I'm awake now. At last...awake for the first time in so long...It's everyone else who's gone to sleep...everyone else who's forgotten what it was...what it meant...poetry and songs...discussions about how to make a better world...quiet reflection...This isn't my time. Maybe it'll never be my time...and that's sad. It's just so sad that it's over It's over for me, but maybe it's not over for some of us. Have a nice day. 
- — Brother Power src
Brother Power, the Geek is a store mannequin who became animated when he was struck by a bolt of lightning. This also imbued him with superhuman abilities. He travels the world having psychedelic counter-culture misadventures.
History
In 1968, Brother Power came to life in a former tailoring shop (then a hippie haven) when a lightning struck on him. A rival gang, the Mongrels, invaded the haven and Power... used his power. After that, Brother Power was educated by his hippie friends. He learned chemistry and music. After other havoc done by the Mongrels, Power disappeared. His hippie friends found him as a freak at the Psychedelic Circus. Power was revived again when a short circuit spotlight recharged him. Power fled along with his friends and began a campaign to run for Congress. A police chase started when the circus owner complained to the police. Power managed to escape by jumping off the river bridge on a motorcycle[1].
After that, Brother Power and his hippie friends worked for Acme, a missile factory. After a missile exploded (sabotaged by Lord Sliderule), California Governor Ronald Reagan sent police officers to arrest Brother Power, who was held responsible for the event. Power hid in a rocket, and Lord Sliderule activated the commands to launch it into orbit.[2]
In 1989, Firestorm (as a fire elemental) was able to remove the rocket from orbit, and Power fell in Tampa, Florida, where he caused some havoc before be calmed by the hippie Chester Williams. [3] After that, we see the Geek enslaved in a freak circus by Dr. Abuse but he is able to flee.[4]
Brother Power's last known adventure transpired in 2009 when he appeared in Gotham City, delirious and confused by the current world. Brother Power slowly regained his senses and memories as he wandered through the streets until he ultimately 'sacrificed' himself by saving an infant from a burning building, lamenting that even though his time was over, other people could still make the world a better place.[5]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Human simulacra elemental: Not truly alive, but a unique form of pseudo-life, Brother Power is actually a cloth dummy, filled with rags and supported by an internal wire framework.
- Energy Absorption: If injured to the point of unconsciousness, Brother Power can revive by recharging himself with energy.[1]
- Electro-Blast: Brother Power can release some of his absorbed energy. That is enough to light a lamp.[1]
- Molecular Reconstruction: Brother Power can use inanimate matter to recreate his body.[3]
- Superhuman Strength: The electrical charge that animated him also granted him tremendous strength.[1]
- Superhuman Durability: He is extremely pliable and resistant to pain.
- Object Animation Brother Power can animate objects, including portraits and printed pictures of people.[4]
- Energy Absorption: If injured to the point of unconsciousness, Brother Power can revive by recharging himself with energy.[1]
Abilities
- Charisma[1]
- Music[1]
- Chemistry[1]
- Driving: Enough skill to make stunts with a motorcycle.[1]
- Political Science: Brother Power ran for office and got a sizable, if contained to a single area, amount of support.[1] It was later noted that he could've made a good president if he succeeded.[3]
Weaknesses
- Pacifism: Brother Power is by training and nature a pacifist and will go to extremes to avoid hand-to-hand combat.[6]
Notes
- Brother Power was intended by creator Joe Simon to act as a retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
- His final appearance in The Brave and the Bold (Volume 3) #29 appears to retcon his history. While in the original stories, Brother Power was separated from his friends on a high note, his appearance in The Brave and the Bold instead shows that he left his friends on a sour note as the once peaceful hippie community he was apart of turned violent and radical after the assassination of Bobby Kennedy.
Trivia
- The Legends event shows a film called Brother Power: The Geek: The Movie playing in New York City.[7]
Related
- 17 Appearances of Brother Power (New Earth)
- 4 Images featuring Brother Power (New Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Brother Power (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Brother Power (New Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Brother Power, the Geek #1
- ↑ Brother Power, the Geek #2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Swamp Thing Annual (Volume 2) #5
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Vertigo Visions: The Geek #1
- ↑ The Brave and the Bold (Volume 3) #29
- ↑ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe III
- ↑ Legends #2, see excerpt
This character exists under the Vertigo Imprint which is intended for Mature Readers.Their continuity takes place within the context of Vertigo titles although they may cross over into regular DC continuity.