Multiplex (comics)

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caption=Multiplex from Firestorm #12, artist Jamal Igle
character_name=Multiplex
publisher=DC Comics
debut=Danton Black: "Firestorm" #1 (March 1978) as Multiplex: "Firestorm" #2 (April 1978)
creators=Gerry Conway (writer)
Al Milgrom (artist)
real_name = Danton Black
species =
homeworld =
alliances =Suicide Squad
Secret Society of Super Villains
aliases =
supports=
powers = Mass duplication, super strength.

Multiplex is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Firestorm's most persistent enemies. He first appeared in "Firestorm" #2 (April 1978), and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom.

Character history

Danton Black was the assistant to nuclear physicist Martin Stein when they worked together to design the Hudson Nuclear Facility, during which Black felt (incorrectly) that Stein was getting too much credit while he did all the work. After Stein fired Black for stealing lab equipment, Black publicly accused Stein of stealing his work, leading to an injunction against opening the facility just days before it was to go online. Stein, fearing that delays would cause the public to believe the reactors unsafe, decided to bring them online regardless of the injunction on the same night that Black broke into the offices to steal blueprints he could use to fabricate evidence supporting his accusations against Stein. A bomb placed in the facility by a protest group exploded that night, transforming Stein (and student Ronnie Raymond) into Firestorm with the power of fusion, and granting Black the power of fission--the ability to separate himself into many different beings as Multiplex.

Multiplex originally worked as an operative of the 2000 Committee under the command of Henry Hewitt, and kidnapped Lorraine Reilly (Firehawk) while acting under Hewitt's orders. Although believed killed by the Parasite ["Firestorm Annual #5"] , he reappeared to fight current Firestorm Jason Rusch alongside other of Stein and Raymond's enemies. He was then seen as a member of the most recent Secret Society of Super Villains when Black Adam threatened to kill him if he didn't join.

As part of a ploy to manipulate the Justice League, Multiplex was mentioned as being deceased by Felix Faust ["'Justice League of America" #1] , but Multiplex soon turned up working alongside the Suicide Squad, his duploids serving not only as field agents but as office employees for Squad leader Amanda Waller.

Powers and abilities

Multiplex can split off duplicates of himself that he calls duploids. The number that he can create is limited by the amount of energy he has, but he can absorb energy to create more. The duploids, which share his thoughts and identity, are sometimes carbon copies of himself but he can also create smaller duploids. Early in his career, he was forced to find an energy source to boost his powers. Later, he discovered his own energy source so he could, in theory, create unlimited duploids. Each duploid possesses a degree of superhuman strength and all are mentally linked to the original. Their deaths appear to have a jarring affect on the original.

External links

* [http://firestorm.mandlo.com/bios/danton.php Firestorm 2 HQ: Multiplex profile]

Notes