Celsius

CELSIUS

Real Name: Arani Caulder

Class: Mutant

Occupation: Superhero

Group Affiliation: formerly Doom Patrol II, Black Lantern Corps

Known Relatives: Niles Caulder (husband) Ashok Desai (Kalki, father), unnamed mother (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Midway City, formerly Calcutta, India

First Appearance: Showcase #94 (August-September, 1977)

Powers: Celsius had complete control over her body temperature and could unleash bolts of intense heat from her left hand and cold from her right. Continued use of this power left her exhausted. Celsius was a skilled martial artist.

History: Arani was a poor girl treated by Dr. Niles Caulder, who sent her to a monastery to find peace in her soul. The monks discovered that she was a mutant and trained her in using her powers. Years later Niles returned to India and married Arani, but he again left for America after a short stay. When Arani learned of Chief's supposed death she came to America, adopted the superhero identity of Celsius and formed a new Doom Patrol to continue Niles' work.

(Doom Patrol V #21 (fb)) - Celsius approached Robotman, telling him she was the Chief’s wife, and that she wanted to form a new Doom Patrol in her husband’s memory. He wasn’t sure what to think, and she was overeager in telling him she had documentation that she was married to the Chief. After some soul-searching Robotman decided he did want to carry on the Chief’s legacy.

(DC Comics Presents #52) - Negative Woman lost control of her powers, and her energy form leaked out, covering her body. She flew into a NJ power plant, overloading it, and blacking out half the state. Superman responded, but she flew past him at nearly the speed of light. Villain Ambush Bug made his debut at the Metropolis Day parade, murdering DA Syms, and Superman went to confront him. Negative Woman was destroying the building around the parade, , and after passing through Superman the charge of her body knocked him out. He was woken by the new Doom Patrol, and Ambush Bug tried to incite them to fight before teleporting away. Superman was suspicious of a Doom Patrol he never met, but Robotman vouched for his new teammates, and they asked him for help containing Negative Woman. Ambush Bug kept interfering, attacking them before teleporting away. Superman realized he was using mechanical insects to teleport, and destroyed all of them. Ambush Bug dared Robotman to hit him, and failing to teleport away, he was knocked out. Superman used a lead box to contain Negative Woman until her powers were under control. Her teammates were glad to have her back, but Negative Woman still despaired at the idea of living under chemically treated bandages for the rest of her life.

(Doom Patrol V #4, 5) - Celsius and her Doom Patrol were resurrected as members of the Black lantern Corps. They were charged with ripping out the hearts of those emotionally affected by their resurrection, gathering their emotions and using them to help Nekron return and end life in the universe. Celsius looked forward to exacting revenge on Chief, reflecting that he'd manipulated people to achieve her goals, but her Doom Patrol rejected everything he stood for, giving her team choices and hope. The Corps arrived on Oolong Island, the newly reformed DP’s hq, and Celsius attacked Chief, and told him he no longer got to manipulate her emotionally. She froze his legs, and shattered them, telling the helpless Chief that they would be together forever in death, even though he was never there for her in life. Black Lantern Tempest took out Elasti-Girl, and Lanterns Negative-Woman and Cliff Steele attacked Negative Man and Robotman. Robotman was disconcerted by fighting with his human body. Negative Man combined his negative being with Negative Woman’s, forming a new version of Rebis, and it destroyed her. The sentient black hole, a friend of Chief’s, rescued him, and Chief and the Oolong Island Science Squad were in agreement that they needed to get the Lanterns off the island. Chief commanded the DP to lure the Lanterns to I.Q.’s Boom Tube based gateway, and he teleported them away. I.Q. told Chief he was cold-blooded for sacrificing his team to save Oolong.

(Doom Patrol V #8 (fb)) - The makeshift Boom Tube put both Doom Patrols in the midst of the Black Lantern’s war. The Black Lanterns were defeated by Earth’s heroes.

Comments: Created by Paul Kupperberg & Joe Staton

Celsius received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #4. She received profiles in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7 and Who's Who Update '88 #1 under the Doom Patrol II entry.

Celsius had a flashback cameo in Doom Patrol V #6 and Teen Titans III #32.