I am Protex. We are the Hyperclan. We've come to save the world. 
- — Protex src
Protex was a White Martian and the leader of the alien super-team known as the Hyperclan.
History
Protex and his seven colleagues came to Earth several years ago, claiming to be the last survivors of a world that had been destroyed by geological upheaval and environmental irresponsibility. Vowing to never allow such catastrophe to even occur again, the Hyperclan allegedly journeyed through space for "a thousand gyres", seeking out planets in need of saving.
Protex exuded radiance and charisma that immediately endeared him to the people of Earth, but others, such as the members of the recently re-formed JLA were dubious of his supposed good intents.
To prove his word to the people of Earth, Protex led the Hyperclan on an ambitious plan to terra-form the barren Sahara Desert, transforming it into a vibrant, lush, paradise. Superman grew even more concerned over these supposed "miracle cures", citing that such a fast and dramatic change to the environment could have unpredictable, even disastrous implications in the future. His warnings went unheeded however, and the people of Earth denounced the Justice League in favor of Protex's team.
In short order, Protex insinuated his way into the public consciousness and even took dramatic steps towards improving American law enforcement. His Hyperclan began capturing and executing known criminals, ignoring standard practices such as due process. Even these seemingly controversial acts were met with great support.
Protex began erecting massive watchtower citadels all across the globe. One of the fortresses was actually an ancient Martian colony buried beneath the ice of Antarctica called Z'onn Z'orr.
At this point in time, nobody knew of the Hyperclan's Martian origins, not even the Justice League. It was generally accepted that the Martians were an extinct race and that the only known survivor of the red planet was the League's own Martian Manhunter.
This is what enabled Protex to orchestrate an alien invasion of the planet Earth. He had an armada of Martian warships tucked away in a hyperspace pocket called the Still Zone, ready to attack Earth at his order. A detachment of these Martians even made a proactive attempt to take out the previous incarnation of the Justice League, destroying their satellite headquarters and nearly killing Metamorpho.[1]
As tensions between the two teams heated up, it wasn't long before the Hyperclan and the Justice League came to blows. Protex approached the Martian Manhunter and tried to sway him into betraying the League and joining the Hyperclan. He had hoped to play on the Manhunter's feelings of isolation to win him over, but ultimately, the Manhunter stood by his teammates. The rest of the Hyperclan engaged the other League members, ultimately capturing Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman.[2]
Protex then fought against Superman outside of Z'onn Z'orr. He realized that he didn't need to maintain any pretenses about being a global savior to the Man of Steel and quickly felled him when he produced a chunk of Green Kryptonite. Protex brought the weakened Superman into the fortress and bound him to a chair, forcing him to watch as he tortured the other captured League members in a device called the Flower of Wrath.[3]
Superman eventually figured out that Protex was a Martian and that the Kryptonite he used to defeat him was really just a psychic projection that produced psychosomatic symptoms. Dispelling the illusion from his consciousness, Superman broke free of his restraints and fought Protex one on one. They exchanged blasts of heat vision vs. Martian vision, but when this proved ineffective, Protex shape-shifted into a cocoon and wrapped himself around Superman, hoping to smother him. Superman freed himself, and holding tight to Protex's body, drilled deeply into the Earth where he was able to overpower him.
The rest of the League freed themselves and defeated the remaining members of the Hyperclan. The Martian Manhunter gave Protex and the others a psychic lobotomy, erasing their memories and forcing them to assume mundane, humanoid forms. He then reprogrammed their brains with false memories and sent the Hyperclan members out into the world to join the human race.[4]
Some time later, Protex resurfaced (yet didn't retake his "Hyperclan" form) and kidnapped several people with latent telepathy to feed with their brain mass and so multiply his own powers. His white martian army captured the JLA and sent them to the Phantom Zone,[5] where Martian Manhunter could develop a plan to force Protex to surrender and send him to the Phantom Zone.[6]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Martian Physiology: The average Martian possesses the potential for the following power set:
- Shape-Shifting: Martians have psionic control of their physical for down to the molecular level. This allows them to a form of shape-shifting that allows them to mimic other forms, elongate aspects of their body, increase or decrease their physical size, and so on.
- Size Alteration: As an extension of their shape-shifting abilities, Martians can easily alter their size, shrinking or growing to gigantic size.[7]
- Invisibility: Martians can cause the biopolymers in their bodies to lose their ability to reflect light, making the Martians invisible to normal light and human sight.[8]
- Phasing: Martians can go through solid matter.
- Superhuman Strength:[8] Martians possess vast levels of superhuman strength and are among the few races that are able to match Kryptonians in terms of raw strength. Martians can easily shatter reinforced concrete and steel, lift and carry hundreds of tons with ease and deliver incredible damage with their blows.[9]
- Superhuman Stamina
- Superhuman Durability: Martians possess high levels of durability that make them nigh-invulnerable to all forms of damage. Martians can withstand high-caliber bullets, powerful energy blasts, and kinetic impacts without suffering damage.[10]
- Superhuman Speed: Martians can process thoughts, move, and react at incredible speed, being able to cover vast distances in little or no time, catch bullets in mid-flight, run on water and create afterimages as they run.[11]
- Regeneration: Martians have powerful regenerative powers that enable them to regenerate their entire body from a severed limb, they can further enhance their regenerative powers by drawing mass from nearby sources.[12]
- Flight[8]
- Extrasensory Input
- Longevity[12]
- Super Hearing[12]
- Heat Vision[13]
- Martian Vision: Martian visual acuity greatly exceed human norms and allows for a wider range of information to be observed. This includes the following:[8]
- Infrared Vision[citation needed]
- X-Ray Vision[14]
- Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision[citation needed]
- Telescopic Vision[15]
- Microscopic Vision[citation needed]
- Telepathy: Martians have the ability to read the minds of others and project their thoughts to varying degrees. They can also project their mental essences into a gestalt community known as the "Great Mind". Through this, the community can enhance the telepathic strength of other Martians. This power can also enable them to reverse the effects of amnesia or psychological brainwashing. [8]
- Illusions
- Possession
- Astral Projection
- Mind Control: As an extension of this, Martians can also use the ability to alter a psychological profile of a target, enabling them to manipulate, and in some cases, outright control that individual. This practice is greatly discouraged however, and only rarely used. [16]
- Telepathic Relay[16]
- Telepathic Assault
- Telekinesis:[17] Martians have mind-over-matter abilities and can lift and move objects with their minds. They can also employ their telekinesis in an offensive way by discharging telekinetic blasts capable of great concussive power.[18]
- Shape-Shifting: Martians have psionic control of their physical for down to the molecular level. This allows them to a form of shape-shifting that allows them to mimic other forms, elongate aspects of their body, increase or decrease their physical size, and so on.
Abilities
- Charisma: Protex was able to endear himself to the general public of Earth and turn the global consciousness against the JLA. However, most of this ability was due in large part to mental manipulation, enhanced through the use of hyper-space transmitters.
- Leadership: Protex is a master strategist and tactician.
Weaknesses
Notes
- At the conclusion of the Hyperclan's initial encounter against the Justice League, the Martian Manhunter used mind control to create new identities for each of them. One of the fabricated aliases was that of fire fighter Bob Grey. Though it is likely that this was Protex, it could have just as easily been any of the other seven members of the Hyperclan.[4]
Recommended Reading
Related
- 8 Appearances of Protex (New Earth)
- 4 Images featuring Protex (New Earth)
- 3 Quotations by or about Protex (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Protex (New Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ JLA #1
- ↑ JLA #2
- ↑ JLA #3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 JLA #4
- ↑ JLA #57
- ↑ JLA #58
- ↑ Martian Manhunter (Volume 4) #1
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Detective Comics #225
- ↑ Martian Manhunter (Volume 4) #2
- ↑ Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #3
- ↑ JLA #3
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Martian Manhunter (Volume 2) #8
- ↑ Martian Manhunter (Volume 2) #3
- ↑ DC Comics Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
- ↑ Who's Who: Update '88 #2
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Martian Manhunter #4
- ↑ Detective Comics #226
- ↑ Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #8
  This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains." |
 This character, team or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of Martian Manhunter. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Martian Manhunter Villains category." |