REAL NAME: Ned Douglas
ALIASES: Black; Earl of Douglas
ALIASES: Black; Earl of Douglas
AFFILIATIONS: Battle Squadron
RELATIVES: NA
MARITAL STATUS: Single
CLASS: Immortal human
LIVING STATUS: Alive (for sure!)
REALITY: Earth-164A
PLACE OF BIRTH: South Lanarkshire, Scotland
CAUSE OF DEATH: NA
ALIGNMENT: Good
IDENTITY: Secret
GENDER: Male
HISTORY
POWERS & WEAPONS
CITIZENSHIP: Naturalized citizen of USA
OCCUPATION: Ship captain, adventurer, pilot, government agent
EDUCATION: NA
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Harvey, Michigan
OCCUPATION: Ship captain, adventurer, pilot, government agent
EDUCATION: NA
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Harvey, Michigan
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
GENDER: Male
HEIGHT: 5' 11"
WEIGHT: 189 lbs
EYES: Blue
HAIR: Blond
WEIGHT: 189 lbs
EYES: Blue
HAIR: Blond
UNUSUAL FEATURES: NA
Ned "Black" Douglas captained a ship that was boarded by pirates during its voyage to the New World in the 18th century. Although he proved himself a great fighter, most of the crew was killed or captured. As the only survivor who refused to join the pirates, he was left to fend for himself on a boat. Nevertheless, he managed to reach a mysterious island. There, his thirst caused him to drink a peculiar-tasting water, before falling asleep due to the strange gases that flowed from the island's hot springs. The unusual properties of the gases not only put him to sleep, but kept his clothes and boat perfectly preserved. A terrible earthquake woke him up 200 years later, just in time to escape the island. He was rescued by none other than a U-boat on its way to Britain. After telling his story to the captain, Black Douglas was informed that he was in the 20th century. When they reached the Orkney Islands, the Captain also informed Douglas that his mission was to destroy the ships of the Royal Navy. Furious, Black Douglas attacked the Captain and the crew of the U-boat, discovering that he was able to exhale a gas similar to that of the mysterious island and use it as a weapon. Miraculously, he managed to beach the U-boat. On the surface, an air battle was taking place between the RAF and the Luftwaffe. Black Douglas escaped before it was bombed and went to the aid of a British pilot forced to make an emergency landing after being shot. Black pulled him out of the plane and managed to take off, flying it wildly against the Luftwaffe aircraft, managing to shoot down several enemies before running out of fuel. He managed to land, albeit in Nazi-controlled territory. While fighting off a group of Nazis trying to capture him, Black used a torch along with his gaseous breath to improvise a flamethrower, forcing the Nazis to flee. One of them exclaims "He spit fire!", giving Black his new nickname "The Spitfire." The Nazis send a new patrol (including two tanks) to capture him, but all their attempts fail. Spitfire rescues an RAF pilot named Dring from a prisoner of war camp. The duo manage to steal fuel and return to Douglas's plane after several adventures. Once in the air, the Messerschmitts try to give chase, but Dring's piloting skills allow him to evade their attacks and cause the Nazi planes to crash into each other. Free at last, the pair set out to cross the English Channel, with enough fuel to reach Britain.
Before being shipwrecked on the mysterious island, Black Douglas was said to be an excellent swordsman and fighter. He was armed with a Toledo sword and a flintlock pistol. After drinking the island's water, Black became (seemingly) immortal. Additionally, 200 years of breathing the island's mysterious fumes had mutated his lungs, making him able to exhale gas when necessary. He could apparently control the properties of the gas, as he could use it to render people unconscious, but also use it simply as a smokescreen. The gas was highly flammable, which Black was able to use to his advantage by turning his breath into a rudimentary flamethrower, hence his new nickname "Spitfire." Eventually, although he was unfamiliar with it, Black was able to pilot a plane (a Spitfire, ironically). With time and practice, Douglas became a truly competent aircraft pilot.