Andromeda
Andromeda Incorporated is a company headquartered in Chicago. A massive corporation, it owns many other companies, but is best known as the parent company of Novacom.
History
Most of Andromeda's history has not been revealed. Its best-known activities centered around Operation: Think Tank, a plan conceived by The Chairman to take over the entire world. As may be expected, this plan was many years in the making, and ultimately involved things ranging from funding Eugene Meltsner's tuition at Campbell College and his study on radio waves, to acts of theft, espionage, and even murder. The town of Odyssey, where Novacom set up business, turned out to be central to many of Andromeda's plans. However, while they came very close to success, Andromeda's plans were ultimately thwarted by the people of Odyssey.
It is not quite clear what became of Andromeda after Operation: Think Tank failed and its leaders were exposed. During Connie Kendall's visit to Virginia, Agent Bourland mentioned that the case was still being drawn against them, possibly due in part to the sheer magnitude of their crimes. However, taking Novacom as an example, it could be that Andromeda Incorporated still exists as a company, but has suffered from the scandal inherent in trying to take over the world. The canon Elsewhere in Odyssey storyline, EIO: The Acolyte, revealed more about the aftermath of Andromeda's defeat, sharing details about The Andromeda Trials, likely the result of Agent Bourland's work mentioned during Connie's visit to DC.
When the Horton family disappeared from their home, Jared DeWhite believed that Andromeda had struck again, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Members
- Andromeda was led by a man known only as The Chairman. In a later episode it's hinted that he might be a high ranking military officer in the Pentagon, possibly a general.
- One of the Chairman's aides was Barry Muntz, whose duties went well beyond simply acting as an assistant.
- The Chairman was the head of a thirteen-member board of directors, all of whom were in on Operation: Think Tank. The directors included Dr. James McKinley, Stanley Elbert, and Armitage Shanks, who was the only holdout against their plans.
- Andromeda's head of security was Bennett Charles, who was unofficially known as "The Enforcer" and acted as their chief agent for illegal activities.
- Stephen DeWhite used to be an accountant for Andromeda until he learned about their money-laundering schemes and ended up in the Witness Protection Program.
- One of the known agents was Monica Stone.
Holdings
- While investigating Novacom, a clerk in Odyssey's city hall implied that The Odyssey Times had been bought out by Andromeda about a year before Novacom became active in Odyssey.
- Later, in #703: “The Labyrinth, Part 1”, Dale Jacobs says that the Odyssey Times was bought out—again.
- When asked by Connie Kendall, Robert Mitchell described a complex web of subsidiaries and mergers, including Galaxy Communications, Northstar Technology, Vega Incorporated, Cirrus Industries, Galileo Enterprises, and Polaris Corporation, all of which were owned by Andromeda. Jared DeWhite, son of Andromeda accountant Stephen DeWhite, commented on another occasion that they "owned, like, everybody."
- Veil Industries
- Mary's Story Shop
- As a result of this, Andromeda technically owned the Whit's End in Connellsville at first.
Notes
- Despite playing a major role in the Novacom saga, Andromeda is not mentioned until #478: “Strange Boy in a Strange Land”, although a "big company" working with Novacom is mentioned in #457: “Opportunity Knocks”.
- It is possible that Andromeda liquidated some of their assets in order to stay afloat or all of them if they ceased business operations.
Resources
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