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Orion (comics)
Encyclopedia
Orion is a fictional character
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
. The character first appeared in New Gods
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
.
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated.
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father.
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Orion is the second son of Darkseid
, half brother of Kalibak
and Grayven
, and the husband of Bekka
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
in a peace effort between New Genesis
and Apokolips
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
, Metron
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
, Barda
, and Forager
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
, Darkseid
, Desaad
, and Kalibak
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
(early on in the series), Mortalla
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Orion has served two terms with the Justice League
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
, Steel
, Plastic Man
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
, that "They
are not dead- He
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
, as well as with Superman
. Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect". Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Kingdom Come
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
's Seven Soldiers
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Orion appears in Superman: The Animated Series
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.
Orion is a fictional character
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
. The character first appeared in New Gods
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
.
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated. Adventure Comics (vol.1) #459-460
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father. Justice League of America (vol.1) #183-185
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Orion is the second son of Darkseid
, half brother of Kalibak
and Grayven
, and the husband of Bekka
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
in a peace effort between New Genesis
and Apokolips
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
, Metron
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
, Barda
, and Forager
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
, Darkseid
, Desaad
, and Kalibak
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
(early on in the series), Mortalla
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Orion has served two terms with the Justice League
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
, Steel
, Plastic Man
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
, that "They
are not dead- He
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
,"Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI as well as with Superman
.The Death of the New Gods Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.Orion #21 (cover date Feb. 2002)
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect".Orion #7 (cover date Dec. 2000) Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Kingdom Come
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
's Seven Soldiers
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Orion appears in Superman: The Animated Series
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.
Orion is a fictional character
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
. The character first appeared in New Gods
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
.
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated. Adventure Comics (vol.1) #459-460
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father. Justice League of America (vol.1) #183-185
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Orion is the second son of Darkseid
, half brother of Kalibak
and Grayven
, and the husband of Bekka
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
in a peace effort between New Genesis
and Apokolips
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
, Metron
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
, Barda
, and Forager
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
, Darkseid
, Desaad
, and Kalibak
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
(early on in the series), Mortalla
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Orion has served two terms with the Justice League
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
, Steel
, Plastic Man
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
, that "They
are not dead- He
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
,"Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI as well as with Superman
.The Death of the New Gods Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.Orion #21 (cover date Feb. 2002)
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect".Orion #7 (cover date Dec. 2000) Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Kingdom Come
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
's Seven Soldiers
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Orion appears in Superman: The Animated Series
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.http://www.tv.com/smallville/dominion/episode/1376087/summary.html?tag=search_results;summary In the following episode Orion is confirmed to be Darkseid's son who managed to turn away from the darkness of his father with the help of another person
who raised him to embrace the light.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The character first appeared in New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Jack Kirby Era
Orion originally appeared in Jack Kirby's three New GodsNew Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
Return of the New Gods
Following an appearance in the final issue of 1st Issue Special, DC revived both the New Gods and Mister Miracle series, continuing the numbering from the original series. The new stories were done without Jack Kirby and featured a number of changes of concept for the character of Orion. Gone were the "Astro Harness" and the character's trademark helmet. Instead, the character wore a more standard superhero costume with a yellow mask. The New Gods Titles were again canceled during the so called DC ImplosionDC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated.
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father.
Post Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Orion was featured in the 1989-90 series New Gods (vol.3) and served a short stint in the Justice League along with his friend Lightray during the "Giffen/DeMatteis era. Orion returned as a main character in New Gods (vol.4) which was later renamed Jack Kirby's Fourth World. Orion again served as a member of the Justice League during the "Morrison" era, but the character would not receive his own title until 2000.Orion
Orion was a series penciled and written by Walt SimonsonWalt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Character biography
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, half brother of Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
and Grayven
Grayven
Grayven is a fictional deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern v3 #74, , and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks.-Fictional character biography:...
, and the husband of Bekka
Bekka
Bekka is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in series dealing with Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe....
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
in a peace effort between New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
and Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
Highfather
Highfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Metron
Metron (comics)
Metron is a character created by Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series in DC Comics. He was "based on Leonard Nimoy as Spock", and designed as a character who "would frequently change sides [between New Genesis and Apokolips]"...
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
, and Forager
Forager (comics)
Forager is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in New Gods #9 , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Original Forager:...
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
, and Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
Tigra (DC Comics)
Tigra is a fictional character, appearing in the New Gods comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
(early on in the series), Mortalla
Mortalla
Mortalla is a fictional extraterrestrial goddess published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Orion #6 , and was created by Walt Simonson.-Character history:...
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
Newsboy Legion
The Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
Walt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
Starro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, Steel
Steel (John Henry Irons)
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
, Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
White Martian
The White Martians are one of three fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan.-History:As a race of shapeshifters,...
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
Mageddon
Mageddon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in JLA #37 and was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter.-Publication history:...
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
Dan Turpin
Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Brooklyn in Detective Comics #64 , and first appeared as Dan Turpin in New Gods #5 .-Publication history:...
, that "They
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
are not dead- He
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
Powers and abilities
Orion possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina and durability, on par with his father DarkseidDarkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, as well as with Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
Tractor beam
A tractor beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. Since the 1990s, technology and research has labored to make it a reality, mostly at microscopic level. Less commonly, a similar beam that repels is called a pressor beam or repulsor beam...
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect". Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
Other versions
In addition to his mainstreamDC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (comic book)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics was a DC Comics imprint created in 1997–1998, developed from ideas created by Dan Jurgens. The line, formed from various one-shots, focused on creating all-new characters using established DC names, such as the Joker, Superman, and the Flash...
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Television
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor is an actor who made his first television appearance on Star Trek: The Original Series, playing Lars in the second season episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion "....
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman
Ronald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
Orion (mythology)
Orion was a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion....
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.
Orion is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The character first appeared in New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Jack Kirby Era
Orion originally appeared in Jack Kirby's three New GodsNew Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
Return of the New Gods
Following an appearance in the final issue of 1st Issue Special, DC revived both the New Gods and Mister Miracle series, continuing the numbering from the original series. The new stories were done without Jack Kirby and featured a number of changes of concept for the character of Orion. Gone were the "Astro Harness" and the character's trademark helmet. Instead, the character wore a more standard superhero costume with a yellow mask. The New Gods Titles were again canceled during the so called DC ImplosionDC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated. Adventure Comics (vol.1) #459-460
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father. Justice League of America (vol.1) #183-185
Post Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Orion was featured in the 1989-90 series New Gods (vol.3) and served a short stint in the Justice League along with his friend Lightray during the "Giffen/DeMatteis era. Orion returned as a main character in New Gods (vol.4) which was later renamed Jack Kirby's Fourth World. Orion again served as a member of the Justice League during the "Morrison" era, but the character would not receive his own title until 2000.Orion
Orion was a series penciled and written by Walt SimonsonWalt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Character biography
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, half brother of Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
and Grayven
Grayven
Grayven is a fictional deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern v3 #74, , and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks.-Fictional character biography:...
, and the husband of Bekka
Bekka
Bekka is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in series dealing with Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe....
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
in a peace effort between New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
and Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
Highfather
Highfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Metron
Metron (comics)
Metron is a character created by Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series in DC Comics. He was "based on Leonard Nimoy as Spock", and designed as a character who "would frequently change sides [between New Genesis and Apokolips]"...
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
, and Forager
Forager (comics)
Forager is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in New Gods #9 , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Original Forager:...
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
, and Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
Tigra (DC Comics)
Tigra is a fictional character, appearing in the New Gods comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
(early on in the series), Mortalla
Mortalla
Mortalla is a fictional extraterrestrial goddess published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Orion #6 , and was created by Walt Simonson.-Character history:...
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
Newsboy Legion
The Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
Walt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
Starro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, Steel
Steel (John Henry Irons)
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
, Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
White Martian
The White Martians are one of three fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan.-History:As a race of shapeshifters,...
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
Mageddon
Mageddon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in JLA #37 and was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter.-Publication history:...
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
Dan Turpin
Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Brooklyn in Detective Comics #64 , and first appeared as Dan Turpin in New Gods #5 .-Publication history:...
, that "They
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
are not dead- He
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
Powers and abilities
Orion possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina and durability, on par with his father DarkseidDarkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
,"Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI as well as with Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.The Death of the New Gods Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
Tractor beam
A tractor beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. Since the 1990s, technology and research has labored to make it a reality, mostly at microscopic level. Less commonly, a similar beam that repels is called a pressor beam or repulsor beam...
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.Orion #21 (cover date Feb. 2002)
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect".Orion #7 (cover date Dec. 2000) Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
Other versions
In addition to his mainstreamDC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (comic book)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics was a DC Comics imprint created in 1997–1998, developed from ideas created by Dan Jurgens. The line, formed from various one-shots, focused on creating all-new characters using established DC names, such as the Joker, Superman, and the Flash...
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Television
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor is an actor who made his first television appearance on Star Trek: The Original Series, playing Lars in the second season episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion "....
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman
Ronald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
Orion (mythology)
Orion was a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion....
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.
Orion is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The character first appeared in New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
#1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Jack Kirby Era
Orion originally appeared in Jack Kirby's three New GodsNew Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
titles published in the early 1970s, New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People. When the three titles were subsequently canceled, Orion and his fellow New Gods characters were unseen until DC returned to the Fourth World concept a few years later.
Return of the New Gods
Following an appearance in the final issue of 1st Issue Special, DC revived both the New Gods and Mister Miracle series, continuing the numbering from the original series. The new stories were done without Jack Kirby and featured a number of changes of concept for the character of Orion. Gone were the "Astro Harness" and the character's trademark helmet. Instead, the character wore a more standard superhero costume with a yellow mask. The New Gods Titles were again canceled during the so called DC ImplosionDC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
, but the story was wrapped up in two issues of Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
featuring a "final battle" between Orion and his Father, which saw Darkseid supposedly annihilated. Adventure Comics (vol.1) #459-460
This version of Orion returned in a three issue arc of Justice League of America in which most of the New Gods were captured by the forces of Apokolips. Orion and his fellow New Gods, Metron, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda, summoned the aid of the Justice League and Justice Society, to aid them in freeing the forces of New Genesis. This story featured the return, and eventual defeat, of Orion's father. Justice League of America (vol.1) #183-185
Post Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Orion was featured in the 1989-90 series New Gods (vol.3) and served a short stint in the Justice League along with his friend Lightray during the "Giffen/DeMatteis era. Orion returned as a main character in New Gods (vol.4) which was later renamed Jack Kirby's Fourth World. Orion again served as a member of the Justice League during the "Morrison" era, but the character would not receive his own title until 2000.Orion
Orion was a series penciled and written by Walt SimonsonWalt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
, centered around the eponymous charcter Orion. Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14. Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.
A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.
Character biography
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, half brother of Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
and Grayven
Grayven
Grayven is a fictional deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern v3 #74, , and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks.-Fictional character biography:...
, and the husband of Bekka
Bekka
Bekka is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in series dealing with Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe....
. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
in a peace effort between New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
and Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya
Highfather
Highfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Metron
Metron (comics)
Metron is a character created by Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series in DC Comics. He was "based on Leonard Nimoy as Spock", and designed as a character who "would frequently change sides [between New Genesis and Apokolips]"...
, Jezebelle, Scott Free
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
, and Forager
Forager (comics)
Forager is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in New Gods #9 , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Original Forager:...
. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".
The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray
Lightray
Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
, and Kalibak
Kalibak
Kalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra
Tigra (DC Comics)
Tigra is a fictional character, appearing in the New Gods comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
(early on in the series), Mortalla
Mortalla
Mortalla is a fictional extraterrestrial goddess published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Orion #6 , and was created by Walt Simonson.-Character history:...
, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion
Newsboy Legion
The Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...
) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.
During Walt Simonson
Walt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
(the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro
Starro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....
when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, Steel
Steel (John Henry Irons)
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
, Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and Barda in capturing a White Martian
White Martian
The White Martians are one of three fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan.-History:As a race of shapeshifters,...
that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon
Mageddon
Mageddon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in JLA #37 and was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter.-Publication history:...
. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)
Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.
However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin
Dan Turpin
Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Brooklyn in Detective Comics #64 , and first appeared as Dan Turpin in New Gods #5 .-Publication history:...
, that "They
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
are not dead- He
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.
Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.
While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.
Powers and abilities
Orion possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina and durability, on par with his father DarkseidDarkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
,"Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI as well as with Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.The Death of the New Gods Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct his great rage also makes him impulsive. He has access to a Mother Box
Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...
that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features. In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds; inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel; energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam
Tractor beam
A tractor beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. Since the 1990s, technology and research has labored to make it a reality, mostly at microscopic level. Less commonly, a similar beam that repels is called a pressor beam or repulsor beam...
. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.Orion #21 (cover date Feb. 2002)
Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect".Orion #7 (cover date Dec. 2000) Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.
Other versions
In addition to his mainstreamDC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (comic book)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.
In the Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics
Tangent Comics was a DC Comics imprint created in 1997–1998, developed from ideas created by Dan Jurgens. The line, formed from various one-shots, focused on creating all-new characters using established DC names, such as the Joker, Superman, and the Flash...
imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.
Television
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
(1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor
Steve Sandor is an actor who made his first television appearance on Star Trek: The Original Series, playing Lars in the second season episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion "....
.
Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman
Ronald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.
In the final season of Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid
Darkseid
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 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion
Orion (mythology)
Orion was a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion....
, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.http://www.tv.com/smallville/dominion/episode/1376087/summary.html?tag=search_results;summary In the following episode Orion is confirmed to be Darkseid's son who managed to turn away from the darkness of his father with the help of another person
Highfather
Highfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
who raised him to embrace the light.
See also
- ApokolipsApokolipsIn the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
, Orion's birth planet - BekkaBekkaBekka is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in series dealing with Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe....
, Orion's wife - DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, Orion's father - Highfather IzayaHighfatherHighfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
, Orion's adoptive father - Jack KirbyJack KirbyJack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Orion's creator - Jack Kirby's Fourth WorldJack Kirby's Fourth World"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
, Orion's fictional setting - List of New Gods
- Mother boxMother BoxMother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...
- New GenesisNew GenesisNew Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
, Orion's adoptive home - New GodsNew GodsThe New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
, Orion's people