Abra Kadabra (DC)
Abra Kadabra is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Citizen Abra was a male human who was an inhabitant of Earth in the year 6363 A.D. (The Flash v1 #128)
The failed stage performer known as Citizen Abra sought the fame and adulation that the automated society of the 64th century denied him. Upon his arrival, he utilised his era's advanced science—which appeared as miraculous magic to the contemporary public—to stage a series of public spectacles designed to garner applause. When The Flash intervened to investigate the 'magicians' suspicious activities, Kadabra viewed the hero as a rival for the spotlight and used his futuristic device to paralyse the speedster. Seeking to humiliate his opponent, he magically teleported the Scarlet Speedster into space and eventually transformed the hero into a living marionette, forcing him to perform embarrassing stunts on stage for a captive audience. Despite his initial technological advantage, Kadabra’s arrogance proved to be his downfall; the Flash managed to vibrate his molecular structure to break the 'spell' and used his superior speed to overwhelm the villain before he could activate his wand again, leading to the magician's first incarceration in a 20th-century prison. (The Flash v1 #128) Citizen Abra then used futuristic hypnotism on a governor to secure a legal pardon and immediately launched a new career as a stage puppeteer in Central City. His show featured a 'heroic' puppet named Captain Creampuff who repeatedly humiliated a puppet version of The Flash, a smear campaign that successfully turned public opinion against the real hero. When the Flash's counter-campaign of hyper-efficient crime-fighting caused the show's ticket sales to plummet, a vengeful Kadabra used a hidden device in one of his posters to physically transmute the speedster into a living marionette. The villain then forced the wooden hero to perform in his show, subjecting him to further public mockery and physical abuse from the Captain Creampuff puppet. The Flash eventually regained enough control over his own molecules to vibrate his wooden body, allowing him to destroy the Creampuff puppet and knock out Kadabra before using the villain's own 64th-century wand to restore his human form. (The Flash v1 #133)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
He remained in Iron Heights Penitentiary with no memory of his past until a visit by criminal profile Hunter Zolomon. During the meeting, the words 'Houdini' were mentioned which caused Citizen Abra to remember his past and his goals in life. With his embedded technology, he restored himself as Abra Kadabra and escaped from Iron Heights after dealing with the guards. Zolomon confronted the supervillain where he stated he was not scared of him with Abra Kadabra leaving Hunter unharmed as he said he knew his future and would be rooting for him. He then created a magic show in Metropolis where he was confronted by the Flash's Jay Garrick and Wally West with Superman himself arriving at the scene. Citizen Abra then forced the three to partake in a great race where he compelled them to participate with his 'magic'. He then used their combined speed to travel back to the 64th century in order to get new implants to add to his body to restore himself to power. He was ambushed by the three heroes though Abra used his 'magic' to turn them into puppets before attempting to use a Chaos Sphere against them. However, the Flash reflected the energy back at Abra thus trapping into a small orb. The three heroes then returned to the present where the Flash put Abra Kadabra back at Iron Heights. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
Kadabra remained imprisoned at the Jura Canton prison in Switzerland when he was visited by Inertia who wanted him to join the Rogues for revenge against the Flash. However, he was not interested but the villainous speedster villain offered him to help him conduct a 'magic trick' that would involve freezing time for everyone except for the Rogues. The ability to perform such a grand magic trick was enticing to Abra Kadabra who agreed to take part in the scheme. After being freed, he joined Captain Cold, Heatwave, Mirror Master and Pied Piper in Los Angeles where he was briefed on the plot being orchestrated by Inertia. This involved turning the Getty Center into the foundation of a machine capable of stopping time with Abra Kadabra, Captain Cold and Heatwave in charge of the construction effort. (The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive v1 #11)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Abra Kadabra creates younger puppet duplicates of the Titans and has them fight the Titans. When the puppet Lilith finds Linda Park and tells Abra Kadabra of her importance to Wally, Abra Kadabra realizes that history was broken, knowing that Wally and Linda will not meet years from now. Abra Kadabra realizes that his plans must be sped up, and before he can contemplate this any further, he is attacked by Garth. Abra tries to kill him, but only succeeds in injuring Garth due to Wally's interference. (Titans v3 #2) Abra Kadabra reveals to Wally that he removed the latter from time and recollection because he always managed to thwart Abra Kadabra's plans, and disappears with his puppet Titans afterwards. At the theater, Abra Kadabra tries to receive evaluations of the Titans from his puppets. Abra Kadabra reveals his origin to his puppets, revealing that he was from the future and traveled back in time to become famous, but his plans were always thwarted by the Flash Barry Allen and Kid Flash Wally West. Abra Kadabra then used almost all of his power to throw Wally into the time stream, but it removed his memories in the process. Intrigued as to why history has been knocked askew, due to the fact Wally knows Linda, Abra Kadabra begins to craft an even greater trick and he kidnaps Linda from in front of Wally. (Titans v3 #3)
Abra Kadabra eventually returned to the 21st Century and was invited to join the Legion of Zoom, a group organized by the Reverse-Flash to finally defeat the Flash. (The Flash v1 #760)
Overview
Personality and attributes
The name Abra Kadabra was a stage name that he had taken when he had embarked on being a magician in the 64th century. (The Flash v1 #128)
For much of his life, he had longed to be a magician but such a practice had fallen out of favour by his time. To Abra Kadabra, the 20th century was a time when magic as in all its glory and he came to know the names of the great magicians like Houdini, Dunninger and Thurston. However, in his time, abilities such as teleportation, telepathy, and mind-over-matter radiation were simple feats for children who could perform them in their school laboratories. It was for this reason that he was dismayed about his time as the advance of science had made magic obsolete. (The Flash v1 #128) To Citizen Abra, stage magic was a lost art in the 21st century and he was determined to return it to prominence. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
He had said that he would do anything to be remembered. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1) In fact, he yearned to be applauded by a crowd and was not above using hypnosis to force them to appreciate his tricks. He came to regard himself as being the mightiest magician in history. (The Flash v1 #128)
Powers and abilities
Thus, he was noted for being a master of technology but not of magic. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
On his person, he had a hypo-ray that was disguised as a gem-flower on his lapel. With it, he could perform mind-reading acts and could also place people on a hypo-spell. The paralysed hypo-beam was said to travel at the speed of light allowing him to instantly put most of his foes under his command. (The Flash v1 #128)
With a gesture, he could cause an object to disappear though in reality it was because he teleported it to another location. (The Flash v1 #128)
He could infect others with what he termed a 'curse' though in reality this was nano-technology. These microscopic robots that burrowed into the skin and attacked the target's cells. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
Removing his circuit-grafts did not separate him from his power nor did it cut his access to his props. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
He was known to make use of a super-space time-fold to hide his wand. (DC First: Flash/Superman v1 #1)
Notes
- Abra Kadabra was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino where he made his first appearance in The Flash v1 #128 (May, 1962).
Alternate Versions
- In Flashpoint: Secret Seven v1 #2 (2011), an alternate version of Abra Kadabra appeared in the altered timeline of the Flashpoint.
In other media
Television
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Abra Kadabra appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Jeff Bennett. In the 64th century, super science reigns supreme. Nobody was amused by Citizen Abra's magic tricks. He stole a time machine and went back to the 20th century with his era's technology. As Abra Kadabra, he sought to become famous and admired but that never materialized. He turned to crime to get the attention he desired. Kadabra's main weapon is a slim magician's wand, which is the source of his power. He is most known for turning innocent civilians into mindless human puppets.
- In Young Justice, Abra Kadabra appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced again by actor Jeff Bennett. He clashed with Flash, who proved that the former used science from the future to simulate magic. Abra Kadabra followed Kent Nelson to Madame Xanadu's parlor where he used his simulated magic to teleport them both away in a flash of light, kidnapping Kent Nelson for Klarion. After waiting outside the Tower of Fate for three weeks, Klarion and Abra followed the Team inside, as they had the key. Abra Kadabra engaged the Team whilst Klarion went after Kid Flash and the Helmet of Fate, and demonstrated surprising ability, able to incapacitate the entire team to the point they needed help from Doctor Fate, who teleported his clothing and equipment away after Klarion fled from their battle, giving Superboy the opportunity to defeat him.
- In The Flash, Abra Kadabra appeared in the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse where he was portrayed by actor David Dastmalchian. This version's real name was Phillipe who was a cyborg whose powers were derived from nanotechnology. In his self-titled episode, Kadabra was pursued by Gypsy for crimes he committed on Earth-19 and arrives on Earth-1 to steal components for a time machine so he can return to his own time. However, he is defeated by the Flash, Kid Flash, Vibe, and Gypsy. Before Gypsy takes him back to Earth-19 to be executed, Kadabra taunts the Flash by withholding his knowledge of Savitar's true identity, knowing Savitar kills Iris West by his time and relishing being able to do so by proxy. In the episode "Central City Strong", Kadabra returns to build an anti-matter bomb to destroy Central City in retaliation for his family being erased from existence following the events of "Crisis on Infinite Earths". While the Flash talks him down and sympathizes with him as he also lost a loved one during the Crisis, they are attacked by a monster, later called "Fuerza". After it absorbed the bomb's anti-matter energy, Kadabra tried to save the Flash, but was killed by Fuerza.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Abra Kadabra appeared in the MMORPG video game during the DLC "The Lightning Strikes" where he was voiced by actor Christopher Loveless.
Appearances
- The Flash v1: (1962)
- The Flash v2:
- DC First: Flash/Superman v1:
- Salvation Run v1:
- The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive v1:
External Links
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