Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Dollar Bill - Watchmen (1986)

A former member of the Minutemen, Dollar Bill - aka William Brady - joined the costumed adventures after his employees at the First National Bank contacted Larry Schexnayder, recommending him for the team. He took part in a number of their events, including their Christmas Party and their professional photo shoot, where he earned the respect of Hollis Mason; Mason seeing him as one of the "nicest men" he had ever known.

In 1946, just weeks after the death of The Silhouette, Dollar Bill was shot and killed at point-blank range after his cape got stuck in the revolving door whilst trying to prevent a robbery from happening.

His death impacted heavily on his former teammates, in particular, Nite Owl and Mothman, with the latter consoling himself with even more alcohol than usual.

William "Bill" Brady - Watchmen (1986)

A former Kansas College Star athlete, William "Bill" Brady was employed by the First National Bank of New York City in 1939, where he was hired by them to be their spokesperson and mascot, as well as a warning for potential criminals wanting to rob them.

After some time within the Minutemen, he was killed in his duties as Dollar Bill, with his death being one of the many factors that led to the team eventually disbanding.

Simon Stagg - Young Justice: Outsiders (2019)

The C.E.O and majority shareholder for numerous companies, Simon Stagg was an industrialist who created the Branchwater metahuman trafficking ring to ensure that Stagg Industries could publicly compete with rivals, whilst also secretly have them commit industrial espionage on his behalf.

He hired mercenaries Cheshire and Sportsmaster to procure him metahuman criminals, whilst also engaged the Mad Hatter with a proposition, paying him to create a device that would give him complete control over them. 

Nightwing believed that Stagg's participation in this scheme caused him to develop paranoia against metahumans, for fear of being subjected to the same crimes he had committed onto others. Wanting to find a way to neutralise metahuman abilities should it be necessary to do so, he discovered the existence of a Metahuman Failsafe that had been salvaged from a Reach warship and was being kept at STAR Labs Detroit for further research. Stagg contracted Cheshire to lead a team to the facility and steal it for him.

However, he was caught red-handed by Miss Martian and Superboy when the Reach device was transported to him via the Shade's ability to open shadow portals. He was arrested by the G.C.P.D after they received an anonymous tip about his companies' illegal activities, leading to his incarceration. 

Whilst reading in his prison cell late one evening, Stagg was visited by Shade, who had been freed from Tetch's mind control by Cheshire. Stagg became terrified at the sight of his former victim, trying to back away as the metahuman advanced on him. 

Branchwater Security - Young Justice: Outsiders (2019)

A security firm owned by Stagg Industries and several shell companies related to the major shareholder Simon Stagg, Branchwater Security was really a front for a metahuman trafficking ring within America. They were created to help Stagg perform corporate espionage and warfare without any of these dealings being traced back to him.

Unlike the rivalling Markovian Bedlam Syndicate, Branchwater targeted adult metahumans with criminal careers, hiring mercenaries to acquire prisoners that were being transferred to Belle Reve Penitentiary as potential operatives. Also, in their employ was Jervis Tetch, who created nanotech that could remotely control subjects when it was injected into their bloodstream. Tetch placed Clayface, Livewire and Mist under his influence, using the shapeshifter to appear as him and make authorities believe he was complying to the agreement of his parole. He also sent Mist and Livewire to Cheshire to aide her in a job to steal Reach technology from STAR Labs Detroit.

However, due to the combined efforts of the Justice League, "The Team", Nightwing's Team, Oracle, Robin's Team and Batman, the heroes were able to disrupt Brachwater's operation and have Stagg taken into police custody for receiving stolen goods, with Oracle forwarding evidence to the G.C.P.D to ensure he would be charged for his part in the criminal operation.

Although Hatter, Cheshire, Sportsmaster, and the Shade got away, Clayface, Kadabra and Brick were incarcerated in Belle Reve. Mist and Livewire were also invited to attend the STAR Labs funded Metahuman Youth Centre in Taos due to being minors.

Branchwater Owners: 

  • Simon Stagg
  • Stagg Industries
  • Lakewood Protection Agency
  • Antler Bay Media
  • Twelve Point Unlimited

Branchwater Opperatives:

  • Cheshire
  • Sportsmaster
  • Mad Hatter
  • Abra Kadabra
  • Mist (Former)
  • Livewire (Former)
  • Clayface (Former)
  • Shade (Unknown)

Branchwater Targets: 

  • Brick

Nabil Azmah - Doomsday Clock (2017)

Originating from Douma, Nabil Azmah was born to parents killed in the civil war. His younger sister was tragically executed on the orders of Assad. He was meta-positive and had the power to control sand.

He eventually took on the alias of Sandstorm to fight child traffickers, avenging himself and all the other children that were taken prisoner.

Nabil revealed his true form to Superman when the Man of Steel visited Khandaq to investigate Firestorm's recent controversial actions, shocking the Kryptonian with the fact that one of the most talked about metahumans to join Black Adam's inner circle was a young child.

Sandstorm - Doomsday Clock (2017)

A young metahuman from Syria, Sandstorm, aka Nabil Azmah was captured and enslaved along with many other children by terrorist cells throughout his homeland. Using his powers to manipulate and control the sands of the desert, he managed to free himself and the other prisoners, before setting his sights on ensuring that no other child would be kept incarcerated.

Sandstorm was able to liberate thousands of children from enslavement, taking them with him to Khandaq in response to Back Adam's global message that the nation to the north of the Sinai Peninsula would be welcome to all, as well as offer asylum to the persecuted and oppressed.

However, his desire to leave with children to Khandaq put him at odds with members of the Syrian armed forces, making him a subject of interest by many news outlets and government watch schemes. His powers are believed by the Department of Metahuman Affairs agent David Drake to span across whole deserts, with Drake keeping an eye on Sandstorm for his committal to Black Adam's cause.

Happily using his powers to make sandcastles in the royal gardens of Black Adam's palace, entertaining several children with his demonstration, Sandstorm was interrupted by Black Adam, who personally introduced him to the visiting Superman.

Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man - Doomsday Clock (2017)

An unnamed metahuman and former enemy of the Doom Patrol, the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man had the power to morph his body into different forms.

He eventually met and joined India's metahuman group the Doomed, where he fought alongside the team.

During their most recent mission to liberate a group of children from traffickers being held in Calcutta, he transformed himself into a member of the Tyrannosaurus family. He was reported to have allegedly eaten the criminals alive, although many seemed to question the accuracy of these accounts. Either way, those that the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man helped to free gratefully cheered and applauded his part in the Doomed's rescue efforts.

Flex Mentallo - Doomsday Clock (2017)

A metahuman and member of the Doom Patrol, Flex Mentallo accompanied his teammates and many other Earth-based heroes to Mars during their mission to track down the source of an unknown energy explosion that framed Firestorm for murder and turned the world against Superman.

He and Robot Man tried to take down Doctor Manhattan, only to be sent crashing back with ease. Before he could get back up, he was incapacitated along with the collective heroes in a single blast.