Jemm

JEMM

Real Name: None

Class: Extraterrestrial (Saturnian) mutate

Occupation: Prince of the Saturnians

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Jargon (ancestor, deceased), Jarlia (mother, deceased), Jaxx (father, deceased), Jogarr (cousin), Juri (cousin), Jyra (aunt)

Aliases: Son of Saturn

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Jemm, Son of Saturn #1 (September, 1984)

Powers: Jemm was superhumanly strong and could fly. He possessed a starship for intergalactic travel. The birthstone on Jemm’s head allowed him to probe the emotions of others as well as project his own emotions upon them. Jemm could fire force beams from his birthstone, but overuse of this power made him ill. Jemm was very vulnerable to fire-based attacks.

History: (Jemm, Son of Saturn #1-12)-Saturn was once inhabited by two humanoid races, red-skinned desert Saturnians and white-skinned polar Saturnians, and these races warred for centuries. Jemm is the son of Jaxx, the king of desert Saturnians. Jemm was born a mutant, with a “birthstone” on his forehead, and therefore believed to be the savior prophesied by Saturnian religion. In his youth a nuclear explosion destroyed most of Saturn’s inhabitants. Jaxx died, and Jemm’s mother Jarlla and teacher Rahani would soon follow. Feeling utterly alone Jemm traveled to Earth, where he was taken captive by Synn, leader of the surviving white Saturnians. Jemm escaped to New Bhok, where the remaining red Saturnians lived. Synn followed him, and with the aid of Earthman Claudius Tull, attacked the colony. The conflict left many dead, and in the end Jemm became an outcast from both the white and red races. Jemm returned to Earth, and vanished for a few years.

(JLA #9-12, 15) - Lex Luthor used the Philosopher Stone to brainwash Jemm. He made Jemm nudge the minds of a number of villains so that they would be willing to work for Luthor as the Injustice Gang. He later made Jemm imitate the Martian Manhunter’s telepathic transmissions to keep the JLA from interfering in a trap the Gang had set for Superman and the Manhunter in space. Martian Manhunter helped Jemm free his mind from Luthor’s control. Jemm was shot by Joker, but his life was saved by the Manhunter and Plastic Man.

(Martian Manhunter II #4, 6) - The JLA needed a place to care for the wounded and used Jemm, and Martian Manhunter offered to take him to Z’Onn Z’Orr and explained that Martians were responsible for Saturnians because they created them. Jemm recovered, but Malefic broke into Z’Onn Z’Orr, and after shapeshifting to look like Martian Manhunter he gave Jemm several intense beatings. Manhunter checked in on Jemm in Z’Onn Z’Orr and Jemm attacked him. He read Jemm’s mind and realized he’d been driven half-mad from beatings he received from Malefic. After subduing Jemm he knew he could no longer care from him, and gave him to Woner Woman. He didn’t realize it was actually the Malefic disguised as Wonder Woman, and Malefic had more plans for Jemm. Malefic nearly killed Jemm, and returned him to Z’Onn Z’Orr. Jemm alerted the JLA, and they were convinced he was a victim of the Martian Manhunter.

(JLA #38) - Jemm was among the legion of heroes summoned by the JLA to quell worldwide outbreaks of warfare that were incited by Mageddon.

(Martian Manhunter II #13-16) - The Saturnian starship Va’Jacoth teleported Jemm from the JLA Watchtower, and shocked at his deteriorated condition the crew attacked the Watchtower. Wonder Woman and Green Lantern defended the Watchtower until Martian Manhunter boarded the starship make peace. A treaty between the White and Red Saturnians was being formed, but required Jemm to marry White Saturnian Princess Cha’Rissa, which could not happen in Jemm’s current condition. Manhunter healed Jemm’s mind and body, but space pirates led by Captain Horatio Destiny attacked the starship and demanded Jemm and Cha’Rissa. Manhunter shapeshifted to look like Jemm, and willingly surrendered to them, along with Cha’Rissa. Jemm woke to find a White crew member trying to kil him. The assassination was prevented, but Red Prime Minister Dall told Jemm many opposed the peace between Reds and Whites, an that he should trust no one. Jemm arrived at the Saturnian city Tromfar where he was to be married. He met Cha’Rissa and knew she did not love him, so he asked his cousin Jogarr if he could back out. Jogarr told him it was his responsibility to go through with it. Jogarr was part of the Cabal, a telepathic gestalt of Red and White Saturnians bound to see the peace fail. Manhunter defeated Cabal with the help of Jemm, who merged with Cha’Rissa and used his soul gem to wreck Cabal’s mind. The experience brought Cha’Rissa and Jemm closer, and they went about planning their marriage.

(JSA #34) - The Ultra-Humanite used Johnny Thunder’s Thunderbolt to conquer the world, and imprisoned Jemm and virtually every superhuman on Earth. The Humanite mind-controlled Jemm and a number of other telepaths, using them as his Mindsweepers so he could extend his mental domination over a greater number of superhumans. The JSA used a device that disrupted the braincaps Humanite used to control the Mindsweepers, freeing them from Humanite’s control.

Comments: Created by Gene Colan and Greg Potter.

Jemm was profiled in Who's Who: the Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #11.

Jemm had a cameo in Martian Manhunter II #8.