Oberon | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Mister Miracle vol. 1 #1 (March 1971) |
Created by | Jack Kirby |
In-story information | |
Team affiliations |
Justice League New Gods |
Supporting character of | Mister Miracle |
Oberon is the diminutive manager of Mister Miracle, the world's greatest escape artist. He is named after the legendary king of the faeries (see below). Oberon was created by Jack Kirby.
According to Secret Origins #33, the dwarf Oberon is orphaned at a young age in a fire. He seeks work with a traveling circus and is made to perform menial labor under a verbally and physically abusive ringmaster. Oberon is eventually rescued by escape artist, Thaddeus Brown, the original Mister Miracle. He becomes Brown's assistant and protégé, helping him plan his elaborate escapes.
Oberon later accompanies Brown to Vietnam to seek Brown's missing son. There, they become embroiled in the schemes of a criminal called Steel Hand. As a result, upon their return to America, Brown is killed and his mysterious friend Scott Free (a member of the New Gods) becomes the new Mister Miracle, finally rescuing Brown's son and bringing the killer to justice. As he had with Brown, Oberon agrees to become Scott's partner and manager and plans his escape artistry performances.
Oberon shares a somewhat antagonistic relationship with Scott's wife, Big Barda. The two frequently tease and insult each other — Oberon declaring that Barda is all legs and no brain, Barda mocking Oberon's diminutive stature. In truth, the two are indeed friends, however little they are willing to admit it.
When Mister Miracle becomes a member of the Justice League International, Oberon assumes the position of the right-hand man of Maxwell Lord. He is also briefly the boyfriend of Fire. An example is seen in a Justice League Quarterly issue where he has a double date, acompanying the two are Guy Gardner and Ice. The latter is taken over a by a demon. Shiloh Norman, Scott Free's successor, encounters Oberon's alleged daughter, who claims Oberon abandoned her mother back during his carnival days. Since their departure from that group, Oberon has resumed his role as Scott Free's manager. He, Barda and Scott are later attendees of Green Arrow and Black Canary's wedding.
Oberon's friendships are shaken up when Maxwell Lord, desiring to control all super-beings, murders Blue Beetle, who opposes him. Oberon attends the funeral with the majority of his League friends in the "Booster Gold" series.