Gangbuster
Encyclopedia
Gangbuster is a comic book
fictional character
, a DC Comics
superhero
. He first appeared as Jose Delgado in Adventures of Superman
#428 (May 1987), and as Gangbuster in Adventures of Superman #434 (November 1987). He was created by Marv Wolfman
and Jerry Ordway
.
area known as Suicide Slum
. As he grew older he became a skilled boxer. He went into teaching and ended up as a high school teacher in Metropolis
. He became a mentor to Jerry White (the son of Perry White
). When Lex Luthor
enlisted youth gangs into organized crime
under his control, Jose adopted the identity of Gangbuster to deal with the threat posed to the teenagers in his community.
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Jose Delgado suffered a spinal injury while saving Lois Lane
's life during a fight with a creature called Combattor. Delgado was hospitalized and talked into retiring by Cat Grant
. He recovered the ability to walk with the assistance of a LexCorp
cybernetic implant, similar to the implant later used on Maximum
from the Supermen of America
.
Delgado later discovered someone else was masquerading as Gangbuster, and using much more violent methods. This turned out to be an amnesiac Superman
, who was suffering from a nervous breakdown
after a fight with Brainiac
.
After recovering Delgado discovered that the implant which enabled him to walk was a LexCorp invention, and that Lex Luthor could use it to take control of his body. Luthor forced Gangbuster to attack an ally of Superman's named Professor Emil Hamilton
. Hamilton was later able to successfully alter the implant, allowing Jose to take control of his life again. Delgado's life later fell apart and he had trouble keeping jobs.
Delgado had limited personal relationships with Cat Grant. They became very close while he served as her bodyguard, but he did not get along with her young son Adam. Delgado resumed his career as Gangbuster following Superman's apparent death at the hands of Doomsday
. He got into trouble when he broke up a drug deal only to discover that it was part of an undercover police operation. Pursued by the police, he went on the run.
An ultraviolent Gangbuster later showed up in Black Lightning
's hometown of Brick City. Black Lightning discovered that this wasn't the real Gangbuster, but a shapechanger named Ishmael, an operative of Tobias Whale
. The real Jose Delgado Gangbuster showed up in Black Lightning #7, and later helped him defeat Ishmael in issue #8.
Gangbuster returned in issue #1 of the weekly mini-series known as Trinity
. In issue #5 he debuted an updated version of his body armor with a portable arsenal of non-lethal weaponry. He was forced out of retirement by witnessing the kidnapping of mystic Tarot
(to whom he appointed himself guardian). At the end of the series, with reality returned to normal, Gangbuster and Tarot began a relationship.
Jose soon tracked Tarot to the castle headquarters of Despero
, Morgana Le Fey and the villain known as Enigma. He and Hawkman infiltrated the castle and spend days fighting through its denizens, as time and space were much different inside from outside. They rescued Tarot from a trio of stone monsters.
In the Supergirl
series, Gangbuster and Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi
) -- both employees of S.T.A.R. Labs
-- help Supergirl rescue her friend Lana Lang
after her body is possessed by the Insect Queen.
Gangbuster and Dr. Light investigate an object that crashes into a Metropolis park and leaves a massive crystallized crater in its center. While searching the crater, the two heroes discover a Bizarro
Supergirl. The Bizarro Supergirl takes Gangbuster and Dr. Light hostage, but is ultimately defeated in battle by the real Supergirl.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
fictional character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
. He first appeared as Jose Delgado in Adventures of Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
#428 (May 1987), and as Gangbuster in Adventures of Superman #434 (November 1987). He was created by Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...
and Jerry Ordway
Jerry Ordway
Jeremiah "Jerry" Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining classic Crisis on Infinite Earths , his long run working on the Superman titles from 1986–1993, and...
.
Fictional character biography
Jose Delgado grew up in the MetropolisMetropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
area known as Suicide Slum
Suicide Slum
Suicide Slum is a notorious fictional slum in publications from DC Comics. The area was first introduced in the "The Newsboy Legion" feature as a slum in New York City. It was later placed in Superman's city, Metropolis, when the Newsboy Legion was reintroduced...
. As he grew older he became a skilled boxer. He went into teaching and ended up as a high school teacher in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
. He became a mentor to Jerry White (the son of Perry White
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
). When Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
enlisted youth gangs into organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
under his control, Jose adopted the identity of Gangbuster to deal with the threat posed to the teenagers in his community.
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
's life during a fight with a creature called Combattor. Delgado was hospitalized and talked into retiring by Cat Grant
Cat Grant
Catherine "Cat" Jane Grant is a fictional DC Comics character appearing in Superman comics. She first appeared in Adventures of Superman #424 as a gossip columnist for the Daily Planet...
. He recovered the ability to walk with the assistance of a LexCorp
LexCorp
LexCorp is the fictional company founded by Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman series. It made its first proper appearance in John Byrne's The Man of Steel miniseries, which established the post-Crisis Superman setting...
cybernetic implant, similar to the implant later used on Maximum
Maximum (comics)
Maximum is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Supermen of America vol. 2 #1 , and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Doug Braithwaite.-Fictional character biography:...
from the Supermen of America
Supermen of America
The Supermen of America is the name of two fictional superhero teams published by DC Comics. The original group first appeared in a special written by Stuart Immonen published in 1999, and a later mini-series written by Fabian Nicieza, which was published in 2000...
.
Delgado later discovered someone else was masquerading as Gangbuster, and using much more violent methods. This turned out to be an amnesiac Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, who was suffering from a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
after a fight with Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
.
After recovering Delgado discovered that the implant which enabled him to walk was a LexCorp invention, and that Lex Luthor could use it to take control of his body. Luthor forced Gangbuster to attack an ally of Superman's named Professor Emil Hamilton
Professor Hamilton
Professor Emil Hamilton is a fictional character in DC Comics' Superman titles. He is generally portrayed as a stereotypical absent-minded professor, with a gray beard and thick glasses and, at times, a "Mr. Wizard" type character...
. Hamilton was later able to successfully alter the implant, allowing Jose to take control of his life again. Delgado's life later fell apart and he had trouble keeping jobs.
Delgado had limited personal relationships with Cat Grant. They became very close while he served as her bodyguard, but he did not get along with her young son Adam. Delgado resumed his career as Gangbuster following Superman's apparent death at the hands of Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
. He got into trouble when he broke up a drug deal only to discover that it was part of an undercover police operation. Pursued by the police, he went on the run.
An ultraviolent Gangbuster later showed up in Black Lightning
Black Lightning
Black Lightning was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in Black Lightning #1 , and was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.- Publication history :...
's hometown of Brick City. Black Lightning discovered that this wasn't the real Gangbuster, but a shapechanger named Ishmael, an operative of Tobias Whale
Tobias Whale
Tobias Whale is a comic book villain, a fictional character created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden as Black Lightning's nemesis. He first appeared in Black Lightning #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
. The real Jose Delgado Gangbuster showed up in Black Lightning #7, and later helped him defeat Ishmael in issue #8.
Gangbuster returned in issue #1 of the weekly mini-series known as Trinity
Trinity (comic book)
Trinity is the title of an American weekly comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted during the first week of June, 2008. It ran for 52 issues.-Conception and production:...
. In issue #5 he debuted an updated version of his body armor with a portable arsenal of non-lethal weaponry. He was forced out of retirement by witnessing the kidnapping of mystic Tarot
Tarot (comics)
Tarot is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Tarot first appeared in New Mutants vol...
(to whom he appointed himself guardian). At the end of the series, with reality returned to normal, Gangbuster and Tarot began a relationship.
Jose soon tracked Tarot to the castle headquarters of Despero
Despero
Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero...
, Morgana Le Fey and the villain known as Enigma. He and Hawkman infiltrated the castle and spend days fighting through its denizens, as time and space were much different inside from outside. They rescued Tarot from a trio of stone monsters.
In the Supergirl
Supergirl (comic book)
Supergirl is the name of six comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring various characters of the same name. The majority of the titles feature Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El.-Volume 1 :...
series, Gangbuster and Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
) -- both employees of S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
-- help Supergirl rescue her friend Lana Lang
Lana Lang
Lana Lang is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics' Superman series. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela, the character first appears in Superboy #10...
after her body is possessed by the Insect Queen.
Gangbuster and Dr. Light investigate an object that crashes into a Metropolis park and leaves a massive crystallized crater in its center. While searching the crater, the two heroes discover a Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
Supergirl. The Bizarro Supergirl takes Gangbuster and Dr. Light hostage, but is ultimately defeated in battle by the real Supergirl.