Dragon King (DC)

The Dragon King is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Pre-Crisis

The Dragon King

Dragon King was a former member of the Black Serpent Society who began having great political aspirations at the start of World War II. Dragon King hoped to become third in command of Imperial Japan after the Premier and the Emperor. To this end he constructed a supernatural energy field around all of Axis-held Europe using the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail. This energy-field brought any superhuman passing through it under the control of the Axis. When the All-Star Squadron attempted to invade Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor their superhuman members fell under the Dragon King's influence. The All-Star Squadron subdued their brainwashed friends and fled Japan, realizing that there was no feasible way to avoid Dragon King's spell. Dragon King's energy-field would eventually dissipate after the war ended. (All-Star Squadron v1 #4)

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.

Dragon King gave sanctuary to Dr. Graft, a scientist fleeing the Nazis. In exchange, Graft spliced the King's genes with that of a reptile, halting the villain's aging process. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #12) Around 20 years ago, he then set up an underground lair in Blue Valley, Nebraska. At some point, Firebrand II attempted to bring him to justice, but the Dragon King had her killed. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #12) The Dragon King was working on a brainwashing technique using G-Mind Waves, but found that it only worked properly on young people. He fought the Shining Knight, who wanted revenge for Firebrand II's death. Dragon King prevailed, and tried to brainwash the Knight. This was only partially successful, Shining Knight turned amnesiac, but he did not loose his free will. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #11)

Dragon King began kidnapping and brainwashing Blue Valley High students. The arrival of Star-Spangled Kid II and S.T.R.I.P.E. put a kink in his plans to make Blue Valley High a recruitment center for an army that would destroy America. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #1) Dragon King had a battlesuit and weapon-staff built for his daughter Cindy. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #3) Dragon King was alerted to Young Justice's arrival at Blue Valley High, but decided to lie low, and not attract their attention. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #5) When the Laroonians invaded Blue Valley, they were beaten back by Young Justice. Dragon King was upset that someone tried to take over a town he considered rightfully his, so he used his orbiting satellite to destroy the fleeing Laroonians. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #6) His daughter completed her training, and took the identity of Shiv. He sent her to kill Star-Spangled Kid II and S.T.R.IP.E. He was outraged when she failed, and sent her to Dr. Graft for cybernetic modification. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #7) Dragon King put Shiv through a serious of rigorous tests to make sure she would be prepared for her next confrontation with Star-Spangled Kid II. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #10) Dragon King lured S.T.R.I.P.E., Star-Spangled Kid II and the Shining Knight into his underground lair. The King showed them his newly constructed radar dish, which, in conjunction with a satellite, brainwashed half the youths in America's Midwest. He planned for these brainwashed kids to conquer America in his name. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #12) The Star-Spangled Kid II destroyed Dragon King's radar dish before his brainwashed armies could do too much damage. The King and Shining Knight fought high in the air on their respective steeds. During the battle, Dragon King fell to his death. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #13)

Overview

Powers and abilities

With the aid of Dr. Graft, the Black Dragon had reptile genes spliced to his genetic structure. A consequence of this was that it halted the aging process. (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1 #12)

Among his creations included:

• K887 :
• G-Mind Waves :

During World War II, he was noted to had been a member of the Black Dragon Society. (All-Star Squadron v1 #4)

Notes

• The Dragon King was created by Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler where he made his first appearance in All-Star Squadron v1 #4 (December, 1981).

In other media

Television

• In Young Justice, the Dragon King had a brief cameo appearance in the animated television series in the episode "Humanity" in a non-voiced role. He was shown in a flashback sequence where he attempted to assassinate the Flash Jay Garrick at the 1939 World War but ended up shooting Firebrand by mistake thus killing her.
• In Stargirl, the Dragon King appeared in the setting of the live-action DC Universe television series where he was portrayed by actor Nelson Lee. Dr. Shiro Ito was originally an Imperial Japanese war criminal from World War II who was supposedly executed for his work with biological weapons. He had in fact survived and remained a controversial scientist where he adopted the guise of a supervillain with him calling himself the Dragon King. Decades ago in Los Angeles, California, Dr. Shiro Ito visits his friend Ultra-Humanite, who is posing as the actress Dolores Winters. He walks in a few moments after she brutally kills a man. She smirks to Dr. Ito that he's late. He gives her a handkerchief that she uses to dab the blood splatters on her face. He asks who the man was. She dismisses it as someone who was getting to close, like the Justice Society is. They picked up on her trail again. She needs a new body, which makes Ito chuckle. Given the JSA and their inevitable confrontation, he's been making a few improvements of his own. He shows her his arm, which is beginning to show green reptilian scales. She notes his intent on earning his name, Dragon King. He could do the same for her, but she has another idea in mind. She gives him a flier for "Greatest Adventure Congo Bill Captures Fabled Albino Gorilla". A body powerful enough to destroy the entire JSA after a few modifications, of course. He thinks it's an intriguing choice and is almost jealous. She looks at the scars on her scalp in the mirror, remarking this will be fun. Ito conducted experiments on himself where he merged reptilian DNA into his body and later sought to make a living weapon from his daughter Cindy Burham. Around this time, he came to join the Injustice Society of America who succeeded in killing the Justice Society of America. Afterwards, the supervillain group were committed to bringing about Project: New America and settled in the town of Blue Valley where most adopted cover identities as civilians. The Dragon King though operated underneath the city where he captured people and converted them into inhuman monsters that served him. By this point, his daughter Cindy had killed her mother as a result of her powers and he had a surrogate maternal figure care for her whilst he worked on a machine to amplify Brain-Wave's power to take over several neighbouring states. He was seemingly killed in the battle but was actually saved by the returned Ultra-Humanite around 9 months ago. Afterwards, Sylvester Pemberton's grave was disturbed by the Voyeur and Dragon King. Jordan gives Dragon King the shovel, demanding that he did. They take Sylvester's body to the underground tunnels, in one of Dragon King's lairs. Dragon King injects Sylvester with a serum that wakes him from his stasis. He gasps back to life and the Voyeur pulls off his mask. Sylvester sees Icicle, who greets Starman again. Sylvester asks what he's doing. Jordan leans close to Sylvester, calling him a friend. He's been in the ground for a long time, but he is needed again. Because a hero like him is someone who is already trusted, respected, and beloved by the public. Americans will listen to him in a way like nobody else. If he gives them suggestions, or orders, even, they will do whatever he says. He imagines they would even vote for President Pemberton. Dragon King thinks it has a nice ring to it. Leaning even closer, Jordan wants Sylvester to be his mouthpiece. Sylvester nods that it's a great plan, but there's one problem because he would never work for him. Jordan then tapped onto his victim's forehead, knowing how strong-minded he was. That's why they're going to remove it. From the table next to Sylvester, the Ultra-Humanite growls and grumbles. Dragon King clarifies that the Ultra-Humanite will get Sylvester's body, and then Dragon King will get Ultra-Humanite's, in his continuing quest to become something greater. Dragon King turns on the saw as Sylvester begs them to please wait. He asks what they did to Stripesy and where Pat is. Dragon King ignores him as he cuts into Sylvester's head, causing the man to scream in agony.

Appearances

• All-Star Squadron v1: (1981)
• Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. v1: (2000)
• JSA v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry

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