| Darkseid | |
|---|---|
 Darkseid by George Pérez. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (Nov. 1970) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Uxas |
| Species | New Gods |
| Place of origin | Apokolips |
| Team affiliations | Darkseid's Elite Intergang |
| Notable aliases | Boss Dark Side |
| Abilities | The Omega Force Superhuman physical attributes and intelligence Psionic and energy powers Immortality |
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (Nov. 1970) and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby.[1]
Debuting in the Bronze Age of comic books, Darkseid has appeared in over four decades of DC Comics publications, featuring prominently in the New Gods titles and limited series as the recurring nemesis of the New Gods and Superman. The character has also appeared in associated DC Comics merchandise including animated television series; toys; trading cards and video games.
Contents |
Character and publication history
Origin
According to writer Mark Evanier, Jack Kirby modeled Darkseid physically on actor Jack Palance, while "the style and substance of this master antagonist were based on just about every power-mad tyrant Kirby had ever met or observed, with a special emphasis on Richard Milhous Nixon".[2]
The origin story of Darkseid relates that he was born Uxas on the planet Apokolips, the son of Yuga Khan and Queen Heggra, and second in line to the throne of Apokolips. He murders his brother, Drax, and claims the fabled Omega Force for himself, transforming him into a rock-like creature and takes on a new name, Darkseid.[1][3] He falls in love with an Apokoliptian scientist named Suli, with whom bears a son, Kalibak; however Suli is poisoned by Desaad on Heggra's behalf, who believed that Suli was corrupting her son. After Suli's death, Darkseid grew even colder and had Desaad poison Heggra, becoming the supreme monarch of Apokolips. Darkseid briefly marries a woman, Tigra, with whom gives birth to another son, Orion.[4] The destructive war between the rival planet, New Genesis, is stopped only with a diplomatic exchange of the sons of Highfather and Darkseid; Darkseid's second born son, Orion, is surrendered to Highfather, who grows up to value and defend the ideals of New Genesis in opposition to his father.[1]
Darkseid seeks to eliminate all free will from the universe and reshape it into his own image and seeks to unravel the mysterious Anti-Life Equation, which gives its user complete control over the thoughts and emotions of all living beings in the universe. Darkseid believes humans possess collectively within their minds most, if not all, fragments of the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid intended to probe the minds of every human in order to piece together the Equation.
Development
Originally limited to Kirby's Fourth World titles, Darkseid would be revealed to be the secret benefactor for the Secret Society of Super Villains [5] and confront the Justice League of America [6] In spite of his presence as the main villain of Jack Kirby's New Gods title, it would not be until writer Paul Levitz used Darkseid in the Legion of Super-Heroes storyarc, The Great Darkness Saga, that the character would become a major villain in the DC Universe, and menace other superheroes such as Superman and Wonder Woman. [7] [8] Other appearances in major crossovers would portray Darkseid as willing to help the heroes of Earth if only to ensure his own survival in the universe, including Crisis on Infinite Earths, Cosmic Odyssey and Our Worlds at War.
In Grant Morrison's 2005 limited series, Mister Miracle, Darkseid finally discovers the Anti-Life Equation, and uses it to destroy the Fourth World altogether. The New Gods flees to Earth, where they hide as normal humans, and Darkseid as a gang leader referred only to as "Boss Dark Side". [9] In Final Crisis, Darkseid begins to take over Earth with the aid of a corrupted Mary Marvel, Libra, Mr. Simyan, and Mokkari, and the astral forms of his fellow evil New Gods, who, like Darkseid, now possess human bodies. Using Metron's abandoned Mobius Chair, Darkseid assassinates his son Orion via a "time travel" bullet fired into the past following Orion "killing" his father at the end of Countdown to the Final Crisis. Darkseid possesses detective Dan Turpin's body, and with his legion of followers and allies aiding him while undergoing his latest "rebirth", Darkseid successfully conquers the Earth with the unleashing of the Anti-Life Equation onto mankind. Darkseid is ultimately defeated by the combined efforts of Superman, Batman, Barry Allen and Wally West.
Powers and abilities
Darkseid is among the most powerful New Gods, sometimes depicted with a variety of god-like abilities at his disposal. His main power, the Omega Effect, is a form of energy that he fires from his eyes as either concussive force or beams of disintegration, capable of transmuting or erasing most objects and organisms from existence as well as to reform or resurrect them. Anything Darkseid disintegrates with the Omega Effect can be brought back at any time by him, and often uses this as a form of punishment. Darkseid has pinpoint control over his Omega Beams, and his unerring aim allows them to travel in straight lines, bend, twist, or curve around corners, and can pass through matter and energy. The Omega Effect can also be used to teleport Darkseid or others through time and space.[10] Darkseid is also able to project the Omega Effect as energy blasts from his hands. Another type of Omega Effect is the Omega Sanction, that traps the organism in a series of alternate realities, each worse than the previous one.
In addition, Darkseid possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and durability equivalent to the corresponding traits of Superman [11] and Orion.[12] He also, despite his great size, possesses great speed, agility, and reflexes as he has been able to startle Superman with his speed[13] and it has been stated he can react in microseconds[14]. He possesses the ability to increase his size.[15] Darkseid possesses the power of telepathy and has also shown the ability to create psionic avatars and to lift objects with his mind (telekinesis). He is even able to open boom tubes under his own power, and can travel through time, space, and other dimensions with ease. Darkseid is also, being a god, virtually immortal, having returned from the dead a number of times and having lived for several hundred thousand years at the very least.[16]
Despite his great might, Darkseid generally does not rely on physical combat, despite being a highly trained Apokoliptian warrior [16]; he is a master schemer and strategist possessing a superhuman intellect. Darkseid has also shown some form of godly sense, capable of sensing the death of his son Orion[11] and the fluctuations of the energy of the "Godwave".[17] Darkseid commands all the vast military and technological resources of Apokolips.
Other versions
- Darkseid appears in the intercompany crossovers, The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans, Darkseid/Galactus: The Hunger, and DC vs. Marvel.
- In the alternate future story, Rock of Ages, Darkseid has found the Anti-Life Equation and rules Earth.
- In Amalgam Comics, Darkseid and Thanos are merged together into "Thanoseid".
In other media
Television
- Darkseid appears in the cartoons, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984) and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985) voiced by Frank Welker; Superman: The Animated Series (1996), Justice League (2001) and Justice League Unlimited (2005) voiced by Michael Ironside.
- Darkseid makes a cameo appearance in part 3 of the South Park "Imaginationland" trilogy as one of the villains visible.
- On August 27, 2008, in an interview, Executive Producer Darren Swimmer confirmed Darkseid was being lined up as a possible villain for the television series Smallville.[18]
Video games
- Darkseid appears in the video games, Superman 64 (1999), [19] Justice League Task Force (1995), Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (2002), Justice League Heroes (2006), Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008), [20] and is set to appear in the upcoming DC Universe Online (2010).
See also
Footnotes
- ^ a b c Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Darkseid", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 95, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, OCLC 213309017
- ^ news from me - ARCHIVES
- ^ Jack Kirby's Fourth World #2-5
- ^ New Gods vol.1, #7
- ^ Secret Society of Super Villains #3 - 4 (Sept. 1976 - Feb. 1977)
- ^ Justice League of America #183 - 185 (Oct. - Dec. 1980)
- ^ Wonder Woman Vol. 2, #102-104
- ^ Wonder Woman Vol. 2, #173 & #188
- ^ Seven Soldiers #1
- ^ Martian Manhunter #34
- ^ a b The Death of the New Gods
- ^ "Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI
- ^ Superman #3
- ^ Cosmic Odyssey #4
- ^ Countdown to Final Crisis #2"
- ^ a b Doomsday: Year One Annual
- ^ Genesis #4
- ^ "Smallville: What's in Store for Season Eight?". E! Online. 27 August 2008. http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b26247_smallville_whats_in_store_season_eight.html. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ Superman's Hall of Super-Shame!
- ^ http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/mkvdcu-roster.cds
External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Darkseid |
- Darkseid on the DC Database Project, an external wiki
- Darkseid on the DC Animated Universe Wiki, an external wiki
- Index to the Earth-1 Fourth World stories
- Darkseid respect thread
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