Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Director Ergon & Governor Kwim



Director Ergon was a scientist and strategist from the planet Sirkus. She employed a Travel-Beam consisting of ethereal energy that could draw a single being toward it at a speeds several multiples greater than light. When Sirkus found itself under siege by Despero, a Travel-Beam was sent to retrieve Superman. Since the Travel-Beam could only transport one being at a time, Ergon was unable to call the entire Justice League of America. Instead, she devised "The Scenario," in which she outfitted members of her single-gender race with gadgets and disguises to appear as though they were the JLA, complete with simulated powers. However, the plan failed, as "My women are actresses, not heroes. Most of them are confused-- playing the unfamiliar roles of men-- men with super-powers!"

Like Director Ergon, Governor Kwim operated out of the Mushroom City. Though possessed of official power over Ergon, Kwim was unaware of "The Scenario" until after it went into effect, and highly critical of it from that point onward. "Excuses! Don't you realize what will happen if Despero captures the Cosmic Cannon? He could use it to reduce our world to a cinder! I'm sorry, Ergon-- but since your plan failed, we must turn to mine! We must use the Cosmic Cannon-- and burn Despero out of the sky!" However, a blast intended for Despero's Super-Ship instead struck Superman, though the aggressor's craft was downed by an imitation Wonder Woman. Ultimately, Kwim came to the conclusion that the fault in "The Scenario" was not the "actress-heroes," whose courage overcame their lack of real powers, but in its misleading Superman...

"We created our substitute JLA because we feared Superman would be too upset about his missing friends to help us! But our impostors can't battle like the originals-- and so they're being smashed! --and it's thoroughly demoralizing the Man of Steel!" The Kryptonian was felled by Despero, who stated his intention to enslave Sirkus.

When last seen, a despondent Governor Kwim moaned, "We've failed... and now we're doomed!" Director Ergon was more hopeful. "Not yet, Governor! There's still a chance... a slim chance... if only we can reach the real Justice League...! Cormak help us-- to reach them-- in time!"

First and final appearance of both was in Justice League of America #133 (8/76.)

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