The first in a long line of rainbow-colored villains. Introduced in Avengers #69 (1969) by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema, when Grandmaster was challenged by Kang, the Elder of the Universe used his powers to create a team of powered heroes, with Kinji Obatu being chosen as the weilder of the Power Prism that transformed him into Dr. Spectrum. The Squadron Sinister would battle and lose to the Avengers. They would have their memories stripped from them and returned to their own lives. However, Kinji would regain the Power Prism and would battle Iron Man a few times, with Spectrum fleeing each time.

He would eventually try and hire Iron Man as his bodyguard in his civilian identity, but this was a trap to lure Iron man into a battle. They would fight once more but the Power Prism decided to go to Iron Man as his latest host. Iron Man would battle Thor and freed the hero before Spectrum retried the Prism, He was defeated by the pair of heroes and was unmasked. He was deported to Uganda where he was sentenced to death. He instead escaped but was later killed when he fell from a balcony between him, a witch doctor, and a team of heroes including Black Panther, Thing and Brother Voodoo.

Out of all the 616 Dr. Spectrum, Obatu is probably the most famous version of the character due to his role in the Squadron Sinister and his battle with Iron Man. He would receive a figure as part of a Squadron Supreme 2-pack, which can be used for several versions of the character.