Editing Ambush Bug (section)

==Publication history==
Created by artist [[Keith Giffen]] as an intentionally silly character, Ambush Bug first appeared in ''[[DC Comics Presents]]'' #52 (Dec. 1982)<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Manning|editor1-first= Matthew K|editor2-last=Dolan|editor2-first=Hannah |chapter= 1980s|title = D C Comics Year By Year, A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 199 |quote = (Ambush Bug) made his debut in the pages of ''DC Comics Presents'' #52...(by) writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Keith Giffen.}}</ref> and would make appearances in several other [[Superman]]-related comic books in the early 1980s. [[Paul Kupperberg]], who wrote Ambush Bug's first story, recalled, "as Keith was in the office, he sat in on the plotting and offered up Ambush Bug as an antagonist. The Bug is entirely Keith's creation ..."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Browning|first=Michael |title=The Doom Patrol Interviews: Paul Kupperberg|journal=[[Back Issue!]]|issue=#65 |page=43 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date=July 2013|location=Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> Giffen has stated that both Ambush Bug and [[Lobo (DC Comics)|Lobo]] were derived from [[Lunatik]], a character he created in high school.<ref>{{cite journal |last=DeAngelo|first=Daniel |date=July 2013|title=The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players: A History of the Defenders|journal=[[Back Issue!]]|issue=#65|page=10 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]}}</ref> Giffen said that his original pitch was "[[Bugs Bunny]] as a super-villain".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eury |first1=Michael |title=The Krypton Companion |date=2006 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=9781893905610 |page=192}}</ref>

In response to positive reader reaction to the character's first appearance, editor [[Julius Schwartz]] directed Giffen to create another Ambush Bug story for ''DC Comics Presents'' #59.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Callahan|first=Timothy |title=The Substitute Heroes in the Spotlight |journal=[[Back Issue!]]|issue=#65|page=70 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]| date=July 2013|location=Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> At first, Ambush Bug was a villain, named after a type of insect, and having a green, skintight suit with two orange antennae containing miniature robot bugs that enable him to teleport. After attacking Superman and other heroes, Ambush Bug decides instead to be a [[superhero]] as well. He also fancies himself Superman's friend, which only annoys the hero even more than his early villainy. The costume then becomes permanently affixed to his body, and he gains the power to teleport by himself. While trying to fix one of the miniature bugs, it explodes, causing a chain reaction and a blast that destroys all of the bugs and tints Ambush Bug's costume temporarily black; he then becomes capable of teleporting even without the bugs (briefly considering changing his moniker to Black Beetle instead).

Ambush Bug became popular enough to be featured in two comic book miniseries and several specials, plotted and pencilled by Keith Giffen and scripted by [[Robert Loren Fleming]]. The series contains many comic book-enthusiast and DC in-jokes and satire; series editor Julius Schwartz is also a character in the book.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |title=Ambush Bug |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/ambushbg.htm |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=1 April 2020}}</ref>

During his own four-part series in 1985, he picks up a doll and, thinking it is alive, "adopted" it as a partner called "Cheeks, The Toy Wonder", complete with its own costume.

In 2001, Ambush Bug appears as a member of the "Justice League of Anarchy" alongside [[Plastic Man]], the [[Creeper (DC Comics)|Creeper]], [[Harley Quinn]], [['Mazing Man]], and the [[Trickster (DC Comics)|Trickster]]. This group of DC Universe troublemakers made a one-panel cameo in a series exploring variations on the [[Justice League|JLA]] acronym, ''JLA: Justice League of Amazons''.

Ambush Bug is largely considered an absurd character and is rarely used by other writers, though he still exists in the DC Universe and occasionally still appears in some DC Comics. His popularity amongst creators has led to many "cameos", sometimes with as little as his antennae being visible. In 2006, he appeared as part of [[Jason Rusch|Firestorm]]'s short-lived [[Justice League|Justice League of America]] in ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'' #24 (a comic Giffen did layouts for). His powers appeared in proxy in ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis]]'' #32. [[Jimmy Olsen]] briefly gains the appearance of Ambush Bug and subconsciously uses his power of "Dumb Luck" to locate [[Forager (character)|Forager]].

An Ambush Bug miniseries, ''[[Ambush Bug: Year None]]'', debuted in 2008, plotted and pencilled by Giffen, and written by Fleming, with Jann Jones serving as editor. The final issue was published almost a year after the rest of the series. [[Dan DiDio]] claims to have lost issue #6 and instead they skipped it to finish off with issue #7.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091102-Didio-10-Questions.html | title=10 Answers and One Question with DC's Dan DiDio | last=Rogers | first=Vaneta | work=[[Newsarama]] | date=November 2, 2009}}</ref>

Ambush Bug was seen in the new ''[[Doom Patrol]]'' series in 2010 at the end of issue #9, arriving with his luggage and Cheeks. He appeared semi-regularly until the series ended.

Ambush Bug made another appearance, in issue #46 of the outside of regular DC continuity ''[[Tiny Titans]]'' series.

In ''[[The New 52]]'' continuity reboot, Ambush Bug appears as a news reporter in the feature "Channel 52", which summarizes the comics' plots.<ref>{{cite web|title=Comic Book Resources |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43436|access-date=15 February 2013}}</ref>