Paragon (DC Comics)
Encyclopedia
Paragon is a fictional supervillain
published by DC Comics
. He first appeared in Justice League of America
vol. 1 #224 (March 1984), and was created by Kurt Busiek
and Chuck Patton
.
by duplicating their unique abilities, but was defeated by the Red Tornado
, an inorganic android whose powers Paragon could not duplicate. In his earliest appearance Cochin's stated goal was the eradication of all those he considered "inferior" -- more than three quarters of the human race
.
After his single appearance Paragon went unseen for more than two decades (real time). However, he has recently become a recurring opponent of Superman
, although one who in certain circumstances was seen to help the Man of Steel.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
published by DC Comics
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...
. He first appeared in Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
vol. 1 #224 (March 1984), and was created by Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
and Chuck Patton
Chuck Patton
Francis Chuck Patton is an African American comic book artist and animator. He is best known in comics circles for his work on DC Comics' Justice League of America in the 1980s, specifically for the period in which the team relocated to Detroit, Michigan, and was staffed with new, multicultural...
.
Fictional character biography
In his initial appearance Paragon faced and defeated the Justice League of AmericaJustice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
by duplicating their unique abilities, but was defeated by the Red Tornado
Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
, an inorganic android whose powers Paragon could not duplicate. In his earliest appearance Cochin's stated goal was the eradication of all those he considered "inferior" -- more than three quarters of the human race
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
.
After his single appearance Paragon went unseen for more than two decades (real time). However, he has recently become a recurring opponent 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...
, although one who in certain circumstances was seen to help the Man of Steel.
Powers and abilities
- Cochin has the ability to duplicate the physical and mental abilities of organic beings in his vicinity and use them himself, even magnifying them by a considerable amount. This includes the ability to copy superhuman powersSuperpower (ability)Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
. - Unlike supervillains such as the ParasiteParasite (comics)The Parasite is the name of several fictional characters that appears in Superman comic book stories published by DC Comics. A supervillain, Parasite has the ability to temporarily absorb the energy, knowledge and super-powers of another being by touch, making him a formidable foe for the Man of...
, who drains the powers of beings, Paragon does not take his target's unique abilities, but rather duplicates them. - He is unable to copy the powers of inorganic beings such as the Red TornadoRed TornadoRed Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
or weapons such as Green Lantern's ringPower ring (weapon)A power ring is a fictional object featured in comic book titles published by DC Comics. It first appeared in All-American Comics #16 .-Origin:...
. - In his original appearance, Paragon would lose someone's power as soon as they were out of his range. In his recent appearances, he was able to prolong the time he retains an ability through the use of a special high-tech suit of his own design.