Origin

When the insane mob-leader and self fashioned Greek god Maxie Zeus needed agents to disrupt the 1984 Olympics, he contacted the mysterious arms and muscle dealer, the Monitor. Following with the orders, the Monitor contracted assassins for hire and outfitted them after chosen Greek and Roman archetypes. One of these assassins become known as Proteus, becoming able to change his form, much like his namesake. He then was made a member of Maxie Zeus' team, the New Olympians.

Creation

Proteus and the rest of the New Olympians were created by writer Mike W. Barr, along with artists Bill Anderson and Bill Willingham. He first appeared in 1984's Batman and the Outsiders #14.

Major Story Arcs

The Olympics

Proteus and his fellow New Olympians arrived at the Olympics to abduct athlete Lacinia Nitocris and convince her to be Maxie Zeus' bride. Batman and the Outsiders confronted them however, and Maxie Zeus demanded that the teams compete against each other in deadly Olympic style games to determine the fate of Nitocris.

Proteus and Vulcanus challenged Metamorpho and Black Lightning to a handball-themed form of combat. Ultimately Proteus and the rest of the New Olympians were defeated by the Outsiders however. Once defeated, Proteus was so afraid of anyone seeing his true face rather than his shape-shifted, handsome facade that he begged Black Lightning to kill him. He was instead arrested like the rest of his teammates.

Thy Kingdom Come

The New Olympians went into hiding, and only resurfaced when they were all found dead in their subterranean hideout. Their death wound up being part of a murder spree perpetrated by Gog, who believed he had a preordained purpose in life to destroy false gods.

Powers & Abilities

Proteus is a shape-shifter, able to stretch his limbs and body, turn his hands into spiked maces, grow wings to fly, and takes on a handsome appearance to hide his true face.