NIGHTBLADE (Nik Mayak)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Gerard Jones and Mitch Byrd

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Nik Mayak
Occupation: Race car driver
Status: Deceased
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Sonny Mayak (father; deceased); Unnamed mother (deceased); Lori (sister; deceased); Kina (uncle)
Group Affiliation(s): Blood Pack
Gender: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
First Appearance: Green Lantern Annual Vol. 3 #2 (1993): "Where the Boys Are"
Creators: Gerard Jones and Mitch Byrd

HISTORY

Nik Mayak was the only son of famed race car driver Sonny Mayak. When people started saying Sonny, who had once raced Cliff Steele at the Indy 500, had grown afraid to race, the elder Mayak felt he had to prove them wrong and became desperate to make a comeback.

One day while speeding down a winding mountain road, Sonny lost control of the car he and Nik were driving and hit a eucalyptus tree at 85 miles per hour. Sonny was killed in the crash while Nik's spine was permanently injured. His legs were so torn up he would never walk again. Still, Nik believed he would make the comeback for his father. He became so strong with his arms Nik thought he would never need his arms again, until one night, months later.

Nik was in Coast City Hospital when a monstrous alien parasite named Lissik was stalking the city. The parasite attacked him, draining the spinal fluid from the back of his neck. Some time afterward, a doctor and nurse found him among the bodies left after Lissik's attack. Nik's cardiac monitor had flat lined and the doctor started performing CPR. Nik recovered and inexplicably his legs were completely healed. He found he could walk again and immediately discharged himself from the hospital.

Arriving home, Nik was horrified to find the bodies of his mother and sister but his uncle was no where to be found. After the police had left, Nik decided to take matters into his own hands, making a costume and arming himself with modified knives for throwing. Nik checked with his neighbor, Mr. Douglas, for any information about what had happened while he was in the hospital. He found himself attacked by Douglas and two others. Nik's right arm was severed during his escape but surprisingly he did not bleed or feel any pain. Even more amazing, his arm grew back mere minutes later.

Despite his increased strength and agility, Nik was about to be overwhelmed by the increasing number of his mutated foes. The appearance of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) evened the odds. They later agreed to find the alien killer behind the chaos in Coast City. At Green Lantern's suggestion, Nik decided to take a super-hero name and became known as "Nightblade."

They caught up with Lissik at the Ferris Aircraft plant where she was about to drain Green Lantern's friends, starting with Clay Kendall. Nightblade leapt into battle, only to be mutilated by Lissik. Green Lantern fell under Lissik's influence while Nightblade recovered. Mayak was immune to Lissik's charms and soon had Green Lantern broken from her enslavement. Lissik had no other option but to retreat. The two heroes managed to defeat the mutations left in Lissik's wake but Nightblade could do nothing for his Uncle Kina who had been transformed by the alien parasite.

Green Lantern was so impressed with Mayak that he asked the young hero to become his backup. Mayak declined the offer, stating he had spent most of his life following the orders of adults and wanted some time on his own to make his own choices. - Green Lantern Annual Vol. 3 #2

Nightblade, along with others that had gained superpowers from the alien parasites, found themselves "called" to the site of the alien's nest. The alien parasites had been feeding to gain sustenance for the creature that would be the next phase of their existence, the Taker. The monstrously large Taker created a draining effect around it that the majority of defending super-heroes could not resist. Only Nightblade and his fellow so-called "New Bloods" were immune to the Taker's powers, however, Nightblade was believed killed in battle by the Taker. The New Bloods, Superman and the later freed heroes they were able to defeat the Taker, tear it from the Earth and hurl it into the sun. Nightblade's badly damaged body took time restoring itself, completing his repairs long after the battle was over. - Bloodbath #1 - 2

Nightblade was one of a handful of New Bloods to answer the casting call for a new television program focusing on this new generation of superhumans. Entitled "Blood Pack," the show was produced by Jeremy Baxter of Wunderkind Media. The seven New Bloods, Geist, Razorsharp, Sparx, Loria, Mongrel, Ballistic and Nightblade received a ten thousand dollar a week salary with a five hundred dollar per month costume allowance, plus a percentage of the show's proceeds from licensing and syndication. Jennie Lynn Hayden, better known as Jade, daughter of the Golden Age Green Lantern (Alan Scott), was Blood Pack's trainer. Jade believed the producers of Blood Pack provided a great opportunity to influence the new generation of metahumans.

Armored agents, known as "Sweepers," kept the New Bloods from wandering into the secret Omega Sector. None of the "talent" were aware the weekly lab tests they underwent were not for "insurance purposes" as the producers stated, but rather to advance the plans of the Enclave, a group of criminal organizations, including the quasi-governmental agency known as the Quorum, banded together for mutual advancement and eventual world control. The guiding force behind the television program, the Enclave, was using advanced extraterrestrial technology to cause disasters around the world. They wanted the Blood Pack to be recognized by the world so the New Bloods could step into a position of public trust.

The Blood Pack's first battle was set in Germany, against the Demolition Team. The mercenaries, last seen some years before in Coast City, were now operating together in an effort to destroy what they claimed was an unstable power facility using alien technology. Unbeknownst to the Blood Pack, following the villains' defeat, the Demolition Team were brought to the Omega Sector for experimentation. - Blood Pack #1

Always looking for more publicity, the team put in an appearance at the opening of Warriors, the super-hero themed bar and restaurant owned and operated by former Green Lantern Guy Gardner. As with most gatherings of superhumans, the night ended with a massive fight. - Guy Gardner: Warrior #29

When Loria stumbled upon information the producers wished to keep under wraps, Devlin, one of the "Sweepers," killed her. Geist discovered this and confided in a Ballistic, Razorsharp and Nightblade. - Blood Pack #2

The use of alien technology did not go unnoticed as Darkstar Kwintz took it upon himself to go to Earth and shut down the Enclave's plans. The Enclave used Loria's cells to create their own version of the alien Taker which would draw more New Bloods to them, New Bloods they could eventually control. The current membership of the Blood Pack was considered a liability and a failed attempt was made on their lives. The Blood Pack managed to escape a bomb planted on their shuttle. - Blood Pack #3 - 4

Once aware of the Enclave's plans, detailed by Darkstar Kwintz, the Blood Pack rallied together to defeat the producers of their television show. They faced a New Blood tainted Demolition Team as well as the Sweepers. The second Taker was destroyed and the New Bloods called by its psychic powers were now safe. Geist and Razorsharp decided to leave the team for personal reasons while Jade fielded offers for a return of the Blood Pack. - Blood Pack #4

The Blood Pack's last appearance as a team involved the threat of a worldwide nuclear disaster at the hands of the Crimelord. The Crimelord was involved with the Syndicate, an extraterrestrial criminal organization. Numerous heroes were called in to scour the Earth for nineteen warheads taken from a Soviet facility. For their part, the Blood Pack disarmed a nuclear weapon in the PATH station beneath the World Trade Center in New York City. - Deathstroke #49 - 50

After a long period of inactivity, Nightblade was called back into action to defend Metropolis from the members of the Society. Unfortunately, the attack overwhelmed Nightblade's regeneration abilities. He was one of a number of heroes killed by Superboy-Prime. - Infinite Crisis #7

BLACK LANTERN: NIGHTBLADE

After the fall of the Blackest Night, a black ring descended upon Nightblade's corpse, downloaded all of his memories and reanimated his body as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. He and other victims of Superboy-Prime followed Black Lantern Alex Luthor Jr. to Earth-Prime to attack their killer.

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Nightblade had superior reflexes, strength and aim while his body gained the ability to regenerate from even the most serious injuries, including amputations.

CHRONOLOGY

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