Blockbuster (Roland Desmond)

BLOCKBUSTER II (Roland Desmond)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Roger Stern and Tom Lyle

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Roland Desmond
Occupation: Professional Criminal
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Olivia Desmond (daughter), Mark Desmond (brother; deceased), Mrs. Desmond (mother; deceased)
Base of Operation: Blüdhaven
Group Affiliation(s): None
Gender: Male
Height: 8'
Weight: 525 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: (as Roland): Detective Comics #345 (November 1965)
(as Blockbuster II): Starman #9 (April 1989)
Creators: Roger Stern and Tom Lyle

OVERVIEW

A criminal mastermind who manipulated his brother into performing numerous criminal actions while under the influence of a strength-enhancing steroid. After his brother's death, he took this steroid and found his intelligence much reduced - until signing his soul away to the demon Neron. Using his combination of brute strength and great intelligence he took over most of the criminal operations in the city of Blüdhaven, opposed only by the vigilante Nightwing. After some time, Blockbuster's mother died, a death which Blockbuster blamed on Nightwing. He set out on a campaign to ruin the hero's life, taking away anything and anyone that mattered to him. When Nightwing was at his lowest, he stood by and allowed the new vigilante Tarantula to kill his enemy. The police investigation into Blockbuster's death has been perfunctory at best.

HISTORY

As a child, Roland Desmond lived with his brother Mark on an island near Gotham City. Unlike his brother, Roland wasn't particularly bright, and it didn’t take long for him to accumulate a criminal record, with convictions for robbery, petty larceny, conspiracy to commit grand theft, and murder. When an experimental serum turned his brother into the hulking Blockbuster, Roland saw an opportunity to elevate his criminal activities by manipulating Mark into carrying out his schemes.

Mark eventually died at the hands of Brimstone during a mission for the Suicide Squad, and Roland returned to a life of petty crime. However, months later, during the Alien Invasion, the Alien Alliance activated a gene-bomb in Earth's atmosphere, triggering latent metagenes in many humans. Roland was among those affected, suffering severe seizures. He was rushed from prison to a hospital where the medical staff administered an experimental steroid to treat him. Instead, the steroid reacted with his altered genes, transforming him into a hulking creature like his brother. Unlike Mark, however, Roland retained control of both his transformations and his mind. The prison staff transferred Roland to a medical facility for further study, but he escaped during the transfer. The new Blockbuster initially retained the ability to revert to his normal form, but eventually, he lost that power. Before he could do anything about it, his rampages in the American Southwest attracted the attention of Starman, who, with the help of Batman, stopped him. Roland was then imprisoned at Belle Reve.^[1]

After a stint with an anti-Suicide Squad faction ^[2] and a short prison stay ^[3], Roland made a deal with the inhuman Neron, gaining the intellect his brother had once possessed ^[4]. Now a cunning criminal mastermind, Blockbuster tested himself against Impulse ^[5] and then set his sights on establishing a power base in Washington, D.C. Opposed by Steel, the city's resident hero, Roland realized that another city would better serve his ambitions ^[6]. He chose Blüdhaven, a cesspool south of Gotham, where he and Mark’s elderly (and devious) mother lived ^[7]. Using his newfound intellect, he methodically established himself as Blüdhaven's new crime lord, first by learning from, then forcefully replacing, the former boss, Angel Marin. Few knew his true identity.

Blockbuster quickly built a criminal empire in Blüdhaven, remaining behind the scenes even after Gotham émigré Nightwing moved to the city. Roland and Nightwing eventually clashed ^[8], igniting a years-long war. Meanwhile, Blockbuster launched a hunt for the elusive Oracle, a computer crimefighter Oracle ^[9]. Oracle had been keeping tabs on Roland since his demonic transformation and retaliated by stealing from his funds electronically to bankroll her own operations ^[10].

Along the way, Blockbuster has also had run-ins with Young Justice ^[11] and Encantadora ^[12].

Roland's recurring chest pains eventually led doctors to conclude that he had a terminal heart condition and needed a transplant ^[13]. The discovery of a sentient ape named Grimm from Africa's Gorilla City seemed to be the miracle that Blockbuster was hoping for ^[14]. However, Grimm proved incompatible ^[15], but Blockbuster made a deal with the ape to arrange a guide to Gorilla City in hopes of finding a match ^[16].

To ensure the search's success, he hunted down Oracle, hoping to force her assistance. His men eventually located her, but Black Canary, one of Oracle’s Birds of Prey operatives, saved her by assuming Oracle’s identity and going with Blockbuster's men to Gorilla City. There, they secured a new heart for Roland ^[17].

With a new lease on life, Blockbuster resumed his quest to eliminate Nightwing. This pursuit ultimately led to his downfall when he crossed paths with the vigilante Tarantula, who shot and killed him ^[18].

During the event known as Blackest Night, Blockbuster and numerous other villains and heroes were resurrected by Neron to fight as Black Lanterns. Earth's heroes triumphed, and the dead returned to their graves.

Following the reality-altering event known as Flashpoint, both Roland and Mark were once again among the living, but with no one including themselves recalling their former existence. In this new reality, Mark had used a serum he created to become the original Blockbuster, gaining strength but losing control of his thoughts, allowing Roland to manipulate him into committing crimes.

After Mark's defeat at the hands of Spyral Agent 37 and Superman, Roland returned to Blüdhaven. Roland discovered that Mark had developed a new version of the serum, allowing him to retain his intellect while in Blockbuster form, which Roland then used to become the second Blockbuster.

Back in Blüdhaven, Roland met with Tiger Shark, who told Roland that Nightwing was closing in on his casinos, and asked Roland to bring Nightwing to him. Roland approached Nightwing, revealing that Tiger Shark was using Marcus Casino to sell illegal high-tech weapons to the Second Hand. Nightwing investigated but was trapped aboard Tiger Shark's submarine-yacht filled with supervillains attending an auction. Roland revealed that it was a trap all along and that Tiger Shark was paying him ^[19].

However, Roland had a larger plan. While Nightwing fought the villains, Roland planted a bomb on the yacht and escaped to safety. NNightwing managed to get everyone off the boat before it exploded. Roland returned to Blüdhaven where he assumed control of Tiger Shark's casino. Even though Tiger Shark tried to regain control he was shown the door by Roland in his Blockbuster form ^[20].

Later, Nightwing approached Roland, seeking his help in stopping the assassin known as Raptor, promising to leave Blüdhaven forever if Roland agreed ^[21]. With Blockbuster’s help, Nightwing defeated Raptor, but Roland reneged on their deal, offering Nightwing a new arrangement: he would control Blüdhaven's underworld while Nightwing kept the streets safe. Nightwing accepted but then injected Roland with an antidote to the Blockbuster serum, and had Roland sent off to prison ^[22].

When Roland was next seen, he had returned to his Blockbuster form, and due to further reality-altering events, he now resembled his pre-Flashpoint self, with his past history reintegrated into his life ^[23].

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Blockbuster possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and invulnerability. The exact limits of his strength have not yet been revealed. However, he has been seen to shake off the effect of 30,000 volts as well as collapsing buildings.

Before his deal with Neron, Blockbuster was never considered a smart opponent. It is possible that the meta-gene had affected his mental capacity. He was very predictable and his moves were easily countered. After his deal with Neron his mental capacity has been greatly improved, and Blockbuster is now a master planner. He now no longer considers brute force as his greatest strength, and if possible he prefers to refrain from using his powers. However when provoked he is known to revert to his old brutal self.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Blockbuster in chronological order click here

PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who in the DC Universe #7 (February 1991)

[1] Starman #9-#10

[2] Suicide Squad Vol. 1 #63-#66

[3] Outsiders Vol. 2 #9

[4] Underworld Unleashed #1

[5] Impulse #8

[6] Steel #32

[7] Nightwing Vol. 2 #1

[8] Nightwing Vol. 2 #7-#8

[9] Birds of Prey: Batgirl #1

[10] Birds of Prey Vol. 1 #3-Birds of Prey Vol. 1 #6

[11] Young Justice Vol. 1 #8

[12] Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1

[13] Nightwing Vol. 2 #34

[14] Batman Annual #23

[15] Nightwing Vol. 2 #39

[16] Nightwing Vol. 2 #43

[17] Nightwing Vol. 2 #43-#46 and Birds of Prey Vol. 1 #18-#21

[18] Nightwing Vol. 2 #93

[19] Nightwing Vol. 4 #23

[20] Nightwing Vol. 4 #24

[21] Nightwing Vol. 4 #30

[22] Nightwing Vol. 4 #34

[23] Nightwing Annual Vol. 4 #3

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]