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| “ | Earth 2 is a joke. Barren and useless. Theatrical scenery with no substance. You should have left the job of world-building to someone with the genius for it. Don't worry, though. I'm here, and now I have the tools for the job. | „ |
| ~ Ultra-Humanite to Sonia Sato. |
| “ | Meta-ethical moral relativism is simple cowardice. I accept evil. I embrace evil. Evil simply is. | „ |
| ~ Ultra-Humanite |
| “ | And if they thought one Atomic Skull explosion was a tragedy... ...they'll be devastated by my Atomic Army. | „ |
| ~ Ultra-Humanite |
Ultra-Humanite is a major antagonist from the DC Universe, most often opposing Superman and a supporting antagonist of the Justice Society of America. He is a hyper-intelligent albino gorilla that seeks to conquer the world and force humanity into a new age of evolution. A different version of the character was introduced in The New 52 comics.
Biography[]
Modern Age[]
Ultra-Humanite's original body
Originally a criminal scientist active during the late 1930s/1940, the Ultra-Humanite escaped death by transplanting his brain into other bodies; including film star Dolores Winders, a giant ant, and a genetically enhanced albino ape.
The Ultra-Humanite is the first supervillain faced by Superman, and among the first supervillains of the Golden Age of Comics. He was designed to be the polar opposite of Superman; while Superman is a hero with superhuman strength, Ultra-Humanite is a criminal mastermind who has a crippled body but a highly advanced intellect.
Ultra-Humanite in his gorilla body
The Ultra-Humanite served as Superman's nemesis until Lex Luthor was introduced in the comics. The origins of the super-criminal known as the Ultra-Humanite are shrouded in mystery. Even he claims not to remember his true name or appearance and attributes his vast intellect and mental prowess to scientific experiments of an unknown nature.
Ultra deals Superman electricity sufficient "to kill 500 men", and Superman lapses into unconsciousness. With Superman now helpless, Reynolds and the Ultra-Humanite attempt to kill him with a buzz saw, but Superman's invulnerable skin obliterated the saw into tiny pieces. Reynolds is killed by one of the flying pieces. Ultra's henchmen set fire to the cabine and leave Superman behind to perish. The Ultra-Humanite is carried outside to a waiting aircraft. Superman regains consciousness and deliberately crashes into the plane. The Man of Steel is unable to find the Ultra-Humanite's body.
A mysterious epidemic sweeps through the city, killing hundreds. A young scientist known as Professor Henry Travers concocts an antidote. Ultra kidnaps Travers, but he is rescued by Superman. Ultra's henchmen fire an unknown ray and knock out Superman. Ultra tries hypnotizing him by placing a helmet on his head, but Superman fakes being controlled, and when he is taken to spread the plague with a henchman, he destroys the "fantastic airship of Ultra's creation" that was spreading its "cargo of Purple Death". Superman returns to Ultra's stonghold where the villain tries to blast him, but Superman places the Ultra-Humanite in front of the gun, killing him.
After the One Year Later storyline, Ultra-Humanite's origin was changed. In this version, he was a young genius named Gerard Shugel, who was bora with a degenerative disease that was slowly killing him. So he used his intellect to find a way to transplant his brain into a healthy body. Eventually, he became a villain of Power Girl.
DC Rebirth[]
Ultra-Humanite in the DC Rebirth
A mad scientist menacing humanity since the end of World War I, the Ultra-Humanite has committed atrocities and battled generations of Super Heroes including the All-Star Squadron, Justice League, and the Terminator’s Defiance team. Initially a frail human, he modified his own form while spreading chaos and destruction, continually evading justice by transplanting his brain into new bodies, ranging from a movie actress to a giant insect. His current form is a mutated albino ape that he bred over many years, enhancing his intellect even further and granting him sufficient super-powers to lead the treacherous malcontents of the Secret Society of Super-Villains against Infinity Inc. and the Justice Society of America.
In one clash, he killed the Crimson Avenger and Johnny Thunder. However, after usurping the magic of Thunder's Thunderbolt, he was shot dead by a new Crimson Avenger, but is notorious for having ways to escape the grave. His recent return in a subservient role in Vandal Savage’s Super-Villain Society team and subsequent easy defeat at the hands of Deathstroke revealed that Ultra-Humanite's keen intellect may be starting to give way to the savage primordial instincts of the bestial body he's inhabiting.
In the Dawn of DC, Gerard Shugel was reintroduced as the grandfather of the superhero Monkey Prince. This version is a former members of the Legion of D(oo-oo-ah-ah)m and the father of the criminal scientist Laura Shugel-Shen.
Other Versions[]
Ultra-Humanite from The New 52
Several alternate versions of Ultra-Humanite were also introduced in the comics; Xavier Simon, Morgan Wilde, a counterpart from Earth-2, and a Phantom Zoner from The New 52. After Flashpoint, this new version of Ultra-Humanite was trapped in the Phantom Zone for eons. He briefly escaped to Earth when schoolboy Clark Kent was scared during a crop fire in Smallville. However, Clark was too emotional and the villain retreated. Twenty years later he reappeared when the Phantom Zone was ruptured by Superman's battle against Doomsday and Brainiac. Possessing many Smallville residents, Superman's emotions again repulsed Ultra-Humanite. He exploseively released his victims and retreated to the Phantom Zone.
Powers and Abilities[]
The Ultra-Humanite is a scientific genius, and possesses one of the most advanced human minds in the DC Universe. He has the medical knowledge necessary to surgically transfer his brain into another body without transplant rejection, even when a using two vastly different species. His best-known and most frequently revisited form is that of a mutated albino gorilla.
- Altered-Gorilla Physiology
- Enhanced Intellect
- Superhuman Strength
- Superhuman Durability
- Telepathy
- Energy Projection
Other Media[]
DC Animated Universe[]
Ultra-Humanite in Justice League
Ultra-Humanite appears in the Justice League animated series. This incarnation of Humanite was voiced by Ian Buchanan, who previously voiced Abel Cuvier in Batman Beyond. In this version, he is depicted as a cultured, intellectual criminal with a deep love for classical music and violent hatred for most modern forms of art. The animated series version is shown to be somewhat more benevolent than his comic counterpart, as he, in one way or another, always helps the hero in the episodes in which he appears, albeit for his own reasons (such as once betraying Lex Luthor after Batman bribed him with additional funding to a public broadcasting channel). In "Comfort and Joy," he encounters Flash, who is trying to deliver a specific toy to the kids at Central City Orphanage, and accidentally breaks the toy during their scuffle. In the spirit of the holiday season, Humanite calls a truce and repairs the toy, with some more cultural modifications.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold[]
Ultra-Humanite appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This version appears to be a brain in a small mobile robotic brain jar that can possess the body of anything, and works for the Axis Powers during World War II. In the final short of that episode called "The War That Time Forgot", he took the body of a white Tyrannosaurus rex on Dinosaur Island. There, he mind-controlled the local dinosaurs, using them to destroy Allied planes, and planned to use them to ensure Axis victory. The Creature Commandos are sent in to rescue Batman who is being held captive on the island. During the ensuing fight the heroes manage to destroy Ultra-Humanite's mind-control device which causes the dinosaurs to regain their senses. He manages to escape the other dinosaurs and make his way back to his base where he then retreats from the Tyrannosaurus rex's body back into his brain jar and runs for his life. He was last seen backed into a corner by the dinosaurs which have broken into the facility.
In issue #3 of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold tie-in comics, Ultra-Humanite appears in his both gorilla e human forms. It was revealed that the real reason he put his brain in a gorilla's body is to avoid being mistaken for Lex Luthor.
Young Justice[]
Ultra-Humanite in Young Justice
Ultra-Humanite appears in the Young Justice animated series as part of the Injustice League alongside Joker, Count Vertigo, Poison Ivy, Atomic Skull, Wotan and Black Adam. At sometime he has become a member of The Light, replacing The Brain. In issue #19 of the Young Justice tie-in comics, it was revealed that this version of Ultra-Humanite was originally an old woman who had her brain transplanted into an albino gorilla.
Stargirl[]
- Main article: Ultra-Humanite (Stargirl)
Ultra-Humanite in Stargirl
Ultra-Humanite was the main antagonist of the third and final season of The CW network television series Stargirl. He was voiced by an uncredited actor in his gorilla body and portrayed by Joel McHale. He was an old enemy of the Justice Society and an ally of Icicle and Dragon King. This version of the character hates the Injustice Society more than the JSA due to the fact that the ISA rejected his membership in the past. He briefly used the body of the actress Dolores Winters and stole his albino gorilla body from its location where Congo Bill had given it to. In the present, Ultra-Humanite transplanted his brain into Starman's body and Dragon King's brain into his gorilla body, in order to manipulate Stargirl and the new Justice Society into crippling themselves. However, the villains were eventually defeated.
Videogames[]
- Ultra-Humanite appears in DC Universe Online.
- Ultra-Humanite appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.
- Ultra-Humanite appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains.
External Links[]
- Ultra-Humanite on the DC Database Wiki
- Ultra-Humanite on the Superman Wiki
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 Villains
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