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Celsius (character)

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For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation).
Celsius
Celsius as depicted in Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #1 (October 1987). Art by Steve Lightle.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceShowcase #94 (September 1977)
Created byPaul Kupperberg
Joe Staton
In-story information
Alter egoArani Desai Caulder
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliationsDoom Patrol
Black Lantern Corps
Notable aliasesArani Caulder
AbilitiesFire and ice manipulation
Skilled martial artist

Celsius (Arani Desai) is a superhero in the DC Comics series Doom Patrol. She first appeared in Showcase #94 (September 1977), and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton.[1] She is among the very few superheroes of Indian heritage, and may be the first ever such hero created by DC Comics.[2]

Celsius appeared in her first live adaptation on the first season of the Doom Patrol television series for DC Universe played by Jasmine Kaur and Madhur Jaffrey.

Background and creation

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Celsius was created for the new, rebooted Doom Patrol which debuted in Showcase #94-96. Inspired by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum's "New X-Men", writer Paul Kupperberg wanted to have some heroes of different nationalities in the group.[3] Artist Joe Staton used photos from National Geographic articles about India as the model for Celsius.[3]

Fictional character biography

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Arani Desai was born in India into a life of wealth and privilege.[4] After her mother dies in childbirth and her father Ashok goes insane, Arani is rescued by Niles Caulder, who she later marries. After Caulder abandons her in the Himalayas, Arani trains with Buddhist monks and gains the ability to manipulate temperature.[2]

Kalki from Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #3, art by Steve Lightle.

Following the death of the original Doom Patrol, Celsius forms a team to search for Caulder and discovers that Robotman and Negative Man survived.[5] However, Negative Man is kidnapped by Ashok, who has become a demonic metahuman, before the Doom Patrol defeat him.

In Invasion!, Celsius is killed while stopping a Gil'Dishpan ship from escaping the Arctic Circle.[2][6]

In Blackest Night, Celsius is temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern. In The New 52 continuity reboot, she is permanently resurrected and becomes the leader of the Doomed, India's sanctioned superhero team.[7][8]

Powers and abilities

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Celsius is a superior martial artist due to her monastery training. She has minor levels of ancient mysticism taught to her due to her monastery training in the Himalayas by Buddhist monks.

These same Buddhist monks taught Arani to control and manipulate her core temperature, projecting fire and ice from her left and right hands respectively.

In other media

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Celsius appears in the Doom Patrol episode "Doom Patrol Patrol", portrayed by Jasmine Kaur as a young woman and Madhur Jaffrey as an old woman. This version was a member of a 1950s incarnation of the Doom Patrol before they were defeated and rendered mentally ill by Mr. Nobody.

References

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  1. ^ Browning, Michael (July 2013). "The Doom Patrol Interviews: Paul Kupperberg". Back Issue! (#65). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 42–45.
  2. ^ a b c Jimenez, Phil (2008). "Celsius". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Dan (April 2014). "Showcase Presents... Again". Back Issue! (#71). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51.
  4. ^ Showcase #95 (October–November 1977)
  5. ^ Showcase #94 (August–September 1977) and #95 (October–November 1977)
  6. ^
    • Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #17 (January 1989)
    • Invasion! #3 (January 1989)
    • Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #19 (February 1989)
    • Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #25 (August 1989)
    • Doom Patrol (vol. 2) #57 (July 1992)
  7. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (9 September 2009). "GIFFEN Readies DOOM PATROL for BLACKEST NIGHT". Newsarama.com. Imaginova. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  8. ^
    • Doom Patrol (vol. 5) #5 (February 2010)
    • Justice League (vol. 2) #24 (December 2013)
    • Justice League (vol. 2) #27 (March 2014)
    • Justice League (vol. 2) #34 (December 2014)
    • Doomsday Clock #5 (May 2018)
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