Plasmus Explained

Plasmus (Otto Von Furth) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is depicted as an enemy of the Teen Titans.^[1]

Publication history

Plasmus first appeared in The New Teen Titans #14 and was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Otto Von Furth is a miner in East Berlin, Germany until he and several other miners are trapped in a cave-in while mining radium. He is later rescued by General Zahl, who transforms him into a metahuman with plasma-based abilities. Subsequently, he joins the Brotherhood of Evil as Plasmus.^[3] He and the Brotherhood of Evil fight the Teen Titans on different occasions. He enjoys these fights, but regrets not being able to kill Zahl. Later, Plasmus is one of several metahumans who are corrupted and brainwashed by a cult-leader.^[4] The rest of the Brotherhood of Evil reform into the Society of Sin. He is later recruited into Lex Luthor's Suicide Squad before being killed in battle with Imperiex.

Plasmus accepts an invitation to join the Secret Society of Super Villains in the Countdown to Infinite Crisis series Villains United.

Plasmus appears in Infinite Crisis as one of several villains who attack Blüdhaven.

In One Year Later, Plasmus rejoins the Brotherhood of Evil. In Salvation Run, Lex Luthor uses Plasmus as a power source for a teleportation device, which self-destructs and kills him.^[5]

In The New 52, Plasmus appears as one of several villains who seek to take Blue Beetle's scarab for the Brotherhood of Evil.^[6]

Powers and abilities

Plasmus' protoplasmic body gives him superhuman physical abilities as well as a healing factor. His touch can melt others, reducing them to protoplasm.^[7]

In other media

Television

• Plasmus appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.^[8] This version uncontrollably transforms into a large, magenta sludge monster while awake, only reverting to human form while asleep or unconscious. Additionally, he can detach varying quantities of himself which can act independently and often take on insectoid forms. Later in the series, Plasmus mutates further, gains the ability to generate acid, and joins the Brotherhood of Evil.
• Plasmus, based on the Teen Titans (2003) incarnation, appears in Teen Titans Go!.
• Plasmus appears in Young Justice, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal. This version is a Markovian child who was mutated by Dr. Simon Ecks and fell under Count Vertigo's control. Additionally, he has a sister named Ana (voiced by Grey Griffin),^[9] who was similarly mutated into a lava-like monster called Plasma and controlled by the Light. Both are later killed in battle with the Justice League.^[10]

Video games

• Plasmus appears in Teen Titans (2005), voiced again by Dee Bradley Baker.
• Plasmus appears as a character summon in .^[11]

Miscellaneous

Plasmus appears in Justice League Unlimited #31.

Notes and References

1. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Manning . Matthew K. . McAvennie . Michael . Wallace . Daniel . DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle . 2019 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-8578-6 . 195.
2. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 232.
3. Book: Rovin, Jeff . The Encyclopedia of Supervillains . Facts on File . 1987 . New York . 0-8160-1356-X . 268.
4. Birds of Prey #69-72 (September–October 2004). DC Comics.
5. Salvation Run #7. DC Comics.
6. Blue Beetle (vol. 8) #1 (September 2011). DC Comics.
7. Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #18 (August 1986)
8. Web site: Plasmus Voices (Teen Titans) . April 6, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
9. Web site: Ana Von Furth / Plasma Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) . April 6, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
10. Web site: Dandeneau . Jim . January 6, 2019 . Young Justice Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Eminent Threat . October 12, 2024 . . en-US.
11. Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 4, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . April 6, 2024 . IGN.