Hasbro’s Marvel Legends series is adding two new members to its collection with Hyperion and Doctor Spectrum from the Squadron Supreme. Both characters, created as Marvel’s version of DC’s Superman and Green Lantern, will make their debut in 6-inch scale figures later this year. Fans can pre-order the figures, which come with 7 accessories, for £49.99 starting in Spring 2023.
Hyperion
Hyperion, created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema, first appeared in The Avengers #69 in 1969. He has similar powers and backstory to Superman and has played both friend and foe to the Avengers. There have been rumours that Hyperion will appear in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ series Loki, but actor Henry Cavill, who has been linked to the role, has denied these claims.
Zhib-Ran was the elected leader of the Microverse world of Yttrium. Unfortunately, his world was destroyed due to the incursions of Genis-Vell and Sentry, which unleashed powerful energies that disrupted Yttrium’s axis and caused its destruction. Zhib-Ran was the only survivor and was eventually rescued by Grandmaster and brought to Earth. As a result of the incident, he acquired radiation-based superpowers. After learning about the cause of his world’s destruction from Grandmaster, Zhib-Ran joined the reassembled Squadron Sinister and engaged in battles against the Thunderbolts.
Hyperion had a goal to protect Earth by any means necessary. However, he was manipulated by the Grandmaster, a powerful being who sought to control the Wellspring of Power. Hyperion served as Grandmaster’s pawn in his battle against Baron Zemo for control of the Wellspring. During the Squadron’s final battle against the Thunderbolts, Hyperion was defeated by Radioactive Man, who was able to suppress his radiation-based powers. In the end, Hyperion and the rest of the Squadron disappeared among the unleashed energies of the Wellspring of Power during the final battle between Zemo and Grandmaster.
Doctor Spectrum
Dr. Kinji Obatu was a finance minister from Uganda, but his life took a drastic turn when he was recruited by the Grandmaster to become a member of the Squadron Sinister. The Grandmaster gave Obatu a Power Prism, which was actually a Skrull named Krimonn, to transform him into the counterpart of the Squadron Supreme’s Dr. Spectrum. Obatu became a member of the first Squadron Sinister team that was sent to battle the Avengers in a competition orchestrated by the Grandmaster and Kang the Conqueror.
Dr. Spectrum, a superhero with the ability to manipulate energy using the Power Prism. He reemerged and attacked a Stark construction site in Detroit while Tony Stark was present. Iron Man fought him, but the battle ended inconclusively and Spectrum escaped. Spectrum then attacked Iron Man again while he was being congratulated by the mayor of Detroit, but Iron Man’s ultraviolet light proved superior and Spectrum fled once more.
Obatu then approached Stark in his civilian identity and asked him to be his bodyguard when the entity Rokk appeared, threatening Obatu’s life. Rokk kidnapped Obatu and went after Roxanne Gilbert, having telepathically sensed a connection between her and Stark. Tony (as Iron Man) pursued Rokk to Roxanne’s organic food store. Just as Rokk was nearing defeat, he vanished, and Dr. Spectrum appeared and revealed that he created Rokk with the Power Prism to wear him down.
Iron Man was able to escape but Spectrum found him near Roxanne and attacked. Iron Man was swiftly beaten and the Power Prism decided to make Iron Man the new host for its power. Thor battled the possessed Iron Man and summoned a rainstorm that shorted out exposed parts of his armor, defeating him. With the power gone from Iron Man, Dr. Spectrum reclaimed the Power Prism and battled Thor, but another Iron Man arrived on the scene to aid his fellow Avenger. The new Iron Man beat Dr. Spectrum, smashed the Power Prism and unmasked him as Dr. Obatu.
Obatu was deported back to Uganda where he stood trial for crimes he had committed. Sentenced to death
