Doctor Alchemy
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| Doctor Alchemy | |
|---|---|
 Doctor Alchemy from Flash (second series) #152 (September 1999) - Art by Paul Pelletier & Vince Russell |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Showcase #13 (April 1958) (as Element) Showcase #14 (June 1958)(as Alchemy) |
| Created by | John Broome Carmine Infantino |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Albert Desmond Alvin Desmond |
| Team affiliations | Flash's Rogues Gallery Injustice League Underground Society Crime Champions Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Notable aliases | Mister Element I |
| Abilities | Philosopher's Stone; Telekinesis with Philosopher's Stone |
Doctor Alchemy is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and a rogue to the Flash (Barry Allen). He first appeared in Showcase #13 (April 1958).[1]
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
Albert Desmond suffered from multiple personality disorder where, like Two-Face, one side was a harmless citizen, the other personality was a dark criminal. Utilizing his knowledge of chemistry, Desmond began his criminal debut under the guise of Mr. Element. After being sent to jail by Flash, Desmond somehow found the Philosopher's Stone, which has the ability to transmute one element to another. After using the Stone to escape, Desmond restarted his criminal career under the new moniker of Doctor Alchemy and clashed with Flash many times, but was defeated every time.[1]
Eventually, Desmond's good personality resurfaced and he quit crime and hid the Stone. However, a new Doctor Alchemy appeared, who turned out to be Alvin Desmond, Albert's identical twin with whom he shares a psychic link. It was later revealed that the "twin" was a construct of Albert's evil by the Stone itself. The construct was eliminated, though Albert became Doctor Alchemy again and joined the rogues. It was revealed that he had many lairs spread through the US, in a Gotham Central story arc a police officer was turned into a beast after finding one of these labs. He was transferred to Gotham City to assist in his transformation, but this was plot to escape. He was swiftly beaten to pulp by Renee Montoya and sent back to Iron Heights where he was promptly broken out by the other rogues.
Desmond recently resurfaced, having gained the ability to transfer his essence into other people and possess them via the stone. In this way he tried to use Power Girl in a plot to kill Superman. Wonder Woman stopped him by throwing the Philosopher's Stone into the sun, only to find out later that Alchemy's essence was trapped inside. However, Superman pointed out that the stone has been destroyed many times in the past, and seems to always restore itself.
As Central City celebrated the return of Barry Allen, Desmond is seen in his Doctor Alchemy costume, pondering the return of his old enemy.
He has been sighted in Alexander Luthor, Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Doctor Alchemy possesses the famed Philosopher's Stone which once belonged to Merlin. The stone allows him to transmute any element into any other element. He can control the Philosopher’s Stone from a distance with telekinesis.[1]
[edit] Other versions
Other characters have also utilized Desmond's gimmick:
- A S.T.A.R. Labs scientist named Dr. Curtis Engstrom briefly used the Philosopher's Stone as The Alchemist during the period Desmond was cured.
- More recently, Alexander Petrov, a Central City police scientist, became the new Mr. Element. Although he used Desmond's original element-gun, and a variant of the costume, he attempted to confuse things by using the gun to freeze things, thereby implicating Captain Cold. He was killed by the real Captain Cold.
[edit] Other media
[edit] Television
- Doctor Alchemy and Mr. Element have appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Flash and Substance" as TWO background characters at the bar where Flash's enemies hang out.
[edit] External links
- Alan Kistler's Profile On: THE FLASH - A detailed analysis of the history of the Flash by comic book historian Alan Kistler. Covers information all the way from Jay Garrick to Barry Allen to today, as well as discussions on the various villains and Rogues who fought the Flash. Various art scans.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Beatty, Scott (2008), "Doctor Alchemy", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 102, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, OCLC 213309017
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