Chemo (DC)
Chemo is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Chemo was an artificial being who was the accidental creation of a human scientist by the name of Professor Ramsey Norton. After attempting to create a growth formula that would enlarge plants to help feed starving nations, the scientist again was unsuccessful and poured the remnants of his project into Chemo, finally filling the massive vessel. These chemicals caused a massive reaction that resulted in Chemo coming to life and growing into a building-sized giant. Chemo proceeded to poison the scientist with a lethal dose of the growth-formula chemicals and then went on a rampage, only to be defeated by the Metal Men. (Showcase v1 #39)
Afterwards, Chemo came to reform, and was drawn to an observatory by I.Q.’s electropathic homing signal. Along the way he defeated the Metal Men, whose powers were on the fritz because of a magnetic cannon I.Q. had shot at the sun. I.Q. was attempting to increase his intelligence with solar energy, but a miscalculation caused the sun to flare up. He calculated that Chemo’s unique chemical composition could stabilize the sun, so he shot him into space. Superman and the Metal Men tracked I.Q. to his h.q. I.Q. explained what happened, but Superman double-checked his calculations and realized he was off by a decimal point, and that the sun would return to normal on its own, but Chemo would definitely make it go nova. Superman flew into space, intercepting Chemo, and bouncing him back to Earth, but the impact rendered him unconscious. Chemo, who resented being controlled, took the opportunity to turn I.Q. to stone. The Metal Men battled Chemo and were nearly destroyed before Superman intervened. Chemo overheated trying to destroy Superman, so the hero hurled him into the atmosphere to explode. (DC Comics Presents v1 #4)
The villains Brainiac and Lex Luthor use Chemo as a living weapon on Earth-4. Chemo destroyed the alternate universe version of New York City and killed Aquagirl by releasing toxic chemicals into the ocean. The entity was dispersed and neutralized when the heroine Negative Woman shattered its plastic shell. (Crisis on Infinite Earths v1 #10)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Chemo
He was resurrected again and fought against a variety of superheroes, starting with the Metal Men and Superman, after it had used Superman's skin cells to regrow itself. It was defeated and dispersed, and would not appear again for a long time. (Action Comics v1 #590)
Eventually, Chemo reformed itself in Leesburg and was collected by a chemical company there. Chemo naturally escaped and began to tear up part of the town before being confronted by Supergirl, who had recently become the merged being of Matrix and Linda Danvers. Chemo was surprised with Supergirl, as she did not seem to 'fit' exactly into the category of a human being. When Supergirl told Chemo it was not really alive, but merely a collection of chemicals, it screamed and dispersed itself into the atmosphere, creating a harmless rainstorm in the process. (Supergirl v4 #5)
Chemo was later released from Stryker's Island to be drafted into Project: Suicide Squad to serve as a field operative alongside Shrapnel and Plasmus with Manchester Black serving as their leader. The team was dispatched on a test run where they fought against Superman with orders then being made to acquire Mongul for the group. For the test, Manchester Black suggested Superman, and Luthor supported the choice. The Squad lured superman to Area 8, an abandoned military compound, and engaged him in combat. They were defeated by Superman, with Chemo being hurled into Earth's orbit. Luthor agreed with Manchester Black and also came to free Doomsday to complete the Squad. (Adventures of Superman v1 #593) President Luthor sent Chemo and the Suicide Squad to the JLA Watchtower on the moon, and with Justice League Steel's help they used JLA teleportation technology to free Doomsday. Doomsday decimated the entire Squad except for Black, who manipulated Doomsday's mind to replace his hatred of Superman with a hatred for Imperiex. (Adventures of Superman v1 #594)
A toxic spill from Chemo leaked into a bay full of fisherman in Portsmouth City. Fortunately Dr. Mid-Nite got the men immediate treatment. (JSA v1 #61) The Slab, Chemo and his fellow inmates were offered transport to freedom as long as they helped Brother Blood fend off attacks while he used the Slab's GPS system to activate his cultist sleeper agents. The alternative was death if the prisoners failed to protect him. Chemo and the other prisoners could not stop the Outsiders from foiling Blood's plans, but in the chaos Psimon led Chemo and the others on a jailbreak, and after reaching Blood's transports they escaped from the scene. (Outsiders v3 #6)
During the Infinite Crisis, the Society used Chemo as a living chemical weapon and dropped him onto the city of Blüdhaven, killing millions of people. (Batman v1 #649)
After the destruction of Blüdhaven, samples of Chemo were salvaged by Lexcorp where they were cultivated by a secret company project to incubate new versions of the villains. Miniature versions of Chemo developed in an abandoned Lexcorp facility by the time Lana Lang had taken over the company. These were later discovered by a group of young New Gods from New Genesis thus revealing the secret project to Superman. (Superman v1 #663)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Chemo was an artificial construct that began life as a vat of toxic chemicals until one day a thief had stolen a prototype Responsometer from Wil Magnus and dropped it into the container. The Responsometer gave the chemicals life where it took a giant humanoid form that came to be known as Chemo. The Metal Men battled Chemo to protect Will Magnus and the local population, and while successful were apparently also destroyed. (Justice League v2 #28)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was regarded as being a deathless threat to the world. (Showcase v1 #39)
Powers and abilities
Chemo was composed of a unique plastic mould that was built in a humanoid form. (Showcase v1 #39)
He was capable of reforming himself even after being blown to pieces. (Action Comics v1 #590)
He once merged with a laid-off factory worker who used the body of the chemical giant to attack the factory of his old employer. (Superman v1 #370)
Chemo was able to mimic the powers of any living being by getting into contact with its cells. (Action Comics v1 #590)
Notes
- Chemo was created by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito where he made his first appearance in Showcase v1 #39 (July–August, 1962).
- In The Krypton Companion (2006), writer Len Wein in an interview noted, "I realized after doing that first story [with Chemo] that here was a villain that was a physical match against Superman, so I kept bringing him back."
In other media
Television
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Chemo appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Dee Bradley Baker.
Films
- In Batman Unlimited: Mech vs. Mutants, Chemo appeared in the 2016 direct-to-video animated film where he was voiced by actor Dave B. Mitchell.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Chemo appeared in the setting of the MMORPG video game.
- In DC Legends, Chemo appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Showcase v1: (1962)
- Justice League v2': (2014)
- Legends of Tomorrow v1:
- Metal Men v4:
External Links
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