Equus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Equus is a fictional comic book
supervillain
, a cyborg
mercenary
in the DC Comics
universe
who serves as an opponent of Superman
. Created by writer Brian Azzarello
and artist Jim Lee
, he first appeared in Superman #206 (August 2004), which was published in June 2004 as part of the "For Tomorrow" storyline.
discovered that "The Vanishing", an event in which one million people completely disappeared from the face of the Earth (including his wife, Lois Lane
), was traced to an unspecified country in the Middle East
. Investigating, Superman intervened in a civil war
by using his speed to snatch all the guns from a group of men fighting one another. The fighting continued however, and in his continued quest to put an end to it, Superman confronted Equus, a large, monstrous, cybernetically
enhanced humanoid creature whose claws were actually capable of piercing Superman's skin. General Nox, the leader of the rebels, put an end to the fight between the two beings, telling Superman that his side had won the war, and showing him that the people outside the palace where Superman and Equus had fought were now cheering Nox's name.
Although Superman initially stood down, he later appeared before Nox, who had captured an advanced-looking device from the deposed regime, which his lieutenant informed him was, according to the confession of a minister of that regime, the weapon that was responsible for The Vanishing. Although still operational, it had no accuracy, functioning like a shotgun. Superman then appeared, demanding to know of the weapon's origins, and when Nox informed him that the former king had intended to use it against Nox, and that the King was to be executed, along with more than a dozen other members of the king's regime, Superman intervened, feeling that the condemned men deserved a trial, again coming to blows with Equus, who carried out the execution. During the fight, Superman ripped the claws right out of Equus' right arm, and seemingly defeated him. Superman then returned to Nox's palace, confronting him with the question of what he intended to do with the weapon, but Equus also appeared, and ignored Nox's orders to stand down, saying that he was not being paid by him. Nox reminded him that Equus was there to aid him, but Equus brushed Nox aside, and attacked Superman. Superman was less forgiving in this rematch, using his X-ray
and microscopic
visions to learn much about Equus' enhancements, and physically disabling much of their exterior components. Equus escaped by manipulating the weapon, causing not only himself to vanish, but another 300,000 other people from across the planet. Superman subsequently learned that Equus had been working for a mysterious mustached man named Mr. Orr, who explained to Superman that Orr's employer's financed Nox's war, and loaned Equus to them. Eventually, Superman tracked all the victims of the Vanishing to Metropia, an artificial paradise within the Phantom Zone
, where he again encountered Equus, who had allied with General Zod
, who campaigned to destroy Metropia. Equus, whose chestplate bears the Roman numeral "III", was the third version of a program to create super-soldiers. Equus, or "Vee Three" as he was designated, was said to be psychotic, due to the enlargement of the amygdalae to which the OMAC candidates were subjected.
Equus III later appeared in Titans/Outsiders
Secret Files 2005, stored alongside the Wildebeest, who had been captured in the same story.
Equus reappeared under Mr. Orr's command in Countdown #36 (2007), clashing with Karate Kid
and Triplicate Girl
. After receiving a beating from Karate Kid, Equus was enraged that Mr. Orr, under Desaad
's orders, would let them go. Equus severed the railroad tracks on which Karate Kid and Triplicate Girl's train was traveling. Before that he phoned the police, telling them that the derailment was a metahuman attack, and that the metahumans themselves were bio-weapons, leading the officers to shoot first and not ask questions. Karate Kid and Una eventually are able to beat Equus, disabling him and leaving him without an arm. The arm is retrieved for attachment, and Orr sets the Legionnaires on Buddy Blank's tracks.
In the 2008 Cyborg
miniseries, the Titans are forced to fight numerous clones of Equus and the Wildebeest to prevent them from helping Vic Stone against Mr Orr's "Cyborg Revenge Squad".
, cybernetic enhancements, hormone therapy
, and trans-species
implantation as part of the One Man Army Corps (OMAC) project, which selected cancer
patients as its subjects. Equus was the project's third version (or V3), immediately preceding his successor, Father Daniel Leone. Cancer was the platform on which the enhancements were based, as the cellular mutation responsible for the disease provided a stable environment for "massive intrusion and acceleration."
Equus stands approximately twice as tall as other humans, and possesses massive musculature on his upper torso. He has white skin composed of crocodilian
skin cells laced with self-healing hinge molecules. His internal cybernetics are built upon a haptic interface, through which the numerous cables attached along various points of his body, and covering his head, are connected. His circulatory system
includes webs of titanium
-reinforced biometric arteries, and his endocrine system
is filled with synthetic steroids, adrenaline, and endorphins. The artificial portions of his anatomy
include three grades of soft plastic
that Superman had never before prior to his first encounter with Equus. Equus' mechanical components are powered by a system of oligotronic solar power
ed fuel cells controlling seven different senses, and his nervous system
is powered by enough electricity
to power a city block.
He is capable of extending five razor-sharp claws from the knuckles of both of his hands, in a manner similar to the character of Wolverine
. The claws corresponding to his fingers are approximately a foot long (with those corresponding to his thumbs considerably smaller), and while their composition is unknown, they are capable, given the physical strength Equus is capable of exerting with them, of piercing Superman's skin.
Equus, the third version of the One Man Army Corps project, along with his predecessor, the second version, had their amygdalae enlarged as part of their genetic modifications, though this was scaled back for the subsequent versions, according to Mr. Orr, because this made the subjects psychotic. Specimens from the project that produced Equus were also said to have the wingbones of a fallen angel
within their forearms.
Equus has a wide face with two small eyes (alternately depicted as yellow or red), a small, snout-like nose, a row of large, shark
-like teeth, and no hair. Where his ears would be are two ports into which several cables from his cybernetics connect. Exterior enhancements include two spectacle-like devices on his eyes
. He is capable of quickly regenerating entire limbs that are severed from his body.
Beginning with V4, The OMAC Project, in addition to reducing the subjects' amygdalae enlargement, added nanoparticle
magneto-rheological fluids, housed in a carbon nanotubular vasculature system, in order to give the subjects the ability to continue functioning after death.
, not because he was a great character but because DC invested a year of one of their flagship titles and two of their high-profile creators in a story featuring him, and wanted the character to serve as a return on that investment. He also noted that fans have pointed out strong similarities between Equus and Mark Millar
's character Seth from The Authority, and that whereas Equus' name is Latin
for "horse", Seth has hooves like a horse.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
, a cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
in the 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...
universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
who serves as an opponent of 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...
. Created by writer Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.-Career:...
and artist Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
, he first appeared in Superman #206 (August 2004), which was published in June 2004 as part of the "For Tomorrow" storyline.
Publication history
Equus first appeared in the third issue of the year-long "For Tomorrow" storyline that ran in Superman in 2004 and early 2005. A prototype for the OMAC Project, he came into conflict with Superman when the superheroSuperhero
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 —...
discovered that "The Vanishing", an event in which one million people completely disappeared from the face of the Earth (including his wife, Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
), was traced to an unspecified country in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Investigating, Superman intervened in a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
by using his speed to snatch all the guns from a group of men fighting one another. The fighting continued however, and in his continued quest to put an end to it, Superman confronted Equus, a large, monstrous, cybernetically
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
enhanced humanoid creature whose claws were actually capable of piercing Superman's skin. General Nox, the leader of the rebels, put an end to the fight between the two beings, telling Superman that his side had won the war, and showing him that the people outside the palace where Superman and Equus had fought were now cheering Nox's name.
Although Superman initially stood down, he later appeared before Nox, who had captured an advanced-looking device from the deposed regime, which his lieutenant informed him was, according to the confession of a minister of that regime, the weapon that was responsible for The Vanishing. Although still operational, it had no accuracy, functioning like a shotgun. Superman then appeared, demanding to know of the weapon's origins, and when Nox informed him that the former king had intended to use it against Nox, and that the King was to be executed, along with more than a dozen other members of the king's regime, Superman intervened, feeling that the condemned men deserved a trial, again coming to blows with Equus, who carried out the execution. During the fight, Superman ripped the claws right out of Equus' right arm, and seemingly defeated him. Superman then returned to Nox's palace, confronting him with the question of what he intended to do with the weapon, but Equus also appeared, and ignored Nox's orders to stand down, saying that he was not being paid by him. Nox reminded him that Equus was there to aid him, but Equus brushed Nox aside, and attacked Superman. Superman was less forgiving in this rematch, using his X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
and microscopic
Microscopic
The microscopic scale is the scale of size or length used to describe objects smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye and which require a lens or microscope to see them clearly.-History:...
visions to learn much about Equus' enhancements, and physically disabling much of their exterior components. Equus escaped by manipulating the weapon, causing not only himself to vanish, but another 300,000 other people from across the planet. Superman subsequently learned that Equus had been working for a mysterious mustached man named Mr. Orr, who explained to Superman that Orr's employer's financed Nox's war, and loaned Equus to them. Eventually, Superman tracked all the victims of the Vanishing to Metropia, an artificial paradise within the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
, where he again encountered Equus, who had allied with General Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
, who campaigned to destroy Metropia. Equus, whose chestplate bears the Roman numeral "III", was the third version of a program to create super-soldiers. Equus, or "Vee Three" as he was designated, was said to be psychotic, due to the enlargement of the amygdalae to which the OMAC candidates were subjected.
Equus III later appeared in Titans/Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
Secret Files 2005, stored alongside the Wildebeest, who had been captured in the same story.
Equus reappeared under Mr. Orr's command in Countdown #36 (2007), clashing with Karate Kid
Karate Kid (comics)
Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
and Triplicate Girl
Triplicate Girl
Triplicate Girl is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. She has also used the aliases Duo Damsel, Triad, Una and Duplicate Damsel....
. After receiving a beating from Karate Kid, Equus was enraged that Mr. Orr, under Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
's orders, would let them go. Equus severed the railroad tracks on which Karate Kid and Triplicate Girl's train was traveling. Before that he phoned the police, telling them that the derailment was a metahuman attack, and that the metahumans themselves were bio-weapons, leading the officers to shoot first and not ask questions. Karate Kid and Una eventually are able to beat Equus, disabling him and leaving him without an arm. The arm is retrieved for attachment, and Orr sets the Legionnaires on Buddy Blank's tracks.
In the 2008 Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
miniseries, the Titans are forced to fight numerous clones of Equus and the Wildebeest to prevent them from helping Vic Stone against Mr Orr's "Cyborg Revenge Squad".
Powers and abilities
Equus is a human being who has undergone extensive genetic engineeringGenetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
, cybernetic enhancements, hormone therapy
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy, or hormonal therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment. Treatment with hormone antagonists may also referred to as hormonal therapy...
, and trans-species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
implantation as part of the One Man Army Corps (OMAC) project, which selected cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients as its subjects. Equus was the project's third version (or V3), immediately preceding his successor, Father Daniel Leone. Cancer was the platform on which the enhancements were based, as the cellular mutation responsible for the disease provided a stable environment for "massive intrusion and acceleration."
Equus stands approximately twice as tall as other humans, and possesses massive musculature on his upper torso. He has white skin composed of crocodilian
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
skin cells laced with self-healing hinge molecules. His internal cybernetics are built upon a haptic interface, through which the numerous cables attached along various points of his body, and covering his head, are connected. His circulatory system
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
includes webs of titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
-reinforced biometric arteries, and his endocrine system
Endocrine system
In physiology, the endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body. The endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals using ducts. It derives from the Greek words "endo"...
is filled with synthetic steroids, adrenaline, and endorphins. The artificial portions of his anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
include three grades of soft plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
that Superman had never before prior to his first encounter with Equus. Equus' mechanical components are powered by a system of oligotronic solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed fuel cells controlling seven different senses, and his nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
is powered by enough electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
to power a city block.
He is capable of extending five razor-sharp claws from the knuckles of both of his hands, in a manner similar to the character of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
. The claws corresponding to his fingers are approximately a foot long (with those corresponding to his thumbs considerably smaller), and while their composition is unknown, they are capable, given the physical strength Equus is capable of exerting with them, of piercing Superman's skin.
Equus, the third version of the One Man Army Corps project, along with his predecessor, the second version, had their amygdalae enlarged as part of their genetic modifications, though this was scaled back for the subsequent versions, according to Mr. Orr, because this made the subjects psychotic. Specimens from the project that produced Equus were also said to have the wingbones of a fallen angel
Fallen angel
Fallen angel is a concept developed in Jewish mythology from interpretation of the Book of Enoch. The actual term fallen angel is not found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. Christians adopted the concept of fallen angels mainly based on their interpretations of the Book of...
within their forearms.
Equus has a wide face with two small eyes (alternately depicted as yellow or red), a small, snout-like nose, a row of large, shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
-like teeth, and no hair. Where his ears would be are two ports into which several cables from his cybernetics connect. Exterior enhancements include two spectacle-like devices on his eyes
Head-Up Display
A head-up display or heads-up display is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints...
. He is capable of quickly regenerating entire limbs that are severed from his body.
Beginning with V4, The OMAC Project, in addition to reducing the subjects' amygdalae enlargement, added nanoparticle
Nanoparticle
In nanotechnology, a particle is defined as a small object that behaves as a whole unit in terms of its transport and properties. Particles are further classified according to size : in terms of diameter, coarse particles cover a range between 10,000 and 2,500 nanometers. Fine particles are sized...
magneto-rheological fluids, housed in a carbon nanotubular vasculature system, in order to give the subjects the ability to continue functioning after death.
Reception
Bruce MacIntosh of comicon.com speculated that DC continued to use Equus following "For Tomorrow", as in Countdown to Final CrisisCountdown to Final Crisis
Countdown, known as Countdown to Final Crisis for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of the last issue of 52...
, not because he was a great character but because DC invested a year of one of their flagship titles and two of their high-profile creators in a story featuring him, and wanted the character to serve as a return on that investment. He also noted that fans have pointed out strong similarities between Equus and Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
's character Seth from The Authority, and that whereas Equus' name is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "horse", Seth has hooves like a horse.