Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Who's Who: Weight Wizard

Weight Wizard
by Russell & Siskoid


Real Name: Nik Obershaw
Super-Power(s): Ability to increase and decrease his own mass
Planet of Origin: Earth
Relationship to Legion: Antagonist

Legion Log
Weight Wizard was one of the prisoners held captive by a powerful despot named Nardo. Nardo was a ruthless dictator of a race whose bodies are powered by nuclear energy in their veins and who could emit murderous nuclear energy bolts. After Nardo was over-powered and exiled into space by his planet's police force, he swore eternal hatred against Law and Order. Using some of his ill-gotten gains he built himself a huge prison on an asteroid deep in space. There he collected law enforcement agents who happened across his path, including members of the Legion.

Weight Wizard was another one of the prisoners in Nardo's Super Stalag. Although he had the ability to increase or decrease his own mass at will, this did not prevent him from somehow being captured and imprisoned by Nardo. As he was already a prisoner when the Legionnaires were captured, we never learned how or why he came across Nardo and was caught. In fact, during the course of the two-part adventure we did not learn any of the pertinent facts that ended up in his Who's Who in the Legion profile entry (above).

When the Legionnaires were imprisoned, they immediately began plotting their escape. It became clear to them that someone in their barrack was telling Nardo their plans. Brainiac 5 also noticed that Weight Wizard always argued against escape, and also never seemed to be punished by Nardo or his guards. He eventually proved that Weight Wizard was a spy for Nardo, and Weight Wizard was then ostracized by the other prisoners.

Feeling guilty for being a coward and a traitor, Weight Wizard attempted to rehabilitate his reputation. He escaped on his own, only to be maneuvered by Nardo into a field of man-eating lilies, which poisoned and then devoured him.

After the Reboot, Weight Wizard is among the many young heroes who apply for Legion membership but does not make the cut.

After Infinite Crisis, Weight Wizard's original history has presumably been more or less restored.

Only Weight Wizard stories:

Adventure Comics #344
 (reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 2)
Weight Wizard is already a prisoner when the Legionnaires are captured;
they suspect him of being a traitor working for Nardo

Adventure Comics #345
 (reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 2)
 
Weight Wizard tries to "make good" for the death of Blockade Boy, 
but is maneuvered by Nardo to his death

Legionnaires #43
The Reboot's Weight Wizard as a Legion applicant

5 comments:

  1. So he was the Peter Graves character here.

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    1. To be fair he was probably the only character introduced in this story who had arguably a pretty decent superpower. And by that I mean he wasn't turning into a giant plant or a brick wall.

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    2. YES!!!!
      I swear I *almost* wrote that in this profile but figured most readers would no longer get the reference. Thanks for making me smile!!!

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  2. Really nice and informative blog, keep it up buddy…

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  3. Loved this story. That was possibly the worst death in any Legion story -- being that we saw him kicking as he was devoured. Triplicate Girl and Ferro Lad had it easy in comparison. I did like his powers.

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