In DC Comics continuity Benjamin 'Benjy' Lockwood is a former CIA operative who, disgusted with agency methods, joined the paramilitary Sons of Liberty and was given equipment to adopt the Agent Liberty persona (first appearance: Superman vol. 2 #60, October 1991). In comics Lockwood initially opposes the federal government and Superman, later refuses an assassination order (target: Pete Ross) and betrays the Sons of Liberty by sending information to Clark Kent. After discovering Charles Holcraft's role he burns the costume and vows to abandon the identity; subsequently he was unwillingly reactivated when brainwashed by Brainiac's cult, later rescued (Agent Liberty and other kidnapped metahumans rescued by Huntress and Vixen), briefly served on a presidential security detail, and was ultimately killed by Superwoman with his body disposed in Metropolis Harbor. In other continuities there are gendered and unnamed incarnations (a female Agent Liberty on President Martin Suarez's security team and a male in a Dawn of DC splinter group), and in the DC Rebirth era the identity is rebooted as a D.E.O. operative. In the Arrowverse television series Supergirl (season 4) Benjamin 'Ben' Lockwood (portrayed by Sam Witwer) is a fired college history professor radicalized into founding the Children of Liberty after being equipped by associates of Lex Luthor (Mercy and Otis Graves).
Comic-book Benjamin Lockwood wears a high-tech battle suit furnished by the Sons of Liberty that includes a jetpack for flight, retractable gauntlet blades, and a capacity to generate an energy force-field capable of deflecting bullets; the suit is described as armed with weapons and grants defensive and offensive capabilities. The television Supergirl portrayal emphasizes Lockwood as a college professor turned ideological leader who is given equipment by Mercy and Otis Graves to become a self-proclaimed 'Agent of Liberty'; specific costume details in that TV depiction are not detailed in the provided sources.
Agent Liberty's capabilities are human and technology-based. Benjamin Lockwood is described as highly skilled in military tactics, hand-to-hand combat, and marksmanship. His high-tech suit provides technological augmentation: an energy force-field able to deflect bullets, retractable gauntlet blades, a jetpack enabling flight, and onboard weaponry; he can also call upon Sons of Liberty resources (such as attack helicopters) for support. Behaviorally, the persona functions as a paramilitary leader, organizer, and ideological agitator, able to found and lead groups (Children of Liberty in television) and to operate within or adjacent to official security structures (presidential detail, D.E.O. operative in reboot).
Weaknesses
- conditionHuman vulnerability (non-supernatural)
- conditionSusceptibility to brainwashing/coercion (documented revivals under Brainiac's cult)
- otherLoss or destruction of equipment (e.g., burning of costume led to abandonment of identity)
- otherOpposition by superheroes and law enforcement (narrative means of defeat)
Wards
None recorded.
Community Record
- [1]Agent Liberty - Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 'Agent Liberty' entrywiki
- [2]Ben Lockwood - Wikidata. Wikidata entry for Ben Lockwoodwiki
- [3]3-31-2020 CSC Talk Radio (archive) - noted as unrelated material in research notes. Archive recording (not used for Agent Liberty content)other
- [4]Liberty RoundTable with Sam Bushman (05-19-2023) (archive) - noted as unrelated material in research notes. Archive recording (not used for Agent Liberty content)other
- [5]Fmr. Border Patrol Agent Todd Watkins on IRS Arming Agents... (archive) - noted as unrelated material in research notes. Archive recording (not used for Agent Liberty content)other
