SECTOR: inapplicable
FIRST APPEARANCE:
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA # 29
(August, 1964)
"Crisis on Earth 3!"
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Male humanoid
pre-Crisis: brown hair, human features
post-Crisis: bald, Qwardian features
HISTORY:
Little is known of Power Ring's history. From what little he has said on the matter, he had been given his sorcerous ring and battery by a mystic named Volthoom. With these weapons, he equalled the power of a Green Lantern.
Power Ring was a member of the Crime Syndicate of Qward, superhumanoids with powers and identities modeled after members of the Justice League of America. The Crime Syndicate included Johnny Quick, a superspeedster with a costume resembling the Flash, Owlman, a criminal mastermind similar to the Batman, Superwoman, with Amazon strength and a magic lasso, and Ultraman, with powers similar to Superman.
When they first arrived in the positive matter universe, they attempted to destroy both the JLA and the Justice Society of America. The Syndicate was defeated and imprisoned in an inter-dimensional limbo by Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
[JLA # 29-30]
The Qwardians remained there for years until an experimental dimensional transponder used by the Secret Society of Super Villains disrupted the stability of the Crime Syndicate's prison. Power Ring, Johnny Quick, and Superwoman used the opportunity to escape. The Syndicate assumed the Secret Society villains were heroes and battled them. In a second confrontation, the Society took Superwoman's magic lasso, the ring of Power Ring, and Johnny Quick's helmet. These objects of power were to be used by the Wizard to cast a spell.
The Crime Syndicate fought Captain Comet, believing he was part of the Secret Society. Focusing his will through his power battery, Power Ring was able to use it as a weapon, just as he had used his ring. Unknown to the villains, Power Ring's battery of power had been leaking energy, a result of its long confinement and disuse in limbo.
Victims left in its wake were stricken with nausea, severe pain and eventual loss of consciousness. Their inert forms would then glow an unearthly green before mutating into horrible rampaging creatures. Captain Comet discovered the source of the transformation, and after capturing the Syndicate, used the power battery to cure the victims and return the Crime Syndicate to their interdimensional prison. Comet destroyed the battery afterwards.
[SSOSV # 14-15]
Years later, Ultraman did manage to escape on his own before being sent back by Superman. A few weeks after that, the Syndicate would get another taste of freedom. Travelling through time, Per Degaton stumbled upon the interdimensional prison. He offered the Crime Syndicate an escape if they would help him in 1962 to take Cuba's Intercontinental Ballistic Missles. After they accomplished this task, Degaton had little use for them. When the Syndicate attempted to overthrow Degaton, they were hurled into the future.
[DCCPA # 1, ALL STAR SQUAD. # 14-15, JLA # 207-209]
The Syndicators rematerialized on the JLA satellite by the League's teleporter. They qiuckly overcame the surprised heroes who were waitng for the JSA's annual meeting with the two groups. The JSA had been sent to the Crime Syndicate's interdimensional prison and were able to escape with the combined powers of Starman and Doctor Fate.
[JLA # 207]
Power Ring returned with the Syndicate to assist Per Degaton's plan to rule the world. Though they had been double crossed by Degaton, they would help him until the moment came to strike. The villains once again fought the JLA, the JSA, and even members of the All-Star Squadron from 1942. When the villains were again defeated, the failure of Degaton's plan wiped the events from existence.
[ALL STAR SQUAD. # 14-15, JLA # 207-209]
The members of the Crime Syndicate were believed killed during the so-called Crisis on Infinite Earths. Power Ring and the Crime Syndicate were destroyed by waves of anti-matter, unleashed by the Anti-Monitor in his attempt to control all of existence.
[CIE # 1]
Years afterwards, a strange disruption in reality brought back Syndicators Ultraman, Power Ring, Johnny Quick, and Owlman. Beings from other realities appeared as well. Sunshine Superman, Speed Freak, and Magic Lantern of the Love Syndicate of Dreamworld were all thoughts of the Psycho Pirate, brought to life by his mind. Power Ring and Ultra Man thought they had come back from the dead, but later learned forces beyond their imaginations were responsible for their brief return. Power Ring wished to return to the way his life used to be, and with that thought, he vanished. The others went into the Medusa Mask of the Psycho Pirate, and they have not been seen since.
[ANIMAL MAN # 23-24]
Sometime later, another group of Qwardian super-beings were inadvertantly brought to Earth. Believed to be heroes, Deadeye, Elasti-Man, Element Man, Fiero, Frostbite, Scarab and Slipstream crossed to our universe with the help of Norman the Doorman, a would-be hero with teleportational powers. They were hired as the new Conglomerate. The Justice League was to face the Conglomerate in a charity sports event.
Unfortunately, the "Conglomerate" was playing for keeps. Watching the event on television, Green Lantern Hal Jordan realized the Conglomerate were Qwardians, and would attempt to kill the Justice League. He rushed to the event to aid the Justice League in defeating the Qwardians. The new "Conglomerate" was then sent back to the Anti-Matter Universe.
[JLQ # 8]
CREATIVE TEAM: uncredited
KNOWN APPEARANCES:
I know they're a bit further off the beaten path than even the Anti-Green Lantern Corps, but since I'm going to list Power Ring here, I figured I'd do his group too.
Anyway, the Crime Syndicate was originally from Earth 3, which was wiped out in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Writer Mark Waid retconned the Syndicate as Qwardians (great bit of retcon) in JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY # 8, and I've always liked this evil Justice League...
Special thanks to MrMGL and LBMGMD for the inspiration.
