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| Shadow Thief | |
|---|---|
 Carl Sands as depicted inHawkman (vol. 5) #14 (September 2019). Art byPatrick Olliffe (penciller) andTom Palmer (inker). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Carl Sands: The Brave and the Bold #36 (July 1961) Carl Hammer: Vigilante #14 (February 1985) |
| Created by | Carl Sands: Gardner Fox (writer) Joe Kubert (artist) Carl Hammer: Marv Wolfman (writer) Trevor Von Eeden (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Carl Sands Carl Hammer Aviva Metula |
| Team affiliations | Carl Sands: The Society Injustice League Injustice Society Aviva Metula: Mossad The Society |
| Abilities | Carl Sands: Dimensiometer grants: Ability to shift his body into a two-dimensional, and intangible, shadow state Deal with Neron: transmogrify anything his power touches into shadow, teleportation using shadows Starbreaker enhancement: Individual shadow manipulation, drawing strength from shadows around him, darkness based constructs, inter-dimensional travel Carl Hammer: Shadow suit grants: Ability to become invisible in shadows Aviva Metula: Trained martial artist Shadow armor grants: Intangibility Flight Teleportation Limited shapeshifting |
Shadow Thief is the name of threesupervillains published byDC Comics. The first is a recurring foe ofHawkman named Carl Sands. The second Shadow Thief is an African-American named Carl Hammer who wore a shadow suit. The third Shadow Thief is Aviva Metula
Shadow Thief appeared in theseventh season episode of theArrowverse television seriesArrow, portrayed by Carmel Amit.
The Carl Sands version of Shadow Thief first appeared inThe Brave and the Bold #36 (July 1961) and was created by writerGardner Fox and artistJoe Kubert.[1]
The Carl Hammer version of Shadow Thief first appeared inVigilante #14 (February 1985) and was created by writerMarv Wolfman and artistTrevor Von Eeden.
Carl Sands was a career criminal who was conducting experiments onshadow projection while in jail. Because his shadow betrayed him to a police officer while he was robbing the safe in a store at night, he was trying to make his shadow work for him. The experiments allowed him to make contact with an alien explorer named Thar Dan from the Xarapion Dimension. In return for saving the creature's life, Sands was given a device known as a Dimensiometer and a pair of ebony gloves that allows him to hold objects while in shadow form.[2]
Hawkman eventually defeats him, but Shadow Thief would come into conflict with him many times after that. He would later become a member of the Injustice Gang which came into conflict with Hawkman and his allies, theJustice League of America.[3]
Eventually, thePhantom Stranger had him permanently stripped of the Dimensiometer.[4]
While growing up inJapan, American Carl Sands learnedninjutsu techniques and became an industrial saboteur, accepting unremarkable sums to hinder and eliminate his clients' rivals. TheThanagarian criminalByth Rok hires Sands to stealHawkman andHawkwoman's ship and gives him a Thanagarian belt that gives him the ability to shift his body into a shadow form.
During the "Underworld Unleashed" storyline, Shadow Thief sells his soul toNeron for more power. The demon gave Sands a more powerful shadow suit which is tinged with magic and has vastly augmented abilities to enact greater criminal schemes.[5][6]
InIdentity Crisis, Shadow Thief becomes deranged and has delusional conversations with the Dimensiometer. He later killsFirestorm (Ronnie Raymond) withShining Knight's sword, for which he is prosecuted byKate Spencer / Manhunter.[7]
Shadow Thief later appeared as a member of theInjustice League, and was one of the villains featured inSalvation Run.[8]
He later joins forces withStarbreaker, and uses theShadow Cabinet's "Shadowslide" teleportation system to temporarily increase his powers.[9][10]
Prison only temporarily stops him as he uses the shadows created by the interior of his mouth to escape by blinding and mufflingDoctor Light when she comes to interrogate him. He is ultimately defeated by Light, and is rendered powerless afterFirestorm (Jason Rusch) uses his powers to seal his mouth, thus preventing him from conjuring shadows from within his body.
DuringBrightest Day, the cosmic entity known as theStarheart begins taking control ofmetahumans who possess magical or elemental abilities. Shadow Thief is among them and is driven insane by the Starheart's power.[11]
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth" which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Carl Sands appears as a low-level threat to Hawkman who utilizes the Shadow Vest that enables him to shift through solid objects.[12] Shadow Thief met withLex Luthor, who offered to upgrade his Shadow Vest free of charge so that it would not only enable him to imitate shadows, but also to control them. Shadow Thief accepted as it would come in handy when fighting Hawkman.[13]
In the "DC All In" initiative, Shadow Thief appears as a member ofScandal Savage'sInjustice Society.[14]
The second Shadow Thief is an African-American man namedCarl Hammer. He is a crime boss and the brother of Mr. Hammer, with each trying to outdo each other. Hammer states that he paid more than one million dollars to have the suit made. He used the Shadow Suit to target his brother and ran afoul ofVigilante, who killed Mr. Hammer in self-defense. This gave Carl Hammer the opportunity to continue his exploits with his Shadow Suit now that Mr. Hammer is out of the way.[15]
In 2011,The New 52 rebooted the DC universe. A female Shadow Thief was introduced.[16][17]
InStargirl's origin story, Shadow Thief was taking hostages to draw out a superhero. When Stargirl returned home, she found that Shadow Thief arrived first, killed Courtney's brother, and wounded her mother Barbara. Stargirl used this trauma to become a better superhero.[18]
During theForever Evil storyline, it is revealed that this version of Shadow Thief is a former agent ofMossad namedAviva Metula. Metula wears a suit of armor called the Shadow Skin that gives her powers. She became Shadow Thief to kill alien invaders, making her a dangerous foe for Hawkman.[19]
Carl Sands uses a Dimensiometer, Thanagarian technology which enables him to transform into an intangible, shadow-like state. While the vest is activated, he can move quickly and silently across and through most surfaces and materials, all the while remaining impervious to physical contact and attack. Long-term side effects from prolonged use of the vest are unknown although, prior toCrisis on Infinite Earths, it was stated that overuse of the suit would accelerate Earth's climate into anice age. Shadow Thief would later sell his soul to Neron for augmented equipment. Now his suit, as was he, had been granted magical abilities which enabled him to convert objects and people into unsubstantiated shadowy material (a process which was inconceivably painful to living things), while transporting himself through shadows as well.[5][6] Carl's abilities would be augmented further still when Starbreaker gives him the power to draw strength from the darkness within. Now no longer needing the shadow suit to utilize his powers, Sands can literally draw upon the absence of light that is situated all around him, enabling the manifestation of depleted photons to form constructs ranging from weapons to planetoids, creating portals, and turning his opponents' shadows into living duplicates of themselves all with the same abilities.[20]
The shadow suit Carl Hammer had constructed only allowed him to become invisible in shadows and did not render him intangible.
The Shadow Skin armor provides Aviva Metula with intangibility, teleportation, flight, and limited shapeshifting, enabling her to turn her arms into weapons. She is also a trained martial artist.
A heroic variant of Shadow Thief fromEarth-3 calledShadow Sherriff appears inHawkman (vol. 5) #18 as a member of the Justice Society All-Stars.[21]
An alternate universe variant of Shadow Thief appears inFlashpoint. This version is an inmate ofmilitary Doom prison.[22]
An alternate universe variant of Shadow Thief appears inJLA: Another Nail. This version's abilities are derived from Xaraponian technology.
An alternate universe variant of Shadow Thief makes a cameo appearance inKingdom Come.[23]
An alternate universe variant of Shadow Thief appears inTangent Comics. This version is a member of theFatal Five.
The Carl Sands incarnation of Shadow Thief appears as a character summon inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[26]
