Karate Kid (DC)

Karate Kid is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Origin

Val Armorr

When Val returned to Earth, he found that the Legion of Super-Heroes were searching for new recruits to help fend off a creature of incredible power called a Sun Eater. He applied, and, although he had no superhuman powers, was accepted, when he challenged Superboy to single combat and so impressed the Boy of Steel that Superboy vouched for his admission to the Legion. (Adventure Comics v1 #346)

Ultra Boy went shopping for a birthday present for Phantom Girl when he was ambushed by a Protector robot, who challenged him to combat. Ultra Boy was caught unaware, and after being slammed into a wall was hospitalized. Cosvarr, manufacturer of the Protectors, gave a speech at the UP’s interworld security council, calling the Legion of Super-Heroes outdated as guardians of the UP, and showed them a tape of his Protector injuring Ultra Boy to prove it. Cosvarr then visited the Legion Clubhouse, delivered the same tape and pitch to Karate Kid and Shrinking Violet to gloat. Karate Kid worried that the UP would start buying Protectors, and any planet without them would feel endangered, sparking an arms race. Karate Kid sent out an emergency signal, and Light Lass and Timber Wold responded. They arrived on Jupiter to visit Cosvarr’s Protector production plant, with Light Lass posing as heiress Carina Walter, who was interested in purchasing Protectors. Cosvarr was immediately interested in seducing her, much to the annoyance of his partner Zorla, who said he chased after every woman he met. “Carina” questioned him about the source of the Protector’s powers, and Cosvarr showed her the unconscious Superboy and Mon-El, who he’d captured during a Legion mission with super-hypnosis and studied until he’d figured out how to duplicate their solar based powers in creating his Protectors. Cosvarr then veered off topic, talking about his unhappy childhood and his need to make his mark in life before sending Zorla off and offering “Carina” a drink. Timber Wolf, Violet and Karate Kid infiltrated the plant, but were caught by Zorla, who realized “Carina” must also be a Legionnaire. She presented her captives to Cosvarr, who was trying to force himself on Light Lass, and Zorla was furious. She’d had enough, and allowed the Legionnaires to rescue Mon-El and Superboy and leave the plant before pressing a destruct button that atomized the plant, destroying the Protectors and killing herself and Cosvarr in the process. (Action Comics v1 #382)

Val fell in love with Princess Projectra, who joined the Legion at the same time he did. In order to prove his worthiness of the princess's hand, he took a leave of absence and spent about a year in the primitive 20th century. (Karate Kid v1 #1)

He and Projectra returned from their honeymoon to find that her planet, Orando, had been taken over by the Legion of Super-Villains. Val, Projectra, and several other Legionnaires were captured by the villains. When the heroes escaped to oppose the villains, Val fought their leader, Nemesis Kid. Nemesis Kid beat Val almost to death, and Val wanted to continue to fight so that he could die in battle—the ultimate honor by his cultural standards. But at Projectra's urging, Val instead used his remaining strength to destroy the power source for the machines that were moving Orando into a strange dimension. (Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #4) In revenge, Projectra killed Nemesis Kid soon afterward with a memorial to Val was built on Shanghalla. (Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #5)

Notes

• Karate Kid was created by Jim Shooter where he made his first appearance in Adventure Comics v1 #346 (July, 1966).

In other media

Television

• In Legion of Super Heroes, Karate Kid appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "The Karate Kid" where he was voiced by actor Keith Ferguson.

Films

• In JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, Karate Kid appeared in the setting of the animated film where he was voiced by actor Dante Basco.

Appearances

• Adventure Comics v1: (1966)

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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