One of the most underrated and underestimated villains in the entire DC Universe has just taken the Titans’ home as his own.

After a near-disastrous first trip to the space-based Watchtower of the new Justice League Unlimited, the eponymous heroes of Titans #16 return to Earth to regroup and recuperate at home in peace. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before things in Titans Tower take a turn for the worst. Not only have the heroes been shut down in an instant by an unseen foe, but by the time the Clock King makes his presence known, it looks like it is already too late to stop him.

Written by JOHN LAYMAN Art and colors by PETE WOODS Letters by WES ABBOTT Main cover art by PETE WOODS Variant covers by JOHN GIANG, RAFA SANDOVAL & MATT HERMS, KELLEY JONES & JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA, and DANIELE SAMPERE & ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ

DC’s original Clock King, William Tockman, made his comic book debut all the way back in 1960’s World’s Finest #111 in Ed Herron and Lee Elias’ closing story, “Green Arrow: The Crimes of the Clock King.” Due to a dying sister and a six-month diagnosis of his own, Tockman decided to launch an elaborate bank heist to cover the costs of his family’s care after he passed, only to be defeated by the Green Arrow. Soon enough, Tockman learned that his diagnosis was entirely incorrect, driving him to embark upon his life as a costumed criminal permanently.

In the current DC Comics continuity of Prime Earth, there are three distinct villains operating under the moniker of the Clock King. Apart from the William Tockman who has infiltrated Titans Tower, there is also Billy Tockman (no relation), and a third Clock King whose only known name is William. These three vilains have worked both alone and together in various schemes, yet they have consistently been defeated by the various heroes that they have gone up against.

Though the Titans officially took the place of the Justice League following the latter’s disbanding in the wake of the Dark Crisis event, the team and its members have recently stepped up to join the newly formed Justice League Unlimited. As such, the heroes of the Titans are pulling double duty, with their own team acting completely independently of the Justice League Unlimited. Still, the likes of Nightwing and Starfire are set to take on bigger and bolder threats than ever before, especially in the aftermath of Amanda Waller’s failed war on the world’s heroes as seen in DC’s Absolute Power crossover event.

Titans #16 is on sale now from DC Comics.

Source: DC Comics