History is only made by the masses of the people (Part 26)...

Black Super Hero History Month

Tempest

DC Comics' Tempest first appeared in Showcase #94 in August 1977).  Joshua Clay was born in the slums of Brooklyn, joined a gang in his youth and ended up getting caught up in the justice system and given the choice of jail or the military.  He chose the army, was trained as a combat medic and sent to Vietnam.

At some horrific event there, he accidentally triggers his mutant superpowers and apparently kills a fellow serviceman.  Stress, fear and confusion cause him to go AWOL and fled, eventually returning to the US.  He spent the next ten years living as a fugitive.

The super heroine Celsius tracks him down and offers him membership in the second Doom Patrol.  He remains a member for a year before the team disbands.  Tempest them created a fictional identity of Jonathan Carmichael, MD, and easily passes the NY Medical board exam.  He starts a small but profitable practice.

After several years, Robotman contacts him and Tempest reluctantly returns to superheroics.  He only does it a short time, before retiring again, and becoming the then current Doom Patrol's team physician.    He is later killed by a temporary deranged former ally, in May 1992.

POLT