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    Major Disaster

    Character » Major Disaster appears in 164 issues.

    A super-villain turned reluctant hero, Major Disaster is an Earth Elemental who is in constant indirect contact with "Mother Earth" herself, Gaea.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Major Disaster last edited by The_Kidd on 09/26/21 12:27AM View full history

    Origin

    The son of an orthodontist, Paul Booker was a small time crook with a police record. On the run from the law he found an unlocked apartment window, and slipped inside to hide from the pursuing police. By chance, he had chosen the home of Thomas Kalmaku, the former friend and confidant of Green Lantern ( Hal Jordan). Furthermore he accidentally activated a control for a hidden panel, revealing Thomas' Green Lantern casebook. Upon reading the volume, Booker discovered the secrets behind both Green Lantern and the Flash ( Barry Allen). Using the knowledge to his advantage, Booker adopted the costumed identity of Major Disaster.

    Creation

    Major Disaster is a DC character created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane. His first appearance was in Green Lantern #43.

    Character Evolution

    Going Big-Time
    Going Big-Time

    Major Disaster went from being a petty thief to a formidable for of many superheroes, at first setting his sights on Green Lantern and the Flash but focusing more on the former due to his first incarceration. When he regenerated after a blast which should have killed him, he no longer relied on sophisticated devices and went further to achieve more power at the cost of his soul. After assisting the Justice League in warding off a natural disaster which would have killed people on the island he was at, Major Disaster attempted to reform himself but failed, only truly succeeding when Batman trusted him enough to replace the JLA should something happen to them on a mission. Unfortunately, Major Disaster was killed only to be resurrected as a Black Lantern and ultimately defeated.

    Major Story Arcs

    Major Disaster immediately hired a group of brilliant criminal scientists to fashion devices that could create disasters. He then set about to expose the secret identities of the two heroes, but they quickly overcame him, accidentally causing an explosion in the process that seemingly killed Disaster. His device had scattered his atoms around the room due to the explosions and months later they coalesced, returning him to normal. Wanting to prevent it from happening again, his group of scientists managed to create a device which would protect Disaster from any destruction he created.

    Seeking revenge against Green Lantern, Disaster used the knowledge of GL's Hal Jordan persona but was defeated a second time. However, Disaster tried to reveal Jordan's secret to the police but discovered the power ring commanded him to be unable to say Jordan's name aloud.

    Disaster tried to internalise his disaster causing power as it slowly destroying him. He tried to transfer the increasing power surplus into a super hero, choosing Superman but he failed and Superman imprisoned him.

    Months later, Disaster sought revenge against the emerald gladiator and was frustrated to find John Stewart now wielding the ring. Disaster nearly destroyed portions of Los Angeles before being driven seemingly insane by John Stewart, who made Disaster think that everyone was actually Green Lantern.

    From Bad to Good to Bad to Good
    From Bad to Good to Bad to Good

    Leader of a version of the Injustice League, Major Disaster later joined his fellow teammates as members of the Justice League of Antarctica, which proved to be short lived. He would later return to villainy until he was recruited into the Suicide Squad, teamed with his fellow 'Leaguers' once again. He was believed to be the sole survivor of this mission until both Cluemaster and Multi-Man showed up alive.

    Disaster would later join the JLA in a group Batman placed together in the unforeseen circumstance that the core team became incapacitated and didn't return from Atlantis . He would later join the splinter group Justice League Elite.

    Major Disaster was last seen alive during Infinite Crisis during the Battle of Metropolis where Superboy-Prime snapped his neck and killed him. Re-animated, he joined the Black Lantern Corps during the Blackest Night but was defeated by Superboy-Prime who destroyed him and his fellow Black Lanterns by cycling powerful emotions through the use of a black ring.

    New 52 Superman/Wonder Woman

    Major Disaster battles Superman and Wonder Woman and adds the two heavy weights to his rogues gallery.

    Powers and Abilities

    Booker originally relied on sophisticated equipment created by rogue scientists that could cause natural disasters but over time he 'internalized' the power they generated and no longer required them. During Underworld Unleashed Major Disaster made a deal with Neron, increasing his powers at the cost of his soul. He became able to see and control the causal strands of chaos around him and at this power level he could do little things like causing heart attacks. Disaster easily created earthquakes as well as tsunami waves and meteor showers but had a difficult time battling against them when called on to do so.

    Characteristics

    Citizenship: American

    Marital Status: Single

    Occupation: Adventurer, (previously a small-time criminal)

    Gender: Male

    Height: 5'11"

    Weight: 195 lbs (89 kg)

    Eyes: Brown

    Hair: Black

    Other Media

    Justice League Unlimited

    Major Disaster in Justice League Unlimited.
    Major Disaster in Justice League Unlimited.

    Major Disaster appears in Justice League Unlimited as a member of the Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society in "I Am Legion". In episode ''Dead Reckoning'' he took part in the attack on Gorilla City and was seen blasting out of the ground near Solovar. In "Alive!" Major Disaster sided with Grodd during the mutiny against Luthor. He was hit by Volcana's fire blast. However, Major Disaster was seen in Luthor's group when Killer Frost froze his allies. He probably was killed in the blast when Darkseid blew up the ship.

    Batman: the Brave and the Bold

    Major Disaster in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
    Major Disaster in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

    Major Disaster appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold voiced by James Arnold Taylor. He first appears in "Hail the Tornado Tyrant!", when he attacks a beach-side carnival demanding a huge ransom only to be defeated by Batman, Red Tornado and Tornado Champion. He unknowingly ruins Red Tornado's experiment, Tornado Champion, by zapping him with lightning, and giving him emotion. When Major Disaster later breaks out of Blackgate Penitentiary and attacks Red Tornado, the Tornado Champion brutally attacks him, before being taken down by Batman. He later makes cameo appearances in "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" and "Scorn of the Star Sapphire!" being defeated by Batman and Green Lantern.

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