Chameleon Boy
Encyclopedia
Chameleon Boy also known as Chameleon, is a DC Comics
superhero
, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics
#267 (August 1960).
, where everyone has the power to change their physical form
. He has orange skin, pointed ears and antennae, and has no hair in his usual humanoid form, although both his name and usual shape were both forced on him by Earthgov's immigrations officers. In pre-Zero Hour
continuity, he was the son of Legion financer R. J. Brande
who was revealed to be a Durlan who had become frozen in human form after contracting a disease. and a female Durlan named Zhay Reep did not learn that Brande was his father for many years (Brande's name was originally revealed to be Ren Daggle, but later altered after the Crisis storyline). Reep and his twin sibling Liggt were raised by their maternal aunt Ji, until he and his brother were forced to battle to the death for the Durlan Right of Survival, which Reep won. Chameleon Boy was also an exceptional detective
; his deductive
prowess coupled with his shapeshifting abilities led to his being named the permanent head of the Legion's Espionage Squad.
Chameleon Boy was sentenced to incarceration on the prison world Takron-Galtos
for his espionage activities against the Khund
s, which almost led to war. He was released after his heroics against rogue Daxamite Ol-Vir
in the Great Darkness Saga. During his incarceration, he was forced to wear binders on his antennae that canceled his shape-shifting powers, although he regained them a few months later when father and son reconciled in a pilgrimage to Durla to visit a sacred temple which regenerated lost shape-shifting abilities. Following the dissolution of the Legion after volume 3, bored by running Brande Industries, (for his wandering father) "Cham" became the primary force behind the reassembly of the Legion in volume 4.
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the Dominators
and withdrew from the United Planets
. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. However, this version of Chameleon Boy was killed in battle (along with SW6's Princess Projectra
and Karate Kid
) fighting Dominion troops.
, a mutant Durlan able to copy innate abilities as well as appearance. The Durlan people would repeatedly attempt to get Reep to assume his father's position, but Reep steadfastly refused, believing he served his people better as part of the Legion. Originally he did not speak Interlac (the universal language of the 30th century) and Invisible Kid
had to translate. After learning the language, he feigned continued difficulty as a part of a sting operation
against President Chu, organized by Invisible Kid's Espionage Squad. Once this was completed, he abandoned the ruse. He was the secret admirer of Spark, and they later began a relationship. He also maintained close friendships with Invisible Kid, Leviathan
(until his death) and Sensor
.
abilities is beyond his capacity; purely physical powers, however, are in his grasp (for example he can gain a dog's sense of smell and the infrared vision of an exotic beast, but not the heat vision
or the superstrength of Superman
). He can also mimic complex machinery and use his shapeshifting abilities as an ersatz
healing factor
, both evidenced when Brainiac 5 convinced him to morph his hand into an advanced alien item he had seen and cut it off with a sharp knife, leaving Chameleon with some degree of pain, but able to rebuild a new hand out of his remaining mass.
A minor difference to prior versions of the character is that his default form does not usually have visible antennae, although he produces them to analyze unfamiliar objects.
miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
" story arc in Action Comics
. Chameleon Boy is included in their number, but is currently considered "missing."
It is finally revealed in Superman (comic book)
(vol. 1) #696 that Chameleon Boy has been posing as Control, a young woman that assists in running the Science Police in the 21st Century. He is found by the Guardian
in rubble beneath the Science Police station, half way between both forms. After he wakes up, he is attacked by General Lane before he escapes with the help of Quislet.
As revealed in Adventure Comics
(vol. 2) #8, Chameleon Boy is part of a secret team sent to the 21st century by the late RJ Brande to save the future in the Last Stand of New Krypton
storyline.
Chameleon appeared in an episode of the Superman
animated series with Saturn Girl
and Cosmic Boy
titled "New Kids in Town". He was voiced by Jason Priestley
. He later appeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited
titled "Far From Home".
He appears in the second season of Legion of Super Heroes
, voiced by Alexander Polinsky
. In this series, Chameleon Boy is characterized as a generally humorous and wise-cracking character, similar to Beast Boy
in the Teen Titans series, although he can be serious if necessary, and is prepared to defy Legion rules if he thinks they are unjust. Also like Beast Boy, he appears to be younger than his comic book counterpart and mostly turns into animals. In his first appearance he commented "My dad's rich, remember?" and later episodes confirmed that this was a reference to R. J. Brande.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#267 (August 1960).
Silver Age
Reep Daggle is from the planet DurlaDurlan (DC Comics)
The Durlans are a fictional extraterrestrial species, a race of shapeshifting beings from the planet Durla, as depicted in DC Comics.-Fictional history:...
, where everyone has the power to change their physical form
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
. He has orange skin, pointed ears and antennae, and has no hair in his usual humanoid form, although both his name and usual shape were both forced on him by Earthgov's immigrations officers. In pre-Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
continuity, he was the son of Legion financer R. J. Brande
R. J. Brande
Rene Jacques "R. J." Brande is a fictional DC Comics character in the 30th and 31st centuries with the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Pre-Crisis:Originally a Durlan named Ren Daggle, Brande was frozen in human form by the deadly Yorggian fever...
who was revealed to be a Durlan who had become frozen in human form after contracting a disease. and a female Durlan named Zhay Reep did not learn that Brande was his father for many years (Brande's name was originally revealed to be Ren Daggle, but later altered after the Crisis storyline). Reep and his twin sibling Liggt were raised by their maternal aunt Ji, until he and his brother were forced to battle to the death for the Durlan Right of Survival, which Reep won. Chameleon Boy was also an exceptional detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
; his deductive
Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning, also called deductive logic, is reasoning which constructs or evaluates deductive arguments. Deductive arguments are attempts to show that a conclusion necessarily follows from a set of premises or hypothesis...
prowess coupled with his shapeshifting abilities led to his being named the permanent head of the Legion's Espionage Squad.
Chameleon Boy was sentenced to incarceration on the prison world Takron-Galtos
Takron-Galtos
Takron-Galtos is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #359 .-History:Takron-Galtos is a planet-sized prison built to house the most dangerous criminals in the galaxy. It exists in the 20th Century, as shown in Justice League of America #247, February...
for his espionage activities against the Khund
Khund
The Khunds are a fictional alien race in the DC Universe, notable for extreme violence. They first appeared in Adventure Comics #346 , as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century.-Fictional history:...
s, which almost led to war. He was released after his heroics against rogue Daxamite Ol-Vir
Ol-Vir
Ol-Vir is a fictional character, a supervillain in the future of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Legion of Super-Heroes #294 , and is often depicted as a member of the Legion of Super-Villains....
in the Great Darkness Saga. During his incarceration, he was forced to wear binders on his antennae that canceled his shape-shifting powers, although he regained them a few months later when father and son reconciled in a pilgrimage to Durla to visit a sacred temple which regenerated lost shape-shifting abilities. Following the dissolution of the Legion after volume 3, bored by running Brande Industries, (for his wandering father) "Cham" became the primary force behind the reassembly of the Legion in volume 4.
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the Dominators
Dominators
The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle on one's forehead...
and withdrew from the United Planets
United Planets
In the , the United Planets is a fictional governing body, traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st century.-History of the published versions of the United Planets:...
. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth...
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
Sun-Eater
A Sun-Eater is a fictional, artificially created living weapon in the DC Comics universe. It has played an important role in various storylines.-History:...
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. However, this version of Chameleon Boy was killed in battle (along with SW6's Princess Projectra
Princess Projectra
This page discusses the humanoid version of the character. For the post-Zero Hour/pre-Threeboot version, see Sensor.Princess Projectra is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. She lives in the 30th and 31st centuries, and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and Karate Kid
Karate Kid (comics)
Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
) fighting Dominion troops.
Zero Hour Reboot
Post-Zero Hour, Reep was known simply as 'Chameleon' and was not related to R. J. Brande. This time, he was the son of Durla's spiritual leader and heir to that title. During his first year of service with the Legion, his father and many of Durla's priesthood were slaughtered by the Composite ManComposite Superman
The Composite Superman is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Superman and Batman.-Joseph Meach version:First appearing in World's Finest Comics #142, June 1964, Joseph Meach was a diver who had fallen on hard times. In an attempt to draw publicity to himself, Meach set up a water tank on a...
, a mutant Durlan able to copy innate abilities as well as appearance. The Durlan people would repeatedly attempt to get Reep to assume his father's position, but Reep steadfastly refused, believing he served his people better as part of the Legion. Originally he did not speak Interlac (the universal language of the 30th century) and Invisible Kid
Invisible Kid
Lyle Norg is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He was the first to assume the name Invisible Kid.-Lyle Norg:...
had to translate. After learning the language, he feigned continued difficulty as a part of a sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
against President Chu, organized by Invisible Kid's Espionage Squad. Once this was completed, he abandoned the ruse. He was the secret admirer of Spark, and they later began a relationship. He also maintained close friendships with Invisible Kid, Leviathan
Gim Allon
Colossal Boy , also known as Leviathan and Micro Lad, is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe who has gone by a variety of superhero names over the past several decades, although originally Colossal Boy. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He...
(until his death) and Sensor
Sensor (comics)
Jeka Wynzorr, codenamed Sensor, is a fictional character, a superheroine in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes....
.
2005 "Threeboot"
In the 2005 reimagining/reboot of the Legion, the character was still referred to as Chameleon, but is now portrayed as a completely androgynous, non-gender specific humanoid. Chameleon still has the power to change into any form at will, but the character's revised origin has yet to be revealed, although Jeyra Entinn, a female Titanian and telepath, squeezed out of his mind the image of a childhood ambiguously described as filled with prejudices which left him driven to achieve results as a detective and a Legionnaire as a way to achieve a better image for all Durlans. He is still a master detective and proficient not only in Interlac but in many aspects of life in the United Planets. He is currently able to mimic only the superficial appearance of people or animals, though duplication of most metahumanMetahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
abilities is beyond his capacity; purely physical powers, however, are in his grasp (for example he can gain a dog's sense of smell and the infrared vision of an exotic beast, but not the heat vision
Heat vision
Heat vision may refer to:*Thermography, image production using infrared radiation*Infrared vision, a capability of detecting infrared radiation*Heat vision, a fictional superpower...
or the superstrength of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
). He can also mimic complex machinery and use his shapeshifting abilities as an ersatz
Ersatz
Ersatz means 'substituting for, and typically inferior in quality to', e.g. 'chicory is ersatz coffee'. It is a German word literally meaning substitute or replacement...
healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
, both evidenced when Brainiac 5 convinced him to morph his hand into an advanced alien item he had seen and cut it off with a sharp knife, leaving Chameleon with some degree of pain, but able to rebuild a new hand out of his remaining mass.
A minor difference to prior versions of the character is that his default form does not usually have visible antennae, although he produces them to analyze unfamiliar objects.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, featuring the Superman character and the return of the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion of Super-Heroes...
" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. Chameleon Boy is included in their number, but is currently considered "missing."
It is finally revealed in Superman (comic book)
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
(vol. 1) #696 that Chameleon Boy has been posing as Control, a young woman that assists in running the Science Police in the 21st Century. He is found by the Guardian
Guardian (DC Comics)
Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...
in rubble beneath the Science Police station, half way between both forms. After he wakes up, he is attacked by General Lane before he escapes with the help of Quislet.
As revealed in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
(vol. 2) #8, Chameleon Boy is part of a secret team sent to the 21st century by the late RJ Brande to save the future in the Last Stand of New Krypton
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton
"Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton" is a 2010 crossover story arc in the various Superman comic book series published by DC Comics. It follows the events from World of New Krypton and leads directly into War of the Supermen....
storyline.
In other media
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
animated series with Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
titled "New Kids in Town". He was voiced by Jason Priestley
Jason Priestley
Jason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
. He later appeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
titled "Far From Home".
He appears in the second season of Legion of Super Heroes
Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
, voiced by Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
. In this series, Chameleon Boy is characterized as a generally humorous and wise-cracking character, similar to Beast Boy
Beast Boy
Garfield Mark "Gar" Logan, known as Beast Boy or Changeling, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics...
in the Teen Titans series, although he can be serious if necessary, and is prepared to defy Legion rules if he thinks they are unjust. Also like Beast Boy, he appears to be younger than his comic book counterpart and mostly turns into animals. In his first appearance he commented "My dad's rich, remember?" and later episodes confirmed that this was a reference to R. J. Brande.