Doctor Alchemy

Superherobox

no

caption=
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Doctor Alchemy
real_name=Albert Desmond
Alvin Desmond
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Showcase #13 (April 1958) (as Element)
Showcase" #14 (June 1958)(as Alchemy)
creators=John Broome
Carmine Infantino
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Flash's Rogues Gallery Injustice League Underground Society Crime Champions
aliases=Mister Element I
powers=Philosopher's Stone; Telekinesis with Philosopher's Stone|

Doctor Alchemy is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and a rogue to the Flash (Barry Allen). He first appeared in "Showcase #13" (April 1958).

Fictional character biography

Albert Desmond suffered from multiple personality disorder where, like Two-Face, one side was a harmless citizen, the other personality was a dark criminal. Utilizing his knowledge of chemistry, Desmond began his criminal debut under the guise of Mr. Element. After being sent to jail by Flash, Desmond somehow found the Philosopher's Stone, which has the ability to transmute one element to another. After using the Stone to escape, Desmond restarted his criminal career under the new moniker of Doctor Alchemy and clashed with Flash many times, but was defeated every time.

Eventually, Desmond's good personality resurfaced and he quit crime and hid the Stone. However, a new Doctor Alchemy appeared, who turned out to be Alvin Desmond, Albert's identical twin whom he shares a psychic link with. It was later revealed that the "twin" was a construct of Albert's evil by the Stone itself. The construct was eliminated, though Albert became Doctor Alchemy again and joined the rogues. It was revealed that he had many lairs spread through the US, in a Gotham Central story arc a police officer was turned into beast after finding one of these labs. He was transferred to Gotham City to assist in his transformation, but this was plot to escape. He was swiftly beaten to pulp by Renee Montoya and sent back to Iron Heights where he was promptly broken out by the other rogues.

Desmond recently resurfaced, having gained the ability to transfer his essence into other people and possess them via the stone. In this way he tried to use Power Girl in a plot to kill Superman. Wonder Woman stopped him by throwing the Philosopher's Stone into the sun, only to find out later that Alchemy's essence was trapped inside. However, Superman pointed out that the stone has been destroyed many times in the past, and seems to always restore itself.

Powers and abilities

Doctor Alchemy possesses the famed Philosopher's Stone. The stone allows him to transmute any element into any other element. He can control the Philosopher’s Stone from a distance with telekinesis.

Other versions

Other characters have also utilized Desmond's gimmick. A S.T.A.R. Labs scientist named Dr. Curtis Engstrom briefly used the Philosopher's Stone as The Alchemist during the period Desmond was cured. More recently, Alexander Petrov, a Central City police scientist, became the new Mr. Element. Although he used Desmond's original element-gun, and a variant of the costume, he attempted to confuse things by using the gun to freeze things, thereby implicating Captain Cold. He was killed by the real Captain Cold.

In other media

Doctor Alchemy and Mr. Element have appeared in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode "Flash and Substance" as TWO background characters at the bar where Flash's enemies hang out.

External links

* [http://www.monitorduty.com/mdarchives/2005/12/alan_kistlers_p_3.shtml Alan Kistler's Profile On: THE FLASH] - A detailed analysis of the history of the Flash by comic book historian Alan Kistler. Covers information all the way from Jay Garrick to Barry Allen to today, as well as discussions on the various villains and Rogues who fought the Flash. Various art scans.