Wikipedia

Doctor Spectrum

"Joe Ledger" redirects here. For the series of bio-terrorism thriller books written by Jonathan Maberry, seeJoe Ledger Series.

Doctor Spectrumis the name of several fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.There have been five versions of the character to date—three supervillains from the mainstream Marvel Universe belonging to the teamSquadron Sinister(Earth-616) and two heroes from different alternate universes. The two heroes each belong to a version of the team Squadron Supreme, theSquadron SupremeofEarth-712and theSquadron SupremeofEarth-31916respectively). Doctor Spectrum is apasticheof DC'sGreen Lantern.[1]

Doctor Spectrum
The Kenji Obatu incarnation of Doctor Spectrum as depicted inIron Man#63 (October 1973).
Art byGil Kane.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceVillain:
The Avengers#69 (November 1969)
Hero:
Avengers#85 (February 1971)
Created byRoy Thomas(writer)
John Buscema(artist)
In-story information
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsSquadron Sinister
Squadron Supreme(Earth-712)
Squadron Supreme(Earth-31916)
AbilitiesVia Power Prism:
Flight
Energy projection and manipulation
Ability to survive in space
Intangibility
Marvel Comics alternate universes
Marvel stories take place primarily in a mainstream continuity called theMarvel Universe.Some stories are set in various parallel, or alternate, realities, called theMarvel Multiverse.
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe:Alternate Universes 2005designates the mainstream continuity as "Earth-616", and assigns other Earth numbers to each specific alternate reality.
In this article the following characters, or teams, and realities are referred to:
Character/team Universe
Kenji Obatu Earth-616
Billy Roberts Earth-616
Alice Nugent Earth-616
Joseph Ledger Earth-712
Joseph Ledger Earth-31916

Publication history

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Squadron Sinister

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The first version of the character,Kenji Obatu,appears inThe Avengers#69 (Oct. 1969), and is created byRoy ThomasandSal Buscema.[2]The story arc introduced thesupervillainteam theSquadron Sinister,whose four members were loosely based on heroes inDC Comics'Justice League of America,with Doctor Spectrum based onGreen Lantern.[1]

TheGrandmasterassembled the Squadron Sinister to battle the champions of the time-travelingKang—the superhero team theAvengers.Doctor Spectrum battles the AvengerIron Man,and is defeated when the hero deduces that the villain'sPower Prism(asentiententity called Krimonn) is vulnerable toultra-violet light.The Avengers eventually defeat the Squadron and are abandoned by the Grandmaster.[3]Doctor Spectrum reappears in the titleIron Manand after a series of battles is defeated when Iron Man crushes the Power Prism. A powerless Obatu is arrested and deported back to his nativeUganda.[4]During a subsequent battle with TheThing,Black PantherandBrother Voodoo,Obatu accidentally falls to his death.[5]

Unknown to Iron Man, the Power Prism reforms and is found by asanitation worker.They bring it toevangelistBilly Roberts, who becomes the second Doctor Spectrum.[6]

The Squadron reappear in the titleDefenders,reunited by the alienNebulon(although the team is unaware of the fact that this is a new Doctor Spectrum). The villains receive greater power in exchange for the planet Earth, and create a giant laser cannon in theArcticto melt thepolar ice caps,thereby covering Earth in water. The superhero team theDefendersprevent the scheme and defeat the Squadron (and Nebulon), withDoctor Strangedefeating Doctor Spectrum.[7]After this defeat Doctor Spectrum and his two remaining teammates are teleported off world by Nebulon, returning with an energy-draining weapon. The Squadron Sinister plan to threaten the Earth again but are defeated once again by the Defenders and the AvengerYellowjacket.[8]

The Power Prism is kept by Yellowjacket, who modifies it and give sit to his wifeJanet van Dyne(the Wasp) as a gift. Krimonn, the entity within the Power Prism, possesses Jan and transforms her into a villainous female Doctor Spectrum, who battles several Avengers but is then defeated by the Vision's use of the Prism's ultraviolet weakness. The prism itself 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 Doctor Spectrum once more, although on this occasion the Power Prism is in control and seeks to bond with the most powerful Avenger, the Thunder GodThor.The Power Prism succeeds in taking Thor as a host, infectingMjolnirto use as a focal point to control him and defeat the other Avengers, but fails to take into account that to wield Mjolnir, Thor must be "worthy". No longer worthy to wield the hammer due to him being tainted by the gem, Thor drops Mjolnir and reverts to his mortal alter-ego Donald Blake during a fight with Iron Man, which results in the Power Prism losing control and becoming inert.[6]

The Grandmaster later reforms the Squadron Sinister, bringing in Henry Pym's former lab assistant Alice Nugent to be the new Doctor Spectrum. Courtesy of a phenomenon known as the "Wellspring of Power" —an interdimensional source of superhuman abilities—the Grandmaster increases the Squadron Sinister's powers and they battle the New Thunderbolts. Thunderbolts team leaderBaron Zemodefeats the Grandmaster, and in the ensuing chaos, the Squadron escapes.[9]

Squadron Supreme

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Roy Thomas and pencillerJohn Buscemacreated analternate-universeteam of heroes called theSquadron Supreme,who debut inThe Avengers#85 (February 1971). After an initial skirmish with four Avengers, the teams unite to stop a common threat.[10]The characters (including Doctor Spectrum) were identical in name and appearance to the Squadron Sinister, which caused confusion in Marvel's production department, as the covers ofThe Avengers#85 and #141 (Nov. 1975) advertised appearances by the Squadron Sinister, when in fact it was the Squadron Supreme that appeared in both issues.

The Squadron Supreme have another series of skirmishes with the Avengers engineered by the Serpent Cartel, but eventually team together and prevent the use of theSerpent Crown.[11]The character and his teammates briefly feature in the titleThor,when the evil version ofHyperionattacks the Earth-712 version and then Thunder God Thor.[12]The Squadron are mind-controlled by the entities the Overmind and Null the Living Darkness, but are freed by the Defenders and aid the heroes in defeating the villains.[13]

The character features with the Squadron Supreme in a self-titled 12-issueminiseries(Sept. 1985–Aug. 1986) by writerMark Gruenwald.[14]Gruenwald revealed each member's origin, withJoseph Ledgerbeing a formerastronautwho saves aSkrullinspace.The grateful Skrull, called theSkrullian Skymaster,rewards Ledger with the Power Prism. The series also explains why the Squadrons Sinister and Supreme are similar: the Grandmaster creates the Squadron Sinister modelled on the already-existing Squadron Supreme of theEarth-712universe.[15]Gruenwald, Ryan, andinkerAl Williamsoncreated agraphic-novelsequel[16]whichmaroonsthe team in the mainstream Marvel universe. Doctor Spectrum and teammates encounter the heroQuasar,and relocate to the government facilityProject Pegasus.After another encounter with the Overmind and a visit to thelaboratoryworld of theStranger,[17]the group attempts to return to their universe,[18]and battles the entity Deathurge.[19]

The entire Squadron Supreme appear in a two-part story with the Avengers that finally returns them to their home universe, where they disband for a time.[20]Doctor Spectrum rejoins his teammates to aid theinterdimensionalteam theExiles.[21]

Supreme Power

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See also:Squadron Supreme (Supreme Power)
Joseph Ledger / Doctor Spectrum of Earth-31916 as depicted inDoctor Spectrum#2 (November 2004). Art by John Dell.

The mature-audienceMarvel MAXimprint showcases the adventures of the Earth-31916 version of the Squadron Supreme. The titleSupreme Powerrelates how Joseph Ledger, a soldier in theUnited States Army,accidentally bonds with a crystal found in the vessel that brings Hyperion to Earth.[22]The story continues in the limited seriesDoctor Spectrum,written by Sara Barnes and art by John Dell andTravel Foreman,with the experience placing Ledger in a coma, and after reliving his life in his mind for the benefit of the apparently sentient crystal, the character awakens and adopts the codename of Doctor Spectrum.[23]Operating in a military-style uniform as opposed to a prismatic costume, Doctor Spectrum encounters and battles Hyperion, forming a truce with him to hunt down super-powered serial killerMichael Redstone.Doctor Spectrum also begins a tentative romance with fellow superhumanAmphibian.[24]Both eventually join the US-backedSquadron Supremein the 2006 title of the same name.[25]Joseph is later killed during a battle with a version of theSquadron Sinister.The Squadron Sinister's Nighthawk is later seen examining the crystal embedded in his corpse.[26]

Squadron Supreme of America

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A variation of the Joseph Ledger version of Doctor Spectrum appears as a member of the Squadron Supreme of America.[27]This version is asimulacrumcreated byMephistoand programmed by the Power Elite. In his personal time, he works as a colonel in the United States Air Force.[28]

In the team's first mission, Doctor Spectrum led the Squadron Supreme of America in fightingNamorand the Defenders of the Deep, when they targeted aRoxxonoil platform off the coast of Alaska.[29]

Then, the Squadron Supreme of America visited another oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, where Doctor Spectrum used his powers to melt areas of the oil rig to secure it from an attack by Namor. The Squadron Supreme then made short work of Namor and the Defenders of the Deep.[30]

InThe War of the Realms,Joseph was at his desk until he and the other members of the Squadron Supreme of America were summoned to Washington D.C., where Phil Coulson brought them up to speed withMalekith the Accursed's invasion. Doctor Spectrum leads the Squadron Supreme of America in fighting an army ofRock TrollsandFrost Giants.After the Squadron Supreme caused the Frost Giants to retreat, Phil Coulson sends them to Ohio, which has become a battleground.[28]

Doctor Spectrum led the Squadron Supreme in an attempt to apprehend Black Panther, when he infiltrated the Pentagon to confront Phil Coulson.[31]

Powers and abilities

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All versions of Doctor Spectrum derive their abilities from an alien gem called the Power Prism. The original prism, used by the Kenji Obatu and Billy Roberts incarnations of Doctor Spectrum, is a sentient being called Krimonn. Krimonn was originally aSkrullwho was transformed into a living prism as punishment after a failed attempt to overthrow the Skrull emperor.[4]When the Grandmaster requires champions to battle the Avengers, he retrieves the prism and grants Krimonn several energy-based powers that can be used in conjunction with a host.[citation needed]Kenji Obatu is the first to coin the term "Power Prism", and discovers that although trapped in prism form, Krimonn remains aggressive and asserts his will viatelepathy.[citation needed]Krimonn's mind is "muted" by Nebulon when the Power Prism is given to Billy Roberts, although Krimonn reasserts itself during the quest to find and bond with the character Thor.[citation needed]When the plan fails and the gem is shattered, Krimonn's consciousness apparently dissipated forever.

Krimonn could bestow on a host the ability to project and manipulate light energy in various colors;[citation needed]create light energy constructs of various shapes, sizes and colors;[citation needed]flight; protection from the rigors of space and the ability to become intangible.[citation needed]The Power Prism is vulnerable to ultra-violet light.[citation needed]

The Earth-712 Doctor Spectrum gains his power the Skrullian Power Prism given to him by the Skrullian Skymaster.[citation needed]When the Power Prism later exploded and fragments of it were embedded in Doctor Spectrum, his skin, hair, and costume were bleached chalk-white.[citation needed]The Earth-712 Power Prism possesses the same abilities as the Earth-616 version.

The Earth-31916 Power Prism is a sentient power source removed from the spacecraft that brings Hyperion to Earth.[citation needed]

Other versions

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Secret Wars (2015)

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An alternate version of the original Doctor Spectrum later appears onBattleworld.This version of the character is Japanese rather than Ugandan.[26]

Great Society (Earth-4290001)/Squadron Supreme (Earth-616)

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An alternate, female version of Doctor Spectrum appears as a member of the Great Society, a team ofJustice Leagueanalogues from Earth-4290001.[32]After the Illiuminati destroy their Earth to stop the Incursion, she is marooned in Marvel's mainstream reality after Secret Wars ends, then becomes a member of the Earth-616Squadron Supreme,composed of members from numerous realities.

In other media

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The Billy Roberts incarnation of Doctor Spectrum appears inAvengers Assemble,voiced byPhil LaMarr.[33]This version is an alien and a member of theSquadron Supremewho was forced to destroy his home planet by the other Squadron members and was subsequently controlled by the Power Prism. After the Avengers free him, Roberts joins aS.H.I.E.L.D.space program to find a new planet to reside on while the Prism forms a separate body and reunites with the Squadron. Ultimately,Ant-Manstops the Prism andCaptain Americauses it to depowerHyperionby manipulating the Sun's rays.

References

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  1. ^abInterview with Roy Thomas and Jerry Bails inThe Justice League Companion(2003) pp. 72–73
  2. ^DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019).The Marvel Encyclopedia.DK Publishing. p. 112.ISBN978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^The Avengers#69–71 (Oct.–Dec. 1969)
  4. ^abIron Man#63–65 (Oct.–Dec. 1973) & 66 (Feb. 1974)
  5. ^Marvel Two-in-One#41
  6. ^abThe AvengersAnnual #8 (1978)
  7. ^The Defenders#13–14 (May–July 1974)
  8. ^Giant-Size Defenders#4 (1974)
  9. ^New Thunderbolts#15–16 (Jan.–Feb. 2006) andThunderbolts#102–108 (July 2006–Jan. 2007)
  10. ^The Avengers#86 (Mar. 1971)
  11. ^The Avengers#141–144 (Nov. 1975–Feb. 1976) & #147–149 (May–July 1976)
  12. ^Thor#280 (Feb. 1979)
  13. ^The Defenders#112–114 (Oct.–Dec. 1982)
  14. ^Squadron Supreme#1–12 (Sept. 1985–Aug. 1986)
  15. ^Squadron Supreme#8 (May 1986)
  16. ^Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe(1989)
  17. ^Quasar#13–16 (Aug.–Nov. 1990)
  18. ^Quasar#19 (Feb. 1991)
  19. ^Quasar#25 (Aug. 1991)
  20. ^Avengers/Squadron SupremeAnnual '98 and theone-shotSquadron Supreme: New World Order(both Sept. 1998)
  21. ^Exilesvol. 2 #77-78 (Apr.–May 2006)
  22. ^Supreme Power#1–6 (Oct. 2003–Mar. 2004)
  23. ^Doctor Spectrum#1–6 (Oct. 2004–Mar. 2005)
  24. ^Supreme Power#7–18 (Apr. 2004–Oct. 2005)
  25. ^Squadron Supremevol. 2 #1 (May 2006)
  26. ^abSquadron Sinister#1
  27. ^The Avengers#700. Marvel Comics.
  28. ^abAvengersvol. 8 #18. Marvel Comics.
  29. ^Avengersvol. 8 #10. Marvel Comics.
  30. ^Free Comic Book Day 2019#Avengers. Marvel Comics.
  31. ^Avengersvol. 8 #21. Marvel Comics.
  32. ^New Avengersvol. 3 #16.NOW-21
  33. ^"Dr. Spectrum Voice -Avengers Assemble(TV Show) ".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedFebruary 11,2024.A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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