DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
universe. Created by
Bob Haney
Robert Gilbert Haney, Jr. (March 15, 1926 – November 25, 2004) was an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons. ...
and
Neal Adams
Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Sup ...
, the character first appeared in ''
The Brave and the Bold
''The Brave and the Bold'' is a comic book series published by DC Comics as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by two mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as an ongoing title in 2007. The focus of the series has varied ...
'' #81 (December 1968) and was later re-introduced in '' JLA'' #61/2 (February 2002).
Fictional character biography
Early years
Carl Andrew Bork was a criminal
dock worker
A stevedore (), also called a longshoreman, a docker or a dockworker, is a waterfront manual laborer who is involved in loading and unloading ships, trucks, trains or airplanes.
After the shipping container revolution of the 1960s, the number ...
from
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
who went by the nickname ''King of the Docks''. After a shipboard theft in the South Pacific during which he saved a young native boy from drowning, he discovers Desolation Island. In thanks for Bork's rescue of the young boy, the Desolation Island natives give him a 'magic' statue which eventually transforms him, and makes him invulnerable to physical harm. The
Flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
found the statue on Desolation Island and tried to destroy it, but all his attempts failed until he was able to throw it into the sun. Once the statue was destroyed Bork's invulnerability disappeared.
Bork served hard time in the Van Kull Maximum Security facility outside
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big ci ...
. While in prison, his body began to mutate. His invulnerability returned along with super-strength and an increasingly deformed physique. He escaped Van Kull, and was opposed by Batman and the Flash, but managed to elude them and visit his mother in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Wayne Foundation pay her hospital bills.
The Power Company
After his parole, Bork attempted to find gainful legitimate employment, but was hampered by the disadvantages of his criminal record and monstrous appearance. He was later approached by Josiah Power with a job offer to join a new corporate heroes-for-hire organization called the
Power Company
An electric utility is a company in the electric power industry (often a public utility) that engages in electricity generation and distribution of electricity for sale generally in a regulated market. The electrical utility industry is a major pr ...
. Bork accepted Josiah's offer and joined the team as an associate, later becoming roommates with co-worker
Sapphire
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sa ...
JSA Classified
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
'' #19, Bork is an unwilling participant in one of Roulette's metahuman brawls, fighting against the current Son of Vulcan.
In '' Superman'' #663, Bork is a client of
Oblivion Bar
This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
* the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
* Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
Traci Thirteen
Traci Thirteen (also known as Girl 13 and Traci 13) is a superhero featured in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Superman'' vol. 2 #189 (February 2003), and was created by writer Joe Kelly and artist D ...
.
In other media
* Carl Bork appears on '' The Flash'' episode "Seeing Red". He was killed by
Cicada
The cicadas () are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers. The superfamily is divided into tw ...