Ryan Kendall

This page is for the second Black Condor, Ryan Kendall. 
For the first Black Condor, see Richard Grey Jr.  
For the current Black Condor, see the Black Condor page. 

Origin

The second Black Condor was a Native American named Ryan Kendall. Kendall was the grandson of Creighton Kendall, a member of an organization called the Society of the Golden Wing. The Society’s goal was to create a way by which humanity could fly. Creighton experimented with his grandson, irradiating him as a fetus. At age 21, Ryan fell into a coma that lasted two years. After he awoke, Ryan was put through a grueling process of experimentation. The process was torture, and Ryan escaped. During the escape, Ryan realized he had gained the ability to fly.

After acquiring his powers, Ryan Kendall rebelled from his grandfather, who made several attempts to get him back in order to study him and remake his success. Kendall sought sanctuary in the New Jersey pinelands with his friend Ned Smith, who dubbed him the Black Condor. Kendall did not wish to be a super-hero, and instead wanted to spend time protecting the pinelands. Kendall was unaware that Smith was in contact with the ghost (or spirit) of the original Black Condor, who saw that Kendall had a destiny as the new Black Condor.

Creation

A new Black Condor title was launched in 1992. This ongoing series, written by Brian Augusty n and drawn by Rags Morales, featured a new Black Condor: Ryan Kendall. This series was a bit of a departure from a traditional super-hero series, in that the main character, Kendall, was the reluctant hero, not wanting a career as a costumed crimefighter. The connections between this new Black Condor and the original remained murky, even with guest appearances of the “ghost” of the first Black Condor. Black Condor was one of a number of series set at the time featuring revitalized golden age characters. Another series, The Ray, featuring a fellow former Freedom Fighter, would cross-over with Black Condor quite frequently.
 
Unfortunately, even guest appearances by Batman could not save this series. Black Condor lasted 12 issues before being cancelled. From his own series, the character of Ryan Kendall would appear in the pages of various team books (including Justice League America, Primal Force, and JSA) and a lengthy guest starring role in the James Robinson series Starman before the character’s death in the pages of Infinite Crisis #1.
 
The second Black Condor would also make guest appearances after death in the pages of Nightwing and during the Blackest Night crossover event.

Key Story Arcs

Early Career

Kendall slowly warmed to the idea of being a super-hero, while staying one step ahead of his grandfather and the Society. After teams-up with both the Ray and Batman, Black Condor was recruited to join the Justice League by Bloodwynd. His initial response was to refuse, however something about Bloodwynd intrigued him and he agreed. Black Condor only took part in one League mission, Destiny’s Hand, before finding out that Bloodwynd was actually Martian Manhunter. With the mystery of Bloodwynd solved, Black Condor took his leave of the League.   
 
After leaving the League, the Black Condor occasionally showed up in the super-hero community. Black Condor approached Hawkman on lessons in what it meant to be a hero. He also showed up at the opening of Warriors. However, Black Condor also remained on patrol in the pinelands. He even peeked in on the Ray and Damage when the two met in the pinelands.

Black Condor joined Dr. Mist’s Leymen under unknown circumstances. He joined at some point during Jack O’Lantern’s disappearance, and assumed command of the group in Jack's absence. When Jack O’Lantern returned, the two clashed over leadership styles. Condor fought alongside the Leyman against the Effigy and the Mind-Eater. When the Leymen were kidnapped by the August, Black Condor recruited the retired hero Nightmaster to rescue them. The Leymen disbanded shortly after fighting Cataclysm, the Tornado Tyrant, and Lord Satanus during Underworld Unleashed. With the Leymen done, Black Condor met up with the rest of the heroes of Earth to finish off Neron’s threat during Underworld Unleashed. Black Condor helped the heroes with crowd control, instead of joining the forces going into hell.
 
Frustrated with being a hero, Black Condor fled to the wilds of the Pinelands. The spirit of the first Black Condor appeared to both Ned Smith and the Ray, and used them to try to bring Black Condor back to the world. However, before they could get to Condor, he was attacked and captured by White Eagle, an agent of the Society of the Golden Wing who also gained the ability to fly. The spirit of the first Black Condor guided the Ray along Condor’s trail, where he headed to the Society’s headquarters. He found Creighton Kendall, who sent him off to find White Eagle. The Ray and the ghost of the first Black Condor find the second Condor, as the two are attacked by White Eagle. However, during the fight, all three of them are attacked by Creighton Kendall and the troops of the Society. Condor defeated the Eagle, and he and Ray fled, allowing Creighton to deal with the Eagle.
 

Legacy and the Death of the Second Black Condor

When Imperiex threatened Earth during the Our Worlds At War crossover, President Luthor ordered the reformation of the wartime All-Star Squadron. The current membership of the JSA reformed the team, and Black Condor, as a legacy hero, joined them. The team is ordered to destroy the main Imperiex ship, which they discovered is being powered by the kidnapped planet Daxam. Condor joins Patriot, Iron Munro, Phantom Lady, Damage, and the Ray down to Daxam to free its inhabitants, while other members of the All-Star Squadron have other missions to perform. When the Ray gets impaled by an Imperiex drone, Condor performs CPR and manages to stabilize Ray. The Daxam squad does its job, and the All-Star Squadron’s mission is successful.
 
At some point during this time, Black Condor discovered that the first Black Condor, Richard Grey, was his other grandfather. He inherited his grandfather’s Black Light Gun.
 
After the All-Star Squadron, the Black Condor remained a reservist for the Justice Society. When Eclipso, Mordru, and Obsidian allied themselves to conquer Earth, Black Condor joined the resistance effort. Afterwards, Uncle Sam recruited Black Condor for his newest version of the Freedom Fighters. With the Freedom Fighters, Black Condor fought alongside Uncle Sam, the second Phantom Lady, the second Ray, and the Human Bomb. When Brother Eye turned against humanity, Black Condor and the Freedom Fighters joined the heroes’ last stand in the Sahara Desert.
 

During the Infinite Crisis, the Secret Society of Super-Villains organized for a full-out assault on Metropolis. Uncle Sam organized the Freedom Fighters (himself, Black Condor, Damage, Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, and the Ray) and investigated the last known meeting place of the Society. Unfortunately, Uncle Sam led the Freedom Fighters into an ambush. The Society was waiting for the Freedom Fighters, and Sinestro’s opening blast pierces Black Condor through the chest. Black Condor died, alongside fellow Freedom Fighters Human Bomb and Phantom Lady, and their bodies were hung by the Society at the top of the Washington Monument as a warning.  
 
Black Condor was buried in Valhalla Cemetery in Metropolis, alongside his Freedom Fighters teammates. However, a group of thieves bug a tunnel underneath his grave, removed his body, and stripped him of his wings. Superman discovered the body missing, and asked Nightwing to investigate. Nightwing discovered similar thefts of other bodies, including the Knight and the KGBeast. Nightwing and Robin eventually discovered the culprit behind it was Creighton Kendall, Black Condor’s grandfather, who still sought the secrets of flight. He and his Society of the Golden Wing genetically modified people with Black Condor’s wings and other traits from the corpses he stole. This time, the Society’s funding was backed by Talia. Nightwing and Robin shut down their operation, and Nightwing returned Condor’s body to Valhalla.
 
Unfortunately, his corpse was not at rest for long. Ryan Kendall was amongst the first wave of heroes brought back from the dead to become Black Lanterns during Blackest Night. Black Lantern Black Condor and the rest of the deceased legacy JSA heroes attacked the JSA Headquarters. The headquarters was defended by the JSA, Atom, Flash, and Mera. It is presumed that Black Condor’s body was returned to the grave at the end of Blackest Night.

Powers and Abilities

Due to the experimentation on his body and mind by the Society of the Golden Wing, the second Black Condor gained the ability to fly. Black Condor could use telekinesis to keep himself aloft, however, it was very difficult for him to maneuver. Black Condor created a wing rig that allowed him to fly at greater speeds, and to maneuver into tight spaces. In addition to flight, Back Condor could focus his telekinesis into a shattering effect that can destroy something small, like a gun.
 
In addition to telekinesis, Black Condor had a limited form of telepathy. Black Condor could get a sense of peoples’ moods, but he could not read their minds outright. He could also cause piercing headaches in others, but they would not last long. This telepathic ability gave him a higher level of susceptibility to psychic attacks. The Black Condor also had enhanced senses. His hearing was extended into the hyper-sonic range. He has an enhanced sense of smell, and could track someone by scent. His eyes could see farther than a normal human’s, and his eyes had a noticeable yellow tint to them.
 

Characteristics

Height: 6' 4"  
Weight: 170 lbs
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: Black

Weapons and Equipment

For a part of his career, the first Black Condor used a Black Light Gun which could deliver force beams that were capable of stunning an opponent or knocking down a brick wall. This gun was eventually passed down to Ryan Kendall, though he only used it for one adventure.
 
As a member of the Leymen, the second Black Condor also carried a Leyman necklace and fetish. Both the necklace and the fetish could transport a Layman back to Doctor Mist’s manor via his scrying pool, as well as detect threats to Earth via its leylines. These items were destroyed when the Leymen were disbanded.  

Alternate Versions

Amalgam

In the Amalgam universe, Black Condor merged with the Vulture to become the Black Vulture. Black Vulture is a member of the Sinister Society. It is unknown if Black Vulture is a cyborg, robot or is wearing a power suit. It is assumed he is mostly mechanical, being an enemy of Will Magnus who many of the Sinister Society blamed for their current appearances. His armor was composed of Ninth Metal, which allowed him to fly. At first, Black Vulture and the Sinister Society fought Magneto and his Magnetic Men. However, later the Sinister Society and the Magnetic Men teamed up to defeat Will Magnus.  

JLA: Destiny

In the four issue JLA: Destiny elseworlds, an alternate version of the second Black Condor appears with the name of Kondor. This Kondor was a member of a rebel force opposing the imperial Justice League.