Hector Hammond

Hector Hammond
Hector Hammond
Interior artwork from Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe 10 (December 1985 DC Comics)
Art by Gil Kane
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceGreen Lantern (vol. 2) #5 (March–April 1961)
Created byJohn Broome
Gil Kane
In-story information
Alter egoHector Hammond
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliationsThe Society
Royal Flush Gang
Orange Lantern Corps
Notable aliasesWildcard, Ophidian
Abilities
  • Genius-level intellect
  • Telepathy
  • Mind control
  • Telekinesis

Hector Hammond is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics who is primarily an enemy of Green Lantern.[1]

Peter Sarsgaard portrays Hammond in the 2011 film Green Lantern.

Publication history

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Hector Hammond originally appeared in Green Lantern (vol. 2) #5 (March–April 1961) and was created by John Broome and Gil Kane.[2]

Fictional character biography

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Hector Hammond is a petty criminal on the run from the law when he discovers the fragments of a meteor that previously landed in Africa, super-evolving Gorilla Grodd and other gorillas.[3] Observing that radiation from the meteor caused the nearby plants to evolve rapidly, Hammond kidnaps four scientists and exposes them to the meteor, increasing their intellect and lessening their free will. Hammond forces the scientists to create inventions which he sells for profit.[1]

Green Lantern Hal Jordan creates a duplicate power ring for his friend Thomas Kalmaku to wield while he is away fighting Hammond. However, Hammond steals his ring and transforms Kalmaku into a chimpanzee. Jordan confronts Hammond personally in a battle of power rings that ends only when the charge of Hammond's ring runs out, allowing Jordan to capture him and restore Kalmaku and the scientists.[1]

Hammond returns in Justice League of America #14 (September 1962). He escapes from prison and exposes himself to the meteorite, gaining a massive brain, psionic powers, and immortality. He captures Green Lantern using Amos Fortune's de-memorizer, but is captured. Hammond's powers eventually rob him of his movement and ability to speak, after which he uses his powers to control others.[1][4]

In Justice League of America #203 - #205 (June - August 1982), Hammond forms the second incarnation of the second Royal Flush Gang before Martin Stein subdues him on the astral plane. Hammond later erases the world's memories of the JLA in Justice Leagues.[5] In addition to battling Hal Jordan, Hammond has also fought Green Lanterns Alan Scott[6] and Kyle Rayner.[7]

After Green Lantern: Rebirth

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Following the 2004-2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth, in which Hal Jordan is resurrected, vindicated for his past crimes, and returns as the star of the Green Lantern core series, Hammond reappears as one of his adversaries.[1] The Kroloteans, aliens who sent the meteor that gave him his powers, capture and experiment on Hammond, causing him to regain physical speech.[8][9][10]

Hammond appears in Infinite Crisis as a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains.[1]

Green Lantern: Secret Origin

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Hammond appears in Green Lantern: Secret Origin, a re-telling of Hal Jordan's first days as a Green Lantern. In the storyline, Hammond is a consultant for Ferris Aircraft who has unreciprocated feelings towards Carol Ferris and gains his powers from a fragment of Abin Sur's spaceship.[11][12][13][14]

Brightest Day

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Hammond is later freed from prison by Krona and obtains the Orange Lantern power battery, allowing the Orange Lantern entity Ophidian to possess him.[15][16][17][18] Ophidian ultimately separates from Hammond and works with Krona and the other emotional entities to attack Oa.[19]

The New 52

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In September 2011, The New 52 reboots DC's continuity. Hector Hammond appears as a prisoner of S.T.A.R. Labs before H.I.V.E. agents free him. The two work with Superman and Lois Lane to battle the Psycho-Pirate.[20][21][22]

In Forever Evil, Hector Hammond is among the villains recruited by the Crime Syndicate of America to join the Secret Society of Super Villains.[23]

In Doomsday Clock, Hector Hammond is among the villains who meet with the Riddler to discuss the Superman Theory.[24]

DC Rebirth

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While imprisoned at Ryker's Island, Hammond is captured by Kroloteans who intend to weaponize his powers. Hal Jordan and Superman rescue Hammond, who has grown tired of others wanting to control him. He attempts to commit suicide by making Superman shoot him with his heat vision, but Hal intervenes, rendering Hammond comatose instead.

During the Darkstars Rising storyline, Hal recruits Hammond to battle the Darkstars. During the battle between the Green Lantern Corps and the Darkstars, Hammond disrupts the Controllers' psionic powers, disabling their army.

Infinite Frontier

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Following the restoration of the multiverse in Dark Nights: Death Metal, Hammond is restored to his human form and joins the Department of Extranormal Operations.[25]

Powers and abilities

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Hammond in his mutated state exhibits genius level intellect, as well as potent telepathic and telekinetic abilities[1] including mind reading, mind control, astral projection, levitation, projection of harmful psionic blasts, moving physical objects with his mind, and on occasion displays the ability to absorb and mentally redirect Green Lantern's emerald plasma. In some incarnations, his body has atrophied to the point where he cannot walk and he has to strap his head to a chair to support its weight.

As the host of Ophidian, Hammond possesses the powers of an Orange Lantern without needing a power ring to access them.

Other versions

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Flashpoint

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An alternate universe variant of Hector Hammond appears in Flashpoint. This version is a civilian, consultant to Ferris Aircraft, and superior of Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris.[26]

Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!

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Hector Hamhock, a funny animal variant of Hector Hammond from Earth-C-Minus, appears in Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!.[27]

Amalgam Comics

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HECTOR (Highly Evolved Creature Totally Oriented for Revenge), a fusion of Hector Hammond and MODOK from Earth-9602, appears in the Amalgam Comics one-shot Iron Lantern.[28]

In other media

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Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond as he appears in Green Lantern.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Hector Hammond", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 153, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  2. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  3. ^ The Flash (vol. 2) #69 (October 1992). DC Comics.
  4. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 2) #25 (December 1963). DC Comics.
  5. ^ Justice Leagues #1 (March 2001). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Green Lantern Quarterly #2 (Fall 1992). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #2 (June 1999). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #4 (August 2005). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #5 (November 2005). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #6 (December 2005). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #31 (May 2008). DC Comics.
  12. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #32 (June 2008). DC Comics.
  13. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #33 (July 2008). DC Comics.
  14. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #35 (October 2008). DC Comics.
  15. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #51 (February 2010). DC Comics.
  16. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #56 (June 2010). DC Comics.
  17. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #57 (September 2010). DC Comics.
  18. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #62 (February 2011). DC Comics.
  19. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #64 (March 2011). DC Comics.
  20. ^ Superman (vol. 3) #18 (May 2013). DC Comics.
  21. ^ Superman (vol. 3) #19 (June 2013). DC Comics.
  22. ^ Action Comics (vol. 2) #22. DC Comics.
  23. ^ Forever Evil #1. DC Comics.
  24. ^ Doomsday Clock #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.
  25. ^ Infinite Frontier #3. DC Comics.
  26. ^ Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #1 - #3 (June - August 2011)
  27. ^ Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #14 (April 1983)
  28. ^ Iron Lantern #1
  29. ^ Gilchrist, Todd (June 17, 2011). "'Green Lantern's' Peter Sarsgaard Accepts His Villainous Fate". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  30. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
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