Doctor Spectrum
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Dr. Spectrum is a fictional character that appears in the Earth-616 Marvel Universe and the alternate Earth-712 universe (which after a reboot becomes the Earth-31916 universe). [1] There have been four versions of the character to date - three supervillains belonging to the team Squadron Sinister and one hero associated with the team Squadron Supreme.
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[edit] Publication history
The heroic Dr. Spectrum (Joseph Ledger) from the new Earth-3196 has featured in a limited series. [2]
[edit] Fictional character biography
To avoid confusion, the biography is separated into two sections that describe both the villainous and heroic versions of Dr. Spectrum.
Dr. Spectrum - the supervillains
The first Dr. Spectrum (African doctor Kenji Obatu) appears as a member of the Squadron Sinister, a group of supervillains assembled by the cosmic entity the Grandmaster to battle the champions of the time-travelling Kang - the superhero team the Avengers. [3] In this first encounter, the hero Iron Man defeats Dr. Spectrum by exposing him to ultra-violet light, which neutralises the abilities of his Power Prism (see Powers and abilities). [4] This version of Dr. Spectrum later seeks revenge against Iron Man, but is defeated once again after a lengthy battle. On this occasion Iron Man crushes the Power Prism, leaving the Obatu Dr. Spectrum powerless, who is subsequently arrested and deported back to his native Africa. [5]
Unknown to Iron Man, the Power Prism reforms and is found by a sanitation worker, who eventually brings it to evangelist Billy Roberts, who after learning of the Prism's abilities becomes the second Dr. Spectrum. [6] The second Dr. Spectrum then assists the original members of the Squadron Sinister, who together with the alien Nebulon attempt to flood the Earth, but are stopped by the superhero team the Defenders. [7] After this defeat the Squadron Sinister are teleported off world by Nebulon, but are later returned to Earth. Having acquired an energy-draining weapon, the Squadron Sinister plan to threaten the Earth once more but are defeated by the Defenders and the Avenger Yellowjacket. [8]
After this defeat, the Power Prism is kept by Yellowjacket, who decides to modify the gem and present it to his wife Janet Van Dyne (also a fellow Avenger - the Wasp). The Power Prism seizes control of the Wasp and transforms her into a mind-controlled female Dr. Spectrum, who battles several Avengers but is then defeated. The Power Prism bonds to the Wasp in an attempt to save itself, but is eventually removed by Billy Roberts after he is located by the Avengers. Roberts becomes Dr. Spectrum once more, although on this occasion the Power Prism is in control and seeks to bond with the most powerful Avenger, the Thunder God Thor. The Power Prism succeeds in doing so, but fails to take into account that to wield the mystic hammer Mjolnir, Thor must be "worthy". Thor drops Mjolnir and reverts back to his mortal alter-ego Donald Blake, which results in the Power Prism losing control and becoming inert, apparently forever. [9]
Years later, another Power Prism appears and bonds itself to Alice Nugent, a former lab assistant of Henry Pym (also known as the Avenger Yellowjacket). [10] Becoming the third Dr. Spectrum, Nugent is coerced by the Grandmaster into joining a revamped Squadron Sinister, which battles the superhero team the New Thunderbolts. [11]
Dr. Spectrum - the superhero
In the Earth-712 universe, Joseph "Joe" Ledger is a former astronaut, who during a space mission saves the life of an alien called the Skrullian Skymaster. The grateful Skrull gives Joe Ledger the Power Prism, a gem capable of synthesizing energy. Ledge becomes the hero Dr. Spectrum and eventually joins the team the Squadron Supreme. Dr. Spectrum and the other members of the team are first encountered by four Avengers, who accidentally cross into the Earth-712 universe. The Avengers first battle then assist the Squadron Supreme against a global threat before returning to their own universe. [12] Dr. Spectrum and the Squadron Supreme later battle the Avengers once again, who help to free the Squadron's Earth from the influence of the artifact the Serpent Crown. [13]
Dr. Spectrum goes on to play a significant role when the Squadron Supreme decide to take over their Earth and fashion it into a utopia, but after a deadly battle with several dissenting team members learns the error of his ways. [14] He and the surviving members of the Squadron Supreme later cross over into the Earth-616 universe and assist the Avengers against the villain the Nth Man, although after this mission the team find themselves unable to return to the Earth-712 universe. [15]
Dr. Spectrum and the Squadron Supreme reside at the government facility Project Pegasus for a time, before assisting the Avengers against the villain Imus Champion and then finding the means to return to their universe. [16] The team disband on returning home, then reunite to stop corporate corruption, with Dr. Spectrum being the first to assist fellow hero Hyperion. [17] Dr. Spectrum and the team briefly aid the team the Exiles [18] before a reboot of the Earth-712 universe. The revised Joe Ledger embarks on a solo mission that eventually results in him having the Power Prism embedded in his right hand and operating in a military-style uniform as opposed to a prismatic costume [19]
[edit] Powers and abilities
The Power Prism
The original Power Prism used by the Kenji Obatu and Billy Roberts versions of Dr. Spectrum was in fact sentient. The Power Prism had previously been a Skrull called Krimonn, who after failing to usurp the Skrull Emperor was transformed into a prism. [20] When the Grandmaster requires champions to battle the Avengers, he retrieves the prism, and after granting Krimonn several energy-based powers that can be used in conjunction with a host, unites the prism with Kenji Obatu, who first uses the term "Power Prism." Although trapped in prism form, Krimonn remains aggressive and asserts his will via telepathy over Kenji Obatu, but is later "muted" by Nebulon when Billy Roberts is in possession of the Power Prism. Krimonn reasserts himself during his quest to find and use Thor, but when the plan fails and the gem is shattered, his consciousness apparently dissipated forever.
The powers bestowed on Krimonn in prism form include flight; energy projection and manipulation; protection from the rigors of space and in the case of the original Dr. Spectrum - Kenji Obatu - an ability to pass through solid objects. The Power Prism also has one weakness: it is vulnerable to ultra-violet light.
The Power Prism given to the Joseph Ledger version of Dr. Spectrum appears to have identical abilities.
[edit] References
- ^ This numbering is confirmed by the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Worlds 2005
- ^ Doctor Spectrum:Full Spectrum #1 - 6 (2004 - 2005)
- ^ NOTE - It was revealed years later that the Grandmaster created the Squadron Sinister based on the already existing Squadron Supreme. The Avengers simply met the "copies" first. What adds to the confusion for readers is the fact that the covers of Avengers vol. 1, #85 and 141 promote the Squadron Sinister, when in fact it is the Squadron Supreme that appear on both occasions.
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, #69
- ^ Iron Man vol. 1, #63 - 66
- ^ Seen in flashback in Avengers Annual #8 (1978)
- ^ Defenders vol. 1, #13 - 13
- ^ Giant-Size Defenders #4 (1974)
- ^ Avengers Annual #8 (1978)
- ^ Iron Man vol. 1, #191
- ^ New Thunderbolts #15 - 16 + Thunderbolts #102 - 108
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, #85 - 86
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, #141 - 144 + 147 - 149
- ^ Squadron Supreme #1 - 12 (1985 - 1986)
- ^ Squadron Supreme:Death of a Universe (1989)
- ^ Quasar #13 - 16 + 19 and Avengers vol. 3, #5 - 6 + Annual 1998
- ^ Squadron Supreme:New World Order (1998)
- ^ Exiles #77 - 78
- ^ Dr. Spectrum #1 - 6 (2004 - 2005)
- ^ Shown in flashback in Iron Man vol. 1, #63 - 66
