Despero became a semi-regular villain and returned in Justice League of America #26 (March 1964), #133–134 (August–September 1976), and #177–178 (April–May 1980). The character made cameo appearances in Justice League of America #247–250 (February–May 1986) and then featured as the main villain in issues #251–254, dated June–September 1986.
Despero returned in an extensive story arc in Justice League America #37–40 (April–July 1990) and Justice League Europe #30–34 (September 1991–January 1992). The character's body reappeared as the host for L-Ron in Justice League Task Force #0 (October 1994), #13–33 (June 1994–March 1996), and #37 (August 1996) and Justice League International (vol. 2) #67–68 (August–September 1994). Despero reappeared in spirit form in Supergirl (vol. 4) #17–18 (January–February 1998) and Young Justice #6 (March 1999).
Despero eventually reappeared whole in the graphic novelJLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice (December 2002), and featured in the "Crisis of Conscience" storyline in JLA #115–119 (September– November 2005), Superman/Batman #33 (March 2007), and Trinity #4 (June 2008). Despero returned to a more human form in an alternate universe storyline in Booster Gold (vol. 2) #5 (February 2008) and #7–10 (April–August 2008).
The character returned in Justice League of America (vol. 2) #38 (December 2009) and featured in R.E.B.E.L.S. Vol. 2 #12–13 (March–April 2010).
Fictional character biography
Despero first appears pursuing two rebels from the planet Kalanor, which he rules as a tyrant.[4] The rebels make contact with the Justice League of America with JLA member Flash accepting Despero's challenge after he places the rest of the group in a hypnotic trance. However the Flash is defeated in a game similar to chess, leading Despero to transport the JLA to another dimension.[5] Despero found out about this by reading the mind of one of the rebels he had tracked down and teleported, though her father and Flash were protected by the dimensional traveller's 'blue glow'. The JLA are able to escape all the dangers on the worlds and return to Earth using a dimensional traveler one of Despero's henchmen possesses after the Flash defeats him. Despero has found the rebel and plans to use the energy-absorbing weapon they hoped to use to disable his weapons to conquer Earth, but Snapper Carr uses it to weaken the villain after pretending he has been hypnotized, though the 'blue glow' protected him. Despero is then imprisoned and Kalanor is freed.[6]
The villain has his third eye surgically removed, making him lose his hypnotic powers. Eventually it grows back, he fakes his death in an explosion at a lab and in revenge ages half of the Justice League and banishes the remainder to three other worlds, where he has caused reptile, insect, and marine life to become intelligent, planning to conquer the worlds later. When Despero attempts to deceive Wonder Woman by disguising himself as an aged Superman, she overpowers the villain with her Lasso of Truth, realizing the energy should not have affected Superman, and forces him to undo his actions.[7] Despero is thwarted again when the Justice League intervene in his intergalactic plans of conquest,[8] save the Martian Manhunter who is being forced to play in a life and death chess match.[9]
Despero eventually returns, having been enhanced by the "Flame of Py'tar", a remnant of the nuclear energy that created his race. After defeating the Justice League, Despero reshapes Gotham City to suit his purposes. Batman distracts Despero, allowing Vibe to extinguish the Flame. The villain's form is immediately dispelled and reality restores itself.[10]
Despero eventually reforms, and targets the Justice League member Gypsy. After murdering Gypsy's parents, Despero is about to kill her when the Martian Manhunter intervenes. The villain quickly defeats the Manhunter, although fellow Justice League member Guy Gardner arrives and hurls Despero away. Despero attacks the League at their headquarters, and kills Steel.[11] Martian Manhunter traps Despero in an illusory world, causing him to revert into a fetus. He is then given to Manga Khan in exchange for his robot L-Ron.[12]
A re-aged Despero is angered by this defeat and escapes from Manga Khan, returning to Earth to battle the Justice League. Unknown to Despero, Khan hires Lobo to recapture him. Despero engages the Justice League, Justice League Europe, and Lobo in Times Square, New York City, and keeps them all at bay. A desperate Green LanternKilowog and L-Ron use Despero's collar to switch his mind with L-Ron's, with the latter's body being destroyed shortly afterwards. Now in Despero's body, L-Ron returns to Manga Khan.[13]
L-Ron reappeared, still in Despero's body, and had a number of adventures with the Justice League Task Force[14] and Justice League International.[15] Despero returns in spirit form, and temporarily repossesses his old form until stopped by the heroine Supergirl.[16] The villain makes a second attempt to return to a corporeal state, attacking a circus and luring out teen heroes Young Justice. Currently jumping between bodies but able to create a psychic illusion of his true form, Despero initially sets his sights on possessing Superboy, but ultimately manages to take possession of the Martian Manhunter. However, Young Justice are able to use the Manhunter's fear of fire against him to draw J'onn's psyche to the surface, expelling Despero from his body so that Secret can banish Despero's spirit form.[17]
Despero's spirit eventually returns with the aid of JSA villain Johnny Sorrow and possesses Lex Luthor. Together, they release the Seven Deadly Sins, who possess several members of the JLA and JSA and neutralize the wizardShazam. The remainder of the teams drive the Sins from their comrades and defeat both Sorrow and Despero.[18] The villain returns as the guiding force behind a new Secret Society of Super Villains, and allows them to remember they once learned the Justice League's identities. Although Despero takes mental control of several members of the League, he is eventually stopped by Green Lantern and imprisoned on the planet Oa.[19]
Having allied himself with a race that destroys species unworthy of survival, Despero attempts to convince them to destroy Earth by using an alien substance known as the 'Blackrock' to influence Earth's alien heroes to turn against humanity by playing on their occasional feelings of isolation. His efforts are foiled when Batman exposes himself to the Blackrock while under attack by Superman, the sight of his friend's contamination helping Superman to recognise what is happening to him, allowing Superman to confront the aliens directly and convince them that Despero deceived them.[20] Despero returned in his original human form when plucked from the timestream by Mister Mind, and is convinced to join a group called "The Time Stealers". The villains successfully create an alternate universe that differs significantly from the original. Booster Gold, Rip Hunter and Justice League International eventually undo the change and restore the original universe.[21]
Despero briefly allied with villains Morgaine le Fey and Enigma and became god-like until stopped by the combined efforts of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.[22] Despero returns to attack the Justice League, but when teleported away by member Zatanna, is imprisoned on Oa once again.[23]
At the request of human computer Vril Dox, Despero joins in the fight against the original Starro, who is conquering the galaxy. Despero engages Starro in combat and, although easily destroyed, regenerates into a superior form, which was always the villain's intent. Dox uses Despero's head as a weapon against Starro and its forces.[24]
The New 52
In September 2011, DC Comics cancelled all of its monthly books and rebooted its continuity in an initiative called The New 52. In this new timeline, Despero first appears when he arrives in the Watchtower wearing a Kryptonite ring, subduing Atom and Firestorm.[25] He attacks the rest of the Justice League until he ends up defeated by Martian Manhunter.[26]
Despero is an alien from the planet Kalanor, and in addition to a genius intellect possesses a third eye on his forehead capable of mind control, illusions, telekinesis, and telepathy. Despero is also empowered by the Flame of Py'tar, a mystical source of power that grants him immense physical abilities and the ability to alter his size.
In other media
Television
Despero appears in the Justice League episode "Hearts and Minds", voiced by Keith David.[29] This version is an outcast who discovered the Flame of Py'tar, the life force of Kalanor, and built an army of followers empowered by it known as the Legion of the Third Eye. Martian Manhunter later frees the Flame, which restores Kalanor's environment and drags Despero underground.
Despero makes non-speaking appearances in Young Justice.[29] This version is a gladiator who allows his majordomo L-Ron to speak for him.
Despero appears in The Flash five-part episode "Armageddon", portrayed by Tony Curran.[30] This version wears a belt that enables him to time-travel and assume a human form. Additionally, he hails from a possible future where the Earth was destroyed by an Armageddon caused by a speedster. According to producer Eric Wallace, had The CW renewed the series for a tenth season, he had planned to make another crossover event featuring Despero bringing about an alien invasion and fighting Earth's heroes in addition to the Flash.[31]
Despero makes a minor appearance in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic, in which he crash-lands on Earth while fleeing Sinestro, who eventually kills him.
References
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 88. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
^Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 80. ISBN0-8160-1356-X.
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 95. ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
^Justice League of America (vol. 3) #11. DC Comics.
^ abcde"Despero Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 10, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
