Conductor (Earth-93060/Ultraverse; Warstrike character)

conductor-93060-ws-mostfull CONDUCTOR

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-93060/"Ultraverse") presumed mutate/ultra

Occupation: Conductor (see comments)

Group Membership: Leader of a symphonic orchestra (including woodwinds, percussion, strings, and brass)

Affiliations: Presumably the members of his orchestra;
uncertain connection to Warstrike (Brandon Tark)

Enemies: None known

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed

First Appearance: Warstrike#5 (September, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: The Conductor commands a symphonic orchestra, but his...orchestrations seem to manipulate events of beings around them.

The nature of his power is unrevealed, but as he works in baton and hands in a frenzy, blood flies from the baton, striking the orchestra members and eventually covering up his own musical notes.

Height: Unrevealed (he did not appear particularly tall nor short, but he was not seen next to anyone; presumably somewhere between 5'8" and 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 150-190 lbs. depending on height)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gray (presumably brown, black, blond, etc. in youth) with black eyebrows

History:

(Warstrike#5) - The Conductor entered an auditorium with no audience: "First, there was a great abyss of darkness. A lone figure cuts his way through the ebony tide like a glowing planet drifting across the heavens."

He stood before his waiting orchestra, gave them an acknowledging bow, and -- with the sweep of his hand -- he brought life and sounds "from the depths of the abyss."

As he swept his hands, a red liquid (presumably blood) flew from the end of his baton and struck the members of the orchestra, who seemed not to notice and continued to play, presumably skillfully but completely dispassionately.

The narrative continued, "But the abyss was powerful, and consuming its strength was more than any one man could stand against. In the depths of its soul lies pain, anger, and denial...screaming out for blood. We are musicians. We are conductors. As we create the music...as we conduct the symphony...we must all turn and stare into the abyss...and if we stare into the abyss only to see ourselves, all is lost. All is lost. All is lost. All is lost. All is lost. "

    As the performance continued, more and more blood sprayed from his baton until his sheet music (and the field of view) was competely covered.

(Warstrike#5 - BTS) - As the blood flowed down from/off the field of view, the scene changed to Prototype (Jimmy Ruiz)'s confrontation with Warstrike.

(Warstrike#5) - Later, as Brandon Tark went to see his father, the Conductor took the podium again. As he swept his hands, multiple scenes of Brandon driving his motorcyle and arriving at his father's house, as well as Warstrike fighting unidentified criminals (including at least one costumed) were shown (without sound effects or dialog).

    The narrative continued, "Before him lies the sheet music. It is little more than ink on paper. He is the one who drive's its passion. He is the one who brings it to life. He is the one who chooses its meaning. Each element is interwined with the next. The tempo, the rhythm, the pitch...at all times...he is the one in control."

    "There is meaning to the symphony beyond sound. It is little more than a reflection of his own experiences. Of his own pain. Of his own anger. Of his own denial. Each note unlocks another emotion, each crescendo a new revelation, each chord another day...of his own life."

    The Conductor continued to sweep his hands as Brandon met with nurse Wagner and then went in to see his dad; this time, blood again flew from his baton.

    Initially covering up his face, presumably in depression due to his dad's inert state, Brandon put on a happy face before greeting his father. There were also some scenes of Warstrike fighting some bandana-wearing street criminal.

    The narrative continued, "The deep bass clashes with the crashing cymbals, the shrill clarinets strike at the lumbering tuba. The blood red drum beats against the feverish violins. Leaving only chaos. Leaving only cacophony. Leaving only ugliness. When hope dies, when dreams fade, when joy is but a memory, the music is destroyed...leaving only the symphony of the damned."

Comments: Created by Dan Danko, David Wong, and Howard Shum.

Yeah...that's all we got.

Is the Conductor and/or the members of his orchestra humans and/or mortals, or is he and/or they more like the Fates, controlling actions through music rather than weaving?
What effect did he have on Warstrike and/or others?
What was planned for the Conductor?
Or was he just a plot device...
And who's that guy in the red and black costume Warstrike is punching in the bottom right image in the first page of the montage scene above.
The world may never know...

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Conductor should be distinguished from:

other "Conductor" characters, groups, items, events, races, or places...

orchestra

(Warstrike#5) - The Conductor entered an auditorium with no audience.

He stood before his waiting orchestra, gave them an acknowledging bow, and -- with the sweep of his hand -- he brought life and sounds "from the depths of the abyss."

--Warstrike#5

images: (without ads)
Warstrike#5, pg.1, panel 3 (with symphony orchestra);
            panel 5-6 (standing at podium and starting performance);
       pg. 2, panel 1-2 (blood streaming from batons and striking orchestra);
       pg. 19-21 (conducting while apparently manipulating Warstrike?)

Appearances:
Warstrike#5 (September, 1994) - Dan Danko (writer), David Wong (penciler), Howard Shum (inker), Roland Mann (editor)

First posted: 06/26/2023
Last updated: 06/26/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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