Ambush Bug#"Flashpoint"

Created by artist Keith Giffen as an intentionally silly character, Ambush Bug first appeared in DC Comics Presents #52 (Dec. 1982){{cite book|editor1-last=Manning|editor1-first= Matthew K|editor2-last=Dolan|editor2-first=Hannah |chapter= 1980s|title = D C Comics Year By Year, A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 199 |quote = (Ambush Bug) made his debut in the pages of DC Comics Presents #52...(by) writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Keith Giffen.}} and would make appearances in several other Superman-related comic books in the early 1980s. Paul Kupperberg, who wrote Ambush Bug's first story, recalled, "as Keith was in the office, he sat in on the plotting and offered up Ambush Bug as an antagonist. The Bug is entirely Keith's creation ..."{{cite journal|last=Browning|first=Michael |title=The Doom Patrol Interviews: Paul Kupperberg|journal=Back Issue!|issue=#65 |page=43 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing|date=July 2013|location=Raleigh, North Carolina}} Giffen stated that both Ambush Bug and Lobo were derived from Lunatik, a character he created in high school.{{cite journal |last=DeAngelo|first=Daniel |date=July 2013|title=The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players: A History of the Defenders|journal=Back Issue!|issue=#65|page=10 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing}} Giffen said that his original pitch was "Bugs Bunny as a super-villain".{{cite book |last1=Eury |first1=Michael |title=The Krypton Companion |date=2006 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=9781893905610 |page=192}}

In response to positive reader reaction to the character's first appearance, editor Julius Schwartz directed Giffen to create another Ambush Bug story for DC Comics Presents #59.{{cite journal|last=Callahan|first=Timothy |title=The Substitute Heroes in the Spotlight |journal=Back Issue!|issue=#65|page=70 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing| date=July 2013|location=Raleigh, North Carolina}} At first, Ambush Bug was a villain, named after a type of insect, and having a green, skintight suit with two orange antennae containing miniature robot bugs that enable him to teleport. After attacking Superman and other heroes, Ambush Bug decides instead to be a superhero as well. He also fancies himself Superman's friend, which only annoys the hero even more than his early villainy. The costume then becomes permanently affixed to his body, and he gains the power to teleport by himself. While trying to fix one of the miniature bugs, it explodes, causing a chain reaction and a blast that destroys all of the bugs and tints Ambush Bug's costume temporarily black; he then becomes capable of teleporting even without the bugs (briefly considering changing his moniker to Black Beetle instead).

Ambush Bug became popular enough to be featured in two comic book miniseries and several specials, plotted and pencilled by Keith Giffen and scripted by Robert Loren Fleming. The series contains many comic book-enthusiast and DC in-jokes and satire; series editor Julius Schwartz is also a character in the book.{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |title=Ambush Bug |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/ambushbg.htm |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=1 April 2020}}

During his own four-part series in 1985, he picks up a doll and, thinking it is alive, "adopted" it as a partner called "Cheeks, The Toy Wonder", complete with its own costume.

In 2001, Ambush Bug appears as a member of the "Justice League of Anarchy" alongside Plastic Man, the Creeper, Harley Quinn, 'Mazing Man, and the Trickster. This group of DC Universe troublemakers made a one-panel cameo in a series exploring variations on the JLA acronym, JLA: Justice League of Amazons.

Ambush Bug is largely considered an absurd character and is rarely used by other writers, though he still exists in the DC Universe and occasionally still appears in some DC Comics. His popularity amongst creators has led to many "cameos", sometimes with as little as his antennae being visible. In 2006, he appeared as part of Firestorm's short-lived Justice League of America in 52 #24 (a comic Giffen did layouts for). His powers appeared in proxy in Countdown to Final Crisis #32. Jimmy Olsen briefly gains the appearance of Ambush Bug and subconsciously uses his power of "Dumb Luck" to locate Forager.

An Ambush Bug miniseries, Ambush Bug: Year None, debuted in 2008, plotted and pencilled by Giffen, and written by Fleming, with Jann Jones serving as editor. The final issue was published almost a year after the rest of the series. Dan DiDio claims to have lost issue #6 and instead they skipped it to finish off with issue #7.{{Cite web | url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091102-Didio-10-Questions.html | title=10 Answers and One Question with DC's Dan DiDio | last=Rogers | first=Vaneta | work=Newsarama | date=November 2, 2009}}

Ambush Bug was seen in the new Doom Patrol series in 2010 at the end of issue #9, arriving with his luggage and Cheeks. He appeared semi-regularly until the series ended.

Ambush Bug made another appearance, in issue #46 of the outside of regular DC continuity Tiny Titans series.

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Ambush Bug appears as a news reporter in the feature "Channel 52", which summarizes the comics' plots.{{cite web|title=Comic Book Resources |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43436|access-date=15 February 2013}}

• Superman{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |page=9}}
• Doom Patrol
• Legion of Substitute Heroes

• Argh!Yle! - A living argyle sock. The closest thing Ambush Bug has to an archenemy.
• Jonni DC - A "continuity cop" who pursues Ambush Bug for violations of DC Universe canon.
• Interferer - A former comic artist that gained god-like powers that he uses to "perfect" the universe.
• Go Go Chex - A villain from "Earth-6", where all the characters are stuck in the 1960s. He is themed around the "new look" DC gave all its books with a black and white checker pattern at the top. He speaks a hippy lingo and refers to everyone as "Wonder Chick", a nickname for Wonder Girl from the Teen Titans of that era.
• E.L.F. - A secret government agency who experimented with Ambush Bug's suit to try to discover its secrets.

Image:Action563 p.jpg's black costume.]]

Ambush Bug's primary power is teleportation. At first, this was a function of his suit; he was limited to teleporting to where small receiver bugs were located. Later, after an explosion, Ambush Bug internalized this power. It became apparent, in DC Comics Presents #81, that the Bug used to have to say "Simon says" to teleport, but it is no longer necessary. Ambush Bug is also aware of his fictionality and aware of events in other publishers' comic books. He once was shown being able to follow the internal dialogue between Firestorm's component personalities. Ambush Bug also shows surprising agility and skill at unarmed combat, such as gouging the eyes of enemies attacking him from behind or knocking out members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes with a single blow. His unusual way of thinking is also a great advantage and often allows him to guess opponents' tactics and outmaneuver them, humiliating them in the process.

Ambush the Lunatik, an intergalactic bounty hunter based on Ambush Bug and Marvel Comics character Lunatik, appears in Amalgam Comics' Lobo the Duck #1 (April 1997).

A heavily armored Ambush Bug appears in Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl as a member of the Justice Society of America.

A group called the "Ambush Bugs" appear in the Flashpoint tie-in The Canterbury Cricket, consisting of Queen Bee, Blue Beetle, Firefly, Cockroach, and the Canterbury Cricket. They are formed to fight the Amazons, but all save for the Canterbury Cricket are killed by them.Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket (June 2011). DC Comics.

Ambush Bug appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold series finale "Mitefall!", voiced by Henry Winkler.{{cite web |title=Ambush Bug Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Ambush-Bug/ |access-date=November 23, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. He tries to thwart Bat-Mite's attempts to make the show jump the shark and force its cancellation while assisting Batman and Aquaman in fighting Gorilla Grodd. While Bat-Mite succeeds and has the series replaced with a Batgirl series, Ambush Bug reveals it will have a dark tone and will not feature Bat-Mite before organizing a wrap party for the series' cast.

• Ambush Bug appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Tracy W. Bush.
• Ambush Bug appears in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=November 23, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}
• Ambush Bug appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Sam Riegel.

• In 2005, WizKids added an Ambush Bug figurine to their HeroClix line.{{Cite web | url=http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=10&itemid=8508 | title=DC HeroClix: Collateral Damage Ambush Bug | first=Jay | last=Cochran | work=Toy News International | date=December 17, 2005}}
• An Ambush Bug Minimate was released in 2008, in a two-pack with Lobo.{{Cite web | url=http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=8232 | title=DC Minimates: Wave 7: Ambush Bug and Lobo Action Figures | work=DC Direct | access-date=2010-01-07 | archive-date=2021-01-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126052044/https://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=8232 | url-status=dead }}{{Cite web | url=http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/dc-direct-solicitations-for-items-shipping-march-2008 | title=DC Direct Solicitations for items shipping March 2008 | work=Action Figure Insider | date=July 16, 2007}}
• McFarlane toys released an Ambush Bug action figure in 2024.

• List of Ambush Bug–related published material

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.fourhman.com/ambushbug/ Ambush Bug Archive]
• [http://www.toonopedia.com/ambushbg.htm Ambush Bug] at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. ([https://archive.today/20240525202314/https://www.webcitation.org/66fsAjmqn?url=http://www.toonopedia.com/ambushbg.htm Archived] from the original on April 4, 2012.)

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Category:1985 comics debuts

Category:Characters created by Keith Giffen

Category:Comics by Keith Giffen

Category:Comics characters introduced in 1982

Category:DC Comics male superheroes

Category:DC Comics titles

Category:Fictional characters who break the fourth wall

Category:Metafictional comics

Category:Parody superheroes