Cyborg (comics)
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- This article is about the Teen Titans member. For the Superman villain, see Hank Henshaw.
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Cyborg (Victor Stone) is a fictional DC Comics superhero best known as a member of the Teen Titans. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez, he first appeared in DC Comics Presents #26 (October 1980).
The son of well-meaning but thoughtless scientists who tried to use him in their experiments to artificially enhance human intelligence, Victor was a troubled youth. When one of his parents’ experiments brought an extra-dimensional monster to Earth, Victor was horribly maimed. His father used advanced prosthetics to rebuild his son, but at a cost of being disfigured by them.
Half-man, half machine, Cyborg used his mechanical enhancements as a superhero. The Teen Titans acted as a surrogate family, helping him recover his self-esteem and retain his inner humanity. He is a mentor of the current Titans.
Cyborg was also a main character on the 2000s-era Teen Titans animated series.
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[edit] Fictional character history
[edit] Youth
Vic Stone was the son of a pair of scientists who decided to use him as a test subject for various intelligence enhancement projects. However, Victor grew to resent this treatment and fell in love with a young miscreant who led him into trouble with the law. This was the beginning of a struggle where Victor strove for his own life engaging in pursuits his parents disapproved of, such as athletics. In addition, Victor still kept bad company that led him into incidents such as when he was talked into participating in a street gang fight in which he was wounded. For the most part however, Victor still had a largely normal life under the circumstances where he also refused to follow his best friend's grandiose plans of racially motivated terrorism.
[edit] Victor Stone Becomes Cyborg
All that changed one day when he visited his parents at work at STAR Labs. Coincidentally, an experiment in dimensional travel went horribly awry when a massive gelatinous monster crossed over an experimental portal and killed Victor's mother. The creature then turned on Victor and severely mutilated him before his father managed to force the creature back through the portal. To save his son, Victor's father outfitted him with experimental prosthetics of his own design. However, the equipment could not be worn inconspicuously, and thus Victor was horrified to see much of his body, including part of his face, replaced with sheer metallic limbs and implants. Although Victor wanted to die at this shock, he adjusted enough through his resulting physical therapy to control his implants with suitable skill.
[edit] Rejection
However upon release from medical care, he found his life was seriously inconvenienced with the fearful reactions of the public at his implants, even his girlfriend rejected him. In addition, he was also disallowed his participation in athletics not only for his implants but for his poor grades which were further exacerbated by his long convalescence. However, when his old friend attempted to use Victor's troubles to manipulate him into attempting a terrorist attack on the United Nations, Victor found a new purpose as he equipped his weapons attachments and stopped his friend in a pitched battle on top of United Nations headquarters.
[edit] Teen Titans
He joined the Teen Titans, initially for the benefit of a support group of kindred spirits and outsiders and has remained with that group ever since. In addition, Victor found new friends who saw past his disfigurements to his own nobility, such as a group of children who were adjusting to their own prosthetics and idolized Victor with his fancy parts and exciting adventures as well as their beautiful teacher, Sarah Simms, who has often assisted him. Cyborg and Sarah have a deep relationship that is considered by some fans to be Cyborg's one true love, although writer Marv Wolfman insists it is a deep, caring friendship.
Another person who saw past the cybernetic shell was Dr. Sarah Charles, a STAR Labs scientist who helped him to recuperate after having his cybernetic parts replaced. Cyborg and Dr. Charles dated for some time, and, along with Changeling, she kept trying to reach him when he was seemingly mindless following a plane crash.
[edit] Deaths and rebirths
As mentioned above, Cyborg was badly damaged in a plane crash and, although his body was restored (albeit with more mechanical parts than previously), his mind was not. Eventually, his mind was restored by an alien race of computer intelligences called the Technis. Cyborg, however, had to remain with the Technis both to maintain his mind and because, in return for restoring him, he had to teach them about humanity. He took the name Cyberion, and gradually started becoming less human in outlook, connecting entirely to the Technis planet.
Eventually, Cyberion returned to Earth. With Vic's consciousness dormant, but his desire for companionship controlling the Technis planet's actions, it began kidnapping former Titans members and plugging them into virtual reality scenarios, representing their "perfect worlds". Eventually Vic's consciousness was restored, and "downloaded" into the Omegadrone, a morphing war-suit belonging to former Titan Minion. In the wake of this event the Titans reformed, and Vic was part of the new group. However, he felt less human than ever before.
Shortly after this, Nightwing revealed he had cloned Vic's body, and by flowing the Omegadrone through the clone, Vic regained his human form, but still had the 'drone's abilities. He often used the drone to recreate his "classic" look in battle. With his newfound humanity, Vic took a leave of absence, moving first to L.A. with Beast Boy, and then to Central City. While in Central, he got involved in a plot by the Thinker, which froze the Omegadrone's morphing powers, and left him in his original cyborg form.
At the same time, a female version of Cyborg calling herself Cyborgirl appeared as a member of a group of Wonder Woman enemies called Villainy Inc. She is the niece of Dr. Charles, who required emergency surgery after a reaction to the "super-steroid" Tar. Her cybernetic implants give her all the same abilities as Vic, but she has none of his sense of responsibility.
[edit] Mentor
Vic currently mentors the new Teen Titans group, consisting mainly of sidekicks, most of whom have taken over the secret identities of former members (i.e. Tim Drake, the third Robin, instead of Dick Grayson, the original Robin and Titans leader), as well as stalwarts such as Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy, where they have fought enemies such as Deathstroke, Doctor Light, The Titans Tomorrow, Superboy and Indigo during the Insiders storyline with a team up with the Outsiders.
[edit] Infinite Crisis and beyond
During Infinite Crisis, Cyborg joined Donna's New Cronus Team that went to investigate a hole in the universe that was found during the Rann-Thanagar War. He left Beast Boy in charge of the Titans while he was gone. They arrived at the re-set center of the universe and with the help of an assorted heroes aided in the defeat of Alexander Luthor, who was attempting to re-create the multiverse and build a perfect Earth from it.
According to the fifth issue of 52, Cyborg was fused together with Firestorm after returning to Earth. This was caused by the energy ripples caused by Alexander Luthor Jr. which altered the Zeta Ray Beams the heroes were going to use to return home.
After being severely damaged during the events of Infinite Crisis, Cyborg was rebuilt over time in thanks to Tower Caretakers Wendy and Marvin. He awoke one year later to find a wholly different Teen Titans being led by Robin, the only member from the team he formed prior to going into space. He is still a member of the team, but feels that Kid Devil and Ravager are hardly worthy Titans, and thus is attempting to find a way to re-form "the real Titans".
After the team along with the Doom Partol defeated the Brotherhood of Evil, Cyborg asked Beast Boy to rejoin the Titans, but Gar refused saying that his skills were needed with the Patrol. After returning to Titans Tower, Cyborg began reviewing the security tapes during the last year, in which it appears that he was looked to by all the Titans of the past year for a shoulder to lean on, despite being in a coma-like state.
It appears that although Cyborg has returned to the team, the role of leader is now in the hands of Robin.
In Justice League of America vol. 2, #3, Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman agree that Cyborg will be offered membership in the new Justice League.
[edit] Appearances in television series
[edit] Superfriends
Cyborg appeared in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians from 1985 to 1986.[1]
He is voiced by actor Ernie Hudson.
[edit] Justice League Pilot Promo
When Justice League was pitched to KidsWB, the line up originally included 3 young members (the network prefers kids to have a prominent role). The members would have been Tim Drake (Robin III, II in DCAU continuity), Impulse and an original character described as a "teenage female version of Cyborg". The promo is viewable on the Justice League Season 1 set, Disc 4. This character is similar to the Natasha Irons in appearance and alliances, but more like Cyborgirl in general concept.
[edit] Teen Titans
[edit] Similarities
The cartoon version of Cyborg is very similar to his comic book counterpart. The two main differences are his design and that he is more easygoing than his comics counterpart. His head is considerably more rounded (and bald), and his mechanical parts are bulkier. In the "Titans Tomorrow" storyline of the comics, a future version of Victor Stone is shown having similar plating as the animated Cyborg.
[edit] Stone
In the animated series, Cyborg is never referred to by his given name. However, he does take the alias "Stone" in the season 3 episode "Deception". He is known to have a love of video games, and is often seen battling Robin or Beast Boy in either a fighting or racing game. Cyborg dated H.I.V.E.'s Jinx, but their relationship despatched after the H.I.V.E students found out he was a Titan and was using them to learn about H.I.V.E's headquarters, and later has a brief partnership with Sarasim, a warrior from the distant past but their important parts in their time periods ensured that a relationship could never be. A former athlete (as in the comics), his victories are often accompanied by a resounding "Booyah!" Brother Blood was a recurring nemesis of his in Season Three. He also maintains a rivalry with Gizmo and Atlas.
[edit] Powers
His abilities and offensive attacks include a Sonic Cannon, which he can project from his right arm at will, a smaller sonic blaster located in his left foot, two sets of missile launchers (one in each shoulder), super-strength, high-end sensor and communication technology, and can also produce several different tools (a saw, a welding torch, a buffer, etc.) from his arms. When Cyborg fought his darker self, he produced a second sonic cannon in his left arm. At one point, he installed a super-processor chip called the Maximum-7 to further increase his abilities, but an overload forced Robin to remove it. It is hard for fans to tell which parts of his body are organic human parts. Many think his torso and head are authentic, yet it is often hard to tell.
It was revealed in a later episode that Cyborg can interface with Titans Tower and its security system, drawing power from it and using it to power two super powered Sonic Cannons that project from both arms. The power from these cannons appears to be much greater than his normal blasts.
[edit] Bumble Bee
In later episodes, Cyborg forms a friendship with Bumblebee, who he met at Hive Academy. They later go on to form Titans East, with Cyborg as the team leader. Cyborg eventually steps down as leader and returns to Titans Tower, but not before selecting Bumblebee as the new leader.
[edit] Other
Cyborg is the only regular Titan that is in the episode "For Real", which stars the Titans East.
He is voiced by actor Khary Payton.
Cyborg is a playable character in both Teen Titans video games based on the show.
[edit] Smallville
Cyborg appeared in the fifteenth episode of Smallville's fifth season, which was also titled "Cyborg", and premiered on February 16, 2006. In this version, Victor (Lee Thompson Young), is a former Metropolis High School football star. He is involved in a car accident that kills the rest of his family, and supposedly himself. But he is secretly rebuilt by Cyntechnics scientists including Dr. Alistair Krieg (Mackenzie Gray), who experimented on a group of test subjects. Victor was the only test subject to survive the experiments. Cyntechnics was bought up by Luthorcorp shortly prior to Victor's escape. Lex denies any knowledge of Cyntechnics' secretive activities.
Although Victor's cybernetic enhancements are entirely endoskeletal instead of exoskeletal as they are in the comics and other media, a shot of Clark Kent's X-Ray vision reveals that Victor's cranial armor covers the same-shaped area as it does in the comics. He also bleeds a dark fluid as he does in the comics. Interestingly, whereas the animated version does not use his given name, the Smallville version never uses the name "Cyborg". Instead, Victor refers to his enhancements as "bionic", and the episode explicitly references the 1970s television series, The Six Million Dollar Man, which also featured a cybernetically-enhanced "bionic" man.
Lee Thompson Young will reprise his role in "Justice", a season six episode about Green Arrow gathering together a group of individuals to combat criminals.[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External sources
- DCDP: Cyborg (Victor Stone) - DC Database Project
- Titans Tower biography
- Cyborg's description on the animated series
