Major Force
{{short description|DC comics fictional character}}
{{Infobox comics character
|image = Major Force (Clifford Zmeck).png
|caption = Major Force, from the cover of Checkmate #16 (March 1989), art by Gil Kane.
|character_name = Major Force
|publisher = DC Comics
|debut = Captain Atom (vol. 2) #12 (February 1988)
|creators = Cary Bates and Greg Weisman (writers)
Pat Broderick (artist)
|real_name = Clifford Zmeck
|species = Metahuman
|homeworld = Earth
|alliances = Injustice League
S.H.A.D.E.
Suicide Squad
|aliases = Boltan, Black Jack
|powers = Superhuman strength, speed, endurance and stamina
Invulnerability
Healing factor
Can project and control dark matter and dark quantum energy
Dark matter transmutation
Retroactive immortality
Flight
Vuldarian shapeshifting
Restoration empowerment
(Black Jack)
See: New 52/Rebirth
}}
Major Force (Clifford Zmeck) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Major Force is the evil foil personality of the superhero Captain Atom.{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=221}} In recent years, he also serves as an enemy to Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and Hal Jordan).
Publication history
Major Force first appeared in Captain Atom (vol. 3) #12 (February 1988) and was created by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, and Pat Broderick.{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=190}}
Fictional character biography
=Early life=
Major Force is a criminal who is serving a life sentence when the government offers to use him in experiments with Dilustel metal. He becomes an arch-enemy of Captain Atom and occasionally battles the Green Lantern Corps as well.
=Crime and punishment=
In Green Lantern (vol. 3) #54 (August 1994), Major Force kills Alexandra DeWitt, girlfriend of Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, and leaves her body in a refrigerator for Kyle to find.{{Cite news |last=Seale |first=Jack |date=September 21, 2018 |title=From Bond to ITV's Strangers: why is everyone 'fridging'? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/sep/21/from-bond-to-itvs-strangers-why-is-everyone-fridging |access-date=November 3, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} Guy Gardner kills Major Force, but he proves to be nigh-immortal due to his nature as an energy being and returns on multiple occasions, gaining shapeshifting abilities after being enhanced with Vuldarian DNA.Green Lantern (vol. 3) #60 (March 1995)Guy Gardner: Warrior #44 (July 1996)Superman (vol. 2) #185 (October 2002)
=Superman/Batman: Public Enemies=
In Superman/Batman, Major Force joins a government task force led by Captain Atom alongside Power Girl, Starfire, Katana, John Stewart, and Black Lightning. He is killed when Atom absorbs his energy.
In Green Lantern (vol. 3) #180 (October 2004), Major Force apparently kills Kyle Rayner's mother Maura. Kyle decapitates him and takes his head into space before learning that Maura is alive.
="One Year Later"=
{{Main|One Year Later}}
Major Force reappears in Battle for Blüdhaven as the leader of project S.H.A.D.E. and becomes Hal Jordan's enemy before Captain Atom kills him. However, he is later resurrected and joins the Secret Society of Super Villains.Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #7 (March 2007)Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #8 (April 2007)Justice League of America Wedding Special #1Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #37 (May 2010)
=The New 52=
In The New 52 continuity reboot, Major Force is a government agent working under General Wade Eiling, with a special rank that allows him to represent all branches of the military. He seeks to protect Firestorm from villains and convince him to work for the government. However, Major Force comes to view Firestorm as a threat to national security and becomes his enemy.Legends of Tomorrow #2 - #4 (June - August 2016){{cite web|last=Burlingame|first=Russ|title=Firestorm's Finale, Major Force and the Fridge: Jurgens On #20|url=http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/05/22/firestorms-finale-major-force-and-the-fridge-jurgens-on-20/|publisher=ComicBook.com|access-date=3 June 2013|date=22 May 2013}}
Powers and abilities
Major Force is coated with the same Dilustel alien alloy that covers Captain Atom.Captain Atom (vol. 3) #12 (February 1988) This enables him to access the Quantum Field and use its energies for a variety of powers. He possesses superhuman physical abilities and is virtually immortal.{{multiref2|Resurrection Man #21 (February 1999)|Superman/Batman #4 (January 2004)|Voodoo (vol. 2) #2 (December 2011)|Voodoo (vol. 2) #6 - #8 (April - June 2012)|The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (vol. 2) #20 (July 2013)|Legends of Tomorrow #3 (July 2016)|Legends of Tomorrow #4 (August 2016)
}} Cracking or rupturing his skin causes Major Force to leak radiation at an uncontrollable rate, to which he runs the risk of atomic detonation.
Major Force's energy manipulation enables him to generate dark matter, which he uses to propel himself due to initially lacking the ability to fly.Captain Atom (vol. 3) Annual #1 (January 1988)Guy Gardner: Warrior #43 (June 1996)
Clifford Zmeck is a military-trained United States Air Force operative. He has vast military connections with the government, Checkmate, Task Force X, and Quorum.
Other versions
Q-Ranger, a heroic, alternate universe variant of Major Force from the antimatter universe, appears in JLA Secret Files as a member of the Justice Underground.JLA Secret Files 2004 (November 2004)
In other media
- Major Force appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Powerless!", voiced by Fred Tatasciore.{{cite web |title=Major Force Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Major-Force/ |access-date=July 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.
- Major Force appears in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, voiced by Ricardo Chavira.{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=James |date=July 21, 2009 |title=Menu System For Green Lantern: First Flight - Two-Disc Special Edition DVD Release |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728025057/www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=502 |website=The World's Finest}} This version can fly and his role plays out similarly to the comics version before Power Girl unintentionally kills him.
- Major Force appears as a boss in DC Universe Online, voiced by Alexander Brandon. This version works for Amanda Waller.
- Major Force appears as a character summon 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=July 23, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}
References
- {{cite book |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/dccomicsencyclop00beat|url-access=limited|year=2004|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited|isbn=0-7566-0592-X|page=[https://archive.org/details/dccomicsencyclop00beat/page/n193 193]}}
{{Captain Atom}}
{{Firestorm}}
{{Green Lantern}}
{{Suicide Squad}}
Category:Characters created by Cary Bates
Category:Characters created by Pat Broderick
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1988
Category:DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
Category:DC Comics characters with accelerated healing
Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
Category:DC Comics military personnel
Category:DC Comics shapeshifters
Category:DC Comics supervillains
Category:Fictional characters with death or rebirth abilities
Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities
Category:Fictional characters with nuclear or radiation abilities
Category:Fictional super soldiers
Category:Fictional United States Air Force personnel
Category:Fictional United States government agents