Plasmus
{{Infobox comics character
| character_name = Plasmus
| image = Plasmus.jpg
| caption = Plasmus as depicted in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #18 (August 1986). Art by Marv Wolfman (penciller) and George Pérez (inker).
| real_name = Otto Von Furth
| species = Metahuman
| publisher = DC Comics
| debut = The New Teen Titans #14 (December 1981)
| creators = Marv Wolfman
George Pérez
| alliances = Brotherhood of Evil
Suicide Squad
Secret Society of Super Villains
| aliases =
| powers = *Superhuman strength, stamina, and durability
- Regeneration
- Fatal touch
}}
Plasmus ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|l|æ|z|m|ə|s}}) (Otto Von Furth) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a German supervillain and an enemy of the Teen Titans who possesses a protoplasmic touch and was formerly a miner before General Zahl rescued him from a cave and later mutated him.{{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=195}}
Dee Bradley Baker and Yuri Lowenthal respectively voice reimagined versions of Plasmus in Teen Titans and Young Justice. Both are depicted as more sympathetic than the comics version, respectively being a human with an uncontrollable monstrous form and a child who was kidnapped and exploited for his abilities as part of a human trafficking operation.
Publication history
Plasmus first appeared in The New Teen Titans #14 and was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.{{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=232}}
Fictional character biography
Otto Von Furth is a miner in East Berlin, Germany until he and several other miners are trapped in a cave-in while mining radium. He is later rescued by General Zahl, who transforms him into a metahuman with plasma-based abilities. Subsequently, he joins the Brotherhood of Evil as Plasmus.{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |title =The Encyclopedia of Supervillains |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |location =New York |isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |page=268}} He and the Brotherhood of Evil fight the Teen Titans on different occasions. He enjoys these fights, but regrets not being able to kill Zahl. Later, Plasmus is one of several metahumans who are corrupted and brainwashed by a cult-leader.Birds of Prey #69-72 (September–October 2004) The rest of the Brotherhood of Evil reform into the Society of Sin. Plasmus is later recruited into Lex Luthor's Suicide Squad before being killed in battle with Imperiex.{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=September 25, 2021 |title=How Superman's Killer Doomsday Was Recruited by the Suicide Squad |url=https://www.cbr.com/suicide-squad-superman-doomsday-crossover/ |access-date=April 3, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}
Plasmus later resurfaces and joins the Secret Society of Super Villains in the Countdown to Infinite Crisis series Villains United.
In Salvation Run, Lex Luthor uses Plasmus as a power source for a teleportation device, which self-destructs and kills him.Salvation Run #7 (July 2008) Plasmus is later resurrected in The New 52 continuity reboot.Blue Beetle (vol. 8) #1 (September 2011){{Cite web |last=Zawisza |first=Doug |date=November 18, 2011 |title=Blue Beetle #3 |url=https://www.cbr.com/blue-beetle-3/ |access-date=April 3, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Josie |date=January 19, 2012 |title=Bedard Broadens His Scope in Blue Beetle |url=https://www.cbr.com/bedard-broadens-his-scope-in-blue-beetle/ |access-date=April 3, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}
Powers and abilities
Plasmus' protoplasmic body gives him superhuman physical abilities as well as a healing factor. His touch can melt others, reducing them to protoplasm.Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #18 (August 1986)
Other versions
In other media
=Television=
- Plasmus appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.{{cite web |title=Plasmus Voices (Teen Titans) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Teen-Titans/Plasmus/ |access-date=April 6, 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. This version uncontrollably transforms into a sludge monster while awake, only reverting to human form while unconscious. Additionally, he can detach varying quantities of himself which can act independently and often take on insectoid forms. Later in the series, Plasmus mutates further, gains the ability to generate acid, and joins the Brotherhood of Evil.
- Plasmus, based on the Teen Titans (2003) incarnation, appears in Teen Titans Go! (2013).
- Plasmus appears in Young Justice, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal. This version is a Markovian child who was kidnapped and had his meta-gene activated, transforming him into a fiery golem-like creature, as part of a metahuman trafficking operation. While battling the Justice League, Plasmus is shot and killed by a farmer who believes him to be a monster.{{Cite web |last=Dandeneau |first=Jim |date=January 6, 2019 |title=Young Justice Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Eminent Threat |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/young-justice-season-3-episode-3-review-eminent-threat/ |access-date=October 12, 2024 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mills |first=Joey |date=January 6, 2019 |title=Young Justice: Outsiders Season 3 'Eminent Threat' (Spoiler Recap) |url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/young-justice-s03e03-recap/#google_vignette |access-date=April 3, 2025 |website=Bleeding Cool |language=en}}
= Video games =
- Plasmus appears in Teen Titans (2005), voiced again by Dee Bradley Baker.
- Plasmus appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 4, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=April 6, 2024 |website=IGN}}
=Miscellaneous=
- Plasmus appears in Justice League Unlimited #31.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
- Plasmus appears in Teen Titans Go! (2004).{{Cite web |title=Teen Titans Go! #14 - If You Can't Beat 'Em... (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/teen-titans-go-14-if-you-cant-beat-em/4000-98869/ |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Teen Titans}}
{{Infinity Inc.}}
{{Young Justice}}
{{Suicide Squad}}
Category:Characters created by George Pérez
Category:Characters created by Marv Wolfman
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1981
Category:DC Comics characters with accelerated healing
Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
Category:DC Comics male supervillains
Category:Fictional amorphous creatures