Chameleon Boy
	Name: Reep Daggle Home Planet: Durla Super-Power: Shape-changing Member Since: 2962

Origin | Super-Power | Personal Data | Membership Record

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"On the distant planet Durla, the dominant race evolved a remarkable means of survival. They developed the power to change themselves into any forms they desired.

"Although humanoid in general appearance, the Durlans have special characteristics of their own. Their skin is golden, their heads are bald, their ears are large and pointed, and they have antennae on their foreheads. These antennae are used to examine and analyze any object or person the Durlan encounters, in order that he or she may assume that shape if it becomes necessary. This analysis is done through invisible emanations from the antennae, which return as distinctive sound waves and are picked up by the Durlan's large ears.

"The Durlans seldom mingle with the humans of other planets, because ordinary people are often suspicious of these aliens with their shape-changing abilities. One boy, Reep Daggle, determined to enter human society on Earth and gain the respect of the men and women here, not only for himself, but for his whole race. Therefore, with his parents' permission, he came to this planet and applied for membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes. When asked what name he would use as a super-lawman, Reep was stumped; he had never thought of such a thing. But Colossal Boy, who was also applying for membership at that time, noted that Reep's disguise ability resembled that of an Earth lizard, the chameleon, which changes its color to blend in with various backgrounds. And so it was that Reep Daggle took the name of Chameleon Boy and was inducted into the Legion of Super-Heroes.

"His ability to assume instantly any shape has led to Chameleon Boy's being chosen as leader of the Legion's Espionage Squad. He has frequently spied upon criminals while disguised as a member of their gang - or even as a piece of furniture!"

- Adventure Comics No. 350 (Nov. 1966) "Meet the Legionnaires... The Origin of Chameleon Boy"

First Appearance: Action Comics No. 267 (written by Jerry Siegel, drawn by Jim Mooney)

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Like all Durlans, Chameleon Boy possesses the ability to physically transform his body's shape and structure to exactly mimic the form of any person, creature, or object he has encountered.

People he has mimicked: Clark Kent (Superboy No. 93), a honeymooning woman (Adventure Comics No. 303), Superboy (305, 372), a young Kryptonian (333), an Atlantean merman (333), a masked Starfinger (336), Invisible Kid (339), Nardo (344), Deputy Warden of the Metropolis jail (360), a mustached robot repair-man (360), Bouncing Boy (375/376), Janice Warren, an Octoid man from the planet Luvan (Action Comics No. 383/2), captain of a band of interstellar gunrunners, and the revolutionary Chavak (390/2, 391/2).

He can also combine specific characteristics from different people into one to take on a completely original identity, such as "Dane Roberts" (Action Comics No. 383/2) and Pozr-Du (392/2).

Plants and Animals he has disguised himself as: a tree (Action Comics No. 267), a drill beast (Adventure Comics No. 309), a Venusian sneep (330), a cyclopean creature (338), a small lian-tree (339), a traglor (344), a duck hawk (355), a winged octopus (355), a swan (355), a Toradian karkon (358), a sensor dog (358), a large bird of prey (375), a fly, a small white bird, a dragon, a "devil" (376), a Jovian helgramaxis (379), a four-winged flyer of Sirius-6 (Action Comics No. 383/2). He also once contemplated turning into a gnat (Adventure Comics No. 372).

Objects he has taken the appearance of: a rubbish can (Superman Annual No. 4), a scarecrow (Adventure Comics No. 338), a jack-o-lantern (338), Gorn - a chemoid (363), a small stone (364), a glass statue of Superboy (372), a heap of broken glass (372), and chained shackles (376).

He can limit his transformations to specific parts of his body. Twice, for instance, he changed his hand into a monstrous claw (347); he became a giant lens from his neck to his knees (349); he turned into a giant web-spinning spider from the neck down (350); he formed his arms into the blades of a giant fan and his legs and feet into a stand (362); he changed from the neck down into a brick wall (363); he turned into a sheet of waxed paper with his face on it (364); he changed his fists into two large hammer-like shapes (374); he made the upper part of his body into a large sunshade; and he became a tiny garter snake with his own head (Action Comics No. 383/2).

Even without the power of his disguise mimicry taken into account, he is naturally able to manipulate the size, length, and scale of his own body. In this way he has become a three-and-a-half foot version of himself (Adventure Comics No. 310), molded his hand into the shape of a key (321), become a "phantom" by keeping his molecules in constant motion (326), and adapted his body into a parachute like-shape (349, 359). By combining this natural ability with his power of mimicry, he has become: a distorted looking Clark Kent (Superboy No. 93), Jimmy Olsen with Elastic Lad's power to stretch (Jimmy Olsen No. 72), and an Earth boy with Elastic Lad's stretching power (Adventure Comics No. 372).

Chameleon Boy's reflexes are lightning quick and his shape-changes are near instantaneous. Once, he imitated Superboy, then changed into a Superboy made of glass, and then quickly switched into a heap of shattered glass, all in the blink of an eye (Adventure Comics No. 372).

Chameleon Boy's costume is actually formed from his own body and so he can transform it at will (Adventure Comics No. 349). If small parts of his clothing/body are lost, he will feel no pain associated with it, much as a person can clip their hair or fingernails with no ill effect (Superboy No. 93). With great difficulty, he can separate a small part of himself and disguise it as something else. It can only hold that shape for a short time but it can seem a larger piece of matter than it actually is due to his filling it, spongelike, with empty space (Adventure Comics No. 376, "The Legion Outpost" 375 and 380).

Limitations and Weaknesses: While Chameleon Boy can mimic the shape, texture, color, and structure of any creature or object, he cannot duplicate its substance, hardness, genetic traits, or powers (Adventure Comics No. 358, 379). He can look like a chain, but he's still "just plain Chameleon Boy" in substance (376). For instance, if he were to imitate Superboy he would not gain Kryptonian super-powers because he does not have a Kryptonian's cells, which evolved under a red sun environment (Superboy No. 93). Furthermore, while he might be able to make his body as transparent as glass he could not turn completely invisible (Adventure Comics No. 370 "The Legion Outpost"). He could visually emulate the powers of Stone Boy and Ferro Lad but he does not actually become as hard as stone or iron; nor can he split into two separate selves as Duo Damsel can (375 "The Legion Outpost").

Chameleon Boy does have ingenious ways of getting around these power-duplicating issues - after a fashion. Once, he transformed his body into a giant lens that concentrated the suns rays and vaporized a falling boulder, thus imitating the powers of Sun Boy (Adventure Comics No. 349). Of course, he couldn't possibly accomplish this feat and still maintain the form of Sun Boy. He can also copy some animal abilities as they relate to its structure: As a spider, he can spin a web because he can extend and detach a small part of himself with no ill effects (350), as a bird he can fly (356), etc. However, he does not have the ability to lay eggs if he were to turn into the form of a female bird (362 "The Legion Outpost"). Knowing his limitations, Chameleon Boy seems to employ his transformations into large and ferocious beasts for shock value only, to disorient his opponents and gain the time to make his next move.

He can't become small enough to ooze through walls that are made of super-sealed plastic (Adventure Comics No. 376).

Although it has been stated that Chameleon Boy can become an "immaterial phantom" (Adventure Comics No. 326; "The Legion Outpost" 370, 375, and 376) he can not move fourth-dimensionally as Phantom Girl does to seemingly "walk through" objects. What Chameleon Boy actually does is keep his body's molecules in a state of agitated motion the same way that a gas does. If he had been a true phantom, then Supergirl's cancelite spray could not have touched him. As a gas, though, he is still a tangible state of matter and so can be touched and affected by other substances (326). He cannot diffuse his molecules through objects that are charged with energy lest it break up his body's molecules (376).

This leads to another weakness: That a shape-changer can be frozen in an assumed form. Cancelite spray, invented by Supergirl, can freeze a shape-changer in any form they are in at the time, requiring an antidote spray to free them (Adventure Comics No. 326). The formula was later modified by Brainiac 5 into an inhibitor gas that restores the shape-changer to their true form first before freezing them in it. The effect of this particular spray is only temporary and does not require an antidote (334). The Time-Trapper invented a spray, blue in color, that can halt any transformation provided the target is fully covered in the substance; any unaffected area can still be morphed (321). Also, nuclear ray blasts (specifically Nardo's), can have the effect of freezing a shape-changer in an assumed form. It is interesting to note that a shape-changer who is frozen in another form can not be recognized by a fellow shape-changer as being such (344).

Unless frozen in a form, if a shape-changer dies or is knocked unconscious they will revert to their true form (Adventure Comics No. 339, 344, 358).

If Chameleon Boy is sloppy or incomplete in his transformations, his carelessness may leave out a crucial detail. Once, he evidentally neglected to duplicate Nardo's larynx precisely enough so that its sound-vibrations would activate the villain's android guards' obedience centers in order to control them (Adventure Comics No. 344).

Chameleon Boy cannot become invisible and "vanish" (Adventure Comics No. 370 "The Legion Outpost")

A shape-changer's guise can be "seen" through the sights of a sophisticated image-filtering device (Adventure Comics No. 358), which no doubt scans objects on a molecular level to determine Durlan or other shape-changing DNA. A shape-changer can also be detected by a dog's (or similar animal's) highly developed olfactory sense. Once, sensor dogs picked up on Chameleon Boy's distinctive scent, which is evident in all his forms, but he attempted to confuse them by staying down wind, taking the form of a sensor dog (complete with glowing antennae), and joining the pack himself (Adventure Comics No. 358).

Although it has been theorized that if Chameleon Boy remains in a shape without his antennae for several hours he will lose his power, it is only an unsubstantiated rumor with no evidence to support it (Adventure Comics No. 335 "The Legion Outpost"). More likely, since a Durlan needs their antennae to scan new structures, if Chameleon Boy is in the guise of someone or something without his antennae, he probably can't use them for this purpose until he returns (at least partially) to his true form.

Chameleon Boy cannot assume the exact form of someone or something he has never met in person. Once he immitated an aquatic Atlantean male to show the colonists of Vrunn the mermaid form they would need to adapt to. In this case, either Chameleon Boy had previously met a 30th century Atlantean on his journeys, as Ultra Boy once did (Adventure Comics No. 325), or he was simply being creative with his shape-changing abilities - taking on the appearance of a blond man and blending in some fish-like qualities.

Speculative Explanation of Power: Invisible emanations sent forth from Chameleon Boy's antennae examine and analyze the shape and structure of every unique creature and object that he encounters. The returning information is carried back to him as distinctive sound waves, which are then translated through his sensitive ears and stored in an area of his brain (Adventure Comics No. 350 "Meet the Legionnaires"). This process causes a "tingling" sensation in his antennae, something which always happens when he encounters someone or something unfamiliar. He automatically absorbs complete details of the subject's structure so he can duplicate it perfectly whenever he wishes. The process cannot happen twice with the same subject; his sensitive antennae will detect any subtle difference - pore patterns, for instance - which will alert him to the uniqueness of any person or object (363). In this way, one shape-changer is able to recognize another, whether Durlan or not, regardless of their form. The telltale tingle indicates to them that the object or person in front of them does not have the recorded signature they should have (340).

Chameleon Boy usually transforms into creatures and objects of the same approximate size as himself. However, when he does increase in size, he most likely spreads out his atoms to fill the larger volume of that shape, the result being that, while he may look like an immense beast, his original mass remains the same but with a lower density. The reverse is true for when he takes on the size of creatures or objects smaller than himself; the space between his atoms is compacted, and his mass is retained and concentrated. When turning into a small flying creature, he no doubt uses his anti-gravity flight-ring to lessen his load, since that physical ability relies on having a lower weight-to-wing area ratio (Adventure Comics No. 355/2).

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Physical Description: Reep is bald-headed, with golden-orange skin. He has elfin features - a small nose, prominent cheekbones, pointed ears, and slightly upswept eyebrows. Just above the brow ridge, centered over each eyebrow, are his antennae. Each is approximately six inches in length, tapering from a half-inch diameter at the base to a bulbous end.

Personality: Reep is a very sensual person, no doubt due to his antennae's power to "touch" everyone and everything around him. He enjoys close physical contact, especially hugging and kissing (Adventure Comics No. 326, 342). He is an emotionally expressive person, but this can lead to jealous or angry outbursts (364). While he enjoys lending his acting talents to local film crews, usually disguised as monsters that chase after beautiful women (338), he is not fond of social gatherings and parties (Action Comics No. 383/2).

Reep is a clever and quick-thinking person, capable of coming up with elaborate plans on short notice, as evidenced through his leadership of the Espionage Squad (Adventure Comics No. 360, Action Comics No. 390/2). However, Reep is a superstitious person and believes in the bad-luck powers of the Durlan "Jinx Stone", which is a 13-inch tall, egg-shaped crystal that reflects pink, yellow and green light (Adventure Comics No. 343).

Reep differs from most Durlans in that, even at a young age, he was determined to enter human society on Earth and mingle with non-shape-changers in order to gain their respect - not only for himself but for the benefit of his whole race. His noble mission to try to ease people's distrust of shape-changers has not been an easy one - when he first came to Earth he was teased for his different appearance (Adventure Comics No. 341 "The Legion Outpost"). It is because of this distrust people have of shape-changers, who could so easily infiltrate society and government, that must have led Reep to wisely choose not to use his power to disguise himself as a member of the United Planets Inner Council in order to catch Universo; instead he wore a plastic mask and the clothes of the Representative of Orax (349). At times, the actions of criminally-minded shape-changers threaten to undermine Reep's noble intentions. Durlans once posed as President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev (Action Comics No. 283), and Superman's girlfriends (Lois Lane No. 97). Other alien shape-changers plotted to replace the Legionnaires (Action Comics No. 287). Still, Reeps efforts do inspire other Durlans to become interstellar heroes (Adventure Comics No. 344).

Skills: Reep is mechanically adept at building radar-beacons to help with space-navigation (Adventure Comics No. 321); the fact that his antannae function on the same principle of wave-reflection most likely explains why he is so well-versed in this type of equipment.

Interests: Acting (Adventure Comics No. 338). His favorite meal is braised cambeef with Arcturian blue corn (Action Comics No. 383/2).

Nicknames: "Cham" (Adventure Comics No. 355), "C.B." (360, 363)

Relationships: Reep's closest Legion friends are Shrinking Violet (Adventure Comics No. 310, 347), perhaps because they can relate to each other's size-changes, and Superboy, whom Reep often visits in the past (305, Superboy No. 93). He is also comfortable around Colossal Boy (Adventure Comics No. 316, 350), who also alters his size, and their friendship goes back to when they were both applicants and Gim suggested he take the name Chameleon Boy (350 "Meet the Legionnaires"). He is intimately close to fellow shape-changer Proty II, who was the friend of Reep's original pet, Proty. The two evidentally bonded while overcoming their mutual loss (Jimmy Olsen No. 72).

When Reep first saw Princess Elwinda from the other-dimensional world of Nadir, he'd never seen a girl so breathtakingly beautiful. Although initially she was repulsed by his alien appearance, Reep won her over with his charm and the two quickly fell in love. He won her hand in marriage after defeating Kodar, the Black Vassal, but unfortunately, during the marriage ceremony, which resembled an execution, he was whisked back to Earth by his teammates, who thought they were saving his life, and the passage between the two worlds was sealed off with a force-field (Adventure Comics No. 376). After mooning over the princess, Reep met Janice Warren, daughter of a wealthy family, who was the "spitting image" of Elwinda. Between his attraction to her and his broken heart over Elwinda, Reep broke his own moral code against deceiving good people by pretending to be the perfect boyfriend for Janice. His deception made him feel uneasy and ashamed of being a "24-karat phony" but his honesty when it counted did win her respect (Action Comics No. 383/2).

Known Relatives: His parents are living on Durla (Adventure Comics No. 350 "Meet the Legionnaires").

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Application: Chameleon Boy applied in 2962 at the same time as Colossal Boy, who suggested the Durlan's name himself after the camouflaging Earth lizard. No doubt, Chameleon Boy expertly demonstrated his amazing power to disguise himself as anyone or anything.

Induction: Chameleon Boy was inducted into the Legion at the same time as Colossal Boy (Adventure Comics No. 350 "Meet the Legionnaires").

Positions Held: Permanent leader of the Legion Espionage Squad (Adventure Comics No. 329 "Know Your Legionnaires", 333, 359); staff reporter for the Legion Bulletin (Superboy No. 93)

Aliases Used: Dane Roberts (Action Comics No. 383/2), Pozr-Du (392/2). Besides being able to disguise himself as other known people - such as Superboy - Chameleon Boy has altered his appearance to take on entirely original identities - such as a blue-haired honeymooning woman (Adventure Comics No. 303) and a dark-haired "Elastic Lad" (372).

Career Highlights:

Superboy No. 93 (Dec. 1961) "Lana Lang's Superboy Identity Detection Kit"

Chameleon Boy journeyed back to the 1930s to write a first-hand account for the Legion Bulletin of Superboy's life in Smallville. Contacting the Boy of Steel, they arranged to meet for an interview in a cave where Superboy was conducting experiments. When Lana Lang arrived to ferret out Superboy's identity, Chameleon Boy disguised himself as Clark Kent and, through his shape-shifting talent, managed to preserve the hero's secret.

Adventure Comics No. 305 (Feb. 1963) "Clark Kent, He-Man"

Chameleon Boy had gone into the past on a mission and decided to visit Superboy on his way back to the future. He arrived just in time to act as Superboy's replacement, stopping a rampaging gorilla with a "super-punch" that was actually a gas pellet concealed in his hand that had knocked the animal out.

Adventure Comics No. 308 (May 1963) "The Return of Lightning Lad"

Chameleon Boy rescued a legendary Antarean protean beast from a stolen menagerie and adopted him as a pet, commenting "it's a greater disguise-artist than I am!" He named the telepathic protoplasmic blob "Proty".

Adventure Comics No. 312 (Sept. 1963) "The Super-Sacrifice of the Legionnaires"

Chameleon Boy was one of the six Legionnaires who gathered to risk their lives in order to revive the frozen Lightning Lad. His pet Proty substituted himself for Saturn Girl and, using a Duralim metal wand to attract the lightning, sacrificed his life-essence to restore Lightning Lad.

Adventure Comics No. 344 (May 1966) "The Super-Stalag of Space"

While in Nardo's stalag of space, Chameleon Boy loaned his flight-ring to a fellow Durlan hero who was frozen in the form of Superboy so that he could escape and free his pals. Sadly, the brave chameleon lad was killed by a force-ring.

Adventure Comics No. 346 (July 1966) "One of Us Is a Traitor"

Chameleon Boy led a team of Legionnaires to the Tierra Del Fuego electro-tower location as part of their preparations to defend Earth from the impending Khund invasion.

Adventure Comics No. 349 (Oct. 1966) "The Rogue Legionnaire"

Chameleon Boy was sent back through time using Rond Vidar's time-cube to 1300 Peru to pursue Universo. After transforming himself into a giant lens that concentrated the sun's rays to vaporize a falling boulder, he deliberately altering his attire so that the natives mistook him for their sun god, Inca, in order to be "taken to their leader".

Adventure Comics No. 359/360 (Aug./Sept. 1967) "The Outlawed Legionnaires" / "The Legion Chain-Gang"

When the Legionnaires were outlawed by the United Planets, Chameleon Boy was the first Legionnaire to break the law and use his super-power to save their lives to parachute down from R.J. Brande's home. While hiding in the sewers of Metropolis with his comrades, Chameleon Boy tripped and activated a hidden switch that opened a secret panel and led them to one of Lex Luthor's secret lairs that dated back to the 20th century. This discovery enabled them to use it as a base from which to launch their counterattack on the machinations of Universo.

As Leader of the Espionage Squad, Chameleon Boy disguised himself as the deputy warden at the metropolis jail in order to find out where the captured Legionnaires were being held. While there, he was able to retrieve the Legion's confiscated flight-rings. He also came up with the plan to have Duo Damsel and Shrinking Violet infiltrate the Presidential Palace and look for clues to explain how the minds of everyone on the planet were being controlled. He and Karate Kid, disguised as a robot repairmen, stood by to help them make their escape should they be discovered - which they were.

Adventure Comics No. 363 (Dec. 1967) "Black Day For the Legion"

Chameleon Boy detected that the "Mantis Morlo" the Legion was chasing was actually a chemoid double, thereby alerting the Legionnaires to the threat the real Morlo was posing for Earth.

Adventure Comics No. 372 (Sept. 1968) "School For Super-Villains"

Chameleon Boy disguised himself as a Legion Academy flunk-out with elastic powers as part of Brainiac 5's plan to infiltrate Tarik's school for super-villains.

While he and several of his comrades faced execution by the hand of Tarik the Mute, Chameleon Boy disguised himself as Superboy, dodged the rays of the glass-doom gun, transformed into a glass-like statue of Superboy, dodged the executioners hammer, and then switched to a heap of shattered glass - all in the wink of an eye! It was an incredible display of Durlan agility and easily the most amazing transformation sequence of his shape-changing career.

Adventure Comics No. 375/376 (Dec. 1968/Jan. 1969) "The King of the Legion" / "The Execution of Chameleon Boy"

When an extra-dimensional guantlet was cast down before the Legionnaires, challenging their mightiest member to combat, Chameleon Boy participated in the contest to determine who the champion would be, and succeeded in winning in the guise of Bouncing Boy. After being swept into the other-dimensional world of Nadir, his true form was revealed and met with horror, for King Atros did not want him to defeat his enemy and thus win the hand of his daughter, Princess Elwinda. Although he convinced Elwinda of his worth, the King locked him in a penthouse dungeon. After the castle was attacked by Kodar and his army, Chameleon Boy was free to act, and defeated Kodar with his own hammer. Atros yielded to the couple's desire to marry, but during the ceremony, which resembled an execution, Chameleon Boy was whisked away to his own dimension by the Legionnaires and sealed away from the girl of his dreams.

Action Comics No. 383 (Dec. 1969) "Chameleon Boy's Secret Identity"

When Chameleon Boy escorted Princess Projectra to a party at a friend's estate, only to discover that the friend, Janice Warren, looked exactly like Princess Elwinda, he tried to win her affection. After eavesdropping and discovering she didn't like his looks or the nature of his power, he transformed into "Dane Roberts," the exact image of her perfect man. His new form charmed Janice, but he felt ashamed for deceiving her. When her light-jewel went missing, Chameleon Boy used his powers to discover that the robot guard had a camera planted inside its head, meaning the robot repairman was a likely suspect. Janice insisited on going with "Dane" to check it out, but when the repairman threatened to kill Janice, Chameleon Boy shocked him by first turning into a double of Janice and then disarming him as an Octoid man. Since he had given away his secret identity to save her, Janice realized that he cared for her deeply and began to get over her prejudices against his Durlan nature.

For information concerning Chameleon Boy after 2969, click here.

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