FATHER KELLEY

PERSONAL DATA

HISTORY

In his early years, young Robert Duncan was a brilliant electronics engineer specializing in laser systems. For unknown reasons, Robert left his native England for the United States and embarked on a life of crime. Using advanced laser weapons systems of his own design, Robert adopted the identity of Laser Lord and began using his technology to steal. As Laser Lord, Robert fought many of the minor super-hero groups that existed in the States during the period several decades prior to the first appearance of Superman, groups like the Justice Experience and the Crusaders. Eventually Robert joined forces with several other costumed villains and they formed a group called the Sinister Society. The Society was one of the more successful villain groups of the time, so successful that they eventually attracted the attention of the legendary Justice Society, who had briefly come out of retirement to hunt down a villain who was killing many of the other heroes of the time. The Sinister Society's leader, General Kaos, set on a plan to wipe out the JSA, a move that make their team infamous. As part of the plan, Kaos developed a powerful anti-matter cannon and threatened to destroy the east coast of the United States with it if the JSA did not surrender to him. When Robert saw that Kaos and the others intended to kill the JSA he realized that his conscience would not let him become a murderer. Robert secretly contacted the JSA and gave them information that led them to the Sinister Society's hideout. The JSA defeated Kaos and the others and Robert was the star witness against them at their trial. The rest of the Sinister Society went to jail and Robert was given the new identity of Duncan Kelley by the federal government and relocated to New York City.

Duncan Kelley turned to religion to help him adjust to his new life and to atone for his past deeds, and took a position as a priest in a church in Manhattan's infamous Lower East Side. Years later Kelley witnessed a group of mob thugs gun down a police officer on the docks, and luckily he was able to rescue the badly injured officer, Lisa Mitchel, from the river. For some unknown reason Father Kelley decided to treat the woman himself rather than take her to a hospital and inform the authorities. When she finally regained consciousness Lisa told the priest that she had been a corrupt cop in the employ of the boss of the thugs that shot her. She also told him that while she was dying of her wounds she had a vision in which Saint Joan of Arc came to her and offered her a path to redemption if she took up the battle against corruption and evil. Father Kelley understood Lisa's desire to atone for her past actions and offered to help. While Lisa recovered Father Kelley used his engineering skills to develop a high-tech suit of armor and sword based on those used by his former teammate Gladiator. By the time Lisa was well enough to begin her crusade against evil the sword and armor were ready and the hero Arclight was born.

Father Kelley became Arclight's secret ally and Lisa's confessor, using his skills to maintain both the armor and its occupant. When Arclight joined the New York-based group of heroes Justice Inc., Father Kelley began secretly helping them as well. When events forced Lisa herself into the Witness Protection Program, Father Kelley initially remained behind in New York. Around Christmas of that year, however, he was attacked by several of his old teammates bent on revenge. Arclight returned to New York and helped Justice Inc. save Father Kelley. Afterward he decided to relocate to New Orleans, where Lisa was in her new life as schoolteacher Gabrielle Jones.

When ArcAngel (as Gabrielle began calling herself later in her heroic career) moved to Superior City to be part of a new super-hero team, Father Kelley eventually decided that his place was by her side and that he would also move there. Before he could, though, Father Kelley was recruited by Zodiak, another New Orleans-based hero, to help he and his allies battle a demonic invasion. Father Kelley joined the Arcane and used his combined knowledge of Catholic dogma and laser energy systems to build weaponry to combat the demons. This caused his teammate, Night Flick, to nickname Father Kelley "The Exorcist". Father Kelley stayed with the Arcane for a short time after the invasion was stopped but soon moved to Superior City to be with ArcAngel.

Suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress related to her near-death years earlier, Arcangel fled the city and Father Kelley set out to find her. During his search for Gabrielle he was captured by the immortal villain Vandal Savage, who was also after Gabrielle. In the end it was Gabrielle who found him, and rescued him from Savage. In the process, though, she learned a secret that Father Kelley had kept from her for years. Back when he training to become a priest, Father Kelley had been recruited in a mysterious group called the Order of Sion. The Order, he was told, was dedicated to protecting a secret, ancient and powerful bloodline from its enemies. After being inducted into the Order, Father Kelley had been assigned to watch over a family in America that was descended from the bloodline, though they were unaware of their heritage. That family was Gabrielle's. It was no coincidence that Father Kelley had been nearby the night she had been shot. He had been watching Gabrielle and her family for years.

When Gabrielle's brother was killed and she was badly wounded, it was considered by the Order to be a failure on Father Kelley's part. However, before the Order could replace him he had already insinuated himself in Gabrielle's life. They reluctantly let him stay at his post, especially when they learned of the vision she'd had of Saint Joan of Arc. There was a legend in the Order that told of women of the bloodline who would manifest "holy" powers. Joan of Arc had been born to the bloodline and was allegedly one of these women, who were called the Heart of Reason. When ArcAngel had her breakdown and fled, though, the Order did remove Father Kelley and began searching for Gabrielle themselves. By now, though, Father Kelley had come to love Gabrielle like a daughter and continued the search on his own. To prevent him from interfering the Order had taken him into custody, but that was when Vandal Savage had stepped in and taken Father Kelley himself, hoping to learn Gabrielle's whereabouts from him.

After being reunited with him, Gabrielle forgave Father Kelley for not telling her about the order, and he again stood by her side. The reunion did not last long though. A few months after the pair had returned to Superior City, the past caught up with the ArcAngel and she was killed by the villain Thunderblade. Since ArcAngel's death Father Kelley has taken up the mantle of mentor again, this time to the young hero Rocket.

POWERS & WEAPONS

Duncan Kelley has no super-powers but he is highly intelligent and genius in the field of laser technology. As a priest, he is well versed in Catholicism and he keeps himself in good shape for a man his age. Father Kelley still tinkers with the technology he used as Laser Lord and usually had a laser weapon or device of some kind handy to deal with any trouble.

Warp Zone | DC Heroes | The Arcane | Father Duncan Kelley