Parasite (comics)

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Template:Short description Template:For Template:Infobox comics character Parasite is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Each iteration of the character has the ability to temporarily absorb the life force, attributes, memories, and superpowers of anyone through physical touch.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The most well-known and recurring incarnation is Rudy Jones, who has become one of Superman's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues' gallery.

The Rudy Jones incarnation of the Parasite has been substantially adapted from the comics into multiple forms of media, most notably in the DC Animated Universe's Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League as well as the live-action TV series Smallville and Supergirl, portrayed by Brendan Fletcher and William Mapother respectively. Additionally, Raymond Jensen and Ally Allston appear in Supergirl and Superman & Lois, portrayed by Anthony Konechny and Rya Kihlstedt respectively.

Publication history

The Raymond Maxwell Jensen version of the Parasite first appeared in Action Comics #340 (August 1966) and was created by Jim Shooter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Shooter, who began working for DC at age 13, says that his inspiration for the villain was learning about parasites in his ninth-grade biology class.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The Rudy Jones version of the Parasite first appeared in Firestorm (vol. 2) #58 and was created by John Ostrander and Joe Brozowski.

The Alexander and Alexandra Allston versions of the Parasite first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #633 and were created by Greg Rucka, Matthew Clark, and Andrew Lanning.

The Joshua Allen version of the New 52 Parasite first appeared in Superman (vol. 3) #23.4 and was created by Aaron Kuder.

Fictional character biography

Raymond Maxwell Jensen

File:Act340.jpg
Cover to Action Comics #340, art by Curt Swan

In the Pre-Crisis, Raymond Maxwell Jensen was a lowlife who got a job as a plant worker for a research center.<ref>Action Comics #340 (August 1966)</ref> Wrongly believing that the company payrolls were hidden in storage containers, Jensen opened one and was bombarded with energies from biohazard materials, which transformed him into a purple-skinned, parasitic entity called Parasite.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Any time he touched someone, he could absorb their physical and mental properties. Touching Superman would instantly absorb a fraction of his superhuman powers, though it is established early on that he is not capable of acquiring all of Superman's powers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Despite these abilities, Parasite becomes depressed because he can no longer embrace his wife and children.<ref>Superman #286 (April 1975)</ref> The Parasite made a number of reappearances before the Crisis, yet he never successfully found a means to permanently defeat Superman.<ref>Action Comics #555 (May 1984)</ref>

Rudy Jones

File:Action715.jpg
Cover to Action Comics #715, art by Kieron Dwyer

Originally a menial slacker, Rudolph "Rudy" Jones is transformed into the Parasite while working as a janitor at a Pittsburgh S.T.A.R. Labs facility. Unknown to anyone, Darkseid manipulates Jones into exposing himself to radioactive waste, transforming him into Parasite. Jones gains the ability to absorb the life energy of other people, which he requires to sustain his body. Parasite joins the Suicide Squad in confronting Firestorm, who is attempting to make the United States and the Soviet Union give up their nuclear weapons on behalf of a terminally ill Martin Stein.<ref>Firestorm (vol. 2) #64 (October 1987)</ref>

Throughout his appearances, Parasite's abilities evolve, giving him the ability to absorb fire, electricity, and consciousnesses, and mimic the genetic makeup and appearance of others.<ref>Adventures of Superman #481 (August 1991)</ref><ref>Adventures of Superman #512 (May 1994)</ref><ref>Superman (vol. 2) #157 (May 2000)</ref> However, he is forced to absorb energy more frequently to stay alive.<ref>Superboy (vol. 4) #6 (July 1994)</ref>

After escaping from S.T.A.R. Labs, Parasite formulates a plan to get back at Superman. After absorbing Lois Lane's knowledge and learning Superman's secret identity, Parasite plans to emotionally break Superman by posing as Lois. Just as Parasite is about to lay the final blow to Superman, he is stricken with Kryptonite poisoning that he had drained from Superman, unbeknownst to either of them. Parasite dies before he can tell Superman Lois' whereabouts.<ref>Superman (vol. 2) #157 (June 2000)</ref> In Justice League of America, Parasite resurfaces in St. Roch, Louisiana, where he uses his abilities to temporarily neutralize the powers of villains for a fee so they can evade detection.

The 2009-10 miniseries Superman: Secret Origin redefines the Parasite's origin. In this version, Rudy Jones is a janitor at the Daily Planet who is selected to join LexCorp. There, he eats a donut imbued with Kryptonite radiation that transforms him into the Parasite.

In the DC Rebirth relaunch, Parasite is a member of the Suicide Squad.<ref>Suicide Squad (vol. 7) #8 (December 2021)</ref> In Dawn of DC, Parasite reforms, is employed at Supercorp, and is given a special wristband that supplies him with energy. He also develops the ability to create small duplicates of himself and adopts one of them as a pet.<ref>Superman 2023 Annual (October 2023)</ref> In Superman (volume 6), Parasite is killed by Doomsday.<ref>Superman (vol. 6) #20 (January 2025)</ref> Revealed Parasite alive because he absorbed the Doomsday energy just before being ripped in half, which ultimately saved him from death.

Alexander and Alexandra Allston

File:Adv635.jpg
Cover to The Adventures of Superman #635, art by J.H. Williams III

After the villain Ruin (who was secretly Professor Hamilton) performed some experiments, two new Parasites debuted, one purple, the other green. The two new Parasites were teenagers named Alex (the green Parasite) and Alexandra (the purple Parasite) who wanted to seek vengeance on the people who made their lives difficult. They were soon subdued by Superman after a battle.<ref>Adventures of Superman #633 (December 2004)</ref>

Alexander is later killed by an OMAC while attempting to escape prison. Alexandra successfully escapes and joins the Secret Society of Super Villains under Alexander Luthor Jr.<ref>Adventures of Superman #641 (August 2005)</ref><ref>Secret Six (vol. 3) #5 (March 2009)</ref>

Joshua Allen

In 2011, The New 52 rebooted the DC Comics universe. Joshua Michael Allen was a misanthropic delivery boy who was caught in the middle of a battle between Superman and a giant parasite. Allen snapped and attacked the creature, electrocuting it and himself with a live wire. While at S.T.A.R. Labs to check his health from the encounter, their testing transformed him into a creature who constantly feels hunger for energy he obtains from people, leaving their molded skeletons. Tired of this kind of life, he tried to commit suicide and was rescued by Superman, from whom Allen absorbed energy like never before. This eased the pain and hunger he experienced, until his energy was depleted. Allen was imprisoned in Belle Reve.<ref>Superman (vol. 3) #23.4 (November 2013)</ref>

In later appearances, Allen joins the Secret Society of Super Villains and the Suicide Squad.<ref>Forever Evil #1 (November 2013)</ref><ref>Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #6 (May 2014)</ref><ref>New Suicide Squad #9 (August 2015)</ref>

Powers and abilities

All incarnations of the Parasite can temporarily absorb the life energy, superpowers, and knowledge of their victims through physical contact, and are also able to drain virtually any other form of energy and use it as a power source.

In particular, Rudy Jones is granted enhanced strength, intelligence, agility, durability, and reflexes by absorbing the energy of other beings. When Jones drains other superpowered individuals, he gains their abilities for a limited period of time until he "runs out of life-energy" and must seek a new victim to "feed on". He is shown to have a heightened sense of perception that allows him to detect the life force and power within other beings.<ref name=":0">All-Star Superman #5 (September 2006)</ref> While drawing the energy of ordinary humans is almost instantaneous, it takes a notably longer time in the case of immensely powerful beings, which gives the victim more time to react and free themselves from the Parasite's grip. Following an encounter with the Strange Visitor, however, the Parasite's powers were enhanced and enable him to retain the energy he takes for longer as well as granting Jones the ability to shapeshift; he can now physically morph into his victims right down to their DNA, being able to access their memories, gain their natural abilities, and mimic their voices. The Parasite's biggest weakness is that he also absorbs the weaknesses of his victims and cannot counter such susceptibilities even when he has other abilities that should do so; when he absorbed both Superman and Livewire's powers, he retained the latter's vulnerability to water despite possessing the former's near-invulnerability. The Parasite also maintains Superman's weaknesses, like kryptonite, even when the Parasite in addition already absorbed the powers of non-Kryptonians.

Other versions

  • An alternate universe variant of Parasite appears in All-Star Superman. He exploits Superman's rising power levels to absorb his energy and grow into a colossal form before being defeated.<ref name=":0" />
  • An unidentified alternate universe variant of Parasite appears in JSA: The Liberty Files. This version is a former KGB agent and freelance contract killer.<ref>JSA: The Liberty Files #1</ref>
  • The Raymond Jensen incarnation of Parasite appears in Justice as a member of the Legion of Doom.<ref>Justice #4 (April 2006)</ref>
  • An alternate universe variant of Raymond Jensen / Parasite appears in Kingdom Come. He ruptures Captain Atom's outer shell, causing a massive nuclear explosion that kills them both and irradiates Kansas.<ref>Kingdom Come #1 (May 1996)</ref>
  • An original, alternate universe variant of Parasite appears in Just Imagine.... This version is Lucinda Radama, an African-American female serial killer.<ref>Just Imagine... JLA #1 (February 2002)</ref>
  • An alternate universe variant of Raymond Jensen / Parasite appears in Superman: Earth One.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version has a sister named Theresa Jensen, who believes that he is a consultant with a real estate firm and is unaware of his criminal status.

  • An original incarnation of Parasite, Otis, appears in Superman Family Adventures.<ref>Superman Family Adventures #5 (November 2012)</ref>
  • An unidentified alternate universe variant of Parasite appears in Superman: Red Son.<ref>Superman: Red Son #3 (August 2003)</ref>
  • An alternate universe variant of Rudy Jones / Parasite appears in Superman American Alien.<ref>Superman American Alien #5 (May 2016)</ref>

In other media

Television

Live-action

  • The Rudy Jones incarnation of Parasite appears in the Smallville episode "Injustice", portrayed by Brendan Fletcher.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> This version was a metahuman prisoner at the Black Creek facility before Tess Mercer stages a prison break and recruits Jones, among other prisoners, into a team in a failed attempt at making them heroes.
    • Additionally, an unrelated character called Eric Summers appears in the episodes "Leech" and "Asylum",Template:Citation needed portrayed by Shawn Ashmore. Throughout his appearances, he temporarily steals Clark Kent's powers via Kryptonite and electricity on two separate occasions, only to be defeated by him and lose them each time.
  • Two incarnations of Parasite appear in Supergirl. Both versions are the result of humans being possessed by an alien parasite called an Angon:
    • Dr. Rudy Jones appears in the episode "Changing", portrayed by William Mapother.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version is an environmental scientist who is infected by an Angon that had laid dormant in an Arctic wolf's corpse and gains the ability to drain life force through physical contact. While fighting Supergirl, Alex Danvers, and Martian Manhunter, Jones absorbs Supergirl and Manhunter's powers and transforms into a monster before Supergirl overloads and kills him with plutonium.

    • Raymond Jensen appears in the fourth season, portrayed by Anthony Konechny.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version is a Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO) agent who despises aliens for wreaking havoc on National City. Throughout the episodes "American Alien" and "Parasite Lost", he leaves the DEO to join anti-alien activists Otis and Mercy Graves and Agent Liberty. Jensen later volunteers to be exposed to an Angon obtained from the DEO, gaining energy-absorbing abilities in the process, only to eventually end up comatose and taken into DEO custody.

  • A character based on Alexandra Allston named Ally Allston appears in the second season of Superman & Lois, portrayed by Rya Kihlstedt as an adult and by Amber Taylor as a child. This version is a cult leader behind the Inverse Society who took over Bizarro World with help from her Bizarro counterpart (also portrayed by Kihlstedt), who she later merges with, gaining flight and the ability to drain energy. Nonetheless, they are defeated and separated by Superman and incarcerated by the Department of Defense.

Animation

  • An original incarnation of Parasite named I.C. Harris appears in The New Adventures of Superman episode "The Pernicious Parasite". This version is a balding thief who specializes in stealing radioactive materials and lacks purple skin.
  • The Raymond Jensen incarnation of Parasite appears in the Young Justice episode "Performance", voiced by Adam Baldwin.<ref name="btva">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>

  • The Rudy Jones incarnation of Parasite appears in the Justice League Action episode "Power Outage", voiced by Max Mittelman.<ref name="btva" /> This version sports a more monstrous appearance and the additional ability to sprout tentacles from his torso.
  • The Rudy Jones incarnation of Parasite makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Harley Quinn and Kite Man: Hell Yeah! as a member of the Legion of Doom.
  • An original incarnation of Parasite appears in My Adventures with Superman. This version is a cybernetic armor called the Parasite 1.0, which was created and worn by Anthony Ivo (voiced by Jake Green) and is capable of growing larger and more monstrous in appearance as it absorbs energy.<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

DC Animated Universe
File:Parasite (DC Animated Universe).jpg
Rudy Jones / Parasite as he appears in the DC Animated Universe.

Two incarnations of Parasite appear in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU):

  • The Rudy Jones incarnation of Parasite appears in Superman: The Animated Series, voiced by Brion James.<ref name="btva" /> This version is a S.T.A.R. Labs janitor who gained his abilities from exposure to stolen chemicals that were originally intended to boost the rate of energy absorption in humans. He goes on to battle Superman on two occasions and briefly join forces with Livewire before ending up in a coma and being remanded to Stryker's Island.
  • Jones appears in the Justice League two-part episode "Secret Society", voiced by Brian George.<ref name="btva" /> Having recovered from his coma, he is recruited into Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society and fights the Justice League, only to be defeated by Wonder Woman.
  • Jones makes cameo appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Grodd's expanded Secret Society before he is killed by Darkseid.
    • A monstrous, unidentified incarnation of Parasite appears in the episode "Epilogue", voiced by Marc Worden.<ref name="btva" /> This version is a member of a future version of the Society called the Iniquity Collective.

Film

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="btva" /> This version is a decorated former U.S. Marine, a veteran of the Middle East, and a loving family man who gained his abilities from exposure to an energy-absorbing biological weapon developed by S.T.A.R. Labs. Over the course of the film, Jones transforms into a massive, near-mindless beast as he absorbs energy until Superman appeals to his humanity, leading him to sacrifice himself to protect Metropolis from an exploding energy plant.

Video games

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Miscellaneous

See also

References

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