Blockbuster is the name of three fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. The first one was primarily a foe of Batman and Robin, while the second frequently fought Nightwing, formerly Robin. The latest Blockbuster first appeared in the pages of the series 52 wherein he is directed into battle against Lex Luthor's team of superheroes, Infinity Inc.

The first Blockbuster was Mark Desmond, a chemist who desired to increase his physical strength. Experimenting on himself, he succeeded in making himself stronger and taller, but as a side-effect of the process he also became almost mindlessly aggressive. The mentally debilitated Desmond was cared for by his brother Roland, a local criminal, who kept their mother from discovering what Mark had done to himself.^[1]

Roland manipulated his brother into committing crimes on his behalf until they came into conflict with Batman and Robin. Bruce Wayne had once rescued a young Desmond from drowning, and he discovered that he could calm the enraged adult Desmond by removing his cowl, showing him his face. Desmond later found himself clashing with Batman on various occasions. He joined the Secret Society of Super Villains briefly for a battle with the Justice League. Later, Amanda Waller recruited Desmond for her revived Suicide Squad. He was killed fighting Darkseid's creation Brimstone.^[2]

Roland Desmond became the second Blockbuster after a severe illness forced him to be treated with experimental steroids. Like his brother Mark, Roland became a child-minded super-strong monster. He ran wild in the Southwest, but Batman and Starman (Will Payton) brought his rampage to an end.^[3][4]

Desmond became obsessed with elevating himself greatly above his debilitated intellect. A pact with the demon Neron granted him a genius-level intellect, and Desmond embarked once more on a career of crime and destruction. He began his revived criminal career by causing chaos in the town of Manchester, although his schemes were foiled by the speedster Impulse.

Desmond then moved to his mother's home town of Blüdhaven. He forced the crime lord Angel Marin out of power and took over the city's criminal rackets. Roland's plan was to build a criminal empire in the 'Haven, that would eventually enable him to extend his dominion over Gotham, Star City, Metropolis, and New York's underworlds. For that purpose, he bought the corrupt elements of the city's Police Department, most notably the Police Chief Redhorn and Inspector Dudley "Deadly" Soames.

Despite his swift and vicious consolidation of power, Blockbuster's hold on Blüdhaven's organized crime was nevertheless weakened by the intervention of the city's new protector: Nightwing (Dick Grayson, the former Robin), who, with Oracle's help, foiled Desmond's plans at every turn. Oracle often removes money from Blockbuster's accounts and he has a man working to stop and find Oracle, named Vogel.^[5]

Desmond's primary goal became the elimination of the young vigilante. He placed a contract on Nightwing's life, employing the services of several assassins, including Lady Vic, Stallion, Brutale, the Trigger Twins, and Shrike.

As a further result of his initial transformation, Desmond later developed albinism and a heart defect. He was restored to (comparative) health by a heart transplant from one of the talking apes of Gorilla City, and was consolidating his control over Blüdhaven and contemplating a takeover of Gotham City, when he was killed by the new Tarantula, Catalina Flores.^[6]

As part of the Blackest Night event, Roland's corpse is reanimated by a black power ring and recruited to the Black Lantern Corps in Blackest Night: Batman #1 (October 2009).

Lex Luthor created a new Blockbuster in the pages of the miniseries event 52 to serve as an opponent of his manufactured hero team, Infinity Inc.

Little is revealed about this Blockbuster, save for the fact that Luthor possesses some measure of control of his actions and level of strength. Luthor also comments that he is stronger than either of the two previous Blockbusters. This brute's cognitive abilities and appearance are very similar to the original. Blockbuster, with controlled interference from Lex Luthor, kills the superhero Trajectory.

A Blockbuster appears amongst the villains exiled to an alien world in Salvation Run. In issue #3 it is revealed to be a disguised Martian Manhunter.

A newer, female Blockbuster appears in the swamps of Louisiana and fights Mon-El in Superman #689 (August 2009).

All Blockbusters have super human strength, agility, and endurance. They have a high degree of resistance to physical and energy attacks.

After selling his soul to Neron, Roland Desmond gained super intelligence.

• Blockbuster (Mark Desmond) was first seen in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Kid's Stuff" voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. He, Cheetah, Copperhead, and KGBeast were robbing a gold vault. Blockbuster was also a member of the Secret Society in the series^{[episode needed]}. However, after siding against Lex Luthor during the mutiny in favor of Gorilla Grodd^{[episode needed]}, he was frozen by Killer Frost and blown up by Darkseid, along with the other mutineers.^{[episode needed]}

• Mark Desmond appears on The Batman episode "Meltdown" voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. Desmond is a scientist working for Wayne Enterprises, who is in charge of Ethan Bennett aka Clayface's parole agreement to not use his shapeshifting powers. Unlike the comics, he is African-American.

• The Mark Desmond version of Blockbuster appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Death Race to Obilvion" with Mark Desmond voiced by James Arnold Taylor and Blockbuster voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. Batman confronts evil child genius Desmond (who Batman has been keeping an eye on since he stole some chemicals from S.T.A.R. Labs) at a museum with a plot to steal a diamond called the Star of Bialya. The crowd objects to Batman grabbing Desmond until the boy drinks the serum that transforms him into Blockbuster. As Blockbuster, he subdues Batman. When Billy Batson steps forth, Blockbuster grabs him. When Blockbuster asks Billy if he has any last words, he quotes "Shazam" and transforms into Captain Marvel who manages to defeat Blockbuster.

• The Mark Desmond version of Blockbuster first appears in the two-part Young Justice episode "Independence Day" voiced by René Auberjonois.^[7] This version of Blockbuster is very different in appearance to any of his comic book incarnations, having purposefully been redesigned as it was felt the original version was too similar to The Hulk.^[8] His transformation in the series involves his "Blockbuster" form ripping through his human skin. He is shown as a member of Project Cadmus acting as the boss of Dubbilex and Guardian. He has been working on the Blockbuster project and is among those that had worked on a clone of Superman called Superboy. When Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash stumble upon the sub-levels of the Cadmus Building, they end up on the run when Mark Desmond has the G-Gnomes unleash their creations which trap them in the room where Superboy is held. Mark Desmond has the G-Gnomes where Superboy is held control Superboy who takes down Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash. Mark Desmond reports this to the Cadmus Board of Directors who advise Mark Desmond to clone the three and then eliminate them. With some quiet talking from Aqualad, Superboy turns against Mark Desmond and frees| the sidekicks. Due to Superboy aiding Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash, Mark Desmond heads to his lab to get something while the Genome Trolls are unleashed. When Dubbilex frees Guardian from the G-Gnomes, Mark Desmond appears and drinks one of his formulas becoming Blockbuster. His fight with Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy leads to the Cadmus Building's lobby where Robin uses some tactics that managed to defeat Blockbuster and bring the building down on Blockbuster pinning him down until the Justice League arrived. Blockbuster was taken away by some of the Justice League members as Guardian succeeds him as the head of the Project Cadmus division.

• Blockbuster is reportedly featured in David S. Goyer's script for an upcoming Green Arrow film project entitled "Super Max".^[9]

• List of Batman Family enemies

• The Unofficial Blockbuster Chronology