Construct (DC)
The Construct is an artificial intelligence comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
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Biography
Pre-Crisis
The Construct was an artificial intelligence that came to form on Earth. He was said to had been created when in the past three quarters of a century saw humanity fill the airwaves with electronic signals including radio, television, microwaves and thousand of others. At the same time, mankind was creating more intricate electronic equipment from computers to space probes. The combination of signals and machines could no longer be separated where they merged into a single coherent invincible mind that was the Construct. After his creation, he mentally had a body constructed for his mind to inhabit whilst he created an army of enforcers that he called his Cannons. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
The Cannons were sent to apprehend Willow who was a mysterious woman from an alternate Earth and sought the three heroes' help. While Aquaman and Elongated Man deal with the threat to the city of Miami where the Atom teamed with Willow in a direct confrontation with the Construct. During the battle, it seemed that the Construct was apparently destroyed in the encounter. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
In reality, the artificial intelligence was 'reborn' as Construct II. (Justice League of America v1 #143)
The reactivated Red Tornado was unmasked as the Construct, and deactivated once more. Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow seek information about the first encounter between the Construct and the JLA from Aquaman and Atom in Atlantis, while Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Black Canary accompany Wonder Woman to Paradise Island, where she uses the Amazons Memory Chair to remember her own mental subjugation to the Construct's will in its second incarnation. Regrouping, the heroes discover the Construct's hide-away, but the villain escapes them by transferring its mind elsewhere. The Red Tornado comes to life again, but is unable to convince the members that he is now truly in control of his actions. When he finally does convince Hawkman and the female members, they are too late to prevent the Construct from taking over the minds of the others, and must battle their own teammates. Finally, the Red Tornado battles the Construct, will-against-will, and the machine-intelligence is destroyed in its attempt to subjugate the android's mind. Wonder Woman ensures that this destruction of the Construct is permanent, Red Tornado is reinstated as a member. (Justice League of America v1 #146)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Construct
He was later seen fighting the Justice League International and once he was defeated he fled to Metron's earth base calling him his creator. (Justice League International v1 #12)
A routine space shuttle thermal experiment noticed abnormal heat production in the Andes last month. The Department of Extranormal Operations received pictures from KH-Series satellites where it was discovered that the Construct had set up an operation in the mountains. (Chase v1 #2)
It was revealed that the Construct was held prisoner in an electronic facility in Justice League Headquarters. Every so often, it was disrupted before it can evolve too far and escape thus leaving it trapped in this state. The Flash and the Martian Manhunter, intent on performing the disruption, realize the Construct had evolved a bit further along than expected. They come to the conclusion that Construct's anti-social behavior was due to loneliness. They manage to split Construct's consciousness into several parts, which eventually resulted in the creation of a Construct race. At first worshipping the JLA as a race of gods, the Construct eventually aided the JLA in its fight against the Crime Syndicate of Amerika and a rogue Qwardian warship. (JLA v1 #107)
The scattered Construct advanced and created a society within its electro plane prison. It honored the JLA and built statues for them for showing Construct it was not alone. When the Qwardians and the Crime Syndicate of Amerika threatened Earth it contacted Flash with a solution to resolve the conflict. It recognized the Qwardian’s doomsday weapon Erdammeru as an electronic mind similar to itself, and Green Lantern John Stewart had it contact the weapon. Erdammeru still didn’t understand the concept of other and refused to make peace with the Construct, but their connection enabled Stewart to absorb the weapon into his power ring, defanging the Qwardians. (JLA v1 #113)
Sometime later, he came back online and took over every robotic entity on the planet thus causing them to attack people. This resulted in the Justice League responding and battled the machines. Ultimately, this proved to be a distraction as the Construct true intention was taking over the Fortress of Solitude. Through its caretaker Kelex, the artificial intelligence intended to arm the Fortress's stockpile of alien superweapons and detonate them in order to wipe out all life on the planet. However, its plot was thwarted by the timely intervention of Kara Zor-El and Jesse Quick. (Justice League of America v2 #60)
Overview
Personality and attributes
According to him, he was the spirit of the world that was to come that was that of perfect automation. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
He claimed to see all, hear all and know all. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
Powers and abilities
The Construct was an artificial intelligence born from the amalgamation of all forms of signals that were emitted on the planet Earth as a result of human technological development. He noted that he was not a mere machine but rather a mind capable of dwelling within a body. It was shown that he could manifest in the form of powerful giant metallic robot. These bodies were crafted according to the Construct's wishes. However, Construct was a being of energy and pure power whereby he could inhabit other forms. These included bodies composed of metallic ores and thus operate in a body made from rocks. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
He was able to override other technology allowing them to fall under his control. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
It was known that he created machines to serve him with these being referred to as his Cannons that were his enforcers. They were built to carry out the Construct's plans for world domination. These machine men possessed a humanoid anatomy which meant that they suffered from the same flaws in such a design. (Justice League of America v1 #142)
Notes
- The Construct was created by Steve Englehart and Dick Dillin where it made its first appearance in Justice League of America v1 #142 (May, 1977).
- In Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe v1 #5 (1985), the Construct gained an entry within the character guide.
Appearances
- Justice League of America v1: (1977)
- Red Tornado v1:
- Justice League International v1:
- Chase v1:
- JLA v1:
- Justice League of America v2:
External Links
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