LogFAQs > #973023110

Honorable Mention: Maxwell Lord
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The corpse that would be #117.

For many people, Maxwell Lord was a used car salesman, a huckster looking to create brand awareness and build a corporate empire while also doing a little bit of good in the world. From the JLI to the Superbuddies, Maxwell Lord was a force for change in the superhero community. From the beginning, Maxwell Lord was enamored with the rise of superheroes, and for nearly a decade, he was an outsider looking in, desperate to get his hands on what he saw was the future of humanity. Max began to make connections with the United Nations as his business dealings yielded millions of dollars in profits annually. As he began to spearhead non-profits, Max was contacted by the UN Secretary General with an offer - as the Justice League closed its doors following the deaths of Steel and Vibe, there was a vacuum of power, one that the UN hoped to fill with a more globally-focused initiative. Max leapt at the chance, and serving as the new financier, Lord founded the Justice League International, the most worldly-comprehensive variation of the League, with embassies around the world. It would eventually expand to its largest size, with multiple branches before Maxs funding dried up, forcing him to turn over the reins of power to Superman and the new JLA. Without the Justice League, Max began to work hard to form a new team with old reliables, and those the Superbuddies were born - his next project that began to gain steam, up until his death. At the same time, however, Max had risen to the rank of Black King in Checkmate, a role that he apparently had hidden from his closest friends.

But his greatest influence ended up being his death. Murdered for undisclosed reasons by Wonder Woman on a globally-broadcasted feed, Maxwell Lord unintentionally began the destruction of her career and legacy, all with the half-second snap of his neck. The nature of the whys and wherefores have become the focus of a team of Checkmate agents, as Wonder Womans killing of Max has become a matter of serious contention. With the body of Max reclaimed from the Stagg Industries mortuary, Kim Rebecki used her abilities to enter his mind. Amplified by Mento, Maxs last thoughts revealed that his mind had been tampered with, much like a mindwipe, but more forcefully so, meaning that Max is a pawn, just as much as though who worked for him in Checkmate. These thoughts included Egyptian words in an ancient dialogue and the mention of Talirah Isiset, a longtime ally to some of the Checkmate agents and a member of the Superbuddies.

The death - the murder - of Maxwell Lord is yet another enduring component of the greater mystery surrounding Checkmate. How did such a slimy used car salesman rise to this position of power? Why did he lose it in such a precipitous fall? And what other secrets lie in the shadowy corridors of a mysterious castle where dark things dwell? All of these questions to be answered in due time, perhaps. For now, we lift our glasses to the smarmy, arrogant supercapitalist bastard and remember him for what he was.

We're back to numbered rankings as we lose a Round 4 draftee.