Marvel Database
Marvel Database

History

Doctor Spectrum was a construct created by the demon Mephisto[1] and programmed by the Power Elite in cooperation with a recently-revived Agent Coulson to be a member of the Squadron Supreme of America, a superhero team sponsored by the U.S. Government. But secretly to further Coulson and Mephisto's schemes.[2][3]

Col. Joseph Ledger's civilian life was as an ex-astronaut who discovered a Power Prism on a spacewalk, which granted him superhuman powers. This part of his history is yet unknown if it is true or part of his conditioning.[2]

Joseph Ledger (Mephisto's Simulacrum) (Earth-616) from Avengers Vol 8 18 003

Doctor Spectrum using his Power Prism.

Doctor Spectrum and his team were brought in to meet General Ross in order to be the U.S.'s response to the now-unaligned Avengers.[4] The Squadron Supreme was later put to the test against King Namor and his Defenders of the Deep, countering several attacks against Roxxon in American waters.[5][6]

After the death of General Ross,[7] Col. Ledger aka Doctor Spectrum was put in charge of the Squadron Supreme of America, and was shown the conditioning and manipulation Coulson and the Power Elite were putting his teammates through for the first time. Seeing what they were doing as torturing fellow citizens Ledger become angry and wanted it all shut down. But Coulson uttered a trigger phrase putting him under control, and revealing what Coulson was doing to the others he was already doing to Ledger.[2]

Col. Ledger was on his office when a group of Frost Giants from Jotunheim invaded Washington on behalf of Malekith the Accursed during his War of the Realms. As Doctor Spectrum, Ledger met up with the rest of the Squadron. They killed some of the Frost Giants and routed the remaining invaders to the Canadian frontier in Lake Erie. Coulson subsequently dispatched the team to Ohio.[2]

Coulson attempted to warp reality using the Pandemonium Cube provided by Mephisto,[3] creating Earth-21798, where the Avengers never existed and the Squadron Supreme were the world's premiere superhero team.[8] Reality was eventually restored by Blade the Vampire Hunter and his team of Avengers. So, Mephisto punished Coulson by trapping him in the Pandemonium Cube. Without Coulson, the Squadron Supreme fell apart, and Spectrum was taken into government custody. When reality returned to normal, Spectrum possessed his Earth-21798 counterpart's memories. Also like his Earth-21798 counterpart, his Power Prism was destroyed. This left Spectrum emotionally devastated and didn't seem to be cooperative when questioned by government officials.[3]

He later led the remnants of the Squadron Supreme of America to Russia hoping to arrest the Red Widow. However, he was killed by Power Princess, who took his Power Prism for herself. Power Princess and Blur then teamed up with the Red Widow, watching as she brainwashed Hyperion.[9]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Formerly the Power Prism

See Also

Links and References

References