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Blackrock
Personal Info:
Real Name: Peter Silverstone
Also Known As: No known Alias
Place Of Birth: Unknown
First Appearance: Action Comics Vol.1 #458 (1976) Bronze Age Villain
Known Associates: No known Associates
Group Affiliation: United Broadcasting Company
Base Of Operations: Metropolis
Grudges: Superman and Supergirl
Creators: Elliot S. Maggin and Curt Swan
Gallery:

Powers:

Genius-level Intellect: Dr. Peter Silverstone is a scientific genius.

Powerstone: A baseball sized rock strapped to the palm of his right hand, the powerstone serves as a receiver for radio- and TV-waves, converting them into energy which can be used to cast illusions, short out communication devices, transform Blackrock into ionic particles he can transmit around the world at the speed of light. Blackrock can also focus these charged particles into an impenetrable force-field or a light beam of sheer destructive power. Only in areas where broadcast signals cannot reach, such as a lead-lined room or a tunnel under a river, is Blackrock vulnerable.

Origins:

Dr. Peter Silverstone was the chief research scientist of United Broadcasting Company. He was responsible for having helped invent color television, the long-playing record, and America's first communications satellite. He was ordered by UBC President Samuel Tanner to create a new super-hero for UBC to exploit in order to boost his network's ratings against Galaxy Broadcasting, which had so many exclusive stories concerning with Superman. Intrigued by the challenge, Silverstone designed a costume that would give its wearer a wide array of super-powers. He called this superhero Blackrock, after the popular nickname of the UBC Building itself.

Looking for someone to fill the supersuit, Silverstone chose Samuel Tanner himself, hypnotizing the UBC President without his knowledge into becoming his own superhero. Blackrock began to fiercely compete against Superman while remaining ignorant that his "heroic" acts only put people in danger. Eventually, Superman learned of Tanner's identity and defeated him. Tanner resumed his normal life with no memory of what he had done.

Months later, when UBC's ratings slipped once more, Silverstone revived Blackrock, hypnotizing Tanner's nephew, comedian Lester Vegas, into filling the role. Again, Superman defeated Blackrock, and Vegas returned to normal and unaware of his Blackrock stint. Eventually, Silverstone himself donned the Blackrock costume in an attempt at industrial espionage when his own ideas had run dry.

Notes:

Blackrock at DC Database

Blackrock at Comic Vine

Blackrock at WriteUp's.Org