Match (DC Comics)

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Match
Match from Teen Titans #43, art by Tony Daniel
Publisher DC Comics First appearance Superboy #35 (1996) Created by Ron Marz (writer) Ramon Bernado (artist)
Characteristics Alter ego Match Species Kryptonian/Human hybrid Affiliations Titans East The Agenda Project Cadmus Abilities Tactile telekinesis, heat vision, flight, super-strength

Match is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. He is a clone of Superboy. Match appeared in the Superboy title, issues of Young Justice and the Sins of Youth and Joker's Last Laugh crossover events. Currently, he is a member of the Titans East, who debuted in Teen Titans #43.

Contents 1 Character History 1.1 The Agenda 1.2 Titans East 2 Appearance 3 Powers and abilities

[edit] Character History

[edit] The Agenda

Created using Superboy's DNA, Match was made to serve "the Agenda", a secret organization specializing in creating clone armies. Agent Amanda Spence was able to kidnap Superboy and the Agenda used his DNA to create the clone Match. Match was given implanted memories, like Superboy, but they included a whole host of information that Superboy did not have. He also had improved strength and durability as well as greater control over his powers. In fact, it is believed that the host of data he was given helped him hone his powers.

In the resulting battle between the two clones, Superboy managed to come out on top and the reactor holding the Agenda's compound together exploded, destoying the base. Match was left alone and ailing.

Some time later, the Agenda kidnapped Superboy again and took over Project Cadmus. When the Agenda kidnapped Superboy, Match took his place in Young Justice. At this time, Project Cadmus was also infiltrated by several clones loyal to the Agenda. Eventually, Superboy freed himself and joined the fight against Match and the Agenda to free Cadmus.

During Joker's Last Laugh, After being poisoned with Joker venom, Match returned to infiltrate and terrorize Young Justice disguised to look like Superboy. While Superboy was away, Match was at Young Justice headquarters with Empress, Secret, Arrowette, and Wonder Girl. While the Jokerized Match was unable to keep his plans secret from the girls, they simply believed he was Superboy pretending to be a Jokerized Match. Match left after accidentally making Wonder Girl confess her love for Superboy, causing Match to develop feelings for her as well.

[edit] Titans East

See also: Titans East and Deathstroke

The criminal mercenary Deathstroke has begun forming Titans East, a team created explicitly to take down the Teen Titans. Though he is a powerful physical asset to the team, Match's presence is more of a psychological ploy, due to Superboy's death during the Infinite Crisis event. Deathstroke is counting on Match's resemblance to Superboy, enhanced by changing his costume to match Superboy's last costume, to unbalance Robin, Superboy's best friend and the Titans' leader, and Wonder Girl, Superboy's girlfriend and the Titans' most powerful member.

Match's first appearance in Teen Titans #43 shows that both his mind and body have begun to rot away, making him behave more like a normal Bizarro clone, even going so far as to speak in contradictions. He appears to still have feelings for Wonder Girl, as he claims "I hate Wonder Girl." Following that, in Teen Titans # 44, Wonder Girl wakes up in what seems to be the Fortress of Solitude. She appears to see Superboy on a throne, but it is, in fact, Match, who claims "You so ugly when you sleep, me hate to watch you," continuing to speak in opposite logic as his body and mind deteriorate.

[edit] Appearance

Originally, Match's physical appearance was practically identical to Superboy's, save for white hair and pale eyes (in comparison to Superboy's black hair and blue eyes) and a "brand" of the Agenda's logo on the left side of his chest. This logo was also on his original costume, two intertwined double helixes (most likely to represent DNA) that form a shape akin to three circles. Match's look is currently very similar to a Bizarro clone of Superboy. Like Superboy after his redesign, Match has jeans and black t-shirt. However, the shirt has several tears or holes and the "S" shield is reversed, like Bizarro's. He also has a skin calcification, once again similar to that exhibited by Bizarro, and due to genetic damage accumulating over time his mental and speech patterns are currently altered to resemble those of a Bizarro.

[edit] Powers and abilities

Match has exhibited powers similar to Superboy, but supposedly had greater control. These powers include tactile telekinesis which can mimic Superman's powers of flight and super-strength, but can also be used to disassemble machinery. Occasionally, he has also displayed the ability to create blasts of energy from his eyes. Although Superboy eventually began to develop real Kryptonian powers from exposure to Earth's yellow sun, it is unclear if Match has developed such powers as well. It is clear that Match's cloned body and mind are slowly rotting away over time, leaving the full extent of his powers questionable.