(Ray, Cray, & Ryan) :
140-435: (Pratt) : The Atom is a name shared by five superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt , was created by writer Bill O'Connor and artist Ben Flinton and first appeared in All-American Publications ' All-American Comics #19 (October 1940). The second Atom was the Silver Age Atom, Ray Palmer , who first appeared in 1961. The third Atom, Adam Cray,
280-473: A Hispanic American college student from Ivy Town. She is revealed to be working as a reluctant spy for Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor , gathering intel on the new Justice League recruits. She is noted to be "the most important member of the Justice League of America" by Steve Trevor. At the conclusion of the " Trinity War " storyline, she is revealed to in fact be betraying both teams; she hails from
420-595: A successful franchise which pioneered the Kyodai Hero subgenre where the superheroes would be as big as giant monsters ( kaiju ) that they fought. The kaiju monster Godzilla , originally a villain, began being portrayed as a radioactive superhero in the Godzilla films , starting with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). By the 1970s, Godzilla came to be viewed as a superhero, with
560-507: A supervillain , he is also sometimes depicted as an antihero as a member of the Suicide Squad where he fights more dangerous villains and threats, his need to protect those he regards as family, and his occasional efforts to hold himself accountable to a personal code of ethics. The character has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, including television series, feature films and video games. Deadshot
700-705: A book entitled Business Zero to Superhero . In 2014, he received a cease and desist from DC and Marvel who claimed that his use of the term superhero would cause confusion and dilute their brands. He was offered a few thousand dollars in settlement to change the name of his book, but he did not concede. A few days prior to the scheduled hearing at the Intellectual Property Office in London, the companies backed down. A similar scenario occurred when comic book creator Ray Felix attempted to register his comic book series A World Without Superheroes with
840-634: A charity ball, Floyd witnesses Gotham City's hero Batman apprehend a group of thieves. Seeing Batman as a rival, Floyd decides to reduce the hero's influence on Gotham before fully embarking on a criminal career. Donning a tuxedo, top hat, gun belt, and domino mask, Lawton operates publicly in Gotham City as a vigilante called Deadshot and uses his marksmanship abilities to disarm criminals without killing them. Batman becomes suspicious of Deadshot and eventually learns his true motives and identity. Later, Deadshot reveals himself and attempts to kill Batman but
980-693: A decorated officer in the United States Air Force who would become a costumed superheroine herself years later. In 1975 Shotaro Ishinomori 's Himitsu Sentai Gorenger debuted on what is now TV Asahi, it brought the concepts of multi-colored teams and supporting vehicles that debuted in Gatchaman into live-action, and began the Super Sentai franchise (later adapted into the American Power Rangers series in
1120-480: A dramatic battle (it is also suggested this is why he initially decorates his second costume with a target on his chest). During his time with the team, Deadshot frequently clashes with teammate Captain Boomerang and field leader Rick Flag (for whom Floyd develops a grudging respect). Soon after Deadshot joins the Suicide Squad, Batman learns of the team's existence and confronts them, threatening to expose that
1260-558: A forgotten enemy of Batman's while others such as the Penguin and Riddler gain greater renown. At his first opportunity, he escapes imprisonment and decides to prove himself in combat against Batman with new, wrist-mounted guns, customized body armor, and a mask that helps his already impressive aim. Despite his efforts, Deadshot is once again defeated by Gotham City's hero. After escaping authorities again, Deadshot once again becomes an assassin for hire rather than focusing on revenge against
1400-656: A killer who never misses. At some point, Floyd Lawton marries a woman named Susan and they have a child together, a boy named Edward after Floyd's deceased brother. Floyd later divorces Susan and removes himself from her and Edward's life. He later claims he did this because Susan saw him not as who he is but who she thought he could be, and that his presence endangered the lives of happiness of her and Edward. Eventually, Floyd takes residence in Gotham City and hires an assistant and trusted valet named Steven. He decides to become an influential figure and crime lord, similar to how his parents operated in his home town. While attending
1540-537: A larger one. Another important event was the debut of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai, creating the Super Robot genre. Go Nagai also wrote the manga Cutey Honey in 1973; although the Magical Girl genre already existed, Nagai's manga introduced Transformation sequences that would become a staple of Magical Girl media. The 1970s would see more anti-heroes introduced into Superhero fiction such examples included
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#17327904660241680-449: A letter column of the pulp magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories , the word superhero was used to define the title character of the comic strip Zarnak , by Max Plaisted. In the 1930s, the trends converged in some of the earliest superpowered costumed heroes, such as Japan's Ōgon Bat (1931) and Prince of Gamma (early 1930s), who first appeared in kamishibai (a kind of hybrid media combining pictures with live storytelling), Mandrake
1820-483: A letter from Michelle Torres , a woman who claims Floyd Lawton is the father of her daughter Zoe Torres . Deadshot visits Michelle Torres in the Triangle, a neighborhood of Star City . Realizing Zoe is indeed his daughter, he recognizes Michelle as a sex worker he spent time with years before. Haunted by the memory of abandoning his son Eddie and later finding him dead, Floyd decides to take up temporary residence in
1960-690: A major player in Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again as part of Batman's resistance. He was taken prisoner by Lex Luthor and made to live in one of his own petri dishes for a period of months until his rescue by Catgirl . in Dark Knight III , He was then instrumental in the liberation of Kandor until killed by their leader, Baal. In the Tangent Comics imprint, the Atom is " Arthur Harrison Thompson ",
2100-590: A member of the Black Lantern Corps alongside several other fallen Suicide Squad members. Following his reanimation, Adam and the other Black Lanterns travel to Belle Reve and attack Bane and Black Alice . Adam is apparently destroyed by the Manhunter 's self-destruct mechanism, unleashing an explosion of Green Lantern energy that eradicates the Black Lanterns. In DC Rebirth , Adam Cray
2240-523: A multimedia franchise that used footage from Super Sentai . Internationally, the Japanese comic book character , Sailor Moon , is recognized as one of the most important and popular female superheroes ever created. The first use of the word "super hero" dates back to 1917. At the time, the word was merely used to describe a "public figure of great accomplishments." However, in 1967, Ben Cooper, Inc., an American Halloween costume manufacturer, became
2380-403: A planned visit with his daughter, his first since his arrest, is withheld from him. Deadshot ultimately sacrifices his life to kill the evil cult member Regulas. Deadshot is later resurrected, possibly through genetic material taken from Resurrection Man during an earlier mission. During the 2013–2014 " Forever Evil " story line, the Justice League teams are seemingly killed. To ensure Earth
2520-423: A profound effect on Japanese television . 1958 saw the debut of superhero Moonlight Mask on Japanese television. It was the first of numerous televised superhero dramas that would make up the tokusatsu superhero genre. Created by Kōhan Kawauchi , he followed up its success with the tokusatsu superhero shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both starring a young Sonny Chiba . It
2660-505: A promiscuous manner. Through the overdeveloped bodies of the heroes or the seductive mannerisms of the villains, women in comic books are used as subordinates to their male counterparts, regardless of their strength or power. Wonder Woman has been subject to a long history of suppression as a result of her strength and power, including American culture's undoing of the Lynda Carter television series. In 2017's Wonder Woman , she had
2800-577: A publishing agreement with DC Comics that allowed them to introduce a line of comics that included characters of many ethnic minorities. Milestone's initial run lasted four years, during which it introduced Static , a character adapted into the WB Network animated series Static Shock . In addition to the creation of new minority heroes, publishers have filled the identities and roles of once-Caucasian heroes with new characters from minority backgrounds. The African-American John Stewart appeared in
2940-757: A secondary character of the Green Hornet media franchise series since its inception in the 1930s. ). Kitty Pryde , a member of the X-Men, was an openly Jewish superhero in mainstream American comic books as early as 1978. Comic-book companies were in the early stages of cultural expansion and many of these characters played to specific stereotypes ; Cage and many of his contemporaries often employed lingo similar to that of blaxploitation films, Native Americans were often associated with shamanism and wild animals , and Asian Americans were often portrayed as kung fu martial artists . Subsequent minority heroes, such as
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#17327904660243080-406: A single source." DC and Marvel have continued to expand their commercialization of the "superhero" mark to categories beyond comic books. Now, the two publishers jointly own numerous trademarks for figurines (see Spider-Man, Batman), movies, TV shows, magazines, merchandise, cardboard stand-up figures, playing cards , erasers , pencils , notebooks , cartoons , and many more. For instance,
3220-513: A skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil; she debuted in Fiction House 's Jungle Comic #2 (Feb. 1940), credited to the pseudonymous "Barclay Flagg". The Invisible Scarlet O'Neil , a non-costumed character who fought crime and wartime saboteurs using the superpower of invisibility created by Russell Stamm, would debut in the eponymous syndicated newspaper comic strip a few months later on June 3, 1940. In 1940, Maximo
3360-678: A subject of radiation testing on human beings. The first hero in the Tangent timeline, he inadvertently caused the Cuban Missile Crisis to escalate into a limited nuclear exchange that obliterated Florida and Cuba in 1962, unknown to his fellow Americans. Thompson was succeeded by his son, who was killed by the Tangent Comics version of the Fatal Five , and a grandson named Adam, who, in Tangent: Superman's Reign ,
3500-406: A suit not unlike the swimsuits in the T.V. show Baywatch . The sexualization of women in comic books can be explained mainly by the fact that the majority of writers are male. Not only are the writers mostly male, but the audience is mostly male as well. Therefore, writers are designing characters to appeal to a mostly male audience. The super hero characters illustrate a sociological idea called
3640-514: A thief and killer. One night after killing two cops, they are cornered on the roof of S.T.A.R. Labs during a storm. Lightning hits a satellite, electrocuting Johnny and granting him speed powers. Rhonda falls inside the building and lands near Ray Palmer's Atomico work, gaining size- and density-changing powers. During the final battle with the Crime Syndicate, Atomica reduces her size and is killed when Lex Luthor steps on her. Following
3780-635: A tuxedo, top hat, and simple domino mask. The character was not seen again until twenty-nine years later when writer Steve Englehart along with artists Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin retooled him in Detective Comics (vol.1) #474 (1979), now presenting him with customized wrist-mounted guns and a unique mask featuring a multi-use lens over his right eye. Since then, he has been a recurring character in Batman comics. Since 1986, Deadshot has also been frequently portrayed in comics books featuring
3920-774: Is Nick Fury , who is reinterpreted as African-American both in the Ultimate Marvel as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuities. Deadshot Deadshot ( Floyd Lawton ) is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Created by David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz , based on a concept from Batman co-creator Bob Kane , the character made his first appearance in Batman #59 (June 1950). The introduction story features Deadshot using standard firearms while wearing
4060-512: Is "a figure, especially in a comic strip or cartoon , endowed with superhuman powers and usually portrayed as fighting evil or crime", and the Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person." Terms such as masked crime fighters, costumed adventurers or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer to characters such as
4200-442: Is a fictional character who typically possesses superpowers or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero ; typically using their powers to help the world become a better place , or dedicating themselves to protecting the public and fighting crime . Superhero fiction is the genre of fiction that is centered on such characters, especially, since
4340-421: Is a motorcycle-riding hero in an insect-like costume, who shouts Henshin (Metamorphosis) to don his costume and gain superhuman powers. The ideas of second-wave feminism , which spread through the 1960s into the 1970s, greatly influenced the way comic book companies would depict as well as market their female characters: Wonder Woman was for a time revamped as a mod-dressing martial artist directly inspired by
Atom (character) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4480-544: Is a website satirizing the sexualized portrayal of women in comics by recreating the same poses using male superheroes, especially Marvel's Hawkeye . In 1966, Marvel introduced the Black Panther , an African monarch who became the first non- caricatured black superhero. The first African-American superhero, the Falcon , followed in 1969, and three years later, Luke Cage , a self-styled "hero-for-hire" , became
4620-466: Is allegedly bilingual , and learned to speak Russian as a youth. Deadshot has proven to be a formidable hand-to-hand combatant when needed due to his excellent physical condition and training as an assassin. He has gone toe-to-toe against Batman on several occasions and has also fought Deathstroke to a standstill. He is adept in Karate , Jiu-Jitsu , Judo , Boxing , Krav Maga and Muay Thai . He
4760-532: Is arguable that the Marvel Comics teams of the early 1960s brought the biggest assortment of superheroes ever at one time into permanent publication, the likes of Spider-Man (1962), The Hulk , Iron Man , Daredevil , Nick Fury , The Mighty Thor , The Avengers (featuring a rebooted Captain America , Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man , Quicksilver ), and many others were given their own monthly titles. Typically
4900-719: Is being held captive by Superman. It is suggested in the Tangent series that the Atom's name was at least in part chosen because of the abbreviation of his full name "Arthur Harrison Thompson" on his barracks door to simply "A. Thom." Also in the Tangent series, the Atom's presence as America's first superhero during the 1960s has led to a huge cultural impact, and in this world many significant points in pop culture have been effected by his presence; for instance The Beatles choose to be called "The Atomiks", further more TV shows such as The Beverly Hillbillies became The Superman Hillbillies , The Dick Van Dyke Show became The Dick Van Hero Show and Get Smart became Get Powers . In
5040-402: Is further explained by therapist Dr. Marnie Herrs. As a child, Floyd Lawton and his older brother Edward "Eddie" Robert Lawton are raised in a wealthy family that has great influence over their community. Their father George Lawton owns interests in much of the local real estate and hold sway over the local police, while their mother Genevieve Pitt Lawton, a prize-winning sharp shooter, controls
5180-429: Is hired to retrieve Tarantula from Alcatraz Island , and find a card which she stole from Junior, a mysterious villain who supposedly runs the entire West Coast mob. Junior has practically the entire villain community at her beck and call, as many fear her methods and formidability. The Six later learn that the card in question was made by the demon lord Neron and serves a special function: "Get Out Of Hell Free." Soon,
5320-406: Is impaled through the chest with a screw by Blacksnake, a Micro Squad member who believes him to be Palmer. After the unanticipated murder of Cray, Palmer reveals himself and defeats Cray's murderer. The ruse ended, Palmer explains himself to the Justice League, who had been searching for him after hearing rumors of a new Atom. During the events of Blackest Night , Adam's corpse is reanimated as
5460-476: Is protected, Amanda Waller pays Deadshot to reunite the Suicide Squad. Deadshot's first visit is to Harley Quinn. Following the events of DC Rebirth in 2016, Deadshot's pre-New 52 history is restored. When a character mentions having heard that Deadshot grew up in poverty, Lawton now remarks that this was a lie he told. In the story "The War of Jokes and Riddles," it is retroactively revealed that soon after his first defeat at Batman's hands, Deadshot sided with
5600-399: Is shocked when each of his shots miss. Batman taunts that Deadshot has no nerve to properly face and kill an opponent. In truth, Batman had gotten to Deadshot's weapons ahead of time and altered their sights to throw off his aim, hoping to shake the villain psychologically. Publicly exposed, Deadshot is taken to trial and imprisoned. After some time, he becomes resentful that he is considered
5740-480: Is the son of Senator Cray and Ryan Choi's roommate at Ivy University. Senator Cray also attended Ivy and expected Adam to attend Ivy as well. He first meets Ryan when he walks into their dorm with heavy luggage and kindly introduces himself. Adam teaches Ryan how to play rugby and video games. Ryan Choi , as described by DC solicitations, is "a young hotshot professor who's filling the extra spot on Ivy University's teaching staff. .. and who inadvertently ends up filling
Atom (character) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5880-506: Is uncommon, the USPTO will grant joint ownership in a mark. For example, in the case Arrow Trading Co., Inc. v. Victorinox A.G. and Wegner S.A. , Opposition No. 103315 (TTAB June 27, 2003), the TTAB held that when "two entities have a long-standing relationship and rely on each other for quality control, it may be found, in appropriate circumstances, that the parties, as joint owners, do represent
6020-668: The Black Canary , introduced in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947) as a supporting character. The most iconic comic book superheroine, who debuted during the Golden Age, is Wonder Woman . Modeled from the myth of the Amazons of Greek mythology , she was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston , with help and inspiration from his wife Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne. Wonder Woman's first appearance
6160-535: The Emma Peel character from the British television series The Avengers (no relation to the superhero team of the same name), but later reverted to Marston's original concept after the editors of Ms. magazine publicly disapproved of the character being depowered and without her traditional costume; Supergirl was moved from being a secondary feature on Action Comics to headline Adventure Comics in 1969;
6300-668: The Justice League , the Suicide Squad , and the Justice Legion Alpha . The original Atom, Al Pratt , first appeared in All-American Comics #19 (October 1940). He initially had no superpowers; instead, he was a diminutive college student and later a physicist who was depicted as a tough guy, a symbol of all the short kids who could still make a difference. Pratt was a founding member of
6440-632: The Justice Society of America , later gaining limited super-strength, and an energy charged 'atomic punch'. He died in the charge against Extant during the Zero Hour . The Atom introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase #34 (1961) is physicist and university professor Raymond Palmer, Ph.D. (He was named for real-life science fiction writer Raymond A. Palmer , who
6580-527: The Lady Liberators appeared in an issue of The Avengers as a group of mind-controlled superheroines led by Valkyrie (actually a disguised supervillainess ) and were meant to be a caricatured parody of feminist activists; and Jean Grey became the embodiment of a cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force with seemingly unlimited power in the late 1970s, a stark contrast from her depiction as
6720-526: The Mad Hatter , simply so they would be killed. Tarantula sacrifices herself and Junior, seemingly destroying the card as well in the process. It is later revealed that Scandal is now in possession of the card. While on a mission to Gotham City to kill several of Batman's allies, the Six are ambushed by a group of superheroes who have come to assist Batman. Deadshot is rendered unconscious by Green Lantern and
6860-655: The New York Times and The Colbert Report , and embraced by anti- Islamophobia campaigners in San Francisco who plastered over anti-Muslim bus adverts with Kamala stickers. Other such successor-heroes of color include James "Rhodey" Rhodes as Iron Man and to a lesser extent Riri "Ironheart" Williams , Ryan Choi as the Atom , Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle and Amadeus Cho as Hulk . Certain established characters have had their ethnicity changed when adapted to another continuity or media. A notable example
7000-486: The Suicide Squad . Deadshot is an expert in firearms and an excellent sniper who regularly boasts of never missing a shot. He is often considered one of the deadliest assassins in the DC Universe . Lawton is eventually brought to justice by the superhero Batman , who becomes Lawton's most recurring enemy over the years (though he also occasionally comes into conflict with other heroes). While typically portrayed as
7140-671: The X-Men 's Storm and the Teen Titans ' Cyborg avoided such conventions; they were both part of ensemble teams, which became increasingly diverse in subsequent years. The X-Men, in particular, were revived in 1975 with a line-up of characters drawn from several nations, including the Kenyan Storm, German Nightcrawler , Soviet / Russian Colossus , Irish Banshee , and Japanese Sunfire . In 1993, Milestone Comics , an African-American-owned media/publishing company entered into
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#17327904660247280-399: The " male gaze " which is media created from the viewpoint of a normative heterosexual male. The female characters in comic books are used to satisfy male desire for the "ideal" woman (small waist, large breasts, toned, athletic body). These characters have god-like power, but the most easily identifiable feature is their hyper sexualized bodies: they are designed to be sexually pleasing to
7420-831: The 1930s, in American comic books (and later in Hollywood films , film serials, television and video games ), as well as in Japanese media (including kamishibai , tokusatsu , manga , anime and video games). Superheroes come from a wide array of different backgrounds and origins. Some superheroes (such as Spider-Man and Superman ) possess non-human or superhuman biology or use and practice magic to achieve their abilities (such as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel ) while others (for example, Iron Man and Batman ) derive their status from advanced technology they create and use. The Dictionary.com definition of "superhero"
7560-568: The 1970s as an alternate for Earth's Green Lantern Hal Jordan , and would become a regular member of the Green Lantern Corps from the 1980s onward. The creators of the 2000s-era Justice League animated series selected Stewart as the show's Green Lantern. In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Miles Morales , a youth of Puerto Rican and African-American ancestry who was also bitten by a genetically-altered spider, debuted as
7700-458: The 1980s, superhero fiction centered on cultural, ethnic, national, racial and language minority groups (from the perspective of US demographics ) began to be produced. This began with depiction of black superheroes in the 1960s, followed in the 1970s with a number of other ethnic-minority superheroes. In keeping with the political mood of the time, cultural diversity and inclusivism would be an important part of superhero groups starting from
7840-409: The 1980s. In the 1990s, this was further augmented by the first depictions of superheroes as homosexual. In 2017, Sign Gene emerged, the first group of deaf superheroes with superpowers through the use of sign language . Female super heroes—and villains—have been around since the early years of comic books dating back to the 1940s. The representation of women in comic books has been questioned in
7980-561: The 1990s). In 1978, Toei adapted Spider-Man into a live-action Japanese television series . In this continuity, Spider-Man had a vehicle called Marveller that could transform into a giant and powerful robot called Leopardon, this idea would be carried over to Toei's Battle Fever J (also co-produced with Marvel) and now multi-colored teams not only had support vehicles but giant robots to fight giant monsters with. In subsequent decades, popular characters like Dazzler , She-Hulk , Elektra , Catwoman , Witchblade , Spider-Girl , Batgirl and
8120-604: The Amazing Superman debut in Big Little Book series , by Russell R. Winterbotham (text), Henry E. Vallely and Erwin L. Hess (art). Captain America also appeared for the first time in print in December 1940, a year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government, when America was still in isolationism . Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the superhero was the physical embodiment of
8260-856: The American spirit during World War II. One superpowered character was portrayed as an antiheroine , a rarity for its time: the Black Widow , a costumed emissary of Satan who killed evildoers in order to send them to Hell —debuted in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), from Timely Comics , the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics . Most of the other female costumed crime fighters during this era lacked superpowers. Notable characters include The Woman in Red , introduced in Standard Comics ' Thrilling Comics #2 (March 1940); Lady Luck , debuting in
8400-478: The Avengers) with her brother, Quicksilver. In 1963, Astro Boy was adapted into a highly influential anime television series. Phantom Agents in 1964 focused on ninjas working for the Japanese government and would be the foundation for Sentai -type series. 1966 saw the debut of the sci-fi/horror series Ultra Q created by Eiji Tsuburaya this would eventually lead to the sequel Ultraman , spawning
8540-639: The Birds of Prey became stars of long-running eponymous titles. Female characters began assuming leadership roles in many ensemble superhero teams; the Uncanny X-Men series and its related spin-off titles in particular have included many female characters in pivotal roles since the 1970s. Volume 4 of the X-Men comic book series featured an all-female team as part of the Marvel NOW! branding initiative in 2013. Superpowered female characters like Buffy
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#17327904660248680-548: The Dark Knight. Government operative Amanda Waller gets permission to revive Task Force X, a special operations group that in the past was also known as the Suicide Squad. Under Waller's leadership, Task Force X is no longer a group of government and military operatives but now is primarily made up of incarcerated super-villains who are considered expendable if lost on dangerous missions and are promised reduced prison time in exchange for their services. After being defeated by
8820-532: The Flash, Floyd Lawton is imprisoned again and transferred to Belle Reve, a prison in Louisiana that also serves as the secret hub for the new Suicide Squad. There, Deadshot is recruited by Amanda Waller. It is later said Deadshot is selected not only due to his skills but also because mandated therapy sessions have revealed he sometimes is prone to a "death-wish", internally hoping a proper enemy will end his life in
8960-738: The Joker in a gang war against the Riddler and other criminals. During this time, he sustained head trauma and was hospitalized after a battle with Batman. Deadshot returns to service with the Suicide Squad. After several more missions, he is seemingly killed by Black Mask . Deadshot has no superhuman powers but is the top marksman in the DC Universe. He possesses superhuman-like accuracy, and regularly boasts that he "never misses" his target. Deadshot once shot an apple off of Captain Boomerang 's head with his eyes closed. He also intentionally grazed
9100-496: The Lawton's own on the outskirts of town. After high school, Floyd Lawton leaves his family home to travel. Despite his later claims that he felt nothing on seeing his brother die, he often shows anger when recalling the incident and Eddie's death inspires him to swear that in the future when he fires a gun, he will "never miss." The next several years of Floyd Lawton's life before his arrival in Gotham City are not fully explained in
9240-529: The Magician (1934), Olga Mesmer (1937) and then Superman (1938) and Captain Marvel (1939) at the beginning of the Golden Age of Comic Books , whose span, though disputed, is generally agreed to have started with Superman's launch. Superman has remained one of the most recognizable superheroes, and his success spawned a new archetype of characters with secret identities and superhuman powers. At
9380-526: The Pitt banking businesses. The Lawton parents are seen as a power couple in their society circles, but in private they grow to hate each other. By various accounts, Floyd is repeatedly judged by his parents for not matching the achievements of his brother in academics and sports, leading the younger Lawton child to act out in various ways. When Eddie is in his mid-teens and Floyd is around 12 years old, Genevieve tells her sons about her husband's infidelities and
9520-471: The Ray Palmer of Earth-30 , an American captured by the Superman of a communist Russia . Countdown: Arena also depicts the Ray Palmer of Earth-6 , who through unknown circumstances now has the powers and title of the Ray . The Search For Ray Palmer: Superwoman/Batwoman briefly features a female version of The Atom. On the newly introduced Earth-52, Atomarsupial is one of the metasimian Primate Legion Superhero A superhero or superheroine
9660-607: The Secret Six disbands, Deadshot is said to have returned to Amanda Waller's new Suicide Squad. While part of the Suicide Squad, Deadshot is sent against the villains Pied Piper and Trickster and then seemingly kills Trickster. These events occur during the year-long series Countdown . Like many events depicted in that series, Trickster's death is later contradicted by other stories. Amanda Waller decides to exile all criminals with superhuman abilities to another planet, without trial. The Suicide Squad works on rounding up as many villains as possible, sending them to another planet via
9800-404: The Six are attacked by a small army of super-villains, all wanting to recover the card and collect the reward of $ 20 million for each of the Six. It is later revealed that Junior is in fact Rag Doll's sister, as well as the daughter of the first Rag Doll. The Six escape and head for Gotham City , only to be attacked by Junior and the Super villains. It is revealed that they were initially hired by
9940-461: The Spirit , who may not be explicitly referred to as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits. Some superheroes use their powers to help fight daily crime while also combating threats against humanity from supervillains , who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superhero's archenemy or nemesis . Some popular supervillains become recurring characters in their own right. Antecedents of
10080-547: The Suicide Squad operations are temporarily halted and Deadshot returns to his own life and agenda. At one point, he becomes a host body for the demon lord Neron and nearly kills a kindergarten class. To Lawton's relief, he is stopped and then relieved of his demonic possession by the Justice League . Later on, Deadshot accepts a contract to kill the Pope, but is thwarted by Wonder Woman . After both of his parents die, Deadshot inherits some of their documents and belongings. He find
10220-461: The Suicide Squad. Lawton's uniform is stolen by a man who then uses the Deadshot name and equipment to commit crimes and murders. After Lawton kills the impostor while the man is still dressed in the Deadshot uniform and mask. Later, Floyd is haunted by the experience of having shot down his own "image" and for some time does not fix the fatal bullet hole that now occupies his uniform. Eventually,
10360-758: The Sunday- newspaper comic-book insert The Spirit Section June 2, 1940; the comedic character Red Tornado , debuting in All-American Comics #20 (Nov 1940); Miss Fury , debuting in the eponymous comic strip by female cartoonist Tarpé Mills on April 6, 1941; the Phantom Lady , introduced in Quality Comics Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941); the Black Cat , introduced in Harvey Comics ' Pocket Comics #1 (also Aug. 1941); and
10500-415: The Triangle and look after Zoe and Michelle. He learns more about Michelle as a person, such as that she is proud of her Cuban and Italian heritage, and he comes to understand the different criminal gangs and slum lords that threaten the Triangle. Announcing his presence, Deadshot begins systematically fighting the corruption in the Triangle, hoping to make it a safer place for Zoe and Michelle. This results in
10640-567: The US government is employing super-villains for covert and possibly illegal missions. Amanda Waller counters that public exposure of Task Force X will force her to reveal Batman's true identity. Before Batman leaves, Deadshot threatens him but the Dark Knight remarks that Lawton always "pulls" his shots when they are in battle with each other. Therapist Dr. Marnie Herrs later agrees with this conclusion, remarking that Deadshot sometimes sabotages his own efforts as if inviting his opponents to take advantage of
10780-408: The USPTO. Felix is one of many who argue that the term "superhero" has become generic (see discussion below). Felix's mark is currently abandoned, but he has stated that he intends to fight against DC and Marvel for use of the term. In 2024, Superbabies Limited managed to obtain a default judgement and cancel the "super heroes" trademarks as genericized, except for the animation pictures mark. This
10920-540: The Vampire Slayer and Darna have a tremendous influence on popular culture in their respective countries of origin. With more and more anime , manga and tokusatsu being translated or adapted, Western audiences were beginning to experience the Japanese styles of superhero fiction more than they were able to before. Saban 's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , an adaptation of Zyuranger , created
11060-471: The West as Astro Boy , was published. The series focused upon a robot boy built by a scientist to replace his deceased son. Being built from an incomplete robot originally intended for military purposes, Astro Boy possessed amazing powers such as flight through thrusters in his feet and the incredible mechanical strength of his limbs. The 1950s saw the Silver Age of Comics . During this era DC introduced
11200-540: The alternate universe of Earth-3 , where she is a member of the Crime Syndicate operating under the name Atomica. She also reveals that by placing a sliver of Green Kryptonite in Superman's optic nerve, she caused him to accidentally kill Doctor Light , with the added effect of severely weakening and almost killing Superman over time. Atomica originally worked on Earth-3 with Jonathan Allen / Johnny Quick as
11340-512: The archetype include mythological characters such as Gilgamesh , Hanuman , Perseus , Odysseus , David , and demigods like Heracles , all of whom were blessed with extraordinary abilities, which later inspired the superpowers that became a fundamental aspect of modern-day superheroes. The distinct clothing and costumes of individuals from English folklore , like Robin Hood and Spring-Heeled Jack , also became inspirations. The dark costume of
11480-482: The archetypical hero stock character in 1930s American comics, superheroes are predominantly depicted as White American middle- or upper-class young adult males and females who are typically tall, athletic, educated, physically attractive and in perfect health. Beginning in the 1960s with the civil rights movement in the United States, and increasingly with the rising concern over political correctness in
11620-492: The area and convincing Green Arrow to patrol it more regularly. During the 2005–2006 Infinite Crisis storyline, Deadshot briefly operates with a short-lived incarnation of the Secret Six , joining other villains who are recruited by the mysterious Mockingbird (a temporary alias used by Lex Luthor ). For accepting membership, Deadshot is offered the reward of ruling North America ; if he declines, his punishment will be
11760-574: The attention of the Cabal as the new Atom so that no one would notice Palmer assuming the identity of a fallen Micro Squad member. Adam Cray remained with the Suicide Squad briefly, serving as a secret weapon whose existence was unknown to others of the Squad. Cray saves Amanda Waller from a group of assassins. At one point, Cray approaches Deadshot about his role in Senator Cray's murder. Later, Cray
11900-690: The boy struggled against an assault, which resulted in Wes becoming enraged and killing him. Deadshot takes revenge by delivering several non-lethal gunshots to Wes before finally killing him. Having learned that Eddie's kidnapping was part of a complicated plot by Genevieve Lawton to inspire Floyd to finally kill his father, Deadshot returns to his home town. Confronting his mother in her home, Deadshot first intends to kill her but then reconsiders when his therapist Marnie Herrs points out that Genevieve also has her own desire for death and hopes to be killed as she does not wish to harm herself. Rather than possibly give her
12040-413: The comic-strip characters Patoruzú (1928) and Popeye (1929) and novelist Philip Wylie 's character Hugo Danner (1930). Another early example was Sarutobi Sasuke , a Japanese superhero ninja from children's novels in the 1910s; by 1914, he had a number of superhuman powers and abilities. The French character L'Oiselle , created in 1909, can be classed as a superheroine. In August 1937, in
12180-623: The comics, though it is eventually revealed that as a young man he did meet David Cain, a highly skilled assassin who years earlier had been one of the teachers of Batman during the hero's many years of preparation for crime-fighting. As a member of the League of Assassins , who sometimes take private contracts but are also available as operatives of the terrorist Ra's al Ghul , David Cain is an expert in marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat techniques, martial arts, and military tactics, and he trains Floyd Lawton in all these areas. Floyd later remarks that Cain
12320-534: The companies filed a trademark application as joint owners for the mark "SUPER HEROES" for a series of animated motion pictures in 2009 (Reg. No. 5613972). Both DC and Marvel also individually owned trademarks involving the "super hero" mark. Notably, DC owns the mark " Legion of Super-Heroes " for comic magazines and Marvel owns the mark "Marvel Super Hero Island" for story books, fiction books, and children’s activity books. DC and Marvel have become known for aggressively protecting their registered marks. In 2019,
12460-552: The companies pursued a British law student named Graham Jules who was attempting to publish a self-help book titled Business Zero to Superhero . Much academic debate exists about whether the "super hero" mark has become generic and whether DC and Marvel have created a duopoly over the "super hero" mark. Conversely, DC and Marvel hold that they are merely exercising their right and duty to protect their registered marks. The following trademarks were or are registered jointly with MARVEL CHARACTERS, INC. and DC COMICS: As mentioned,
12600-521: The couple when they marry, and he offers Hoben his size-changing belt so that Hoben can protect Ivy Town after Ray returns to the Morlaidhans. Adam Cray would later steal this belt; Hoben never uses the costume or name of the Atom. Adam Cray , son of the murdered Senator Joseph Cray, first appeared as the Atom in the pages of Suicide Squad #44 by John Ostrander (August 1990). Cray was initially believed to be Ray Palmer in disguise by members of
12740-477: The debut of Shotaro Ishinomori 's Skull Man (the basis for his later Kamen Rider ) in 1970, Go Nagai's Devilman in 1972 and Gerry Conway and John Romita's Punisher in 1974. The dark Skull Man manga would later get a television adaptation and underwent drastic changes. The character was redesigned to resemble a grasshopper, becoming the renowned first masked hero of the Kamen Rider series. Kamen Rider
12880-553: The destruction of the Triangle in Star City, where Michelle and Zoe still live. At the conclusion of their main objective, Deadshot is rewarded with significant money that he then sends to Michelle. Despite no longer being employed by Lex Luthor, the Secret Six remain active for a time and Deadshot stays on as a member. He develops a grudging friendship with teammate Catman , another former enemy of Batman's. When this version of
13020-410: The dimensional space-bridge known as a boom tube (a product of New Gods technology). After helping the effort, Deadshot is betrayed and exile to the planet as well, as he is still a supervillain as far as Amanda Waller and Rick Flag are concerned. Eventually, the exiled villains escape back to Earth. Deadshot, along with Scandal Savage , Bane , Rag Doll and Catman reunite the Secret Six. The team
13160-401: The end of the decade, in 1939, Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger . During the 1940s there were many superheroes: The Flash , Green Lantern and Blue Beetle debuted in this era. This era saw the debut of one of the earliest female superheroes, writer-artist Fletcher Hanks 's character Fantomah , an ageless ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could transform into
13300-478: The final issue of 52 , a new Multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities. Among the parallel realities shown is one designated "Earth-2". As a result of Mister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-2, including the Atom among other Justice Society of America characters. The names of the characters and the team are not mentioned in
13440-515: The first black superhero to star in his own series . In 1989, the Monica Rambeau incarnation of Captain Marvel was the first female black superhero from a major publisher to get her own title in a special one-shot issue. In 1971, Red Wolf became the first Native American in the superheroic tradition to headline a series. In 1973, Shang-Chi became the first prominent Asian superhero to star in an American comic book ( Kato had been
13580-454: The first entity to commercialize the phrase "super hero" when it registered the mark in connection with Halloween costumes. In 1972, Mego Corporation , an American toy company, attempted to register the mark "World's Greatest Superheroes" in connection with its line of action figures. Mego Corporation’s attempted registration led Ben Cooper, Inc. to sue Mego Corporation for trademark infringement. Due to its financial struggles, Mego Corporation
13720-419: The house library to shoot their father, Floyd fires his rifle, hoping to disarm his brother. But the tree branch Floyd is on suddenly gives way and throws off his aim, causing him to shoot Eddie dead just as the elder brother shoots at their father. Eddie's aim is also thrown off, leading his bullet to strike and shatter George Lawton's spine rather than killing him. Refusing to have his family name tarnished by
13860-479: The hypothetical heteronormative male audience. Villains, such as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy , use their sexuality to take advantage of their male victims. In the film versions of these characters, their sexuality and seductive methods are highlighted. Poison Ivy uses seduction through poison to take over the minds of her victims as seen in the 1997 film Batman and Robin . Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad uses her sexuality to her advantage, acting in
14000-470: The idea of a masked avenger and the superhero trope of a secret identity . Over the next few decades, masked and costumed pulp fiction characters such as Jimmie Dale/The Grey Seal (1914), Zorro (1919), Buck Rogers (1928), The Shadow (1930), and Flash Gordon (1934), and comic strip heroes such as the Phantom (1936), began appearing, as did non-costumed characters with super strength , including
14140-561: The innate equivalent powers within his own body. After the events of Identity Crisis , Ray shrank himself to microscopic size and disappeared. Finding him became a major theme of the Countdown year-long series and crossover event. Prior to Ray Palmer's trip to the Amazon Jungle , he learns his wife Jean Loring has had an affair with her colleague, Paul Hoben. Palmer and Loring got a divorce. Later, Palmer offers his blessing to
14280-467: The latter, complete with a domino mask and a cape, became influential for the myriad of masked rogues in penny dreadfuls and dime novels . The vigilantes of the American Old West also became an influence to the superhero. Several vigilantes during this time period hid their identities using masks. In frontier communities where de jure law was not yet matured, people sometimes took
14420-606: The law into their own hands with makeshift masks made out of sacks . Vigilante mobs and gangs like the San Diego Vigilantes and the Bald Knobbers became infamous throughout that Old West era. Such masked vigilantism later inspired fictional masked crimefighters in American story-telling, beginning with the character Deadwood Dick in 1877. The word superhero dates back to 1899. The 1903 British play The Scarlet Pimpernel and its spinoffs popularized
14560-478: The likes of Batwoman in 1956, Supergirl , Miss Arrowette , and Bat-Girl ; all female derivatives of established male superheroes. In 1957 Japan, Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character Super Giant , signaling a shift in Japanese popular culture towards tokusatsu masked superheroes over kaiju giant monsters. Along with Astro Boy , the Super Giant serials had
14700-494: The local population advocating to protect Deadshot from vigilantes such as local hero Green Arrow , and also leads to a new romance between Michelle and Floyd. As supervillains with a grudge against Deadshot begin appearing in the Triangle, Lawton decides to put distance between himself and Michelle and Zoe. After setting up a school scholarship for Zoe, Deadshot kills several supervillains targeting him and then fakes his own death in an explosion. He decides to act more covertly for
14840-764: The magazine King of the Monsters in 1977 describing Godzilla as "Superhero of the '70s." In 1971, Kamen Rider launched the "Henshin Boom" on Japanese television in the early 1970s, greatly impacting the tokusatsu superhero genre in Japan. In 1972, the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman anime debuted, which built upon the superhero team idea of the live-action Phantom Agents as well as introducing different colors for team members and special vehicles to support them, said vehicles could also combine into
14980-402: The many abuses she suffers under him, then asks the boys to kill George. Floyd attempts to warn George, but Eddie locks his younger brother in the nearby boathouse and then locks the doors of the family home so no one can enter or intrude on the killing. Floyd escapes, grabs a hunting rifle, and climbs a nearby tree to get a better view through all the windows of the family home. Seeing Eddie enter
15120-470: The mark in connection with comic books, and were granted the mark by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1981. In the years leading up to the assignment of the mark, both DC and Marvel battled to register various trademarks involving the phrase “superhero.” However, DC and Marvel quickly discovered that they could only register marks involving the phrase "superhero" if
15260-499: The name the Atom and joining the Justice Legion Alpha when he helped them defeat the Bizarro-Legion. This Atom's powers differ from his predecessors in that he doesn't shrink but breaks up into several smaller duplicates of himself divided amongst his mass. At atomic size, these duplicates can mimic elements such as gold and oxygen. Each of the versions of Atom have their own enemies: Frank Miller portrayed Ray Palmer as
15400-432: The new Spider-Man after the apparent death of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker . Kamala Khan , a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager who is revealed to have Inhuman lineage after her shapeshifting powers manifested, takes on the identity of Ms. Marvel in 2014 after Carol Danvers had become Captain Marvel. Her self-titled comic book series became a cultural phenomenon, with extensive media coverage by CNN ,
15540-491: The old Atom's super-heroic shoes". This new Atom is based on a redesign by Grant Morrison . He debuted in the Brave New World one-shot, a preview of projects, and then appeared in the series The All-New Atom , written by Gail Simone . He is later murdered by Deathstroke and his Titans. In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, a new, female Atom is introduced, Rhonda Piñeda ,
15680-440: The outcome she desires, Deadshot chooses not to kill his mother and instead shoots her with a precision shot to the spine, causing her to be a paraplegic. Deadshot remarks that this is fitting since her efforts to kill George Lawton only resulted in his own paralysis, and now they are a "matched set." Later on, a US senator threatens to expose the Suicide Squad to the world. Task Force X field leader Rick Flag decides to assassinate
15820-623: The pages of several popular superhero titles from the late 1950s onward: Hal Jordan 's love interest Carol Ferris was introduced as the Vice-President of Ferris Aircraft and later took over the company from her father; Medusa , who was first introduced in the Fantastic Four series, is a member of the Inhuman Royal Family and a prominent statesperson within her people's quasi-feudal society; and Carol Danvers ,
15960-580: The panel in which they appear, but the Atom is visually similar to the Al Pratt Atom. Based on comments by Grant Morrison , this alternate universe is not the pre-Crisis Earth-2. In Countdown #30, the Challengers from Beyond encountered Earth-15, a world where the sidekicks had taken their mentor's places. On this Earth, the Atom is Jessica Palmer , a genius who graduated from MIT at age eight. The Search for Ray Palmer - Red Son features
16100-420: The past decade following the rise of comic book characters in the film industry (Marvel/DC movies). Women are presented differently than their male counterparts, typically wearing revealing clothing that showcases their curves and cleavage and showing a lot of skin in some cases. Heroes like Power Girl and Wonder Woman are portrayed wearing little clothing and showing cleavage. Power Girl is portrayed as wearing
16240-406: The phrase referenced their own company or a character associated with their company. As a result, DC and Marvel decided to become joint owners of the "superhero" trademark. Although many consumers likely see DC and Marvel as competitors, the two comic book publishing giants are allies when it comes to protecting the trademark "superhero" and variants thereof. Although joint ownership in a trademark
16380-419: The power of a god, but was still drawn to a much weaker, mortal male character. This can be explained by the sociological concept "feminine apologetic," which reinforces a woman's femininity to account for her masculine attributes (strength, individualism, toughness, aggressiveness, bravery). Women in comic books are considered to be misrepresented due to being created by men, for men. The Hawkeye Initiative
16520-480: The previous timeline, Edward and Zoe, are not mentioned. Before joining the Suicide Squad, Lawton is described as a Batman villain and a rival of Mad Dog, a bounty hunter. He also is bitter enemies with Captain Boomerang . In the New 52 stories, he no longer sports his trademark mustache except at one point to grow one to cover a scar. A mercenary protégé of Lawton named Will Evans tried to usurp his role as Deadshot but
16660-520: The public, and policing unauthorized uses. However, misuse by the public alone does not necessarily cause a trademark to become generic if the primary significance of the term is still to indicate a particular source. Some legal experts argue that, like the once-trademarked terms "aspirin" and "yo-yo," the term "superhero" now primarily refers to a general type of character with extraordinary abilities, rather than characters originating from specific publishers. In keeping with their origins as representing
16800-433: The reboot of the multiverse after Dark Nights: Death Metal , a new Earth 3 and Atomica are created. Atomica is the lover of speedster serial killer Jonathan Chambers / Johnny Quick and accompanies him on his high-speed murder spree across Central City. An unnamed scientist in the 853rd Century performed experiments in superstring theory that creates a singularity and whose radiation alters his physical make-up. When
16940-475: The rest of the Six are similarly defeated soon after. In The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), a new timeline is presented which features a Deadshot with a significantly different past. Rather than a child of wealth, he is a child born to poverty who then joins the military before becoming an assassin for hire. He has a daughter named Suchin Lawton who has Japanese heritage. His children from
17080-449: The scandal that would occur, George Lawton arranges with the police to cover up details of the crime. The official report concludes that an unknown sniper opened fire twice on George Lawton and that his son Eddie heroically died while diving into the path of the second bullet. As punishment for her efforts, George Lawton refuses to divorce Genevieve and instead forces her to live on a limited allowance and in isolation in another, smaller house
17220-468: The senator and Deadshot is ordered to stop Flag. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Deadshot publicly kills the senator himself, justifying that this is in compliance with his literal orders: "Stop Flag from killing the senator. Exact words." DC police then gun down Deadshot where he stands, but he survives his wounds and after a hospital stay and physical therapy he returns to active duty with
17360-403: The singularity threatened to expand and destroy his universe, he enters it in an attempt to save the universe but instead finds himself on an interdimensional bridge to another universe as his own is wiped out, unable to stop it. At the end of the bridge, he finds Superman Prime who came to help but was too late. Stranded, he searches this universe for remnants of the one he lost, in time taking
17500-444: The situation and end his life. Deadshot's son Edward, now about eight years old, is kidnapped by a gang of criminals hoping to manipulate Floyd. One of the gang members, Wes Anselm, is a pedophile with documented incidents of assaults against children. When Deadshot hunts down the gang, Wes grabs young Eddie and knocks him out, then flees with the boy in a car. Later, Deadshot finds Wes in his apartment and Eddie lying dead. Wes implies
17640-487: The skull of Enchantress while she was flying, since he was asked to take her down non-lethally. He is so skilled that he can make his shots ricochet from structures and kill multiple targets at the same time. He can even shoot around corners. Deadshot is also a tactical genius and master strategist and is also a highly skilled demolitions expert. Deadshot has access to a vast array of weaponry, most notably, his sniper rifle and twin machine guns mounted on each arm. Deadshot
17780-549: The superhero supergroups featured at least one (and often the only) female member, much like DC's flagship superhero team the Justice League of America (whose initial roster included Wonder Woman as the token female ); examples include the Fantastic Four 's Invisible Girl , the X-Men 's Jean Grey (originally known as Marvel Girl ), the Avengers ' Wasp , and the Brotherhood of Mutants ' Scarlet Witch (who later joined
17920-467: The team. Cray had been recruited by Palmer (who faked his own death) to apprehend the Micro Squad, a group of villains that had been reduced in size. Palmer intended to use Cray to uncover a shadowy government cabal which was using Palmer to discover the secret identities of other costumed heroes (Palmer's own identity no longer being secret). While Palmer infiltrated the Micro Squad, Cray would attract
18060-410: The term "SUPER HERO" trademark is at risk of becoming generic. Courts have noted that determining whether a term has become generic is a highly factual inquiry not suitable for resolution without considering evidence like dictionary definitions, media usage, and consumer surveys. Trademark owners can take steps to prevent genericide , such as using the trademark with the generic product name, educating
18200-459: The time being. His efforts in the Triangle also inspire Green Arrow to take more interest in the area, ensuring the Zoe and Michelle's neighborhood remains protected. Lawton decides to do right by his daughter, and embarks on a lethal war on the local gangs that plague the area. The series ends with Deadshot faking his death, having realized a normal life is not for him, but also having mostly cleared up
18340-421: The two companies also own a variety of other superhero-related marks. For instance, DC owns "Legion of Super-Heroes" and " DC Super Hero Girls " and Marvel owns “Marvel Super Hero Island" and "Marvel Super Hero Adventures." DC and Marvel have garnered a reputation for zealously protecting their superhero marks. As noted above, one of these instances included a man by the name of Graham Jules, who sought to publish
18480-611: The weakest member of her team a decade ago. Both major American publishers began introducing new superheroines with a more distinct feminist theme as part of their origin stories or character development. Examples include Big Barda , Power Girl , and the Huntress by DC comics; and from Marvel, the second Black Widow , Shanna the She-Devil , and The Cat . Female supporting characters who were successful professionals or hold positions of authority in their own right also debuted in
18620-460: Was a minor character present in Suicide Squad stories. The fourth Atom, Ryan Choi , debuted in a new Atom series in August 2006. Another Atom from the 853rd Century first appeared as part of Justice Legion Alpha in August 1999. The Atom has been the star of multiple solo series, and four of the five have appeared as members of various superhero teams, such as the Justice Society of America ,
18760-404: Was himself quite short.) After stumbling onto a mass of white dwarf star matter that had fallen to Earth, he fashioned a lens which allowed him to shrink down to subatomic size. Originally, his size and molecular density abilities derived from the white dwarf star material of his costume, controlled by mechanisms in his belt, and later by controls in the palms of his gloves. Much later, he gained
18900-609: Was his "best teacher." While the canon comic books do not give much further detail regarding if Floyd Lawton had other training under other teachers, media such as the Arkham Asylum video games propose he served for a time in the US Army where he received sniper training. Lawton becomes a hired assassin in Europe and South America, staying largely unknown to authorities but gaining a reputation among certain gangs and cartels as
19040-609: Was in All Star Comics #8 (Dec. 1941), published by All-American Publications , one of two companies that would merge to form DC Comics in 1944. Pérák was an urban legend originating from the city of Prague during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in the midst of World War II . In the decades following the war, Pérák has also been portrayed as the only Czech superhero in film and comics. In 1952, Osamu Tezuka 's manga Tetsuwan Atom , more popularly known in
19180-408: Was killed by Lawton. Deadshot is arrested for a failed assassination of a U.S. Senator by Batman and is sentenced to life in prison. Later, he is recruited to be part of the Suicide Squad in exchange for early release. Deadshot is made team leader due to his skill under pressure. He develops a casual relationship with new teammate Harley Quinn . Deadshot later grows disillusioned with the group after
19320-612: Was portrayed by Bradley Stryker in the final season of Smallville , by Michael Rowe in the live-action Arrowverse franchise, and by Will Smith in the DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad (2016). In his debut story, Floyd Lawton is shown to be an independently wealthy man with a trusted staff member and valet named Stevens. Gotham's wealthier citizens, such as businessman Bruce Wayne , refer to Lawton as someone "new" to Gotham City . Following his recruitment to Task Force X (the "Suicide Squad"), Lawton's past
19460-404: Was unexpected as Marvel and DC had filed a motion to extend time to answer. There is an ongoing debate among legal scholars and in the courts about whether the term "superhero" has become genericized due to its widespread use in popular culture, similar to terms like "aspirin" or "escalator" which lost their trademark protection and became generic terms for their respective products. Some argue
19600-467: Was unwilling to defend itself against Ben Cooper Inc.'s suit. As a result, in 1977, Mego Corporation jointly assigned its interest in the trademark to DC Comics , Inc. ("DC") and Marvel Comics ("Marvel"). Due to the financial prowess of DC and Marvel, Ben Cooper, Inc. decided to withdraw its trademark opposition and jointly assigned its interest in the "World's Greatest Super Heroes" mark to DC and Marvel. Two years later in 1979, DC and Marvel applied for
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