Amazo: Difference between revisions
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==Alternate versions== |
==Alternate versions== |
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The limited series ''[[JLA: The Nail]]'' reveals in flashback that Amazo attacked and crippled [[Oliver Queen|Green Arrow]] during a battle with the JLA. The android is eventually deactivated by the [[Barry Allen|Flash]].<ref>''JLA: The Nail'' #1 - 3 (Sept. - Nov. 1998)</ref> In the sequel, ''[[JLA: Another Nail]]'', the brain of the crippled Green Arrow is transferred into Amazo, who sacrifices himself to save the universe.<ref>''JLA: Another Nail'' #1 - 3 (July - Sept. 2004)</ref> |
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*During a flashback in ''[[JLA/Avengers]]'' #3 (during the story, reality is altered making it appear that both teams have been crossing into each others universe previously), an adventure is mentioned about [[Ultron|Ultron-4]] and Amazo imprisoning both teams in their own headquarters. In this brief, one-panel appearance, Amazo has apparently used his power to copy [[Captain America]]'s shield, making him the first (and so far only) Marvel character whose abilities Amazo has copied. |
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*Before his introduction in ''Justice League'' Season Two, Amazo made an animated style appearance in ''Justice League Adventures'' #6. it portrays him in his classic silver age style, rather than his silver skin (in which the animated character itself is more akin to Marvel's [[Super-Adaptoid]] although, in fair use, [[Super-Skrull]] borrowed features from Amazo in comics){{Fact|date=October 2007}}. |
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*DC Comics featured a parody version, "Amazoo", as villain to their own [[funny animal]] versions of the JLA: the [[Just'a Lotta Animals]]. Amazoo was an android whose body consisted of various animal parts, giving him a range of abilities. |
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*In the JLA story ''Rock of Ages'', written by [[Grant Morrison]], a reprogrammed Amazo appears in an alternate future where [[Darkseid]] controls the Earth. He is used by the remnants of the Justice League in a last-ditch attempt to destroy Darkseid and his forces. Amazo specifically teams up with Atom and the Green Arrow. |
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==Amazo in other media== |
==Amazo in other media== |
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Amazo has appeared in the ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]'' and ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'' |
Amazo has appeared in the [[animated]] [[television series]] ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]'' (2001 - 2004) and ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'' (2004 - 2006) voiced by [[Robert Picardo]]. |
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===''Justice League''=== |
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[[Image:AmazoCartoon.jpg|thumb|Amazo as shown in the ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]'' series]] |
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In the two-part episode "Tabula Rasa", the A.M.A.Z.O. Project (voiced by [[Robert Picardo]]) is an android created by Professor Ivo, one of [[Lex Luthor|Lex Luthor's]] employees. Luthor has escaped from prison and needs Ivo's medical expertise, but finds that Ivo has died in his sleep (presumably due to lung cancer since Luthor stated in a post-mortem monologue to Ivo, "looks like the cigarettes finally got you"). Luthor persuades the android (still watching over its creator's corpse) to help him defeat the Justice League, playing on the android's fear of loneliness which developed after Ivo's death. After the android interacts with Luthor, its face changes slightly to resemble his and it begins to talk for the first time. |
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This version of Amazo (almost always called simply "the android" or "Ivo's android") possesses a [[nanotechnology|nanotechnological]] construction, and can mimic the superpowers of any superhuman it can see. It can also evolve without copying superpowers, at one point copying Superman's vulnerability to [[kryptonite]] but evolving beyond the weakness after repeated exposure. It quickly mimics the abilities of [[Hawkgirl]] (including a replica of her [[Nth metal]] [[Mace (club)|mace]]), [[Wonder Woman]], the [[Wally West|Flash]], [[John Stewart (comics)|Green Lantern]], and Superman. Amazo's absorbed powers seem to grow stronger as the android uses them, and it eventually defeats most of the League members with their own powers simply by overpowering them. It also seems to become progressively more intelligent, perhaps reaching Luthor's level of [[genius]]. |
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With the rest of the Justice League unable to defeat it, the [[Martian Manhunter]], who still has not yet been copied, deliberately exposes himself to Amazo. Now possessing the Martian's telepathy, Amazo discovers Luthor's manipulation and destroys his power suit. Seeing itself above the petty squabbles of humanity, it leaves Earth and wanders the [[universe]], turning gold and luminous as it scans the vast reaches of space. |
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===''Justice League Unlimited''=== |
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Amazo appears in several episodes of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'', having evolved to a nearly omnipotent state of being during its travels through the universe. It even surpasses its nanotechnological origins. In "The Return", the android returns to [[Earth]] in order to seek out Luthor. En route to Earth, Amazo's path takes it through the planet [[Oa]]; despite the [[Green Lantern Corps]]' attempt to stop the android, the planet and its entire population are apparently destroyed. |
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To defend Earth and Luthor, the League mobilizes almost every hero and organizes them into three lines of defence: the first in space, the second in the skies above Earth, and the final near Luthor's hideout. Demonstrating his new power, Amazo easily breaches the first line, which consists of Superman, Green Lantern, [[Orion (comics)|Orion]], [[Captain Atom]], [[Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)|Doctor Light]], [[Pat Dugan|STRIPE]], [[Starman]], and the League's entire fleet of Javelin spacecraft. Entering the Earth's atmosphere, Amazo proceeds to take down the second team, decisively defeating [[Supergirl]], [[Rocket Red]], [[Fire (comics)|Fire]], and [[Red Tornado]], actually destroying the latter. During his defeat of Fire, Amazo somewhat aptly describes the League's efforts to stop him: "''Your bravery is admirable, but annoying''". Upon reaching Luthor's hiding place, Amazo finally neutralizes Wonder Woman, [[Steel (comics)|Steel]], [[The Flash]] and [[Ice (comics)|Ice]] by simply emitting an omni-directional energy burst when they surround him. |
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Breaching Luthor's hiding place, Amazo is hit by a beam designed by Luthor and [[Atom (comics)|the Atom]] designed to disrupt and reprogram his nanomachines, but survives unfazed, revealing that he evolved past the limitations of nanotech a month prior. Even shrinking down to the subatomic level doesn't prevent Amazo from catching them, as he shrinks down with them, holding them in the palm of his hand. Instead of destroying Luthor, however, Amazo merely asks the man questions about his purpose in life, which Luthor correctly surmises is actually an inquiry into the purpose of Amazo's own existence; having evolved into a nigh-omnipotent state, Amazo is unable to fathom what he is becoming or where his ultimate destiny lies. Luthor placates the android by stating that each individual makes their own purpose on life: Luthor wishes to achieve immortality, if not literally then by leaving a legacy that history will remember; Amazo, quite literally immortal, can bear witness to the destiny of the universe itself. Accepting that advice, Amazo stands down. When [[John Stewart (comics)|John Stewart]] protests, citing its destruction of Oa, Amazo explains that it only moved the planet to another dimension because it was in the way, restoring it at John's request. [[Doctor Fate]] offers to help the android find its destiny, and Amazo moves into Dr. Fate's tower. |
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Amazo reappears in "Wake the Dead", where he attempts to stop a resurrected [[Solomon Grundy (comics)|Solomon Grundy]]. Despite its vast range of abilities, the specific tact Amazo tries only serves to empower Grundy, since "chaos magic" is what revived him. Amazo teleports several [[Light-year|light years]] away from Earth until it can devise a way to counter the drain, failing to return before the battle ends. "Wake the Dead" is the first episode of ''Justice League'' or ''Justice League Unlimited'' where the android is referred to (by Doctor Fate) as "Amazo". In the DVD commentary for "Wake the Dead", Bruce Timm mentions wishing he could have added a scene to the final episode where Amazo is sitting on an asteroid somewhere, wondering if it's safe to return to Earth yet. |
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In "Panic in The Sky", Lex Luthor has secretly built a copy of Amazo, intending to transfer his mind into it in order to gain immortality and nigh-invincibility. [[Amanda Waller]] interrupts him by destroying the android with a nanotech disassembler, having come to arrest Luthor. This triggers the revelation that [[Brainiac (comics)|Brainiac]] has been lying dormant within Luthor, influencing (though not necessarily controlling) his actions to create the android body. |
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The character also appears in the [[video game]] ''[[Justice League: Chronicles]] (2003). |
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In the ''[[Justice League: Chronicles]]'' video game, [[Gorilla Grodd]] uses Amazo to frame the Justice League for crimes against Gorilla City. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 05:07, 17 February 2010
| Amazo | |
|---|---|
| File:Amazo.jpg | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | The Brave and the Bold # 30 (June 1960) |
| Created by | Gardner Fox Murphy Anderson |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Inapplicable |
| Team affiliations | Injustice League Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Notable aliases | Professor Ivo's Amazing Android |
| Abilities | Duplication of metahuman abilities |
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 (June 1960) and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson.
Publication history
Created by Professor Ivo, Amazo first appeared in a one-off story in The Brave and the Bold #30 (June 1960); and returned as a regular opponent of the Justice League of America in Justice League of America #27 (May 1964) and #112 (Aug. 1974). Other significant issues included an encounter with a depowered Superman in Action Comics #480 - 483 (Feb. - May 1978); Justice League of America #191 (June 1981) and #241 - 243 (Aug. - Oct. 1985).
A different Amazo model featured in Justice League Quarterly #12 (Fall 1993) and an battled the hero Aztek in Aztek:The Ultimate Man #10 (May 1997) before being destroyed in Resurrection Man #2 (June 1997). An advanced version debuted in a one-off story in JLA #27 (March 1999), and another appeared in the limited series Hourman, specifically issues #1 (April 1999); #5 (Aug. 1999); #6 (Sept. 1999); #7 (Oct. 1999); #17 (Aug. 2000); #19 (Oct. 2000); #20 (Nov. 2000) and #21 (Dec. 2000).
Amazo's origin is revealed in Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1 (Dec. 1999); another version is discovered to be part of a weapons shipment in Batman #636 - 637 (March - April 2005) and during the Villains United storyline in Firestorm vol. 2, #14 - 16 (Aug - Oct. 2005) and Villains United #5 - 6 (Nov. - Dec. 2005).
Amazo's consciousness returned in Justice League of America #1 - 5 (Oct. 2006 - March 2007), planted in the body of fellow Ivo-creation the Red Tornado. Ivo also created Amazo's "offspring" in JLA Classified #37 - 41 (June - Oct. 2007).
A story continuing the first Tornado storyline featured in Justice League of America vol. 2, #21 - 23 (July - Sept. 2008).
Writer Mike Conroy noted "Amazo was a persistent thorn in the JLA's side...although his programming and own sentience have displayed no ambition towards world conquest...His very existance is a hazard to all of humanity."[1]
Character biography
The android Amazo is built by insane scientist Professor Ivo, who becomes obsessed with immortality. The original Justice League of America (Green Lantern; Flash; Aquaman; Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter) encounter Amazo when experiencing a sudden loss of their abilities. Discovering that certain long-lived creatures are being collected, the heroes locate and battle Amazo, who defeats the entire team and steals their abilities. Ivo is revealed to be the mastermind behind the scheme, and using data collected from the captured specimens creates a potion that will bestow immortality, hoping to escape his fear of death. The plan, however, is foiled by Green Lantern, and Ivo and Amazo are defeated.[2]
At the suggestion of team mascot Snapper Carr, the Justice League reactivate Amazo to deal with an alien threat. Although the alien drains Amazo's abilities, the android's combined powers overload the creature as intended. The Justice League then defeat Amazo once again and return the android to storage.[3] When the Justice League lose their powers due to the machinations of the villain Libra, the heroes Amazo once again, the android drawing in their lost powers which are eventually returned via technology devised by Batman and the Atom.[4]
Radiation from an exploding red sun in deep space reaches Earth and weakens Superman's significantly. The radiation also revives Amazo, who defeats the remainder of the Justice League. Amazo then seeks out Ivo, wishing to be deactivated. Discovering Ivo cannot assist, the android decides to kill both Ivo and Superman. Superman is forced to create and use a machine called the "Supermobile" to compensate for his weakened state, and saves both Ivo and Lois Lane from Amazo. Superman then uses the device to travel five days into the future, when the effects of the red solar radiation have passed Earth. Newly empowered, Superman defeats Amazo and rescues the Justice League.[5] Amazo is reactivated by former Justice League foe the Key, who seeks a cure for his current shrunken state by using the abilities of the superhero team. Hawkman, however, help the Justice League defeat Amazo and fellow member Zatanna restores the Key to his former state.[6]
Ivo reactivates Amazo for use against a weaker version of the League, with the android defeating all the new members until finally stopped by the Martian Manhunter and Aquaman.[7] A different Amazo model is activated and battles loose superteam the Conglomerate[8] and while searching for Ivo encounters the hero Aztek, who reasons with the android.[9] This version briefly battles the Resurrection Man before finally being destroyed.[10]
One version of Amazo is pulled from the timestream by a curious Hourman, who wishes to meet his "ancestor". Amazo responds by attacking Hourman and copying the "Worlogog", an artifact embedded in the android. Amazo then becomes "Timazo", and wreaks havoc with his new-found ability to manipulate time until hurled back into the timestream as his former self by Hourman.[11] A current version of Amzao has several more encounters with Hourman.[12]
Another version with the ability to absorb the abilities of the League on a conceptual level overpowers over two dozen heroes until Atom tells Superman to announce the team is disbanded. The premise that the League no longer exists deprives the android of purpose and it shuts down.[13] Batman and Robin discover a partial Amazo (lacking several abilities) in a weapons shipment, and maange to destroy the android by deactivating its individual abilities.[14]
Ivo secretly downloads Amazo's programming into the body of his other creation, the Red Tornado. Several members of the JLA battle an army of Tornado androids until discovering that Red Tornado's is intended for the mind of Solomon Grundy. Although the process is prevented, the Amazo progamming asserts itself, and attacks the superhero team despite their attempts to dismantle the android. Member Vixen eventually destroys the Tornado body by shearing it in half.[15]
Ivo uses parts of the current Amazo; human ova and DNA to create the android's "son". Awakened prematurely by an earthquake, the junior version of Amazo believes itself to be a philosophy student called Frank Halloran, who dates a girl called Sara. Amazo reveals the truth to his progeny, who attempts to resist his programming by becoming a hero called "Kid Amazo." Slowly becoming insane. Kid Amazo confronts Ivo and discovers Sara is Ivo's daughter and was placed to monitor the android. Batman deduces Kid Amazo has both the powers and the personalities of the JLA, and during a battle with the League creates dissension in the team that the android mimics, causing an internal logic error that destroys it.[16]
A new body is created for the Red Tornado, although the Amazo programming from the first body downloads into the shell. The android battles the JLA until teleported into the gravity well of the red star Antares.[17]
Powers and abilities
Professor Ivo's Amazo androids use "absorption cells" to duplicate the powers of metahumans, such as Superman's strength and the speed of the Flash. Later versions are also capable of copying objects, such as the power ring of Green Lantern. All versions apparently retain the base abilities of the original five members of the Justice League first encountered.
Alternate versions
The limited series JLA: The Nail reveals in flashback that Amazo attacked and crippled Green Arrow during a battle with the JLA. The android is eventually deactivated by the Flash.[18] In the sequel, JLA: Another Nail, the brain of the crippled Green Arrow is transferred into Amazo, who sacrifices himself to save the universe.[19]
Amazo in other media
Amazo has appeared in the animated television series Justice League (2001 - 2004) and Justice League Unlimited (2004 - 2006) voiced by Robert Picardo.
The character also appears in the video game Justice League: Chronicles (2003).
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Conroy, Mike. 500 Comicbook Villains, Collins & Brown, 2004.
- ^ Brave and the Bold #30 (July 1960)
- ^ Justice League of America #27 (May 1964)
- ^ Justice League of America #111 - 112 (June & Aug. 1974)
- ^ Action Comics #480 - 483 (Feb. - May 1978)
- ^ Justice League of America #191 (June 1981)
- ^ Justice League of America #241 - 243 (Aug. - Oct. 1985)
- ^ Justice League Quarterly #12 (Fall 1993)
- ^ Aztek:The Ultimate Man #10 (May 1997)
- ^ Resurrection Man #2 (June 1997)
- ^ Hourman #1 (April 1999)
- ^ Hourman #5 - #7 (Aug. - Oct. 1999); #17 (Aug. 2000); #19 - #21 (Oct. Dec. 2000)
- ^ JLA #27 (March 1999)
- ^ Batman #636 - 637 (March - April 2005)
- ^ Justice League of America #1 - 5 (Oct. 2006 - March 2007)
- ^ JLA Classified #37 - 41 (June - Oct. 2007)
- ^ Justice League of America vol. 2, #21 - 23 (July - Sept. 2008)
- ^ JLA: The Nail #1 - 3 (Sept. - Nov. 1998)
- ^ JLA: Another Nail #1 - 3 (July - Sept. 2004)