Libertine

Origin

Libertine was an inhabitant of Bludhaven when the Secret Society of Super-Villains dropped Chemo on the city, nearly destroying it. The resulting nuclear fallout triggered the meta-gene in many of its surviving inhabitants. Most of these inhabitants were taken by a branch of the U.S. Government named S.H.A.D.E., and further experimented upon. S.H.A.D.E. developed their abilities, while layering in mind control to keep them loyal to S.H.A.D.E. These super-powered individuals would become S.H.A.D.E. operatives, assigned with keeping America safe, no matter the cost. Libertine was one of these agents, assigned to a team known as the Crusaders, which eventually reported to S.H.A.D.E. Director Robbins.
 

Creation

Libertine was created for the second Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters maxi-series by writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and by artist Renato Arlem. Libertine was designed as a one-plot hero.
 

Key Story Arcs

With the Freedom Fighters

Libertine and his Crusader teammates, at the order of Director Robbins, began a smear campaign against the Freedom Fighters and other super-heroes, like Superman, the Amazons, and the Green Lanterns. Libertine and the Crusaders protected civilians, while Captain Triumph appeared on talk shows berating the other heroes for getting too caught up in fighting villains instead of making live better.
 

When Freedom Fighter member Red Bee escaped Robbins’ captivity and came hunting for him, Robbins called in the Crusaders. Unfortunately, Robbins did not know that the Red bee had been infested by an alien bee hive. The Freedom Fighters came to help rescue the Red Bee, but she turned on both the Freedom Fighters and the Crusaders. She killed Director Robbins, and used her new pheromone abilities to take both teams as her slaves.
 
Eventually, though, the heroes broke free of the Red Bee’s mind control. The two teams fought the Red Bee, with Libertine’s teammate Citizen X dying in the fight. With the appearance of the original Ray, the heroes were able to purge the infestation from the Red Bee’s mind. Then, the Crusaders and the Freedom Fighters traveled to the alien hive, where they wiped out the queen and stopped her invasion of Earth, but not before Libertine was ripped to pieces by the alien insects.