Manchester Black Explained
Manchester Black is a fictional character in American comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those featuring Superman. He was created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke in Action Comics #775 (March 2001).[1] Introduced as an antihero, the character later becomes a supervillain.
David Ajala portrays Manchester Black in Supergirl.
Fictional character biography
Manchester Black is the leader of a team of super-powered antiheroes called the Elite, who gain popularity for viciously killing their foes. Superman battles the Elite before killing their members and temporarily depowering Black by damaging his brain. Following this, Black's sister Vera assumes leadership of the Elite's remants.[2]
In Our Worlds at War, Black regains his powers and joins the Suicide Squad to recruit Doomsday and battle Imperiex. Later, Black battles Superman before realizing the error of his ways and committing suicide.[3]
Black is resurrected in The New 52 continuity reboot and depicted as a high-ranking S.T.A.R. Labs executive.[4] [5] He later works with Superman to save Earth from the Phantom Zone criminals and uses his powers to erase the public's knowledge of Superman's identity, killing him in the process.[6] [7] [8]
Powers and abilities
Black is a powerful telekinetic and telepath. He can create detailed illusions on a vast scale, erase memories, and could telepathically control thousands of minds at the same time. While controlling Bizarro and Silver Banshee, he was able to temporarily grant them enough sanity to enable them to communicate and form plans.
In other media
- Manchester Black appears in Supergirl, portrayed by David Ajala.[9] This version is a Black British man who fell in love with an Empath from Ikthanol named Fiona Byrne (portrayed by Tiya Sircar). After the Children of Liberty capture and kill Byrne, Black seeks revenge by forming the Elite and using a Martian artifact called the Staff of H'ronmeer that grants telepathic powers, only to be killed by Martian Manhunter.
- Manchester Black appears in Superman vs. The Elite, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes as an adult and Grey DeLisle as a child.[10] [11]
- Manchester Black appears as an unlockable playable character in , voiced again by Robin Atkin Downes.[12]
- Manchester Black appears as a character summon in .[13]
Collected editions
Some of Black's appearances have been reprinted in trade paperbacks:
- Justice League Elite (reprints: Action Comics #775, JLA #100, JLA Secret Files 2004 (lead story), and Justice League Elite #1-4, tpb, 208 pages, 2005, Titan DC,)
- Superman: Ending Battle (reprints 2002's Superman (1986 series) #186-87, Adventures Of Superman #608-09, Superman: Man Of Steel #130-31, and Action Comics #795-96, tpb, 192 pages, 2009, DC,)
References
External links
Notes and References
- Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 193.
- Justice League Elite #1-8 (2004–2005)
- Action Comics #796 (December 2002)
- Book: Superman (vol. 4) #24.
- Book: Superman (vol. 4) #25.
- Book: Superman and the Authority #1.
- Book: Superman and the Authority #2.
- Web site: January 25, 2023 . Action Comics #1050 Review . November 12, 2024 . Comic Book Dispatch.
- Web site: 'Supergirl' Adds Nicole Maines As Transgender Superhero; April Parker Jones & David Ajala Also Cast – Comic-Con. Deadline Hollywood. Petski. Denise. July 21, 2018. July 21, 2018.
- Web site: Manchester Black Voice - Superman vs. The Elite (Movie) . July 23, 2024 . 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.
- Web site: Manchester (Young) Voice - Superman vs. The Elite (Movie) . July 23, 2024 . 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.
- Web site: Eisen . Andrew . June 9, 2014 . Characters - LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Guide . July 23, 2024 . IGN . en.
- Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 2, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . July 23, 2024 . IGN . en.
