Ultra-Humanite
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)
Modern
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)
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)
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)
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)
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) 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)
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)
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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 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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