Dev-Em

Dev-Em is a fictional character who appears in DC Comics. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #287 (June 1961), created by Jerry Siegel and George Papp. Various versions of the Dev-Em character have appeared over the years in Legion of Super-Heroes related comic books.

Dev-Em
Dev-Em as depicted in Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3 #15 (October 1985). Art by Steve Lightle.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Adventure Comics #287 (June 1961)
Created by	Jerry Siegel (writer) George Papp (artist)
In-story information
Team affiliations	Interstellar Counter-Intelligence Corps Legion of Super-Heroes
Abilities	Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, invulnerability, freezing breath, super hearing, multiple extrasensory and vision powers, flight, and intelligence.

The original Dev-Em is a Kryptonian juvenile delinquent that attacked Superboy; after being thwarted by Superboy, Dev-Em traveled to the 30th century and becomes an occasional ally of the Legion.^[1] Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity reboot, he is re-imagined as a Daxamite. Post-Infinite Crisis, he was once again made a Kryptonian; a criminal sentenced to the Phantom Zone.

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

In pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Dev-Em is a Kryptonian juvenile delinquent who survives Krypton's destruction by placing himself in suspended animation in an orbiting space capsule. After landing on Earth, Dev-Em imprisons Superboy in the Phantom Zone and assumes his identity to destroy his reputation. Eventually, he frees Superboy and travels to the 30th century. Since the people of Smallville will not believe Superboy's story of the impostor, he claims to have been affected by red Kryptonite.

Dev-Em returns in Adventure Comics #320 (May 1964), where he has reformed, joined the Interstellar Counter-Intelligence Corps, and become an ally of the Legion of Super-Heroes.^[2]

Post-Crisis, Pre-Zero Hour

Post-Crisis, the limited series Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (April 1988) depicts Dev-Em as David Emery, a Titanian who replicates Kryptonian abilities using his mental powers.

In the "Time and Time Again" storyline, Dev-Em appears as an adult Daxamite. He is defeated by the Legion of Super-Heroes, but destroys Earth's moon using the Dominators' Triple Strike program.^[3][4]

Post-Infinite Crisis

Following Infinite Crisis, Dev-Em is depicted as a Kryptonian criminal and inmate of the Phantom Zone. Additionally, a human psych ward patient named Derek Mathers is a member of a cult that worships Kon-El, and is known as Devem.^[5][6]

Powers and abilities

In both his Daxamite and Kryptonian iterations, Dev-Em possesses the same superhuman abilities of both races while beneath the empowering light of a yellow sun such as that of Earth's solar system. His basic abilities are superhuman strength, superhuman speed and superhuman stamina sufficient to bend steel in his bare hands, overpower a locomotive, leap over a tall building in a single bound and outrun a speeding bullet; heightened senses of hearing and sight including X-ray vision as well as telescopic and microscopic vision; virtual invulnerability; accelerated healing; longevity; powerful freezing breath; heat vision; and flight.

In other media

Revard Dufresne as Dev-Em II as depicted in Man of Steel.

• Dev-Em appears in Krypton, portrayed by Aaron Pierre.^[7][8] This version is a member of Kandor's military, the Sagitari squadron.
• Dev-Em II appears in Man of Steel, portrayed by Revard Dufresne.^[9][10] This version is a member of General Zod's battalion, the Sword of Rao, who was previously imprisoned in the Phantom Zone.
• Dev-Em II's ancestor, Dev-Em I, appears in the Man of Steel prequel comic.^[11] After becoming a candidate for a scout ship mission, he kills its crew before he is killed in turn by Kara Zor-El.^[12]