Dev-Em

DEV-EM

Real Name: Dev-Em

Class: Extraterrestrial (Kryptonian / Daxamite (see comments))

Occupation: Superhero, counter-intelligence agent

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: unnamed parents

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, 30th Century

First Appearance: Adventure Comics I #287 (August, 1961)

Powers: Like all Daxamites Dev-Em had superpowers when not under the extreme gravity of his homeworld or under a red sun. Dev-Em possessed the powers of flight, vast superhuman strength, durability and speed as well as super-vision and hearing.

History:

(Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1) - In the aftermath of the Crisis on Infinite Earth's Dev-Em's history was altered. David Emery was a native of Titan, and his parents moved to Earth in shame because they believed he was born without psychic powers. As a teen Emery's powers kicked in, and he was far more powerful than most natives of Titan. He could bend reality to his whim, and as a fan of the historical hero Superman he became Dev-Em, possessing all the powers of a Kryptonian. He made up a story about being a roguish native of Krypton that survived the destruction of the planet when he stole Jor-El's plans for a rocket ship.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #14) - Dev-Em joined the U.P.’s Counter-Intelligence Corps, and learned that the Dark Circle left behind a few members on Earth to commit acts of sabotage. An Ontiir clone used his weapon-chair to destroy the bridges and drainage systems that kept the California Costal District afloat, and Dev-Em investigated. The Legion of Super-Heroes was holding a membership drive, and took several prospective members to California to save the day. Dev-Em made it very clear he was not impressed with the new would-be Legionnaires, and said the Legion would be better off if they offered him membership again. With the help of telepath Tellus they found the clone, who set off another destructive device that caused a tidal wave. Mon-El used his heat vision to evaporate the tidal wave while his teammates tried to pierce the clone’s forcefield. Quislet, an adventurer from a microscopic dimension flying in a miniatures Trans-D Vessel, joined the fray in an attempt to impress the Legion. Quislet could animate inanimate matter, and took control of the clone’s weapon-chair, using it to defeat him. Quislet returned to his Vessel, and the weapon-chair crumbled to dust, as was usually the case for any matter Quislet possessed. Mon-El asked Dev-Em if he was seriously interested in joining the Legion, but Dev-Em said the Corps suited him just fine. When Mon-El reported back to the Legion most of the team was glad they wouldn’t have to deal with Dev-Em or his attitude again.

Comments: Created by Jerry Siegel & George Papp.

Dev-Em received profiles in Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 and Who's Who in the DC Universe #9.

Dev-Em's appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes III #14 was reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes III #14.

In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths DCU Dax-Em was a Kryptonian, but in the initial post-Crisis DCU all Kryptonians except Superman were killed when Krypton exploded and Dev-Em's origins were retconned in Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, making Dev-Em a native of Titan with reality altering powers. This origin was retconned again after Glorinth altered reality in the Five Years Later Legion of Super-Heroes, and Dev-Em was now a Daxamite.