Blockbuster


 * This article is about the creature. For his namesake project, see Project Blockbuster.

Mark Desmond is the former head of Cadmus Labs' Washington, D.C. facility. He became the Blockbuster in the hope of saving his life's work.

Personality
Mark Desmond was a strict, stern man who used G-Gnomes to manipulate his staff and security officers while willingly conducting illegal genetic experiments in the underground Cadmus labs. He is manipulative and very impatient, yet also very protective of his labs and experiments. As Blockbuster he is a raging monster apparently incapable of human speech. Despite his new state he seems to be intelligent enough to stay in control and follow Icicle Sr.'s orders.

Physical appearance
Mark Desmond had long brown colored hair tied in the back in a pony tail. He wore a standard white lab coat, glasses and had slight wrinkles on his face and streaks of white in his hair, an indicator that he may be well into his forties. After consuming Project Blockbuster his appearance transformed into a large, grotesque, dark colored monster with a daunting demeanor.

Early life
Mark Desmond was an agent of the Light. He was appointed as head of Cadmus's genetic labs in Washington, D.C.. At the facility, he raised and conditioned a clone of Superman: Superboy. He also worked on Project Blockbuster.

2010
After a small fire broke out at the ground level of the Cadmus facility, three sidekicks breached security and freed his top secret Project Kr. Although Superboy turned on his liberators, Aqualad was able to communicate with him and get him to change sides just as Desmond was about to clone the three before killing them. After an extended chase through the Cadmus facility, Desmond was forced to use Project Blockbuster to restore order to Cadmus. His transformation into a hulking brute was painful, and it did not help him. He was defeated, and taken away by the Justice League.

Blockbuster was transferred to Belle Reve Penitentiary where he got work as a bodyguard for the prison Capo Icicle Sr.. He participated in a mass breakout attempt by smashing down walls that had been weakened by cold based villains. When the efforts had been halted by Icicle Jr. and Superboy, Mammoth and Blockbuster were frozen by the formers.

When the Light wanted to coerce Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis to join them, Blockbuster served as their muscle. He kept Superboy busy when it turned out the three teens were not willing to change sides, and the fight lasted until Aqualad used Apokoliptan weaponry to trap Blockbuster in quicksand.

2015
After being acquired by Kylstar as an asset, Blockbuster was stored in a crystalline prison cell with all captured heroes and villains.

After the captured heroes escaped, they contemplated liberating the villains, but decided not to and find their captor first.

Powers

 * Super strength: As Blockbuster, Desmond has enough power to take on the likes of Superboy and Aqualad at the same time and still come out on top.
 * Invulnerability

Abilities

 * High IQ: As lead scientist of the genetics lab Mark Desmond had an academic education.

Weaknesses

 * Electrocution

Equipment

 * Blockbuster formula: The blue serum that Desmond uses to transform himself into Blockbuster. It is unknown if the effects are reversible. The serum is stored in containment unit thirteen of the Blockbuster project.

Background in other media

 * There have been four version of Blockbuster in DC comics over the years: Mark Desmond (which the animated series version is loosely based on), Roland Desmond (Mark's younger brother, who would become a primary enemy of Impulse and later Nightwing), and two unnamed Blockbusters, one male and one female. Martian Manhunter also briefly impersonated Blockbuster during the "Salvation Run" arc.
 * Blockbuster's appearance in the Young Justice animated series is distinctly different from his comic appearance. In the comics he looked like a neanderthal-like man with bright colored clothing.
 * Young Justice is the third animated appearance of Blockbuster, who has appeared in Justice League Unlimited and Batman: Brave and the Bold. All used the Mark Desmond version; a scientist by that name also appeared in The Batman.