DeSaad

DeSaad
DeSaad as depicted in Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1 (April 1994). Art by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceForever People #2 (May 1971)
Created byJack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoDeSaad
SpeciesNew God
Place of originApokolips
Team affiliationsDarkseid's Elite
Notable aliasesDoctor Dezard, the God of Torture, the Grand Director[1]
Abilities
  • Immortality
  • Superhuman strength, endurance and reflexes
  • Powers of telepathy, emotion manipulation and absorption
  • Energy absorption and teleportation
  • Brilliant inventor of weapons and torture devices

DeSaad (also spelled Desaad) is a supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series.[2]

As DeSaad serves as Darkseid's master torturer, his name refers to the Marquis de Sade. At one point, DeSaad had an assistant named Justeen, a reference to de Sade's novel Justine, although she bore little resemblance to the title character.

Steve Byers portrayed DeSaad in the television series Smallville. The character made his cinematic debut in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), portrayed through voice and motion capture by Peter Guinness.

  1. ^ O.M.A.C. (vol. 4) #1-4
  2. ^ Wallace, Dan (2008). "Demons Three". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.