Project Cadmus
Encyclopedia
Project Cadmus is a fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

al genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...

 project in the 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...

 Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...

. It was created by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....

 as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (October 1970), and was run by the former Newsboy Legion
Newsboy Legion
The Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...

. Its notable creations included the Golden Guardian
Guardian (DC Comics)
Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...

 (a clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...

 of the original Guardian) and Dubbilex
Dubbilex
Dubbilex is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136, , and was created by Jack Kirby. His name is a play on the XX chromosome. -Pre-Crisis:...

, a DNAlien telepath who resembles a tall grey alien with horns.

Fictional history

Dabney Donovan
Dabney Donovan
Dabney Donovan is a fictional character from the DC Comics Universe. He is primarily a Superboy and Superman villain.-Fictional character biography:...

 was a "mad scientist" who was ultimately fired from the Project because he felt there should never be limits in understanding the potential of the genetic code.
Donovan had largely been accredited for the non-human creations of the Project, referred to as "DNAliens" (human beings cloned then genetically altered to discover superhuman potential while also giving them a more "alien" appearance), various normal clones, monsters based on Donovan's favorite horror films (who lived on a small artificial planet on Earth called Transilvane
Transilvane
Transilvane is a fictional small artificial planet with two horn-like protuberances in the . It was created by Jack Kirby in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #142 and #143 by the mad scientist Dabney Donovan....

). There are also step-ups who call themselves "the Hairies," super hippies who have developed an evolved knowledge-base, and developed transport and defense technology beyond the understanding of modern day humans. The Hairies live outside the direct control of Cadmus, living inside a mobile "Mountain of Judgement," that constantly keeps them hidden from the affairs of both Cadmus and society in general. Prior to moving to the mountain, the Hairies lived in a forest of living tree-houses called the Habitat, which is right outside some of Cadmus' main facilities.

The Project has an "opposite number" in the form of the Evil Factory, a monster-creating project set up by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....

 as part of Intergang
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...

 and run by two of his servants called Simyan and Mokkari. They were originally created at Project Cadmus, but due to the cruelty of the experimentation they experienced at the hands of Dr. Dabney Donovan, they develop a great deal of hatred towards all humanity. They form a scientific enclave called "Brigadoom" as a means of pleasing Darkseid by creating an army of monstrous genetic constructs. They are constantly creating entities to assist Darkseid in mastering the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...

, clues of which exist on Earth. This would allow Darkseid and his lackeys like Simyan and Mokkari to rule over their surroundings.

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...

, the Project was reintroduced as Project Cadmus, named after the Greek legend of Cadmus
Cadmus
Cadmus or Kadmos , in Greek mythology was a Phoenician prince, the son of king Agenor and queen Telephassa of Tyre and the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa. He was originally sent by his royal parents to seek out and escort his sister Europa back to Tyre after she was abducted from the shores...

, who created warriors from the teeth of a dragon.

Before creating the DNA Project, Kirby had written a cloning story called The Cadmus Seed in Alarming Tales.

The Post-Crisis version made its first appearance in Superman Annual #2 (1988). It was responsible for the creation of the new Superboy
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...

, cloned from genetic material obtained from both 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...

 and 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...

 (originally, the human DNA was identified as that of Project director Paul Westfield
Paul Westfield
Paul Westfield is a fictional DC Comics character. He first appeared in Superman Vol. 2, #58 and was created by Dan Jurgens.-Publication history:...

). Superboy is subsequently freed by the clones of the Newsboy Legion
Newsboy Legion
The Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...

, who now, as adults, are all working for Cadmus. A clone of Guardian
Guardian (comics)
Guardian, in comics, may refer to:* Guardian , the alias of Jim Harper, a costumed hero* Guardian , the alias of James Hudson, a superhero...

, another long-time hero, works at the facility. Another prominent staff member is Dubbilex
Dubbilex
Dubbilex is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136, , and was created by Jack Kirby. His name is a play on the XX chromosome. -Pre-Crisis:...

, a 'D.N.Alien' with telepathic powers.

Cadmus is run for a time by Director Westfield. After Superman's 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...

, Westfield had Superman's body worked upon by the scientists of Cadmus "The Legacy of Superman" #1, 1993. After the nearest approximation of his DNA is created, Westfield has a Guardian
Guardian (comics)
Guardian, in comics, may refer to:* Guardian , the alias of Jim Harper, a costumed hero* Guardian , the alias of James Hudson, a superhero...

 clone named Auron assault the Newsboy Legion clones and their adult 'fathers' in an effort to acquire it. Auron almost kills the clones, causing them to crash land in the Habitat, before his Guardian memories come to the forefront. He takes the only copy of the DNA into space. The adult Legion then openly defy Westfield and ponder quitting Cadmus.

Dabney Donovan, still insane, returns multiple times to plague Cadmus, such as capturing the adult Legion and subjecting them to various torments. He would also ally himself with forces from Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....

.

Cadmus goes to war with the forces of 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...

 in a Superman story called The Fall of Metropolis. This story features a 'clone plague' with many clones becoming sick and even dying. Westfield is killed by Donovan. Soon, Cadmus is seemingly destroyed entirely. However, the Project had simply taken advantage of this to go underground.

New management

In Superboy #57, the Project was put under new management, following the Newsboys' retirement. The new project head is Mickey "the Mechanic" Cannon, a former 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...

 resident with a reputation for being able to "fix" anything, a car or a country. The new head of genetics is Dr. Serling Roquette, a teenaged genius with a crush on the Guardian and Superboy. Dabney Donovan is also brought back, under armed guard. Cannon made Cadmus more open to the public.

Shortly after this the Project temporarily came under the control of the Evil Factory, now revealed to be part of an organisation called The Agenda. This is run by 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...

's ex-wife, the Contessa. The Agenda concerns itself with cloning for its own purposes. One of its operatives, Amanda Spence murders Superboy's girlfriend, Tana Moon
Tana Moon
The fictional character Tana Moon, a Metropolis reporter, was Superboy's first love, introduced as part of the Reign of the Supermen storyline.-Fictional character history:...

. The Agenda suffers setbacks at the hands of multitudes of superheros, including mutinous superpowered beings from within their own ranks.

Endings

When Luthor becomes President of the United States, Cannon and the Guardian became uncomfortable with the amount of government pressure on the Project. Following the Imperiex
Imperiex
Imperiex is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman #153 , and was created by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill...

 War, the entire project vanishes.

The abandoned facilities, three miles below Metropolis, are later seen. Lex Luthor (no longer president) and several of his associates have appropriated the buildings for their own uses.

During the Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...

maxi-series, it is mentioned that Cadmus had shut down and sold off the rights to the Guardian name and likeness to a New York-based newspaper called The Manhattan Guardian. The newspaper ended up using the name and costume to create its own superhero
Manhattan Guardian
The Manhattan Guardian is a DC Comics costumed hero. Created by Grant Morrison and based on the character The Guardian, he first appeared in The Manhattan Guardian #1 which was part of the Seven Soldiers of Victory "megaseries"....

. However, during 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...

, it is shown that Project Cadmus is still in existence.

Countdown

It wasn't until Countdown Week 33 that the Project actually resurfaces, and it is still led by Mickey Cannon. He chases down Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...

, eventually offering the boy a chance to work with Cadmus to help Olsen discover the mysteries of his new superpowers.

Upon arrival at The Project, Olsen is greeted by Dubbilex
Dubbilex
Dubbilex is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136, , and was created by Jack Kirby. His name is a play on the XX chromosome. -Pre-Crisis:...

 and Serling Roquette. Roquette takes Jimmy aside to help him learn about his powers. However when his powers start going out of control, he flees the Project rather than risk hurting someone.

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen

In the Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen oneshot (Dec 2008), Jimmy discovers Cadmus was involved in the creation of Codename: Assassin
Codename: Assassin
Codename: Assassin is a fictional supervillain, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #11, , and was created by Gerry Conway, Steve Skeates and Nestor Redondo ....

, and returns to the Project. He discovers the facility abandoned, except for Dubbilex. Dubbilex explains that all the Project's assets have been reassigned by the Government to a new military project with an alien-killing agenda. He tells Jimmy the origin of Codename: Assassin, and asks him to find the Guardian. He then dies of his injuries. In Teen Titans (vol. 3) #83, two married scientists named Vincent and Rochelle Barnes are introduced as Cadmus liaisons to the Titans, and are assigned to help the team track down Raven
Raven (comics)
Raven is a fictional superheroine who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26 , and was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez...

 after she is kidnapped by a demon named Wyld. During the course of the ensuing storyline, Vincent is killed by a possessed Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...

. In Teen Titans (vol. 3) #87, Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...

 and Rochelle take Miss Martian and Static to Cadmus Labs after the former is rendered comatose and the latter loses his powers following a battle with Wyld.

Earth-51

This alternate dimension features a Project Cadmus that becomes the focal point of the characters Buddy Blank, Kamandi
Kamandi
Kamandi is an American comic book character, created by artist Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics. The bulk of Kamandi's appearances occurred in the comic series Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, which ran from 1972 to 1978....

 and Brother Eye.

All-Star Superman

In the non-continuity book All-Star Superman, Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...

's modern take on the Silver Age includes the D.N.A. P.R.O.J.E.C.T. which was resurrected by a scientist named Leo Quintum. A comment indicates this organization formed off of the military's 'Cadmus' group. Under Quintum, the P.R.O.J.E.C.T. is dedicated to "the engineering of new human forms" including 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...

 worker drones, giants who can travel through space under their own power, and microscopic "nanonauts" unlocking the mysteries of the sub-atomic world. The P.R.O.J.E.C.T.'s ultimate goal is to create a replacement Superman, in case something happens to the original.

It is revealed that the P.R.O.J.E.C.T. created a formula to bestow Superman-level strength and durability on a normal person, but all of their test subjects ultimately burned out. Marked with "Do Not Open Until 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...

", Jimmy Olsen injects himself the formula and transforms into a hulking, gray skinned figure with bony protrusions. Jimmy succeeds in stopping a black-kryptonite-affected Superman. Both come through their ordeal, shaken but healthy.

Later, Dr. Quintum's assistant asks him what people will do if Superman never returns from the sun. The last page of the story is a splash-panel of Dr. Quintum replying "I'm sure we'll think of something" and looking at a large, sealed door labeled P.R.O.J.E.C.T. and with a Superman S-shield modified to resemble the number 2.

Cadmus One Million

The name 'Project Cadmus' has survived to the 853rd century. They have a position of authority over this era's Superboy, who is the one millionth clone of the original. He takes two assignments for them; hunting down the JLA Bizzaro Clone Terrorist and searching for the traces of 20th Century DNA Cadmus had detected. Though Cadmus believed the DNA was in the arctic region on Earth, it was found floating in the Solar System's asteroid belt. It was a humanoid being in a stasis chamber. It is later implied the humanoid is Lobo.

Television

  • Project Cadmus (also called Cadmus Project or simply Cadmus) was featured as an adversary of the Justice League
    Justice League
    The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

     in the first season (third overall) of animated series
    Animation
    Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...

     Justice League Unlimited
    Justice League Unlimited
    Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...

    . It is described by 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...

     as "Power brokers
    Power broker (term)
    A power broker is a person who can influence people to vote towards a particular client in exchange for political or financial benefits. Power brokers can also negotiate deals with other power brokers to meet their aims....

    , politicians, criminals, and black-ops
    Black operation
    A black operation or black op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly clandestine and often outside of standard military protocol or even against the law.-Origins:...

     mercenaries with one thing in common, they're humanity's last hope against your kind". This version is a combination of the comics version of Cadmus, the Suicide Squad
    Suicide Squad
    The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...

     (which appeared in the series as Task Force X, its real name in the comics), and Checkmate
    Checkmate (comics)
    Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...

    . In the series, Cadmus is a government project designed to take precautions against the League going rogue. The project was started when 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...

     was brainwashed by Darkseid
    Darkseid
    Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....

     into invading Earth at the end of Superman: The Animated Series
    Superman: The Animated Series
    Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...

    where the project (called "Project: Achilles") was designed to deal with the Man of Steel if he were to attack the Earth again. It was created by 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...

    , and a mutual ally bigoted General Nathaniel Hardcastle who was later killed by Galatea on orders of Cadmus. The project's goals extended to the Justice League
    Justice League
    The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

     as well after the Justice Lords
    Justice Lords
    The Justice Lords are fictional heroes-turned-villains who first appeared in the two-part Justice League episode "A Better World" .-Biography:...

     incident. Members of this version of Cadmus include Amanda Waller
    Amanda Waller
    Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...

    , Professor 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...

    , Tala
    Tala (comics)
    Tala is a fictional supervillainess in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared as an adversary of the Phantom Stranger, but she is also known for her appearances on Justice League Unlimited....

    , General Wade Eiling
    General Wade Eiling
    General Wade Eiling, sometimes known as The General, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Captain Atom #1 , and was created by Cary Bates and Pat Broderick.-Captain Atom:...

    , Professor Milo, Maxwell Lord
    Maxwell Lord
    Maxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...

    , Hugo Strange
    Hugo Strange
    Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, as an adversary of Batman. He first appeared in Detective Comics #36 , and is one of Batman's first recurring villains, preceding the Joker and Catwoman by several months...

    , and Doctor Moon
    Doctor Moon
    Doctor Moon is a fictional villain in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Batman #240 .-Fictional character biography:...

    . For a short while, they also had turned Captain Atom
    Captain Atom
    Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...

     to their cause. In addition, they also had Task Force X, which is the official name for the organization known in DC Comics as the Suicide Squad
    Suicide Squad
    The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...

    , for use in risky field missions. Cadmus was later shown to be backed by 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...

    , who only financed the project in a grab for superpowers of his own; a new AMAZO
    Amazo
    Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...

     robot with Luthor's conscious mind implanted in it. After taking what he needed to build it from Cadmus and learning the League had figured out his link to the organization, Luthor attempted to destroy the organization by hacking into an immense laser built into the League's Watchtower. Although the building was destroyed, Waller "had the facility scrubbed as per standard protocol" after Superman and Huntress
    Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
    Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...

     broke into to rescue The Question
    Question (comics)
    The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...

     from Moon's captivity. It was then revealed that 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....

     was living inside him at the time, improving upon his physical health and strength while "subtly influencing [his] actions". After they were confronted by Batman
    Batman
    Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

     and then the rest of the founding members of the Justice League, which Waller had released from custody, Luthor and Braniac escaped to Washington, D.C.
    Washington, D.C.
    Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

     to a Cadmus building that looked similar to NSA headquarters in order to merge with the Dark Heart
    Dark Heart
    Dark Heart may refer to:*The name of a villain in Care Bears*Dark Heart, a novel in the Dragonlance fictional campaign setting; see List of Dragonlance novels*"Dark Heart", an episode of Justice League Unlimited showcasing The Atom...

    , a nanotechnology-like alien being in which the League defeated thanks to Atom. After both of them were defeated, Cadmus ceased operations against the League and the Justice League announced the establishment of a planetside base
    Hall of Justice
    A Hall of Justice is an occasional term for a city's police headquarters, and exists in cities across the United States. In some cases, the facility may also house courts as well as jails...

     to improve their public relations. However, there were a few former members of Cadmus who were still against the Justice League, such as Tala or General Eiling. Project Cadmus was responsible for creating Galatea (a clone of Supergirl
    Supergirl
    Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...

     who resembles Power Girl
    Power Girl
    Power Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....

    ), 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...

    , the Royal Flush Gang
    Royal Flush Gang
    The Royal Flush Gang or RFG are fictional characters in DC Comics. They first appeared in Justice League of America #43 in March 1966 under the leadership of Professor Amos Fortune.-History:...

    , Volcana
    Volcana (DC Comics)
    Volcana is a supervillain in Superman: The Animated Series. Voiced by Peri Gilpin, she made her first appearance in the episode "Where There's Smoke".-Fictional character biography:...

    , the Ultimen (a team of genetically engineered heroes who are a pastiche
    Pastiche
    A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...

     of several heroes created for the Super Friends
    Super Friends
    Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...

    series) and ultimately Terry McGinnis (Batman II). When the Joker
    Joker (comics)
    The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...

     took the Royal Flush Gang from Cadmus, he also stole some technology he would later use to overwrite his DNA into Tim Drake during Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
    Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
    Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a 2000 direct-to-video animated film featuring the comic book superhero Batman and his archenemy, the Joker...

    as explained in Epilogue.

  • Project Cadmus first appears in the Young Justice
    Young Justice (TV series)
    Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...

    episode "Independence Day." Project Cadmus is headed up by the seven as-yet-unidentified members of Cadmus' Board of Directors that call themselves "The Light
    Secret Society of Super Villains
    The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...

    ."
    The members are codenamed L-1 (voiced by Miguel Ferrer
    Miguel Ferrer
    Miguel José Ferrer is an American actor and voice actor who is often cast as a villain. His notable roles include Bob Morton, a supporting character in RoboCop , the short tempered FBI agent Albert Rosenfield in Twin Peaks, and Dr...

    ), L-2 (voiced by Oded Fehr
    Oded Fehr
    Oded Fehr is an Israeli film and television actor now based in the United States. He is known for his appearance as Ardeth Bay in the 1999 remake of The Mummy and its sequel The Mummy Returns, as well as Carlos Olivera in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Resident Evil: Extinction and Resident Evil:...

    ), L-3 (voiced by Mark Rolston
    Mark Rolston
    -Career:Rolston played PFC M. Drake in Aliens , Hans in Lethal Weapon 2 , Stef in RoboCop 2 , Bogs Diamond in The Shawshank Redemption , J. Scar in Eraser , Chief Dennis Wilson in Daylight , Wayne Bryce in Hard Rain and Special Agent in Charge Warren Russ in Rush Hour...

    ), L-4 (voiced by Marina Sirtis
    Marina Sirtis
    Marina Sirtis is a British-American actress of Greek descent. She played the role of the human/Betazoid Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counselor, on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Life:...

    ), L-5 (voiced by Roger Craig Smith
    Roger Craig Smith
    Roger Craig Smith is an American voice actor. He is also known as Roger C. Smith. He is generally known as the voice behind Chris Redfield in Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, as Ezio Auditore da Firenze in Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and...

    ), L-6 (voiced by Nolan North
    Nolan North
    Nolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...

    ), and L-7. In "Independence Day" and "Fireworks," the Cadmus Building that was seen is run by Mark Desmond who is served by a brainwashed Guardian
    Guardian (DC Comics)
    Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...

     and Dubbilex
    Dubbilex
    Dubbilex is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136, , and was created by Jack Kirby. His name is a play on the XX chromosome. -Pre-Crisis:...

    . Robin
    Dick Grayson
    Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....

    , Aqualad
    Aqualad (Jackson Hyde)
    Jackson Hyde is one of two fictional characters codenamed Aqualad. He is a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. Jackson Hyde, created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, debuted in comic books in Brightest Day #4 and is based on the Aqualad character originally created for the Young Justice...

    , and Kid Flash
    Wally West
    The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....

     decide to do some investigating into Project Cadmus although their mentors in the Justice League
    Justice League
    The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

     instructed them to stay out of it while they were fighting Wotan
    Wotan (comics)
    Wotan was a fictional DC Comics supervillain and the archenemy of Doctor Fate until his recent reformation at the hand of Yahweh himself.-Fictional character biography:...

    . They fight Dubbilex, Guardian, and a group of alien-looking Cadmus creatures (aka Genomorphs). The teen heroes eventually locate a stasis chamber containing Superboy
    Superboy (Kon-El)
    Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...

    . While making their way to the surface, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy run into Dubbilex, Guardian, and the alien-looking creatures who want their freedom from Mark Desmond. When Mark Desmond turns into Blockbuster, he knocks down Guardian before fighting Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy. After Blockbuster is defeated by Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy and then taken away by some of the Justice League members, Batman states that Cadmus will be investigated. The next day, Guardian becomes the new head of the Cadmus Building but running it in a Humane way. The Light wasn't pleased with what happened and vowed to make Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy pay for what happened at one of their Cadmus Buildings. In "Drop Zone," The Light was in cahoots with Kobra
    Kobra (comics)
    Kobra is the name used by two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 , and was created by Martin Pasko, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby, and Pablo Marcos...

     and his cult into mass-producing a chemical dubbed "Kobra Venom" (a strength-enhancing chemical that is a combination of the Venom drug and the Blockbuster formula). They sent their operative Sportsmaster
    Sportsmaster
    The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....

     to pick up the shipment revealing that they also sent Mister Twister
    Mister Twister
    -Dan Judd:Dan Judd is a writer who decides to research his latest crime novel by becoming a criminal. Becoming Mister Twister, he forms a gang. When Superman stumbles upon his crime sprees, Mister Twister gets away by having Superman rescue some bystanders from danger. When Dan's gang discover that...

     and T.O. Morrow
    T. O. Morrow
    T.O. Morrow is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. The original T. O. Morrow debuted in The Flash vol. 1 #143 and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino. The modern T. O. Morrow first appeared in The Flash vol...

     after Red Tornado
    Red Tornado
    Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...

    . When Sportsmaster ends up recovering only one remaining sample after his fight with Young Justice, The Light states that they can reverse engineer the formula, but is not pleased once again. They state that Young Justice has now officially declared "war" against them and the Light intends to retaliate. In "Infiltrator," it is revealed that the Light is in cahoots with the League of Assassins
    League of Assassins
    The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...

     in order to obtain information for them when Sensei
    Sensei (comics)
    The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. He is a martial artist and sensei created by writer-artist Neal Adams as a villain to fight the hero Batman. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #215 The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared...

     reports of Young Justice's interference in their F.O.G. Project. The discussion between L-2 and Sensei state that they have someone on the inside to help them. In "Downtime," it is revealed that Black Manta
    Black Manta
    Black Manta is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as the archenemy of Aquaman. The character debuted in Aquaman #35 .-Fictional character biography:...

     was working for the Light in order to obtain the frozen prehistoric starfish
    Starro
    Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....

     that was frozen in ice in Atlantis. He fails, but L-5 state that they will eventually obtain the creature. In "Bereft," it was revealed that Psimon
    Psimon
    Psimon is a fictional comic book supervillain from DC Comics created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman. He first appeared in New Teen Titans #3 as one of the founding members of the Fearsome Five, which became a frequent enemy of the Teen Titans, Superman, and the Outsiders.-Fictional character...

     was working for the Light in order to help Queen Bee
    Queen Bee (comics)
    Queen Bee is the name of four different DC Comics supervillains.-Queen Bee :The leader of the hiveworld Korll, Zazzala lives only for the interstellar expansion of her species. Zazzala first appeared in Justice League of America #23...

     study an extraterrestrial sphere that was transported to her in Bialya
    Bialya
    Bialya is a fictional country appearing in many comic book series published by DC Comics. It was notably featured in issues of Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. It originally appeared in Justice League #2 -Fictional history:It has existed as a country since...

    . Psimon later reports to the Light that the recapture of Superboy and the experiment on the extraterrestrial sphere was a failure due to Young Justice's interference. L-4 of the Light reveals however that the operation can be considered a success given that the Light's newest partner has an operational delivery system
    Boom tube
    A boom tube is a slang expression for a fictional extra-dimensional point-to-point travel portal opened by a Mother Box used primarily by residents of New Genesis and Apokolips in DC Comics...

     that sent them the extraterrestrial sphere. In "Targets," it is revealed that Ra's al Ghul
    Ra's al Ghul
    Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...

     and 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...

     are associated with The Light. In "Terrors," it is revealed that Hugo Strange
    Hugo Strange
    Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, as an adversary of Batman. He first appeared in Detective Comics #36 , and is one of Batman's first recurring villains, preceding the Joker and Catwoman by several months...

     and Icicle
    Icicle (comics)
    Icicle is the name of two fictional DC Comics supervillains.-Dr. Joar Mahkent:When noted European physicist Dr. Joar Mahkent arrived in America with his latest scientific discovery, spectators at dockside were astonished to witness the luxury liner upon which Mahkent was traveling suddenly frozen...

     Sr. were associated with the Light when it came to getting control of Belle Reve. In "Revelation", the members of the Light are revealed to be Vandal Savage
    Vandal Savage
    Vandal Savage is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10 , and was created by Alfred Bester and Martin Nodell....

     (L-1), Ra's al Ghul
    Ra's al Ghul
    Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...

     (L-2), 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...

     (L-3), a version of the Bialyan Queen Bee
    Queen Bee (comics)
    Queen Bee is the name of four different DC Comics supervillains.-Queen Bee :The leader of the hiveworld Korll, Zazzala lives only for the interstellar expansion of her species. Zazzala first appeared in Justice League of America #23...

     (L-4), Ocean Master
    Ocean Master
    The Ocean Master is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Aquaman #29 , and was created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy.-Pre-Crisis:...

     (L-5), Brain
    Brain (comics)
    The Brain is a fictional character, a supervillain in the and frequent enemy of the Doom Patrol. He is a French mastermind and criminal genius...

     (L-6), and Klarion the Witch Boy
    Klarion the Witch Boy
    Klarion the Witch Boy is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe character first seen in the pages of The Demon in 1973.-Kirby's Klarion:...

     (L-7). In the same episode, the Injustice League
    Injustice League
    The Injustice League is the name of two fictional teams of supervillains in the .-Original League :The original Injustice League was the brainchild of the interplanetary conqueror Agamemno. Bored of his dominion, he set out to conquer Earth and their champions, the Justice League...

     served as their proxies acting as a ruse to fool the heroes into believing they were the true masterminds behind the Light's activities.

  • The television series Smallville
    Smallville
    Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...

    referenced a company called "Cadmus Labs," which Lex Luthor bought. This Cadmus, however, was just being used by Luthor as part of a larger plan; after it was taken from him in a hostile takeover by a woman (who pretended to love Lex) and her father, it turned out that the project was a feint. The company was in major financial and legal trouble and so the "lover" and her father were financially crippled. Later in Season 10, Cadmus would remain owned by LuthorCorp and secretly develop genetic research in order to create clones of Lex Luthor
    Lex Luthor (Smallville)
    Lex Luthor is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. He was a series regular from the pilot episode until the season seven finale, and has been played continuously by Michael Rosenbaum, with various actors portraying Lex as a child throughout the series...

    . Lex planned to use these clones to heal his wounds, but was unable to due to his apparent death at the hands of Oliver Queen. However, it was revealed in the first episode of the season, "Lazarus" that some clones had been created including a young/LX-15 and elderly version of Lex/LX-3. The young Lex is revealed to be a hybrid clone of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent
    Superboy (Kon-El)
    Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...

     and is living with Clark Kent
    Clark Kent (Smallville)
    Clark Kent is a fictional character on the television series Smallville. The character of Clark Kent, first created for comic books by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the alternate identity of Superman, was adapted to television in 2001 by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar—this is the fourth...

     in Smallville. In one scene, he even dons the Superboy costume which is jeans and a black shirt with a red S on the chest.

Film

  • Dr. Leo Quintum's DNA P.R.O.J.E.C.T. appears in the film All-Star Superman
    All-Star Superman (film)
    All-Star Superman is a direct-to-video animated film based on the acclaimed comic book series All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The film is the tenth in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation and the first in the...

    .

Video games

  • Cadmus Labs is involved with Superman Returns: The Video Game
    Superman Returns (video game)
    Superman Returns is a video game loosely based on the movie of the same name, developed by Electronic Arts-Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with Warner Bros...

    . During an interview, the game's executive producer mentioned that among the game's various enemies were "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...

    's minions escaped from Cadmus Labs".
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