Black Zero
Black Zero is a name shared by two supervillains, two terrorist organizations, one special forces group, and a computer virus that have all appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics.
Original Black Zero supervillain
Fictional character biography
The original Black Zero appeared Pre-Crisis in Superman #205 (1968), in a story entitled "The Man Who Destroyed Krypton" written by Otto Binder with artwork by Al Plastino.[1] This Black Zero revealed to Superman that he was a space saboteur who destroyed planets.[2] He had been hired to destroy Krypton, and discovered that the internal stresses which would have destroyed it in any case were dying down, necessitating his involvement to ensure it exploded.[3]
In the present day, Black Zero came to Earth, threatening to destroy it as he did Krypton. In desperation, Superman released Jax-Ur, a prisoner of the Phantom Zone, who wished to avenge Krypton's destruction. As he launched a devastatingly powerful missile toward Earth, Black Zero attacked Jax-Ur with a red kryptonite bullet, causing his body to mutate wildly into several serpent-like forms. This proved to be Black Zero's undoing; while Superman saved the Earth from the missile, Jax-Ur transformed into a Medusa-like form, turning Black Zero to stone with his gaze. Black Zero's body was then shattered by Jax-Ur, in recompense for what he had done to Krypton.
This story suggests that, were it not for something none of them knew,
Power and abilities
Black Zero had the ability to create "psycho-molecules" with his mind, which he could then shape into any form of matter he chose. His brain had been fitted with a plastic coating, preventing him from being hypnotised. He could make his body intangible, enabling him to pass through solid objects. He was a skilled engineer, able to create weapons and devices that could destroy entire planets. He was also skilled in the art of disguise.
Black Zero organizations
The first Post-Crisis version of Black Zero appeared in the 1988 World of Krypton miniseries written by John Byrne and illustrated by Mike Mignola. Although later described as a "clone liberation movement" in Superboy (vol. 4) #61 Black Zero was described as a "terrorist" organization that was ultimately responsible for the destruction of Krypton. During the Third Age of Krypton, Kryptonians extended their lives by maintaining clones in suspended animation (the Clone Banks), which they then harvested for body parts. Trouble in Kryptonian society concerning this issue emerged after a prominent citizen named Nyra removed one of her clones from stasis to marry the clone to her own son. The enraged son after killing his clone fiancé, publicly confronted his mother and killed her as well, but was forcibly stopped from killing himself. After widespread public knowledge ensued concerning the fact that a clone had been able to achieve full sentience as a living being, a new Kryptonian war began. Prominently featured in this war was the Black Zero organization, which acted against this "genetic slavery"; this began the War of Clone Rights, which lasted for a thousand years. In their final act, Black Zero detonated a device that would later become known as the Destroyer. In essence, this device functioned as a giant nuclear gun, that fired a concentrated, sustained burst of nuclear energy directly into Krypton's core. Though subsequently destroyed by Van-L, an ancestor of Jor-El himself, the Destroyer's effect would later be fully realized; it causes a chain reaction deep within Krypton that would, thousands of years later, obliterate the planet.
A second Black Zero group appeared in the 2005 graphic novel Superman: Infinite City.
Most recently, the name "Black Zero" was used by an elite Kryptonian military force, under the command of
The "Black Zero II" computer virus
The Black Zero virus appeared in Superman Plus/Legion of Super-Heroes #1, a 1997
Black Zero (Superboy)
Black Zero | |
---|---|
Fortress Cadmus | |
Notable aliases | Superman II |
Abilities | Advanced tactile-telekinesis that provided flight, invulnerability, and superhuman strength; superhuman hearing and heat vision |
The second Black Zero is a supervillain from the DC Comics universe. The character first appeared in Superboy (vol. 4) #61 as part of the '"Hypertension" storyline and was created by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett.
Fictional character biography
Black Zero was an alternate version of
After the Guardian was killed by an anti-genetix mob, the new Superman retreated to the original Superman's
After conquering his Earth, Black Zero became aware of the existence of other realities when he encountered the
After Superboy was in possession of the hyperjacket, Black Zero followed him to each world that he visited, capturing all of the versions of Superboy that Kon-El encountered. When he reached the world of the Kal-El Superboy, he captured
Black Zero was eventually defeated by a combined effort from Superboy, the Challengers of the Unknown, and all the other Superboys imprisoned at Fortress Cadmus. After Metron sends the Superboys and Stormguards back to their own realities along with immobilizing Black Zero with a Mother Box, he provides a ship for the Challengers and Superboy to fly through the hyperium reactor and into a hyperstorm to return home. Superboy intended to take Black Zero to his homeworld to keep watch over him, but Black Zero attacks the ship with his tactile telekinesis. Superboy dives into the hyperstorm and is almost struck by it until Black Zero rescued Superboy and saves the Challengers except for Matthew "Red" Ryan. Superboy attempted to convince Black Zero that his mission was wrong and to give people a chance, but Black Zero is engulfed by hyperstorm energy and disappears before responding to Superboy.[10]
After his "death", Black Zero became a reminder to Superboy as to what could happen if he ever went out of control. During a battle with Etrigan over an enchanted armored gauntlet known as "Hyssa's Fist", Superboy puts on the gauntlet and while his strength increased, his costume was transformed into an exact copy of Black Zero's costume with the S-shield on the gold harness. He quickly used his tactile telekinesis to disassemble the gauntlet from his right hand.[11]
Powers, abilities, and equipment
Tactile telekinesis
Black Zero's main unique power is an advanced form of "
Powers not derived from tactile telekinesis
As he explained to Superboy, Black Zero's human DNA was made to be genetically similar to that of Superman's DNA. Like Superboy, he is a living solar battery with his tactile telekinetic powers being fueled by solar energy. Grown to a full adult by the Project Cadmus of his reality, Black Zero gained powers similar to Superman due to his advanced age such as heat vision and super hearing.
With the combination of his tactile telekinesis and his simulated Kryptonian powers it is implied that Black Zero is more powerful than Superman. He easily seems to hold his own against multiple versions of Superboys, even the vastly powered Pre-Crisis Earth-1 version. Black Zero also seems to be well prepared to conquer a reality where he will have to fight Superman after his army of Doomsdays are disposed of.
Costumes and equipment
Black Zero wears a black costume with red accents offset by a red cape, red belt at the waist, gold harness with a black "0" on his chest, gold belt on the right leg, and a pair of black glasses. Additionally, he wears a "hypergun" on his right arm equipped with hyper-bullets which he can fire at his targets and instantly transport them via hypertravel directly to his stasis cells at Fortress Cadmus.
In other media
Television
- The Black Zero terrorist organization appears in the Smallville episode "Kandor". This version of the group is infamous for destroying the eponymous city.
- The Black Zero terrorist organization appears in the first season of General Zod, among other Kryptonians to foil Brainiac's plan to destroy Kandor until Zod betrays them, causing the group to disband.
Film
A Kryptonian prison frigate called the Black Zero appears in films set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU):
- First appearing in Supermanand sent back to the Phantom Zone.
- The Black Zero appears in a flashback in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
- The Black Zero appears in The Flash.
See also
References
- ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ISBN 9781893905610.
- ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
- ^ Action Comics Annual #12 (August 2009)
- ^ Peyer, Tom (w), Chang, Bernard (p), McLeod, Bob (i). "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" Superman Plus/Legion of Super-Heroes, no. 1 (February 1997). New York: DC Comics.
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #62 (May 1999)
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #60 (March 1999)
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #61 (April 1999)
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #63 (June 1999)
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #64 (July 1999)
- ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #68 (November 1999)
- ^ "Superman Toy Reveals Man of Steel Spoilers: Zod's 'Black Zero' Revealed". Screen Rant. 16 October 2012.