Keeper of Infinite Earths - Lords of Liberty
Created by Bob Justice
Doctor Merlin
Alter Ego: Michael Earl Lynn
Occupation: Stage Magician/Mystic Debunker
Base of Operations: Worldwide
Background/History:
Michael Lynn was a fan of magic in his youth and spent much of his time studying and practicing stage magic. He was always depressed at the notion that magic was not real, only existing in fantasy stories or performed by trickery or illusion. At 18, he left home to join a carnival/vaudeville troop as the apprentice to their magician, an old man known as The Great Mystico. In relatively ill health, Mystico relied upon the newly christened Merlynn the Magnificent to do more and more in his performances until he took over the act entirely with his mentor only planning and teaching off stage. The carny owner in an attempt to save money offered Lynn a raise to do the act solo, so he could fire "the useless old coot". Lynn was enraged at this treatment of the man he had come to consider almost a father and angrily refused. He stormed off to the tent that was their home only to find Mystico barely conscious and babbling, he took one of the carny trucks and raced to a nearby doctor. It was far too late for the old man, who had never admitted his true name or age, to be helped. Knowing his time was near, he motioned for Michael to come close and he whispered a few words and passed away. At that very moment, the County Sheriff burst in to arrest Michael for stealing the truck.
Although the judge refused to charge him for auto theft, he had lost all of the direction in his life. His beloved mentor was dead, he had no job, and his reputation in the business was destroyed. All he had were the last words of Mystico telling him of a place in Africa where legend said true magic existed available for the taking by a man who was worthy. "I tried, my boy, but I was too old, too selfish, but you... You're a good man, go, take the destiny that I failed to achieve..." Mystico had a safe deposit box containing a journal and a map and not much else. There was nothing to prove he even existed prior to performing.
Lynn followed the map, working on steamers and in bars to get by, until he reached a cavern in the jungle. He entered and came to an ornately carved door covered with tribal markings. A voice came from the shadows, deep and with a booming echo, "Doctor Merlin, I presume?" and a near seven foot tall giant of a man dressed in a charcoal gray suit with vest(?) stepped out into the torchlit cavern. "I have been called 'Merlyn', but I'm no doctor. How...who...?"
"My name is Iondo and I am guardian of the Stone Of Power. Mystico described you as one who helped keep him alive and well...would that not make you a doctor?"
"Not really, but it does have a ring to it. He told you I was coming here?'
"It is your destiny at least to try. Enter and sieze the power to make your dreams come true!"
"Just go in, no mystical instructions or ominous prophecies?"
"Enter." So, he did.
The interior chamber was small with a podium in the center of a circular room. On the dias, a large gemstone glowing with a light bluish light. The glow seemed to call him and he walked over and reached for the gem. When he touched it, the glow surrounded and enfused him. It seemed to emanate from the center of his body outward. He saw things, visions, horrible tidings of the future. A financial collapse leading to overwhelming despair, a war like no other, larger even that the world war not long past, attrocities he'd never thought man capable of, people herded like cattle into death camps, flesh used for lampshades, and various horrors of war. But the most striking thing was men and women with god-like abilities, flying, hurling trucks like paper bales, and firing beams of energy. Some were good and some were evil and in the midst of them, he saw himself. Then, he heard voices, a huge number of voices, speaking like a choir. "Choose now, once, forever, for as long as you live." He could swear he heard his mentor's voice in the cacaophony. When he opened his mouth to speak, the voices fell instantly silent. "To fight despair, to fight evil, to make the world a better place than the visions I've seen here, I accept."
The light ceased and the room fell dark and silent. Michael Lynn entered the sacred chamber of the Stone of Power, but Doctor Merlin stepped out with a purpose and a mission. Often concealing his true powers under the guise of stage magic, he travelled the world, initially with Iondo, helping those in need and preparing for the day his visions became reality. After Iondo was confident in Merlin's abilities, he returned to his home to await the day his people would be needed again. Dr. Merlin joined the Lords of Liberty and later, the Liberty Squad fighting the good fight until his retirement in the early sixties when he returned to the chamber of the Stone with Iondo's son waiting and returned the power to await it's next wielder.
Personality/Motivation:
Basically a nice, responsible regular guy in his youth, he was fascinated by the stage presence of Mystico and his peers and adopted that showmanship into his public persona. Although he felt the huge burden of his power, he would never seem overly serious, until it was necessary. Then, his determination would make him seem virtually unstoppable, willing to make any sacrifice to save innocents and battle evil in all it's forms.
Quote: "You don't believe in magic? You will, you will."
