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Danny Chase |
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| Alias: Phantasm |
Titans Member
Joined: New Teen Titans Annual #3 [1988] |
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| Danny Chase Quick Bio: Telekinetic Danny Chase initially joined with the Titans to rescue his parents, who were government operatives. Danny was dismissed from the Titans because of his immaturity but secretly aided the team as Phantasm, before being slain during the final encounter with the Wildebeest Society. |
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DANNY CHASE |
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Danny the Brat
Danny Chase was the grandson of Franklin Chase, an American intelligence agent assigned to the Manhattan Project during World War II. An accident bombarded Franklin with radiation, but the side effects did not manifest themselves until Danny was born with telekinetic powers. Danny and his parents, John and Cherie Chase, were all agents for the Central Bureau of Investigation - also known as the CBI. Despite the fact that Danny was only thirteen years old, he was trained as a special agent due to his telekinetic abilities and familial connections.
While on a mission in Tokyo, John and Cherie were kidnapped by the fanatical mercenary, Godiva, for their knowledge of a secret missile site. Danny sought help from fellow CBI agent, King Faraday, but Faraday was denied permission from his higher-ups. Acting on his own, Danny tapped into the CBI computers and summoned the Titans, who, with the help of Danny, rescued John and Cherie Chase. After the mission, the Titans invited Danny to join the team. This meant going public with his powers, which required the Chases' permission. The Chases agreed to this, and Danny became an enthusiastic member of the New Teen Titans.
Because Danny had been trained as an espionage agent at a young age, he did not work well in groups. During his time as a Titan, Danny had a mutually insulting rapport with Changeling, who was often annoyed by Danny's know-it-all attitude. Ever unothodox, Danny also refused to adopt a costume or a code-name. Despite his sometimes cool facade of a professional agent, Danny flipped out when he was injured by a villainously transformed Vicki Grant. As much as Danny yearned to act like the elder Titans, he was still a thirteen year old kid who was, in many ways, rather immature.
After the death of Jason Todd, Nightwing decided that it would be best if young Danny left the group. Danny, of course, did not take the news well and stormed out in a huff.
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Nightwing offers Danny Chase membership in NEW TEEN TITANS (second series) Annual #3 [1988] |
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Danny is fired in NEW TITANS #55 [1989]. |
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Titans Hunt & Phantasm
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| Danny Chase battles Wildebeest agents - moments before he secretly becomes the Phantasm - in NEW TITANS #73 [1991]. |
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Tainted by the corrupted souls of Azarath, the Titans known as Jericho had taken control of the Wildebeest Society. Now possessed by this force, Jericho sought to acquire superhuman beings as vessels for the souls of Azarath. He used the Wildebeest Society as a front to kidnap the super-powered Titans to act as hosts to the tainted souls of Azarath.
During their attack on the individual members of the New Titans, the Titans' leader, Nightwing, managed to defeat one Wildebeest warrior and take his place. The disguised Nightwing infiltrated the Wildebeest organization as it continued their hunt for Titans to kidnap.
Nightwing and another Wildebeest were assigned to hunt down Danny Chase, who had been ejected from their group several months before. He had since been sent home to live with his parents in Washington, DC until he matured.
Nightwing and the other Wildebeest found Danny in a shopping mall and began their attack. Danny was blasted back by the Wildebeest. Fearing a further attack might actually kill the youngster, the disguised Nightwing informed the Wildebeest that Danny had actually been killed, while supplying Danny with a small clue the bright teenager understood: that this Wildebeest was, in fact, Nightwing, and that he was to make it look like Danny had indeed died.
Reaching into the shopping mall with his telekinetic powers, Danny appropriated a hockey mask to cover his face, a bolt of fabric, and a robot-voice simulator to disguise his own voice. Using his powers, Danny "animated" these pieces of a costume to become the entity he called Phantasm. At times, Danny would float inside the costume, and at other times he would telekinetically control the pieces from a distance.
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Danny Chase used his telekinetic powers to pose as Phantasm in NEW TITANS #73 [1991]. |
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Arella and Danny Chase perish - but merge with the souls of Azarath to be
reborn as Phantasm - in NEW TITANS #84 [1992]. |
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| Phantasm is reborn in NEW TITANS #84 [1992]. |
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Nightwing was later captured by the Wildebeests and "Phantasm" joined a team led by Deathstroke to locate the kidnapped Titans. Uncertain if any of this team were disguised Wildebeest agents, Danny never revealed his true identity as he fought alongside them, hoping to free his former partners.
A battle in the remains of Azarath concluded with the destruction of the Wildebeest Society and the apparent death of Jericho himself. But the evil Azarathian force still needed to be contained. In a final effort to end this threat forever, Raven, former Phantasm Danny Chase, and Raven's mother, Arella, attacked the Azarathian energy. Their own energies combined with the force from Azarath and drove away the evil.
In an explosion that saw the dissipation of one energy wave, the other energies somehow combined. This new force inhabited the garb once worn by Danny Chase and took on the identity of the new Phantasm. Danny and Arella died that day, as their essences merged with the cleansed souls of Azarath to become a true Phantasm. Cold and aloof, the formless telekinetic entity aided the Titans when needed.
Danny Chase possessed the power of telekinesis. He is also extremely smart and possesses a photographic memory.
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New Teen Titans (second series) Annual #3[1988]: The elegant mercenary Godiva makes her debut, capturing Central Bureau of Investigation agents, John and Cherie Chase; Their son, Danny, brings the Titans to Switzerland to rescue his parents and joins the Titans thereafter. First appearance of Danny Chase and Godiva.
New Teen Titans (second series) #40 [1988]: For Danny Chase's first official case, the Titans find themselves up against the Silver Fog, the Gentlemen Ghost and I.Q. - three criminals whom the Titans believe are acting together.
New Titans #55 [1989]: Wonder Girl learns that she was raised by the Titans of Myth, is given new powers, and takes on the code name Troia. After this adventure, the team drops the "teen" part of their name and refer to themselves as "the New Titans." Danny Chase is asked to leave the Titans by Nightwing, who will not take responsibility for someone so young on the team. First appearance of Donna as Troia in issue #55. Danny Chase fired as a Titan in issue #55.
New Titans #73 [1991]: Deathstroke and Dayton locate Arella, whose ranch in Wyoming has been devastated by Wildebeest. A mysterious cat-creature [Pantha] lurks in the shadows, spying on Wildebeest agents; Danny Chase is seemingly killed by Wildebeest agents, and Phantasm emerges. First appearances of Phantasm & Pantha.
New Titans #83 [1992]: "The Jericho Gambit" part two. Troia, Deathstroke, Red Star, Dayton, Pantha, Phantasm and Arella attack the Wildebeest headquarters and locate their team mates as the transference process begins. Phantasm is downed and a human hand emerges from the cloak. Jericho reveals that he is/are the Souls of Azarath, looking for mortal forms to host the Trigon-tainted souls. Jericho pleads with his father to end the madness, forcing Deathstroke to drive a sword through his son, killing him.
New Titans #84 [1992]: "The Jericho Gambit" part three. Danny Chase is revealed as Phantasm, having used a sheet, hockey mask and voice box to masquerade as the mysterious Phantasm. Danny and Arella try and contain a demonic, red-skinned Raven. Arella, channeling the spirit Azar, joins with Danny and vanquishes Raven. Their own energies combined with the force from Azarath drove away the evil of Trigon's lingering influence. This new force inhabited the garb once worn by Danny Chase and took on the identity of the new Phantasm. The remaining Titans defeat the remains of the Wildebeest Society and escape the collapsing Dimension Azarath. Final part of the Titans Hunt storyline. Danny revealed as Phantasm. Danny dies/transforms into Phantasm.
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Additions
by Marv Wolfman
The story of Danny Chase from NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3 |
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| A conceptual drawing of Danny Chase from NEW TEEN TITANS (second series) Annual #3 [1988]. |
Its been a while since I've personally addressed the Titans readers-Mike Gold and now Barbara Randall have been handling the letter columns, but Barbara asked that I write something about the newest TEEN TITANS ANNUAL.
It's always special when one introduces a new major character to a series. You spend time developing the character-figure out if the personality or powers are repeated anywhere in the group, thereby making that character possibly redundant. You try to come up with a character who will help flesh out the series.., add to new growth and new fun.
You look to see what's possibly missing. You look to fill that gap as best you can and hope the new character works. It's not as easy as it may seem-it's very simple creating new characters (at least for me), but making them work within the context of a series, well, that's slightly more difficult. There are, for example, some villains who would work better in these pages than in Superman. Or Batman. And some major villains wouldn't work well in the pages of THE TEEN TITANS. It's not as easy as, say, fitting some cog into some machine. The trick is making it look simple.
When we first introduced THE NEW TEEN TITANS lo those many years ago, we spent ages putting together the group. I wanted the characters to balance each other-form an emotional set, so to speak. Raven on one side, Starfire on the other, Wonder Girl in the center, Robin our born leader. Cyborg our scientist. etc. Our characters didn't overlap and could play off each other emotionally.
When we introduced Jericho we spent even more effort-he was our first new member and his emotions had to work off all our characters. We developed a sensitive artist/poet/musician to work against the more action-oriented characters. His powers, too, were vastly different from the others. which allowed him to function on his own without stepping on Starfire, or Garfield, or Raven.
And now we introduce our latest member-Danny Chase (is he related to a certain Adrian Chase? Only time will tell). Danny. we think, is a little bit different: he's the youngest Titan by far-only thirteen. He's a pro: his parents and he worked for the U.S. Government before Danny quit. His powers are different as well ... allowing, we hope, for a good blend of character/personality/ability.
Emotionally, he's a kid, a status, which is needed in a group where already three members have pushed past that fabled 20-year mark. Danny brings the TEEN back into the Teen Titans, and that won't hurt.
We also introduce a new villainess. Godiva is, quite frankly, a loony tune. We don't have many of them in these pages, which made the character more interesting to write. Most of our characters are either quite intelligent (Terminator, Cheshire, etc.) or powerful (Trigon, Brotherhood of Evil) or bludgeoning (Fearsome Five). Godiva should work out to be a fun character to put in the book from time to time-to lighten up the proceedings with a touch of sinister mayhem.
This newest run of the TITANS also marks my return to the book after a several month absence. If you've been following our regular title (and if you haven't, shame on you), you'll note that I'm trying to create all-new characters to wander in and out of these pages. Quite frankly, I purposely used up all the old villains before I took my little leave. I don't want to see them in the regular run for several years (but who knows what THEY have in mind?). So, to that end, you can expect to see a litany of new ideas, new energy, and new wonderment. It should keep all pleased.
Take care,
Marv
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Titans Editor Jonathan Peterson on Phantasm [from The Titans Companion, 2005]
TTC: Then there was Phantasm.
JP: With Phantasm, I remember we experimented with a few different things. In terms of breaking up the group, we wanted to try new things, so Pantha was the sarcastic and bitter one, the anti-Titan. Phantasm gave us this ethereal and ghostly feel. Raven started as that, but then she changed.
TTC: She started as this dark daughter of a demon, but she now wore white and was dealing with emotions.
JP: Yep. I wanted a Titan to represent the Dr. Strange or Dr. Fate type of genre. We knew we wanted someone like that. I wanted a character to represent something mystical.
TTC: Phantasm started as Danny Chase...
JP: Yeah. The idea there was to kill two birds with one stone. I think the original idea behind Danny Chase was this sort of Jonny Quest character, but we decided he either has to die or become cool.
TTC: It also seemed Phantasm was Marv’s sneaky way of getting people to think Danny Chase was cool, without them realizing it was Danny behind the sheet.
JP: That was part of the idea. He had to be tolerable or just get killed off. We sort of did both, and that was also part of the master plan. We knew Raven was going to return as a villain, that she would go dark. We planned on doing that with her for about a year, or a year and a half. Rather than the pseudo-redemption thing yet again, we wanted to make her a core villain. We knew when we killed her off in “Titans Hunt” that she would return at Nightwing and Starfire’s wedding.
The above excerpt is from The Titans Companion by Twomorrows Publishing.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the New Teen Titans, The Titans Companion is a comprehensive look at the history of the ultimate teen team - over 200 pages in all! From their early days in the 1960s as a team of teen sidekicks through their best-selling days in the 1980s and beyond, this book explores the history of the team through the eyes of its creators! Interviews with Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Nick Cardy, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and others reveal the evolution of the series over the years. While artwork by Cardy, Pérez, Adams, Garcia-Lopez, and many more illustrates each era of Titans history! To order the book, click here .
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Danny Chase as a Titan
Titans membership:
New Titans #40-55
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| A 2006 convention sketch by 1980's New Teen Titans artist, Eduardo Barreto. |
"Emotionally, he's a kid, a status, which is needed in a group where already three members have pushed past that fabled 20-year mark. Danny brings the TEEN back into the Teen Titans, and that won't hurt."
- Marv Wolfman
That was Marv Wolfman's concept for the newest Titan, introduced in New Teen Titans (second series) Annual #3. New Teen Titans (second series) #40 featured the first issue with Danny Chase as a Titan. Danny was a stubborn young hothead who has been trained as an espionage agent. He is good at what he does, but he does not work well with a group. During his time as a Titan, Danny and Changeling had a mutually insulting rapport, not at all like Gar's bantering with Cyborg. Readers didn't warm up to Danny; They found him to be annoying and abrasive.
Despite his sometimes cool facade of a professional agent, Danny has flipped out when injured [New Teen Titans (second series) #46]. That was the first sign he was to be phased out of the group.
Originally, a Titans Graphic Novel was planned. The story would have been 96 pages long, scripted by Marv Wolfman, co-plotted by Wolfman and Pérez, penciled and inked by Pérez. "We're tremendously excited about this Graphic Novel. This will be my first one, and it is really a big one. We're going to answer the question of exactly 'Who Is Wonder Girl?' It will be clear that the New Teen Titans #38 story of 'Who Is Donna Troy?' still happened, but all references to Wonder Woman have been excised." So who rescued Donna from the burning building? Where did she come up with the name and costume of Wonder Girl? And, where did she get her powers?"
"Pérez reveals that all of the original Teen Titans will be included, with new titan Danny Chase leaving a third of the way through the book to attend school. "
This Graphic Novel became New Titans #50-55 ["Who Is Troia?"]. By that time, Jason Todd's Robin had been killed by the Joker; rather than simply ship him off to school, Wolfman and Pérez opted for a more dramatic approach. In New Titans #55, after the death of Jason Todd, Nightwing decided that it would be best if young Danny left the group. Danny, of course, did not take the news well and stormed out in a huff.
At the same time, a Titans Graphic Novel was being planned called GAMES. George drew over 80 pages of the never-printed graphic novel; Danny Chase appeared in it as a punk high school kid.
Danny next appeared in New Titans #68-69, working on his own infiltrating the Royal Flush Gang. That was his last appearance before the Titans Hunt.
Danny Chase as Phantasm
Titans ally:
New Titans #73-84
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| Danny Chase used his telekinetic powers to pose as Phantasm. |
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"Danny was supposed to merge with Phantasm so he didn't die. That was the plan. He continued to live in another form."
- Marv Wolfman
In New Titans #73, Danny Chase is seemingly killed by Wildebeest agents, and Phantasm emerges. Phantasm remained a mysterious presence in the group, and was not revealed to be Danny Chase until New Titans #83-84.
Nightwing was later captured and "Phantasm" joined with a team headed by Deathstroke, the Terminator, to find and free the New Titans. Uncertain if any of this team were disguised Wildebeest agents, Danny never revealed his true identity as he fought alongside the others, hoping to free his former partners.
In New Titans #83, Troia, Deathstroke, Red Star, Dayton, Pantha, Phantasm and Arella attack the Wildebeest headquarters and locate their team mates as the transference process begins. Phantasm is downed and a human hand emerges from the cloak. In New Titans #84, Danny Chase is revealed as Phantasm, having used a sheet, hockey mask and voice box to masquerade as the mysterious Phantasm. Danny and Arella try and contain a demonic, red-skinned Raven. Arella, channeling the spirit Azar, joins with Danny and vanquishes Raven. Their own energies combined with the force from Azarath drove away the evil of Trigon's lingering influence. This new force inhabited the garb once worn by Danny Chase and took on the identity of the new Phantasm.
The Phantasm
Titans Membership:
New Titans #84-114, 120-121 [ally]
"Phantasm will still be there because, as the collective soul of Azarath, he knows Raven is still at large. "
Phantasm remained with the Titans, appearing when needed and aiding them in times of need. Phantasm has aided the team in a mystical/supernatural capacity, as well as an emotional one. In particular, Phantasm helped the Team Titans ease into their roles as time-tossed adventurers trapped in the past [Team Titans #6].
In New Titans #93, Approached from behind by an unseen person cloaked in gray [actually Evil Raven], the startled Phantasm is informed that Trigon's evil can never die, and is struck down with an energy bolt. This is the first of a series of times where Phantasm is seemingly destroyed, only to reform.
Phantasm didn't do much other than skulk about in his appearances following. He was part of the 'old wave' of members that left the group in New Titans #114.
In New Titans #120, Phantasm re-forms itself in a ruined, desolate, Azarath, apparently recovering from Evil Raven's attack that scattered his life energies to the winds way back in issue New Titans# 93. Phantasm asserts to us that he is needed and thus his slumber is over. This contradicts the fact that Phantasm was an active member of the group from New Titans #94-114.
Evil Raven continued her reign of terror; She planted ‘Trigon seeds' in Changeling, Supergirl, Magenta, Deathwing, and Thunder and Lightning. Eventually, Raven and her demon allies came into conflict with the Titans. With the help of Phantasm, the Titans finally destroyed this evil incarnation of Raven. In the ensuing battle, Phantasm contained Raven's evil essence and disappeared. Phantasm has not been seen since his attempt to contain the evil Raven. It is unknown if Phantasm has the ability to reform following that event. It all happened in New Titans #118-121.
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Creators on Danny Chase
George Pérez
"I didn't particularly like the Danny Chase character at all, but working with Marv on him, there's a lot of promise there. Once I got an idea of what Marv wanted to do with him and we talked about what could be done with him, I said "Okay, he's not a likable character. He's not meant to be-at least not yet." But I understand Marv's point of view with him, and I think we can work with him. That's a character that Marv created, so Marv has a particular affection for him."
Marv Wolfman
"Emotionally, he's a kid, a status, which is needed in a group where already three members have pushed past that fabled 20-year mark. Danny brings the TEEN back into the Teen Titans, and that won't hurt."
"Danny was supposed to merge with Phantasm so he didn't die. That was the plan. He continued to live in another form."
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