Blockbuster is the name of four supervillains and a criminal organization appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics.[1] The first iteration was an adversary ofBatman andRobin, while the second served as one ofNightwing's greatest enemies. The third debuted in52 as a member ofLex Luthor'sInfinity, Inc.
Blockbuster has appeared in various media outside comics, including television series and films.Kevin Michael Richardson,Dee Bradley Baker,René Auberjonois, andDave Fennoy have voiced the character in animation.
The Mark Desmond incarnation of Blockbuster first appeared inDetective Comics #345 (November 1965), and was created byGardner Fox andCarmine Infantino.[2]
The Roland Desmond incarnation of Blockbuster first appeared inStarman #9 (April 1989), and was created byRoger Stern andTom Lyle.
| Blockbuster | |
|---|---|
.png) The Mark Desmond incarnation of Blockbuster as depicted inBatman #309 (March 1979). Art byJohn Calnan. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #345 (November 1965) |
| Created by | Gardner Fox (writer) Carmine Infantino (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Mark Desmond |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Team affiliations | Secret Society of Super Villains Suicide Squad |
| Abilities |
|
The first Blockbuster isMark Desmond, achemist who desires to increase his physical strength. Experimenting on himself, he succeeds in making himself stronger and taller, but as a side-effect of the process he becomes almost mindlessly aggressive.[3] The mentally debilitated Desmond is cared for by his brother Roland, a local criminal, who keeps their mother from discovering what Mark had done to himself.[4]
Roland manipulates his brother into committing crimes on his behalf until they came into conflict withBatman andRobin. Bruce Wayne had once rescued a young Desmond from drowning, and he discovered that he could calm Desmond by removing his cowl and showing his face.[5] Desmond later clashes with Batman on various occasions.
Blockbuster absorbs energies from the Alfred Memorial which gave him some powers and was once substituted for the super-strongundead villainSolomon Grundy fromEarth-Two due to a machine that was substituting people from both Earths.Green Lantern causes him to fight Grundy, leading to them both briefly knocking each other out. Grundy is taken back to Earth-Two by theJustice Society of America, while Blockbuster is handed over to the police by theJustice League.[6]
Blockbuster briefly joins theSecret Society of Super Villains for a battle with the Justice League.[7]
King Kull enlists Blockbuster,Penguin,Queen Clea of Earth-Two, andIbac of Earth-S to wreckAtlantis and use a cloud to sink islands. They are thwarted by Superman,Wonder Woman of Earth-Two,Green Arrow, andSpy Smasher of Earth-S.[8]
Later,Amanda Waller recruited Desmond for her revivedSuicide Squad. He was killed fightingDarkseid's creation,Brimstone.[9]
Mark Desmond is resurrected followingThe New 52 relaunch, which rebooted the continuity of the DC universe. This version is a patient of Dr. Phayne who undergoes procedures to enhance his intelligence, where he is gradually given a green compound viaintravenous therapy. Another patient, believing himself to be in pain, causes an accident that causes Desmond to overdose on the compound and transform into Blockbuster. He rampages from the building in pain and knocks an attacking Hawkman unconscious.[10] Blockbuster is later mind-controlled by Necromancer to help her steal an artifact from a Washington D.C. museum, which attracts the attention ofHawk and Dove. They team up with Batman andRobin to stop Blockbuster and Necromancer.[11]
Blockbuster later appears as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains, having been recruited byOutsider. WhenCatwoman breaks out ofArkham Asylum, Blockbuster andSignalman confront Catwoman on a rooftop, which ends with Catwoman being knocked out.[12]
| Blockbuster | |
|---|---|
.png) The Roland Desmond incarnation of Blockbuster as depicted inUnderworld Unleashed: Patterns of Fear #1 (November 1995). Art byRick Burchett. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Starman #9 (April 1989) |
| Created by | Roger Stern (writer) Tom Lyle (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Roland Desmond |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Team affiliations | Blockbuster's Gang Underground Society Black Lantern Corps |
| Abilities |
|
Roland Desmond becomes the second Blockbuster after a severe illness forces him to be treated with experimental steroids. Like his brother Mark, Roland becomes a child-minded super-strong monster. He rampages in the Southwest before being stopped byBatman andStarman (Will Payton).[13][14]
Desmond becomes obsessed with elevating himself greatly above his debilitated brain. A pact with the demonNeron restores his intelligence at the cost of his soul. Desmond embarks once more on a career of crime and destruction, even after his soul is restored. He begins his revived criminal career by causing chaos inManchester, Alabama, although his schemes are foiled byImpulse.[15]
Desmond moves to his mother's hometown ofBlüdhaven, where he forces crime lord Angel Marin out of power and takes over the city's criminal rackets. Desmond plans to build a criminal empire in Blüdhaven that would eventually enable him to extend his dominion overGotham,Star City,Metropolis, andNew York's underworlds. For that purpose, he hires corrupt members of the city's police department, including Police Chief Redhorn and InspectorDudley Soames.
Despite his swift and vicious consolidation of power, Blockbuster's hold on Blüdhaven's organized crime is weakened by the intervention of the city's new protector,Nightwing (Dick Grayson, the formerRobin), who, withOracle's help, foils Desmond's plans at every turn. Oracle often removes money from Blockbuster's accounts and he has a man working to stop and find Oracle, named Vogel.[16]
Desmond's primary goal becomes the elimination of the young vigilante.[17] He places a contract on Nightwing's life, employing the services of several assassins, includingLady Vic, Stallion,Brutale, theTrigger Twins, andShrike.
As a further result of his initial transformation, Desmond developsalbinism and a heart defect. He was restored to (comparative) health by a heart transplant from one of the talking apes ofGorilla City, and was consolidating his control over Blüdhaven and contemplating a takeover ofGotham City, when he was killed by the newTarantula, Catalina Flores.[18]
In theBlackest Night event, Roland's corpse is reanimated by ablack power ring and recruited to theBlack Lantern Corps.[19]
Blockbuster is resurrected followingThe New 52 reboot and theDC Rebirth relaunch, which rebooted the continuity of the DC universe.[20] Nightwing battles Blockbuster, who learns his secret identity of Dick Grayson.[21] When Nightwing defeats Blockbuster, the people of Blüdhaven stand up to him. Blockbuster's gang desert him when Batgirl exposed that he owned Blüdhaven Private Prisons, where they had all served time. Blockbuster flees into an alley, where he is killed by the villain Heartless.[22][23]
Nightwing later learns from Nite-Mite that Blockbuster had a daughter named Olivia withJezebel Jet and sold her soul to Neron for greater intelligence.[24]
In the series52,Lex Luthor creates a new Blockbuster to serve as an opponent of his manufactured hero teamInfinity, Inc. Little is revealed about this Blockbuster, save for the fact that Luthor possesses some measure of control over his actions and level of strength. Luthor also comments that he is stronger than either of the previous two Blockbusters. Blockbuster rampages inLas Vegas, only to be stopped byInfinity Inc. Several members of theTeen Titans appear to confront Blockbuster, but he escapes amidst an argument on whether he should be taken toAlcatraz. With controlled interference from Lex Luthor, Blockbuster kills the superheroTrajectory when Luthor turns off her powers.[25]
A Blockbuster appears among the villains exiled to an alien world inSalvation Run. In issue #3, Blockbuster is revealed to beMartian Manhunter, who disguised himself as Blockbuster to observe the exiled villains.[26]
A newer, female Blockbuster appears in the swamps of Louisiana and fightsMon-El.[27]
All incarnations of Blockbuster possess superhuman physical abilities coupled with reduced intelligence. Roland Desmond overcame this weakness after receiving enhanced power fromNeron.[28]
An alternate universe version of Blockbuster appears inJust Imagine.... This version isBrock Smith, a murderer and death row inmate who is rescued and empowered by Dominic Darrk and joins theDoom Patrol. He is defeated by Batman andWonder Woman and dies after being electrocuted.[29]
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