Buy me a coffeeChemo
Chemo is a DC Comics supervillain, and an enemy of the Metal Men. He first appeared in Showcase #39 (July-August 1962).
Fictional character biography
Chemo was originally a huge plastic vessel, twenty-five feet tall and roughly man-shaped, built by eccentric scientist Ramsey Norton to contain the chemical by-products from his failed experiments to better motivate him to eventual success. The scientist meets with failure after failure in his experiments, but presses forward, and Chemo becomes filled with greater and greater quantities of various chemicals.
After attempting to create a growth formula that will enlarge plants to help feed starving nations, the scientist again is unsuccessful and pours the remnants of his project into Chemo, finally filling the massive vessel.
These chemicals cause a massive reaction that results in Chemo coming to life and growing into a building-sized giant. Chemo proceeds to poison the scientist with a lethal dose of the growth-formula chemicals, and then goes on a rampage, only to be defeated by the robotic Metal Men.
Chemo proves to be an impressively resilient monster. It is apparently incapable of being killed. It returns time and time again, undergoing various resurrections and mutations, and has several more encounters with the Metal Men as well as squaring off against Superman more than once.
During the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Brainiac and Lex Luthor use Chemo as a living weapon stationed on Earth-4. Chemo proceeds to destroy much of that earth’s New York City and kills Aquagirl by spewing more than a dozen varieties of corrosive acids into the ocean. It is finally destroyed when Negative Woman uses her energy powers to shatter Chemo’s living plastic shell.
After the Crisis, Chemo is resurrected and fights against a variety of superheroes, including its old enemies the Metal Men, Superman, and Supergirl. It has also fought with Superman as part of the Suicide Squad formed by President Lex Luthor to break Doomsday out of his prison at the JLA Watchtower teleporters.
Infinite Crisis
The Society has the Brotherhood of Evil acquire Chemo and they used Chemo as a living chemical weapon by dropping him onto the city of Blüdhaven, killing hundreds of thousands of people. Dick Grayson (Nightwing) had agreed with Deathstroke for the 72 hours of ceasefire in Blüdhaven in exchange for staying away from Rose. However, Chemo is dropped before the 34th hour.
Chemo bathes the entire city in radiation and toxic waste. All able-bodied superheroes attempt to save the infected, but Chemo quickly reforms itself. Superman battles the monster with the plan that he would regenerate quicker as the battle ensued. While Chemo regenerates, he continues to suck the toxins and radiation out of the city, cleansing the city of the remaining radiation and waste. In the end, Superman lifts Chemo and throws him into outer space.
One Year Later
Later appearing in Outsiders – Five of a Kind: Nightwing/Captain Boomerang, Chemo is encountered in space by Nightwing and Owen Mercer on a mission from Batman.
On the cover of Justice League of America (vol. 2) #13, it shows Chemo as a member of the latest Injustice League.
Salvation Run
Chemo is seen being transported to the Prison Planet. Joker and Gorilla Grodd use Chemo to destroy a burrowing Kraken-like creature that attacks the villains.
Baby Chemos
In Superman #663, rogue New Gods acting as “superheroes” in Metropolis capture a trio of multicolored “baby Chemos”, miniature versions of the monster that Superman traces back to an abandoned LexCorp warehouse.
Lana Lang explains that the new Chemos were constructed from samples obtained from the ruins of Blüdhaven and assures Superman that they are merely one of many clandestine LexCorp projects that were hidden by Luthor from his successors. The Chemos are last seen in the custody of the young New Gods; their fate is unknown.
Powers and abilities
Chemo has superhuman strength, endurance and some resistance to physical and energy attacks. He can alter his height from 25′ to over 100′ and spew acid hundreds of feet at a target.
Originally Posted by Kain Darkwind of the Dicefreaks forums.
| Chemo | |
| Colossal construct | |
| Wounds | 2340 WP (45d10) |
| Initiative | -1 |
| Speed | 40 ft. |
| AC | 11 (-1 Dexterity, +10 natural, -8 size) touch 1, flat footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +33/+69 |
| Attack | Slam +49 melee (6d6 + 38 /17-20) |
| Full Attack | Slam +49 melee (6d6 + 38 /17-20) |
| Space/Reach | 40 ft. /40 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Breath weapon, disease, trample (6d10+30) |
| Special Qualities | Damage reduction 40/adamatine, immune to acid, resistance to energy (cold, electricity, fire, force) 40 |
| Saves | Fort +28, Ref +14, Will +15 |
| Abilities | Strength 50, Dexterity 8, Constitution -, Intelligence 6, Wisdom 11, Charisma 4 |
| Skills | Listen +24, Spot +24 |
| Feats | Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (slam), Greater Weapon Specialization (slam), Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam), Weapon Specialization (slam) |
| Epic Feats | Epic Fortitude, Epic Weapon Focus (slam), Epic Weapon Specialization (slam), Overwhelming Critical (slam) |
| Climate/Terrain | Any |
| Organization | Solitary (unique) |
| Challenge Rating | 35 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Neutral Evil |
Breath Weapon: As a standard action every minute, Chemo can project a 300 foot line of chemical waste. Unlike normal lines, this is 10 x 10 rather than 5 x 5. The chemical waste deals 40d6 radiation and acid damage (Reflex DC 32 half). In addition, anyone damaged by the waste must make a Fortitude save (DC 32) or be poisoned, suffering 2d10 Constitution initial and secondary damage.
Disease: Anyone damaged by Chemo’s natural attacks must make a Fortitude save (DC 32) or be infected with a random disease.