Shapesmith

Shapesmith
Publication information
Publisher	Image Comics
First appearance	Invincible #
Created by	Robert Kirkman
In-story information
Team affiliations	Guardians of the Globe
Notable aliases	Rus Livingston
Abilities	Shape shifting

Shapesmith is a fictional character a comic book superhero from the Image Comics series Invincible.

Fictional character biography

Shapesmith is a Martian, using his metamorphic abilities to disguise himself as astronaut Rus Livingston and fight crime. As of Invincible #36 he has become a member of The Guardians Of The Globe, mainly because Shapesmith captured Doc Seismic.

Shapesmith was part of a movement to end the slavery of the Sequids on Mars. He took the form of human astronaut Rus Livingston, and returned to Earth in his place. His plan was that the Sequid slaves would gain a "solid" host in Livingston, unify their hive-mind, and free themselves (The Sequids could not use native Martians as hosts). The plan succeeded, but the Sequids proved so aggressive that they enslaved the Martians and tried to conquer Earth on several occasions. Shapesmith and a group of Earth's superheroes thwarted those attempts.

The Guardians' government liaison Cecil Stedman angrily implied that Shapesmith's days were numbered when he found out that the Martian had impersonated an astronaut and left the original behind. It is later shown that Shapesmith has joined the Guardians of the Globe.

In issue #111, Shapesmith is murdered by Rex Robot during the latter's mission to take over the world.

Powers and abilities

In the Invincible comics, Shapesmith has innate Martian abilities giving him shape shifting powers. He can take any form, and even form the clothes he wears. He can also change his shape, such as expanding his body to wrap around an enemy.