| Chemical King | |
|---|---|
.png) Chemical King as depicted inSecret Origins #47 (December 1989). Art byEric Shanower andDave Cockrum. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #371 (August 1968) |
| Created by | Jim Shooter (writer) Curt Swan (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Condo Arlik |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Place of origin | Phlon (31st century) |
| Team affiliations | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Abilities | Can alter the speed of chemical reactions |
Chemical King (Condo Arlik) is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of theLegion of Super-Heroes in the 31st century. He first appeared inAdventure Comics #371 (August 1968), and was created byJim Shooter andCurt Swan.
Chemical King first appeared inAdventure Comics #371 (August 1968), and was created by writerJim Shooter and artistCurt Swan. Prior to his debut, Chemical King was mentioned in "The Adult Legion" story inAdventure Comics #354 (1967), where his future self is stated to have sacrificed himself to prevent World War VII.[1] The Adult Legion were initially depicted as the Legion's definitive future selves, with a laterretcon establishing that the future was not absolute and that the Adult Legion originate from an alternate timeline.[2]
Chemical King was born Condo Arlik on the planet Phlon, the son of Darvon Arlik. He is ametahuman with the ability to act as a human catalyst and manipulate the speed of chemical reactions.[3][4]
In Chemical King's debut inAdventure Comics #371 (1968), he is a student atthe Legion Academy and works undercover to infiltrate theLegion of Super-Villains. In the following issue,Adventure Comics #372, Chemical King graduates from the Legion Academy alongsideTimber Wolf and joins the Legion proper.[4]
Chemical King is killed inSuperboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #228 (1977) while stopping Deregon, an agent of theDark Circle, from starting World War VII, facing the same fate as his Adult Legion counterpart.[3][4][5]
Condo Arlik is resurrected following the 1994 storylineZero Hour: Crisis in Time!, which reboots the Legion's continuity. He is depicted as a civilian reporter.[3][6] According toThe Definitive Guide to The Characters of the DC Universe (2004), he is in asame-sex relationship with Lyle Norg, theInvisible Kid.
The events of theInfinite Crisis miniseries restore an analogue of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion to continuity. InFinal Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1, Chemical King is seen in the Superman Museum alongside deceased Legionnaires Invisible Kid andFerro Lad, confirming that his death has been restored to continuity.[7]Inthe Legion Academy storyline featured inAdventure Comics, one of the trainees at the Legion Academy is a native of Phlon named Hadru Jamik, a.k.a.Chemical Kid, whose father used genetic modification to grant him the same abilities as Chemical King. The elder Jamik is later forced to give the same modification to a female criminal named Queega Semk to cover his illegal gambling debts.[8] Semk, now calling herselfAlchemical Girl, attempts to force further accommodations out of Jamik, only to be beaten and captured by Chemical Kid and his fellow Academy trainees; Semk's genetic modification is removed by Academy trainee Glorith.[9] Following the events ofFlashpoint, Chemical Kid and other Academy students become full members of the Legion.[10]
Chemical King is ametahuman with the ability to act as a human catalyst. He can speed up or slow down any chemical reaction; for example, he can cause iron to rapidly rust or burst into flames from rapid oxidation. His powers can affect the chemical reactions in the human body, rendering an opponent unconscious from shock, but take several seconds and can only focus on a single opponent at a time. Late in his career, Chemical King displayed the ability to change the rate of energy reactions, causing batteries to lose power and force fields to decay,
