Blue Diamond (comics)
| The Blue Diamond | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daring Mystery Comics #7 (April 1941) |
| Created by | Ben Thompson |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Elton T. Morrow |
| Team affiliations |
Liberty Legion Crazy Sues New Invaders |
| Abilities |
Superhuman strength Nigh-invulnerability Diamond hard skin Flight Slow aging Ability to survive the vacuum of space |
Blue Diamond is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, debuting under the company's 1940s forerunner, Timely Comics.
An unrelated supervillain called the Blue Diamond appears as an antagonist in Timely's The Human Torch #11 (Spring 1943).
Publication history
The Blue Diamond first appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #7 (April 1941), published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. During that time, he appeared only in that issue and its subsequent, final issue, #8 (January 1942). He was drawn and possibly written by writer-artist Ben Thompson.
The majority of the character's World War II adventures appear in a flashback story in Marvel Premiere #29-30 (April, June 1976), Marvel's flashback series The Invaders #6 (May 1976), #35-38 (December 1978-March 1979), and #41 (September 1979), and in later series in New Invaders #2 (November 2004) #9 (June 2005), and Citizen V and V Battalion: The Everlasting #1 (March 2002), along with an appearance with the WWII superhero team the Liberty Legion in Marvel Two-in-One #20 (Oct. 1976) and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1 (1976). He also appears in flashbacks as a member of the Crazy Sues in All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes (2011).
The Blue Diamond made an appearance in modern-day continuity, in Marvel Two-In-One #79 (Sept. 1981).
Fictional character biography
Elton T. Morrow is an archaeologist who finds a mysterious blue diamond on an expedition to Antarctica. The diamond is a piece of the Lifestone Tree, which powers the alien Chosen Eight of Fate. A German sub attacks Morrow's ship on the way home and Morrow is the only survivor. An explosion shattered the diamond during the battle, forcing innumerable tiny diamond particles into Morrow's body. After he is rescued by a British ship, he finds that the shards of the diamond gave him diamond-hard skin, giving him superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability. Dubbing himself the Blue Diamond, he battles Nazi spies during World War II as part of the Crazy Sues.[1]
After spending years in retirement, the Blue Diamond returns to assist the Fantastic Four's Thing against Shanga, a crystal based alien. Shanga falls in love with Blue Diamond, and turns him into a living humanoid diamond creature as her consort.[2] Morrow returns to Earth to join the new Invaders.[3]
Powers and abilities
The strange blue diamond particles embedded in Blue Diamond's body have made his skin as strong as a diamond, giving him superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability. After his body was altered by Shanga, Blue Diamond gains the power of flight and the ability to survive in the vacuum of space. The alterations to his body also reversed the effects of aging.
Footnotes
References
- Blue Diamond at the Grand Comics Database
- Blue Diamond at Nevins, Jess, A Guide to Golden Age Marvel Characters. WebCitation archive of latter.
- The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age (2004)
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z (2008)
- All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #1 (2011)