Simon Stagg

Simon Stagg is an inventor and the founder and CEO of Stagg Enterprises.

History
Simon Stagg is the unscrupulous owner and CEO of Stagg Enterprises and the father of Sapphire Stagg. Adventurer Rex Mason wanted to win Sapphire's hand in marriage so Simon sent Rex to Egypt to retrieve a meteor referred as the "Orb of Ra". Unbeknownst to Rex, Simon had his brutish neanderthal bodyguard, Java, attack him and leave him for dead. Unfortunately, Rex was near the Orb of Ra and was exposed to it leading to his transformation into Metamorpho.

Later appearances
Sometime later, Simon Stagg tricked the Metal Men into attacking the Justice League and had Java detain Rocket Red #4 and Animal Man. It turned out that Rex had a baby son, who harmed whatever it touched. Metamorpho handed the baby over to Simon, who became convinced he would now die, harmed like Java had been moments earlier.

Simon came through unharmed; something in his genetic structure protected him just as it did with the baby's mother. Simon's stance softened, and everyone was allowed to go. Doc Magnus of the Metal Men offered his services to Simon in creating new arms for Java.

On the way home, Metamorpho's friends were puzzled as to how he knew Simon would be unaffected by the child. Metamorpho indicates that he had hoped the baby would kill Simon.

Birds of Prey
In Birds of Prey #51, Java came upon Black Canary while searching for help for Sapphire. His story was that Sapphire and Joey, Metamorpho's son, had been caught in a lab explosion and merged into a single energy being who was taking revenge upon Simon Stagg's former colleagues. In issue #52, it is revealed that not only were Sapphire and Joey merged, but so was Simon and it was him who was directing the revenge. Black Canary realized that Java was actually Metamorpho, somehow affected to believe he was Java. The three were separated once more with Simon claiming to have been overcome by the energy itself and unable to control his actions. As the comic ends, he steps away from the joyous family reunion to check on a growing clone of Java.

Countdown to Infinite Crisis
In the one-shot Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Maxwell Lord, the villain of the story, is seen talking with Stagg on the phone.

Blackest Night
In the Blackest Night tie-in Weird Western Tales #71 (March, 2010), Stagg appeals to Joshua Turnbull (great-great-grandson of Quentin Turnbull) for help in analyzing a Black Lantern ring that was found on the grave of Don Hall and transported by The Ray. He leaves before the Lanterns attack, and it is unclear whether he survived the event.

Powers and Abilities

 * Genius Level Intellect
 * Business Management
 * Tactical Analysis
 * Expert Geneticist

In other media

 * Simon Stagg appeared in the Justice League episode "Metamorphosis" voiced by Earl Boen. When some of his company's developments were becoming too dangerous, Stagg wanted to create the ultimate soldier he referred to as a Metamorpho, for the U.S. Military. He had Java smuggle some chemicals for that into the country where one of them leaked and nearly causes a train wreck which was prevented by Green Lantern. Like in the comics, his favorite employee Rex Mason was in love with Simon's daughter Sapphire, of whom Stagg was jealously protective. In order to "protect" his daughter, Simon tested the chemicals on Rex, who was transformed into a shape-shifting mutant. Upon learning that Simon was responsible, he went after him in which the first attempt had him frozen to below zero temperatures. When Simon had his men dispose of Metamorpho, he later broke free. During a fight with Metamorpho in the next encounter, an accident causes part of Simon's mind to end up in a synthoid that rampaged throughout Metropolis. When the synthoid was destroyed by Metamorpho, Simon Stagg woke up in the hospital screaming. Simon Stagg later made a cameo in "Only a Dream" Part 1 amongst the villains in John Dee's dream.
 * Simon Stagg's Stagg Industries is referenced in DC Universe Online. When the players on the hero side find a Jade Jaguar Totem during their mission to stop Catwoman, a voice-over by Catwoman mentioned that she acquired it in Peru while trying to save the jaguars from Stagg Industries' sponsored murders. Stagg Enterprises Gotham HQ can be found in the Otisburg section of Gotham City.

Beware the Batman

 * See: Simon Stagg (Beware the Batman)