Per Degaton
Per Degaton | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | All Star Comics #35 (June/July 1947) |
Created by | John Broome Irwin Hasen |
In-story information | |
Team affiliations | Injustice Society Time Stealers Cabal |
Abilities | Skilled armed/unarmed combatant Semi-precognitive "Time Vision" Genius-level intellect Master planner and tactician Time travel equipment Intangibility Seeming immortality |
Per Degaton is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a known time-traveling villain who is a recurring enemy of the Justice Society of America.
A young version of the character was portrayed by Cory Grüter-Andrew on the
Publication history
Per Degaton made his first appearance in All Star Comics #35 (June/July 1947) and was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen.[1]
Per Degaton was one of the six original members of the Injustice Society, who began battling the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics #37 (October 1947).[2]
Fictional character biography
Pre-Crisis
Per Degaton has been obsessed with time travel ever since he was an assistant[3] to the Time Trust, a group of scientists developing a time ray to go to the future and acquire an effective bombing defense for use during World War II. In 1941, the Justice Society of America is sent 500 years into the future to retrieve a formula that produces a bomb-proof shield.[4] In a fit of jealousy, Per Degaton sabotages the formula, causing it to fail its second test, and leaves the Time Trust soon after.[3]
By 1947 Degaton is assisting Professor Malachi Zee, a former member of the Time Trust who is developing a time machine. Degaton plans to take the machine for himself and shoots Zee. Several times Degaton tries without success to alter the course of history for his own benefit, including thwarting the course of historical events like the Battle of Arbela between Greece and Persia in 331 B.C., thus halting technological development and allowing him and his henchmen to conquer an America of ancient technologies with modern weapons which he had left in specially-prepared caves, safe from the alterations to the time stream. The JSA stop various plans by Degaton and history reverts to normal, with everyone losing the memory of these events, due to time paradoxes inherent in Zee's time machine. The story closes with Professor Zee in his lab with Per Degaton, who seems to remember some foolishness about him dreaming that he ruled the world. The JSA is able to learn of their own success through Wonder Woman's magic sphere.[5]
Degaton's memory returns and, after again killing Zee, he attempts to change the circumstances of the
Shortly thereafter, Degaton remembers all prior attempts through a dream that happens the night before Zee tests the time-machine. Again killing Zee, Degaton attempts to acquire weapons and technology from the future to conquer the world of the 1940s, but discovers he can travel between alternate Earths after accidentally traveling to
Once again, Degaton's memories eventually return and he attempts to kill Zee and steal the time machine. This time, however, Zee unexpectedly falls into the time machine, sending him 40 years into the future, where he will arrive on his 100th birthday. Degaton realizes that he simply must wait until the machine returns. Degaton begins a short career as an evil para-military commander and joins the Injustice Society of the World (ISW). Eventually, the ISW is defeated by the JSA and Degaton is sent to prison for 30 years.[5]
After his release, Degaton roams the streets as a derelict until his old ally
Taking advantage of the revelation of "Batman's Diary", a document that supposedly convicted the Justice Society of treason, Degaton uses his remaining influence to attempt to indict the group in Congressional sub-committee. Degaton recognizes that this is likely his last chance to defeat his old enemies, since the return of Zee's time machine is close at hand. As the Congressional sub-committee becomes less and less convinced by evidence against the JSA, Degaton kidnaps
Post-Crisis
Due to the events of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Per Degaton, following his stint with the Time Trust, is employed at another secret scientific group, Project M. During this time he meets the time traveling robot Mekanique, who enlists his aid in her war against the All-Star Squadron. In exchange for his help, Mekanique promises to give him the secrets of time travel. They fail in their attack on the All-Stars, and Mekanique's body is destroyed, but Degaton salvages her head. He keeps her head by his side for the next five years, and they fall in love.[10]
By 1947 Degaton is assisting Professor Malachi Zee who, with Degaton and Mekanique's help, finishes a time machine. Degaton plans to take the machine for himself and shoots Zee, who falls into the machine, sending him 40 years into the future. Mekanique suggests that the two of them simply wait four decades for the machine to reappear, but this idea drives Degaton into a lunatic rage. He buries Mekanique's head, and makes new plans for himself.[10]
Frustrated for being unable to harm the JSA, Degaton uses his time-traveling abilities to "watch life hurting [his enemies]". Sequentially confronting the JSA members, he tells them that he saw them die, and reveals some hints on their final moments.[11] Now equipped with a time disc, Degaton has the ability to live "between seconds", apparently ageless in an intangible state, which he can only be removed from with the concentrated tachyons found in the hourglass of Hourman.
He mounts a new attack on the JSA after Rick Tyler changes history to save his father from his death at the hands of
Following his release from prison, Degaton reconstructs Mekanique, and the pair battle Infinity, Inc., at the site where Zee's time machine is to arrive. When it reappears, it contains not only the dying Zee but a 1947 version of Degaton himself. It is revealed that when Degaton lunged at the disappearing machine in 1947, the machine's energies created two Degatons, one who lives a normal life and one who is carried along with the time machine. The older Degaton disintegrates instantly due to the paradoxical existence of two Degatons at one moment. Mekanique kills the younger Degaton as well as herself, fearing this Degaton would end up betraying her once more.[13]
Degaton returns briefly in
Later an older version of Degaton appears, calling himself Prime Degaton, who seems to have been present during the earlier plans of Per Degaton. He tells his younger self that by combining all of his infinite selves across the time lines, he will become omnipotent, but that will require his younger selves to cease to exist. When the Justice Society make Monument Point their new base, he appears with greater power over time and battles them, warning
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". Per Degaton appears as a member of the Cabal alongside Amazo, Doctor Psycho, Hugo Strange, Queen Bee, and Teel.[15]
Per Degaton was seen as a member of the Injustice Society when Hawkman and Hawkgirl recount their time in the 1940s when the Justice Society fought the Injustice Society. Hawkman faced off against Per Degaton. After Brain Wave unleashes a powerful psychic attack that knocks everyone down, Per Degaton and Vandal Savage prepare to finish off Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Hawkman and Hawkgirl throw their maces enough for them to collide. This enables the Justice Society to turn the tables against the Injustice Society.[16]
In the pages of "
Powers and abilities
Per Degaton is skilled at armed combat and hand-to-hand combat. He is also a skilled tactician, possesses genius-level intellect, can become intangible, and is seemingly immortal.
Per Degaton possesses a limited "Time Vision", allowing him to know what will happen in the near future. He is out of phase with normal time, which renders him intangible. Hourman's tachyon-filled hourglass has been shown to blur his time vision and allow anyone possessing it to hit Degaton. He is also aware of changes to the timestream and has made mention of remembering events from before Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, it is unclear whether these are innate abilities Degaton acquired or if they are the result of his time disc.
Equipment
Per Degaton travels on a "time disc", a machine that allows him to travel through time as well as having fail-safes to return time to normal should his plans fail. He also uses small time discs which can speed up metabolism by variable amounts.
In other media
Animation
Per Degaton appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Golden Age of Justice!", voiced by Clancy Brown. This version participated in World War II, but vanished into an antimatter dimension after attempting to use the Spear of Destiny, which had been damaged by Black Canary. In the present day, Degaton's assistant Professor Zee revives him and he fights the Justice Society of America, but is defeated when the Spear backfires, turning him into an old man while Professor Zee is reduced to a baby.
Arrowverse
- Per Degaton appears in Kasniain the year 2147, and was manipulated by Vandal Savage into becoming a dictator who is ultimately blamed for Savage's act of unleashing a virus called "Armageddon" designed to kill most of the world population, leaving it smaller and weakened enough for him to later conquer the planet. The Legends' attempt to alter events lead to Degaton murdering his father Tor and assuming his reign earlier, before he is later betrayed and killed by Savage.
References
- ISBN 9780816013562.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ a b All-Star Squadron #2 (1981). DC Comics.
- All-Star Comics#10 (1942). DC Comics.
- ^ All-Star Comics#35 (1947). DC Comics.
- Justice League of America #193, All-Star Squadron#1–3 (1981). DC Comics.
- Justice League of America #207–209, All-Star Squadron#14–15 (1982). DC Comics.
- All-Star Comics#58-59 (1976). DC Comics.
- ^ America vs. The Justice Society#4 (1985). DC Comics.
- ^ a b Young All-Stars Annual #1 (1988). DC Comics.
- ^ JSA #59 (2004). DC Comics.
- ^ JSA #66–72 (2005). DC Comics.
- ^ Infinity, Inc. Annual #2 (1988). DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #50-54 (2011). DC Comics.
- ^ Plastic Man (vol. 5) #4-6. DC Comics.
- ^ Hawkman (vol. 5) #27. DC Comics.
- ^ The New Golden Age #1. DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #1. DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #2. DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #3. DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #4. DC Comics.
- ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #5. DC Comics.