Who's Who: LSV Chameleon Chief

Chameleon Chief
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Jall Tannuz

Super-Power(s): Shape-shifting
Planet of Origin: Unknown (apparently not Durla)

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Legion Log
Chameleon Chief first appeared as a member of the Legion of Super-Villains when they plotted to murder a diplomat while he was making a very public appearance with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Chameleon Chief gained access to the Legion's headquarters by pretending to be a dais on which a piece of art stood. He was defeated by Chameleon Boy. From this debut appearance, he appeared to be a member of the Legion of Super-Villains in good standing.

Similar to Chameleon Boy, Chameleon Chief has the ability to change his appearance. Unlike Chameleon Boy, he has been shown to be able to alter objects; in his debut he changed a wooden crate into a copy of the dais. However, this was the only incident ever shown where he used this ability.

According to his Who's Who entry, Chameleon Chief was brought into the Legion of Super-Villains by Nemesis Kid, but their specific relationship was never mentioned or hinted at in any story. In fact, no personal history or back story for Chameleon Chief was ever given in any story. An editor's note appeared once saying that he was not from Durla; that is all we received in-continuity. In his earliest appearances he was shown to NOT have the customary Durlan antennae. However, he did otherwise have the standard Durlan skin color and physiology.

During the Crisis, when the red anti-matter cloud destroyed the prison planet Takron-Galtos, an alien criminal looking very similar to Chameleon Chief was shown to be in the crowd being evacuated and being re-imprisoned on Labyrinth. This character was shown with antennae and was called out to be Durlan, so it is not clear if this was actually Chameleon Chief or not. To make things more complicated, the Who's Who entry reprinted above clearly shows him with antennae, even though the group "photo" a few pages earlier in Who's Who shows him without. It is possible he transforms to show antennae as part of a cover story, or that he has been a Durlan all along, and hiding it.

Chameleon Chief made his publishing debut in the pages of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #63 as a member of the Adult Legion of Super-Villains. That is his true "first appearance."

During the so-called Five Year Gap, Chameleon Chief apparently escaped from prison along with many other members of the LSV. He clashed again with the Legion, some time in 2989, but escaped and hired himself out to the Khund army. He served with their forces, clashing with the Heroes of Lallor when the Khunds attacked Starfinger and Weber’s World in 2996. He has since been returned to prison in United Planets territory.

Chameleon Chief appears neither during the Reboot nor the Threeboot.

After Infinite Crisis, Chameleon Chief's original history has presumably been more or less restored. He joined Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains during the Final Crisis, and Saturn Queen's when she tried to destroy the universe.

Important Chameleon Chief stories:

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #63

First appearance of Chameleon Chief, as a member of  Adult LSV

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #208
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 11
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 5)

The debut of "present day" Chameleon Chief

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #2-5
(reprinted in The Legion: An Eye For An Eye TPB)

Chameleon Chief is a member in good standing of the LSV

Chameleon Chief fights Chameleon Boy in the Battle of the Legions

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #8
(reprinted in The Legion: The More Things Change TPB)

Chameleon Chief is eventually captured by White Witch and Mon-El

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #18 and 21

A convict fitting the description of Chameleon Chief is saved from the anti-matter cloud

destroying Takron-Galtos, and is brought to Labyrinth

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #57

Chameleon Chief defeated by the Heroes of Lallor while working for the Khunds

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #2

Chameleon Chief is a member of Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains during Final Crisis

Legion of Super-Heroes (v6) #15

He is also a member of Saturn Queen's LSV, here showing he certainly has preferred forms