Manchester Black is a fictional character in American comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those featuring Superman. He was created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke in Action Comics #775 (March 2001). Introduced as an antihero, the character later becomes a supervillain. David Ajala portrays Manchester Black in Supergirl.

Fictional character biography

Manchester Black is the leader of a team of super-powered antiheroes called the Elite, who gain popularity for viciously killing their foes. Superman battles the Elite before killing their members and temporarily depowering Black by damaging his brain. Following this, Black's sister Vera assumes leadership of the Elite's remants. In Our Worlds at War, Black regains his powers and joins the Suicide Squad to recruit Doomsday and battle Imperiex. Later, Black battles Superman before realizing the error of his ways and committing suicide. Black is resurrected in The New 52 continuity reboot and depicted as a high-ranking S.T.A.R. Labs executive. He later works with Superman to save Earth from the Phantom Zone criminals and uses his powers to erase the public's knowledge of Superman's identity, killing him in the process.

Powers and abilities

Black is a powerful telekinetic and telepath. He can create detailed illusions on a vast scale, erase memories, and could telepathically control thousands of minds at the same time. While controlling Bizarro and Silver Banshee, he was able to temporarily grant them enough sanity to enable them to communicate and form plans.

In other media

Collected editions

Some of Black's appearances have been reprinted in trade paperbacks: