Occupation: Supervillain/Corpse
Marital status: Widower
Known relatives: Anton (son),
Vincent (son), Adriana (daughter)
Group Affiliation: The Masked Circle
Base of Operations: Hell (one would hope)
First Appearance: ARCHENEMIES #1
Height: -6'
Weight: 85 lbs. |
Hair: White
Eyes: Red |
History:
Vlad Darko is one of the most notorious supervillains in all of recorded history. His true origins remain unknown, but it is widely believed that he was born hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. Rumor has it that Vlad was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's DRACULA and for the Marlon Brando character in THE HEART OF DARKNESS. (And, indeed, for the entire B plot from WUTHERING HEIGHTS, though you didn't hear it from me.)
Over the years, Vlad has consorted with many of the world's most diabolical villains, including Hitler's Brainbot, Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, and the Klansminotaur. For the past several generations, he has been linked to the secretive Masked Circle organization.
As recently as the early 20th century, Vlad Darko was still a young, vital force of unrepentant evil, but by the mid-50s, his health had begun a rapid decline. In an effort to stave off the inevitable, Vlad began the slow, painful process of replacing most of his bodily organs with cybernetic and necro-golemic replacements.
By the early 70s, Vlad was more thing than man. (Get your mind out of the gutter.) Vlad decided it was time to start a family, while he still could.
He was a demanding, unforgiving patriarch, and he instilled in his children a deep and abiding contempt for truth and justice. And/or he psychologically traumatized them to the point that they cry every time a car backfires.
I can't remember which.
Vlad successfully sponsored his eldest son, Anton, for membership in the Circle. Later, he sponsored his younger son, Vincent. That went less well.
Soon after, Vlad died under "mysterious" circumstances. (For more details, read the frickin' comic.)
Powers:
1. Vlad Darko lived for a really, really long time. 2. Then he got old real quick. 3. Then he got a bunch of good gadgets built into his body, including a cold fusion power source. Technically all three of these events suggest a paranormal capability, but we admit that "Then he got old real quick." is a pretty crappy power.
Vlad Darko also possessed the intelligence of ten (relatively smart and also evil) men. He used this vast wealth of knowledge (along with an equally vast wealth of wealth) to build and acquire a deadly arsenal of magical and technological weapons that he used against the forces of goodness-ism.
Weaknesses:
Can apparently be stabbed to death.
