King Standish (New Earth)

The King was a mystery man in the 1940s, using disguise and deception to fight crime.

History

Origin

A rich young man, King Standish was a master of acting and make-up, and would infiltrate criminal gangs by incapacitating one member and then replacing him so flawlessly that his friends and family would not notice.

The King, as he became known, was originally believed by the authorities to be a criminal himself, but this opinion of him softened over time.

King Chimera

Years later, it transpired that, in the service of his research into illusion, he traveled the world and met a secret order whose adepts can bend sound and light. One female member of this order apparently had "a thing for much older men", according to his alleged son, King Chimera.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

• Deception: The King would deceive criminals by becoming one of their own.
• Disguise: Using a combination of the target's clothing and a bit of stage magic, the King could become whoever he wished to be.
• Prestidigitation: King Standish was a master of stagecraft and used it in his war against crime.
• Mimicry: The King's mimicking ability allows him perfect pitch in voice and accent as well as gestures and actions of his false persona. It also allows him to copy any person's ability, such as when he impersonated a baseball player or a horseback rider.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): King Standish was able to use a gun but preferred to use his hands instead and became quite good with them.

Notes

• Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.
• Earth-Two: The original series ran from Flash Comics #3, March 1940, through #41, May 1943, but not quite in every issue, especially towards the end. It also appeared in Comic Cavalcade #3 and #4, and in World's Finest Comics #2, #3, #4, #5, and #8, and made its final Golden Age appearance in All-Flash #13, Winter 1943.
• New Earth: The character reappeared in JSA Returns: Star-Spangled Comics #1.

Related

• 51 Appearances of King Standish (New Earth)
• 4 Images featuring King Standish (New Earth)
• 2 Quotations by or about King Standish (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: King Standish (New Earth)

Footnotes

All-Star Squadron member This character is or was a member of the All-Star Squadron in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "All-Star Squadron members" category.