Biographical Data

Real Name: Arch Dyker
Other current aliases: None
Former aliases: None
Dual identity: Secret
Current occupation: Deceased
Former occupations: Golden Gloves Boxing Champion, professional criminal and hitman
Citizenship: United States of America
Legal status: Deceased
Place of birth: Unknown
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: None
Known confidants: None
Known allies: Powerhouse and Condor
Major enemies: Nova, Sphinx, New Champions, Xandar
Usual base of operations: New York
Current group membership: None
Former group membership: Terrible Trio (along with Powerhouse and Condor), New Champions (before his later betrayal)
Extent of education: High school

History: Even as a kid, Arch Dyker seemed destined to become a criminal. When playing with other kids, he always relished the role of the villain. In his teenage years, Dyker became a Golden Gloves boxing champion and later a petty thief. One night, he broke into the South Hampton Science Institute to commit a theft. As he was attempting to steal some precious gems, he tripped and fell in front of a diamond-powered laser. Instead of disintegrating, Dyker was transformed into a being of pure diamond.

With his new power, Dyker renamed himself Diamondhead and began his attempt to become a major crimelord. It was during this attempt that Dyker became aware of the Sphinx, whom he only knew as the Dreaded One. Diamondhead feared the Sphinx but knew he had to destroy him in order to achieve his goal. Another foe of the Sphinx, the Condor, approached Diamondhead and they, along with Powerhouse, formed an alliance known as The Terrible Trio.

During preparations for their assault on the Sphinx, Diamondhead and Nova became allies while the teenage hero was brainwashed by the Condor. Nova took the Terrible Trio to the Nova Prime Starship but was able to shake off the brainwashing effect while onboard the ship. The trio quickly raided the starship's weapons and escaped. After arriving back on Earth, the trio began their attack on the Sphinx at his Pyramid of Knowledge in upstate New York. During the battle, Diamondhead physically confronted the Sphinx and was met with violent force. The Sphinx hurled the diamond-hardened villain into the side of a mountain!

Diamondhead remained trapped in the mountain for a period of months. Eventually, the Army Corp of Engineers were building a new army base and unknowingly blasted him free with dynamite during an excavation. Later, Diamondhead discovered the father and son hero team of the Comet and Crimebuster. Realizing that the two heroes knew Nova, he hid himself in Crimebuster's Crime-Pod. Diamondhead was transported onto the Nova Prime Starship by the Sphinx along with Nova, Powerhouse, Dr. Sun, Comet and Crimebuster. The group was taken to Xandar by the Sphinx as part of his plan to take the immense knowledge of Xandar's Living Computers. While on Xandar, Diamondhead became part of the group called the New Champions and became involved with defending Xandar from the Skrull in the Skrull/Xandar War.

Later in the war, Diamondhead betrayed Xandar to the Skrulls on the planet Epyrus 7. The villainous traitor led a battallion of Nova Corps soldiers into a Skrull ambush. However, unknown to the Skrull, Diamondhead also betrayed them. He released a bacterial weapon on both sides which dissolved their cellular structures. In an act of mercy and anger, Nova disintegrated the victims with a gravimetric pulse. The incident was so traumatic to Nova that the Xandarians later wiped the incident from his memory.

In an incident near the end of the one year war, Diamondhead betrayed the New Champions and handed the Nova Prime Starship over to a squadron of Skrulls. Nova and the spaceknight Rom were able to prevent a final assault on Xandar and Nova single-handedly defeated Diamondhead and left him floating in the vacuum of space.

During his time in open space, Diamondhead (who's powers had kept him alive even in the harsh conditions of space) was captured by the cosmic being known as the Stranger. The villain was taken to the Stranger's laboratory world as part of a group of test subjects for unknown purposes. He, and a number of other prisoners, escaped and returned to Earth with the help of the young cosmic hero, Quasar.

After returning to Earth, Dyker became a professional hitman. One of his jobs involved murdering two men by the names of Mr. Benchley and Mr. Vanetti. Vanetti was an associate of The Corruptor, a foe of Nova's. In order to revenge Vanetti, the Corruptor hired Nova's delivery service, Nova Express, to unknowingly deliver an explosion package to Diamondhead. The bomb explodes and hurls Nova and Diamondhead out of the building. Diamondhead is relentlessly attacked by Nova due to his betrayal of Xandar. After being captured, Diamondhead is able to escape after mentioned Epyrus 7 which stuns Nova into partially remembering what happened on that planet.

Dyker's next hit job was to murder an abortion doctor. By coincidence, Nova (as Rich Rider) was at the hospital at the same time as Diamondhead. The young hero prevents the diamond-bodied criminal from killing the doctor and begins a battle with his enemy. During the fight, Diamondhead again reminds Nova of Epyrus 7 which causes the hero to regain the remainder of his lost memories. In anger, Nova borrows the energy shield of his fellow hero, Captain America, who had come across their battle and offered his assistance. With intense rage and force, Nova slices the shield completely through Diamondhead and literally shatters him into pieces.

Over time, Dyker's body grew back together. When Nova returns to visit Earth after the Annihilation War, Diamondhead followed Rich Rider around town waiting for a confrontation. However, with Nova possessing the entire Nova Force, Diamondhead was easily rendered helpless after Rider blew his hand off with a single energy blast. Dyker is currently in jail.

Physical Description

Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 300 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown (as Dyker), None (as Diamondhead)
Other distinguishing features: Body was made up of pure diamond.

Powers and Abilities

Intelligence: Below average
Strength: Superhuman Class 30 tons
Speed: Peak human
Stamina: Superhuman
Durability: Superhuman
Agility: Superhuman
Reflexes: Superhuman
Fighting skills: Formidable boxing skills.
Special skills and abilities: None
Superhuman physical powers: Invulnerability, strength, stamina, able to withstand the intense conditions and vacuum of outer space.
Superhuman mental powers: None
Special limitations: Lack of intelligence.
Source of superhuman powers: Diamond-powered laser.

Paraphernalia

Costume specifications: Ordinary fabric. Original costume was blue with a diamond on the chest, white boots and white gloves. Later, Diamondhead preferred to wear a simple sleaveless undershirt and pants.
Personal weaponry: None
Special weaponry: None
Other accessories: None

Bibliography

First appearance: Nova #3, Vol. 1
Origin issue: Nova #3, Vol. 1
Appearances Checklist:
Nova Vol. 1; 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24, 25
Nova Vol. 2; 10
Nova Vol. 3; 2
Fantastic Four Vol. 1; 206, 208, 209
Rom; 24
Quasar; 16, 20