Jean-Paul's genetic structure was altered by scientists with Animal DNA, engineering him to be capable of feats beyond those of a normal human. He grew up oblivious to his intended larger purpose, and became a student of Programming at Gotham University. He learned of his family's legacy when his father, the previous Azrael, crawled bleeding to his apartment one night in costume, having been mortally wounded by LeHah. Before requesting that his body be dumped somewhere where the family secrets wouldn't be uncovered, his father supplied him with money, and the means to travel to Switzerland and meet with the Order of St. Dumas who would supply him with his training. It was later revealed that his father had actually been attempting to supply Jean-Paul with the means to escape the Order's influences, but his intentions were misread.

In the Swiss Alps, a man named Nomoz taught Valley of the responsibilities of Azrael, and revealed that despite believing himself to be rather mild-mannered, he was in reality already a more-than-capable fighter requiring no additional training, having been already unknowingly suitably conditioned. His conditioning is the result of a process referred to as "The System", the full implications on the human psyche of which have never been fully explained. In his first time donning his costume, Azrael meets Batman, accompanied by his butler Alfred, who had traveled to Switzerland investigating the mystery behind Azrael's father's death, the nature of which had inadvertently instigated a riot. Although at first they were at odds with each other, Azrael was eventually forced to rescue Bruce from Biis, and ended up rejecting the Order's violent and uncaring methods in favor of the more humanitarian efforts Batman encourages.

Already being aware of Wayne's secret identity, he traveled back to Gotham and began working with the Batman Family.

Knightfall

Bruce quickly sent Robin to train Azrael as a new vigilante and to control "The System". Valley was given a job as a security manager at Wayne Enterprises, where he also debuted as part of the selected group of vigilantes. Jean-Paul continued fighting crime, but it was obvious that the violent nature from "the system" wasn't going away. Jean-Paul did some work for Batman and after that, he saved Lucius Fox from a certain death. One night, Bruce was out of action and Jean-Paul took the mantle of the bat for the first time against Killer Croc and failed miserably. After the defeat, Jean-Paul's appearance and attitude changed to became more aggressive and he trained harder to increase his strength. In order to redeem his mistake with Killer Croc and to test the result of his training, Jean-Paul went out to the streets of Gotham to patrol all alone. He encountered a couple of common thieves and beat them to a pulp.

After Bane broke Bruce Wayne's spine, Jean-Paul joined Alfred and Robin and rescued Batman from the streets. Later, he helped Robin get a special medicine for Bruce's recovery. With Bane rising to the power, Gotham was in need of Batman and Bruce asked Jean-Paul to fill in for him; a role that Jean-Paul accepted in a much more sinister way than expected. In his first exploits using the mantle of the Bat, Jean-Paul worked without Robin, unleashing his wrath on common criminals before learning about Scarecrow's latest activities. Jean-Paul located Scarecrow, but as he was about to capture him, he had to confront Anarky. Scarecrow used fear on Anarky and Jean-Paul, but because of the System, Jean-Paul was not entirely affected and he finally stopped Scarecrow. As he left with the madman to deliver him to the authorities, Jean-Paul threatened Anarky to stay out of his way.

Confident after his initial victory, Jean-Paul became a more brutal Batman and forced a confession out of the notorious gangster Tony Bressi, who provided some information on Bane. Jean-Paul used Bressi to lure Bane, but he was instead confronted by Bane's henchmen. Using his new metallic gloves, Jean-Paul brutally defeated the trio and couldn't get further information as the police arrived at the scene and he was forced to flee. After learning the facility where Bane's henchmen were locked, he released them and used them to get to Bane. The confrontation between the two was short as Bane got the upper hand in the fight. However, Jean-Paul managed to break free and both of them decided to retreat for the next confrontation. Jean-Paul was determined to take down Bane and with The System actively working on him, he designed and built his own battle armor, which he used in replacement of the Batsuit. With his new gear, Jean-Paul confronted Bane and after a long fight, he managed to defeat him, sparing his life and earning the city's respect and rightful claim to the Batman title.

The Crusade

In his role as Batman, Jean-Paul started using a new method of transportation developed by Harold: the Batsubway Rocket. After this new development, Jean-Paul sealed every entrance to the Batcave that he knew about, effectively closing Wayne Manor and driving Robin away. He was also part of the Bloodbath mission launched by Amanda Waller against the Taker.

As Batman, Jean-Paul became unhinged and confronted several minor criminals, crippling them and hurting them beyond comprehension. Jean-Paul brutalized the Tally Man after the criminal tried to kill him, thinking he was the original Batman. Later, Jean-Paul tried to force an alliance with the organized crime by creating a gang war which resulted in his confrontation and brutal defeat of the mercenary Mekros. Afterwards, Jean-Paul stopped the Trigger Twins during a train heist and not long after this, he confronted Mister Freeze at the Gotham Morgue.

Jean-Paul eventually confronted Catwoman as he assumed she was involved in a terrorist attempt, but he couldn't bring himself to capture her as he was oddly captivated by the Catwoman. Jean-Paul chased Catwoman to a building in Gotham and their confrontation attracted the attention of the GCPD. Surrounded by officers, Batman jumped off the building, leaving Catwoman to fend for herself. However, he was summoned by Catwoman, who used the Bat-Signal to ask for his help capturing the real terrorists. Unfortunately, this was all a set-up and Jean-Paul was used by Catwoman to distract the criminals while she prevented the terrorist attack.

After this, Jean-Paul became the target of the latest Joker scheme. Paul was lured into a deadly trap created by the Joker inside a filmmaking studio, where he defeated several hired killers and stopped the madman. However, Paul had to be restrained by the GCPD from brutalizing Joker, which caused doubts among the officers and detectives who used to trust in Batman.

After stopping a child smuggling racket, Jean-Paul stopped the serial killer Abattoir from killing his cousin, but was unable to capture the criminal. It was also around this time that Jean-Paul's delusions intensified and after a nearly fatal encounter with The Corrosive Man, he decided to upgrade the Batsuit for further protection.

Jean-Paul later worked to recapture the serial killer known as Abattoir and he crossed paths with Ballistic, who was also looking for the killer. Together, they stopped the Malevolent Maniaxe from getting to Abattoir first and afterwards, Jean-Paul continued the search by himself. During this search, Jean-Paul was attacked by Lady Clay, but he soon learned that she had been forced to do so as Abattoir had kidnapped her newborn son, Cassius. Jean-Paul incapacitated Lady Clay and saved her son, allowing Abattoir to escape. Afterwards, Jean-Paul confronted Cassius' father, Clayface 3 and also incapacitated him, allowing the authorities to lock him and help his son.

Afterwards, Batman was informed by Bullock about a certain super-sniper and Jean-Paul confronted Gunhawk and Gunbunny, but he is no match for their fire power and he ends up outgunned. Immediately after this encounter, Jean-Paul resumed his manhunt for Abattoir and managed to locate the killer's hideout. Jean-Paul chased Abattoir to a foundry, where Abattoir ended up hanging above a vat of molten metal as a result of their struggle. Abattoir asked for help, but Jean-Paul started having visions of St. Dumas and in his troubled state of mind, he decided to let Abattoir fall to his death while a helpless Robin witnessed the event.

When the news about his actions spread, Jean-Paul was confronted by Commissioner Gordon, but Valley was unapologetic, forcing Gordon to break any connections with the vigilante. After Abattoir's death, Valley's mind changed and he assumed a more drastic attitude towards crime. He also designed an improved the batsuit, following the system's command. The new batsuit not only provided further protection after the cape was replaced with metallic wings, but it also featured increased firepower, as he included a machine gun for the bat-shirukens and also a flamethrower. With all this arsenal at hand, Valley was finally able to defeat and capture Gunhawk, who had created a hostage situation at Mercy Hospital.

Eventually, Jean-Paul was confronted in the Batcave by Bruce Wayne, who had fully recovered from his injury and wanted to strip Jean-Paul from the mantle of the bat as he had learned of his harsh methods. Jean-Paul managed to overthrow Wayne and warned him to never return to claim what didn't rightfully belong to him.

KnightsEnd

After the confrontation with Wayne, Jean-Paul's descend to madness worsened as the hallucinations haunted him constantly and he started a quest to stop Azrael's old enemy, LeHah, who was nowhere near Gotham. As Batman, Jean-Paul went on a brutal spree against criminals in order to find LeHah, while his hallucinations keep haunting him with more intensity, which in turn caused him to become even more ruthless.

His quest to find LeHah, brought Jean-Paul to confront corrupt businessman Penn Selkirk. When Selkirk couldn't provide him the answers he wanted about LeHah, Jean-Paul tried to murder one of his henchmen when he was stopped by Bruce Wayne, who had finally returned to claim the mantle of the bat. Jean-Paul would not give it away easily and the battle of the Batmen started. The struggle attracted the attention of the authorities, but when the building they chose to battle caught on fire, they escaped the place by attaching the Batrope to Selkirk's helicopter, which dragged them to the Gotham Bridge.

The fight continued on the bridge, but Jean-Paul was dowsed in flames because of his recklessness and the use of his flamethrower. After falling to the river, Jean-Paul pulled himself to the surface and realized that Wayne had fallen for his booby trapped Batmobile. He then confronted Robin and Nightwing with his armor Batsuit completely turned red. Nightwing attacked Jean-Paul, but after a long fight, Jean-Paul defeated Nightwing, almost killing him. Upon returning to the cave and thinking himself the victor above all his enemies, Jean-Paul was confronted by Batman, who had survived the explosion. The ensuing fight was short as Batman avoided violence and eventually forced Jean-Paul to remove the armor and face him without the mask. It was then that Jean-Paul admitted his defeat and abandoned the mantle of the Bat.

After his defeat, Jean-Paul lost control of his life and he wandered the streets of Gotham as part of the many homeless people living in the city.

Agent of the Bat

After the Knightfall incident, Jean-Paul Valley became a vagrant, and was approached by Batman, who offered to give him funds to find out about his origins. This led to him to travel around the world, and he eventually destroyed the splinter faction of the Order of St. Dumas that had spawned him. He changed from being focused on his quarrel with the Order, to being strictly obedient to Batman, to finally becoming more his own independent crimefighter. He would make several costume changes throughout his life as Azrael reflecting his internal changes.

Azrael assisted the Bat-family regularly, acting as a major force during the Contagion fiasco, and as a large player in the No Man's Land crisis when Gotham City was abandoned by the United States government after an earthquake, becoming an impoverished gang-ruled battlezone. During this time, he found a kindred spirit in Batgirl, another child raised for a life of violence, and she in him. He regularly fought the forces of Biis as well, and worked actively to bring about the downfall of the Order of St. Dumas, a task in which he mostly succeeded. It was also during this time that Azrael encountered another new foe, Scratch. Jean-Paul, even in his civilian identity, was continually plagued by hallucinations presumably brought up by The System, manifesting both his own father and St. Dumas himself. His struggles with insanity were a recurring problem for him, although he was usually able to fight through them. After No Man's Land, Jean-Paul set up a clinic based in an old cathedral with Dr. Leslie Thompkins, with the help of his friend and mentor, former psychiatrist Brian Bryan.

Sometime after this, Jean-Paul established a base of operations for himself at a small castle-like structure formerly owned by the Order of St. Dumas. This castle was situated near Ossaville, a small community about 100 miles away from Gotham City with a population of less than 28 people. This base was in considerable disrepair, so Batman sent Harold Allnut to live with Jean-Paul in the building and repair it, as Jean-Paul lacked the necessary skills to do so. Jean-Paul established his position as the protector of Ossaville after he chased away a biker gang which was threatening it at the time.

Death and Legacy

Azrael was eventually killed in a fight with his two greatest enemies, Biis and Scratch, following an attempt by the latter to once again frame Azrael for various crimes. Azrael was shot through his armor by multiple teflon-coated bullets, and then tumbled off of a balcony with LeHah. LeHah survived, and Scratch was arrested, but Jean-Paul tragically perished. Although his costume was recovered, his corpse was not.

Five years later, the Order of Purity, a splinter sect of the Sacred Order of St. Dumas created a new Azrael for Gotham City in ex-police officer Michael Lane, who has taken on his duties with gusto.

Blackest Night

Jean-Paul Valley was revived as a member of the Black Lantern Corps with a power ring. He murders a bystander, proclaiming, "You don't deserve a savior who sacrificed as much as I did to protect your corrupt and misled lives. You don't deserve Azrael!" He attempts to murder the Scarecrow, although Scarecrow simply isn't capable of feeling the fear that Black Lanterns feed on, thus is practically invisible to Azrael.

Fun Facts

The gauntlets used by Valley during his time as the Batman are now used by the Manhunter, Kate Spencer.

Azrael once fought the Punisher, but lost.

In his civilian identity, Jean-Paul wore round glasses.

Oracle frequently flirted with Jean-Paul, and confirmed that she had a crush on him.

Although Jean-Paul Valley once stated that he and his father shared the same name, other sources indicated that his father's name was actually just "Ludovic Valley."

Jean-Paul Valley is also known as Az-Bat.

#azrael #jean-paul valley #jean paul valley #jeanpaul valley #batman #johnny valli #batman family #Justice League Task Force #order of st. dumas #order of st dumas #Black Lantern Corps #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

The Ventriloquist

“Good evening, Gotham City. I am the Quakemaster. Using technology unknown to you, I caused the earthquake which has your city on its knees. You have to pay me one hundred million dollars or I will burn what's left of Gotham to the ground.” - The Ventriloquist 

Real Name: Arnold Wesker

Aliases:

Scarface

Quakemaster

Gender: Male

Height: 5′ 7″

Weight: 142 lbs (64 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: White (Bald)

Skin: White

Abilities:

Ventriloquism

Tactical Analysis

Business Management

Weaknesses:

Multiple Personalities

Equipment:

Scarface

Tommy Gun

Universe: New Earth

Base of Operations: Gotham City

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Crimelord

First Appearance: Detective Comics #583 (February, 1988)

Appearance of Death: Detective Comics #818 (June, 2006)

Abilities

Ventriloquism: Wesker is a skilled ventriloquist, an act of stagecraft in which the person changes his voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually his puppet Scarface. The ability to do so is called throwing one's voice.

Tactical Analysis: The Scarface persona is a brilliant criminal strategist and tactician.

Business Management

Weaknesses

Multiple Personalities: Wesker suffers from multiple personality disorder, and is thus obsessed with his dummy/dissociated personality Scarface.

Equipment

Scarface

Tommy Gun

Origins

Arnold Wesker has always been a meek and timid person, even as a child. When he was very young, his parents took him to the Gotham City shipyards to see an albatross, which was something of a local attraction. Terrified, he demanded to be taken home immediately. While his parents were distracted, a truck carrying display dummies rolled down the street, struck, and killed them. Traumatized by the accident, he became convinced that the albatross was an omen. Throughout his life he would cope by repressing all emotion and furthering his timid stature.

The repression eventually resulted in a psychotic breakdown during his adulthood, in which he killed a man during a bar-fight. By his own account the murder was completely accidental. He was arrested and sent to Blackgate Prison. There he was placed in a cell with an inmate named Donnegan, who harbored an intense interest in ventriloquism. Donnegan's most prized possession was a puppet named "Woody", which he was very protective of. Despite his violent nature, Wesker became intrigued by the dummy and even went so far as to attempt handling "Woody" whenever Donnegan was out of the cell. When he discovered this, he became enraged and assaulted Wesker for touching his property.

Wesker grew despondent in Blackgate, and prepared to hang himself while Donnegan slept. Despite the fact that Donnegan was unconscious, "Woody" began talking to Wesker. Though he ignored this at first, Woody insisted that he was acting independently of Donnegan's control. He convinced Wesker to forgo suicide in favor of escaping from Blackgate and revealed that Donnegan had been secretly digging an escape tunnel from the cell for the past fifteen years. While the two spoke Donnegan awoke and brutally attacked Wesker. He also stabbed at Woody with a corkscrew, creating a long scar along the side of the face of the puppet. Wesker fought back and smashed Donnegan in the face with a loose brick. He then strung the body up with the noose he originally intended to use for his own suicide. Subsequently Wesker took Woody and escaped through Donnegan's tunnel.

The tunnel led him to the shoreline of Blackgate Island, near the prison boathouse. At Woody's urging, he picked up a riot shotgun and killed two guards before stealing a raft. They paddled to the mainland of Gotham City and, planning to begin a new life, acquired a fresh set of clothes. The puppet, unsatisfied with the name that Donnegan had given him, decided to take a new name, one more befitting an angry criminal mind with high ambitions: Scarface.

Scarface became the vehicle through which Wesker could express all of his years of bottled-up rage. It was clear early on that Scarface was the dominant partner in their relationship, and Wesker always maintained a subservient and obedient countenance.

Criminal Career

Calling himself the Ventriloquist, Wesker became a powerful drug lord in Gotham City; although it was Scarface the official leader of the mob. They operated out of a trendy hotspot on Electric Street called the Ventriloquist Club. The bouncer of the club was an over-sized leg-breaker named Rhino. The Ventriloquist and Scarface made their marks in the Gotham underworld through the sale and distribution of a designer drug called Fever. This earned them the attention of the Batman, who eventually fought through the Ventriloquist's armed men and apprehended the drug lord and his puppet master.

While in prison, Ventriloquist and Scarface organized a drug trade with mob boss Rafael Santini, but the whole plan was foiled by Penguin and Mortimer Kadaver, who stole the drug money and offed Santini.

Wesker spent very little time in prison and before long he and Scarface were reunited and back in operation at the Ventriloquist Club. He actually wanted to retire from a life of crime, but Scarface would not hear of it. They discovered that while they were serving time, a criminal gang known as the Street Demonz had taken over Scarface's drug operations. One of Scarface's closest enforcers, Bruno, betrayed his former employer and threw his lot in with the gang. During a gunfight between Wesker's men and the gang, Scarface's body was riddled with bullets. For a brief moment, Wesker felt that he was finally free of the control of the puppet. He even built a small coffin for his damaged wooden partner. Unfortunately, Scarface still had control over the him, even in "death". He heard the voice of the puppet from within the coffin, and set him free. He repaired the damage from the bullets and Scarface was back in action.

Knightfall

Following another resounding defeat at the hands of the Batman, the Ventriloquist was apprehended and sent to Arkham Asylum. Time passed until a criminal known as Bane set all of the Arkham inmates free and Wesker escaped from Arkham during the chaos. In order to compensate for Scarface's absence, he briefly took to using an old sock as a hand puppet, naming it Socko. Wesker was joined by Amygdala, who acted as a bodyguard for Wesker until they find Scarface. Together, they broke into a toy store, looking for a replacement for Scarface and Batman arrived to stop them. Batman managed to defeat Amygdala, but the fight took all from him, allowing Wesker to escape.

After being separated from Amygdala, Wesker and "Socko" went to the place of their last attorney at law, Mr. Detweiler and forced him to tell them the current location of Scarface. The lawyer told them that the puppet might be at the police precinct where Ventriloquist was previously arrested. Wesker infiltrated the precinct, killed the guard and located the locker where Scarface was being held.

Once again in possession of Scarface, Wesker had troubles as his puppet Socko was in conflict with Scarface. While staying on a derelict building, Scarface and Socko started to argue and both puppets shot each other, hurting Wesker's hands.

Cataclysm

After the devastating earthquakes that destroyed much of Gotham city, an enigmatic villain appeared on television, calling himself the Quakemaster and issuing demands for a $100 million ransom, or more quakes would follow. Robin eventually figured out the Quakemaster's identity as Scarface, disguised with glasses and a hat - the villain tried to avoid saying words with the letter 'B' as he would let himself slip and pronounce them as 'G'. Wesker was captured and jailed in Arkham Asylum. During No Man's Land, Wesker escaped and he was one of the villains who took control of a district of Gotham with his gang led by Rhino. He stole dropped supplies and profited from selling it to the civilians. Batman brutally took down Scarface and showed little sympathy for Wesker, saying that the puppet is just a shield he hinds his own evil emotions behind. Batman let Rhino in charge of protecting the civilians and giving them their fair share, and turned Wesker over to Lock-Up in Blackgate.

Prodigal

He was reunited with Scarface soon after and attempted to gain a foothold in the Wharfdale area of Gotham by eliminating a rival gangster named Marty Vetch. Scarface made a severe impact in Vetch's operations by killing one of his main drug suppliers and contaminating a shipment of heroin that belonged to his cartel. The feud between Scarface and Vetch came to a head outside of the Ventriloquist Club. During this time, Bruce Wayne had relinquished the role of Batman to his first ward Dick Grayson. As Batman, Grayson with the current Robin raided Marty Vetch's penthouse and fought with the Ventriloquist's thugs. Wesker attempted to flee down a fire escape and was separated from Scarface. He was captured once again and sent to Blackgate Prison for psychological evaluation.

While he languished away in prison, Scarface wound up in the hands of his old enforcer, Rhino. Rhino attempted to operate the puppet, but Scarface would not respond to him. After numerous attempts however, Scarface began to communicate through Rhino. The puppet instructed him to make a deal with the Penguin in order to stage a prison breakout. The Penguin agreed, and before long, the Ventriloquist was free.

Reunited with Scarface, Wesker resumed his old lifestyle and crossed paths with the Batman on several more occasions. In one instance, a crazed Batman nearly killed him, but opted instead to destroy Scarface. The Ventriloquist repaired Scarface yet again, only this time the criminal duo set their sights on their competition, notably the Penguin.

City of Crime

Ventriloquist formed an alliance with Penguin and together started a crime ring that consisted on kidnapping young pregnant girls and selling their babies to adoption. When Mister Freeze started posing trouble for their business, Ventriloquist sent all his men to eliminate him, but his plan was thwarted by Batman.

Shortly after this, the Ventriloquist was attacked by the new enemy only known as The Body. The Ventriloquist and his gang were massacred on one of his own boats and the only living member left was Wesker himself. Barely alive, he controlled Scarface and told Batman everything he knew about The Body, but passed out just seconds after that. Wesker was taken to a hospital and Robin guarded the criminal to protect him from another attack. The Body found Wesker's room and tried to attack him, but Robin stopped them and moved Wesker to a different room.

War Games

Ventriloquist and Scarface were summoned to a meeting where all the other crime lords of Gotham were summoned as well. The meeting ended up in a shooting and Scarface killed . After that incident, the broke out in Gotham and Wesker's gang was approached by from the and they made an alliance to get rid of other crime lords in Gotham. Together, they eliminated a minor lord called Saunders, and later, they targeted , daughter of the crime boss . Both gangs attacked the Louis Grieve High School, where Darla was attending to and they were temporarily stopped by , who wrecked Wesker's car and took Scarface away from him.

Ventriloquist and Scarface were summoned to a meeting where all the other crime lords of Gotham were summoned as well. The meeting ended up in a shooting and Scarface killed Silver Monkey. After that incident, the greatest gang war broke out in Gotham and Wesker's gang was approached by Alexandra Kosov from the Odessa Mob and they made an alliance to get rid of other crime lords in Gotham. Together, they eliminated a minor lord called Saunders, and later, they targeted Darla Aquista, daughter of the crime boss Henry Aquista. Both gangs attacked the Louis Grieve High School, where Darla was attending to and they were temporarily stopped by Tim Drake, who wrecked Wesker's car and took Scarface away from him.

Wesker recovered Scarface and retreated to establish a plan of action. After he gathered his gang, Wesker sent them to take over the city. However, when he was alone, The Ventriloquist was attacked by Black Mask, who subdued him and forced Wesker to work for him.

Ventriloquist and the Scarface gang were present at the massive criminal gathering at Robinson Park. After the revelation of Black Mask intentions of killing his enemies, Wesker and his gang went outside the park, where they confronted the GCPD on a massive gun fight.

Death

Wesker and Scarface survived the events of Alexander Luthor's attempt to recreate the multiverse, but a year later had become a pair of washed-up criminals reduced to eating canned pasta in a ramshackle apartment. Though they schemed to return to their glory days, their plans were interrupted by the Tally Man, who had been sent by the Great White Shark to murder costumed criminals around Gotham in a gambit to frame the recently reformed Harvey Dent. The Ventriloquist stood little chance against the younger, more vicious criminal, and was killed by a single shot to the head.

Resurrection

During the "Blackest Night", the Ventriloquist was among those resurrected by Nekron as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Although he no longer physically possessed Scarface, he created an army of constructs that looked like the puppet with his ring.

Fun Facts

It has never been clear whether Scarface was actually just an aspect of Wesker's multiple personality disorder, or if he had actually somehow gained sentience. There have been several instances where Scarface has functioned independently of a human controller, but this may also be a reflection of the controller's mental state at the given moment. On occasion, Scarface has been animate during times when Wesker was asleep or unconscious, or not even present at all. One of the strongest arguments for suggesting that Scarface may be a separate consciousness is the fact that he always maintains the same personality no matter who is operating him. In the case of Donnegan, however, Scarface's diction was much better, and he didn't replace the letter "B" with a "G" as was the case with Wesker.

Wesker is unable to pronounce any word with a letter "B" accurately without moving his lips, giving Scarface a speech impediment. He compensates for this by using the letter "G" as he often calls the Dark Knight "Gatman".

#the ventriloquist #ventriloquist #arnold wesker #scarface #quakemaster #the society #Black Lantern Corps #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

The Question

“For certain questions, sometimes the best answer is no answer at all.” - The Question

Real Name: Charles “Charlie” Victor Szasz

Aliases:

Vic Sage

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Strawberry Blonde

Abilities:

Acrobatics

Disguise

Genius Level Intellect

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Indomitable Will

Interrogation

Intimidation

Investigation

Journalism

Dragon Style Kung Fu

Philosophy

Shamanism

Weaknesses:

Lung Cancer

Equipment:

Pseudoderm Mask

Universe: New Earth

Base of Operations:

Hub City

Chicago

Gotham City

Metropolis

Citizenship: American

Parents:

John Grayson; father

Mary Grayson; mother

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Television Investigative Journalist

First Appearance: Blue Beetle Vol 6 #4 (September, 1986)

Appearance of Death: 52 #38 (March, 2007)

Abilities

Acrobatics: He has shown to be a proficient acrobat, and has used this skill to survive a fatal fall by rebounding off building sides and somersaulting to create more drag. He can get around by jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

Disguise: The Question has and can assume many aliases and has, as he describes, "many different faces".

Genius Level Intellect: The Question possesses genius intelligence and has an extremely unpredictable way of thinking. He can make a weapon out of common objects and often uses his mind to win fights.

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Easily capable of incapacitating large groups of criminals and has knocked out trained policemen and soldiers with minimal effort. Vic has shown enough skill to take down two vicious attack-dogs and their highly-trained owner spontaneously, one after the other.

Indomitable Will: His training and lifestyle demanded much determination, and he was rarely known to give up or surrender especially in physical confrontations.

Interrogation: His opponents often fear him due to the rumors of his insanity and ruthless tactics.

Intimidation: He has on many occasions frightened criminals into giving him information he wants, and sometimes resorts to methods that many heroes shy from, like threatening a killer with a chainsaw.

Investigation: He has a superior inquisitive mind and has years of experience as an investigative reporter as well as his life as The Question.

Journalism: Victor was a TV investigative journalist. He had his own show and appeared on local news which sought out conspiracy theories, local crime rings and other violent or mysterious news. His Journalistic techniques were what drove him to become the Question.

Dragon Style Kung Fu: He was trained in Kung-Fu and had exceptional martial arts skills.

Philosophy: A self-proclaimed philosopher, Vic Sage has spent years surviving and understanding in the modern to postmodern world of big city life. He understands the functions of the people within the city and even the city itself on a deeper level.

Shamanism: The Question sought out to learn shamanistic techniques which applied to his city. He used these skills and techniques to "feel" the city and better understand it.

Weaknesses

Lung Cancer: Due to his smoking habit, Vic Sage developed terminal lung cancer, of which he eventually died.

Equipment

Pseudoderm Mask

Origin

When Vic Sage, a television investigative journalist, encountered stories he couldn't investigate by normal, legal means, he donned a special mask that made it appear that he had no face. As the Question, Sage investigated corruption in the face of all danger, leaving a blank "calling card," which, when touched, emitted a smoky question mark.

Childhood and Early Career

Victor Sage was born Charles Victor Szasz, and grew up an orphan who had a reputation as a troublemaker. Szasz prided himself in defiantly enduring the physical abuse of the Catholic orphanage where he was housed. Though he managed to get into college, higher learning did not mellow his violent tendencies. Some time during college, he brutally beat a drug dealer for giving him LSD, which had caused Sage to doubt his own senses under its influence.

After graduating from college, Sage made his mark as a highly outspoken and aggressive reporter with a reputation for obnoxiousness in Hub City. He then moved to television journalism, which eventually led him to investigate Dr. Arby Twain. This particular story would alter the course of Sage's life permanently.

Birth of the Question

Sage was approached by his former professor, a scientist named Aristotle Rodor, who told Sage about an artificial skin called Pseudoderm, which Rodor had co-developed with Dr. Twain based on the notes of Gotham criminal Bart Magan and research into Gingold, the chemical responsible for the Elongated Man's powers.

Pseudoderm was intended to work as an applied skin-like bandage with the help of a bonding gas, but had an unforeseen toxicity which was fatal when applied to open wounds. Though Rodor and Twain agreed to abandon the project and parted ways, Professor Rodor later discovered that Dr. Twain planned to proceed with an illegal sale of the invention to Third World nations, despite the risk to human health.

Sage resolved to stop him but had no way of going after Dr. Twain without exposing himself. Rodor suggested that Sage use a mask made of Pseudoderm to cover his famous features. Disguised by the Pseudoderm mask and armed with information, Sage eventually caught up with Dr. Twain, stopped the transaction, and extracted a confession from him. He then left Twain bound in Pseudoderm in an ironic twist. On television, Vic Sage reported on Dr. Twain's illegal activities.

With his first venture a success, Sage decided that this new identity would be useful for future investigations. He continued to work with Professor Rodor, who supplied the Pseudoderm and eventually modified the bonding gas, giving it the ability to alter the color of Sage's hair and clothing, as well. Vic became good friends with "Tot," who became a mentor to him in both of his identities.

Shortly after debuting in Hub City, Vic Sage relocated to Chicago, IL in order to join the staff of WWB-TV as a crusading journalist. He would continue to operate as The Question there, and would make an ally of Chicago's other resident hero, the Blue Beetle. He would also travel to other cities in the course of his investigations, and eventually teamed up with Batman and briefly participated in the Crisis.

The Question's early crime fighting career was somewhat successful, but his black-and-white moral viewpoint and lack of commitment would soon lead to a turning point for both Sage and his alter ego.

Near-Death Experience and Further Training

After his time in Chicago, Vic Sage returned to Hub City and KBEL television, where he worked alongside news anchor and occasional love-interest Myra Connelly. During a mission as The Question, he was badly beaten in personal combat by the mercenary and martial artist, Lady Shiva, and then nearly fatally beaten by her employer's thugs and shot in the head with a pellet gun. Though he was thrown in a river to drown, Shiva rescued him for reasons of her own and gave him directions to meet Richard Dragon as soon as he was recovered enough to get out of bed.

Following a vision of Batman while in his sickbed, Sage sought out the master martial artist, who retained all of his skill even while confined to a wheelchair. Sage spent a year learning martial arts and Eastern philosophy from Dragon. The training changed and deepened The Question's moral perspective, and the crimefighter became more understanding of the moral ambiguity of his chosen work.

Vic Sage returned to Hub City and resumed his career as The Question with a new, broader worldview, and a belief that crime had to be fought at more than one level.

The New Question

Though The Question had originally established himself as a crime fighter by stopping street crime, his post-Dragon career found him attacking the systematic corruption of Hub City at its highest levels. Hub City was noted as being "synonymous with venality, corruption, and violence," and perhaps even outranked Gotham City as the most dismal city in the the United States.

The Question's work in defending the city extended beyond street crime and into the realm of politics and social justice. He re-enlisted as an ally his former girlfriend, Myra, who had married the corrupt, alcoholic mayor of Hub City, Wesley Fermin, in his absence. He also met Batman again and have the first of what would be many encounters with the Green Arrow.

After spending months running Hub City while her husband descended into mental illness, Myra Fermin announced her intention to run for mayor herself, and received Sage/The Question's full support. Though Myra's marriage to the mayor was loveless, she resisted the temptation to reunite with Sage, but she eventually gave into her temptation and had affairs with both Sage and The Question, whom she did not realize were the same man. When Myra lost the election by one vote, she was elected to the position anyway, as her challenger had died as a result of what was called "the worst tornado in history." However, during her victory speech, her husband, Wesley Fermin, shot her in the stomach for supporting what he called "Communist beliefs." Wesley was subsequently killed during a police stand-off, but Myra entered a coma, and Hub City was plunged further into chaos. For some time, the Question, became the city's only guarantor of justice, though Myra eventually awoke from her coma and assumed her role as mayor.

The gang warfare in the weeks following the election led Sage to a reunion with Lady Shiva, who at first resumed her adversarial relationship with The Question and then became an ally to him. Through Shiva, The Question was able to meet with the gang-leaders who were creating chaos in the city.

Although he had the support of Myra and his mentor, Tot Rodor, Sage/The Question often felt troubled about his role as the city's protector and as a fighter of crime. Reconciling his original, stark, mindset with the enlightenment he had received from Richard Dragon continued to be a source of conflict for The Question, who struggled to determine how far he should go in his pursuit of justice. With the help of his allies, The Question realized that a perverse part of him wanted to know what it felt like to take another person's life, and he managed to successfully defeat his temptation to kill.

Leaving Hub City

Though The Question did his best to contain the chaos around Hub City, he felt himself growing increasingly dark as time wore on. A hallucinogenic trip caused his subconscious, in the form of his mother, to tell him that he would never be able to lead a happy life unless he left Hub City. Richard Dragon echoed this viewpoint during a visit to Vic Sage, when he sensed that Sage was on the verge of a major turning point in his life. Lady Shiva soon after arrived by helicopter to spirit The Question, Rodor, and Myra Fermin away from the city, though she herself decided to embrace the Hub's chaos and remain there. Sage nearly convinced Myra to leave the city with him, but her sense of duty convinced her to remain. Before Sage left, Myra gave to him her only daughter, Jackie, and wandered back to the city alone to meet her duties as Mayor and do her best to stand for what she believed in.

Sage took Jackie with him to South America, hoping to rid himself of his "No Face" alter ego and find a land free of the clutter and corruption that filled Hub City. However, this sense of serenity did not last long. Sage was quickly drawn into a drug war which ultimately forced him to kill a man in order to save Jackie's life. The Question's philosophy from that point changed once again, as he realized that he had no guilt over the killing and would do it again if necessary. He would kill again.

Unfortunately, Jackie would die anyway, en route to her mother in Hub City.

Career after Hub City

After leaving Hub City, Victor Sage held a series of journalistic positions in various cities, while reviving his Question persona when necessary. Previous experiences teaming up with such heroes as Green Arrow and Batman had established the Question in the superheroic community, and he would participate in major events such as the Alien Invasion and Brainiac's attack on Metropolis. Following his abandonment of Hub City, The Question helped protect an Indian reservation alongside Green Arrow and John Butcher. He traveled the United States and would meet Steel and Azrael. He even very briefly became a member of a team, when he joined the L.A.W. alongside his old comrade Blue Beetle and Nightshade, Sarge Steel, Captain Atom, and Judomaster during a disappearance of the Justice League of America, in order to stop Judomaster's former sidekick, Tiger, from conquering the world. On that mission, the Question would also first learn of the mysterious land of Nanda Parbat. He would also return to Hub City several times, and eventually got a bittersweet shock when he learned that Myra had finally moved on.

Following the near-destruction of Gotham City after a major earthquake, the Question relocated to Gotham and teamed with the Huntress, with whom he had a short-lived affair.

After years of dabbling with hallucinogens, meditation, and his mask-activating gas, The Question developed a shamanic awareness, in which he was able to interpret coincidences and thus "talk to the city". In this state, he was also able to sense chi, or life force. He became able to "walk in two worlds" for an increased awareness of his surroundings and of any disturbances in a city's natural order. This ability came in handy when Sage relocated to Metropolis and teamed up with Superman against Lex Luthor and the Psychopomp.

Infinite Crisis

During the events of the Infinite Crisis the Secret Society of Super-Villains coordinate a planet wide breakout of super-villains from every major prison. With the JLA otherwise occupied Oracle with the help of the telepathy of the Martian Manhunter is able to organize a group of second string vigilantes to oppose the escapees at each prison. The Question joins up with these heroes and when they make their way to Metropolis he is transported with the other heroes to fight in what would become the Battle of Metropolis.

52

Following the events of the Infinite Crisis and Batman's disappearance, The Question returned to Gotham City to assume the role of its protector.

His first act was removing the bat symbol sticker from the Bat-Signal and spray-painting a giant question mark in its place. This was not strictly an act of ego, however- he shone the light on Renee Montoya's apartment building in order to get her attention. Three days later, he entered Montoya's apartment and left her an address: 520 Kane Street. When Montoya visited the location, he hired her to watch an abandoned building located there for "two hundred dollars a day, plus expenses," and implied that it would be used by a third party. This mysterious behavior would lead to a partnership that would last nearly a year.

Two weeks and one night later, the two teamed up against a strange creature who entered that building. The course of their investigations then led them to Kahndaq, where they investigated Intergang dealings and prevented a suicide bombing during Black Adam and Isis's wedding, an action that earned The Question the Order of the Crescent.

After returning to Gotham City, the Question learned that he was suffering from lung cancer. Though Montoya immediately had Sage hospitalized and later took it upon herself to transport him to the Himalayan city of Nanda Parbat in the hope of using its mystical properties to save him, she was too late. After suffering through great discomfort and hardship, Victor Sage, The Question, passed away.

Blackest Night

During the Blackest Night crossover, Vic Sage is reanimated as a Black Lantern. He goes after Renee, Tot and Lady Shiva, who manage to elude him by suppressing their emotions, making them invisible to him.

The Question's legacy lives on, however: Renee Montoya has been seen wearing the mask and garb of the Question in Gotham City, and, on an alternate version of Earth, a version of Vic Sage lives on.

#the question #question #charles charlie victor szasz #charles victor szasz #charlie victor szasz #charlie szasz #charles szasz #vic sage #l.a.w. #law #l.a.w #jla #justice league of america #Black Lantern Corps #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce #Living Assault Weapons

[thedcdunce]

Cheshire

“You can wait to kill each other when this is over.” - Cheshire

Real Name: Jade Nguyen

Aliases:

Jade Chaumont

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 9″

Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black

Abilities:

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Acrobatics

Poison Specialist

Driving

Equipment:

Poisons

Sai

Universe:

Earth-One

New Earth

Citizenship: Vietnamese

Parents:

Andre Chaumont; father

Anna Nguyen ; mother

Marital Status: Widowed (Kruen Musenda; husband)

Occupation: 

Assassin

Mercenary

First Appearance: New Teen Titans Annual #2 (August, 1983)

Abilities

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Cheshire excels at hand-to-hand combat, and is proficient in various acrobatic and martial arts skills.

Martial Arts

Acrobatics: Her joints are extremely flexible, making her a skilled acrobat.

Poison Specialist: In addition, she is also an expert on poisons, preferring to douse her fingernails into a vast variety of deadly chemicals.

Driving

Equipment

Poisons

Sai

Origin

Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery. This trauma ultimately drove her insane, and paved her way into becoming one of the world's most ruthless mercenaries.

After killing her master, Jade was informally adopted by Chinese freedom fighter Weng Chan, who taught her all he knew about guerrilla fighting. She acquired knowledge of poisons from Kruen Musenda, a famed African assassin known as the "Spitting Cobra" and to whom she was married for the two years prior to his death.

Teen Titans

She was a long-standing rival of the superhero team the Teen Titans. However, when Roy Harper, a.k.a. the archer Arsenal, went undercover for the government in a mission to get her confidence and turn her over, the two fell passionately in love. Knowing he would not be able to turn her in, he walked out; Cheshire would not learn his true identity until years later. The result of their romance was a daughter, Lian, whom Roy is raising. Despite her own shortcomings, Jade loves her daughter.

Deathstroke and Ravens

Returning to her mercenary ways after leaving Lian behind for Roy, Jade saved Deathstroke's life so he could help her in stealing nuclear weapons from Russia in an attempt to blackmail the world. To prove she was not bluffing, she obliterated the Middle Eastern nation of Qurac, reasoning that since Qurac was a stronghold for Muslim terrorists, the Western countries would secretly be grateful. Cheshire's plans were foiled when her base came under attack and she was forced to flee. She later created her own team, The Ravens.

Tartarus

Cheshire volunteered to join Tartarus, a group created by Vandal Savage with the objective of destroying the Titans. During a confrontation with the Titans and the H.I.V.E, Savage shot Cheshire to distract Arsenal. She recovered, but was taken into custody for her crimes including the devastation of Qurac. Sentenced to life imprisonment, she was broken out by the Ravens. Arsenal, however, forced her back into custody.

Secret Six

She later escaped custody and became a member of the Secret Six. At this time, she developed a relationship with Thomas Blake, a.k.a. Catman, and became pregnant. She later betrayed the Secret Six to their archenemies, "The Society." However, she was shot and critically wounded by Deathstroke shortly afterwards, who did not think the Society needed traitors like her in their ranks. Though apparently killed, she later resurfaced, living in a mansion in the Himalayan Mountains with her new son. Working with Vandal Savage again, she put out hits on the other members of the Secret Six except for Blake. Taking matters into her own hands, she stabbed The Mad Hatter, who was working with the Six. Her blade was poisoned and she later bartered the antidote to the poison to Catman in exchange for her safety.

She was later sent back to prison, but she received visits from Roy Harper and Lian occasionally. Her incarceration was only temporary however, and Cheshire was soon back out on the streets as a member of the new Injustice League. She was among the villains deported to the prison planet during the events of Salvation Run.

Brightest Day

Cheshire returned as a member of a small army of villains attempting to collect massive bounties on the heads of the Secret Six. She manages to poison the meals of her targets, but is defeated by Jeannette. Later, Star City is destroyed by Prometheus, and Lian is apparently killed. Jade had joined Deathstroke's new team of Titans and was later seen fighting Atom and kills him. After finding out about her daughter's death; Cheshire attacks Roy, outraged at not keeping Lian safe: injuring him and threatening to do worse as revenge.

Titans

At some point after the death of Lian, Cheshire took a job to assassinate a cult leader, but was unsuccessful. Her target began to pursue her. Slade told her that she had lost her edge after her daughter's death. He offered to take care of her pursuer and help her get her edge back. She accepted membership in Deathstroke's new team of Titans.

Their first assignment was murdering Ryan Choi. She later contacted Roy, forcing him into joining Deathstroke's team so the two of them can kill Deathstroke. Cheshire rationalizes that Roy "owes" her for Lian's death, but while it appears Roy double-crossed her, it is part of Cheshire's plan. Afterward, Deathstroke and his team arrived at South Pacific Island to kill cult leader Drago over the arena production of blind warriors; however, his team, Cheshire, and Roy betray him, revealing that they had been working with Drago. Cheshire and Roy's plan backfired, as Drago never intended to give Cheshire her freedom back. Their attempt to defeat Drago and escape failed miserably. Later, Drago explained to Cheshire that he needs an heir, and she was going to provide him with one. Drago tries to convince Cheshire to succumb to him, but Drago was reading her mind and using her thoughts against her, but she is ultimately rescued by Slade and his Titans. Drago was defeated, Deathstroke allows him to live and the Titans then leave from his island but Cheshire and Roy choose to re-join the Titans. Upon returning to the labyrinth, Deathstroke reveals to them that his proceeding items were used to create a healing machine called "Methuselah Device" for his dying son, Jericho. After healing Jericho, Deathstroke claims the machine can also resurrect the dead, offering Cheshire and Roy the chance to revive Lian. Cheshire accepts, but Roy refuses, tells that he has punishing himself for his daughter's death and that Lian is in a better place. Joined by Tattooed Man and Cinder, Cheshire and Arsenal fought the other Titans to destroy the Methuselah Device.

Fun Facts

Black Canary once called her "the second most deadly assassin in the world", only topped by Lady Shiva.

Jade routinely poisons her nails.

While on an assassination mission, Cheshire contemplated her relationship with Roy Harper, who was getting in the way of her mission as Speedy. While she decided she should probably kill him, Jade noted that it would be a shame since he was "so, so good" of a lover.

#cheshire #jade nguyen #jade chaumont #injustice league #Titans #the society #society #secret six #tartarus #the ravens #ravens #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Voodoo

“My name's Priscilla, or you can call me by my stage name if you want. That's Voodoo.” - Voodoo

Real Name: Priscilla Kitaen

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 10″

Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Powers:

Kherubim Ancestry Physiology

The Sight

Voodoo Magic

Magnetic Manipulation

Daemonite Physiology

Abilities:

Expert Martial Artist

Occultism

Talented Dancer

Universe: Wildstorm Universe

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: 

Skywatch

Halo Corporation

Mobile

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: 

Adventurer

Exotic Dancer

Student

Education: High School Graduate

First Appearance: WildC.A.T.s #1 (August, 1992)

Powers

Kherubim Ancestry Physiology: Kherubim resemble humans in appearance, but are physically far stronger and more durable and extremely long-lived, nearly immortal. However an evolutionary drawback to their near-immortality is that Kherans are almost infertile, only very rarely will a Kheran produce offspring. This effect is seen in real world natural environments, as longer living organisms will have fewer offspring than organisms with short lifespans. This is a natural check against overpopulation.

The Sight: Voodoo possess highly advanced telepathic abilities that were limited only by the fact that she had not received any formal training and mainly had naturally developed them. Named, 'The Sight' as most of these powers revolved around her ability to perceive things beyond ones normal sight, they are the focus of her prime abilities. The ones developed due to her status as a Kherubim/Human Crossbreed. The primary power in the Sight is the ability for her to perceive hidden truths. Shape-shifters have no solace from her. She can see a Daemonite possessing a human as it is. No disguise can hold up to this powerful ability, and it is exactly because of this, that the Daemonites wanted her so badly during the beginning and would occasionally target her specifically during later events. Hers are the eyes that cannot be fooled.

Telepathy: Voodoo is a neophyte telepath in that she is quite capable of perceiving the thoughts of others. Be it the thoughts in a crowd, or receiving specific thoughts from individuals. She can read and manipulate the thoughts and emotions of others, and even shut off people's minds. Her powers increase proportionate to physical intimacy, enabling her greater ability to psychically manipulate and read others.

Psi-Blast: Voodoo is powerful enough to focus her psionic energies into a very painful and direct attack. This, psi-blast was powerful enough to effect the Kherubim Lord Entropy. A non-psi would be temporarily crippled by such an assault as their mind flares with a feeling like acid being poured upon it.

True Sight: Voodoo is capable of seeing things as they are. She perceives things as the truth. No disguise holds up to her. No shape-shifter can hide from her powers and no Daemonite is safe when she is present. This power is infallible and so strong she need not be present with the person as she can apparently detect a Daemonite even over television and perhaps via photo's as well. She is capable of perceiving if someone is lying to her.

Mental Separation: Voodoo has the ability to separate psyche's and manipulate such psionic patterns that she may perform literal 'separations'. Be it forcing a Daemonite to leave it's host, or purging a willing individual of unwanted parts of their soul and psyche, or separating and restoring damaged and trapped psyche's within others. Usually she does this via touch, however she can do this from a distance as well. Regardless, whenever she does it she is usually left drained and very vulnerable. Usually very intense pain is involved for one or at times, both of the participants in a depossession and separation attempt. More often then not, the staggering and draining effect is shared by both Voodoo and her target as she, via her natural empathic abilities, seems to feel what they feel temporarily.

Mind Lock: Voodoo has the ability to literally seize control over someone's mind, temporarily freezing and mentally controlling them. The less psionically resistant someone is, the easier it is for her to do this obviously. Voodoo is also able to enter minds, and manipulate an individuals powers and abilities from the outside.

Mental Illusion: Voodoo is capable of very minor telepathic illusions, used to briefly distract and deter and opponent.

Empathy: Voodoo seemingly has slight empathic abilities that generate a magnetic attraction about her that members of the opposite sex can't help but notice her. If she's in a room chances are someone will pick her out or have their eyes drawn to her. She is naturally appealing, this power enhancing her already considerable beauty.

Voodoo Magic: Voodoo learned a limited amount of voodoo magic from a Voodoo Priestess. Wishing to return to her voodoo rituals she sought to learn more from her southern roots.

Necromancy: Voodoo has the ability to reanimate and control dead bodies.

Magnetic Manipulation

Daemonite Physiology

Accelerated Healing: If a Daemonite is ever harmed it can heal indefinitely while it's brain still survives. Daemonites have been seen losing their limbs, internal organs and portions of their brains while still surviving. It also seems that Daemonites heal more quickly while resting within a host body.

Chronokinesis Most Daemonites possess a degree of time manipulation however the exact limits of this ability are unknown.

Claws: Daemonites have long, dangerous claws on each hand and foot which they use within combat and to help break the mental barrier of their host bodies. They can also expose these claws while within their host body to allow for stronger attacks.

Fangs: Daemonites have long, dangerous fangs in their mouths which they use to rend and tear at targets. Their fangs can help them breach the mental barriers of their hosts. Some Daemonites use long tendrils instead of fangs for the same effects.

Immortality: Daemonites have survived for countless years within and without a host body. It is assumed by scientists and enemies of the Daemonites that they are immortal; however, this may only be the case in mental form. As such Daemonites can in fact live forever if only while within a host body. Without a body it can still survive at least a million years.

Metamorphosis: Only the strongest of Daemonites can shape-shift. Only the strongest of those Daemonites can change into inorganic material. A Daemonite can shape-shift even while possessing a host body but they'll normally revert quite quickly. Only one Daemonite has been seen shifting his body parts into inorganic material but the possibility remains for all Daemonites.

Phasing: Daemonites have a degree of intangibility allowing them to phase through solid objects as they do when they take possession of a host body. They can continue to phase even while within their host body. Their phasing isn't automatic and they must concentrate to hold their form.

Possession: Daemonites are parasitic beings that not only take complete control over another being's body but inhabits their mind as well. They feed on the nutrients and physiology of the host body until the body is destroyed or the Daemonite abandons it. Normally, possession causes no harm to the physical body but the process changes frequently. The stronger the Daemonite the easier the transition. Occasionally, the Daemonite can leave the host body violently and destroy the body.

Superhuman Durability: A Daemonite's body is more durable than that of a human while on Earth. While some Daemonites cannot survive a bullet to the head which removes their brain functions others can take multiple bullets to their body without harm. Physical training can increase a Daemonite's durability.

Superhuman Speed: A Daemonite's body is faster than that of a human while on Earth. Either while within a human host or not they exhibit incredible amounts of speed which can carry them to speeds that match that of most street cars while their physical capabilities of speed while in combat also increase past human levels.

Superhuman Agility

Superhuman Reflexes

Superhuman Strength: A Daemonite's body is stronger than that of a human while on Earth. When a Daemonite must they will resort to physical combat and exhibit their strength enough to roll over cars or rip off a door to a plane. A Daemonite's strength is determined by their physical capability and some Daemonites may not be as strong as others.

Telepathy: Daemonites are not only physical beings that take possession of host bodies but they manipulate the mental effects of the beings as well. Not limited to only understanding the thoughts of each other or their hosts they can extend this ability to a wide range and even track targets by their mental signature. Most Daemonites are connected by a central mind which they do not need to focus to maintain.

Abilities

Expert Martial Artist: Trained in the martial arts of The Coda.

Occultism: She was also mentored in the use of Voodoo magic by a High Voodoo Priestess.

Talented Dancer

Origin

Priscilla Kitaen was an exotic dancer before being rescued by the WildC.A.T.s from the Daemonites. Voodoo possessed a unique ability known as "The Sight", which allowed her to perceive a being possessed by a Daemonite and exorcise it from its host body. She was therefore important to both sides in the war. Upon joining the WildC.A.T.s she developed more significant and powerful psychic abilities as well as animalistic powers. She was taken in for training by Zealot in Coda fighting techniques. She also began a long-term relationship with team leader Spartan. Eventually Voodoo was shot and went into a coma. Void used a computer to enter Priscilla's mind and found out she was descended from a Kherubim possessed by a Daemonite making her a Kherubim/Daemonite/Human Hybrid.

Kheran Truth

When the WildC.A.T.s later traveled to Khera, the Kherubim homeworld, Voodoo was placed in a Daemonite ghetto because of her heritage. It was here that she discovered the long war between the two races had ended centuries ago and the Daemonites had lost. She also discovered that not all Daemonites were evil as she was led to believe. The ones she was use to combating were fanatic militants, the ones she met on Khera were citizens. When she finally found the WildC.A.T.s, she confronted Zealot about the treatment of the Daemonites, Zealot in turn told her she was of an inferior race in front of the Coda sisterhood. This put a great strain on their relationship, to the point Voodoo would have nothing more to do with her or Khera. She relented and helped the WildC.A.T.s stop the Coda from trying to assassinate Zealot, who then also turned away from Khera. When they returned to Earth, Voodoo couldn't forget what she experienced and left the team.

Voodoo

Now living in New Orleans, Priscilla returned to exotic dancing. She began working in a club called the Midnight Lounge, owned by a man named Christian Charles. She became good friends with a fellow dancer named Purity. A man she met while living there named Attibon found her a place to stay at the Royale hotel. There she met a former prostitute named Freeda and a former hitman named Saturday. They would then reveal themselves as Erzulie, Papa Legba and Baron Samedi. Priscilla's boss Christian was found to have been using his dancers in a voodoo blood ritual, killing them and bathing in their blood, in order to bring his dark magician father back from the dead. Priscilla along with police detective investigating the murders, lieutenant David Dove, came just in time to save Purity from Christian but he already absorbed enough blood to resurrect his father from the dead. Priscilla channeled Erzulie and fought Christian and his father, who were no match for her dance. Luring them back to the Royale, where Baron Samedi, Erzulie and Papa Legba forced them to bow to balance and walk through a door to face Damballa, which in turn blew up the Royale. The experience made Priscilla decide to learn more about voodoo magic and she became an apprentice to a mambo.

Priscilla & Jeremy

Several months later she rejoined the WildC.A.T.s briefly. She then left the team when it disbanded after the supposed death of Zealot. She moved in with Maul, but he became more introverted the more she tried to get closer to him, locking himself away in his lab. Jeremy in truth had fallen in love with her and was trying to come up with a method to remove her Daemonite genes. Unknown to her, she was being followed by a Daemonite possessing an old man.

Brutal Attack

Priscilla was later given a credit card from the Halo Corporation under the name Marlowe. She was then attacked by the serial killer Samuel Smith, the grandson of Slaughterhouse Smith. Samuel was trying to kill Jacob Marlowe and all his relatives. Jacob had defeated Slaughterhouse sometime in the past, and now Samuel wanted revenge. He surprise attacked her and used his powers to brutally injure her. Cutting off her legs and cutting open her throat. Spartan and Grifter were instrumental in Smith's demise. It was at this time that Grifter convinced Maul that trying to get rid of her Daemonite genes may not be what Voodoo wants.

Daemonite Training

Recuperating in the hospital, the medical staff was amazed at how fast her throat injury healed. It wasn't long that she discovered a Daemonite among the medical staff. Soon she was confronted by the Daemonite. He explained that he was a rare conscientious objector among the daemonite military fanatics of Earth, he also claimed to be her grandfather. He taught her how to use her daemonite powers: time manipulation, and regeneration in only a few hours, she had fully regrown her legs. He told her it would be in her best interest to start a relationship with Jeremy, then he left.

Mental States

The relationship became problematic, when Voodoo's telepathic powers started to increase with the amount of physical intimacy she had. Voodoo, wishing to further the development of this situation, was willing to even go as far as sleeping with other men. Jeremy couldn't handle the situation at all and they would constantly fight about it. Priscilla then intentionally angered him, causing him to grow in size and therefore decrease in intellect until he forgot the reason they were fighting. Giving her the opportunity to leave the relationship.

WildC.A.T.s Reborn

Priscilla once again became an exotic dancer for high end clients, such as oil shieks and billionaires. Hadrian would come and ask her to rejoin the team, and despite the amount of time that had passed between their relationship and superhero days, they still were very attracted to each other and they ended up sleeping together. She came back as an employee of the Halo Corporation, getting paid triple her former salary.

World's End

After Armageddon, Priscilla had become a more calm and understanding individual. Using her mental abilities to keep the peace in the horrible post-apocalypse the Wildcats now live in. She is seen comforting both Spartan and Maul alike creating jealously between the two she loves. Ultimately her relationship lied with Spartan, though Maul accepted it as he saw through that he himself and Priscilla wouldn't make a perfect couple. Priscilla proved herself of being a more capable leader even when she dealt with Paris of former Stormwatch P.H.D. in establishing an easy peace between him and the animals in the Nevada Garden with human survivors outside the garden's boundary, and settling a brief truce between her team and Lord Defile's Daemonites in Los Angeles.

After her team helped Team-7 in stopping Tao, Priscilla was gifted with a new and improved costume based on her original attire by Max Faraday. She and the Wildcats were later summoned to UnLondon by the Authority and notified of the chance to leave Earth on the Carrier. However, Voodoo chose to stay shortly before intervening in Earth's war against the militant Knights of Khera. During the pitch battle in UnLondon, Priscilla obligated in having Spartan resume his leadership and was given a mission of trying to locate the Garden of Ancestral Memory in gaining the Earth's help in stopping the Knights' terraforming machines. On a helpful note from Grunge, Priscilla revived the former English Doctor of the 19th century, Sir Edwin Makepeace, and communicates his spirit in the Garden for the Doctors' help. However, she learned from the spirit of Sir Edwin that the previous Doctors had already been trying to heal the Earth since the Number of the Beast incident, but came with no success. And neither do they know of the newest Doctor after Habib bin Hassan went insane. Despite this, the Knights were managed to be defeated.

Following the end of the invasion, Voodoo was tasked with the undead Sir Edwin in finding Earth's current Doctor.

Fun Facts

Described as the most gifted of gifted ones. Voodoo is perhaps one of the more powerful cross-breeds and SPB's around. She possess extreme potential and her powers when all added together, coupled with her coda training, and now potential training in the arts of voodoo magic. Make her one of the most fearsome individuals in Wildstorm, anyone would have to face. Her abilities cover a wide range and in the past she was limited only by her lack of experience and conviction. Now that she has both, she is a force to be reckoned with.

#voodoo #priscilla kitaen #wildscats #WildC.A.T.s #halo corporation #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Killer Frost

“Death is a subject with which I have become intimately familiar.” - Killer Frost

Real Name: Louise Lincoln

Aliases:

Batman

Bat-Cop

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 3″

Weight: 105 lbs (48 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Blue (Blonde formerly)

Skin: White

Powers:

Thermokinetic Cryokinesis

Universe: 

Earth-One

New Earth

Base of Operations: Manhattan

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Professional Criminal

Scientist

First Appearance: Firestorm Vol 2 #21 (March, 1984)

Powers

Thermokinetic Cryokinesis: Killer Frost has the ability to generate extreme temperatures of cold from her body. Primarily this is used to freeze others in place or to create a sheen of ice over an intended target. Killer Frost can also use her powers to summon gusts of super-cold air, with which she uses to hurl frozen objects at specified targets. She often uses hand gestures while doing this to make it appear as if she can project ice directly from her fingertips. This is not necessary however, and is done mostly for theatrical effect.

Energy Absorption: By absorbing heat from the atmosphere, she can freeze molecules of moisture that hang in the air, creating a variety of effects.

Thermokinesis: Heat does little damage to Killer Frost. In fact, heat is essential to her continued existence. Attacking Killer Frost with a heat based-weapon only serves to strengthen her.

Origin

Dr. Louise Lincoln was a colleague and friend of Crystal Frost, the villainess known as Killer Frost. After Frost died, she decided to repeat the experiment as a last respect to her former mentor, and became the new Killer Frost. She became just as ruthless as her predecessor and began her own personal vendetta against Firestorm, who she blamed for Frost's death. She briefly served as a member of the Suicide Squad and sold her soul to Neron for more power.

Underworld Unleashed

During the Underworld Unleashed event, Killer Frost attacked Hawaii, freezing part of the islands before being stopped by Superboy and Knockout. Killer Frost was later freed by Effigy and the two had a brief flirtatious partnership before she was apprehended by Green Lantern.

Killer Frost was one of many super-villains seeking to earn a $1 billion reward offered by President Lex Luthor to sanction Superman and Batman, whom he considered treasonous. She teamed with Mister Freeze, Icicle, and Captain Cold in an attempt to ambush the two heroes, but all four were defeated. It was later discover that this ice-themed team of villains was being mind controlled by Gorilla Grodd.

Doctor Light hired Killer Frost and Mirror Master to attack Green Arrow and Black Lightning at a hospital in Chicago, Illinois where Kimiyo Hoshi was being held. Green Arrow stopped Killer Frost by firing an arrow filled with Greek fire into her thigh. Unable to absorb the heat from the arrow, she was soundly defeated by Green Arrow.

One Year Later and Countdown

Killer Frost was invited to join the new Injustice League by Lex Luthor, Joker and Cheetah.

Fun Facts

Prior to becoming Killer Frost, Louise Lincoln required prescription eye-glasses. Her transformation into Killer Frost appears to have corrected any eye sight irregularities and she no longer wears them.

#killer frost #louise lincoln #injustice league #Secret Society of Super Villians #secret society of super-villians #secret society of supervillians #Suicide Squad #legion of doom #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Ladytron

“Just because I'm slightly over the flesh ratio shouldn't mean a damn thing! I've got mechanical rights!” - Ladytron

Real Name: Maxine Manchester

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 10″

Weight: 1000 lbs (454 kg)

Eyes: Black

Hair: Black

Powers:

Cybernetic Enhancement

Abilities:

Mechanical Aptitude

Weaknesses:

Stupidity

Psychopathy

Coolant Rupturing

Equipment:

Exo-Mantel

Various Hidden Artillary

Universe: 

Wildstorm Universe

Prime Earth

Origin: Born a Kherubim Lord from the planet Khera

Citizenship: British

Base of Operations: Halo Building, New York City

Marital Status: Single

First Appearance: WildC.A.T.s #21 (July, 1995)

Powers

Cybernetic Enhancement: Maxine Manchester is a cyborg, having suffered critical to fatalistic injuries during a police ambush. As such her physiology is mostly robotic and she is built of what Majestros calls 75 million dollars worth in parts.

Flight: Maxine can fly through the use of rocket packs which are housed in her back.

Gun Enhancements: Maxine carry's weapons stored inside her body's housing which can remain entirely hidden until she needs to kill.

Gattling Cannon: Likewise she also possesses wrist mounted blasters on her forearm.

Finger Laser: Maxine can emit a low yield heat beam from the tip of her digits, useful for igniting oil fires.

Automatic Transmission: Maxines bionic frame can channel and cycle varying levels of dynamic energy from most any power source available.

Resistors: Internal function which can ramp up the amp amount pertaining to whatever ergokinetic force she's channeling. Potentially she can kill a Kherubim Warlord with such tactics.

Sound Manipulation: Maxine has a powerful sonic cannon housed in her mouth.

Superhuman Durability: Maxine has withstood powerful blows from aliens and superhumans alike.

Superhuman Strength: Maxine has been seen lifting and throwing cars with relative ease.

Superhuman Speed: Ladytron can run, jump and move faster than most automobiles while on foot.

Superhuman Stamina: Manchester's power source is a condensed fusion reactor running on inexhaustible nuclear power. For all intents and purposes, Ladytron's body never tires nor wears down no matter how much she exerts herself.

Superhuman Reflexes: Despite her brash, impulsive nature. Ladytron is as quick with reactions as she is fleet of foot.

Superhuman Agility: Manchester is able to move more so seamlessly without physical impediment despite her heavy metal.

Enhanced Senses: As a Cyborg, Ms. Manchester's auditory functions are peaked well beyond the human norm.

Enhanced Hearing

Enhanced Vision

Abilities

Mechanical Aptitude: Being a cyborg, Ladytron has a knack for interfacing with other forms of machinery. She can physically link herself up with any on board computerized system in order to commandeer it's functioning for personal use.

Weaknesses

Stupidity: Both a strength and a fault, Maxine Manchester isn't very bright not is she all that levelheaded an individual. Often charging recklessly into distressing situations without pause for thought.

Psychopathy: Being raised by an abusive father and after several motions of negligence between foster homes and penal facilities. Ladytron's psychological and sociological state of mind stands hideously imbalanced.

Coolant Rupturing: Ladytron is powered by a small nuclear reactor which runs the risk of an atomic meltdown should her liquid nitrogen coolant system fail.

Equipment

Exo-Mantel: During her time in a comatose bionic state, Noir modified her body with some additional bionic augmentations that greatly magnified her physical performance. Outfitted with Pincers and razor sharp feet additions giving her a semblance similar to the arachnid family, she could crush and stab her enemies with them as well as flail them about. After the world's end event she had it modified her old mecha body with some Kherubim technology to resemble more of a scorpion semblance. Enabling a semi-even battle between herself and Daemonite Royals Defile and Lady Decadence.

Various Hidden Artillary: Maxine withholds a great variety of hidden firearms on her person, some ranging from handheld pistols to heavy duty munitions wears.

History

Maxine Manchester was abused by her father as a young teenager. She fled from home and turned to a life of crime, robbing stores and killing anybody who got in her way. Soon, the government caught up with her and she was hit several times during a gunfight with the FBI. Her wounded body was handed over to Doctor Khaz, a mad scientist, who enhanced her body, replacing most of it with robotic parts. She escaped and continued her crime spree as a cyborg. Khaz recaptured her and told her about Stanley, a robot he had created before her. Khaz saw himself as father to Stanley and Maxine and sent her out to bring back Stanley. Maxine and Stanley shared the same psychopathic mentality and soon married between crime sprees. Maxine and Stanley decided to kill Khaz, but Khaz had an override in Stanley's brain. The brainless Stanley turned on Maxine and she killed him. She then killed Khaz and returned to her life of crime.

At this time, Savant and Mister Majestic were trying to rebuild the WildC.A.T.s after the previous team were nearly all presumed killed. They convinced Max Cash, alias Condition Red, to join and acquired the Tactical Augmented Organism for their team. Savant wanted another woman for the team and decided upon Maxine. Majestic didn't want to be associated with a criminal like Maxine, but T.A.O. managed to change his mind through his hypnotic abilities.

The new WildC.A.T.s captured Maxine while she attempt to rob both sides of a drug transition and T.A.O. built a virtual reality-program to reeducate Maxine. The program worked and Maxine joined the WildC.A.T.s, but still remained violent and anti-social. She became romantically interested in Max Cash, but he was turned off by her robotic body and her abrasive personality.

When Max got wounded in a bombing, he used the opportunity to sneak out of the hospital to avoid her. Maxine was furious and took out her anger on the man responsible for wounding Max. The man told her and Spartan that T.A.O. had ordered him to bomb the building.

The WildC.A.T.s confronted T.A.O. who turned out to be an evil mastermind after all. T.A.O. inflicted heavy casualties on the team, including Maxine. He managed to remove her cooling systems so that her internal nuclear reactor overheated. Majestic removed her nuclear reactor, but Maxine was heavily damaged. She was taken to the Church of Gort, a cult for cyborgs, robots and Artificial Intelligence, for repairs.

During her stay with the Church of Gort, Maxine became a convert and started to follow the teachings of the Church of Gort. Mister Majestic who had become somewhat of a father figure to Maxine was pleased to see her embrace the tenet "all life is sacred", though she only seemed to recognize mechanical life as sacred. Still, according to him, it was a step in the right direction. But after a schism within the Church, Maxine was targeted by other members for having too many organic parts.

Halo

Maxine fled the Church of Gort and met up with Max's brother Cole Cash. Cole was annoyed by Maxine and left her with the Halo Corporation. There, she overheard that former WildC.A.T.s-member Voodoo had been injured by serial killer Samuel Smith and decided to take vengeance upon him.

Her plan was simple-minded: she visited all hotels and motels in the area to fight anybody listed under the name "Smith". After attacking a few innocents, Maxine met with Samuel Smith, whose superhuman powers turned out to be more than she could handle. The damage was so great that she was deactivated.

Later, her body was reprogrammed and adapted into a more scorpion-like form by Wildcat-traitor Noir to attack Spartan, now known as Jack Marlowe, but Marlowe easily defeated the body. Her body was then used by Grifter, whose legs were broken, as a remote-controlled body. Her personality was encrypted and filed away in the Halo Corporation's mainframe. When Grifter's legs healed, he no longer needed her robotic body.

World's End

After the Reaper clones of the High ruined the Earth and all its resources, Ladytron along with the rest of the reformed Wildcats protected Los Angeles from the Halo Building which was the only location that still had power due to their unending batteries. Mr. Majestic repeatedly attacks the building for supplies to take back to his new home in Hawaii. He asks some of the team to come but doesn't ask Ladytron due to her anti-social behavior. She takes part in the team's missions to find the oasis that was thought to have been made by the original Engineer but actually created by Tumbleweed. Later she and the Wildcats encountered the Daemonites' presence in L.A. and battled them until a shaky treaty was established between one another.

Ladytron was even able to rally a group or robots and cyborgs that were members of the Church of Gort to fight against Daemonites that broke the treaty and she made the city's surviving humans understand that the robots and humans need to work together if they expect to live through this crisis. Nemesis and Backlash later left the team expecting Majestic's offer to relocate in Hawaii but they later send a distress call to the team asking them for help. However, Voodoo, now the group's leader, told Ladytron to stay behind because of her relationship with Majestic; but after the team leave the Daemonites were ready to attack their now vulnerable base. Ladytron was able to protect the refugees and proved herself in stalling the Daemonties, Lord Defile and Lady Decadence. Though she was soon subdued by the two Daemonites high lords, but the Wildcats arrived back on time, and Maxine was saved by the robots from the Church of Gort.

After the Halo Building was destroyed, Maxine and the Wildcats joined up with Team-7 in stopping Tao from becoming a mad god who threatened creation. Just as Tao was forcefully given the Creation Equation by Max Faraday, Ladytron had listened the words that were spoken by Faraday to Tao, and transmitted it into the ears of all the heroes, given everyone and herself possessing the power equivalent to Tao. However, Tao was proven stronger and had each of the heroes facing their own fears, in which Ladytron faced her abusive father which briefly sends her into a terrified and catatonic state. After Tao's defeat, Maxine and the other heroes were then gifted with new, augmented costumes reminiscing to their 1990's attire, in which Ladytron was not totally satisfied with her new look.

Maxine and the Wildcats later heeded to the Authority's call in UnLondon and offered the chance to leave Earth on the Carrier. After the Carrier departed, Maxine participated in the war against the Knights of Khera. Following the Knights' defeat, Maxine was tasked by Spartan in helping and joining with Jackson King in finding Earth's new Doctor as she is potential from being unaffected from mind control since King's previous manipulations from Tao, in which she accepted much to King's great reluctance.

#ladytron #maxine manchester #wildcats #WildC.A.T.s #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Zealot

“They seek to complete Project Reunification. Should that happen, the survival of all mankind will be in jeopardy.” - Zealot

Real Name: Lady Zannah

Aliases:

Lucy Blaze

Sister Zealot

Gender: Female

Height: 6′ 0″

Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: White

Race: Kherubim

Powers:

Kherubim Physiology

Dark Sorcery

Abilities:

Master Martial Artist

Weapons Master

Enhanced Intellect

Weaknesses:

Mental Illness

Universe: Wildstorm Universe

Origin: Born a Kherubim Lord from the planet Khera

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations:

Washington D.C.

Halo Building, New York City, New York

Parents: Harmony; mother

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Warrior

Majestrix of the Coda

Assassin

Government Operative

Education: Traditional Kherubim Education, Advanced Coda Training

First Appearance: WildC.A.T.s #1 (August, 1992)

Powers

Kherubim Physiology: Zealot is Kherubim, and a Kheribum noble meaning all her abilities are enhanced to various degrees, extremely long-lived, and nearly immortal. Her vocal cords are highly developed allowing a far wider range of tones than what is possible for a human being.

Enhanced Senses: Zealot's senses are more developed than those of earth humans; most notably her sight and hearing. She is easily at human peak as far as her ability to note detailed objects. Her hearing on the other hand is very enhanced. 

Superhuman Stamina: Zealot has a very high level of endurance. Her body and will are so strong, she will continue to try and fight even against overwhelming odds and when pain wracks every portion of her form. As a note, this isn't invulnerability. Simply a very high pain threshold.

Enhanced Durability: As a Kheribum her skin, bones, and muscle tissues are denser and super-hard compared to a normal human. A regular bullet will not adequately harm her.

Accelerated Healing: She can regenerate damaged or destroyed bodily tissue with far greater speed and efficiency than an ordinary human. She can regenerate from anything, even injured tissue, brain cells, missing limbs and organs. Gunshot and stab wounds, cuts, and broken bones can perfectly heal in a few minutes.

Enhanced Immunity: Her body neutralizes all detrimental contaminants making him immune to all poisons, toxins, venom, viruses, bacteria, diseases, disorders, parasites, allergens, and radiations.

Immortality: As a Kheran, Zealot possesses virtual immortality. Her race is extremely long lived and she has been on Earth for literally the whole of human civilization and is showing no sign of growing old anytime soon. She is for all intents and purposes biologically immortal.

Superhuman Agility: Zealot has a level of agility that is quite literally astonishing. Her agility, balance, flexibility, dexterity, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of an Olympic gold medalist, with a quickness far beyond norm. She's capable of feats such as vaulting off of walls, going from flips into a vertical stomp, adjusting her rate and direction when in terminal velocity fall and is essentially, well over Olympic level as far as her ability to flip, dodge, dive, spin and move about. This, coupled with her strength and endurance makes her a formidable fighter alone, not to mention fighting skills.

Superhuman Strength: As a Kheran, Zealot is naturally stronger than a normal human, this ability is further compounded by her extreme level of training and abilities as per her status as Coda Majestrix, and level of experience. She can lift/press up to two tons of weight with effort and in addition to this, knows how to best apply her strength.

Dark Sorcery: For one hundred years, Zealot was in service of the weaver of souls Tapestry. During that time, Tapestry attempted to subvert Zealot into her own image. In that time Zealot became a powerful enchantress with skills and powers nearly on the scale of her teacher; along with the potential to be among the most powerful magic users on the planet. Although later Zealot would purge herself of these terrible abilities, powers she would rarely use. Zealot still has a powerful mystical aura and abilities she demonstrated when she faced Tapestry once more.

Telepathic Communication: The ability to project a dreamy vision of flowing white energy; read minds, view and erase memories of others with or without the person's consent.

Teleportation: She can send herself and/or anyone to anyplace she/they wish to visit without any space/time restrictions.

Mystical Blasts: The ability to generate powerful blasts of arcane force.

Matter Reconstruction: The ability to reconstruct matter such as clothes into a different form and appearance.

Mystical Shields: The ability to generate protective shields of magic

Mystical Manipulation: Twists and subvert other magic's cast at her; return energy projections sent to her back to their source without loss of momentum or power.

Abilities

Master Martial Artist: With weapons that are older then some civilizations and a status that placed her as the head of an order of warrior women. Zealot has literally been described as one of, if not the deadliest assassin on the planet. Her fighting abilities are unmatched among the coda, with and without a blade. And she can hold her own against virtually anyone, including those physically better then her, in one on one and even group combat. She is more than a match for the best of the best. Her range of martial arts knowledge spans almost all arts known to man and include the alien fighting arts of the Coda.

Weapons Master: Her skills with weapons mainly focus on the use of bladed weapons such as the Coda Clef blade and the katana blade; as well as the one and two handed sword. She is also an expert marksman. She is skilled in the use of throwing objects, such as daggers and the bladed weapons connected to the back of her armored costume.

Throwing

Firearms

Swordsmanship

Enhanced Intellect

Occultism

Computer Operation

Criminology

Multilingualism

Medicine

Historiography

Interrogation

Intimidation

Tracking

Survival

Surveillance

Weaknesses

Mental Illness: Zealot hides emotions and is prone to obsessive tendencies.

History

Lady Zannah, also known as Zealot, is from the planet Khera, where she was part of one of the leading political and cultural groups known as The Coda. On Earth, she became a prominent member of the WildC.A.T.s.

On Khera

Zannah was one of the few fertile Kherubim and therefore she was picked to mate with Lord Majestros of the other leading faction of Khera, the Pantheon. In this union she gave birth to a daughter named Kenesha. However, because Zannah desired to be a warrior rather then a priestess like other Kherubim mothers, her mother Lady Harmony declared the child dead, took a lover and claimed her as her own. This meant Kenesha was brought up as her sister and Majestros was told the child had died.

Trapped on Earth

Thousands of years ago Zannah became one of the Kherubims who had become stranded on Earth when the explorer ship she was on crash landed after battling a Daemonite warship. It was only due to her lover Stratos that she was able to survive, as he was able to get her into one of the ships rescue pods. Not long after she joined the earth war between Kherubim and the Daemonites who wanted to take the planet over.

Zannah and the other survivors were scattered, but found they could easily hide amongst the human population. The Daemonites, while less humanoid used their powers of possession and shape-shifting to hide amongst the population. It was then that the next few millennia was spent waging a secret war, unknown to average humans.

Founding the Earth-based Coda

Not long after crashing on the planet did Zannah start to train human females in The Coda fighting tradition. She even took part in the Trojan War on the Greek side. The payment she was to receive was the 99 baby girls to add to her new Coda. During the war she helped the warrior Ulysses come up with the idea for the Trojan Horse, for her part she spared the royal family, so the massacre would not affect the women and children. The rest of the Coda would not allow such a betrayal of the tenants she had taught them, even from its own founder. She also further earned their contempt when she refused to kill her ally Artemis in a duel she had won. She was then cast out into exile.

It was during her exile that she came across the witch Tapestry and was forced into being her slave, in return for Kenesha's life being spared. She was a slave for many centuries through which the witch tried to brainwash her into thinking like her, but Zannah stayed true to herself though wasn't completely the same. It was during this time that she was taught dark sorcery by Tapestry, though because of its corrupted nature she would refuse to use it for many years after she had escaped.

Team One

In the 1900s Zannah took the name Lucy Blaze and joined Team One, alongside fellow Kherubim survivors Emp, Majestros, and John Colt. She would form a short lived relationship with John and they have a child, she then gives the child to a Siberian family for the child's protection. The team battle the evil Helspont on the first mission. Helspont is a Daemonite Lord and has formed a group known as the Cabal, made up of post-humans and Daemonites. The Daemonite wanted to destroy all humans using nuclear missiles so the Daemonites could rule the planet. Team One fought him and one of their members Regiment succeeded in destroying the only missile left at the cost of his life. The team disbanded after.

WildC.A.T.s

Years later, now going by the name Zealot, she came into contact with a human male named Cole Cash. Zealot trained Cole in Coda fighting arts but despite his training he still preferred firearms to edged weapons. Cole later took the secret identity of Grifter. The pair would join forces with Lord Emp in gathering half blooded Kherubim to form the WildC.A.T.s.

During her time on the team she again fought Helspont and his followers. This time he wanted to bring Daemonites to Earth, they foiled his plans. When Voodoo joined the team she also trained her in Coda fighting techniques. It was during this time that Zealot would be brought face to face with her old master Tapestry and the group she had hired. The WildC.A.T.s became involved and the battle even caught the attention of Mr. Majestic and Savant.

Zealot later was involved in the discovery of a crashed Kherubim ship, which the team used to travel back to Khera. Khera turned out not to be the utopian society they had thought it to be, even Zealot was confused as her memory was very different then what she had remembered of her homeworld. Zealot learned along with the rest of the team that the war against the Daemonites had ended thousands of years ago, and they were now second class citizens living in slums and ghettos. Zealot's attitude toward the situation strained her relationship with Voodoo. Also the Coda wanted to kill her hoping she would become a martyr for their cause. Zealot was disgusted and along with the rest of the team returned to Earth. Upon returning they found they had been replaced by a new team. The new team was Mr. Majestic, Savant, Ladytron, Max Cash and Tao. However, Tao was revealed to had been manipulating the team into starting a gang war and she almost killed Tao when they attacked him, but Majestic killed him first. However, it was reveal later that Tao staged his death and had a hypnotized shape-shifter Mr. White in his place.

Wildcore

Zealot was recruited by Department PSI to be a part of Wildcore when they had to deal with a group of aliens known as the D'rahn. She gained intel using a alien database, kept by a group of alien exterminators known as the Puritans. She learned that the D'rahn seek to hunt down earth's Kherubim, during the intel gathering, the D'rahn attack the military base killing the Chasers who protect it. The only people to make it out of the base alive are Zealot, the leader of the Chasers Brawl, and the leader of the Puritans, General Grant. Grant turns out to be a Daemonite in disguise and swears his faction's loyalty to the D'rahn, in turn the D'rahn enlighten them and they become more powerful. Wildcore is able to erase all but ten names of the earth-bound Kherubim, though they are not able to save any of the names left over but one. His fiance Alea is enlightened and she joins Wildcore. At the advice from Ferrian, Wildcore sought for Majestic for help, and their sorcerer ally Azrum to go look for Tapestry to get her help. Majestic joins the battle and kills the Typhon of the D'rahn causing them to retreat. Tapestry is found to have imprisoned Azrum and enslaved Zealot, she then reshapes the world, but Ferrian regains his memories and saves them. In the escape the team loses two members and Zealot left the group.

Coda Revisited

Zealot then returns to the WildC.A.T.s. During a mission involving Daemonite tech being used to turn humans into super soldiers in an Irish village, Zealot tries to save a group of children and is mortally shot. After being shot the village was caught in an explosion and the team believed her to be dead. In truth she was in hiding from various Coda factions, whom she was hunting down in secret, and had a one night stand with a drunken Grifter, who then joined her in her quest. F.B.I. agents soon tracked her down and sends Agent Orange, who unbeknownst to them is under Jack Marlowe's control. The Coda also tracked her down and sends Sarin to capture her, Agent Orange and his agents. Zealot was tortured and about to be executed when Ladytron, under Grifter's control, Mr. Dolby, the Beef Boys and C.C. Renozzo are sent after her. They eventually are freed and the Coda and their base were destroyed.

Kherubim Truth

Sometime later Mr. Majestic requested her help after his time-travel adventure revealed a world controlled by the Daemonites. Zealot, Majestic and Desmond go off in search of a ancient Kherubim tech known as a Planet Shaper. They are attacked by Helspont on their journey. Desmond merged with the device and the they find out that the Kherubim grew in power by enslaving species on planets and taking over that world and that Daemonites were a race that fought back against their control. Soon a rogue Kherubim of the Shapers Guild named Javen arrived. He wanted to use the Shaper and remake Earth into a new Khera and use Majestic's DNA to breed a new race of Kherubims. However, he found that Majestic's body was breaking down due to his dimension and time travel and attempted to take their child Savant as the next best thing. During the battle Majestic made Zealot reveal that she was in fact Savant's mother and he was her father. He then went off to stop the Kherubims forces on his own.

Nemesis from the Past

Some time later a Kherubim named Nemesis made an appearance and it was revealed that she was at one time the lover of Majestic and he used his position to get her trained as a member of the Coda despite her being an Adrastea. Later Zealot and Nemesis became rivals and friends, but because of politics Majestic could not continue a relationship with her and was ordered to mate with Zealot. Nemesis was later framed for the death of Coda members by a Brotherhood of the Sword member named Raven and Zealot swore vengeance against Nemesis, not knowing the truth. Sometime in 2005 Zealot caught up with her, who was killing Brotherhood members. Zealot and the WildC.A.T.s attacked her only to lose easily. She was then bested by Mr. Majestic, who took her to the Halo building where the truth was revealed. In ensuring the battle against the brotherhood Zealot, Nemesis and Majestic made peace with each other and fought side by side, and Nemesis in turn risked herself to stop Raven but is saved at the last minute by Majestic.

World's End

Following after Armageddon, Zealot and the rest of the Wildcats fought all manner of mutations and beasts to bring refugees back to the Halo building in Los Angeles for safety. She and her team were repeatedly, violently confronted by a overzealous Majestic, who wanted the building's supplies of Halo Batteries. After a later hostility with Majestic was altogether pacified, he told the Wildcats that he intended to offer them a chance to live on his Hawaiian kingdom. But disallowed some for being "undesirable", in which Zealot was included for lacking the capability to breed since the birth of Savant. When hearing this, Zealot was especially concerned of her daughter and demanded to know from Majestic as to what happened to Savant since she had left for him. Majestic, however, retorted to the fact that their daughter had always been on her own without the truth of her true parents.

After refusing Majestic's offers and the departure of Nemesis and Backlash, Zealot and the Wildcats were later called from help in Hawaii by Backlash and Nemesis who discretely warn of Majestic. Suspicious, Zealot and the Wildcats left for Hawaii on a feign 'visit'. When Majestic left Hawaii with Spartan to Asia, Zealot and Nemesis silently communicated each other through a training session of the problem. She then realized from Nemesis that Majestic had forcefully kept Savant imprisoned as a breeding mare through test tubes in bringing "pure" Kheran heirs. After releasing Savant, Zealot and the others barely escaped and returned to the Halo building where it was under attack by Daemonites. Zealot and Grifter helped in clearing out the invading Daemonites and allowing the building's refugees to board the MIRV, before everyone escape with the destruction of the Halo building.

Zealot and her team later helped John Lynch and Team-7 in stopping her former teammate-turned villain, Tao, who intended to become a god from stealing the powers of Void, Providence and Max Faraday. During the midst of battle against Tao, Zealot and her daughter Savant were sent by Spartan in recruiting Majestic's help. Upon seeing each other, however, Zealot and Majestic briefly fought each other after the later was still outrage over Nemesis' apparent death until Savant clarified them and informed that Tao was at fault for Majestic's behavior and indirectly responsible for Nemesis' death. When Zealot and her allies gained the power of the Creation Equation and subsequently facing her worst fear, in which Zealot was manipulated into trying to kill her own daughter while Majestic tries to prevent them. Following Tao's defeat, Zealot was granted a new and improve version of her costume patterned after her original attire.

When the Wildcats were looking for The High in Colorado, Zealot and the others were summoned to UnLondon by the Authority and offered the chance of leaving Earth on the Carrier. Zealot decided to stay on the planet and soon joined in the conflict against the militant Knights of Khera, which she greatly acknowledged of their notoriety. She and some of Earth's heroes were sent to the North Pole in succeeding to destroying one of the Knights' terraforming machines. After the Knights' defeat, Zealot and Maul decided to leave the Wildcats after hearing Spartan, who became the de facto leader of Earth's superhumans, of unifying Earth which she vehemently disagreed and preferred on training humanity into a defense force.

Following the three month period of Earth's reconstruction, Zealot claimed African nation of Zanzibar as her protectorate. After this, she recruited willing women across Africa into her own Coda army dedicating to her claim of defending Earth from alien threats. Though her Coda is fewer in numbers, Zealot had Jeremy Stone to artificially impregnate some of her volunteers to produce more female warriors through Kheran technology. This, however, cost the lives of some of the volunteers under the experimentation given that the technology are only specifically suited to Kherubims. Zealot was not concerned of this after Jeremy Stone had informed her of this, much to Jeremy's shock. Eventually, Midnighter, who was carefully concerned of Zealot's agenda since her departure from the Wildcats, investigated Zanzibar and learned of the Coda's fatal birthing process. Ultimately, Zealot and Midnighter engaged in single combat. Throughout their fight, the two were evenly matched as they argued back and forth of their flaws in which Zealot struck a chord in Midnighter in being unable to saved his adopted daughter Jenny Quarx. Eventually both combatants were literally grabbing at each others' throats when Maul, who grew tired of the violence and the guilt for cooperating with Zealot's plan, intervened to stop their fight. As he did this, Zealot was about to slice him out of reflex. Immediately, Maul had no time to avoid this and shrunk down at the subatomic level, in which everyone thought he disintegrated. Zealot was shocked of what she had done, but didn't believe that her sword disintegrated him. She was then chided by Midnighter, who points out that not only did she "kill" Maul but also lost him to maintain the machines for the pregnancies. But Zealot just coolly told him that she and the Coda will move elsewhere and continue their mission in protecting Earth, in which Midnighter vowed that he would follow and stop her wherever she went.

Fun Facts

Since Armageddon Zealot had started a sexual relationship with Grifter.

Almost no one in the Wildstorm universe can beat Zealot hand-to-hand skill wise. Backlash and Midnighter come close, yet in the end, Zealot has weapons older than him and her superhuman attributes. With a sword, she has shown herself to be unmatched.

#zealot #lady zannah #lucy blaze #sister zealot #wildcats #WildC.A.T.s #team one #wildcore #the coda #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Amanda Waller

“I don't care. I'm not part of the law anymore. Kill them.” - Amanda Waller

Real Name: Amanda Blake

Aliases: 

Black King

Mockingbird

White Queen

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 1″

Weight: 200 lbs (91 kg)

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Abilities:

Espionage

Firearms

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Indomitable Will

Intimidation

Manipulation

Political Science

Tactical Analysis

Universe: New Earth

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: Washington D.C.

Marital Status: Widowed (Joseph Waller; husband)

Occupation:

Government Agent

Politician

First Appearance: Legends #1 (November, 1986)

Abilities

Espionage

Firearms

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Indomitable Will

Intimidation

Manipulation

Political Science: Amanda has a degree in political science.

Tactical Analysis

Origins

Amanda Blake grew up in the crime-ridden Cabrini-Green area of Chicago. At the age of 18 she married the 20-year-old Joseph Waller, and they quickly had a large family together. Her first child was Joe, Jr., then Damita, then the twins Martin and Jessie, and then her youngest child Coretta. Their lives were a financial struggle, and they relied on social programs, but they were happy. Joe, Jr. was set to go to college on a basketball scholarship until he was killed in a mugging gone wrong. Damita was raped and murdered in an alleyway on her way home from church. They knew who was responsible, but the police could not get a conviction with no witnesses. Her husband Joseph Waller set out to kill the rapist "Candyman" and both men shot each other dead. Amanda swore that the streets would take no more of her family. She worked hard to put all of her other children through college, then she put herself through college and earned a political science degree. Amanda decided to go into politics, and she approached democratic congressional candidate Marvin Collins to become his campaign director. Collins was elected thanks to her efforts, and he took her to Washington as his aide. Amanda discovered the old Task Force X files while searching through old bills, and asked to revive the Suicide Squad under her direction.

The Agency

The Agency was formed by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X. Valentina Vostok brought former NYPD Lieutenant Harry Stein into the Agency as an operative. Amanda Waller later promoted Stein to the command position and demoted Vostok. Harry Stein would later re-organize the Agency and name it Checkmate.

Legends

Amanda Waller rebuilds Task Force X, and its former leader Rick Flag is assigned to work under her. Flag argues with Waller about her agenda, and Waller says the only thing she cares about is his ability to follow orders. Nightshade is the second member she recruits, as an undercover operative. Her first target is Brimstone, and she has a team of scientists analyze the monster for weaknesses. Waller puts together a new Suicide Squad lead by Flag with members including Blockbuster, Bronze Tiger, Captain Boomerang, and Enchantress. The criminals are offered pardons in exchange for their service, and fitted with explosive bracelets that will detonate if they disobey orders. Her team destroys Brimstone at Mount Rushmore. Blockbuster is the only casualty, despite her expectations that all of them would die. Waller tries to keep the criminals in custody, but Flag insists on honoring their deal and releases them. Captain Boomerang is captured by G. Gordon Godfrey, and threatens to expose the Suicide Squad unless they rescue him. Amanda gives them orders to silence Captain Boomerang by any means necessary. Flag insists on solving the problem non-lethally. Waller later presents her case to President Reagan, and thanks to this success he decides to let the team continue on a provisional basis.

Suicide Squad

Waller sets her team up in Louisiana's Belle Reve prison, under the care of warden John Economos. Simon LaGrieve and Marnie Herrs conduct psychological profiles, and warn her that the entire team is emotionally unstable, but Waller is unconcerned. Waller briefs the team and sends them on their next mission, destroying the terrorist group Jihad in Qurac. Waller authorizes Doctor Moon and Karin Grace to mindwipe the traitor Plastique. This infuriates Flag, and Amanda agrees that it is wrong of her. Belle Reve is attacked by the Female Furies of Apokolips, and Waller is unable to stop them from taking her prisoner G. Gordon Godfrey. They are asked to take down the racist vigilante William Hell, and Waller insists they discredit him instead of making a martyr for the "white power" movement. President Reagan has Waller send the Suicide Squad to arrest Firestorm, under the leadership of their incompetent NSC liaison Derek Tolliver.

Waller argues against the team going on purely political missions, but they are sent to rescue imprisoned author Zoya Trigorin in Moscow. LaGrieve worries that Amanda is suppressing anger over her family deaths, and counsels her to channel it into something productive. Amanda confronts Derek Tolliver for sending her team on the irresponsible Moscow mission, and Tolliver replies that her team was expendable. She punches him in the face, and tells him that this does not mean their lives can be thrown away like garbage. Flag has a breakdown following this mission, and Waller relieves him of command duty.

There is a political summit during Millennium, and Waller has an inter-agency rivalry with General Eiling. Waller sends her team to destroy the Manhunter temple with a bomb, and does not tell them they are all expected to die in the explosion. Batman infiltrates Belle Reve and threatens to expose the Squad. Waller stands up to Batman and talks him down by threatening to expose his secret identity, using the fingerprints of Matches Malone. Flag impresses her in the fight against Batman, and she reinstates his command. Waller is forced to send Rick Flag on another mission she politically disagrees with, rescuing Hawk in Nicaragua. She sends the rest of the team to kill drug czar Xavier Cujo. Nightshade argues that an illegal assassination is murder, and Waller replies that it is justice. Speedy tells her that this did not fix anything, and she only created a power vacuum. The Agency is reorganized by Harry Stein to become Checkmate, under Task Force X. Amanda Waller becomes their boss.

Rick Flag disobeys Waller to rescue their operative Nemesis, who was stranded in the Soviet Union. Waller is so angry that she has President Reagan send Justice League International to stop them. The JLI's publicist Maxwell Lord threatens to expose them, and Waller intimidates Lord with violence. Senator Cray blackmails President Reagan and the Suicide Squad to help his reelection campaign. Waller is forced to work under Derek Tolliver, Cray's aide, or she will be fired. In a moment of weakness, she confides in Bronze Tiger that everything has gone with her idea since the start. Amanda reveals that Bronze Tiger was supposed to be the leader, and Rick Flag was imposed on her, which she believes is because of racism. Despite this setback, she regroups and leads the team to save the world from Doctor ZZ. The Jihad returns to attack Manhattan, and they deliver an ultimatum demanding Waller's team be handed over. Waller orders Rick Flag not to intervene, and he disobeys her, so she tells him to do the job right this time.

Waller's inability to deal and compromise with her people led to the departure from the team of Nemesis, the death of a US senator and thereby indirectly to the death of Rick Flag Jr. Nonetheless, the team remained loyal to her, often choosing to side with her instead of the government. It was ultimately revealed that the reason that Amanda Waller even kept the heroes such as Nightshade around, was in order for them to act as her conscience. Over the course of her first run with the Suicide Squad her actions became increasingly erratic as she fought to retain control of the Squad. This was heightened by the public reveal of the Suicide Squad, and her being officially replaced, although her 'replacement' was in fact an actor, and Waller remained the team's director. Even that secret would eventually be revealed and Amanda Waller would be put on trial. During this time, the Squad also became involved in an inter-agency conflict in a crossover between the Checkmate and Suicide Squad titles called the Janus Directive. She eventually found herself serving prison time for her pursuit of an organized crime cartel based in New Orleans called the LOA and killing its leadership, using Squad operatives in the process.

The Squad's rebirth

Waller was eventually pardoned and released a year later to reorganize the Squad as a freelance mercenary group at the behest of Sarge Steel to deal with a crisis in Vlatava, Count Vertigo's home country. Afterwards the Suicide Squad performed a variety of missions, but were ultimately disbanded when Waller became disillusioned with her life.

During the course of her renewed tenure with this team, Amanda Waller became closer to her operatives, even accompanying them on their field missions. This allowed for her and her team to bond more effectively, although she retained her dominant and threatening personality.

Shadow Fighters

Around this time Amanda Waller would organize many superheros to confront the villain Eclipso. Again she would confront Sarge Steel. Her first attempt at a team did not go well as most of the them were brutally murdered. Her second attempt with a much larger team had much more success.

President Luthor

She would eventually rejoin federal service, initially as Southeastern regional director for the Department of Extranormal Operations, and eventually got promoted to Secretary of Metahuman Affairs as a member of the Luthor Administration. Luthor would use her as he saw fit, one of the few who could.

Checkmate

In the wake of being jailed briefly for her alleged connections to Luthor's illicit activities whilst in office, she was released yet again and ordered by President Jonathan Vincent Horne to take command of Checkmate in the wake of the O.M.A.C. Project debacle as a placeholder "Black King" until the United States and United Nations could decide what to do with that organization.

One Year Later

In the revamped Checkmate series, Waller is shown to have been assigned by the UN to serve as Checkmate's White Queen, a member of its senior policy-making executive, although she appears to have her own agenda, blackmailing Fire into committing murder on her behalf during Checkmate missions. Waller's assignment as White Queen has her commissioning the imprisoned Atom Smasher to organize a new Suicide Squad to attack Black Adam.

As leader of the reformed Checkmate, Waller has continued to use morally ambiguous methods to achieve her agenda, ranging from secretly authorizing a "take no prisoners" mandate in an attack on a Kobra stronghold, blackmailing Beatriz da Costa, a former assassin, into returning to her old murderous ways, and executing a female Kobra operative herself when she foils an assassination attempt. She later used the Suicide Squad to round up dangerous criminals and metahumans as part of Operation: Salvation Run, an unauthorized plan to exile various supervillains to another planet, later revealed to be a part of the Apokoliptian Empire. When Waller's colleague found out about the Operation, they forced her to resign as White Queen, though she managed to retain authority over the Suicide Squad.

Task Force X

After her resignation from Checkmate, forces in the US Government recommissioned her as the overseer and director of the Belle Reve metahuman prison and the leader of a new Suicide Squad known as Task Force X due to deeming her teem as a necessary asset to the US Government.

Fun Facts

Amanda Waller's sister Mary has said that she was raised Baptist, which means Amanda was as well.

#Amanda Waller #amanda blake #black king #mockingbird #white queen #agency #Checkmate #D.E.O. #deo #d.e.o #Shadow Fighters #Suicide Squad #task force x #u.s. government #us government #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Robin

“I'm not like Tim, or Jason, or even Dick. I'm light-years ahead of all the past Robins in skill and training. I'm either your partner in this or I'm not.” - Robin

Real Name: Damian Wayne

Aliases:

Batman

Damian al Ghul

Demon's Son

Garth

Gray Son of Gotham

Hafid al Ghul

Ibn al Xu'ffasch

Knute Broody Junior

Redbird

Gender: Male

Height: 4′ 6″

Weight: 84 lbs (38 kg)

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black

Abilities:

Archery

Artistry

Business Management

Disguise

Driving

Martial Arts

Genius Level Intellect

Investigation

Intimidation

Medical Science

Music

Peak Human Condition

Pedagogy

Stealth

Swordsmanship

Throwing

Weaknesses:

Arrogance 

Universe: Prime Earth

Base of Operations:

Gotham City

Mercy Hall, New York City

Titans Tower, San Francisco

Citizenship: American

Parents: 

Bruce Wayne; father

Talia al Ghul; mother

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Vigilante

Adventurer

Student

First Appearance: Batman and Robin Vol 2 #1 (November, 2011)

Abilities

Archery

Artistry: Damian is considered as skilled with a brush as he is with a sword.

Business Management: Trained by his mother and the League of Assassins in the way of controlling a company with an iron grip. Even as a young boy he knows that in business there are wars and even in war there are assassins. Damian is involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members. He even intimidated the board members by tracking down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises' accounts.

Disguise: Damian has disguised himself as an elderly bus driver and a substitute teacher.

Driving: He learned to drive at the age of five.

Martial Arts: Trained by the League of Assassins. Damian may not be physically tough but he knows how to control his weight and has stated that he knows, "one thousand ways to kill a man." Damian's training has made him a formidable hand-to-hand combatant able to defeat or hold his own against multiple opponents, armed opponents or skilled hand-to-hand combatants.

Genius Level Intellect: Damian has inherited a genius IQ from his father.

Investigation: Damian, having been trained under the "World's Greatest Detective", has been able to deduce people's actions as well as solve mysteries with few amounts of data.

Intimidation

Medical Science

Music

Peak Human Condition

Pedagogy

Stealth: Damian was able to sneak into Gotham City and furthermore into the Batcave virtually undetected until he felt necessary. Of all the Robins, Damian may be the one that is the most silent.

Swordsmanship: Although Damian no longer uses his sword he may be unmatched with one if armed correctly.

Throwing: Damian is trained by the League of Assassins in shuriken throwing and further trained by Batman in Batarang throwing.

Weaknesses

Arrogance: More often than not, Damian believes himself to be better than he is, this has allowed him to underestimate opponents as well as irritate his allies.

History

Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. This makes him an heir to the world's greatest crime-fighter, and its greatest super-villain Ra's al Ghul. Damian became the fifth Robin, working alongside his father as Batman.

Origins

Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. Raised by Talia and trained by the League of Assassins, Damian became a skilled assassin by an early age. Coupled by his innate talent for the art and his lineage, Damian became a respected member of the League. Eventually, when Damian finally met his father, Batman, Damian defected and joined his father's cause. Batman granted Damian the mantle of Robin,and Damian became his father's latest crime-fighting partner.

After Bruce's death in the Final Crisis, his first protégé Dick Grayson took over the mantle of Batman and Damian became his Robin. Alongside Grayson, Damian faced new threats such as Doctor Hurt, Professor Pyg and Flamingo.

Born to Kill

After his father's resurrection, Bruce and Damian began patrolling together as Batman and Robin. Bruce tried teaching Damian, still a cold-hearted assassin, about the sanctity of life, but had trouble relating with his son. Damian began showing restraint, which Bruce commended, although Alfred still criticized him for not being supportive enough. Bruce bought Damian a dog named Titus. They were both targeted by a super-villain named Nobody. They were kidnapped by Nobody, who tried to show Batman that his no-kill methods were ineffective. He encouraged Robin's darker side and tried to take him as an apprentice. Robin angrily left the Batcave to work with Nobody, who asked him to execute a criminal. Robin revealed that he was lying, and refused to betray his father. Nobody decided to torture Robin, continuing his personal vendetta against Batman. When Batman discovered their location, he beat Nobody mercilessly and came close to killing him, but stopped when he realized Damian was watching the fight. Nobody swore that he would return and kill their friends, so Damian killed him with a move Nobody had taught him. Though deeply shaken by the killing, Bruce reacted with compassion rather than anger. When Damian regained consciousness, they talked about how difficult it is for Damian to adjust from the life of an assassin. Despite their differences, they played ball with Titus and began to enjoy spending more time together as father and son.

Batman Incorporated

Batman and Robin began working together against Damian's mother Talia al Ghul, revealed as the head of Leviathan. During a fight in a meat factory, Damian converted to vegetarianism and adopted a pet cow who he named Bat-Cow. He was believed dead when he was shot in the head by an assassin named Goatboy. It was revealed that Talia had created another clone as his replacement, the obedient fully-grown Heretic. Robin was shown to have faked his death, and is confined to the Batcave at Batman's orders. To avoid the bounty Talia placed on his head, he began using the name Redbird and switched to a new costume. This allowed him to team up with Jason Todd, who was using the Wingman identity. They worked together with Batman Incorporated to take down the League of Assassins' top killers. However, Batman told Damian he had to quit crime-fighting altogether. Bruce revealed that he has seen Damian's future, as told through "Batman in Bethlehem". If Damian did not retire, his actions would lead to a plague that would force the President to nuke Gotham. Batman Incorporated fought Leviathan in the streets, while Damian was forced to stay inside. Alfred Pennyworth got him a cat to take care of, who he also named Alfred. Damian refused to stay home while his allies were dying, and Alfred allowed him to leave knowing he could not be stopped. He flew his exo-skeleton into the center of the battle, where Leviathan had taken over Wayne Tower. He neutralized the child soldiers, and teamed up with Dick Grayson to take down the remaining assassins. The Heretic flew Grayson aside, and challenged Damian to a sword-fight. Despite his bravery and refusal to give up, Damian was impaled through the chest and killed.

Resurrection

After various trials and tribulations involving his corpse, mainly revolving around Ra's al Ghul and Apokolips, Batman managed to rescue his son's body and, through using the Omega Sanction infused within a Chaos Crystal shard, brought Damian back to life within the Batcave.

Teen Titans

On his 13th birthday Damian was sent a package by his grandfather Ra's al Ghul, which contained a dead robin. After meeting with his mother Talia, he discovered that it was a warning from his cousin Mara al Ghul, who had chosen him as her prey as part of an initiation ritual she must undertake in order to properly join the League of Assassins. Mara had been made leader of a group known as the Demon's Fist, which was originally supposed to be led by Damian but became hers when he chose to leave the League. They too had chosen targets that they must hunt down in order to ascend to the League. Damian decided to collect the other Demon's Fist members' targets in order to form the new Teen Titans; comprised of Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven and Kid Flash.

In the Name of the Father

While searching for a tree for Christmas, Jonathan Samuel Kent accidentally torched some woodlands near a swamp in Hamilton. He was subsequently rescued by Maya Ducard, the daughter of the villain Nobody, and Damian's pet dragon-bat Goliath. Jon later awakened in the Batcave and found out that Robin had been keeping him under surveillance for a long time. The two initially did not get along, and the situation was further complicated when Batman and Superman arrived, blaming each other for the conflict.

The ensuing melee was abruptly averted when Jon used his Freeze Breath to separate the two sides and allow him to explain the situation to his father. While their fathers were discussing the lab tests that Damian had performed on Jon, the two boys went off to look at Damian's pets. However, due to Damian's snide remarks and goading, Jon lost his temper and another brawl broke out between them. This was also put down quickly as Batman and Superman looked down on them in furious silence.

In order to properly discipline their sons and teach them the value of working together, Superman and Batman had them undergo a series of challenges. However their lack of teamwork and animosity toward each other caused them to fail every challenge. The boys finally managed to put aside their differences and worked together in order to save their fathers from an apparent threat in the Batcave, but this later turns out to be a ruse. At this point, Alfred declared them to be the Super Sons.

Super Sons Vs. Kid Amazo

Jonathan was paid a visit by Robin, posing as both his school's bus driver and his substitute teacher. He was later unwillingly recruited by Damian to help him investigate a series of break-ins at LexCorp. This misadventure was further complicated with the appearance of Lex Luthor, who tried to capture them both. The two boys managed to escape Luthor and followed a lead to a home in Providence, Rhode Island, where they encountered a family who still retained their powers from the Amazo Virus. However, one member by the name of Reggie Meyer was driven insane by the excessive use of his powers and took the alias of Kid Amazo. He had also stolen the Amazo Armor from LexCorp and had planned to use it and the abilities of the Super Sons to lure the Justice League into a trap. Thanks to the arrival of Lex Luthor and aid from Reggie's super-powered sister Sara, Kid Amazo was taken down. Not wanting to explain themselves, Robin and Superboy quickly left the area and headed back to Hamilton. However, their absences from their respective homes did not go unnoticed as they encountered both Lois Lane and Alfred Pennyworth while trying to sneak into Jon's home.

The boys were subsequently punished by their respective parents. Batman forbade Robin to go crime-fighting for a week while Superboy was forced to do his chores without using his superpowers. With the prospect of moving to Metropolis on his mind, Jon eventually ran off and headed to Gotham to speak with Damian in the Batcave. This resulted in another argument and a short fight, before Alfred arrived. They were later joined by Batman and Superman, and worked out their differences. With Superman's and Batman's permission, the two boys would be allowed to go on their own, provided that they would do so together.

Dark Knights: Metal

Damian aided in fighting the Dark Knights upon their invasion, forming the Gotham Resistance with Green Arrow, Killer Croc, Nightwing and Harley Quinn. They lost Croc, the Teen Titans and the Suicide Squad, but they defeated Mister Freeze, Riddler and Damian's evil Earth -22 self and made the discovery that beings from the Dark Multiverse can be killed by Nth Metal.

Fun Facts

Damian has declared himself a vegetarian.

Damian has a strong love for animals. Pets he has owned include Goliath, Bat-Cow, Titus, and Alfred.

#robin #damian wayne #batman family #Teen Titans #super sons #Batman Inc #League of Assassins #Wayne Enterprises #court of owls #batman incorporated #Batman Inc. #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce #batman #damian al ghul #demon's son #demons son #garth #gray son of gotham #hafid al ghul #ibn al xu'ffasch #ibn al xuffasch #knute broody junior #redbird

[thedcdunce]

Rainbow Raider

“Why waste your time Flash? Even if you catch me, nobody'll appreciate it!” - Rainbow Raider

Real Name: Roy G. Bivolo

Gender: Male

Height: 5′ 10″

Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)

Eyes: Grey

Hair: Black

Abilities:

Artistry

Thievery

Equipment: 

Prisma Goggles

Universe: 

Earth-One

New Earth

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: Central City

Marital Status: Widowed (Joseph Waller; husband)

Occupation:

Professional Criminal

Artist

First Appearance: The Flash #286 (June, 1980)

Appearance of Death: The Flash Vol 2 #183 (April, 2002)

Abilities

Artistry

Thievery

Equipment

Prisma Goggles: Shoots a variety of colored beams.

Rainbow Bridge

Prisma-Beam

Emotion Control

Origin

Roy G. Bivolo was a wonderful painter from an early age. He was also color blind, however. His father, a famous optometrist, was determined to create a device that would allow his son to see in full color, but Roy did not receive this gift until his father died. Unfortunately, the goggles did not correct his vision. What they did do was project beams of light that could become solid objects, make him invisible, blind his opponents, or affect the emotions of his opponents. Angered that he could not pursue a career in art, he turned to crime instead, becoming one of the Flash's Rogues Gallery as the Rainbow Raider. He also clashed with Batman and the Flash when he worked in partnership with Doctor Double X. He was eventually killed by Amunet Black.

During the Blackest Night, Roy was revived as a Black Lantern.

Fun Facts

After Bivolo's death, his gimmick was stolen by a gang of villains called the Rainbow Raiders.

The first seven letters of Roy's full name comprise a pun corresponding to the seven colours within the visible spectrum of light; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

Bivolo's condition is a real affliction called achromatopsia, or total color-blindness.

#rainbow raider #roy g. bivolo #roy g bivolo #roy bivolo #rogues #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Lord Satanus

“Go to hell? My dear, I am Hell.” - Lord Satanus

Real Name: Satanus

Aliases:

Collin Thornton

Gender: Male

Eyes: Red

Hair: Black

Race: Human/Demon Hybrid

Powers:

Demonic Physiology

Universe: New Earth

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations:  

Purgatory

Hell

Parents: Jebediah of Canaan; father

Marital Status: Single

First Appearance: Adventures of Superman#493 (August, 1992)

Last Appearance: Reign in Hell #8 (April, 2009)

Powers

Demonic Physiology

Flight

Magic

Metamorphosis

Size Alteration

Teleportation

Energy Projection

Thermokinesis

History

Lord Satanus resembled a traditional demon, save that he wore a heavy Roman-style helmet, and either had black skin or the helmet buried his face in shadow. He and his sister Blaze fought for possession of the latter's domain, using Superman as a pawn. At the end of it, it was revealed that Satanus was disguised as Colin Thornton, the publisher of Newstime magazine, who had previously hired Clark Kent as editor.

Lord Satanus, meanwhile, had created DMN, a magical drug that transformed people into demons, which he arranged to be sent to areas of the world where people were in desperate straits. After the Fall of Metropolis, the city became one of these areas. Horrified by what had befallen his home, Satanus sent a disguised magical message to Zatanna, who used Perry White and Superman's knowledge of the city to restore it. Satanus would use the DMN addicts again, however, to distract Shazam from detecting his presence when the wizard visited Metropolis.

Following Brainiac-13's recreation of Metropolis, Satanus made an ambitious effort to capture the soul of the entire city. Superman offered his own soul in exchange, but eventually thwarted Satanus with the help of a young psychic and a mysterious shaman named Night Eagle who, it was implied, might be Blaze.

Day of Vengeance

Satanus recently revealed to Superman that he was Colin Thornton when the Spectre arrived in Metropolis as part of his mission to destroy all evil magic during the Day of Vengeance. Whether Lord Satanus was destroyed or not was not revealed. He does appear at the magician's seance to summon the Spectre during the Infinite Crisis.

Reign In Hell

Satanus and his sister Blaze have decided to make an attempt for the throne of Hell by causing a revolt against Neron. They preach to the damned about the hope of getting beyond being a simple realm of suffering eternally and becoming a place to atone for past sins and then to be free of torment for the debts long since paid. Satanus preaches of a hell not bound by laws handed down long ago, stating that the only ones keeping the laws in place are those who continue to toil under them without hope. He pledges to change this.

Lord Satanus led his forces against those of Neron in a battle that raged throughout the Infernal Dominion, throwing Hell into chaos the likes of which it has not known for centuries. While at first his forces were holding their own, as time went by, the overwhelming number of warriors and demons under Neron's command became too much for his forces to handle. While his sister Blaze faced off against the sorcerer Doctor Fate, Satanus set the last of his plans in motion.

Coming to his sister after the end of her duel with Fate, Satanus revealed the truth of his plans to her. Reminding her of the magical drug he had created years ago, DMN, he reminded her of its properties for turning mortals into demons, it could also work in reverse for turning demons into humans. He explained that the entire war had been a ruse, a way for his plague-carrying troops to reach throughout Hell, spreading his plague. He also simultaneously used his power to create a conjuring for Neron to witness their conversation, a direct challenge to his power.

Neron accepted, and broadcasting his intentions to the entirety of the Infernal Dominion, teleported to Satanus to bring him to task for his actions. Satanus fought Neron in a magical duel that spread across the realm of Hell. Satanus was able to barely stand against Neron, and just as his enemy prepared to end their fight, he triggered his trap, speaking aloud "Shazam". All the demons infected with DMN were transformed into humans, and each one drew power from Neron, reverting him back to the pitiful demon he had started out as.

Lord Satanus wasted no time beheading Neron. Proclaiming himself ruler of Hell, he gifted his sister with the head of their enemy, and prepared for his rule to begin.

Transporting to Neron's former citadel, Lord Satanus and his sister Lady Blaze moved in, taking over. Trading in his battle armor for robes, Satanus is waited on by numerous servants. Waiting for the Infernal Dominion to re-align itself to his will as it had for Neron, Satanus cut it off from all other planes while his power was consolidated.

He explained to Blaze that instead of placing demons over the souls of the Damned to watch and torment them, he would instead allow them to torment each other. He explained that needing to pass blame on to others, because of their curse of Pride they would keep each other in check, blaming one another for their failures in life and damning themselves even further. Entering his throne room, where thrones waited for both him and his sister, he picked up the dispatched head of Neron and forced it to say the words that would hand over control to him.

He then used his power to re-constitute one of his former demonic servants, sending him forth to find Doctor Fate so that he could be properly punished for the disfigurement of his sister. Waiting as his power grew, Satanus used a burst of strength to remodel and reshape the citadel. Sitting on his throne he began to plan, ready to bring all past debts in to call.

Black Alice later appeared in an attempt to force him into returning a part of her soul that was dragged to Hell during the war by Lilith. She attempted to absorb Satanus' power but was intercepted by Blaze who absorbed Satanus' power for herself and overthrew him as the ruler of Hell while leaving him chained to her side as a shriveled husk.

#lord satanus #satanus #collin thornton #shazam #blaze #lady blaze #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

[thedcdunce]

Queen Hippolyta

“Whatever fates we are to meet, we shall face them together, as sisters and Amazons!” - Queen Hippolyta

Real Name: Hippolyta

Aliases:

Wonder Woman

Hippolyte

Shim'Tar

Gender: Female

Height: 5′ 9″

Weight: 150 lbs (68 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Black

Race: Demigod

Powers:

Amazonian Physiology

Abilities:

Amazonian training

Gift of Athena

Equipment:

Invisible Plane

Amazonian Weapons

Universe: New Earth

Citizenship: Amazon

Base of Operations: Themyscira

Parents: Ares; father

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Queen

First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol 2 #1 (February, 1987)

Last Appearance: Wonder Woman #614 (October, 2011)

Powers

Amazonian Physiology: The Amazons are a race of warrior women that have received gifts and blessings from five Olympian goddesses: Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hestia and Aphrodite. Hippolyta possesses the same potential powers as an average Amazon. These include:

Enhanced Intellect: A gift from Athena, the Amazons have the wisdom to be guided by peace and justice.

Superhuman Strength

Superhuman Durability

Superhuman Stamina

Superhuman Agility

Immortality: The Amazons were gifted immortality. The people of Themyscira lived forever, though could be killed in war or in an accident. Those who followed Antiope and Phthia and became the Bana-Mighdall lost their immortality.

Self-Sustenance: So long as Hippolyta stays on Themyscira, she does not require food, water or any other form of nourishment to maintain her health and vitality. Although they are not susceptible to the throes of hunger, this does not mean that Amazons don't consume food for enjoyment. The Amazons frequently hold great festivals whereupon food is served.

Abilities

Amazonian training: The Amazons honed their skills in many fields, aided by the gifts from Athena and Artemis.

Archery

Equestrianism

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Swordsmanship

Gift of Athena: Athena declared Hippolyta the ruler of the Amazons, and granted her additional insights:

Diplomacy: Queen Hippolyta is practiced at conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states. She has often been called upon to use these skills at times of war.

Leadership: Queen Hippolyta was a born leader and strategist and is excellent in the arts of persuasion and diplomacy.

Equipment

Invisible Plane: As Wonder Woman, Hippolyta had access to the Invisible Jet. She has since given the disk to her daughter.

Amazonian Weapons

Origins

Hippolyta's history begins tens of thousands of years ago. In ancient times, there was a caveman who--embittered over being maimed by a tiger and driven from his tribe--encountered a woman in a cave and brutally murdered her after she offered him some compassion: the first woman murdered by a man's hatred.

Thousands of years later, the Greek pantheon held a meeting around 1,300 B.C., convened by the goddesses. They desired to create a race of humans that would champion their ideals. Zeus, in his arrogance, decreed that mankind would never forget the gods, and that it did not matter if there were champions or not. Ares, being the god of war, did not desire anyone promoting peace. The other male gods did not seem interested, and Hera did not wish to go against her husband. Therefore, it fell to the other five primary Greek goddesses. Traveling into the Underworld, the goddess came to the Well of Souls, the place where the souls of all the women murdered by mans hatred were gathered. They drew forth these souls, dropping them like great tears into a lake in Greece--all save one, a very special soul. The souls mixed with the clay and stone of the lake bed to form the Amazons, women reborn. The first to emerge from the waters was Hippolyta--the second would be her sister, Antiope. The goddesses made themselves known to the Amazons, appointing Hippolyta and Antiope to be the two queens of them. They decreed that the Amazons were to spread the message of Gaea: a message of peace, tolerance, and equality. As a symbol of their devotion, Hippolyta and Antiope were each given a Golden Girdle.

Hippolyta and Antiope lead the Amazons for years, creating a great city called Themyscira. It's unclear if the Amazons aged at first, or how much time elapsed, but it seems from the evidence that perhaps twenty years go by, as Antiope has a daughter, Pythia. Their efforts to spread peace and equality were frustrated, however, as few men trusted them. As the years went by, more and more they remained isolated in their city. Their numbers increased by freeing women from slavery.

Doom would come to the city in the form of Heracles, the Son of Zeus. In the midst of his Twelve Labors, still suffering from Hera's madness upon him, Heracles and his friend Theseus came to the Amazons. One of Heracles's Labors was to retrieve the Girdle of Hippolyta. Arriving at the Amazon city with an army behind them, Heracles demanded Hippolyta surrender the Girdle. Hippolyta refused, marching out of the city and offering to fight Heracles for it. Heracles was defeated by the Amazon Queen, and the humbled demi-god offered peace and to unite with the Amazons in an alliance. The Amazons let Heracles and his men into the city, and a night of revelry ensued. Antiope fell helplessly in love with Theseus, and Hippolyta fell for Heracles pretty hard--too hard. In his madness, Heracles drugged Hippolyta, raping and assaulting her in her slumber. And when she awoke she was in chains. Heracles' army bound, beat, and raped the Amazons, tearing down their city and stealing their treasures. Heracles left the city with Hippolyta's girdle and some of his men, leaving the majority behind to guard the Amazons. Theseus was gone as well, although it's not clear if he participated in the raping and pillaging or if he left beforehand.

After a vision of one of the goddesses let her find her strength, Hippolyta broke out of her cell and set to work freeing her sisters. More and more Amazons were freed, and a running battle began all over the city. Hippolyta watched as many of her sisters succumbed to bloodlust, enjoying the bloody slaughter of the men. They fought until all the men lie dead. Afterwards, Antiope was still enraged--she insisted that they march on Athens itself, killing all in their path until they reached Athens where they could take back the Girdle from Heracles' dead hand.

But Hippolyta said no--she said that such a path of bloody revenge was not the Amazon way, and that to go down that way would lead only to destruction. Antiope could not be strayed--feeling betrayed by not only her lover but by her gods, she cast her Girdle at Hippolyta's feet, declaring that henceforth she asked nothing of Olympus. Half the Amazons left with her--the other half stayed with Hippolyta. It was the last time the sisters would ever see each other.

In the midst of the ruins, the goddesses now appeared again. They were displeased with the Amazons, declaring that they had failed in their sacred mission--now the very name "Amazon" would be associated with death and destruction, not peace and equality. The Amazons must have a penance. They were each given a pair of steel "bracelets" to wear at all times, forever a reminder of their capture and humiliation. Then their bodies and souls were purified, and they began their journey. Poseidon himself parted the sea, and the Amazons walked along the bottom until they came to an island that the gods had removed from the circles of the world--Paradise Island. There they built the new city-state of Themyscira, and were to be the guardians of a great evil that lay beneath the Island. As long as they remained on the island, they would be immortal--though they could be killed, and some were over the many long years and the many battles they had to fight against the evil that would try to escape. For over 3,000 years, here they remained, with Hippolyta their queen all that time.

From time to time, there would be a visitor who breached the mists that shielded the island. One of these would be Diana Trevor, a woman who crash landed her small plane on the shores of the island some time after World War II. Diana Tevor arrived while the Amazons were in the midst of a battle with the evil from the Pits beneath the island, and she valiantly fought at their side. She fired the crucial shot from her firearm that won the battle, although she lost her life in the process.

Not long after Diana Trevor came to the island, Hippolyta began to feel a deep yearning she could not explain. The Oracle of the Island had the answer--Hippolyta was the reincarnation of the first woman who had been murdered, and that woman was pregnant with a daughter. The longing Hippolyta felt was for her unborn child. The Oracle told her that the goddesses would grant her longing. Hippolyta went to the beach, and molded a baby from the sand and clay of the island. Then five goddesses and one god went back into the Underworld, drawing out the last soul that remained in the Well and giving it incredible powers. The soul was merged with the clay and became flesh. Hippolyta had her daughter, and named her in honor of Diana Trevor--Diana, Princess of the Amazons.

Diana grew up with one mother and thousands of sisters--but no children her own age. When she was young, the sorceress Magala used her magic to create a magical copy of Diana to be her playmate. Unfortunately, one of Hippolyta's enemies, Dark Angel, came to the island planning to kidnap Diana. She found the copy instead, and thinking that was Diana, she kidnapped her instead. That child was Donna Troy. After Donna's disappearance, Hippolyta became more protective of her daughter, often coming to check on her at random, even after Diana had fully grown up.

After Diana turned twenty-two, the Oracle of the Island came to Hippolyta with a new message. The gods demanded that the Amazons send a champion to what the Amazons' called "Man's World". Hippolyta called for a contest to determine who would go, but she forbid Diana from competing. Diana did it anyway, and no one knew until the Contest was over, as all the contestants were required to wear masks during the tests. Hippolyta could not deny Diana's place, and so after passing one final test, Diana was given a costume.

The NEW Golden Age Wonder Woman

The Crisis on Infinite Earths leaves many problems for the resulting survivors of the singular earth. Even the Amazons are not protected as Donna Troy, Wonder Woman's younger sister, has been erased from history but still exists in the reformatted new Earth. Wally West and Wonder Woman confront the woman who they know but no one else does and begin a quest to restore the Donna Troy they knew. Confronting Hippolyta on the events of Donna, Hippolyta reveals Donna's true origin as a mystically created twin playmate for Princess Diana. The alternate warped version of Troy known as Dark Angel abducted Donna thinking her to be the original Diana and cursed her to live multiple tragic lives, one of which was as Donna Troy.

Hippolyta, along with Jay Garrick, travels back into the past to stabilize the current reality of Troy as Wonder Girl and correct some of the problems of the time stream caused by Dark Angel's presence in the past. It was during this time that Hippolyta becomes the Golden Age Wonder Woman native to the new reality and joins the Justice Society of America during the team's original days. Hippolyta, as the "new" Golden Age Wonder Woman, along with the Justice Society, defeats Dark Angel. Hippolyta remains there until approximately 1950 when she returns to the present with the help of a Jay Garrick from the future.

Dethronement and Death

Upon Hippolyta's return to the present time, she had found her time away from the Amazon and her royal duties had allowed a break to happen between the Amazon groups. While many outsiders had thought of the Amazons as one singular group of women, the truth of the Amazonian society did have individual groups. One of those groups, the Bana Mighdall Amazons, felt that Hippolyta had given up her right to rule by willingly abandon her throne to fight in Man's world, even though she was originally forced into the role by the Olympian gods. Even her direct Themyscira Amazons couldn't justify her continuing neglect of her royal duties as the Queen of the Amazons for the length of time that Hippolyta had remained away from the Amazons and began to turn away from her. Seeing that she was losing support and her own desire for battle increasing, Hippolyta relinquished her throne and went back into the outside to fight alongside her daughter as a second Wonder Woman, after suggesting that Diana and her saved sister, Donna Troy, rule over the Amazons. Hippolyta's two daughters refused to rule and the various factions were not able to choose and successor satisfactory to all the groups. Ultimately the Amazons decided to abolish the Amazon monarchy system for individual self-rule.

Finding her place as an active warrior and part-time member of the reformed Justice Society, Hippolyta carried on as the "other" Wonder Woman until the "Worlds at War" happened. During one of the cosmic invader Imperiex's attempts to destroy Earth, the Amazons became involved in the planet's defense. Hippolyta fought against an Imperiex probe and was barely able to stop it by herself. When Diana arrived at the battle scene she rescued her mother and ordered the weaker Wonder Woman to leave. But Hippolyta remained defiant despite her weaker power and safeguarded her daughter by throwing Diana out of the way when the Imperiex probe threaten to destroy Diana and all around them. The probe exploded killing only Hippolyta.

One Year Later revival

Hippolyta is brought back to life by the immortal witch Circe who shows the revived Hippolyta that the USA has kidnapped her daughter Diana and was being tortured until she gave over the plans on how the U.S. government could create their own Purple Ray to be used as a weapon. Enraged by Circe's vision and accepting them as real, Hippolyta declared control over all of the Amazons to rescue Diana and attain vengeance on the outside world she had once cherished. Confronting her daughter who had gone underground, Hippolyta decided to continue the battle regardless and slaughtered many males, even unarmed boys. Finding her actions completely out of character for the former Wonder Woman, Diana and Donna Troy discovered that Circe had revived Hippolyta as an extension of herself by placing a portion of her own soul into Hippolyta.

As Hippolyta's persona was modified to now be a composite of her former self and that of Circe, the revived Hippolyta was far more destructive than ever before even to the point that she defended Circe against her daughters. It is not until Circe was rendered impotent temporarily, and the magical influence over Hippolyta's mind is removed does Hippolyta regain her more calm center and end the Amazonian war. Athena makes herself known to Hippolyta and the Amazons and decides to punish them all for their part in the war by removing all the Amazons' powers and memories and scattering them across the Earth to live out their shortened lives as human women.

Hippolyta also stripped of her powers but restored to immortality for an unending punishment is forced to rule over an empty Paradise Island except for four bound Amazons who unless all forgive her will never be able to reclaim their memory and powers. Currently, Hippolyta spends her days seeking their redemption in the hopes of rebuilding Paradise Island and returning the Amazons to their previous status. It has been revealed that the current Athena is in reality Granny Goodness who has succeeded the original Athena after the fall of the New Gods.

Fun Facts

This character is an adaptation of Hippolyta, a character in traditional stories. These include, but may not be limited to religious texts, myth, and/or folk lore.

#queen hippolyta #hippolyta #Wonder Woman #hippolyte #shim'tar #shimtar #shim tar #Justice Society of America #jsa #All-Star Squadron #all star squadron #allstar squadron #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce