Danton Black

Danton Black was a research assistant who believed Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein stole his work on nuclear physics. Exposed to a catastrophic nuclear accident, he gained the ability to duplicate himself and became the villainous Multiplex, a recurring enemy of Firestorm.

Danton Black made his comics debut in the Bronze Age pages of Firestorm #2 (1978), conjured by the creative team of Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom — a villain introduced right at the ground floor of one of DC's most distinctive new heroes of the era. Over the decades he's turned up across Firestorm, The Fury of Firestorm, and even the storied Justice League of America, sharing panels with heavyweights like Green Lantern, The Flash, and Bruce Wayne. It's a testament to his staying power that a character born in the late Bronze Age is still appearing in catalog issues nearly half a century later — 47 years is a remarkable run for any comics figure. For fans tracing the full arc of Firestorm's history, Danton Black is one of those essential early pieces you simply have to know.