Who is Doctor Spectrum? Believe it or not, Doctor Spectrum is Marvel's little known answer to DC Comics' Green Lantern. A wielder of color and light just like a Lantern, Doctor Spectrum is a space-faring hero who belongs to a team of heroes that protects America. Sound familiar? There are some interesting distinctions however, and Spectrum may soon become more well known thanks to the work of Phil Coulson and the Devil of the Marvel Universe, but perhaps not in a good way.
The first appearance of Doctor Spectrum was in 1969, created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. Spectrum was part of a super-villain team known as the Squadron Sinister, who were formed by the Grandmaster to battle the Avengers. Each member of the team was intentionally meant to loosely resemble members of DC Comics' Justice League, with Spectrum obviously being created to resemble Green Lantern, using an object known as the Power Prism that granted him powers of light. Spectrum would go on to be a foe of Iron Man for a time. After a series of short events and battles between the Squadron Sinister and Doctor Strange and the Defenders, the Squadron Supreme was created by Mark Gruenwald. A team of heroes from another dimension apart from the standard Marvel Universe, the Squadron Supreme were the heroes the Grandmaster used as a template for his Squadron Sinister. Gruenwald also gave the characters more depth, each with their own origins, including Doctor Spectrum.
There have been a handful of characters to hold the title of Doctor Spectrum. The first one was a man by the name of Kenji Obatu from Uganda. Then the prism fell into the hands of Billy Roberts, an evangelist. After that, it even transformed The Wasp and Thor for a time. One of Hank Pym's lab assistants gained the powers of Spectrum as well thanks to the prism. However, the most well-known and current Spectrum is Colonel Joseph Ledger (created by Gruenwald). Ledger was an astronaut who saved a Skrull on a space mission, and the Skrull was so grateful that he gave him the Power Prism, the object that grants Ledger his powers as Doctor Spectrum.
Doctor Spectrum's powers come from the Power Prism. Often worn on the back of his hand (not unlike a Green Lantern power ring), Spectrum has the ability to project and manipulate light energy, creating different constructs that can be manipulated into different shapes and forms as he wills. Again, this is extremely similar to the powers and abilities of a Lantern from DC Comics, though the emotional aspects of the light spectrum as seen in the DC Universe are not a factor. Furthermore, Spectrum is able to use and manipulate any color he desires simultaneously. Not only that, but the Power Prism also grants Ledger protection from the harsh environments of space as well as granting him flight.
While previous iterations of the Power Prism had the Skrull trapped inside the crystal as a punishment from the Skrull Emperor, later retconned versions saw the Skrull simply gifting the Prism to Ledger, though there was still an entity within known as Krimonn. Over time, the Power Prism would be retconned and simplified further to be regarded as just a sentient power-granting prism.
The most current version of Doctor Spectrum has been featured in the ongoing Avengers run from writer Jason Aaron. In Avengers #18, the War of the Realms was in full swing, and Washington D.C was under siege by an army of frost giants, courtesy of the Dark Elf Lord Malekith. However, it was not the Avengers who stood up to defend the nation's capital, but the new Squadron Supreme of America, which included Doctor Spectrum. Other members included Hyperion, Power Princess, Nighthawk, and the Blur. This new version of the team was not from a different universe, but have rather been mysteriously brainwashed and become programmed puppets controlled by the Demon Lord Mephisto and his newest agent, Phillip J. Coulson.
It's been recently revealed that Coulson's resurrection has come courtesy of Mephisto himself. After being killed by Deadpool in Secret Empire on Captain America's orders, Mephisto brought Phil back to work for him, as Phil has now become completely disillusioned with the idea of heroes in general. Now, Coulson is running and manipulating this new team on behalf of his new demon boss, though Mephisto's endgame is still as of yet unclear. Officially, Doctor Spectrum was the one who was supposed to have taken leadership of the team after General Thunderbolt Ross left, but he too has become brainwashed and is secretly under the influence and control of Coulson as well.
What's even more concerning is that during the battle with the Frost Giants, the Squadron was merciless in their defense of America, finding joy in the killing any and all giants that they could find. Furthermore, as soon as a group of giants left the country's borders and headed into Canada, they Squadron gave up their pursuit, only interested in protecting the interests of America thanks to their programming.
Whatever Mephisto is planning, it can't be good, but having an entire team of brainwashed and brutal superheroes in his back pocket will no doubt prove beneficial for his goals, whatever they may be. Hopefully, Doctor Spectrum and his fellow counterparts in the Justice Lea-sorry Squadron Supreme of America will one day be able to break free from Coulson and Mephisto's control, and actually become the heroes they're pretending to be (in more ways than one).
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