Origin

The child who became Prometheus was raised by two hippy-criminal parents who stole and murdered indiscriminately. When the young boy asked why the police were always chasing them, his father responded that they were ‘trying to bring them to justice’; making the child think that ‘justice’ was a actual place. They were eventually ambushed by the police and gunned down before his very eyes. His hair turned stark white from the shock. He later swore an oath on their graves to ‘annihilate the forces of justice’.

He found several large stashes of money that his parents had acquired over the years and upon his sixteenth birthday blackmailed the local crime boss into giving him even more money. He used these funds to finance his training all over the world; he learned to maim and kill in a dozen different languages. About this time he systematically murdered every police officer involved in his parents deaths. He attended several prestigious universities, while he associated with the social elite to learn their secrets. He traveled to India in search of the legendary city of Shamballa (considered to be the source of all evil by many cultures), he actually discovered it just as he was about to give up hope, he studied with the monks who lived there for several months.

He soon became a favorite of their leader who showed him their secret. The city was built upon the ancient remains of an alien spaceship. It was then that the leader transformed into the form of the alien that had landed there all those centuries ago. Prometheus was forced to kill it. He then obtained a key, he dubbed ‘The Cosmic Key’, which opened a door to ‘The Ghost Zone’ A.K.A.: Limbo, the Phantom Zone, Hyperspace…etc.

He had inherited his father’s knack with technology which soon became very useful. He returned to the U.S. and began preparing. He began inventing many miraculous pieces of technology including hardware which could interface directly with the human nervous system, and a nightstick that could shatter an iron anvil despite its light weight.

Evil Plan

Justice League

He began formulating a plan to blow up Congress, perhaps the White House, then upon seeing a large billboard of the Justice League Of America, he got a better idea. Since ‘justice’ killed his parents, he would destroy the Justice League.

He waited for the time to strike. Then, the JLA announced that they would hold a competition for a civilian to be a ‘Leaguer for a Day’, Prometheus ambushed the winner (a young man calling himself ‘Retro’), downloaded everything Retro knew; brought him to the Ghost-Zone and disintegrated him in cold blood, taking his costume.

Prometheus (now disguised as Retro) was teleported up to the Watchtower along with over one hundred members of the media (including Lois Lane and Martian Manhunter disguised as Clark Kent), who were to cover the re-formation of a new JLA, along with the introduction of several new members. Batman monitored everything in from the Monitor Womb, explaining that he can’t find anything wrong with Retro. The new JLA was quickly introduced, and a question and answer session commenced. ‘Retro’ feigned an upset stomach from going through the teleporter; Steel escorted him to the bathroom.

Once they were far enough away ‘Retro’ uploaded a virus into Steel’s armor, taking control of it; revealing himself to be Prometheus, he declared that: “I’m here to destroy the Justice League!” He then ordered Steel to walk far away and then to throw his hammer as far as he can.

Superman

Jonn immediately realized something was wrong and went looking for Steel and Retro after informing Superman and Wonder Woman ( Hippolyta ). He instead found Prometheus downloading the blueprints of the Watchtower directly into his brain. Jonn ordered Prometheus to stand down and surrender. Prometheus responded by shooting Jonn with a phosphorous dart, and then as his powers were weakened, he shot him with a toxic dart that broke down chemical bonds, rendering Jonn the most powerful puddle of goo alive.

Huntress

Having lost their telepathic communication, the JLA went on high alert, as Prometheus set fire to garden which was responsible for most of the breathable air on the Watchtower and disabled the teleporters. Prometheus quickly dispatched Zauriel to the Ghost-Zone, and hypnotized Huntress before knocking her out. Batman then confronted Prometheus.

Prometheus quickly downloaded 30 of the worlds greatest martial artists into his brain (Batman being one of them), and set up a disorienting light pattern on his helmet to distract Batman as they engaged each other.

Green Lantern

Flash and Kyle Rayner began their search and found that main power was going offline, GL noted that he was having trouble concentrating as his construct flashlight began to discorporate. Prometheus is heard explaining that GL is having trouble concentrating because of an invention of his called the "Neural Chaff", which disorders conscious thought, making his power ring useless. However it does not work on Flash’s high frequency brain, so Prometheus goes on to explain that he has been planting motion sensitive bombs since he arrived, so that if Flash should go one iota above normal speed, every one of them will explode. He then dropped the unconscious form of Batman and declares “Five down, who wants to be number six?” However, noting that Flash and GL are no longer a threat to him, Prometheus shoots them out of spite and walks away, leaving them for dead.

Batman quickly recovers and is able to remove the bullet from GL; Flash’s speed suit absorbed the kinetic force of his bullet.

Prometheus then breaks into the trophy room, where Superman and Wonder Woman are escorting the one hundred members of the media to the Martian-technology shuttle bays. The media personal seem to be close to panic as Prometheus explains that any minute now Steel’s hammer will come crashing through an exterior wall of the Watchtower, causing an explosive decompression, which will kill everyone in the tower, (unknown to him Plastic Man has already intercepted Steel) except Superman. So, to save all those lives, he wants Superman to kill himself live on television; only then will he allow all the civilians to escape.

Catwoman

It is then that the only unforeseen variable makes her move. Catwoman, formerly disguised as Cat Grant, went along to see if she could steal a few things from the Watchtower; decides that she doesn’t want to see so many people die, and whips Prometheus in the crotch with her bullwhip. Steel appears and takes control of Prometheus’ technology.

Prometheus decides to chalk this one up to experience and explains to Flash that he was lying about the bombs, then teleports back to the Ghost-Zone, where he finds a very angry Zaurel, who he is forced to quickly send back to the Watchtower.

Other Appearances

Lex Luthor

Prometheus is later seen as part of Lex Luthor’s Injustice Gang. He is able to breach the Watchtower through a White Martian spaceship left in Hyperspace from the Martian invasion of Earth. He nearly kills Oracle when she refuses his offer to restore her legs. He returns to the Watchtower again to challenge Batman again, who uploads a motor neuron disease into Prometheus’ helmet giving him all the physical skills and abilities of Professor Stephen Hawking. He is able to activate his cosmic key to escape into the Ghost-Zone with Huntress, who is preparing to shoot a quite helpless Prometheus in the head at point-blank range with a cross-bow bolt when Batman finds them again. He fires her on the spot, citing that they don’t allow killers in the League. Prometheus is taken into custody.

Captain America

Prometheus is next seen attacking Captain America in the JLA/Avengers crossover, apparently Cap defeats him. After that, he is nearly killed by Green Arrow in Star City and is nursed back to health by Hush, but then is abandoned for his part in the murder of Poison Ivy. He was kidnapped by Talia and the Society shortly thereafter.

During Infinite Crisis, Prometheus shot Peacemaker in the back, presumably killing him.

One Year Later, Prometheus kidnapped the Crime Doctor and (a seemingly reformed) Lady Shiva challenged him. He knocked her out in less than three seconds. He then fought Huntress, Lady Blackhawk, and Black Canary to a standstill until the Crime Doctor’s suicide removed their reason for fighting. Prometheus then departed without further issue.

Skills and Equipment

As well as the key to “The Ghost Zone”, Prometheus also carries a high-tech nightstick that allows him to deliver superhuman attacks. • A helmet that can download the knowledge of others, and interface directly with his brain and nervous system, allowing him to gain many learned skills, such as the fighting skills of the 30 greatest martial artists. Such technology could also allow Barbara Gordon’s (Oracle) the use of her legs, a fact he tempted her with when they met. Even without his helmet, Prometheus is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and strategic genius. He uses a "Neural Chaff" that can affect an opponent’s concentration. Prometheus wears body armor, the gauntlets of which can fire various projectiles including bullets, chemical and poison, and even phosphorous darts. Prometheus claims to have developed plans to defeat every (DC) superhero.

However, as events have proven, when unplanned events happen, he can be caught by surprise.