DC Teams: D

Darkstars

    

Our universe's first society grew and prospered on the planet Maltus. Eons later one group of Maltusians, the Controllers broke from their brothers, the Guardians of the Universe, and colonized a more-distant part of the universe. Like the Guardians, they too realized eventually that they needed a law enforcement organization. They thus formed the Nemo organization in order to protect their own interests. After 1000 years, however, they realized that they needed a more proactive approach; they needed to attack chaos at its roots. The Darkstars were then created to actively patrol predefined sectors of space. (Darkstars #0)

The first Darkstar was named Druu, and he inspired many like him, including Radz. Radz's sector included the world of Zamba, home of Ferrin Colos. Zamba's inhabitants were religiously self-contained, but when they were attacked by the alien Qinorri, Radz inspired Colos to follow the path of a Darkstar. Colos left his homeworld an exile and had many successes. His career brought him to Earth, where his assignment became permanent. There he deputized John Flint and Mo Douglas and fought the likes of Evil Star. Soon, Flint was fired for insubordination and was replaced by Carla White.

Earth's Darkstars soon met Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the L.E.G.I.O.N. Ancient Maltusian gods called the Triarch (Quarra, Archor & Tzodar) had begun causing chaos on different worlds. The L.E.G.I.O.N. and Green Lantern clashed over the protectorship of Maltus as the Triarch began transforming the ground around them. Matters were further complicated when the Darkstars' commander, Huvan Jeddigar ordered they not interfere. Colos disobeyed this, and together, the three groups found a way to stop the Triarch. (#11)

Vril Dox learned the Triach's secret and awakened the Controller who originally created the them. The mad Controller ordered the universe's destruction, but the Triarch learned the truth of their origins and turned on him. They restored Maltus and disappeared. Dox then brokered a deal: The Green Lantern Corps would patrol the spaceways and aid with internal planetary affairs; the Darkstars would attend as planetary champions; and the L.E.G.I.O.N. would serve as the first-line defense for its client worlds. When jurisdictions overlapped, the three agreed to cooperate. Afterwards, the Controllers offered Dox a position administering the Darkstars, which he refused... for the time being. ("DCU Universe: Trinity" crossover)

Very soon after this, the Green Lantern Corps was decimated by Hal Jordan and the Darkstars were left to police much of the universe themselves. On Earth, a renegade Darkstar, Merayn Dethalis appeared, claiming she was framed by Jeddigar. When Colos tried to investigate, he was stripped of his star and replaced on Earth by Donna Troy. When Jeddigar was finally exposed, the Controllers tapped former Green Lantern John Stewart to administer the organization. Stewart rose to the challenge; he and Merayn soon became romantically involved. (Darkstars #21-23)

Carla eventually resigned and Mo became full-time operative (Darkstars #29), working with refugees from the battle with Psimon. Though the Darkstars remain active, the Controllers have expressed concerns about their effectiveness. More specifically, they are troubled that Darkstar agents look more after their own agendas than the Controllers'. (Darkstars #38)

Many Darkstars were killed (including MO) or lost their battlesuits in combat against Grayven on the planet Rann. Grayven, who claimed to be son of Darkseid, struck John Stewart, jeopardizing his ability to walk. Green Lantern ended the battle, but the Darkstars were decimated by the losses. Donna and Merayn resigned and returned with John to Earth. In the end, only four Darkstars remained to help rebuild Ranagar: Colos, Chaser Bron, Munchuk and Galius Zed. (Green Lantern #74-75) Later, Galius Zed was also killed by Fatality. (Green Lantern v.3 #82)

The last of the Darkstars (Colos, Chaser Bron & Munchuk) gave their life saving the universe from the energy vampire called Starbreaker. They siphoned off a considerable amount of power from him, which helped save the day, but their suits ruptured and all three were killed. (Adam Strange #8)

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Darkstars #1 (October 1992)

» SERIES: Darkstars, 38 issues (1992-96)

» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Adam Strange #8 • Damage #16 • DC Universe: Trinity #1-2 • Deathstroke #48-49 • Green Lantern v.3 #44-45, 65, 74-75, 82-83 • L.E.G.I.O.N. #57-58 • New Titans #124-125 • Showcase '95 #10

» SEE ALSO: Green Lantern Corps Web Page

Deep Six

» SEE: New Gods > Deep Six

Delta Chi Delta

Created by Benjamin Raab & Justiniano

In the Fourth Century, the last oracle at Delphi, in Greece, saw a vision of the future in which humankind had become monsters. To prevent that, she founded a secret order called Delta Chi Delta. This order operated in secret for centuries, on the lookout for an extinction-level threat. The threat, it seems arrived at some time in the latter 20th century when an extraterrestrial race carried an an alien virus onto the Earth. This parasite is capable of completely resequencing a human's genetic makeup, creating a totally new being. Though the virus spread quickly enough, the transformations were usually fatal.

The Deltas mission was further complicated when one of their own, Paracelsus (Dr. Damien Masters) stole a sample of the virus and began to experiment. But like most victims of the virus, his subjects all died. As a side project, he also created an army of "bio-borgs" and named his own organization the Omega Concern. The key to Paracelsus' success and perhaps to the Deltas' deliverance lay in the possibility that the virus would successfully transform a human.

Fate "shined" that day on young Ulysses Adams, who was transformed into a human/alien hybrid on the day of his high school graduation. Ulysses underwent radical physical change and fled home. Both Delta Chi Delta and the Omega Concern sensed his transformation and moved to intercept the boy. The Delta's were first; he was intercepted by the girl called Nymph, who helped him dodge a bio-borg attack. Soon Ulysses met the Delta's other members, Delphi and Sensei who explained the whole situation. (Human Race #1)

Delta Chi Delta quickly moved Ulysses onto their ship, Pythia. This ship is built with bio-technical construction, complete with a vascular system and a brain. Soon, Ulysses began to show more advanced signs of mutation and lashed out in unpredictable fits of rage. Delta could wait no longer: they planned an attack on Paracelsus' headquarters in Reykjavik, hoping to acquire knowledge that would help them save Ulysses and stop the virus from spreading. Using Pythia's considerable technology (beyond even that of the JLA's), Nymph and Sensei infiltrated the Omega Concern's base. But Ulysses went into another rage and accidentally uncloaked the ship , revealing their presence. (#2)

• Delphi, a woman with great strength and intelligence. She has had an artificial intelligence uploaded into her brain; it is now 100% digital nanotechnology.
• Sensei is a 300-year-old martial arts master in the body of a 21-year-old. He can manifest his own "Qi," or immortal soul as a spirit and use it to heal.
• Nymph is a young woman with great telepathic abilities. She has already grown quite fond of Ulysses.
• For now, Ulysses possesses great strength, but his metamorphosis may not yet be complete.

Paracelsus was inducted because of a prophesy, not because they felt he was going to be their greatest ally. Sensei uses Qi to heal. He's a 300 year old in a 21-year-old body. Nymph steals a sample that could help cure Ulysses and perhaps be a vaccine for others. They're found and captured by Paracelsus. Delphi attacked by the Gestalt entity & short circuits her intelligence. She spirits Ulysses away and fights on but is disabled. Ulysses meets Mito(chondria), the alien telepath that is the living engine for the Pythia. They found it decades ago and granted it asylum. The Gestalt entity reveals it can split into 5 individuals who have no name. They capture him. Para begins a process to accelerate Ulysses's transformation. (#3)

In his mind, Ulysses battles the transformation. Paracelsus hopes to quicken the extinction of homo sapiens. Sensei's Qi form contacts Mito for help, which disrupts Paracelsus's systems and frees Sensei. The Gestalt entity (one with stealth and sharp talons, a girl with a solar staff, a boy with electromagnetic spheres, a boy with telekinesis & telepathy, & a boy who produces concussive telekinetic force) fail to stop them then from freeing Ulysses. For this, Paracelsus kills the telepath and the other four are left shell shocked. If they had not been bioengineered in the womb, their mothers would have died in childbirth. They ally with the Deltas and strike at Paracelsus. Paracelsus starts an auto-destruct sequence and teleports away. As they shield themselves from the blast, Paracelsus's bio-borgs are decimated, and Ulysses dies. (#4)

Nymph is determined to find some trace of life inside Ulysses's mind. Delphi doubt that her efforts will succeed, while Sensei remains optimistic. She instead encounters Ryan, Ulysses's ex-girlfriend. She says that they had been addicted to heroin, but that Ulysses was able to turn his life around. Inside Ulysses's mind, Ryan attacks Nymph. The Gestalt children fight among themselves, doubting their past actions, and vowing vengeance on Paracelsus. They agree to stay with Delta and train with Sensei. He challenges them to learn how to reform one being with only four. The girl decides to leave but convinces her to stay. Delphi locates a genetic match to Ulysses in Ipiales, Colombia and heads to check it out. She believes it is the host of the alien virus. In a church there, she encounters three nuns and is taken down b a new adversary, the Eagle Scout. He reveals her origin as Sophia Domingo, who was diagnosed with acute paranoid schizophrenia and sever mental retardation and was admitted to Arkham Asylum . She disappeared in 1903. (#5)

Delphi recovers easily, she had used a decoy. She is saved by the Pythia and the Scout retreats to his masters at the Pentagon, alien DNA sample in hand. Paracelsus has gone to them preaching doom and a way to stop it. He's convinced them to quarantine everyone in Shuster's Glen. Nymph discovers that she is actually battling an alien in Ulysses' mind; she defeats its influence and awakens himi. Sensei trains the new recruits, who take the name Gabriel, Uriel and Remiel, names of the ancient archangels. Sensei killed his father 300 years ago. He served the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan. The father dishonorably fled Japan after an incident, which left the burden of suicide to Sensei's older brother. Sensei eventually slew his father in revenge. He claims that he is now a Bodhisattva — a Tibetan Buddhist term describing one who is motivated by compassion and seeks enlightenment for himself and others. (#6)

With xenovirus in hand, Paracelsus seeks to breed new aliens. The Eagle Scout captures Delphi by surprise, but she shows him that he's been duped by his superiors. Paracelsus tells him he's eradicated all traces of the xenovirus then kills him. Nymph stopes Ulysses from committing suicide. He is using Ulyssys' biomatter to infect new "mothers." Delphi is saved by the last of the recruits, who takes the name Sariel. She believes she has slain Paracelsus, but it is a clone. Ulysses frees his sister Diana and his mother, but does not reveal his identity to them. Delta Chi Delta allow the JLA to take credit for cleaning up the mess (#7)

» FIRST APPEARANCE: The Human Race #1 (May 2005)

» SERIES: The Human Race, 7-issue limited series (2005)

» SEE ALSO: Interview with Ben Raab

The D.E.O. (Department of Extranormal Operations)

The D.E.O. (Department of Extranormal Operations) is a U.S. government agency which investigates and processes metahuman activities and persons. It's origins remain a mystery, but it is headed by former Infinity, Inc. member, Mister Bones. Most D.E.O. accounts focus on Bones and his chief agent, Cameron Chase. Its headquarters is New York and they report to the US Secretary of Metahuman Affairs, which was originally Amanda Waller. The origins of Bones' involvement remain a mystery. It is clear, however, that he owes a powerful someone a favor for having obtained this position. (JSA Secret Files #2)

Chase was driven to this line of work by the death of her father, a former mystery man. Her father was the Acro-Bat, a member of the Justice Experience. He was killed in his own home by Dr. Trap, and found dead by the young Cameron. Dr. Trap slayed the remaining members as well and was captured by the Justice Society. (Chase #6)

The D.E.O. first came to light in Gotham City when a Dr. Peter Malley merged with a sample from the son of Clayfaces III & IV to form the Clay Thing. As it happened, Cameron Chase, on her way to visit her sister in Gotham before her very first D.E.O. assignment. Chase was contacted by an Agent Barrett and given the assignment of tracking Malley down. Naturally she crossed paths with the Batman, and the two (with Chase's unintentional use of her own metahuman powers), captured him. (Batman #550)

Chase has been called upon to complete a variety of challenging assignments, including leading a Suicide Squad mission to Peru. (Chase #2-3) Perhaps her most challenging mission, though was that of uncovering the identity of the Batman. During an investigation in Gotham city, Agent Chase met Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Alan Scott at a society function. Little did she know, however that the hunter had become the hunted: Batman had orchestrated this meeting and her subsequent encounter with the Batman. After chasing Batman over Gotham's rooftops, she had the opportunity to unmask him when she believed him unconscious. She chose not, but was nonetheless convinced that it was Alan Scott under the mask! (Note: Alan Scott was recruited for this ruse by Batman and the story makes it clear that Scott does not know Batman is Bruce Wayne). She did not reveal these findings in her official report. (#8)

The D.E.O. also runs various facilities designed to house, train and study metahumans. When one of their specimens escaped, they called upon the newly formed Young Justice to recapture her. The team eventually learned that the girl had been mistreated while in their possession and they let her go free. (Young Justice: The Secret #1) She eventually joined their group as the Secret and led them back to the D.E.O. "orphanage" to free others like her. (Young Justice Secret Files #1)

The agency's next major target was the Martian Manhunter (who perhaps brought his fate upon him). In one outing, the Manhunter accompanied Chase on a spy mission in the guise of Sarge Steel. (DCU Heroes Secret Files #1) Following the death of John Jones' partner Karen Smith, Chase found J'onn's diary, which he had left for Smith before her death as a gesture of trust. The diary contained information on all J'onn's identities including the Martian Manhunter. Bones then set Chase on a witch hunt to discover the Martian's other identities; she was thorough, and uncovered them all, even interviewing Fire. (Martian Manhunter #10) The D.E.O. attempted to blackmail the hero with this information; if J'onn would reveal the JLA's identities, they would spare revealing his own I.D.s. J'onzz also revealed to Chase that, as the Bronze Wraith, he'd once saved her father's life. Chase was ordered to reveal his identities to the world, which she reluctantly did. In gratitude for her father, she withheld revealing his John Jones identity to the public. Afterwards, the D.E.O. denied all involvement to the incident. (#17)

Chase eventually got her closure when Dr. Trap escaped from prison. The villain set out to finish what he had started and ambushed Chase in her home. J'onn intervened, stopping both from killing each other. Trap was again imprisoned. (#36)

When President Lex Luthor's appointed his cabinet, Amanda Waller (former head of the Suicide Squad) was charged with overseeing Bones and the D.E.O.  Bones eventually came to odds with his former colleagues in the JSA when the D.E.O. requested the team's aid in eliminating Kobra from Blackhawk Island. (JSA #11) Following the mission, the JSA discovered that Blackhawk Express operation on the island was owned by the D.E.O. The JSA felt as thought they were duped into doing the agency's dirty work, and left in anger. (#12) Bones has again been ordered to enlist the JSA's help by an unrevealed superior (not Waller). He demonstrated reluctance to further betray his former colleagues, but is indebted to the D.E.O. (JSA Secret Files #1)

Sasha Bordeaux once told the Huntress that a "Jokerized" woman they had been chasing down was not really a break-out from the Slab, but an undercover agent for the DEO disguised as an inmate named Cucilla. (Detective Comics #763)

Director Bones recently agreed to take on a new kind of operative: Kate Spencer, Manhunter. Her exact role is not known, but she uses her influence as a crime-fighter and as an attorney to further the agency's ends. In exchange, she receives an undisclosed benefit from the D.E.O. (Manhunter #16) Spencer is also a longtime friend of Cameron Chase.

Kate worked with Bones on a detestable assignment, as defense attorney for Dr. Psycho. (#20) Before Psycho's verdict could be read, the Society freed his restraints. Manhunter managed to subdue Dr. Psycho and reads the jury's verdict: "not guilty." Director Bones was elated; now every super-villain would want Kate Spencer as their defender. (#24)

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Batman #550 (January 1998)

» SERIES: Chase, 10 issues (1998)

» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Batman Family #4 (2002) • DCU Heroes Secret Files #1 • JSA #11-12, Secret Files #2 •  Manhunter v.3 #16-30 • Martian Manhunter v.3 #6-10, 17, 31, 36 • Young Justice: The Secret #1 • Young Justice Secret Files #1

» SEE ALSO: Department of Extranormal Operations

The Dingbats of Danger Street

See Obscure Characters

The Doom Patrol

» SEE: Stand-alone profile