Captain Comet
Captain Comet is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Adam Blake was a male Metahuman Mutant son of John Blake and Martha Blake born in 1931 where moments after his birth a comet streaked across the Midwestern sky. John jokingly commented that the comet represented a sign of good fortune, but had little foreknowledge of how truthful his statement would come to be. Although the Blakes were unaware of it at the time, the comet had emitted low-level waves of radiation, which triggered multi-genetic cell growth in Adam Blake's body. As such, Adam began to develop incredible mental attributes. (Strange Adventures v1 #9)
Adam Blake discovered his unique abilities as he grew up—at the age of four he instantly found a ring his mother had lost ("I just knew it was there"), and by eight years old demonstrated photographic memory by rapidly reading a whole encyclopedia and retaining the information. Other skills manifested almost instantly: he could play musical instruments without training and was secretly expert at sports to Olympic record level. In high school he saved a schoolmate from falling to her death by mental force, but despite his powers he felt isolated from other humans because of his differences from them. After leaving school he became a librarian in Midwest City, where he sought the help of a renowned physicist, Professor Emery Zackro, who tested him and discovered Adam was a mutant—postulating he was the reverse of an evolutionary throwback, "an accidental specimen of future man". (Strange Adventures v1 #9)
Over the next three years, he saved Earth from multiple alien invasions and explored space in The Cometeer, saving other civilizations and meeting beautiful alien damsels in distress. During this period, he largely used intelligence and his mind-reading skills to help solve problems, seldom resorting to physical solutions. Among his weirder adventures, Captain Comet battled mad Greek gods from space. (Strange Adventures v1 #19)
Captain Comet begged Superman for help, because his powers were fading, and turning him into a human comet that drained his energy every time he tried to use them.Comet ascertained that the comet that flew over him during birth was what unlocked his latent mutant powers, and Superman took hiom to his library in his Fortress of Solitude, where they calculated the course of the comet, so Captain Comet could rexpose himself and regain his power. They were followed by Starstriker, a man obsessed by the fact that he was born at the same time as Captain Comet, with the same latent mutant powers, but no comet streaked over his hour of birth, so he was a regular human being. The heroes reached the comet, and Captain Comet s powers were restored, but Starstriker also unlocked his full potential. With his newfound abilities he placed a mental block on Superman so he couldn t use his powers, and fled. He later abducted Captain Comet, and put him in a machine that sapped his powers into Starstriker. Starstriker was counting on Superman bringing an army of heroes to him, and draining all their powers. Superman knew his intentions, and confronted him solo, confusing Starstriker, and freeing Captain Comet. Starstriker unleashed several comets on Earth, and Superman was forced to abandon his fight with Starstriker to save his adopted planet. Captain Comet defeated Starstriker, and placed a mental block on him that would keep him from using his powers. (DC Comics Presents v1 #22)
Later he turned down full membership in the Justice League, but became an honorary member and took up residence in their satellite headquarters. (Secret Society of Super Villains v1 #5)
Captain Comet remained off-radar for nearly two years, eventually contacting Superman when the effect of the comet that mutated him wore off, turning him into a human comet whose powers fluctuated wildly. (DC Comics Presents v1 #22) With Superman's help he tracked down the comet and stabilized his powers. Superman's help was needed again six years later when the villain Brain Storm attempted to augment his waning powers by stealing Captain Comet's power, which accidentally evolved him to a more advanced form temporarily. (DC Comics Presents v1 #91)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
He fell in love with fellow member scientist Marij'n Bek, who nursed him back to health and studied the massive headaches he frequently suffered. These were the result of his possession by a psi-creature in space before meeting L.E.G.I.O.N.; it was eventually purged by Vril Dox, leaving the Captain once again hospitalised for months. (L.E.G.I.O.N. 92 v1 #46) Soon after he was apparently killed by Lady Quark—who had been possessed by the same parasite. Buried under a mountain on Ith'kaa. (L.E.G.I.O.N. 94 v1 #63)
At some undefined point in the next 10 years Captain Comet stepped down as leader and became a paid freelance aide and agent to Vril Dox, who took back the L.E.G.I.O.N. reins. He was next seen with Dox under contract to the planet Ancar, which had been invaded by Khunds during the Rann–Thanagar War; after intervention by Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, he decided to stay and help him end the war. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2) He first accompanied Kyle to the destroyed planet Thanagar, where they built a protective dome and terraformed the land to create a secure environment for the survivors. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #4) Then he joined up with Adam Strange and Hawkman to defend Rann against the Thanagarians under the control of the demon Onimar Synn, who he was instrumental in destroying. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #6)
Captain Comet was captured and tortured by Lady Styx, forcing him to jettison his primary consciousness from his body before death. (52 v1 #31)
Target of an assassination attempt by a surviving E.L.C. follower during a resurgence of the faith, Comet accepted an offer by Adam Strange to leave Hardcore Station and help quell growing religious fanaticism on Rann. (Rann-Thanagar Holy War v1 #1) He ended up working with Adam Strange, Hawkman, Starfire, The Weird, and the Prince Gavyn Starman against the influences of the warring Lord Synnar a cosmic tyrant behind the Eternal Light Corporation and Lady Styx on Rann and Thanagar which once again set the two planets on course for war. Their interference was eventually key in Lord Synnar's plans to reach a higher plane of existence. (Rann-Thanagar Holy War v1 #8)
All of Maltus protested Vril and the mess he had made of the planet. Vril railed that he was being treated unfairly, but Amon Hakk told him the people had a point. A sniper almost killed Vril, and it was clear he could not rebuild the L.E.G.I.O.N. on Maltus. Adam Strange said he could use Rann as a base, and Vril promised he could find a way to revitalize the lifeless planet. Strange and Sardath took Vril to Ran, which was still a painful sight to Adam. He reflected on the many times he'd saved the planet, bemoaning that it took one failure to undo all the good he did. Sardath did not believe Vril could bring life back to Rann, because he himself had tried and found the situation hopeless. Vril dismissed him, saying all he needed to do was move the planet's current location and asking Sardath for the largest Zeta Beam he had. Vril used the zeta-beam to teleport Rann to the former location of Tamaran in the Vegan system, and cloned samples of Rann's native flora and fauna to make the planet habitable. He intended to rebuild the L.E.G.I.O.N. using lifeforms instead of robots, and to clean up the Vegan system to regain his reputation. Despite media appearances where he praised his own altruism most of Vega was sceptical, and kept referring to him as the son of Brainiac. He told the R.E.B.E.L.S. he was the antithesis of his father, but Adam Strange warned him that he had landed in a political hotbed, and the neighboring planets might not want him interfering. The L.E.G.I.O.N. recovered a stolen Arcturian vessel, but wounded Green Lantern Corps member Atlin Ad'ms in the process. The GLC warned him, but he said he had a duty to his shareholders to aggressively pursue peacekeeping unless the Green Lantern Corps wanted to buy out his contracts. Captain Comet thought the new L.E.G.I.O.N. would blow up in his face, and planned to quit until Starfire joined the team to defend her native system, and he was impressed with her charisma. As they got to know each other her sister Blackfire attacked Rann, seeing their planet where hers once was as an affront. (R.E.B.E.L.S. v1 #16) The invasion of Rann was halted by GLs Altin Ad'ms and Gorius Karkum, and Blackfire wondered why the Corps was suddenly showing an interest in the Vegan system. Neither the Rannians nor the Tamaraneans appreciate the interference, and attacked the GLs. Adam Strange used a zeta-beam to teleport himself, the GLs and Blackfire into space. They said they could resolve their differences without outside help, and Blackfire agreed that she could talk to Adam if he was not directly working for Vril Dox. A Thanagarian warfleet interrupted their discussion. Vril Dox was aboard, having brokered a peace treaty between the Thanagarians and Rann. They no longer shared the same solar system, let alone the same planet, and those who blamed Rann for Thanagar's destruction were dead or deposed. They returned to Rann, and Vril offered the empty southern continent to Blackfire and her people as a new home. She admired the brilliant and ruthless egomaniac, seeing a lot of herself in him. (R.E.B.E.L.S. v1 #17)
Vril brought Brainiac to Colu as a prisoner, chest-thumping and playing to the media about being the man who brought a monster to justice. The R.E.B.E.L.S. watched from Rann, and argued the sincerity of his performance. Captain Comet returned to Earth for the first time in years, visiting the grave of his sister Edna, who'd died a few years after he'd left for space. He met Starfire aboard her ship, and they both felt like they were without a home. Comet barely recognized the Earth he remembered from 1955, and bemoaned that even Yankee stadium was gone. They made love, and it was clear comet was falling for her. She told him he comforted her, but she was still in love with Nightwing, and as a Tamaranean her love was eternal once given. On Colu Brainiac was placed in a thought-cell, dampening his intelligence, and Vril enjoyed gloating over him. Brainiac said he never thought much about Vril, not seeing his inferior intellect as a threat, and Vril demanded he acknowledge that he'd been defeated. Lyrl, who'd created Pulsar Stargrave, a Solaris class macroprocessor, attacked Colu, and told them Brainiac 3 was their new master. Brainiac broke from his restraints, said he acknowledged no heirs to share his knowledge or his name. The R.E.B.E.L.S. had already turned off the Coluan broadcasts, sick of hearing Vril talk. (R.E.B.E.L.S. v1 #19)
Vril and Lyrl drove Brainiac from Colu, but the planet was left in ruins, and they clashed with the Green Lantern Corps, who wanted to arrest them for the damage.. Vril said he intended to rebuild Colu, so unless the Green Lantern Corps was up to the job they could forget about arresting him. He assured them Lobo would be in his safekeeping since he always paied his debts and Vril could help him with the bills he'd accumulated as archbishop of the triple-fish god. Vril was joined by his R.E.B.E.L.S., and said their name was apt because that's how the Guardians of the Universe viewed them. He said the L.E.G.I.O.N. used police by consent utilizing each planet's laws, but the Guardians sought justice using only their own capricious whims. Vril denied charges that Lyrl had invaded Colu, saying he was under the control of Pulsar Stargrave, and painted Stargrave as having always been Brainiac's pawn. (R.E.B.E.L.S. v1 #21)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
His father held Adam responsible for the death of his mother and had him leave his home. The young man came to wander until he was visited by the Oort-Kind who were said to had saved him. They had scoured the super-cosmos in search for Neo-Sapiens such as himself. (Action Comics v2 #12)
Overview
Personality and attributes
As a child, his manifestation of his powers resulted in people referring to him as the Blake Farm Ghost. (Action Comics v2 #12)
He was determined to help save the other Neo-Sapiens and actively sought them out. (Action Comics v2 #12)
When his mother died, he saved her mind in his memories so that she would live forever there. His father was noted to had blamed him for her death and never wanted to see his son Adam again. (Action Comics v2 #12)
Powers and abilities
It was said that he was a Nutant who were part of a Neo-Sapiens born 100 thousand years ahead of their time in order to prepare the way to inherit the planet. This resulted in him developing a four-lobed post-human brain. (Action Comics v2 #11) (Action Comics v2 #12)
It was said that his mutant body was immune to all poisons. (DC Special v1 #27)
He was telepathically capable of controlling the mind of another person and making them follow his commands. (Action Comics v2 #10) Such was his telepathic powers that he claimed to easily dominate the mind of beings like Superman. (Action Comics v2 #11) These individuals were defenceless against the advanced mental abilities of Adam though his telepathy relied on a conscious mind to influence. (Action Comics v2 #12)
Adam was capable of saving the memories of others into his mind so that they could live forever there. (Action Comics v2 #12)
His consciousness was capable of separating from his body. (Action Comics v2 #12)
It was known that he augmented his abilities with super-E.S.P. technology. (Action Comics v2 #11) He could arm himself with a gun that shot psychic bullets that resulted in a guilt that consumed the mind of the target. (Action Comics v2 #12)
Mentally, he was able to synchronise with the Cometeer to allow for him to conduct a meta-transfer. (Action Comics v2 #12)
Notes
- Captain Comet was created by Julius Schwartz, John Broome and Carmine Infantino where he made his first appearance in Strange Adventures v1 #9 (June, 1951).
Alternate Versions
- In Kingdom Come v1 #2 (1996), an alternate version of Captain Comet appeared in the reality of Kingdom Come set on Earth-22 in the Multiverse.
- In Tangent Comics: Green Lantern v1 #1 (1997), an alternate version of Captain Comet appeared in the reality of Tangent COmics set on Earth-9 in the Multiverse. Captain Comet was an African-American college student in Chicago who gained his powers from a freak accident when struck by fragments of a glowing comet. He was among the many superheroes to publicly appear shortly after the debut of the first superhero, The Atom. When Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1968 and The Atom refused to get involved, Captain Comet entered the conflict and it ultimately cost him his life.
In other media
Television
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Captain Comet appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "The Siege of Starro" Pt. 1. He was seen with the Green Lantern Corps fighting the Starro-controlled heroes and succumbs to Starro's control.
- In Naomi, Adam Blake appeared in the setting of the live-action television series starting from the episode "Zero to Sixty" where he was portrayed by actor Chase Anderson.
Appearances
- Strange Adventures v1: (1951)
- Rann-Thanagar War v1:
- Rann-Thanagar Holy War v1:
- R.E.B.E.L.S. v1:
- Action Comics v2:
- Supergirl:
External Links
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