The Chief (Niles Caulder) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, usually as the leader of the superhero team Doom Patrol.[1] Created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, he made his debut alongside the other original members of the Doom Patrol in My Greatest Adventure #80 (June 1963). Despite sharing similarities with Professor X, he is, however, a regular normal human.
He first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80 (June 1963)[2] and was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani. According to Drake, the issue's co-writer Bob Haney was not brought on to the project until after the Chief was created.[3]
Niles Caulder is a paraplegic with genius intelligence.[5] Caulder uses his scientific knowledge to develop numerous inventions and innovations that have made him wealthy. Caulder founded and organized the team called Doom Patrol to protect the innocent and fight crime, and to teach humanity to accept others who live as ostracized "freaks," who have been radically transformed from terrible accidents.[1] It is Caulder's genius that allowed the team members to survive (e.g., designing Robotman's body, devising Negative Man's medicated bandages), and helped grant their freakishness and amazing abilities.[6]
Caulder developed an interest in creating better life at a young age. Proving at a young age to be both a brilliant inventor and engineer, Caulder received funding from a mysterious benefactor. Thanks to the funding, Caulder succeeded in creating a chemical capable of prolonging life. Ultimately, it was revealed that the benefactor was a man called General Immortus, who hired Caulder to create a chemical to replace the one that had been prolonging his life for centuries but was now failing. When the young scientist discovered the truth about his employer, he refused to continue the work. Immortus responded by implanting an explosive device in Caulder's upper torso, which he could set off remotely, and any attempt to remove it while Niles lived would also detonate it. Caulder eventually devised a plan to get the bomb out, but it cost him his ability to walk.[7] The incident inspired and reminded Caulder that a better life may come from surviving a tragic event, such as his own.
In the early years of the Patrol, Caulder not only kept his true identity and appearance secret from the public; even his team knew him only as the Chief. In issue #88 (June 1964), their third battle against Immortus forces him to tell the rest of the Patrol his back-story and real name, which suddenly and with no explanation becomes common public knowledge for the rest of the original 1960s series (even two "flashback" miniseries that ran in the back of the comic, detailing how Cliff Steele and Larry Trainor became "freaks" and were recruited by Caulder, casually used the name).
Post-Crisis
Niles Caulder's back-history seemingly remained intact following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths; however, when writer Grant Morrison took over the Doom Patrol title (starting with vol. 2 #19) they reimagined him as a cold, detached and somewhat mysterious individual. Near the end of their run, Morrison even revealed that Caulder had been responsible for the "accidents" that caused the original Doom Patrol members to gain their powers, since his personal philosophy is that true greatness comes through overcoming tragic events.
While volunteering for the Peace Corps in the 1960s in Calcutta, India, Niles Caulder met Arani Desai and the two fell in love. He gave her immortality on their wedding night and left her in a monastery in the Himalayas, sensing danger from his mysterious benefactor.
Caulder had been hired to develop a serum to increase a person's life span indefinitely. While working on the project, Caulder discovered that his mysterious benefactor was actually a villain named General Immortus. Immortus planted a bomb in Caulder's chest and would only remove it when Caulder had developed the serum. Immortus shot Caulder and while he was technically dead, his robot surgeon removed the bomb and revived him. Due to the robot's crude surgical technique, The Chief lost the use of his legs. Fearing that Immortus would never stop until he was dead, he decided to form a team of heroic misfits to fight Immortus. This team became the first incarnation of the Doom Patrol.
In keeping with the above retcon that he manipulated the original Doom Patrol's transformations, it has been revealed that Caulder had also experimented on other characters in the world who would both benefit and destroy humanity. The most noted are a bitter group called the Brotherhood of Evil, a group of people who also live like "freaks", led by the Brain. The Brotherhood exists as an elitist paramilitary organization involved in terrorist acts around the world such as the destruction of the American city Blüdhaven, occasionally attempting global control of humanity, and the death and destruction of Niles Caulder for causing their tragic transformations.
Towards the end of Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol run, Caulder is discovered working on a nanotechnology bomb that will destroy half the world and replace it with humans transformed into freaks of nature — his theory being that from the destruction would rise a better human race. He murders the original Tempest, Joshua Clay, to protect his secret but the Doom Patrol succeed in stopping his plans.[2]
Chief's head as seen on the cover to Doom Patrol #67. Art by Tom Taggart.
During these events, he is killed by a creation of Dorothy Spinner's known as the Candlemaker. Dr. Will Magnus of the Metal Men builds a new body for the Chief, telling him that he should try helping the Patrol to make up for what he did. Becoming suicidal with guilt, the Chief states that he can never do enough to make up for his actions and uses his new body to rip off his head. Magnus is able to save the Chief by getting the head to a cryogenic chamber. After this, the Chief exists solely as a disembodied head in a bucket of ice, subsisting on milkshakes. He expresses remorse at his actions and rebuilds the Doom Patrol to continue their efforts in the war against weird crime.
In the final issues of the series, the Chief had combined himself with Alice Wired-for-Sound, one of the SRS (Sexually Remaindered Spirits), who powered the DP Teleporter, as a means for more mobility. During the last story arc, Imagine Ari's Friends, the Chief died entering the Tree of Life called the Sephirot.
Infinite Crisis
After Superboy-Prime's pounding on the barriers to reality, certain events are rewritten,[8] and Niles has his body back and still acts as the team leader. It has been revealed that he apparently still is responsible for the creation of the original members of the Patrol, though they claim to have forgiven him.
Caulder now seems to be intent on expanding the Doom Patrol's ranks; he has already convinced Beast Boy to return to the team and formally join it for the first time, and gotten Bumblebee and Vox to join. Robin doubts the Chief's motives, and after seeing him appear to manipulate Elasti-Girl, Robin accuses him of brainwashing the Doom Patrol by keeping them dependent on him. For his part, Caulder maintains that by joining the Doom Patrol, team members "won't have to be freaks anymore." Later, when Caulder is overheard telling Kid Devil that his teammates do not like him and he should join the Doom Patrol, the others finally see that he is controlling them with fear and self-loathing. While Caulder tells them that they need him, Mento finally takes off his helmet, allowing him to think clearly. Mento then informs the Chief that he is no longer their leader and if he ever speaks to Elasti-Girl or Beast Boy like that again, he will destroy Caulder's intellect. Shocked by this, the Chief rushes off to his lab.
Also in the Teen Titans story[volume&issueneeded], it is also revealed that Caulder brutally murdered the scientist who would become "Brain" because they were both working on General Immortus' potion and Caulder was jealous of the Brain's genius and tried to blow up the other scientist's lab to force him to become Robotman prior to Cliff Steele's accident that made him the character of the same name. Brain also reveals that he and the Doom Patrol are not the only innocent humans whose bodies are mutilated against their will by Caulder to create his own personal super-hero team. Two never before mentioned characters (Electric Blu and the Human Cannon) and a Negative Girl (possibly a retcon of Valentina Vostok) are said to be out there somewhere, having rejected Caulder for the damage he inflicted upon them.
Recently, Caulder designed a new training room for the Justice League. He also appears in Four Horsemen #4, apparently back in charge of the Doom Patrol.
During the Doom Patrol's "Blackest Night" tie-in storyline, Caulder is attacked by his former wife Celsius who had been revived as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. During her attack, Celsius is only able to detect avarice as the dominant emotion in Niles' body, his entire emotional aura colored orange. Using her temperature control powers, Celsius freezes and shatters Caulder's legs. She then goes in for the kill, aiming to rip out his heart.[9] Caulder is saved by the intervention of a man with a black hole for a face, who imprisons Celsius in an energy bubble. Unable to defeat the Black Lanterns, Caulder utilized a warp gate to send them all to the Justice League, in hopes that they will be able to deal with the problem. However, at last beaten by the excruciating pain of his destroyed legs, he gives in at last and appears to fall unconscious.[10]
Caulder later gains the body of a Kryptonian, and successfully duplicates the ability to absorb yellow sun radiation into the cells from it, transforming himself into a "Superman". Caulder then attacks his team, before setting out to do their job himself. He steals every missile on the planet and dumps them in Antarctica, and attacks the United Nations in his attempts to make "a better world". He is only stopped when his laboratory computer, "Millicent", transmits a sequence of lights through Robotman's eyes and into his own, neurologically shutting down Caulder's brain. His comatose body is then placed in storage in Oolong Island.[11] Afterwards, the Doom Patrol discover that someone has broken in and stolen Caulder's comatose body.[12]
The New 52
In "The New 52", DC Comics' 2011 reboot of their universe, a young and healthy Niles Caulder is introduced in issue #4 of The Ravagers. Operating a deep underground science & engineering facility located beneath Los Angeles, he provides headquarters and combat training for the team in their campaign against the organization of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. Infiltrating the compound, Caulder is captured along with the rest of the Ravagers by Deathstroke on the behest of Harvest.
During the events of Forever Evil, it is revealed that Niles Caulder has created a Doom Patrol since his last appearance and seems to be free from Harvest. This Doom Patrol was killed by Crime Syndicate of America members Johnny Quick and Atomica except for Celsius and Tempest who according to Lex Luthor faked their deaths to escape him, prompting Caulder to make plans to "start over".[13] Following the defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Caulder and the newly created Doom Patrol is introduced in issue #30 of Justice League. Membership consists of team's classic, 1963, lineup with Robotman, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man and - M.I.A. Justice League member - Element Woman.
Young Animal
The Doom Patrol in the Young Animal imprint is contacted by Niles Caulder in issue #7 and embark on a mission with him leading. The mission goes haywire and it is revealed that Niles Caulder is gambling again, leading the team to evict him as a leader and as a member of the team. This marks the team embracing being a new iteration of the Doom Patrol.
Skills and abilities
As the Chief, Caulder has proficiency in chemistry, electrical engineering, leadership, and robotics.[14]
The Chief appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Last Patrol!", voiced by Richard McGonagle.[19] Following a failed mission and the Doom Patrol disbanding, this version retired until Batman reunites the Doom Patrol in the present after their enemies form an alliance to seek revenge. While Batman foils the alliance, the Doom Patrol sacrifice themselves to save a small town being threatened by the villains.
The Chief appears in the Young Justice: Outsiders episode "Nightmare Monkeys", voiced by Scott Menville.[19] This version died while on a mission with the Doom Patrol years prior to the series.
The Chief appears in Doom Patrol, portrayed by Timothy Dalton as an adult[21] and Abigail Shapiro as a child. Similarly to the post-Crisis comics incarnation and separate Titans counterpart,[22] this version was responsible for turning the future Doom Patrol members into metahumans in an attempt to protect his daughter Dorothy Spinner. Additionally, he formed and led an earlier incarnation of the Doom Patrol in the 1950s before they were defeated by Mr. Nobody and possesses a degree of immortality due to a talisman stolen from Nazi scientist Heinrich Von Fuchs. After giving the talisman to Willoughby Kipling to restore a shrunken Doom Patrol to their normal sizes, the Chief works to stave off death so he can spend more time with Spinner before dying.
Doom Patrol is a superhero team from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80, and was created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, along with artist Bruno Premiani. Doom Patrol has appeared in different incarnations in multiple comics, and have been adapted to other media. The series' creator and fans have suspected that Marvel Comics copied the basic concept to create the X-Men, which debuted a few months later.
Bumblebee is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics and other related media, commonly as a member of the Teen Titans. She first appeared as Karen in December 1976's Teen Titans #45, and adopted the Bumblebee identity three issues later. Historically, Bumblebee is sometimes considered DC Comics' first Black woman superhero character, though this distinction is also accorded to Nubia, a less traditional costumed crimefighter than Bumblebee, who debuted three years earlier in 1973.
The Brotherhood of Evil is a group of DC Comics supervillains, archenemies of the Doom Patrol, Justice League and Teen Titans.
The Brain is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Commonly as a frequent enemy of the Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans, he is a French genius and criminal mastermind.
Elasti-Girl is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Doom Patrol. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bruno Premiani, the character first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80.
Monsieur Mallah is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. He is the gorilla servant of and, in time, the partner to Gorilla Grodd and the Brain, while serving as an enemy of the Doom Patrol, Justice League, and the Teen Titans.
Madame Rouge is a fictional supervillain appearing in DC Comics, first appearing in Doom Patrol #86. The character was created by Arnold Drake.
General Zahl is a fictional character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Initially known as Captain Zahl, he is a former German Navy officer and enemy of the Doom Patrol.
General Immortus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He has also been called "The Forever Soldier" or "The Forever General".
Negative Man is a superhero from DC Comics. The character was created by Bob Haney, Arnold Drake, and Bruno Premiani and made his first appearance in My Greatest Adventure #80.
Mento is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Mr. Nobody is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the founder of the Brotherhood of Dada and an enemy of the Doom Patrol. Introduced as Morden in Doom Patrol #86, the character was re-envisioned as Mr. Nobody for Doom Patrol vol. 2 #26.
Joshua Clay (Tempest) is a fictional character, a member of the superhero team Doom Patrol in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton, he first appears as the hero Tempest in Showcase #94 (August 1977).
Celsius is a superhero in the DC Comics series Doom Patrol. She first appeared in Showcase #94, and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton. She is among the very few superheroes of Indian heritage, and may be the first ever such hero created by DC Comics.
Dorothy Spinner is a fictional character created by Paul Kupperberg, appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was a former member of the Doom Patrol with the ability to bring imaginary beings to life. Dorothy first appeared in Doom Patrol vol. 2, #14 as a background character until she was made a full member a few issues later.
Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a foe of the original Doom Patrol.
Robotman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is best known as a member of the Doom Patrol, being the only character to appear in every version of the team since its introduction in June 1963.
Beast Boy is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He has also gone under the alias Changeling. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bob Brown, he is a shapeshifter who possesses the ability to metamorph into any animal he chooses. The character first appeared in Doom Patrol #99 and is usually depicted as a member of the Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans.
Teen Titans: Earth One is a series of graphic novels written by Jeff Lemire, penciled by Terry Dodson and inked by Rachel Dodson and Cam Smith. The novel is a modernized re-imagining of DC Comics' long-running Teen Titans comic book series as part of the company's Earth One imprint. Earth One's Teen Titans exists alongside other revamped DC characters in Earth One titles, including Superman: Earth One and Batman: Earth One, as well as other graphic novels.
Doom Patrol is an American superhero television series developed by Jeremy Carver. Based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name, and specifically Grant Morrison's run on the title, the series features Jane, Rita Farr, Vic Stone, Larry Trainor, Cliff Steele, and Niles Caulder as the members of the eponymous Doom Patrol. Although Bowlby, Bomer, and Fraser reprise their roles from the series Titans, the two shows are set in separate continuities.
↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p.68. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
↑ Wells, John (2015). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64. TwoMorrows Publishing. p.129. ISBN978-1605490458.
↑ Wallace, Dan (2008), "General Immortus", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p.136, ISBN978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC213309017 Please cite actual comic books rather than this encyclopedia so we can locate source material
↑ Infinite Crisis: Secret Files & Origins (April 2006). DC Comics.
↑ Doom Patrol (vol. 5) #4 (January 2010). DC Comics.
↑ Doom Patrol (vol. 5) #5 (February 2010). DC Comics.
↑ Doom Patrol (vol. 5) #14-15 (November–December 2010). DC Comics.
↑ Doom Patrol (vol. 5) #22 (July 2011). DC Comics.
↑ Justice League (vol. 2) #27 - Forever Evil (tie-in). DC Comics.
↑ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Vol 1 #4 (June 1985). DC Comics.
1 2 3 "Chief Voices (DC Universe) - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 8, 2023. 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 opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
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