| Warlord | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Warlord (vol. 1) #67, Art by Mike Grell |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | 1st Issue Special #8, (November 1975) |
| Created by | Mike Grell (writer & artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Travis Morgan |
| Place of origin | Skartaris |
| Team affiliations | United States Air Force |
| Abilities | fencer and expert marksman. |
The Warlord is a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics. The series and titular character debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 (November 1975), and was created by Mike Grell.
Contents |
Publication history
The title The Warlord comes from the comic's main character, Travis Morgan, who obtains the name of "The Warlord" in the first few issues as he fights for the freedom of the people of Skartaris. DC attempted an unsuccessful update of Warlord in 2006 with Bruce Jones writing and Bart Sears providing the art. This series was canceled after ten issues due to low sales.
In March 2008, Grell stated that he was working on a proposal to DC for a new Warlord series.[1] It was announced in July 2008 that Warlord would be returning as an ongoing series written by Mike Grell in time for the original series' 35th anniversary.[2] The series started in April 2009, drawn by Joe Prado.
Fictional character biography
Original Series
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In the savage world of Skartaris, life is a constant struggle for survival. Here, beneath an unblinking orb of eternal sunlight, one simple law prevails: If you let down your guard for an instant you will soon be very dead.
—1st Issue Special #8
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Vietnam veteran SR-71 pilot Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the Earth's crust while flying over the north pole and landed in the underground world of Skartaris, a place strongly reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Pellucidar. There Travis, wielding his .44 AutoMag pistol and joined by scantily-dressed female barbarian Tara, became the Warlord and fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos as well as various kings. He gained various sidekicks such as Machiste, Shakira[3], a Russian scientist named Mariah[4] and his magic-wielding daughter Jennifer Morgan. In one story arc Morgan even becomes the U.S. President in the far future (Issue 84).
Although The Warlord has a superficial resemblance to Oliver Queen (Green Arrow)[5], he is in reality based more upon his creator, Mike Grell, a former member of the Air Force. Grell is caricatured in Warlord's first appearance, 1st Issue Special #8 and is clearly sporting the signature shaggy goatee.[6]
Arion, another DC Comics sword & sorcery title, began as a six-page backup feature in Warlord. Another backup feature was The Barren Earth which was concluded in a four-issue limited series after a lengthly run in the The Warlord ongoing series.
Current status
Issue #1 (June 2009) of the new series begins with an explorer finding perfectly preserved dinosaur remains in the Himalayas. She takes the head of one to a doctor and an expedition is set up to retrieve more samples. The team is spotted by the Chinese government and flee into the caves after losing several members. They discover a portal and after walking through find themselves in Skartaris. Travis Morgan is attacked by a giant bird and kills it with the help of Shakira. Refugees enter Shamballah and Morgan discovers that a new god has taken over the Shadow Kingdom and has overrun the Kingdom of Kiro, Machiste's homeland. One of the refugees is injured and he surprisingly carries a gunshot wound.[7]
Other versions
A six issue limited series ran from January to June 1992, written and drawn by Mike Grell.
A 3rd Warlord series was launched in 2006, produced by writer Bruce Jones and artist Bart Sears. This series restarted the concept and started with Travis Morgan arriving in Skartaris and was canceled after 10 issues. The series left a number of story points unanswered as issue nine finished on a cliffhanger, while issue #10 had a standalone story set sometime in the future. This relaunch has been largely ignored throughout the DC continuity.
Bibliography
The Warlord
First published in 1976 and ran until 1989 for a total of 133 issues and six annuals. Notable issues include:
- Issue 1: First appearance of Tara, Travis Morgan's mate in Skartaris and Queen of Shamballah (Travis was married and widower before coming to Skartaris). Also the appearance of Deimos, Travis Morgan's arch enemy for the first 50 issues.
- Issue 2: First appearance of Machiste, becomes lifelong friend of Travis and is also ruler of Kiro, a kingdom of Skartaris. Title was actually canceled for a period of 6 months.
- Issue 6: First appearance of Mariah, Russian Archaeologist who joins Travis in Skartaris and later becomes Machiste's mate.
- Issue 15: First appearance of Joshua Morgan (Tinder), Travis and Tara's son.
- Issue 32: First appearance of Shakira, a cat-woman who is Travis' traveling companion on many adventures.
- Issue 34: Travis acquires the sword, Hellfire, that must draw blood every time it is drawn even if it is Travis' own blood.
- Issue 38: First appearance of Jennifer Morgan, Travis' daughter
- Issue 51: Reprint of Issue 1
- Issue 93: Origin Retold
- Issue 114: Legends Cross-over Chapter 12
- Issue 115: Legends Cross-over Chapter 16
Back-up stories
Several back-up strips stories found their way into the back of the The Warlord comic. The following is a brief list of strips and which issues they appeared in.
- Issues 29-33, 40-41: Wizard World
- Issues 37-39, 42-47: OMAC
- Issues 48-49: Arak, Son of Thunder (special inset in #48), Claw the Unconquered
- Issues 51-53: The Saga of Dragonsword
- Issues 56-62: Arion, Lord of Atlantis
- Issues 63-88: Conqueror of the Barren Earth
Collected editions
In 1991, DC Comics published a colored trade paperback reprinting early Warlord stories, which included a new wraparound painted cover by Mike Grell (who also wrote an introduction for the book). In 2009, DC published Showcase Presents: Warlord TPB collecting the first two years of the series in black and white.
- Warlord: The Savage Empire (1991) - collects First Issue Special #8 and Warlord (1st Series) #1-10 and 12. (240 pages) (ISBN 1-56389-024-0)
- Showcase Presents: Warlord (2009) - collects First Issue Special #8 and Warlord (1st Series) #1-28. (528 pages) (ISBN 1-4012-2473-3)
Other media
Television
- Warlord has appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core" voiced by Paul Guilfoyle. Green Lantern, Supergirl, Stargirl, and S.T.R.I.P.E. stumbled onto Skartaris and teamed up with him to stop Deimos and his unlikely allies Metallo and Silver Banshee of the Secret Society from stealing a huge piece of kryptonite rock. Tara, Machiste, Mariah, Shakira, and Jennifer Morgan also appeared in this episode.
Toys
- In 1982, several of the characters from the "Warlord" series received action figures in a line called "Lost World of the Warlord" from Remco. Travis Morgan was one of the figures along with Deimos, Machiste, Mikola Rostov, and Hercules.
- In April 2007, Warlord received an action figure (based on the modern update) in Series 4 of DC Direct's "First Appearance" figures.
Popular Culture
- Warlord issue #89 appears on a magazine rack in a convenience store in a deleted scene from the Goonies DVD.[8]
References
- ^ Brady, Matt (2008-03-03). "World Balloon: Mike Grell". Newsarama. http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=148802. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
- ^ Arrant, Chris (2008-07-27). "SDCC '08 - Mike Grell: The Return of Warlord". Newsarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080727-SDCCWarlordGRell.html. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
- ^ Fleisher, Michael (w). "The Citadel of Fear" Warlord 1 (115): 5/2 (March, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Fleisher, Michael (w). "The Citadel of Fear" Warlord 1 (115): 6/2 (March, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Green Arrow (vol. 1) #28
- ^ Warlord (vol. 1) #35
- ^ Warlord (vol. 3) #1 (June 2009)
- ^ [1]
External links
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