Deadman
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Real Identity: Boston Brand
Appearances (Movies): Justice League Dark
Appearances (Comics): Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay (Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, and Chapter Twelve)
Powers/Skills: Possession, Flight, Invisibility, and Intangibility
Voiced By: Nicholas Turturro
Boston Brand was a circus performer known for his death defying trapeze act but he was infamous for fooling around with married women and having a knack for irritating the wrong people. Eventually, karma caught up with Brand. During a packed weekend show, Brand was shoot by an unknown assailant in the middle of his act. Brand's spirit made a perfect landing but he looked down and saw his body down in the middle of the ring surrounded by his colleagues. Instead of moving on, Brand's spirit was called by the goddess Rama Kushna. She took pity on him and gave him the power to possess the living so he could bring his killer and others to justice. Jason Blood and Deadman often worked together and traded favors every now and then.
Jason Blood came to an arrangement with Deadman to act as a guide in the Granary Burial Grounds where he believed there would be a blacksmith with information about Vandal Savage's Amaurex Key. Blood simply left a note at a favorite bar of Deadman's. Deadman was more concerned with watching a game at the TD Garden. He eventually left before it finished, to his chagrin. He possessed Ms. Clay on the sly then disarmed Dr. Polaris, possessed by Gentleman Ghost, before he could fire a Nth Metal Jacket Bullet into Jason Blood. Deadman revealed himself then punched Polaris. Gentleman Ghost vacated his body but took another punch. Deadman admitted he was dying to knock his monocle off for awhile. Gentleman Ghost promised swift retribution for crossing a line the dead would not suffer. Deadman wasn't intimidated and told him to beat it. With Gentleman Ghost gone, so was his hold on the resident ghosts. Blood quickly informed him they were looking for one ghost. Harley Quinn found him descending back into his grave. Deadman reached down and pulled the blacksmith to the surface by his head. The smith told his story to them.
Deadman possessed Bane as the mission continued in Paris. Deadman considered it a vacation from his usual assignments from Rama Kushna. He didn't care much about how Bane felt about being possessed since he hurt Batman once. Deadman was excited for crepes. As the squad and Scandal Savage explored Vandal Savage's catacombs, a security system was tripped and undead warriors were animated. Deadman deduced Bane would be better suited for the fight and left his body to scout around for an exit. All he found were more zombies filling up the tunnels. Deadman flew to the surface and ended up possessing Deadshot. He realized Deadshot was about to shoot Waller in the head. He informed her he was going to lead the squad out another way. Waller told him to put Deadshot's gun away and she would handle him. Deadman found the squad and possessed Bane again, despite his protest. He tried in vain to warn them they were going the wrong way. They encountered an ancient aquatic creature Vandal Savage was appeasing with human sacrifices. It ate Chimera then went back to sleep. Deadshot took out the last of the zombies blocking the exit.
Savage pointed Waller to the Maurepas Swamp in Louisiana as the location of the key and its host. She led them to the host, Solomon Grundy. Deadman remarked that was wicked bad luck. To make matters worse, Gentleman Ghost warned Grundy of their intentions. Deadman realized they needed all hands on deck and left Bane's body to stop Gentleman Ghost from trying to possess anyone. He revealed he didn't dominate Bane's mind too much so he knew what was going on. Bane interjected and screamed he was no puppet for a circus man to use. Grundy punched him. Gentleman Ghost mocked their plan to shoot Grundy. Deadman told him to shut up and punched him, knocking his monocle off. He laughed at Dr. Polaris' attempt to kill Grundy by sending Waller's jet into him. Deadman punched him again and promised he could keep doing it for an eternity. After the key was removed by Dr. Polaris, the action created a tear between the physical world and the afterlife - creating a limbo. Everyone could see Deadman. Blood mused it was temporary. Deadman pointed out they could have used his help at any point just before. After Grundy and Gentleman Ghost faded away, Deadman could feel a pull and realized he was needed somewhere. He bid the squad goodbye then vanished.
About five years after Brand's death, Rama Kushna sensed a spike in homicides caused by Destiny's madness threatened to break down the walls between the planes of existence and even affect the afterlife. She tasked Deadman with gathering Constantine, Zatanna, and the Justice League to end this threat. Deadman went to Wayne Manor and wrote Constantine's name on the master bathroom's mirror then all over the master bedroom walls in red. Batman went to the Gotham Square Garden and approached Zatanna after the conclusion of her latest magic show. Deadman possessed Batman as he pressed her for any information on John Constantine's location. Deadman told Zatanna it was important for Batman and Constantine to talk and she should come, too. Zatanna recognized him and resigned herself to seeing Constantine again. Deadman couldn't control Batman's mind for any longer and was ejected. He called shotgun. During the drive, he complained the Batmobile's backseat was rather cramped. Zatanna referred to him by Boston. Batman recognized the name as the murdered circus performer.
Deadman was stoked and asked Zatanna to tell him he was a fan, too, but to be cool about it. Zatanna ignored his request. Deadman asked her to ask him if he caught any of his shows. She ignored him again. Deadman was deflated. Zatanna briefed Batman on what happened after his murder. Batman inquired why he felt the need to write on his walls like a child. Zatanna apologized on his behalf. They were soon attacked by a demonic tornado conjured by Destiny through Felix Faust but were able to take refuge in the House of Mystery. Deadman felt validated someone was trying to stop them. Constantine refused to play "telephone" for the two and incanted. Batman could now see and hear him. Deadman apologized about the Batmobile getting wrecked and made a joke about having insurance. Batman grunted. Deadman was taken with Orchid, the manifestation of the House, and was surprisingly at a loss for words. She observed he was a spirit whose existence was not its own, like herself. She took his hand. Constantine teased him. Deadman exclaimed it's been awhile.
Constantine agreed to look in on it alone. Deadman insisted they had to work as a team. Constantine pointed out the Justice League was useless against dark magic. Deadman countered that's why he was going to lead them. Constantine was sure even gods could be mistaken but asked Zatanna to help him. She agreed only if they did so as a group. Constantine recalled the situation was similar to the Sumatra incident. They argued until Batman broke it up. After procuring a Keshanti Key from Ritchie Simpson, they went to the Metropolis Health Center to sift through the memories of one of the infected. Deadman possessed a nurse and left to make sure no one else would bother them. He hung around the nurse's station until a Golem was summoned. He jumped behind the station, left the nurse, and followed after the Golem. He possessed a security guard then tackled the other out of the beast's way. He was soon stifled by the guard's bad health and jumped into the other guard then tried to open a series of locked doors.
Deadman couldn't open the last door and was forced to abandon the guard as the Golem smothered him. Batman tried to hold it off with exploding Batarangs. Deadman possessed an orderly then grabbed Steve and tried to run away. The Golem recovered, grabbed Steve, and locked itself away. Zatanna and Constantine left Steve's mind just in time and dissipated the Golem all over the room. Deadman couldn't resist and joked. Constantine wanted Simpson to identify a ring they found in Steve's memories but Shrouds returned for his soul. Deadman tried to fight them off in vain but Batman revived Simpson with a syringe to the chest. Simpson later identified the ring as Felix Faust's. Etrigan attacked first then Zatanna. Deadman possessed Faust then made him punch himself repeatedly. Faust was well prepared and pulled Deadman out then bound him with the construct of a boa constrictor. Zatanna lost control over the course of the battle but Constantine set her straight. They soon realized Faust was innocent and the real threat was Simpson.
They returned to the House of Mystery but were too late. Destiny revealed himself and materialized using Simpson's body. He flew through Washington D.C. and continued to draw more power from the citizens' torment. Deadman made a beeline for Destiny could couldn't get past his force shield. Destiny formed an arm construct and grabbed him then called him a fool for trying to defeat a god. Deadman retorted gods didn't need a force shield. Destiny threw him down to the streets and continued on. Deadman possessed the driver of a big rig truck and reunited with Constantine, Batman, and Jason Blood. They watched as Green Lantern, Etrigan, and Swamp Thing all failed to stop Destiny. Constantine got an idea and used himself as a Trojan Horse. He threw a fireball at Destiny's shield then started insulting him. Destiny fell for the act and pulled Constantine into the shield. Due to his experiences, Constantine was mentally strong enough to resist going mad and gave the signal. Deadman flew out of Constantine's body and possessed Destiny.
Destiny struggled and his force shield dissipated then landed on the street below. Deadman was ejected then Blood impaled Etrigan's sword through Destiny's back and dislodged the Dreamstone. Constantine incanted and turned the sword into flames then purged Destiny. They could only watch as Shroud's pulled Simpson's soul to Hell and as Blood passed on. A few days later, Blood was laid to rest near where his home village used to be. Constantine and Zatanna walked to the reformed House of Mystery to talk about an offer to join the Justice League. Deadman was about to fly away but Orchid opened the door for him. Deadman flew in and the House teleported away.