Ultraa

Pre-Crisis Origin

Thousands of years ago, in another galaxy, a star went supernova; destroying all planets in its system. One of those planets was inhabited by a civilization that was advanced enough to save part of the population in a space-ark. Frozen in suspended animation and watched over only by robots, one third of the planets populace survived, while the ship’s master – a computer called Maxitron – sought a new world for them. In the system of Earth-Prime, the ship was damaged by a meteor swarm, altering its course towards the Sun. Maxitron had time to send only one infant to safety on Earth. Everyone else perished. Found and raised by Australian Aborigines, the child grew up to be Ultraa. Endowed with fantastic powers on Earth, Ultraa learned about the outside world through his super senses. He created a costume and used it to battle poachers he caught killing wildlife.

At this time a number of members of the JLA were mysteriously transported from Earth-One to Earth-Prime. They discovered they could not return home while Ultraa – Earth Prime’s first superhero was there. When a criminal found the remaining part of Maxitron, he used it to become that planet’s first super villain. Ultraa and the JLAers defeated the villain and Green Lantern wiped out all memory of superheroes and super villains from the minds of the people on Earth-Prime. Ultraa went with the other heroes to Earth-One, feeling that Earth-Prime should be spared further interaction with any future super beings. Soon, Ultraa decided to rid Earth-One of its super beings. With the science of his race implanted in his mind during infancy, he created a device to prevent the JLA from using their powers, but it had the opposite effect on villains, causing them to become more powerful. Only the heroes’ teamwork and determination enabled them to overcome the device and the super charged Injustice Gang.

Unable to trust Ultraa, the JLA imprisoned him in a stasis cube designed by Superman. He was eventually released by a lawyer who was, in fact, a group of aliens in disguise. The JLA was taken to court on a charge of unlawful imprisonment, while the aliens set about stealing the hydrogen from Earth’s water. Ultraa discovered the truth and aided the JLA in defeating the aliens. For a time, Ultraa worked as a busboy in Atlantic City as Jack Grey, until a criminal named Joseph Parry duped him into helping him in a robbery. When the JLA stopped this, they sent Ultraa to live among the Australian aborigines of Earth-One, where he was truly happy.

In the reformed DC Universe, Maxitron was unable to save any of its charges. The space ark was evaporated by the Sun, spelling an end to a once great civilisation.

Post-Crisis Origin

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the original Ultraa was retconned out of history, along with Earth-Prime. In Justice League Quarterly #13 (Winter 1993), Ultraa was reintroduced as a native of Almerac and the betrothed of Queen Maxima. Having been paired as infants to breed when they became of age, the Almeracian Warlord became furious when he learned that Maxima had traveled to Earth to mate with one called Superman. Once on the scene in midtown New York, Ultraa began causing general mayhem with the intention of flushing Superman out. Instead, Captain Atom, having just been propositioned by Maxima, intercepted Ultraa. With the Empress of Almerac watching, the two combatants fought. Ultraa appeared to come out on top at one point, and approached Maxima. Looking for her approval, he contrasted how she had spurned him once for being beaten in a tournament, with his newest exploits. In the end, despite the many slain demons, and the thousand worlds that the Almeracian Warlord had conquered in her name, Maxima rejected him.

in Justice League International #65 (Jun 1994), Ultraa is seen among the ranks of the League Busters, a United Nations sanctioned team whose sole purpose is to take down the Justice League International.