Tuatara (character)

Last updated
Tuatara
Tuatara (DC Comics).png
The Jeremy Wakefield incarnation of Tuatara as depicted in Super Friends #8 (November 1977). Art by Ramona Fradon.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Super Friends #8 (November 1977)
Created by E. Nelson Bridwell (script)
Ramona Fradon (art)
In-story information
Alter egoJeremy Wakefield
Team affiliations Global Guardians
AbilitiesPrognostication

Tuatara is the name of two different characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.

Contents

Fictional character biography

Jeremy Wakefield

Tuatara's first appearance took place in Super Friends #8 (November 1977), which is set outside the mainstream DC Comics continuity. Jeremy Wakefield is a young New Zealander who can see into the fourth dimension of time using his third eye. He thus named himself after the tuatara, a reptile with a parietal eye or "third eye". In his first mission he helped the Red Tornado dismantle a bomb in the Prehistoric Era. After aiding the Super Friends fight against a time menace, Tuatura becomes a member of the Global Guardians. [1]

Tuatara's first mainstream appearance was in Justice League International #12 (April 1988). A few years later, the Global Guardians are all brainwashed into service under the Queen Bee of Bialya. Tuatara, Rising Sun and Wild Huntsman are sent off on specific missions to attack Nazi strongholds and Justice League members. Tuatara is sent to attack a Neo-Nazi fringe group based in Dover, England. The Justice League members Metamorpho, Elongated Man and Flash were traveling to the site on a ferry when they encounter Tuatara. He had sneaked aboard the ferry itself. The battle, which takes place mostly underwater, is ended when he is wrapped up in the Elongated Man's body. He is taken to the surface, calls the League members 'Nazis' and soon falls into a coma.

He is taken care of at an Australian medical facility, paid for by the Justice League. A little bit before he was to move to the Justice League International embassy medical ward, the Queen Bee sends a signal to awaken him. He vanishes, which angers his Australian friend, the Tasmanian Devil. He returns to Bialya, along with Rising Sun and Wild Huntsman, who had awakened at the same time as he. All three are duly brainwashed. Tuatara and his friends escape this brainwashing after several battles with the Justice League and with other Guardians.

All is not well. The new ruler of Bialya, President Harjavti, is just as dangerous and deadly as the Queen Bee. Rising Sun has left for Japan and Owlwoman has vanished. Unknown to them, Tuatara and his remaining friends are in constant danger, as Harjavti struggles to keep control of the team. Owlwoman eventually hunts down Doctor Mist and the original Jack O'Lantern.

With his assistance, the Guardians escape from under the thumb of Bialya.

Tuatara's last appearance was in Justice League Quarterly #17 (winter 1994). The Guardians are now based out of a South Pacific island and Tuatara is not doing well at all. He comes to believe he is going insane as a result of losing control of his precognition powers.

His friends, scattered across the world, are attacked by Fain Y'onia. Godiva and Impala lose their powers. Olympian is badly injured. Bushmaster is outright killed as a result of his confrontation.

Those able to fight gather in the Arizona desert. When Fain attempts to attack Owlwoman, they ambush him. This attempt does not go well. Thunderlord is killed and Tuatara takes a blow to the face. The Wild Huntsman takes Fain out of this reality.

Due to his injuries, Tuatara falls into a coma. His medical care is supervised by the former Guardians member Seraph.

Tuatara II

A second Tuatara appears as an associate of the Silicon Syndicate. He is a villain with reptilian powers. [2]

Powers and abilities

Tuatara is a mutant born with three eyes. This enables him to see into the past and future, allowing him to prevent events before they occur, and also assists him in hand-to-hand combat.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Tornado</span> Fictional comic book superhero

Red Tornado is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As the second character to assume the identity of Red Tornado, he is the result of an android being merged with a sentient tornado by T.O. Morrow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom Fighters (comics)</span>

The Freedom Fighters is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original six characters were the Black Condor, Doll Man, the Human Bomb, the Ray, the Phantom Lady, and Uncle Sam. Although the characters were created by Quality Comics, they never were gathered in a group before being acquired by DC. The team first appeared in a Justice League of America/Justice Society of America team-up, which ran in Justice League of America #107–108, written by Len Wein and drawn by Dick Dillin. Their own ongoing series premiered with Freedom Fighters #1, written by Gerry Conway and Martin Pasko, and drawn by Ric Estrada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Guardians</span> DC comics superhero team

The Global Guardians is a team of DC Comics superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world. The concept originated in the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon, which aired after the comics stories in Super Friends #7-9, in which several heroes were added to the Justice League to give it more ethnic diversity.

Queen Bee is the name of six different characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Martian</span> Fictional race of aliens in DC Comics

The White Martians are one of four fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan. They first appeared in Justice League #71.

<i>Justice League Europe</i> Comic book series

Justice League Europe (JLE) is a comic book series published by DC Comics that was a spin-off of the comic book Justice League America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian Devil (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

Tasmanian Devil is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Super Friends #7. His first canon appearance is Infinity, Inc. #32.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Despero</span> Fictional comic book supervillain

Despero is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Justice League of America #1, and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.

<i>Invasion!</i> (DC Comics) DC Comic book

Invasion! was a three issue comic book limited series and crossover event published in 1988 by DC Comics. It was plotted by Keith Giffen, and ties up a great many plotlines from various Giffen-created DC series, including Omega Men, Justice League International, and Legion of Super-Heroes. A trade paperback collection of the three issues was released on September 3, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack O'Lantern (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

Jack O'Lantern is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Centrix is a fictional superhero in the DC universe and a member of the superhero team the Global Guardians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Mist</span> Comics character

Doctor Mist is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon, first appearing in a cameo in Super Friends #12. Hailing from the mythical realm of Kor, Nommo is a famous African king and guardian of the magical source known as the Mystical Flame of Life until an ecounter with Felix Faust robbed him of his power after defeating the rogue sorcerer. Ultimately, the character became a superhero in the 1900s, founding the Leymen and then the Global Guardians.

Seraph is a DC Comics superhero from Israel. He first appeared in Super Friends #7, and was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon, art by Bob Oksner and lettered by Milt Snapinn.

The Olympian is the name of two fictional characters in DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godiva (comics)</span> Comics character

Godiva is the name of three DC Comics characters. One is a superhero while the other two are supervillains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professor Ivo</span> Comics character

Anthony Ivo is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a mad scientist who is the creator of the android villain Amazo and, along with villainous scientist T. O. Morrow, the co-creator of the android Tomorrow Woman. As a result of his thanatophobia, Ivo has used his own scientific discoveries to make himself nearly immortal and invulnerable, causing him to become monstrous in the process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Jay (character)</span> Comics character

Blue Jay is a DC Comics superhero and a former member of the Champions of Angor, also known as the Justifiers. He has the ability to shrink to 7 Justice League of America #87.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hector Hammond</span> DC Universe supervillain who is primarily an enemy of Green Lantern

Hector Hammond is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics who is primarily an enemy of Green Lantern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beast Boy</span> DC comic character

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.

The Justice League of Earth are fictional characters, a supervillain team of the 31st Century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank and first appeared in Action Comics #859 as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

References

  1. Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Global Guardians", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 138, ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC   213309017
  2. Birds of Prey #117 (June 2008). DC Comics.