Captain Comet
Encyclopedia
Captain Comet is a fiction
al DC Comics
superhero
created by DC Comics Editor Julius Schwartz
, writer John Broome
, and artist Carmine Infantino
.
Once a minor character in the DC Comics canon, he occupies an almost unique position in DC Comics history as a superhero whose origins belong to neither of the two great superhero comics periods between the 1930s and the start of the 1970s - the Golden Age
and the Silver Age
. His early stories fall into a no-man's land, sometimes referred to as 'The Atomic Age' because of the recurrent science-fiction themes of most comics of the period, when very few superheroes comics were published and less than a dozen short-lived, superhero characters were introduced.
Along with Marvel Comics
' Namor the Sub-Mariner
and Toro
(sidekick of the original Human Torch), he is among the first mutant metahuman
superheroes (meaning he was born with his powers), predating X-Men
by 12 years. He is one of the few DC Comics characters not to have had their earlier history significantly changed by various DC Comics major continuity changing events over the years such as 'Crisis on Infinite Earths
' and 'Zero Hour
'.
' #9 (June 1951) published by National Comics (now known as DC Comics). He was created by 'Strange Adventures' Editor Julius Schwartz
, John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino, and the story was written by John Broome (under the alias Edgar Ray Merritt), drawn by Carmine Infantino and inked by Bernard Sachs
. The character was based on the pulp fiction
character Captain Future
. His first appearance was actually a two-part story, continued in 'The Air Bandits From Space' in 'Strange Adventures' #10 (July 1951). From issue #12 (September 1951) Murphy Anderson
took over as artist, and he drew all Captain Comet's further appearances in 'Strange Adventures' until #46 (July 1954); Sy Barry
and Gil Kane
drew the last two stories. John Broome wrote every issue.
Captain Comet appeared in 38 issues of 'Strange Adventures', (missing only issues #45, #47, and #48); the series ending in 'Strange Adventures' #49 (October, 1954). From the beginning, Captain Comet appeared on most of the covers, mainly drawn by Murphy Anderson or Gil Kane. Stories ranged in length from six to ten pages, dropping from ten pages in 1951 to eight pages in 1952 and finally six pages from May 1953. He next appeared in 1976, when writer Gerry Conway
and co-writer David Anthony Kraft
reintroduced him as a supporting character in 'Secret Society of Super Villains
' starting with 'No Man Shall Call Me Master' ('Secret Society of Super Villains' #2, July/August 1976). He appeared in most issues of that title, together with associated 'Secret Society of Super Villains Special' #1 (October 1977), until it was canceled with issue #15 (June/July 1978). During this run he also appeared in 'Super-Team Family Giant
' #13 (September 1977), a story directly linked to the 'Secret Society of Super Villains' series, and as lead character for the first time since 1954 in an extended story, 'Danger: Dinosaurs at Large!' in (DC Special #27, April/May 1977) by Gerry Conway
and artist Arvell Jones
. 'Secret Society of Super Villains' was canceled as part of 'The DC Implosion
'. Ironically Captain Comet was a popular character at the time - he had recently come second in a poll for potential Justice League
membership, and writer Bob Rozakis
had recently presented DC Comics with a proposal for Captain Comet's first own-title series.
After the cancellation of 'Secret Society of Super Villains', Captain Comet entered another hiatus, his appearances limited to guest spots in other DC titles during the 1980s. Four of these were cameo appearances - 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' #5 (August 1985), #10 (January 1986) and #12 (March 1986), and 'All-Star Squadron
' #53 (January 1986). Two were team-ups with Superman - 'DC Comics Presents
' #22 (June 1980) and #91 (March 1986); the fourth was a retelling of his origin by Roy Thomas in 'Secret Origins
Annual' vol 2 #1 (1987). He also appeared in the non-canonical series 'DC Challenge
' (1986).
He then became a supporting character in the 'L.E.G.I.O.N.
' series from issue #16 (June 1990). Captain Comet was actually a late replacement for fellow 1950s space traveler Adam Strange
who was due to become a regular character, as otherwise it would have clashed with the Adam Strange Prestige Format limited series published around the same time. He was then part of the R.E.B.E.L.S. series which continued from L.E.G.I.O.N. That series was canceled with 'R.E.B.E.L.S.96' #17 (March 1996), and had a solo story in 'Showcase '96' #10 (November 1996), after which another hiatus followed.
Since 2005, under the writer Jim Starlin
Captain Comet has had his highest profile in DC Comics publications since the 1950s, featuring in the Rann-Thanagar War
miniseries (2005), starring in the 8-issue miniseries 'Mystery in Space (vol 2) (2006), and co-starring in 'Rann-Thanagar Holy War' (2008) and 'Strange Adventures' (vol 3)(2009), as well as appearing briefly in the '52
' (2006) and 'Final Crisis
' (2008) events. Most recently he has become a regular character in the ongoing new R.E.B.E.L.S.
series (2009).
'born a hundred thousand years before his time' , in 1931 to a farming couple from the American Mid-West. His 'metagene' was triggered by a comet
passing overhead at birth.
Adam Blake discovered his unique abilities as he grew up - at the age of four he instantly found a ring his mother had lost ( 'I just knew it was there' ), and by eight years old demonstrated photographic memory by reading a whole encyclopedia at speed and retaining the information. Other skills manifested almost instantly, he could play musical instruments without tuition and was secretly expert at sports to Olympic record level. During senior school he saved a schoolmate from falling to her death by mental force, but despite his powers he felt isolated from other humans by his difference to them. After leaving school he became a librarian at Midwest City, where he sought the help of a renowned physicist, Professor Emery Zackro, who tested him and discovered Adam was a mutant - postulating he was the reverse of an evolutionary throwback, 'an accidental specimen of future man' . His Captain Comet persona began when Adam used his powers to intervene when criminals attempted to steal an advanced scientific device invented by Professor Zackro. Immediately after this, Blake and the Professor agreed Blake should become a superhero on a full-time basis, and he made his first appearance in public as Captain Comet combatting giant terraforming robot tops belonging to an alien race looking for a world to colonise. During this task, Adam built a working version of a prototype spaceship Professor Zackro had designed, which would become his personal spaceship, 'The Cometeer', and took up a costume, spacesuit and stun gun also invented by the Professor.
Over the next three years he saved Earth from multiple alien invasions and explored space in The Cometeer, saving other civilisations and meeting beautiful alien damsels in distress in the process. During this period he largely used intelligence and his mind-reading skills to help solve problems and situations, seldom resorting to physical solutions. Among his more weird adventures, Captain Comet battled mad Greek Gods from space, fought dinosaurs and alien creatures, and came up against a compulsory 1950s comics evil super-powered ape several times. Sometime after 1954 he disappeared into space in 'The Cometeer' on another expedition of discovery, but this time he was not to return for over 20 years.
and Gorilla Grodd
, and some trickery by Grodd, he ended up joining the Secret Society of Super Villains and battled Darkseid
and the forces of Apokolips
with them. Later he turned down full membership of the Justice League, but became an honorary member and took up residence on their satellite headquarters. After fighting Chronos
and dinosaurs in Gotham City
, the Captain continued his crusade against the Secret Society of Super Villains, but after a number of setbacks (mainly orchestrated by Gorilla Grodd) was eventually left still swearing to track them down.
Although present at the marriage of Ray 'The Atom' Palmer and Jean Loring
several months later, Captain Comet then remained off-radar for nearly two years, eventually contacting Superman
when the effect of the comet that mutated him wore off, turning him into a human comet as his powers fluctuated wildly. With Superman's help he managed to track down the comet and stabilise his powers. Superman's help was needed again six years later when the villain Brain Storm attempted to augment his waning powers by stealing Captain Comet's power (accidentally temporarily evolving him even further in the process).
His involvement with L.E.G.I.O.N. was mainly in a supporting role. He fell in love with fellow member scientist Marij'n Bek, who nurse him back to health and studied the massive headaches he frequently suffered. These were the result of his possession by a psi-creature in space before meeting L.E.G.I.O.N.; it was eventually purged by Vril Dox
, leaving the Captain once again hospitalised for months. Soon after he was apparently killed by Lady Quark
- who had been possessed by the same parasite that had lived within him. Buried under a mountain on Ith'kaa, he eventually dug himself out and used his knowledge to manipulate the savage indigenous population to achieve the technological level to build him a spaceship (explaining later, without irony, that it took six months to industrialise the tribal society because 'they were slow learners' ). Returning to R.E.B.E.L.S. homeworld, Cairn he learned that Vril Dox's son Lyrl had brainwashed most of the L.E.G.I.O.N., made the key L.E.G.I.O.N. members fugitives, and taken control of Cairn; so he and Maryj'n formed a resistance movement to free the population and overthrow Lyrl, and were key in successfully defeating him. As a result, Captain Comet became leader of the new, reformed L.E.G.I.O.N.
During this period, Captain Comet took up residence (with Tyrone, an artificially created telepathic clone bulldog) in The Zelazny Building on 'Hardcore Station
', a corrupt commercial satellite station with a population of several million in a free space zone between a number of trading civilisations.
s during the Rann-Thanagar War
; after intervention by Green Lantern Kyle Rayner
, he decided to stay and help him end the war. He first accompanied Kyle to the destroyed planet Thanagar
, where they built a protective dome and terraformed the land to create a secure environment for the survivors. Then he joined up with Adam Strange
and Hawkman
to defend Rann against the Thanagarians under the control of the demon Onimar Synn
, who he was instrumental in destroying.
, forcing him to jettison his primary consciousness from his body before death. His psychic self merged briefly with that of The Weird
, which had been drifting in space since his death, and both were revived in new bodies. Captain Comet's new body constituted back at Hardcore Station - with golden eyes, a 20-year old's physique, and the ability to teleport, although he had lost some strength. Shortening his name to Comet, (and allowing the misconception that he was his own nephew to grow) he searched for the remains of his old body on Hardcore Station, discovering that it had been stolen by the Eternal Light Corporation Church and he was being hunted by a team of their telepathic assassins. On breaking into the Eternal Light Corporation's building he uncovered that brainwashed cloned telepaths were being grown from the charred remains of his corpse, which he destroyed. Becoming a fugitive, he hid from the E.L.C. so they could not use his new body to continue their cloning - allowing thousands of Hardcore residents to die when the E.L.C. cut off life support to a whole area of Hardcore Station to force them to hand Comet in. Eventually he destroyed all the clones and the E.L.C - also killing hundreds of their followers.
, The Weird, and the Prince Gavyn Starman
to fight against the influences of the warring Lord Synnar and Lady Styx on Rann and Thanagar (which once again set the two planets on course for war). Their interference was eventually key in Lord Synnar's plans to achieve a higher plane of existence.
Later Comet discovered from the future spirit of Synnar that he is destined to be one of 'The Aberrant Six', a group critical to preventing the Synnar of today (trapped in The Weird's body) from destroying the universe. Ultimately the Aberrant Six did not form and the future Synnar was forced to leave, but not before Comet's mercenary friend Eye was killed by Synnar's supreme god-enemy to prevent the forming of the Six. Comet was entrusted with Eye's robot companion Orb until she returns, told by Synnar than when that happens he will 'continue his negotiations' - 'All has changed, but remains as it was' . Comet then returned to Hardcore Station, and almost immediately joined Vril Dox's new R.E.B.E.L.S.
Captain Comet is supposedly the pinnacle of human evolution. His mutant mental functions not only give him genius level I.Q.
but endow him with a photographic memory, telepathy
, enabling him to read or control people's minds (including alien races) and communicate his thoughts mentally. He has telekinetic powers
, which enable him to use his thoughts to move, lift, and alter matter without physical contact, mentally lift himself to fly at high-speed, create barriers of psychic force to deflect physical attack, and fire bursts of psionic energy that strike with concussive impact or energy, sometimes in electrical or fire form. His telekinetic shield can simultaneously protect him from the vacuum of space and surround himself with a breathable environment.
Captain Comet's brain also contains evolved sensory centers enabling him to clairvoyantly
'see' events outside of his range of sight. His evolved physiology originally made him superhumanly strong and durable, almost on par with Superman. After his resurrection, however, his physical power was significantly diminished, although his mental abilities have been enhanced; he now exhibits stronger psionic powers, and a teleporting ability that can also encompass others, but normally requires an hour to recharge after every 'jump'.
episode Powerless!, Aquaman
is seen portraying Captain Comet.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
created by DC Comics Editor Julius Schwartz
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz was a comic book and pulp magazine editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in the Bronx, New York...
, writer John Broome
John Broome (writer)
John Broome , who additionally used the pseudonyms John Osgood and Edgar Ray Meritt, was an American comic book writer for DC Comics.-Early life and career:...
, and artist Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
.
Once a minor character in the DC Comics canon, he occupies an almost unique position in DC Comics history as a superhero whose origins belong to neither of the two great superhero comics periods between the 1930s and the start of the 1970s - the Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
and the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
. His early stories fall into a no-man's land, sometimes referred to as 'The Atomic Age' because of the recurrent science-fiction themes of most comics of the period, when very few superheroes comics were published and less than a dozen short-lived, superhero characters were introduced.
Along with Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Namor the Sub-Mariner
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe, and one of the first superheroes, debuting in Spring 1939. The character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for Funnies Inc., one of the first "packagers" in the early days of comic books that supplied...
and Toro
Toro (comics)
Toro is the name of two characters from Marvel Comics. The first Toro was originally featured in Timely Comics and later as a Marvel Comics superhero who appeared as the partner of the original Human Torch.-Publication history:...
(sidekick of the original Human Torch), he is among the first mutant metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
superheroes (meaning he was born with his powers), predating X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
by 12 years. He is one of the few DC Comics characters not to have had their earlier history significantly changed by various DC Comics major continuity changing events over the years such as 'Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
' and 'Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
'.
Publication history
The character of Captain Comet first appeared in a 10-page tale, 'The Origin Of Captain Comet' , in the flagship science-fiction title 'Strange AdventuresStrange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
' #9 (June 1951) published by National Comics (now known as DC Comics). He was created by 'Strange Adventures' Editor Julius Schwartz
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz was a comic book and pulp magazine editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in the Bronx, New York...
, John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino, and the story was written by John Broome (under the alias Edgar Ray Merritt), drawn by Carmine Infantino and inked by Bernard Sachs
Bernard Sachs
Bernard Sachs was a Jewish-American neurologist. After graduating with a B.A. from Harvard in 1878, Sachs travelled to Europe and studied under some of the most prominent physicians of the time, such as Adolf Kussmaul , Friedrich Daniel von Recklinghausen , Friedrich Goltz , Rudolf Virchow...
. The character was based on the pulp fiction
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
character Captain Future
Captain Future
Captain Future is a science fictional hero pulp character originally published in self-titled American pulp magazines during the 1940s and early 50s.-Origins:...
. His first appearance was actually a two-part story, continued in 'The Air Bandits From Space' in 'Strange Adventures' #10 (July 1951). From issue #12 (September 1951) Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...
took over as artist, and he drew all Captain Comet's further appearances in 'Strange Adventures' until #46 (July 1954); Sy Barry
Sy Barry
Seymour "Sy" Barry is an American comic strip artist, best known for his work on The Phantom comic strip, which he drew for three decades.-Career:...
and Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
drew the last two stories. John Broome wrote every issue.
Captain Comet appeared in 38 issues of 'Strange Adventures', (missing only issues #45, #47, and #48); the series ending in 'Strange Adventures' #49 (October, 1954). From the beginning, Captain Comet appeared on most of the covers, mainly drawn by Murphy Anderson or Gil Kane. Stories ranged in length from six to ten pages, dropping from ten pages in 1951 to eight pages in 1952 and finally six pages from May 1953. He next appeared in 1976, when writer Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and co-writer David Anthony Kraft
David Anthony Kraft
David Anthony Kraft, also credited simply as David Kraft, is an American comic book writer, publisher, and critic. He is primarily known for his long-running journal of interviews and criticism, Comics Interview.- Writing career :...
reintroduced him as a supporting character in 'Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
' starting with 'No Man Shall Call Me Master' ('Secret Society of Super Villains' #2, July/August 1976). He appeared in most issues of that title, together with associated 'Secret Society of Super Villains Special' #1 (October 1977), until it was canceled with issue #15 (June/July 1978). During this run he also appeared in 'Super-Team Family Giant
Super-Team Family
Super-Team Family is an comic book anthology series published by DC Comics in the 1970s that lasted for fifteen issues. The series published a mix of original and reprinted stories.- Publication history :...
' #13 (September 1977), a story directly linked to the 'Secret Society of Super Villains' series, and as lead character for the first time since 1954 in an extended story, 'Danger: Dinosaurs at Large!' in (DC Special #27, April/May 1977) by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and artist Arvell Jones
Arvell Jones
Arvell Jones is an American comic book illustrator best known for his work for Marvel Comics, and for DC Comics and its imprint Milestone Media.-Biography:...
. 'Secret Society of Super Villains' was canceled as part of 'The DC Implosion
DC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
'. Ironically Captain Comet was a popular character at the time - he had recently come second in a poll for potential Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
membership, and writer Bob Rozakis
Bob Rozakis
Robert "Bob" Rozakis is a comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics, as the writer of Mazing Man and in his capacity as DC's "Answer Man".-Biography:...
had recently presented DC Comics with a proposal for Captain Comet's first own-title series.
After the cancellation of 'Secret Society of Super Villains', Captain Comet entered another hiatus, his appearances limited to guest spots in other DC titles during the 1980s. Four of these were cameo appearances - 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' #5 (August 1985), #10 (January 1986) and #12 (March 1986), and 'All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
' #53 (January 1986). Two were team-ups with Superman - 'DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents was a comic book published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 featuring team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters of the DC Universe...
' #22 (June 1980) and #91 (March 1986); the fourth was a retelling of his origin by Roy Thomas in 'Secret Origins
Secret Origins
Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
Annual' vol 2 #1 (1987). He also appeared in the non-canonical series 'DC Challenge
DC Challenge
DC Challenge was a 12-issue comic book series produced by DC Comics from November 1985 to October 1986, as a round robin experiment in narrative...
' (1986).
He then became a supporting character in the 'L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N., is a team of fictional extraterrestrial superheroes, a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Invasion! #1, and were created by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo and Todd McFarlane...
' series from issue #16 (June 1990). Captain Comet was actually a late replacement for fellow 1950s space traveler Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
who was due to become a regular character, as otherwise it would have clashed with the Adam Strange Prestige Format limited series published around the same time. He was then part of the R.E.B.E.L.S. series which continued from L.E.G.I.O.N. That series was canceled with 'R.E.B.E.L.S.96' #17 (March 1996), and had a solo story in 'Showcase '96' #10 (November 1996), after which another hiatus followed.
Since 2005, under the writer Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
Captain Comet has had his highest profile in DC Comics publications since the 1950s, featuring in the Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
miniseries (2005), starring in the 8-issue miniseries 'Mystery in Space (vol 2) (2006), and co-starring in 'Rann-Thanagar Holy War' (2008) and 'Strange Adventures' (vol 3)(2009), as well as appearing briefly in the '52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
' (2006) and 'Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
' (2008) events. Most recently he has become a regular character in the ongoing new R.E.B.E.L.S.
R.E.B.E.L.S.
Revolutionary Elite Brigade to Eradicate L.E.G.I.O.N. Supremacy is the name of two separate fictional revolutionary paramilitary groups in the DC Comics Universe. Both incarnations have been L.E.G.I.O.N. adversaries and are led by Vril Dox.-Publication history:R.E.B.E.L.S. '94, R.E.B.E.L.S...
series (2009).
Fictional character biography
1950s - 'Strange Adventures'
Captain Comet, the 'first man of the future' , is a mutant metahumanMetahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
'born a hundred thousand years before his time' , in 1931 to a farming couple from the American Mid-West. His 'metagene' was triggered by a comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
passing overhead at birth.
Adam Blake discovered his unique abilities as he grew up - at the age of four he instantly found a ring his mother had lost ( 'I just knew it was there' ), and by eight years old demonstrated photographic memory by reading a whole encyclopedia at speed and retaining the information. Other skills manifested almost instantly, he could play musical instruments without tuition and was secretly expert at sports to Olympic record level. During senior school he saved a schoolmate from falling to her death by mental force, but despite his powers he felt isolated from other humans by his difference to them. After leaving school he became a librarian at Midwest City, where he sought the help of a renowned physicist, Professor Emery Zackro, who tested him and discovered Adam was a mutant - postulating he was the reverse of an evolutionary throwback, 'an accidental specimen of future man' . His Captain Comet persona began when Adam used his powers to intervene when criminals attempted to steal an advanced scientific device invented by Professor Zackro. Immediately after this, Blake and the Professor agreed Blake should become a superhero on a full-time basis, and he made his first appearance in public as Captain Comet combatting giant terraforming robot tops belonging to an alien race looking for a world to colonise. During this task, Adam built a working version of a prototype spaceship Professor Zackro had designed, which would become his personal spaceship, 'The Cometeer', and took up a costume, spacesuit and stun gun also invented by the Professor.
Over the next three years he saved Earth from multiple alien invasions and explored space in The Cometeer, saving other civilisations and meeting beautiful alien damsels in distress in the process. During this period he largely used intelligence and his mind-reading skills to help solve problems and situations, seldom resorting to physical solutions. Among his more weird adventures, Captain Comet battled mad Greek Gods from space, fought dinosaurs and alien creatures, and came up against a compulsory 1950s comics evil super-powered ape several times. Sometime after 1954 he disappeared into space in 'The Cometeer' on another expedition of discovery, but this time he was not to return for over 20 years.
1970s - 1980s
In 1976 Captain Comet returned to Earth, having not aged, with a new protective costume instead of a spacesuit and enhanced skills - controlling his appearance mentally (although unfortunately forgetting his absence and dressing in 1950s style) - and with a powerful physical punch as well as a mental force, super-speed, and an ability to manipulate objects. He also had an explanation for his absence - having always felt alienated from normal humans because of his abilities 'For 20 years he spanned the spaceways, searching for himself.' 'He’s been across the galaxy – twice' . After misreading a battle between Green LanternGreen Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
and Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
, and some trickery by Grodd, he ended up joining the Secret Society of Super Villains and battled Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
and the forces of Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
with them. Later he turned down full membership of the Justice League, but became an honorary member and took up residence on their satellite headquarters. After fighting Chronos
Chronos (comics)
Chronos is the name of several fictional characters of DC Comics, both supervillains who take their name from the Greek personification of Time and have the ability of time travel and can manipulate history.-David Clinton:...
and dinosaurs in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
, the Captain continued his crusade against the Secret Society of Super Villains, but after a number of setbacks (mainly orchestrated by Gorilla Grodd) was eventually left still swearing to track them down.
Although present at the marriage of Ray 'The Atom' Palmer and Jean Loring
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
several months later, Captain Comet then remained off-radar for nearly two years, eventually contacting Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
when the effect of the comet that mutated him wore off, turning him into a human comet as his powers fluctuated wildly. With Superman's help he managed to track down the comet and stabilise his powers. Superman's help was needed again six years later when the villain Brain Storm attempted to augment his waning powers by stealing Captain Comet's power (accidentally temporarily evolving him even further in the process).
1990s - 'L.E.G.I.O.N.' / 'R.E.B.E.L.S.'
He spent the next few years 'roaming the stars ... just drifting' , before being captured by the space outlaw Dagon-Ra despite his powers having escalated and expanded to include near invulnerability, telekinesis and increased strength. Rescued by L.E.G.I.O.N. he recuperated in their headquarters hospital and was invited to join them soon after, which he eventually achieved a year later.His involvement with L.E.G.I.O.N. was mainly in a supporting role. He fell in love with fellow member scientist Marij'n Bek, who nurse him back to health and studied the massive headaches he frequently suffered. These were the result of his possession by a psi-creature in space before meeting L.E.G.I.O.N.; it was eventually purged by Vril Dox
Vril Dox
Vril Dox, also known as Brainiac 2, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Superman #167, , and was created by Edmond Hamilton, Cary Bates, and Curt Swan.-Publication history:...
, leaving the Captain once again hospitalised for months. Soon after he was apparently killed by Lady Quark
Lady Quark
Lady Quark is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. In the DC Comics 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths , the character is one of the rulers of Earth-Six, where the American Revolutionary War had been won by England.-Crisis:Lady Quark's husband Karak and daughter...
- who had been possessed by the same parasite that had lived within him. Buried under a mountain on Ith'kaa, he eventually dug himself out and used his knowledge to manipulate the savage indigenous population to achieve the technological level to build him a spaceship (explaining later, without irony, that it took six months to industrialise the tribal society because 'they were slow learners' ). Returning to R.E.B.E.L.S. homeworld, Cairn he learned that Vril Dox's son Lyrl had brainwashed most of the L.E.G.I.O.N., made the key L.E.G.I.O.N. members fugitives, and taken control of Cairn; so he and Maryj'n formed a resistance movement to free the population and overthrow Lyrl, and were key in successfully defeating him. As a result, Captain Comet became leader of the new, reformed L.E.G.I.O.N.
During this period, Captain Comet took up residence (with Tyrone, an artificially created telepathic clone bulldog) in The Zelazny Building on 'Hardcore Station
Hardcore Station
Hardcore Station is a location in the DC Comics Universe, a corrupt commercial satellite station with a population of several million in a free space zone between a number of trading civilisations....
', a corrupt commercial satellite station with a population of several million in a free space zone between a number of trading civilisations.
'Rann-Thanagar War'
At some undefined point in the next ten years Captain Comet stepped down as leader and became a paid freelance aide and agent to Vril Dox, who took back the L.E.G.I.O.N. reins. He was next seen with Dox under contract to the planet Ancar, which had been invaded by KhundKhund
The Khunds are a fictional alien race in the DC Universe, notable for extreme violence. They first appeared in Adventure Comics #346 , as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century.-Fictional history:...
s during the Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
; after intervention by Green Lantern Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, he decided to stay and help him end the war. He first accompanied Kyle to the destroyed planet Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
, where they built a protective dome and terraformed the land to create a secure environment for the survivors. Then he joined up with Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
and Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
to defend Rann against the Thanagarians under the control of the demon Onimar Synn
Onimar Synn
Onimar Synn is a fictional extraterrestrial demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in JSA #23 , and was created by David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns and Stephen Sadowski.- Fictional character biography :...
, who he was instrumental in destroying.
'52' and 'Mystery in Space'
A year after the events of 'Infinite Crisis' Captain Comet was captured and tortured by Lady StyxLady Styx
Lady Styx is a fictional supervillain in the . Her first appearance occurred in the weekly series 52.-Publication history:Lady Styx first appeared in 52 #31 as the main antagonist to Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire. She later made appearances in Omega Men and Countdown to Adventure...
, forcing him to jettison his primary consciousness from his body before death. His psychic self merged briefly with that of The Weird
Weird (comics)
The Weird is a fictional DC Comics character created by Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson. He first appeared in his own self-titled miniseries The Weird in 1988.-Publication history:The Weird appeared in the eponymous mini-series....
, which had been drifting in space since his death, and both were revived in new bodies. Captain Comet's new body constituted back at Hardcore Station - with golden eyes, a 20-year old's physique, and the ability to teleport, although he had lost some strength. Shortening his name to Comet, (and allowing the misconception that he was his own nephew to grow) he searched for the remains of his old body on Hardcore Station, discovering that it had been stolen by the Eternal Light Corporation Church and he was being hunted by a team of their telepathic assassins. On breaking into the Eternal Light Corporation's building he uncovered that brainwashed cloned telepaths were being grown from the charred remains of his corpse, which he destroyed. Becoming a fugitive, he hid from the E.L.C. so they could not use his new body to continue their cloning - allowing thousands of Hardcore residents to die when the E.L.C. cut off life support to a whole area of Hardcore Station to force them to hand Comet in. Eventually he destroyed all the clones and the E.L.C - also killing hundreds of their followers.
'Rann-Thanagar Holy War' and 'Strange Adventures' (vol 3)
Subject of an assassination attempt by a surviving E.L.C. follower during a resurgence of the faith, Comet took up an offer by Adam Strange to leave Hardcore Station and help avoid growing religious fanaticism on Rann. He ended up working with Adam Strange, Hawkman, StarfireStarfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...
, The Weird, and the Prince Gavyn Starman
Starman (comics)
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
to fight against the influences of the warring Lord Synnar and Lady Styx on Rann and Thanagar (which once again set the two planets on course for war). Their interference was eventually key in Lord Synnar's plans to achieve a higher plane of existence.
Later Comet discovered from the future spirit of Synnar that he is destined to be one of 'The Aberrant Six', a group critical to preventing the Synnar of today (trapped in The Weird's body) from destroying the universe. Ultimately the Aberrant Six did not form and the future Synnar was forced to leave, but not before Comet's mercenary friend Eye was killed by Synnar's supreme god-enemy to prevent the forming of the Six. Comet was entrusted with Eye's robot companion Orb until she returns, told by Synnar than when that happens he will 'continue his negotiations' - 'All has changed, but remains as it was' . Comet then returned to Hardcore Station, and almost immediately joined Vril Dox's new R.E.B.E.L.S.
Other versions
Captain Comet has also appeared in a number of DC Comics titles which do not fit into normal continuity:- 'DC ChallengeDC ChallengeDC Challenge was a 12-issue comic book series produced by DC Comics from November 1985 to October 1986, as a round robin experiment in narrative...
' (November 1985 - October 1986), in a fondly remembered fun 'round robin' story written by most of the DC staff that included everything but the kitchen sink; - 'Kingdom Come' (1996), an acclaimed ElseworldsElseworldsElseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
miniseries in which Captain Comet was a member of Superman's reformed Justice League. He was chosen by Superman to be warden of the Gulag, the holding facility/prison for metahumans who chose to defy the Justice League and was killed in a prison riot. - 'The Golden AgeThe Golden Age (comics)The Golden Age is a 1993 four-issue Elseworlds comic book mini-series by writer James Robinson and artist Paul Smith. It concerns the Golden Age DC Comics superheroes entering the 1950s and facing the advent of McCarthyism.-Plot:...
' (1991), an Elseworlds miniseries where Captain Comet made a brief appearance in the final issue. This took place in 1951, the first year of his crime fighting career. - In the DC TangentTangent ComicsTangent Comics was a DC Comics imprint created in 1997–1998, developed from ideas created by Dan Jurgens. The line, formed from various one-shots, focused on creating all-new characters using established DC names, such as the Joker, Superman, and the Flash...
"Earth-9" universe, Captain Comet was an African-American superhero from that reality's Chicago who was killed in Czechoslovakia trying to prevent a war in Europe. He was resurrected, and sought revenge for the bombing of a US Army base. - He also made a brief appearance in the Elseworlds tale ' JLA: Another NailJLA: Another NailJLA: Another Nail is a comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics, a continuation of events seen in the original three-part mini-series JLA: The Nail. As with its predecessor, Another Nail occurs outside of the official DC Universe continuity, belonging to the Elseworlds...
(2004), when all time periods melded together. - An older version of Captain Comet fights against the tyranny of Vril DoxVril DoxVril Dox, also known as Brainiac 2, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Superman #167, , and was created by Edmond Hamilton, Cary Bates, and Curt Swan.-Publication history:...
in the Armageddon 2011 crossover. He loses his then-wife in the battle, Marijin, and is slain himself.
Powers and abilities
Intelligence quotient
An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several different standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. When modern IQ tests are constructed, the mean score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15...
but endow him with a photographic memory, telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, enabling him to read or control people's minds (including alien races) and communicate his thoughts mentally. He has telekinetic powers
Psychokinesis
The term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
, which enable him to use his thoughts to move, lift, and alter matter without physical contact, mentally lift himself to fly at high-speed, create barriers of psychic force to deflect physical attack, and fire bursts of psionic energy that strike with concussive impact or energy, sometimes in electrical or fire form. His telekinetic shield can simultaneously protect him from the vacuum of space and surround himself with a breathable environment.
Captain Comet's brain also contains evolved sensory centers enabling him to clairvoyantly
Clairvoyance
The term clairvoyance is used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses, a form of extra-sensory perception...
'see' events outside of his range of sight. His evolved physiology originally made him superhumanly strong and durable, almost on par with Superman. After his resurrection, however, his physical power was significantly diminished, although his mental abilities have been enhanced; he now exhibits stronger psionic powers, and a teleporting ability that can also encompass others, but normally requires an hour to recharge after every 'jump'.
Reprints
- Several stories from the 1950s 'Strange Adventures' series were reprinted in 'Mysteries in Space: The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics' ed. Uslan, Michael (Fireside Books/Simon and Schuster 1980) ISBN 0671247751
- The DC Comics Presents story in issue #22 (June 1980) was reprinted in 'Showcase Presents: DC Comics Presents Superman Team-Ups vol. 1', (Paperback) 512 pages (DC Comics, 2009) ISBN 1401225357
- The 2006 'Mysteries in Space' series has been reprinted in two volumes:
- 'Mystery in Space with Captain Comet: Volume One' (Paperback), 208 pages (DC Comics, 2007) ISBN 1401215580
- 'Mystery in Space with Captain Comet: Volume Two' (Paperback), 288 pages (DC Comics, 2008) ISBN 1401216927
- The 'Rann-Thanagar Holy War' series has been reprinted in two volumes.
- The 'Strange Adventures' (vol 3) series has been reprinted.
In Other Media
In the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode Powerless!, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
is seen portraying Captain Comet.