Pandemix in the Hall of Doom.
Pandemix on the rooftops of Metropolis.
"Villainy is infectious." - Pandemix
Basic Information[]
Name: Benjamin (Ben) Kane
Alias: Pandemix
Alignment: Neutral (pursues own gains, trends Evil)
Mentor: Lex Luthor (formerly)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Operates in: Gotham City, Metropolis
Biography[]
DC Universe Online[]
Benjamin Kane was a scientist working for LexCorp in Metropolis prior to the release of Brainiac's exobytes by his employer, Lex Luthor. Benjamin was working late one night on a new pathogen as part of the secretive LexCorp biological warfare division. Car crashes, explosions, and nearby collapsing buildings caused by the chaos from the release of the exobytes shook Kane's workstation, causing Benjamin to spill the infectious agent he had been working on. Under normal circumstances, this agent would have torn through Benjamin's body in minutes, but at the precise moment the pathogen took hold, an exobyte joined with Benjamin and integrated the virus into his DNA, rendering Benjamin unconscious to protect his body from the shock.
Benjamin woke up hours later on the rooftops of Metropolis, naked and disoriented. Unbeknownst to Benjamin, when the virus fused with his DNA, the pathogen had managed to infect the moral center of his brain, causing him to want to give into his base instincts. After managing to get down to street level he was approached by a henchman of Lex. The henchman explained what was going on, and said he had seen Benjamin flying awkwardly above Metropolis before falling to the rooftop he had just come from. Benjamin was startled by the news, but he didn't have time to fully register everything as the conversation was cut short when a Brainiac sub-avatar touched down next to them. As the henchman fled, the sub-avatar captured Benjamin, rendering him unconscious for the second time that night.
He awoke later on a Brainiac ship and was soon contacted by Calculator. Fighting his way through the ship, he was eventually joined by Lex, and the two fought off the waves of Brainiac forces aboard the ship, which allowed Luthor to return Benjamin to Metropolis. Once returned, he was contacted by Lex and invited to the Hall of Doom. Without a moral compass, Benjamin was enticed by the promise of riches and power, and rose quickly through the ranks of villains, all the while discovering his virus-related capabilities. After rescuing his mentor, Lex, Benjamin decided enough was enough, extorting money from Lex and striking out on his own under the name Pandemix. Pandemix now has a base of operations in Gotham, but operates in Metropolis as well, simultaneously pursuing his own ventures and fighting the forces of Brainiac.
Abilities, Weapons & Gear[]
- Flight - A by-product of the virus, as some pathogens are spread through airborne transmission.
- Aquatic Respiration - Pathogens can also be spread through water, so Pandemix has the ability to breathe underwater.
- Super Strength - Many viruses have tough shells that protect them against antibodies, and the strength of this shell has transferred to Pandemix.
- Virus Cultivation - Pandemix is able to create pathogens at will, containing them within him until he wishes to release them.
- Advanced Stealth Detection - Because his primary power involves infecting targets with diseases, Pandemix is able to "feel" a target's physical form without actually seeing it.
- Temperature Gloves - While Pandemix is able to host various diseases within him, not all pathogens thrive in the same environment. To counter this, Pandemix's gloves can be set to either heat or cool a target, thus leaving the target more susceptible to a particular disease. They also serve as effective weapons in combat.
- All-Weather Combat Suit - Just as certain pathogens are stronger or weaker under certain conditions, so is Pandemix. His suit not only serves to repel small arms fire and blades, but also to keep Pandemix at the right temperature, and thus most effective, during combat situations. The suit is not needed for everyday survivability.
Weaknesses[]
- Pandemix can have some difficulty interacting with non-human physiologies (Gorilla Grodd, Superman, Brainiac). However, after extensive research and "testing," Pandemix can gain the ability to host and control an alien virus.
- Pandemix can not interact with an organism if they are wearing a full and non-degraded personal protection suit. These are typically worn when dealing with hazardous materials or diseases.
- Extreme heat will vastly weaken Pandemix as this is often how scientists destroy diseases in case of emergencies. Extreme cold will slow him down as well, but not to the extent of high temperatures.
Trivia[]
- Pandemix's colors are yellow and green, and his suit has only gone through one major change since inception (although he may have a new suit design soon).
- At times, Pandemix has joined with fellow villain Fairenheit, a young man who had been a clown in a traveling fair prior to the release of the exobytes. After acquiring the ability to control and create fire, Fairenheit joined the world of villainy to live a more lucrative life.
- Pandemix's base of operations, located in Gotham City, is named Incubation.
- In DCUO, Pandemix is a nature DPS. During character creation, nature seemed to be the power that most closely resembled the control of pathogens.
- Pandemix's creator, AfterburnerX, thought Pandemix's powers were unique in the world of comics. On 2/19/2014, AfterburnerX became aware of Infectious Lass, and is now extremely irritated.