WIZARD (William I. Zard)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Gardner Fox and Irwin Hasen

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: William I. Zard
Aliases: William Asmodeus Zard, Frederick P. Garth
Occupation: Professional criminal
Marital Status: Presumed single
Known Relatives: Shannon (sister, deceased)
Base of Operation: Mobile
Group Affiliation(s): Injustice Society of the World, Crime Champions, Secret Society of Super-Villains, Injustice Unlimited
Gender: Male
Height: 6’
Weight: 171 lbs.
Eyes: White (no visible pupils)
Hair: Black
First Appearance: All-Star Comics #34 (April-May 1947): "The Wiles of the Wizard!"
Creators: Gardner Fox and Irwin Hasen

OVERVIEW

William I. Zard was a small-time criminal who learned the art of magic in Tibet. In 1947, he took the identity of the Wizard, and in the following years he battled and was defeated by the Justice Society of America, both on his own and as a member of the first Injustice Society of the World. Magically retaining his youth, the Wizard sat in jail for decades, before breaking free about ten years ago as part of the Crime Champions of two eras. This team was defeated by the first cooperation of the JSA and their modern counterparts, the Justice League.

The Wizard later continued his life of organized crime in teams such as the Secret Society of Super-Villains, new incarnations of the Injustice Society, and their followers called Injustice, Unlimited, and a new larger Justice Society.

HISTORY

At least ten years before the outbreak of World War II, small time hoodlum Will Zard sat in jail contemplating his future. He decided to become like his name, W.I. Zard, and become a magician to aid his criminal career. Over the course of several years, he made his way to Tibet, studying with monks in a secret temple (possibly the monks of Shamballah, themselves an evil group) learning the arts of illusion.

After the end of World War II, when travel became easier, Zard made his way back to the United States to begin his new criminal career. Learning for the first time of the mystery-men called the Justice Society, he came to the erroneous conclusion that anyone with those abilities must be using them for personal gain; he confronted them as The Wizard, wanting in on their con game. Realizing that they were in fact altruistic heroes, he set out to destroy them. After escaping from their trap, the Justice Society set out to catch the Wizard, but he faked his death using one of his illusions.

During months of hiding out, The Wizard discovered that there were criminal counterparts to these heroes, and joined the first public grouping of them, calling themselves the Injustice Society of the World. Under the leadership of The Thinker, the group set their sights high and attempted an overthrow of the United States. They had gotten as far as taking over Washington DC, and capturing the JSA, but were foiled by them again.

Finding strength in numbers to be more palatable, The Wizard once again after freeing himself from prison reformed the Injustice Society with new criminals, unfortunately, the group was beset with internal problems and a contest to decide leadership by stealing patriotic artifacts attracted the attention of the Justice Society once again. Foiled by the double threat of the Black Canary and the Harlequin (who was posing as a criminal).

The Wizard spent several years in jail, his illusion-casting abilities waning. Escaping from jail, but unable to muster up the willpower to cast his illusions, Zard became a derelict for several years, even unable to commit even petty crimes. He studied the black magic arts and regained greater magical abilities by sacrificing his younger sister to the Dark Gods.

Years later, after the emergence of the modern age of heroes, The Wizard teamed with two former partners in crime along with three newer criminals to form the Crime Champions, to defeat the Justice Society and the newly formed Justice League by switching enemies. They defeated and imprisoned the heroes only to be defeated themselves when the heroes joined forces and gained the upper hand by switching foes.

After another failed larger grouping of the Injustice Society failed against the JSA, The Wizard joined up with an even larger gathering of villains, known as the Secret Society.

After the main group was broken up by the efforts of both Captain Comet and a clone of Paul Kirk who martyred himself against Darkseid, The Wizard thought to upgrade his powers by posing as a secret financier. Having his group of super-villains steal three magical artifacts, he revealed himself after reclaiming the items. Leading this group of villains against the Justice Society, he was once again defeated.

While escaping, the group came upon another set of mystical artifacts which allowed them to change identities with several members of the Justice League. After being defeated, all of their memories of the adventure (including their secret identities and pass codes to transporters and JLA equipment) by mystical means by Zatanna.

Once again feeling his strength was in numbers, he joined two of his former partners in recruiting the descendants and protégés of other villains calling themselves Injustice Unlimited. Their first criminal spree was to take a convention center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada hostage, only to be foiled by both Infinity Inc. (themselves the protégés of the JSA) and the Global Guardians. He faked his death to avoid imprisonment.

While making his escape, however, old age caught up to him and suffered a heart attack, ending up in the dimension called Grimmworld. Taking up with the Wicked Witch who controlled the dimension, he enervated himself and gained a new younger body. As they tried to take their conquering ways back to our world, they were defeated again by Infinity Inc.

Lying low again for several years, the Wizard attempted to take control of the Spear of Destiny, a powerful mystical artifact recently used to control the Spectre. He was opposed by the supernatural team called the Sentinels of Magic, and was ultimately absorbed into the rags of the Ragman. It was said that he would have to stay there until his evil soul has redeemed itself, but he somehow made his way free again to be a strike force against the Justice League for a newly formed and more expansive Secret Society. His memories of controlling the JLA were reawakened and his artifacts from his earlier days with the Society were recovered. The Wizard and his cronies were again defeated and mind-wiped by Zatanna.

While escaping from prison, The Wizard picked up an “astral hitchhiker” who kept trying to free itself from his physical form. Afraid that freeing it would kill him, he regrouped the Injustice Society under the leadership of the second Icicle to raid JSA headquarters for the Promethian Key.

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Originally, The Wizard was using simple illusions to cause his crimes. He faked his death several times to avoid capture.

Over the years, Zard wanted to acquire more power, so he sought out more black magic, even sacrificing his sister to the Dark Gods to advance his learning.

His power levels seem to be related to his confidence in himself, sometimes unable to conjure at all.

During his Secret Society days, he sought to remedy this by acquiring three “Sorcerer’s Treasures”, the energy prism, the power glove and the cloak of invisibility. The Prism increased The Wizard's power levels, the Gloves seem to add more power and the Cloak aids him in battles by giving him invisibility. He stopped using these after being mind-wiped by Zatanna.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Wizard in chronological order click here

PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #26 (April 1987)