Project Cadmus, also known as The DNA Project, is a scientific research center located just outside of Metropolis, founded by the adult members of the original Newsboy Legion under the auspices of the United States Government.
History
It is primarily known for its achievements in genetic engineering and its human cloning capabilities. Its notable creations include the Golden Guardian (a clone of the original Guardian) and Dubbilex, a DNAlien telepath who resembled a tall grey alien with horns.[1]
Dabney Donovan was a "mad scientist" who was ultimately fired from the Project because he felt there should never be limits in understanding the potential of the genetic code. Donovan had largely been credited with the non-human creations of the Project, commonly referred to as DNAliens (human beings cloned then genetically altered to discover superhuman potential while also giving them a more "alien" appearance). Such experiments resulted in the creation of monsters based on Donovan's favorite horror films (who lived on a small artificial planet on Earth called Transilvane), and step-ups who called themselves "the Hairies," super hippies who had developed an evolved knowledge, and developed transport and defense technology beyond the understanding of modern day humans. The Hairies lived outside the direct control of Cadmus, in a forest of living tree-houses called the Habitat. An offshoot of the Hairies was later introduced as a biker gang called the Outsiders (not to be confused with the super-hero team, the Outsiders).
The Project had an "opposite number" in the form of the Evil Factory, a monster-creating project set up by Darkseid as part of Intergang and run by two of his servants called Simyan and Mokkari. They were originally created at Project Cadmus, but due to the cruelty of the experimentation they experienced at the hands of Dr. Dabney Donovan, they developed a great hatred towards all humanity. They formed a scientific enclave called "Brigadoom" as a means of pleasing Darkseid by creating an army of monstrous genetic constructs. They are constantly creating to assist Darkseid in his quest of causing terror and destruction to the people of earth until Darkseid masters the anti-life equation, which would allow Darkseid and his cohorts like Simyan and Mokkari rule over their surroundings as opposed to humanity ruling over them and looking down on them as their creator once had.
Superboy viewing the project's failed prior attempts to clone a Kryptonian hybrid in a Cadmus laboratory.
In recent years, Project Cadmus gained notoriety for developing a clone human/Kryptonian hybrid. By mixing genetic samples gained by billionaire Lex Luthor, along with those of the Man of Steel Superman, the scientists at Cadmus were able to create their own "Super Boy".[2] Initially, Superboy despised the youthful nickname attributed to him, preferring instead to be called "Superman". He escaped from the Cadmus labs along with a group of cloned children, which represented the second generation of the Newsboy Legion. The scientists responsible for creating the cloned Legion were actually the living members of the original Newsboy Legion who were active in the mid 1940s.
When Lex Luthor's human body was destroyed following a near-fatal plane crash, Cadmus technology assisted in the creation of a clone duplicate for him. With Luthor's brain inhabiting a younger, stronger body, he passed himself off as his own son, and took control of his "father's" operations at Lexcorp. Initially, this new Luthor seemed to work towards the benefit of mankind, but before long he began to suffer from a debilitating degeneration process that was killing off all of the Cadmus Clones. In true Luthor fashion, he decided that if he were truly to die, then he would take Metropolis with him. In an event known as the Fall of Metropolis, Luthor's goal was nearly realized as he attempted to destroy the city with a barrage of missiles.[3] Project Cadmus was believed to have been destroyed following the after-effects of the "Clone Plague", but in truth, they merely relocated their facilities further underground.
Some time later, the Newsboy Legion members retired, and Project Cadmus was placed under new management.[4] The new project head was Mickey "the Mechanic" Cannon, a former Suicide Slum resident with a reputation for being able to "fix" anything, a car or a country. The new head of genetics was Dr Serling Roquette, a teenage genius with a crush on the Guardian and Superboy. Dabney Donovan was also brought back, under armed guard. Cannon made Cadmus more open to the public.
Shortly after this the Project temporarily came under the control of the Evil Factory, now revealed to be part of an organization called The Agenda, run by Lex Luthor's ex-wife, Contessa Erica Alexandra del Portenza.
When Luthor became President of the United States, Cannon and the Guardian became uncomfortable with the amount of government pressure on the Project. Following Our Worlds at War, the entire project disappeared.
Its replacement was the OMAC Project, part of the spy group called Checkmate. This project used nanotech to convert otherwise ordinary (and unknowing) individuals into superhumans called OMACs, controlled by a satellite called Brother Eye. The role to of the OMACs was to control and conquer anyone on Earth Checkmate considered a threat.
Bruce Wayne had helped found this Project, but realized just how out of control the Project had become after he discovered heroes like Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) had been killed by OMACs. Wayne as Batman eventually stopped the Project.
Free of OMAC control, the project has once again become known as Project Cadmus.
Paraphernalia
Transportation: Whiz Wagon
Notes
- Project Cadmus' name come from the Greek-Roman mythological character Cadmos (sometimes written Kadmos); Cadmus is his Roman name. This name is probably linked to Cadmus' final fate of being transformed into a snake and reigning on Illyria, something that, if reproduced by Project Cadmus, would be a sign of success for the Project.
See Also
- 145 Appearances of Project Cadmus (New Earth)
- 6 Images that include Project Cadmus (New Earth)
- Organization Gallery: Project Cadmus (New Earth)