The Parasite

Raymond Maxwell Jensen was a greedy laborer who broke into restricted area of a research facility hoping to steal valuables, but was exposed to radioactive waste, transforming him into the Parasite — a being who drains the life energy and abilities of anyone he touches.

Few villains in DC's Silver Age rogues' gallery carry quite the same unsettling menace as The Parasite, who burst onto the scene in Action Comics #340 in 1966, brought to life by the talented Jim Mooney. A creature of the DC Universe's most dangerous corners, this character has haunted comics for an extraordinary six decades, crossing paths with the likes of Superman, Batman, The Flash, and Green Lantern — as elite a company as the DCU has to offer. Whether turning up in the pages of Action Comics or the sweeping retrospective of DC Universe: Legacies, The Parasite has proven a remarkably durable presence across the Silver Age and far beyond. For collectors who love a villain with genuine staying power and deep roots in DC history, this is one name absolutely worth knowing.