| Agent Liberty | |
|---|---|
 Cover to Agent Liberty Special #1 by Dan Jurgens. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman (vol. 2) #60 (October 1991) |
| Created by | Dan Jurgens |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Benjamin Lockwood |
| Team affiliations | Sons of Liberty CIA Justice League |
| Abilities |
|
Agent Liberty is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character debuts in Superman vol. 2 #60 (October 1991), and was later given his own solo adventure in Agent Liberty Special #1 (1992).1
Sam Witwer portrayed a loosely adapted version of the character on the live-action Arrowverse television series Supergirl.
Fictional character biography
Benjamin Lockwood
Benjamin "Benjy" Lockwood once worked for the CIA, but ultimately left in disgust at their methods and the types of missions he was being asked to undertake. He became so disenchanted with the federal government as a whole that he joined the Sons of Liberty, a paramilitary group who gave him the equipment to be Agent Liberty.2 As Agent Liberty, Lockwood helped to further the Sons of Liberty's cause of overturning the governmental regime which brought him into conflict with Superman, though he later briefly assisted the Justice League in battling Brainiac in the crossover Panic in the Sky. When the Sons of Liberty asked him to assassinate politician Pete Ross, Lockwood refused and instead helped to bring down the group by sending vital information to Clark Kent.
Lockwood later learns that his former CIA mentor Charles Holcraft was the founder of the Sons of Liberty, getting so disgusted with this revelation that he burned his Agent Liberty costume and vowing to never adopt the Agent Liberty persona again. However, Lockwood subsequently becomes one of the many unwillingly brainwashed victims of a cult started by Brainiac and takes up the Agent Liberty identity once more.3 Agent Liberty and the other kidnapped metahumans are rescued by Huntress and Vixen. Later, during the Earth-shaking crisis of Infinite Crisis, Agent Liberty is seen at a mass for fallen and missing superheroes.
Dozens of heroes, Agent Liberty included, also gather to defend Metropolis from the Secret Society of Super-Villains. He is seen heading for a heavily armed cyborg being; the Society ultimately loses the battle.4
Agent Liberty comes out of retirement to act as a member of the President's security detail while meeting with Superman and other Kryptonians newly arrived on Earth.5
Agent Liberty is killed by Superwoman after the latter learns that he has been spying on Sam Lane and Lex Luthor.6 His body is dumped in Metropolis Harbor, where he is discovered and brought ashore by a group of boaters.78
DC Rebirth reboots the character as an operative of the D.E.O.9
Second version
During the "Codename: Patriot" arc, an unidentified female incarnation of Agent Liberty is part of President Martin Suarez's security team.10 She is killed during Ursa's attack on the White House during the War of the Supermen storyline.11
Third version
During the Dawn of DC storyline, an unidentified male incarnation of Agent Liberty appears as part of a splinter group of the Sons of Liberty.12
Powers and abilities
Benjamin Lockwood is highly skilled in military tactics, hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship. His Agent Liberty high-tech battle suit can generate a force-field of energy capable of deflecting bullets and houses weapons such as retractable gauntlet blades. He wears a jetpack that allows flight and was able to summon attack helicopters and other assistance from the Sons of Liberty.
In other media
Television
Benjamin "Ben" Lockwood appears in the fourth season of Supergirl, portrayed by Sam Witwer.13 This version is a college history professor who lost his home and father Peter during the events of the second and third seasons respectively. Upon being fired by the university for his anti-alien opinions, Ben was approached by Lex Luthor's subordinates, Mercy Graves and Otis Graves, who gave him the equipment needed to be a self-proclaimed "Agent of Liberty". Ben subsequently goes on to found the Children of Liberty and create a human-first world order, ridding National City of alien life whilst keeping his actions secret from his wife Lydia and son George, and antagonizing Supergirl. Additionally, an alternate timeline version of Ben appears in the fifth season episode "It's a Super Life".
Video games
The Benjamin Lockwood incarnation of Agent Liberty appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.14
References
References
- Wallace, Dan (2008), "Agent Liberty", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 9, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1
- Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
- Birds of Prey #72 (October 2004)
- Infinite Crisis #6 (May 2006)
- Superman #681 (December 2008)
- Action Comics #873 (March 2009)
- Supergirl (vol. 5) #37 (March 2009)
- Supergirl (vol. 5) #38 (April 2009)
- Green Lantern (vol. 7) #22
- Superman: World of New Krypton #6 (October 2009)
- Superman: War of the Supermen #3 (July 2010)
- The Power Company: Recharged #1 (June 2025)
- Agard, Chancellor (17 July 2018). "Smallville alum Sam Witwer joins Supergirl season 4 as Agent Liberty". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- Eisen, Andrew (4 October 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2024.