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Wikipedia / Adrian Chase

Adrian Allen Chase is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the second DC character to bear the name Vigilante.

The character made his live-action debut in the Arrowverse series Arrow, portrayed by Josh Segarra, which depicts him as the supervillain Prometheus. Freddie Stroma portrays Chase as Vigilante in the DC Extended Universe and DC Universe television series Peacemaker.

Creation

Marv Wolfman stated the genesis of the character began when writing Daredevil in the 1970s.

Publication history

Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, Adrian Chase first appeared in his civilian identity in The New Teen Titans #23 (September 1982), before debuting as Vigilante in The New Teen Titans Annual #2 (August 1983). Chase later appeared in his own Vigilante series, initially written by Wolfman. Paul Kupperberg took over as the series writer with issue #21 (Sept. 1985), scripting it until the series' conclusion with issue #50.

Fictional character biography

Adrian Chase is a New York City district attorney working in partnership with the resident superhero team, the Teen Titans. His wife Doris Chase and their two children (Adam Chase and Drew Chase) are killed by a bomb meant for Adrian, planted at the direction of mob boss Anthony Scarapelli.

Shortly afterward, Chase is approached at his wife's grave by a hooded woman named Lynn. In an origin story that he related to his associates Jonathan "J.J." Davis and Theresa "Terry" Gomez, Chase claimed that Lynn drove him west in a van and forced him to walk for four days through the desert. In a cavern underneath the desert sands, he was greeted by three spirits — "victims of evil who were not content to gracefully die" — named Bloody Knee, Chaka, and Chastity. Chase spent six months with them, enduring incredible physical and spiritual trials. He emerged with new powers and a new sense of purpose — to seek justice his own way as the anti-hero Vigilante: "I go after those proven guilty of crimes who are then released because of some stupid technicality."

Chase was initially shown as taking pains to make sure he did not kill his enemies (unlike Marvel's the Punisher) and would regularly use non-lethal weapons to disable his opponents.

Throughout the Vigilante series, Chase is tormented over the justice of his actions and the pain brought to others. Chase flirted with abandoning his Vigilante identity after he savagely beat an ex-convict who turned out to be innocent. Eventually, Chase abandons his Vigilante identity, believing that he could be both more effective and happier as a judge. But during his absence, the Vigilante identity was assumed by two of his friends (fellow judge Alan Welles and bailiff Dave Winston respectively) without his knowledge.

After Welles kills a police officer and Winston is killed by Peacemaker, Chase once again assumes the Vigilante role, believing it is the only way to protect his loved ones. However, his experiences with Welles and Winston have damaged his fragile psyche beyond repair, causing him to adopt more vicious tactics in his war on crime. Seeking revenge on Peacemaker, the out-of-shape Chase gets beaten in a fight and unmasked on live TV, forcing him even further into the Vigilante role.

Eventually, Chase becomes ever more conflicted over the violence he engages in and the harm he has caused to those around him. He also becomes increasingly mentally unstable — alternating between bouts of enraged violence, paranoia and terrible remorse for his actions, even resorting to murdering innocent police officers who get in his way. His mounting guilt culminates in Chase contemplating the course of his life and then committing suicide.

Chase has remained dead since being killed off and never been resurrected. He appeared in the Day of Judgment limited series as one of the dead heroes in Purgatory. Chase and the others run interference, battling the guardians of the realm, so other living heroes can escape with the soul of Hal Jordan.

The character's death remains in continuity even after The New 52 reboot and the DC Rebirth relaunch, which altered the continuity of the DC Comics universe. In current continuity, Chase was a judge rather than a district attorney.

Powers and abilities

As the Vigilante, Adrian Chase is a superb hand-to-hand combatant and a brilliant marksman.

He also possesses the ability to heal quickly and regenerate his body from injuries as serious as stabbings or gunshot wounds, although he is capable of dying if the injuries are severe enough.

Analysis

As described by comics critic Donald D. Markstein, upon his introduction Vigilante represented a familiar trope in American comics:

Markstein continued:

In other media

Television

Variations of Adrian Chase appear in Arrow, portrayed by Josh Segarra.

Adrian Chase / Vigilante appears in Peacemaker, portrayed by Freddie Stroma. Chris Conrad served as a suit actor for the opening credits, first five episodes, and episode eight of the first season before the character was recast with Stroma following creative disagreements with James Gunn, with Stroma being considered for the role due to being the same height and physique as Conrad. This version is a busboy and self-proclaimed crimefighter who looks up to the eponymous Peacemaker and displays psychopathic and socially awkward tendencies. Moreover, he goes on to be a member of the 11th Street Kids and to help found Checkmate.

  • An alternate universe doppelgänger of Chase (additionally portrayed by Kellen Boyle) appears in the second season as a member of the Sons of Liberty.

Video games

The DCEU incarnation of Adrian Chase / Vigilante appears as a playable character in DC Worlds Collide.

References