Major Disaster
Encyclopedia
Major Disaster is a former 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...

 supervillain and reluctant amoral superhero. He debuted in Green Lantern
Green 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...

 (volume 2)
# 43.

Fictional character biography

Paul Booker was nothing more than a cheap crook. On the run from the police, he found an unlocked apartment window and climbed in to hide out.

Unbeknownst to him, it belonged to Thomas Kalmaku
Thomas Kalmaku
Thomas Kalmaku is a fictional character, a supporting character associated with Green Lantern in comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by writer John Broome and penciler Gil Kane.-Fictional character biography:...

, Green Lantern's
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...

 former friend and confidant. Accidentally activating a hidden control panel, he discovered Kalmaku's casebook on Green Lantern. Using this, he found the secret identities of both Green Lantern and the Flash.

Armed with this knowledge, he decided to embark on a criminal career under the name of "Major Disaster," and hired a group of criminal scientists to create devices for him capable of causing natural disasters. Using his new powers, he set out to kill the crime fighters, but was defeated and was thought to have died in the ensuing explosion. However, Disaster was wearing a device that protected him from any disaster he created. This device made his atoms reform over time, invisibly returning him to human form. However, his luck against Green Lantern failed to improve, as he was defeated again.

After his defeat, Green Lantern used his ring to erase the memory of the Flash's secret identity and placed a mental block stopping him from telling anyone else Lantern's own identity.

Major Disaster threatened the United Nations on behalf of racist group Nurike. He attempted
to destroy the UN Manhattan buildings using a master fissure he started, but was stopped by 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...

. He will later join forces with the Lord of Time in tormenting the Karate Kid.

Insanity

Booker found that his power had started to internalize in him, but was growing in magnitude and slowly destroying him. He sought to remove the excess power by transferring it onto 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...

, only to be defeated again. Superman, aided by Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

, also defeated him when he joined General Scarr's Army of Crime.

Seeking to finally kill Green Lantern, Booker threatened to destroy the Baldwin Hills Dam unless Jordan faced him. At the time, John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...

 had taken the Green Lantern mantle and when he arrived at the dam, Disaster was confused, as he still believed Jordan was Green Lantern. Believing that Green Lantern was ridiculing him, he destroyed the dam and nearly the majority of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

. Due to one of Lantern's constructs, Disaster was defeated and went insane, believing everybody to be Green Lantern.

For a time, Booker served as an operative of the international crime cartel known only as SKULL
SKULL (DC Comics)
The SKULL group is a fictional DC Comics criminal organization, introduced in 1976's Superman issue #301. They were created by Gerry Conway and Curt Swan.-Bronze Age:...

 when its leader, Simon Pons, recruited him into the cartel. Both Booker and SKULL ran afoul of the 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....

 when SKULL began kidnapping prominent scientists, superheroes, and millionaires. He also caused the destruction of the Outsider's Station Markovia headquarters making it sink off the coast of Los Angeles.

Injustice League

It was while in prison that Disaster first met The Mighty Bruce, a computer wizard who stole money from huge corporations to give to charity. The Mighty Bruce suddenly seemed vital to Disaster's future plans of a villainous team, The Injustice League
Injustice League
The Injustice League is the name of two fictional teams of supervillains in the .-Original League :The original Injustice League was the brainchild of the interplanetary conqueror Agamemno. Bored of his dominion, he set out to conquer Earth and their champions, the Justice League...

. The team consists of Disaster as leader, The Mighty Bruce, Multi-Man
Multi-Man
Multi-Man is a fictional character that has been both a superhero and a supervillain in DC Comics comic books.-Fictional character biography:...

, Cluemaster
Cluemaster
The Cluemaster is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and enemy of Batman. A failed game show host, he became a criminal who left clues to his crimes, though unlike the Riddler's, they were not riddles....

, Big Sir, and Clock King
Clock King
Clock King is a title used by two fictional characters, supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Clock King debuted in World's Finest Comics #111 , and was created by France Herron and Lee Elias.-Publication history:...

. Disaster and the League came into possession of a 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...

ian warship left over from a recent alien invasion of Earth and planned to use the weapons on board to attack the Justice League. Unfortunately for them, Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner (comics)
Guy Gardner is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He is a core member of the Green Lantern family of characters, and for a time was also a significant member of the Justice League family of characters.He was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in Green Lantern...

, who was clearing up a Khund
Khund
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:...

 warship close by, intercepted their radio transmission and met the ship. He tore the craft into pieces and took the League into custody.

Once free, the League decides that their criminal career would be easier in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 to set up base. Unfortunately, the Justice League Europe
Justice League Europe
Justice League Europe was a DC Comics book run that was a spin-off of the comic book Justice League America ....

 branch had just opened its doors and the League found themselves in the same "French for Beginners" class as the JLE. A scuffle soon breaks out. They are quickly deported from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. Their next mission involves breaking the bank at the Club JLI casino on the island of Kooey Kooey Kooey
Kooey Kooey Kooey
Kooey Kooey Kooey is a fictional country in the DC Universe.Kooey Kooey Kooey is an island in the South Pacific. It was featured prominently in Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis...

. Whilst this operation was a success, they are unable to spend their winnings as the Island started to drift into the ocean (it turns out the island was sentient). Recruited by the JLA
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....

, Disaster helps avoid the ensuing geological and tectonic chaos by assisting 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...

 in anchoring the island to an underground volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

. He then chooses to stay and face justice rather than flee, despite having the opportunity.

Justice League Antarctica

Attempting to go legit, the Injustice League were given a chance by Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...

, the then-chief of the JLI. They somehow managed to stop a terrorist attack and were subsequently sent to the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...

 to form the Justice League Antarctica, along with other nuisances G'nort
G'nort
G'nort Esplanade G'neesmacher is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero created by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis during their Justice League period.G'nort was a member of the Green Lantern Corps and later a Darkstar...

 and the Scarlet Skier
Scarlet Skier
The Scarlet Skier is a DC Comics supervillain/superhero. Created by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis during their comedy Justice League period, he first appeared in Justice League America #36 ....

. The team was short lived as Disaster destroyed their embassy whilst defeating a waddle of killer penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...

s. The team, though lacking an embassy, stayed together, acting as bodyguards for Maxwell Lord when he was in a gunshot-induced coma. They also joined the American and European Leagues, the team called the Conglomerate
The Conglomerate (comics)
The Conglomerate is a fictional DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Justice League Quarterly #1 .-Fictional background:...

, and the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo in pitched battle against Despero
Despero
Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero...

. Major Disaster, in an effort to stop Despero, turned Times Square into smoking rubble. Afterwards, they departed from the League.

Back to villainy

Following this, the group returned to crime. They attempted to steal from the cult of Minister Sun, only to have their loot stolen back from them. Disaster's career took a boost when he accepted a wish from Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...

 that greatly enhanced his disaster-causing powers, making feats much easier and giving him far more disasters to cause, at the cost of his soul. Apparently at Neron's direction, Major Disaster lived up to his name when, in Aquaman #14, he caused a series of events to occur that resulted in the destruction of a commercial airplane and a military submarine with all onboard both vessels killed. This destruction also caused the death of Thanatos, a minor Aquaman villain who had sought to replace the King of Atlantis.

Suicide Squad

The team then received an offer from the government to work on their Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...

. Major Disaster agreed, even 'volunteering' Multi-Man against his will. They were sent to a small island off the coast of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

, to deal with a terrorist situation and an out-of-control genetic experiment. Lifeless, explosive genetic constructs who looked like kids killed Big Sir. The rest of the 'children' were shrunk by Multi-Man
Multi-Man
Multi-Man is a fictional character that has been both a superhero and a supervillain in DC Comics comic books.-Fictional character biography:...

, who had that power in his current incarnation. Multi-Man was shot through the head soon after, but in the past he has come back from worse. Unfortunately, Clock King
Clock King
Clock King is a title used by two fictional characters, supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Clock King debuted in World's Finest Comics #111 , and was created by France Herron and Lee Elias.-Publication history:...

, who had no such powers, was shot repeatedly. In the resulting chaos, Major Disaster perceived that Cluemaster
Cluemaster
The Cluemaster is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and enemy of Batman. A failed game show host, he became a criminal who left clues to his crimes, though unlike the Riddler's, they were not riddles....

 saved his life at least twice, before also being shot dead. Cluemaster survived his injuries, but with multiple scars.

Disaster stayed with the Squad until Superman gave him a chance to prove his heroic worth in defeating a number of Superman's foes.

Hero again

Batman also followed Disaster's career, and the Dark Knight chose him to serve on a substitute Justice League of America while the regular members went back in time to Atlantis
Atlantis (DC Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe. The very first DC Universe version of Atlantis debuted in Action Comics #18 , and was created by...

, the other members of the team being Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....

, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...

, Atom
Ray Palmer (comics)
The Atom is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase # 34 . He was named after Raymond A...

, Hawkgirl, Faith
Faith (comics)
Faith is a superhero in the DC Comics universe who first appeared in JLA #69 .-Fictional character biography:Faith is a female hero with tremendous psychic powers...

, Firestorm and Jason Blood. The original League's final fate was unknown to the team, and for some time, they thought the original JLA had perished.

Finally acting as a hero and receiving some respect for the first time in his career, Disaster jumped at the chance and remained with the team following their return and the subsequent battle with the powerful Atlantean sorceress Gamemnae
Gamemnae
Gamemnae is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, who was an enemy of the Justice League.-Fictional character biography:Born over three thousand years ago, Gamemnae was an Atlantean, exiled at birth for having blonde hair - considered a curse in Atlantean culture...

. After joining, he became extremely close to Faith and is the only person in the League to have seen her true form.

Major Disaster later joined the Justice League Elite
Justice League Elite
Justice League Elite was a twelve-issue comic book limited series published monthly by DC Comics in 2004 and 2005. The title was created by writer Joe Kelly and penciller Doug Mahnke....

, a covert-ops arm of the Justice League led by Sister Superior
Vera Black
Sister Superior is a fictional character from DC Comics. She is the sister of British anti-hero Manchester Black, and a member of the JLA offshoot known as Justice League Elite.-Fictional character biography:...

. During the JLE
Justice League Elite
Justice League Elite was a twelve-issue comic book limited series published monthly by DC Comics in 2004 and 2005. The title was created by writer Joe Kelly and penciller Doug Mahnke....

 series, it was revealed that he was an alcoholic. Later, while fighting with the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....

, Booker used his powers while hung-over, resulting in Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...

 being severely injured, and, later on, in the death of teammate Manitou Raven. At the end of the Justice League Elite
Justice League Elite
Justice League Elite was a twelve-issue comic book limited series published monthly by DC Comics in 2004 and 2005. The title was created by writer Joe Kelly and penciller Doug Mahnke....

 series, he resigned from the league and asked them to 'wait a few months before sending any visitors in capes'.

Death

During Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...

, Major Disaster was present at the Battle of Metropolis. It was mentioned in an interview that Major Disaster was killed by Superboy-Prime.

During the events of Blackest Night, Major Disaster is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...

 along with the other heroes killed by Superboy-Prime and head for Earth Prime
Earth Prime
Earth Prime is a term sometimes used in works of speculative fiction involving parallel universes or a multiverse, and refers either to the universe containing "our" Earth, or to a parallel world with a bare minimum of divergence points from Earth as we know it...

 to torment him. Superboy-Prime destroys them by using the black ring cycling through the power set of emotions resulting in a burst of colored energy that destroys Black Lanterns.

Powers and abilities

Major Disaster's powers originally came from a set of weapons he used to cause natural disasters. Over time, exposure to these weapons made the powers internalize and now Disaster can cause chaos at will. His deal with Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...

 greatly enhanced his powers, enabling him to see the strands of chaos around him. The disasters he can now control theoretically range from being able to command asteroid showers without breaking a sweat to causing heart attacks, nose bleeds, and even making people trip up. He appears to have no real limitations, though he lacks fine control now. He has devised a force field for himself, using his powers to redirect attacks, though he seems not to use it much. While Major Disaster is adept at creating chaos, it takes him great effort to stop disasters, whether his own or natural.

Television

  • In the final season of Justice League Unlimited
    Justice League Unlimited
    Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...

    ,
    Major Disaster appears as a member of 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....

    's Secret Society
    Secret Society of Super Villains
    The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...

    . He appears during the battle in Gorilla City when he blasts out of the ground. Later, he sided with 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....

     against Lex Luthor
    Lex Luthor
    Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...

    .
  • Major Disaster appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold
    Batman: 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 "Hail the Tornado Tyrant" voiced by James Arnold Taylor
    James Arnold Taylor
    James Arnold Taylor is an American voice actor, Impressionist, and Announcer. He is the current voice provider for Fred Flintstone as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and also the movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Johnny Test in Johnny Test...

    . He attacks a beachside carnival demanding a huge ransom only to be defeated by Batman, Red Tornado, and Tornado Champion. He unknowingly ruins Red Tornado
    Red Tornado
    Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...

    's experiment, Tornado Champion, by zapping him with lightning, and giving him emotion. When Major Disaster later breaks out of Blackgate Penitentiary and attacks Red Tornado, the Tornado Champion brutally attacks him, before being taken down by Batman. He makes a cameo in "Scorn of the Star Sapphaire" being defeated by Batman and Green Lantern.
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