Neverwas (DC)

Neverwas is a comic character who features in DC Comics.

Biography
Neverwas a unique single-celled organism that existed on Earth and developed an intelligence where it formed a somewhat humanoid shape. It existed eons ago back when the world was a bleak environment with the Earth being young and cruel. During this time, it only experienced threats to its existence and constantly had to flee from danger. During this time, winged reptilian predators were pursuing it when Neverwas developed a sudden ability to travel through time. This caused it to arrive in the modern age in the 20th century where the sights and sounds caused it to experience confusion as humans fled the creature. At the time, Hawkman was on patrol with the superhero investigating the scene leading to a confrontation with Neverwas who responded with hostility at the apparent attack by the winged avenger. Hawkman attempted to land a blow against the creature whose body was resistant to physical attacks and instead attacked the superhero forcing the pair to fall through a skylight. Afterwards, Neverwas departed and came upon a motel where it remembered that it had travelled through time with it using its powers to send the structure back into the past. Never came to determine that this era was much more plentiful then its own past and sought to take over the world for itself. It was at that moment that the creature was confronted by Earth's heroes in the Justice League of America with Superman going through the time portal to save the motel thus trapping him in the past. Aquaman battled the creature under the water but after a blow the entity split its form creating two versions of Neverwas both of whom operated under the same intelligence that defeated the Atlantean whose body was kept unconscious in a grotto. It then proceeded outwards as it began to grow more used to its new powers which it intended to use to take over the planet. The two creatures went on different tasks with Neverwas-One going to land to use its time powers to create a time gate above the entirety of America whilst Neverwas-Two did a similar action beneath the ocean to propel the landmass into the past. The Green Arrow arrived on the scene who used a Stun Arrow against Neverwas-One but it simply bounced back against him. The two halves then rendezvoused together to reconnect with one another which was when the Justice League combined arrive to confront it. Upon seeing them, Neverwas was frightened by its monstrous perception of them causing it to split itself constantly in order to better fight them. Outnumbering its foes, their combined power affected time itself bringing forth figures from people to machines and even a horde of ghosts from various points in the timeline. The tear in time allowed Superman to return to his time where he aided the Justice League in defeating the various copies of Neverwas. Green Lantern Hal Jordan used his Power Ring to capture the creatures who were sent back through the Time Gate to their own time. The heroes then sent the various time-displaced people and machines back through the portal to their respective eras. Though returned to its time, Neverwas had been given various items from the time displaced eras as toys by Superman as the hero came to realise that the creature was not evil but child-like with it left these items to keep it happy and content. (Justice League of America v1 #68)

Personality and attributes
In appearance, Neverwas resembled a giant humanoid amoeba with a white greyish skin and a facsimile of a face. It was said to possess a dim formless intelligence but had no words capable of speaking. (Justice League of America v1 #68)

It was a product of its environment as its home time was barren with life being a continuous labour and it seeking only to work in order to live. Neverwas had demonstrated a child-like mind with it seeking friendship and play. However, fear was known to drive Neverwas as it saw danger around itself and reacted towards it either by fleeing or lashing out. Upon arriving in the modern age, it was stricken by the sounds and lights in the city causing it to be confused. It briefly saw a lighted billboard as a source of beauty and sought to experience it only to be disillusioned after breaking it. Over time, it came to be delighted in the world of the 20th century with it being oblivious at the words jeered at it by people. Such was its delight that it wanted the entire planet in a similar manner as a child wanting a new toy. It came to believe it could take the Earth in the future and reasoned that it was a paradise compared to the barren world of its own time. Through the frightened eyes of Neverwas, it perceived attackers such as the Justice League as monstrous creatures out to hurt it. When fighting the Justice League, it felt glee at defeating its foes akin to that of a school boy beating its bully. (Justice League of America v1 #68)

Powers and abilities
It was considered a freak of nature as it was a one-celled animal mutated and grown huge. The skin was said to be clampy and slippery that meant physical attacks simply had reduced impact or he was unable to connect his grab on the creature. Projectiles could enter the spongy mass of its body that could be expelled backwards at bullet-like speeds as a weapon against enemies. Neverwas was able to move his limbs as tentacles that had a grip of steel and thus was noted for being strong. The material of its body was capable of being reshaped according to its will and was capable of assuming other forms such as wings giving Neverwas the ability to fly. It was not used to operating in a watery environment making it slower in such conditions. Due to being a giant version of a microscopic animal, Neverwas had the ability to reproduce itself and splitting its form creating more versions of itself. This allowed it to split at a moments notice and form two bodies both of which operated under the same will. (Justice League of America v1 #68)

Neverwas inadvertently discovered a strange ability that allowed it to transport itself through time. Such was its power that it could also open Time Gates that sent other objects through time as well with it able to do so to entire buildings. Such was its power that this could be extended to consume entire land masses and send through time. A large number of Neverwas could also affect the time-stream bringing random people and objects from multiple eras through time. (Justice League of America v1 #68)

Appearances

 * Justice League of America v1: