Ultra-Humanite
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In reality, he had survived by mentally contacting Deathbolt to teleport him at the last second. The pair managed to escape with the aid of [[Per Degaton]] whereupon the Ultra-Humanite sought a new body for himself. (Young All-Stars v1 #12) This occurred at the secret '''Project M''' base were the young members of the All-Star Squadron were visiting leading to a battle with the Ultra-Humanite in his new Ultra-saurus rex body. With his reptilian form, he nearly overpowered by the young heroes but was repelled by [[Fury (DC)|Fury]] when she was overwhelmed by the spirit of the '''Tisiphone''' forcing the Ultra-Humanite to retreat. (Young All-Stars v1 #13) | In reality, he had survived by mentally contacting Deathbolt to teleport him at the last second. The pair managed to escape with the aid of [[Per Degaton]] whereupon the Ultra-Humanite sought a new body for himself. (Young All-Stars v1 #12) This occurred at the secret '''Project M''' base were the young members of the All-Star Squadron were visiting leading to a battle with the Ultra-Humanite in his new Ultra-saurus rex body. With his reptilian form, he nearly overpowered by the young heroes but was repelled by [[Fury (DC)|Fury]] when she was overwhelmed by the spirit of the '''Tisiphone''' forcing the Ultra-Humanite to retreat. (Young All-Stars v1 #13) | ||
− | From his stronghold in Nepal on Earth-2, he set about re-forming the [[Secret Society of Super Villains]] that would be under his command. This incarnation though drew on villains from both Earth-1 and Earth-2 with them forming in secret. These ten supervillains were gathered for their enmity with a particular hero within the [[Justice League of America]] and [[Justice Society of America]]. (Justice League of America v1 #195) | + | From his stronghold in Nepal on Earth-2, he set about re-forming the [[Secret Society of Super Villains]] that would be under his command. This incarnation though drew on villains from both Earth-1 and Earth-2 with them forming in secret. These ten supervillains were gathered for their enmity with a particular hero within the [[Justice League of America]] and [[Justice Society of America]]. (Justice League of America v1 #195) After collecting 10 foes of individual JLA and JSA members, the Ultra-Humanite succeeded in capturing several heroes from both teams. His betrayal of his colleagues however, caused them to free the captured heroes. In the end, the Secret Society of Super-Villains was captured and disbanded. (Justice League of America v1 #197) Left in Limbo after the defeat of the Secret Society, the Ultra-Humanite devised a new plan. Learning of the ancient legend of the River of Koehaha. (All-Star Comics v1 #36) |
+ | |||
+ | As the Crisis on Infinite Earths began to unfold, he was released from Limbo and participated in that multiverse spanning event. In a struggle with Firebrand from the 1940's and several other historic adventurers, he stole a Space Shuttle but as he made off with his theft, the shuttle was locked into a trajectory to carry him directly into the sun (All-Star Squadron v1 #55) | ||
===Post-Crisis=== | ===Post-Crisis=== | ||
Following the [[Crisis on Infinite Earths]], a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. '''Gerard Shugel''' was a male human who was born with an incredible intellect but a weak body that was prone to seizures and other conditions. (Power Girl v2 #2) | Following the [[Crisis on Infinite Earths]], a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. '''Gerard Shugel''' was a male human who was born with an incredible intellect but a weak body that was prone to seizures and other conditions. (Power Girl v2 #2) | ||
− | It was said that the Ultra-Humanite had engineered an explosion that killed the Crimson Avenger. (JSA v1 #37) | + | It was said that the Ultra-Humanite had engineered an explosion that killed the [[Crimson Avenger]]. (JSA v1 #37) |
− | Following his encounter with the | + | Following his encounter with the Justice Society, it was said that the Ultra-Humanite had withdrawn from active operations with there being few reports on his activities. He had been working his way into the ranks of the Council where he began to control it alongside Dr. '''Anatol Mykros'''. Eventually though, he decided to abandon his albino gorilla body in favor of a new host. Later on, the JSA came upon the Ultra-Humanite's discarded body after hunting down a Council facility in Austria with the aid of Nemesis. The heroes though came to be aware that the Ultra-Humanite had chosen a new host but were unaware of the identity of it nor the location of the villain. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #2) |
He came to take over the body of Johnny Thunder and managed to manipulate [[Jakeem Thunder]] into giving him the Thunderbolt. During the struggle with the entity, he was able to remake the world according to his vision where he ruled it. The Ultra-Humanite came to control the world's Metahumans through his '''Thunderfront''' with a meagre resistance against him. This was until the captive Justice Society managed to free their comrades and challenged the Ultra-Humanite. The event culminated in the seeming death of Johnny Thunder in an effort to stop the Ultra-Humanite. (JSA v1 #36) | He came to take over the body of Johnny Thunder and managed to manipulate [[Jakeem Thunder]] into giving him the Thunderbolt. During the struggle with the entity, he was able to remake the world according to his vision where he ruled it. The Ultra-Humanite came to control the world's Metahumans through his '''Thunderfront''' with a meagre resistance against him. This was until the captive Justice Society managed to free their comrades and challenged the Ultra-Humanite. The event culminated in the seeming death of Johnny Thunder in an effort to stop the Ultra-Humanite. (JSA v1 #36) | ||
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==Alternate Versions== | ==Alternate Versions== | ||
+ | *In Golden Age v1 #1 (1993), an alternate verison of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the Elseworlds reality.Near the end of the war, the Ultra-Humanite had his brain transferred from Dolores Winters' body into that of the American 'mystery man' Tex Thompson, known as the Americommando. Paul Kirk (Manhunter), who went covertly behind enemy lines with Thompson to take down the Nazi super-agents, discovered this secret and almost killed himself trying to escape, surviving the incident with only amnesia and terrible nightmares. In the form of Tex Thompson, the Ultra-Humanite arrived in America at the end of World War II, greeted and crowned as a hero for taking down Adolf Hitler. Shortly thereafter, he began his campaign as a politician, hoping to become President of the United States. To that end, he took under his wing Daniel Dunbar, the former 'mystery man' known as Dyna-Mite, and through a nuclear test transformed him into the superhero for the new age called Dynaman. Secretly, though, the Ultra-Humanite had Daniel's brain removed and replaced with that of Adolf Hitler prior to the nuclear test, with the intent that together they would rule the world. As Tex, the Ultra-Humanite had Joan Dale, the former "mystery woman" called Miss America, become his personal aide and his lover. However, Joan began to suspect that the man she loved wasn't really Tex, and eventually secreted his diary to Lance Gallant (Captain Triumph) and Paula Brooks (Tigress) to unlock its secrets, discovering from it that Tex was really the Ultra-Humanite. Meanwhile, Carter Hall (Hawkman) used hypnosis to unlock the truth behind Paul Kirk's nightmares, where he discovered that he had witnessed the Ultra-Humanite transferring his brain into the body of Tex Thompson. At a rally in Washington, D.C. in 1950 where all costumed superheroes were to appear by Presidential decree to show their loyalty, Joan Dale publicly exposed Tex Thompson as being the Ultra-Humanite and attempted to also expose Dynaman as being Adolf Hitler in Daniel Dunbar's body when the Ultra-Humanite had Robert Crane (Robotman) silence her by murdering her in public. Rex Tyler (Hourman) took over for Joan Dale in the exposure of both Thompson and Dunbar, causing Dynaman to show his true colors and to attack the various superheroes present. Ultra-Humanite attempted to make a run for it to cover his tracks, but Paul Kirk as Manhunter stopped him and ultimately killed him, forever ending his threat. | ||
*In Tangent Comics: Nightwing: Night Force v1 #1 (1998), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in [[Tangent Comics]] that was set on [[Earth-9]] in the Multiverse. The Ultra-Humanite was a living weapon created as a byproduct of the Soviet Union, in which it was harvested from the souls of the Doom Patrol through the organization Meridian. The being went out of control once it was created after generating a massive electromagnetic pulse across the Earth, causing a world-wide blackout, and desired to rule the world. Earth-9's heroes had unsuccessfully fought the Ultra-Humanite until he was allegedly destroyed by the Superman (Harvey Dent). However, in reality, Dent had weakened Ultra-Humanite and hidden the being in space, where he reprogrammed him as an ally to his cause in ruling Earth from behind the scenes. The Ultra-Humanite later was summoned to New Earth to help Dent and his allies in ruling that Earth while fighting against the combined alliance of the heroes of New Earth and Earth-9. Ultimately he was defeated by the combined efforts of the Earth-9 Batman and New Earth Superman in which the former apparently died in his effort, before being banished and imprisoned in his gateway prison along with his allies by their native Green Lantern. | *In Tangent Comics: Nightwing: Night Force v1 #1 (1998), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in [[Tangent Comics]] that was set on [[Earth-9]] in the Multiverse. The Ultra-Humanite was a living weapon created as a byproduct of the Soviet Union, in which it was harvested from the souls of the Doom Patrol through the organization Meridian. The being went out of control once it was created after generating a massive electromagnetic pulse across the Earth, causing a world-wide blackout, and desired to rule the world. Earth-9's heroes had unsuccessfully fought the Ultra-Humanite until he was allegedly destroyed by the Superman (Harvey Dent). However, in reality, Dent had weakened Ultra-Humanite and hidden the being in space, where he reprogrammed him as an ally to his cause in ruling Earth from behind the scenes. The Ultra-Humanite later was summoned to New Earth to help Dent and his allies in ruling that Earth while fighting against the combined alliance of the heroes of New Earth and Earth-9. Ultimately he was defeated by the combined efforts of the Earth-9 Batman and New Earth Superman in which the former apparently died in his effort, before being banished and imprisoned in his gateway prison along with his allies by their native Green Lantern. | ||
*In Superman & Batman: Generations v1 #1 (1999), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the Elseworlds setting set that was set on Earth-3839 in the Multiverse. Superman first encountered him as Superboy in 1920, trying to protect the Waynes as they were visiting the county seat of Smallville to set up a family planning clinic. His men captured their young son Bruce Wayne and held him for ransom, while the Ultra Humanite used an electrical shocking device on Superboy to keep him from rescuing Bruce. During Superboy's final rescue attempt, when he was joined by Bruce himself in the guise of the Flying Fox, the Ultra Humanite cranked up the power of his portable generator in order to give Superboy a taste of its maximum power levels when Jonathan Kent came on the scene and destroyed the generator with his shotgun, causing an electrostatic shock to the Ultra Humanite's spine that immobilized him from the waist down, crippling him. | *In Superman & Batman: Generations v1 #1 (1999), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the Elseworlds setting set that was set on Earth-3839 in the Multiverse. Superman first encountered him as Superboy in 1920, trying to protect the Waynes as they were visiting the county seat of Smallville to set up a family planning clinic. His men captured their young son Bruce Wayne and held him for ransom, while the Ultra Humanite used an electrical shocking device on Superboy to keep him from rescuing Bruce. During Superboy's final rescue attempt, when he was joined by Bruce himself in the guise of the Flying Fox, the Ultra Humanite cranked up the power of his portable generator in order to give Superboy a taste of its maximum power levels when Jonathan Kent came on the scene and destroyed the generator with his shotgun, causing an electrostatic shock to the Ultra Humanite's spine that immobilized him from the waist down, crippling him. | ||
*In Justice League v2 #23.1 (2013), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared as an inhabitant of the new [[Earth-2]] in the reformed Multiverse. He came to be one of the survivor of the destroyed Earth 2 where upon resettlement on another world he began to use the lost children of the old Earth as his personal soldiers that he engineered as his '''Humanites'''. Among them included '''John Grayson''' who was the son of the Earth 2 Dick Grayson aka Batman III when the two were separated during the evacuation of their world. The Ultra-Humanite came to be killed by Hawkgirl with the '''Amazonion Casket''', the object he was going to use as part of his plan to take over Earth 2. | *In Justice League v2 #23.1 (2013), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared as an inhabitant of the new [[Earth-2]] in the reformed Multiverse. He came to be one of the survivor of the destroyed Earth 2 where upon resettlement on another world he began to use the lost children of the old Earth as his personal soldiers that he engineered as his '''Humanites'''. Among them included '''John Grayson''' who was the son of the Earth 2 Dick Grayson aka Batman III when the two were separated during the evacuation of their world. The Ultra-Humanite came to be killed by Hawkgirl with the '''Amazonion Casket''', the object he was going to use as part of his plan to take over Earth 2. | ||
+ | *In Superman: American Alien v1 #6 (2016), an alternate version of Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the Elseworlds reality. He was a new super-villain whose mugshot was featured in an art gallery by Jimmy Olsen. | ||
==In other media== | ==In other media== | ||
===Television=== | ===Television=== | ||
− | *In Justice League, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series set in the [[DC Animated Universe]] where he was voiced by actor Ian Buchanan. This version was shown as a cultured intellectual criminal with a deep love for classical music and violent hatred for most modern forms of art. | + | *In Justice League, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series set in the [[DC Animated Universe]] where he was voiced by actor Ian Buchanan. This version was shown as a cultured intellectual criminal with a deep love for classical music and violent hatred for most modern forms of art. He was shown in Stryker's Island penitentiary where he occupied the neighbouring cell to Lex Luthor. Luthor came to recruit him to join the ranks of his newly formed Injustice Gang where he looked to destroy the Justice League. The Ultra-Humanite came to betray his teammates when Batman offered a more favourable time in prison and access to various literary works. |
*In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Four Star Spectacular" where he was voiced by actor Jeff Bennett. This version is a brain in a small mobile robotic jar capable of possessing anything. While assisting the Axis Powers during World War II with mind-controlled dinosaurs from Dinosaur Island, he captured Batman, but is thwarted by the Creature Commandos and forced to retreat without the Tyrannosaurus host, only to be cornered by other dinosaurs. | *In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Four Star Spectacular" where he was voiced by actor Jeff Bennett. This version is a brain in a small mobile robotic jar capable of possessing anything. While assisting the Axis Powers during World War II with mind-controlled dinosaurs from Dinosaur Island, he captured Batman, but is thwarted by the Creature Commandos and forced to retreat without the Tyrannosaurus host, only to be cornered by other dinosaurs. | ||
*In Young Justice, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Revelation" with his vocal effects provided by actor Dee Bradley Baker. He was shown to having been a member of the Injustice League, he and his fellow Leaguers were used by the Light to throw the Justice League and the Team off their trail. It was said that he had been a mentor to the Markovian scientist Helga Jace. After the Brain's capture, the Ultra-Humanite came to take his place in the ranks of the Light. | *In Young Justice, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Revelation" with his vocal effects provided by actor Dee Bradley Baker. He was shown to having been a member of the Injustice League, he and his fellow Leaguers were used by the Light to throw the Justice League and the Team off their trail. It was said that he had been a mentor to the Markovian scientist Helga Jace. After the Brain's capture, the Ultra-Humanite came to take his place in the ranks of the Light. | ||
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===Video games=== | ===Video games=== | ||
− | *In DC Universe Online, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Brian Jepson. | + | *In DC Universe Online, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Brian Jepson. He was the final boss in the Gorilla Island event. |
*In Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, the Ultra-Humanite appeared as a playable character in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Travis Willingham. | *In Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, the Ultra-Humanite appeared as a playable character in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Travis Willingham. | ||
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==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
− | *''Action Comics v1'': (1939) | + | *''Action Comics v1'': ([[1939]]) |
*''All-Star Squadron v1'': | *''All-Star Squadron v1'': | ||
*''Young All-Stars v1'': | *''Young All-Stars v1'': |
Latest revision as of 10:39, 27 September 2023
The Ultra-Humanite is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Ultra-Humanite
In time, he established a number of criminal enterprises which he operated as their hidden leader. Among these was the Cab Protection Service controlled by his underling Reynolds. (Action Comics v1 #13) Though believed killed in the airplane explosion, Ultra had actually survived in a parachute with his existence being hidden. He began to use another one of his criminal enterprises namely Star Company to be involved in stealing money fraudulently by using inferior materials in construction ventures. Superman during his investigation fell into a trap by the Ultra-Humanite who intended to trap him in crystal but the Man of Steel managed to break through his prison. He attempted to capture the Ultra-Humanite but the criminal mastermind escaped through a hidden hatch in the floor. Afterwards, he determined that the greatest threat to his plans was Superman and vowed to use his considerable intellect at besting the Man of Steel. (Action Comics v1 #14) After escaping the encounter, he went into hiding where he brought together his terrorist gang in a new subversive venture in blackmailing people to extort large sums of money from them. (Action Comics v1 #17) From the shadows, Ultra embarked on a new ambition plan to wipe out the human race and replace it with a race of his own. Thus, he came to re-create the deadly Purple Plague that he unleashed on Metropolis. When young scientist Henry Travers worked on creating a cure, the Ultra-Humanite had his men sent to eliminate him but they were thwarted by the intervention of Superman. Ultra attempted to have the scientist discredited instead and later armed his men with weapons designed to render the Man of Steel unconscious. The mad scientist then attempted to brainwash the hero to serve him in spreading the disease but Superman only pretended to be under his mental whims with him instead sabotaging the villains plans. Once the plague was dealt with, Superman confronted Ultra at his stronghold where the scientist attempted to unleash a weapon against the Man of Steel but it exploded and seemingly killed the Ultra-Humanite. (Action Comics v1 #19) Though in reality, he survived the explosion but his body was mortally wounded and could no longer support him. Ultra was restored to consciousness with an adrenalin shot and worked to save his leader. They ultimately decided to transplant his brain into a new body. The pair then chose a target in the form of female actress and celebrity Dolores Winter. Upon taking over her body, Ultra had her retire from acting and stage a big party much of Hollywood that attended whereupon he held them for ransom for millions of dollars. Superman intervened and was confronted by his old enemy where the Man of Steel saved the hostages but failed to stop Ultra who escaped in his new body. (Action Comics v1 #20) Once again surviving, Ultra in his female body kept a low profile and later learnt of the atomic research of Terry Curtis. As Delores Winters, Ultra arranged for a chance meeting with the young scientist who became smitten with her. This culminated in a plot by Ultra to steal documents on Curtis’s research but was discovered by the scientist. However, criminal henchmen arrived leading to Terry’s capture. Afterwards, Curtis was forced under torture to continue his research. After completing his work, an Atomic Disintegrator was created with Ultra demonstrating her power by destroying the Wentworth Tower and threatened the destruction of Metropolis unless she was paid $2,000,000. Superman came to discover her lair within a crater of a volcano but she had rigged to ensure that any attack would lead to the Disintegrator being used on Metropolis. Despite that, the Man of Steel refused to leave Curtis leading to Ultra offering an alternative; retrieve a highly valuable jewel set for her in exchange for Terry Curtis. Superman agreed but after departing, Ultra notified the authorities in order to see the kind of resistance to the Man of Steel. Despite an armed response waiting for him, Superman succeeded in getting the jewels and returned to Ultra who betrayed him by triggering a trap. Superman managed to overpower the trap and in the chaos Terry Curtis managed to take Ultra hostage. In the fighting, Ultra jumped out the window seemingly to her doom leading to her scheme being thwarted. (Action Comics v1 #21) However, in reality, she managed to survive by getting into a hidden mechanical mole that was shielded from detection which drilled deep beneath the Earth. Whilst burrowing through the depths, she ultimately stumbled into a cavern where she found a race of green-skinned underground dwelling humanoids that she labelled as the Sub-Men. All the women of their people were dead with Dolores Winters body being the first they had seen in a long time leading to them declaring her their queen. They came to worship and fear her with the Ultra-Humanite using them for her means. In the aftermath, the Ultra-Humanite created a means of teleporting the mechano-mole to other volcano sites to operate in secret. One day, a plane carrying noted murderer Jake Simons where she had her Sub-Men rescue his badly damaged body. She then performed electrical experiments on him thus gifting him superpowers as he became Deathbolt. (All-Star Squadron v1 #22) As part of her machinations, Ultra dispatched henchmen to raid the laboratory of the scientist Curtiss where they found former Olympic champion Bill Everett. He attacked the intruders but was ultimately captured and taken to their leader. Ultra decided to use Everett in an experiment to imbue him with superhuman abilities leading to his transformation into the Amazing-Man who join her cadre of operatives in striking against the All-Star Squadron. Everett was dispatched to steal the Helmet of Fate from the Tower of Fate in Salem. (All-Star Squadron v1 #23) During the midst of her plot in 1942, she was contacted by the alpha-waves of her future incarnation who had challenged the Justice League of America. The future Ultra had been banished into Limbo alongside other supervillains where they used worked together to contact Ultra’s past incarnation. Thus, a plot was hatched between the two versions of the villain that saw Infinity, Inc. being dragged into the past and falling under Ultra’s mental domination where they were to be sent after the All-Star Squadron. (All-Star Squadron v1 #26) Ultra lost the Powerstone which fell into the hands of the All-Star Squadron who in turn gave it to Superman for safekeeping. The Man of Steel took it to his Secret Citadel in the mountains thinking no one could steal it from there. However, Ultra’s Sub-Men burrowed rom underground into the secret headquarters allowing her to claim the mighty relic once again. (All-Star Squadron v1 #21) A goal of Ultra was to force Dr. Charles Grayson to perform an operation to move his brain from the body of Delores Winters to that of Robotman whose body would become the new vessel for his intellect. (All-Star Squadron v1 #24)
In reality, he had survived by mentally contacting Deathbolt to teleport him at the last second. The pair managed to escape with the aid of Per Degaton whereupon the Ultra-Humanite sought a new body for himself. (Young All-Stars v1 #12) This occurred at the secret Project M base were the young members of the All-Star Squadron were visiting leading to a battle with the Ultra-Humanite in his new Ultra-saurus rex body. With his reptilian form, he nearly overpowered by the young heroes but was repelled by Fury when she was overwhelmed by the spirit of the Tisiphone forcing the Ultra-Humanite to retreat. (Young All-Stars v1 #13)
From his stronghold in Nepal on Earth-2, he set about re-forming the Secret Society of Super Villains that would be under his command. This incarnation though drew on villains from both Earth-1 and Earth-2 with them forming in secret. These ten supervillains were gathered for their enmity with a particular hero within the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. (Justice League of America v1 #195) After collecting 10 foes of individual JLA and JSA members, the Ultra-Humanite succeeded in capturing several heroes from both teams. His betrayal of his colleagues however, caused them to free the captured heroes. In the end, the Secret Society of Super-Villains was captured and disbanded. (Justice League of America v1 #197) Left in Limbo after the defeat of the Secret Society, the Ultra-Humanite devised a new plan. Learning of the ancient legend of the River of Koehaha. (All-Star Comics v1 #36)
As the Crisis on Infinite Earths began to unfold, he was released from Limbo and participated in that multiverse spanning event. In a struggle with Firebrand from the 1940's and several other historic adventurers, he stole a Space Shuttle but as he made off with his theft, the shuttle was locked into a trajectory to carry him directly into the sun (All-Star Squadron v1 #55)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Gerard Shugel was a male human who was born with an incredible intellect but a weak body that was prone to seizures and other conditions. (Power Girl v2 #2)
It was said that the Ultra-Humanite had engineered an explosion that killed the Crimson Avenger. (JSA v1 #37)
Following his encounter with the Justice Society, it was said that the Ultra-Humanite had withdrawn from active operations with there being few reports on his activities. He had been working his way into the ranks of the Council where he began to control it alongside Dr. Anatol Mykros. Eventually though, he decided to abandon his albino gorilla body in favor of a new host. Later on, the JSA came upon the Ultra-Humanite's discarded body after hunting down a Council facility in Austria with the aid of Nemesis. The heroes though came to be aware that the Ultra-Humanite had chosen a new host but were unaware of the identity of it nor the location of the villain. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #2)
He came to take over the body of Johnny Thunder and managed to manipulate Jakeem Thunder into giving him the Thunderbolt. During the struggle with the entity, he was able to remake the world according to his vision where he ruled it. The Ultra-Humanite came to control the world's Metahumans through his Thunderfront with a meagre resistance against him. This was until the captive Justice Society managed to free their comrades and challenged the Ultra-Humanite. The event culminated in the seeming death of Johnny Thunder in an effort to stop the Ultra-Humanite. (JSA v1 #36)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. It was shown that the Ultra-Humanite was an unnamed scientist confined to a wheelchair who experimented on himself and used his genius to establish a crime ring that developed into an underground empire that sought world domination. With his intellect, he made a new body for himself and fought Superman over the years where he was once a member of the Secret Society. (Batman/Superman v2 #10) Thus, he was Superman's first foe who predated the likes of Lex Luthor and the Parasite where they established a conflict that had lasted for decades as they were super-beings that waged a war for control of the future. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4)
The Ultra-Humanite was shown as being a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains. (Deathstroke v4 #24) He was present when the Society had gathered to stand in judgment over Deathstroke after they came to believe that he had reformed himself and was attempting to be a superhero. (Deathstroke v4 #25)
He was later responsible for kidnapping the reformed Atomic Skull in order to replicate his powers and create an entire Atomic Army from kidnapped people. When Albert Michaels escaped, the Ultra-Humanite sent agents to recapture him but after failing he had the Atomic Skull's power go out of control whereupon he detonated in an area of Gotham City. (Batman/Superman v2 #9)
At some point, he came into contact with Brainiac where the two formed an alliance. The latter looked to remove Superman from Earth which matched with the Ultra-Humanite's plan of revenge against the Man of Steel. The Coluan thus supplied advanced technology to the human supervillain who gathered the necessary muscle needed for the task. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4) In Earth's orbit, he came to assemble a team of supervillains with the intention of destroying Superman when he learnt that the Man of Steel's powers had begun to weaken. (Superman and the Authority v1 #1) With his team in position, the Ultra-Humanite dispatched one of his brains in a Grundy-form to assault Superman at the Fortress of Solitude whilst the hero's new team the Authority were busy in Dubai. Missile Men were deployed alongside his own team of supervillains to handle the Authority whilst the Grundy form had successfully infiltrated Fort Superman to engage the Man of Steel himself. He seemingly overpowered the weakened Superman where he intended to take him to the Bottle City of Kandor in order to conduct the surgery where he would place his own brain into the Man of Steel. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3) Preparing for the surgery, the Grundy Ultra-Humanite was surprised to find that the Krypton environment in Kandor had been shut off allowing for Superman to retain his powers. Thus, he got a surprise hit on his foe who was then ambushed by Lois Lane using a gun powered by White Kryptonite that killed the plant-based Grundy form. Meanwhile, the team the Ultra-Humanite had assembled came to be defeat by the Authority whilst his alliance with Brainiac was uncovered by Superman. Despite that, the Ultra-Humanite claimed that their battle would continue and that the world was now their stage. However, Superman believed that he had out evolved past battles with his old foes and intended to leave them to the next generation of heroes whilst he handled greater threats in the universe. The Ultra-Humanite though took this as his foe being defeated and was a relic of the past whilst he himself represented the future. It was then that the Ultra-Humanite planned to deal with Superman's son Jon Kent and started plotting on which body to use against the young hero. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In his original human body, he came to appear as a bald paralysed cripple man whose fiery eyes burnt with a terrible hatred and sinister intelligence. (Action Comics v1 #13) Even when within the female body of Dolores Winter 'it was noted that the hosts blazing eyes displayed Ultra’s intelligence. (Action Comics v1 #20) Despite the Ultra-Humanite being in a female’s body, she did not like to be referred to as a lady as she was not a woman in her mind’s eye and she never would be in her life. (All-Star Squadron v1 #22) Ultra stated that when within the body of Delores Winters that he had no choice in form and intended to seek out a new more powerful vessel for his intellect. (All-Star Squadron v1 #24) It was because of his intellect that he came to refer to himself as the Ultra-Humanite. (Action Comics v1 #13) Sometimes, he was simply referred to as Ultra. (Action Comics v1 #17)
Though possessing an extraordinary intelligence, he noted that unfortunately for mankind that he aimed to use his great intellect towards crime with the ultimate goal being the domination of the world. (Action Comics v1 #13) Ultra had once stated that the only thing he worshipped was power. (All-Star Squadron v1 #22)
He had said that meta-ethical moral relativism was simple cowardice with him accepting and embracing evil. (Deathstroke v4 #25)
Oaths did not mean much to the Ultra-Humanite who was more than capable of breaking his promises to others. (All-Star Squadron v1 #25)
He was referred to being a sociopath who had switched his body so many times that he hardly remembered his own name with this being a means of mentally destabilising him. This shifting identity was a weakness that could be exploited by his enemies and used against him. (JSA v1 #36)
The Ultra-Humanite had said that it was his life's work to prove that the mind was greater than the body he was trapped in. (Batman/Superman v2 #10) He considered himself the next stage beyond the likes of Superman and the Human of Tomorrow. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3)
He was regarded as the first of Superman's superhuman foes and the first to challenge him beyond the bullies or gangsters that operated in his early years as a superhero. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4) Long ago, he schemed to swap his own brain and place it within the body of Superman. He believed that this was the ultimate mind taking the form of the imperishable body with him believing this to be a symmetrical act of revenge. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3) He had said that he had endured decades for the opportunity to see Superman grow weaker whilst the Ultra-Humanite worked to make himself stronger. (Superman and the Authority v1 #1) By this point, his desire for revenge saw him intended to take the Man of Steel's body to use it to kill his friends and loved ones whereupon he intended to claim Superman's sons body for himself as a new host vessel. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3)
Powers and abilities
After subjecting himself to a scientific experiment, he came to possess the most agile and learned brain on the planet. Thus, he considered himself a mental giant of incredible intelligence. However, his original body was paralysed and crippled which meant that he often relied on others for physical tasks. (Action Comics v1 #13) Superman had also acknowledged that the Ultra-Humanite had possessed formidable scientific prowess. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4) Some had claimed that he was smarter than Luthor with the Ultra-Humanite stating that his own brain as far more advanced than a normal human being. (Justice League of America v1 #195) Whilst a skilled scientist, the Ultra-Humanite had never fully mastered the art of robotics for some reason. (All-Star Squadron v1 #22)
He developed the ability to transplant his brain into new bodies. This occurred when his original body failed him and he had his brain put into the body of young female actress Dolores Winters. (Action Comics v1 #20) At one point, he was forced to transfer his intellect into the body of a tyrannosaurus rex. (Young All-Stars v1 #12) As the ultra-saurus, he gained all the strengths inherent in the giant dinosaur body. (Young All-Stars v1 #13) One of his later bodies was that of a white ape that he mutated until its skull could contain his brain. (Justice League of America v1 #195) He later had multiples brains of himself created that he could place into different bodies such as a cloned Grundy form. In another case, he had his multiple brains installed into cybernetic bodies of his Missile Men that he could field as an army. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3)
When he was a plastic-encased brain, it was shown that he could only communicate via telepathy. (Young All-Stars v1 #12) He did not possess telepathy but rather scanned neural systems allowing him to perform a mental reconnaissance of his foes. (Power Girl v2 #2) According to the Ultra-Humanite, his brain-blasts were at the very least the equal in power to those used by Brain-Wave Sr. (Infinity, Inc. v1 #10)
Such was his scientific acumen that he achieved the means of telephoning people without any record of the call being registered by a company. He was able to cut into any telephone line without physical contact. Ultra had also developed a transparent unbreakable metal of his own design and even produced an acid-gun. In addition, he constructed a machine that produced an image of himself to distract his foes thus allowing him to escape from a scene. (Action Comics v1 #17) When he was human, he was known to had made use of false-face masks to disguise his features and prevent people from recognising him. A weapon he developed was an electric gun capable of rendering Superman unconscious. He also developed a cap-like machine that turned subjects into slaves to his commands. (Action Comics v1 #19) Another creation was the Torture Ray that caused individuals to be persuaded to aid Ultra. (Action Comics v1 #21)
He could experiment on people and implant them with cybernetics allowing him to remotely operate them like drones and could use corpses for this task. (Batman/Superman v2 #10)
The Ultra-Humanite was noted to had created fantastic airships of his own construction. (Action Comics v1 #19)
He came to be the head of a vast ring of criminal enterprises. (Action Comics v1 #13)
The Ultra-Humanite came to reproduce himself into an endless production line of bodies and brains thus making himself into a legion. These could be installed into a wide range of bodies that he had created or gathered over the years. As such, he considered himself life eternal and allowing him to waste bodies on many endeavours. Each of these brains were also outfitted with bombs allowing him to cause them to self-destruct. (Superman and the Authority v1 #4)
At one point, he attained great power when he acquired possession of the Powerstone where he was skilled enough to use it. (All-Star Squadron v1 #22)
He was shown to be in possession of a hidden satellite that served as a base of operations and was where he kept his storehouse of brains which housed his intellect. It contained facilities to embed these brains into other bodies allowing the Ultra-Humanite to operate through multiple forms. (Superman and the Authority v1 #3)
Notes
- Ultra-Humanite was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster where he made his first appearance in Action Comics v1 #13 (June, 1939).
- During The New 52, a different take on the Ultra-Humanite was shown Action Comics v2 #37 (2015) where this was a parasitic being trapped within the Phantom Zone looking to escape and infect others to feed on their horror and fear.
Alternate Versions
- In Golden Age v1 #1 (1993), an alternate verison of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the Elseworlds reality.Near the end of the war, the Ultra-Humanite had his brain transferred from Dolores Winters' body into that of the American 'mystery man' Tex Thompson, known as the Americommando. Paul Kirk (Manhunter), who went covertly behind enemy lines with Thompson to take down the Nazi super-agents, discovered this secret and almost killed himself trying to escape, surviving the incident with only amnesia and terrible nightmares. In the form of Tex Thompson, the Ultra-Humanite arrived in America at the end of World War II, greeted and crowned as a hero for taking down Adolf Hitler. Shortly thereafter, he began his campaign as a politician, hoping to become President of the United States. To that end, he took under his wing Daniel Dunbar, the former 'mystery man' known as Dyna-Mite, and through a nuclear test transformed him into the superhero for the new age called Dynaman. Secretly, though, the Ultra-Humanite had Daniel's brain removed and replaced with that of Adolf Hitler prior to the nuclear test, with the intent that together they would rule the world. As Tex, the Ultra-Humanite had Joan Dale, the former "mystery woman" called Miss America, become his personal aide and his lover. However, Joan began to suspect that the man she loved wasn't really Tex, and eventually secreted his diary to Lance Gallant (Captain Triumph) and Paula Brooks (Tigress) to unlock its secrets, discovering from it that Tex was really the Ultra-Humanite. Meanwhile, Carter Hall (Hawkman) used hypnosis to unlock the truth behind Paul Kirk's nightmares, where he discovered that he had witnessed the Ultra-Humanite transferring his brain into the body of Tex Thompson. At a rally in Washington, D.C. in 1950 where all costumed superheroes were to appear by Presidential decree to show their loyalty, Joan Dale publicly exposed Tex Thompson as being the Ultra-Humanite and attempted to also expose Dynaman as being Adolf Hitler in Daniel Dunbar's body when the Ultra-Humanite had Robert Crane (Robotman) silence her by murdering her in public. Rex Tyler (Hourman) took over for Joan Dale in the exposure of both Thompson and Dunbar, causing Dynaman to show his true colors and to attack the various superheroes present. Ultra-Humanite attempted to make a run for it to cover his tracks, but Paul Kirk as Manhunter stopped him and ultimately killed him, forever ending his threat.
- In Tangent Comics: Nightwing: Night Force v1 #1 (1998), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in Tangent Comics that was set on Earth-9 in the Multiverse. The Ultra-Humanite was a living weapon created as a byproduct of the Soviet Union, in which it was harvested from the souls of the Doom Patrol through the organization Meridian. The being went out of control once it was created after generating a massive electromagnetic pulse across the Earth, causing a world-wide blackout, and desired to rule the world. Earth-9's heroes had unsuccessfully fought the Ultra-Humanite until he was allegedly destroyed by the Superman (Harvey Dent). However, in reality, Dent had weakened Ultra-Humanite and hidden the being in space, where he reprogrammed him as an ally to his cause in ruling Earth from behind the scenes. The Ultra-Humanite later was summoned to New Earth to help Dent and his allies in ruling that Earth while fighting against the combined alliance of the heroes of New Earth and Earth-9. Ultimately he was defeated by the combined efforts of the Earth-9 Batman and New Earth Superman in which the former apparently died in his effort, before being banished and imprisoned in his gateway prison along with his allies by their native Green Lantern.
- In Superman & Batman: Generations v1 #1 (1999), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the Elseworlds setting set that was set on Earth-3839 in the Multiverse. Superman first encountered him as Superboy in 1920, trying to protect the Waynes as they were visiting the county seat of Smallville to set up a family planning clinic. His men captured their young son Bruce Wayne and held him for ransom, while the Ultra Humanite used an electrical shocking device on Superboy to keep him from rescuing Bruce. During Superboy's final rescue attempt, when he was joined by Bruce himself in the guise of the Flying Fox, the Ultra Humanite cranked up the power of his portable generator in order to give Superboy a taste of its maximum power levels when Jonathan Kent came on the scene and destroyed the generator with his shotgun, causing an electrostatic shock to the Ultra Humanite's spine that immobilized him from the waist down, crippling him.
- In Justice League v2 #23.1 (2013), an alternate version of the Ultra-Humanite appeared as an inhabitant of the new Earth-2 in the reformed Multiverse. He came to be one of the survivor of the destroyed Earth 2 where upon resettlement on another world he began to use the lost children of the old Earth as his personal soldiers that he engineered as his Humanites. Among them included John Grayson who was the son of the Earth 2 Dick Grayson aka Batman III when the two were separated during the evacuation of their world. The Ultra-Humanite came to be killed by Hawkgirl with the Amazonion Casket, the object he was going to use as part of his plan to take over Earth 2.
- In Superman: American Alien v1 #6 (2016), an alternate version of Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the Elseworlds reality. He was a new super-villain whose mugshot was featured in an art gallery by Jimmy Olsen.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe where he was voiced by actor Ian Buchanan. This version was shown as a cultured intellectual criminal with a deep love for classical music and violent hatred for most modern forms of art. He was shown in Stryker's Island penitentiary where he occupied the neighbouring cell to Lex Luthor. Luthor came to recruit him to join the ranks of his newly formed Injustice Gang where he looked to destroy the Justice League. The Ultra-Humanite came to betray his teammates when Batman offered a more favourable time in prison and access to various literary works.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Four Star Spectacular" where he was voiced by actor Jeff Bennett. This version is a brain in a small mobile robotic jar capable of possessing anything. While assisting the Axis Powers during World War II with mind-controlled dinosaurs from Dinosaur Island, he captured Batman, but is thwarted by the Creature Commandos and forced to retreat without the Tyrannosaurus host, only to be cornered by other dinosaurs.
- In Young Justice, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Revelation" with his vocal effects provided by actor Dee Bradley Baker. He was shown to having been a member of the Injustice League, he and his fellow Leaguers were used by the Light to throw the Justice League and the Team off their trail. It was said that he had been a mentor to the Markovian scientist Helga Jace. After the Brain's capture, the Ultra-Humanite came to take his place in the ranks of the Light.
- In Stargirl, the Ultra-Humanite appeared originally in his albino gorilla body in the setting of the live-action television series where he was voiced by an uncredited actor. It was revealed that he was an old enemy of the Justice Society who had been an unnamed scientist who came to transplant his brain into the body of academy award winning actress Delores Winters. Upon being discovered, he came to move it again into the body of a mutated giant albino ape. Though an enemy of the JSA, he was not a member of the Injustice Society but had been an ally of the Dragon King who had assisted him in his experiments. By the modern age, he came to save the dying Dragon King by putting his brain into the Ultra-Humanite's gorilla body. Meanwhile, the Ultra-Humanite had dug up the body of the recently revived Sylvester Pemberton and claimed his body for his own thus pretending to be Starman. He then returned to Blue Valley under the heroes guise where he planned to steal the Cosmic Staff for himself and destroy the new Justice Society with his allies the Dragon King and the reborn Icicle.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, the Ultra-Humanite appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Brian Jepson. He was the final boss in the Gorilla Island event.
- In Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, the Ultra-Humanite appeared as a playable character in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Travis Willingham.
Other
Appearances
- Action Comics v1: (1939)
- All-Star Squadron v1:
- Young All-Stars v1:
- Justice League of America v1:
- JSA v1:
- Power Girl v2:
- Earth-2: Society v1:
- Deathstroke v4:
- Batman/Superman v2: (2020)
- Superman and the Authority v1: (2021)
External Links
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