Elite (DC)
The Elite are a superhero team that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
The Elite were a team of Metahumans that were gathered by Manchester Black who brought them together to enforce their brand of order on the world. (Action Comics v1 #775)
The Elite abide no laws and thus quickly came into conflict with Superman during their first mission in Tripoli, Libya. There they took out a renegade giant ape, but also thousands of Libyan troops. They quickly dispatched Superman then disappeared. Superman attempted to negotiate with them and show them the error of their ways but failed. After this proves ineffective, he agrees to fight them on Jupiter's moon Io, where the Elite have already defeated God's Seed. When it appears they have beaten Superman, he manages to exploit the weaknesses in their powers to defeat them, apparently lobotomizing Black and killing the others. However, this turns out to be just a ploy to show them the futility of their approach, as well as to demonstrate to the world (the fight was being broadcast by the Elite) that heroes who kill are not fun, but terrifying. (Action Comics v1 #775)
After a stint with the Suicide Squad, Manchester Black was betrayed by President Lex Luthor and so reformed the Elite. (Action Comics v1 #795)
Justice League Elite
Afterwards, Vera Black came to determine from the Hat through his earth elemental nature that the planet itself was rising up to strike down human civilisation after seeing her 'children' were not united. These findings were later confirmed by both Manitou Raven and Major Disaster both of whom were able to channel the powers of Gaea. To stop this danger, Black formed a new incarnation of the Elite that took on the role of villains. The fake threat posed by them caused the world's governments to unite with this fooling who decided not to bring about the end of mankind. Thus, their actions came to save the world with their deception being uncovered by the Justice League. The effectiveness of their plan caused the Justice League to evaluate the continued use of this team where it was decided that Vera Lynn was to oversee the covert group that became known as the Justice League Elite. (JLA v1 #100)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The Elite
Overview
In appearance, the Elite were a team of Metahumans that operated on Earth who believed in brutally enforcing their brand of justice on others. This included killing criminals rather than send them to prison. (Action Comics v1 #775)
Members
- Manchester Black : a British telekinetic vigilante, currently inactive after realizing that he had become as bad as the villains that he wanted to fight.
- Vera Black : a British psionic cyborg, sister of Manchester Black, and the second leader of the Elite.
- Coldcast : a very large and muscular African-American man who wore dreadlocks and chains and manacles around his neck and wrists. He is capable of manipulating electromagnetism. Coldcast was eventually inspired by Superman to fight on the side of heroes.
- Menagerie : a Puerto Rican woman with a symbiotic suit of armor that allows her to transform into a chimeric creature. She was lobotomized and rendered comatose. The sister of the original came to take the alien cache which drove her insane as she became the second Menagerie.
- Hat : a young and powerful Asian Earth elemental with a measure of invulnerability and an ability to breathe fire. He is armed with a magic hat from which he can pull any item he desires, summon demons, and wield magic. He quits the team shortly after Vera Black takes over.
Notes
- The Elite were created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke where they made their first appearance in Action Comics v1 #775 (March, 2001).
In other media
Television
- In Supergirl, the Elite appeared in the setting of the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse. It was formed by Manchester Black along with Menagerie, Hat, and a Morae nicknamed "Mo" in response to the bigotry of Ben Lockwood and the Children of Liberty as well as the ineffectiveness of the government and D.E.O. Manchester recruits Menagerie and Hat while in jail and they break out alongside the unnamed Morae. Believing that the government can't be trusted and superheroes will not stop killers who don't share their principles, they set out to kill the Children of Liberty and anyone else who would harm earthbound aliens, daring Supergirl to challenge them. They steal Brainiac 5's Legion Ring for Manchester Black and attempt to have the Claymore satellite - originally created to destroy alien ships within Earth's vicinity - fire at the White House. Menagerie is captured before an assassination attempt on Lockwood and the remaining members steal equipment from the Fortress of Solitude which they use to incite violence at a peaceful alien protest against an anti-alien rally. Supergirl and her friends are able to defeat and arrest Mo and Hat. Manchester remained as the last member when he attempted to destroy dam and flood National City, only to be killed by Martian Manhunter thus ending the Elite.
Films
- In Superman vs. The Elite, the Elite appeared as antagonists in the animated film that was an adaptation of the comic storyline. Initially, they were better received by the public than Superman for simply killing superpowered criminals, thus providing instant results after Atomic Skull escaped and went on a killing spree. The Elite grow to become darker and eventually tyrannical over the course of weeks and appear to kill Superman when he opposes them. After Superman returns and defeats them in a terrifying rampage, seeming to slaughter them without mercy as he tells them that he’s going to do things their way now, he reveals that he actually showed mercy and simply disabled the Elite's powers. Public opinion switches back to Superman.
Appearances
- Action Comics v1: (2001)
- JLA v1:
- Justice League Elite v1:
- Teen Titans v5:
External Links
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