Gangbuster
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| Gangbuster | |
 Gangbuster clone from Black Lightning #6, artist Eddy Newell |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventures of Superman #428 |
| Created by | Marv Wolfman (writer) Jerry Ordway (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Jose Delgado |
| Abilities | Expert martial artist and marksman |
Gangbuster is a fictional vigilante published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Jose Delgado in Adventures of Superman #428 (May 1987), and as Gangbuster in Adventures of Superman #435 (November 1987). He was created by Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Jose Delgado grew up in the Metropolis area known as Suicide Slum; as he grew older he became a skilled boxer. He went into teaching and ended up as a high school teacher in Metropolis. He became a mentor to Jerry White (aka Perry White Jr.) and often took him into his home when Jerry ran away. When Lex Luthor enlisted youth gangs into organized crime under his control, Jose adopted the identity of Gangbuster to deal with the threat posed to the teenagers in his community.
Suffering a spinal injury he received while saving Lois Lane's life during a brutal fight with Combattor, Gangbuster was hospitalized and talked into retiring by Cat Grant. He recovered the ability to walk with the assistance of a Lexcorp cybernetic implant, similar to the implant later used on Maximum from the Supermen of America.
[edit] Superman
Delgado latter discovered someone else was masquerading as Gangbuster, and using much more violent methods. This turned out to be an amnesiac Superman, who was suffering from a nervous breakdown after a fight with Brainiac.
After recovering Delgado discovered that the implant which enabled him to walk was a LexCorp invention, and that Lex Luthor could use it to take control of his body. Luthor forced Gangbuster to attack an ally of Superman's named Professor Emil Hamilton. Hamilton was later able to successfully alter the implant, allowing Jose to take control of his life again. Delgado's life later fell apart and he had trouble keeping jobs.
Delgado had limited personal relationships with Cat Grant; they became very close while he served as her bodyguard. Delgado occasionally operated as Gangbuster on an as-needed basis, but eventually left Metropolis following Superman's apparent death. He is considered a vigilante, and is a fugitive from the Metropolis police department who know his true identity.
[edit] Ishmael
An ultraviolent Gangbuster later showed up in Black Lightning's hometown of Brick City. Black Lightning discovered that this wasn't the real Gangbuster, but a shapechanger named Ishmael, an operative of Tobias Whale.[1] The real Jose Delgado Gangbuster shows up in Black Lightning #7, and later helps him defeat Ishmael in issue #8. Jose's last recorded appearances were in Fawcett City helping the Marvel Family.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ As seen in Black Lightning vol. 2 #6 (July 1995)
- ^ As seen in Power of Shazam #32 - 34, 47
