Puppeteer (comics)

Superherobox


caption =
character_name = The Puppeteer
publisher = DC Comics
debut = "Green Lantern" Vol 2 # 1 (Jul-Aug 1960)
creators = John Broome, Gil Kane
alter_ego = Jordan Weir
full_name =
species =
homeworld =
alliances = H.I.V.E.
aliases = The Puppet Master
supports=
powers = "Hypno-ray" device allows mind control

The Puppeteer, originally known as the Puppet Master, is a DC Comics supervillain.

History

Jordan Weir was a scientist who created a "hypno-ray" with which he could use to force his victims to obey his commands. As the Puppet Master II, he embarked on a crime spree, manipulating minor criminals to do his dirty work for him. When Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) interfered, Weir managed to take control of him as well, but was finally defeated.

Soon afterwards, the Puppet Master returned to battle the Justice League of America as a member of Doctor Destiny's team of supervillains. That did not turn out well, and Weir was returned to prison. Upon his release, he started a new life as a scientist for Dayton Industries. However, when the company developed the self-generating power source known as Promethium, the temptation got too much for him.

Changeling, in charge of Dayton Industries in the absence of his foster-father, Steve Dayton, recruited Robin to investigate a series of mysterious deaths among the Board of Directors. Robin traced the murders to Green Lantern's old foe, now calling himself the Puppeteer, and in league with the H.I.V.E. organization. Through his robot puppets, Puppeteer took control of Cyborg, Kid Flash, Starfire, and Wonder Girl, and turned them against their teammates. Raven's soul-self was finally able to break their trance, and the Titans united to battle Puppeteer and his toy robotic army. When the villain was defeated, the H.I.V.E. attempted to destroy him for his failure, but the Puppeteer escaped.

Later, the mysterious Wildebeest sprang the Black Trident from jail, as well as Gizmo, the Puppeteer and the Disruptor. Trident, Gizmo and Disruptor engaged the Titans while Wildebeest captured a pregnant Mother Mayhem. The Puppeteer remained with the Wildebeest and his Wildebeest Society while Disruptor, Trident and Gizmo believed The Wildebeest may have killed him. The final fate of Puppeteer is unrevealed.

Powers and abilities

Puppeteer possesses a hypno-ray that can force a victim to do his bidding. Early versions of the ray could not force a person to go against their moral principles, but later versions could control any but the most strong-willed of individuals. He uses a number of various-sized puppets that are actually computer controlled robots.

Other media

In the "Teen Titans" animated series, The Puppet King is an evil marionette (the exact circumstances of this state are unrevealed) who was based on the Puppeteer. In "Switched", he sucks all of the Teen Titans' souls into puppets, except for Starfire and Raven, whose minds got switched instead. Puppet King intends to enact a 'ceremony' that will turn the Titans' bodies over to him permanently. Eventually, however, Raven and Starfire put aside their differences and work together to stop him. The spell trapping Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin inside the puppets is broken (as is the one that switched the girls' minds) and each Titans' mind returns to its proper body. At the same time, the Puppet King's soul leaves him and he is revealed to be only a marionette, now lifeless. The Titans now keep him, along with his dolls of them, Control Freak's remote, and other artifacts, in their storage room (seen in "Fear Itself"). For some unknown reason, the Puppet King is reanimated because he was seen as one of the recruits for the Brotherhood of Evil. He was seen with Control Freak defeating Killowat.

The Puppet King is played by Tracey Walter.

Appears In
*"Switched"
*"Homecoming Part 2" (cameo)
*"Calling All Titans"
*"Titans Together"

In "Justice League Unlimited", The Puppeteer appears as one of the latest recruits of the Secret Society.