Coldcast

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Coldcast

Coldcast meets Aftermath, art by Doug Mahnke
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Action Comics #775, (March 2001)
Created by Joe Kelly (writer)
Doug Mahnke (artist)
In story information
Alter ego Nathan Jones
Team affiliations Justice League Elite
The Elite
Notable aliases Craig
Abilities Electromagnetism manipulation.

Coldcast is a fictional anti-hero that as appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. He was a member of both incarnations of the The Elite before joining Justice League Elite. Coldcast first appeared in Action Comics #775 (March 2001), he was created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke.

Contents

[edit] Fictional character biography

He is initially called Craig in Action Comics #775, but later his name is given as Nathan Jones (it is possible that he is actually named Nathan Craig Jones). Nathan and his brother Christopher came up hard on the mean streets of Chicago. Nathan lost his right eye while still a teenager, when he was drawn into a physical altercation with a local street gang while defending Christopher, this same incident triggered his metagene.[1]

[edit] The Elite

Nathan suddenly discovered that he could detect and manipulate discrete energy interactions. Much of Nathan's early history is undocumented up until the point where he meets Manchester Black. Black recruited Nathan into his group of extremely powerful metahumans called the Elite. And it was Black that gave him the name Coldcast. This group of misguided heroes took upon themselves the roles of "Judge, Jury and Executioner". They disregarded international and civil laws, and thus quickly came into conflict with Superman during a mission in Libya, as seen in the pages of Action Comics #775. The team's first battle with Superman ends in a victory for them, largely down to Coldcast's powers. Superman later calls them to a showdown on Jupiter's moon, Io, where they apparently kill the Man of Steel. However, Superman defeats the entire team and takes them into custody.[2]

Practice session,art by Doug Mahnke
Practice session,
art by Doug Mahnke

[edit] Justice League Elite

After Manchester Black's apparent suicide, his sister, Vera Lynn Black, took it upon herself to clear their family name and therefore reassembles the Elite as a force for good. Taking the name Sister Superior, she requested that Coldcast and other team members return to assist her. Nathan was eager to atone for his actions as a member of the original Elite, and so he accepted. Vera then approached the JLA with a proposition to form a pro-active covert team: the Justice League Elite. Vera envisioned an unconventional team that would deal with unconventional threats.[3]

During this time, Coldcast had a personal relationship with Menagerie II. The JLE's next case involved Coldcast's brother, Christopher. Christopher had joined his own crew, the underground drug ring called the Aftermath. Christopher hoped that becoming a member of this increasingly powerful gang would make his reputation. But Aftermath secretly plotted a test for their new recruits and instigated a fight between the Elite and the JSA. During the brawl, an inebriated Major Disaster lost control of his powers and causing Hawkgirl to be indirectly injured by Coldcast's powers. This proved the team's worth to Aftermath and they were invited onboard Aftermath's interdimensional ship, where they met the organization's leader, a being named Aftermath. By this time, Vera Black's body had been overtaken by the disembodied mind of Manchester Black. Aftermath died in the fight that followed, but not before killing Christopher.[4]

[edit] Free

Due to fallout from the mission, Coldcast was incarcerated in the Slab. Nathan was freed from prison by Kasumi, and they rejoined the rest of the Elite to try and free Vera from the influence of her brother.[1] Thanks to Manitou Raven, the team succeeds in expelling Manchester Black's mind from Vera. Afterwards, they track Coldcast's former lover, Menagerie II, to Costa Rica, where she is taken into custody. Nathan was cleared of all murder charges and set free.[2]

[edit] Powers

  • His main power seems to be an affinity with electromagnetism, allowing him to manipulate particles on the subatomic level. Among many other things, this permits him to generate powerful EMPs and other blasts spanning the EM spectrum, even allowing him to stop Superman in his tracks by slowing down his electrons.
  • He can also fly and detect changes in the Earth's electromagnetic field which he can use to monitor movements at a great distance.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Justice League Elite issues #10 and #11.
  2. ^ Justice League Elite issue #12.

[edit] External links