Sun-Eater
Encyclopedia
A Sun-Eater is a fictional, artificially created living weapon in the DC Comics
universe
. It has played an important role in various storylines.
with the ability to drain whole stars of all their energy; this snuffs out the star and causes its solar system to freeze (and all living beings in it to die). The Sun-Eaters were created by the alien race known as Controllers
as a way to destroy entire worlds that they judged to be too "evil." Each Sun-Eater was kept in a dormant state until needed, watched over by a Controller.
A creature called a Sun-Eater was first depicted in the Legion story in Adventure Comics
#305 (February, 1963), and was a fiery green humanoid that "roams through space, feeding on solar bodies, absorbing their heat and energy. In a brief vignette, the creature is driven off by Mon-El's heat vision.
Another being called the Sun-Eater was first seen in Adventure Comics #352 (Jan. 1967), in a story that took place in the 30th century, the setting of the Legion of Superheroes, by writer Jim Shooter
. Its keeper had gone insane and had released it on the Milky Way galaxy unprovoked. To stop the star-sized creature, the Legion actually recruited some of the worst criminals in the Galaxy to help them (these criminals would stay together to form the Fatal Five
afterwards.) But in the end, only one way to stop it was found: an "Anti-Energy" bomb would have to be detonated inside its core. Only Superboy
was invulnerable enough to deliver the bomb inside, but he was weakened by radiation inside the Sun-Eater (from the red suns it had already consumed.) The newest Legion member Ferro Lad
, who possessed the power to turn into living iron, could resist going inside the Sun-Eater, but not the bomb's explosion. Heroically, he stole the bomb and delivered it anyway, killing himself and destroying the Sun-Eater, thereby saving the galaxy.
During a period when Superman
was sent bouncing back and forth through time following a confrontation between Booster Gold
and a renegade member of the Linear Men
, he aided the Legion in confronting another Sun-Eater of the type seen in the 1967 story. Although Legion member Wildfire
tried to plant another bomb in the heart of the Sun-Eater, the plan failed when he was detected and the Sun-Eater's internal defenses forced him to retreat. While Superman and the other Legion members occupied the Sun-Eater's attention, Wildfire traveled to the heart of the Sun-Eater and abandoned his containment suit- he was naturally a being of pure energy-, leaving Shrinking Violet to reconfigure his suit's internal workings to turn it into a weapon. The Sun-Eater was subsequently destroyed, with Superman throwing Violet to safety at the last minute, although the resulting explosion sent him hurtling through time once again.
Another Sun-Eater appeared in DC Comics Presents
#43, in a story set in the 20th century. The space villain Mongul
killed a Controller and unleashed his Sun-Eater to destroy Earth in revenge for his defeats at the hands of Superman
. The Legion travelled through time to the present to help Superman save the world. While Superman fought Mongul, Wildfire apparently sacrificed himself by exploding his anti-energy body inside the Sun-Eater's core, but he managed to re-form.
After the Zero Hour
event, history was changed so that the events chronicled in earlier stories had never occurred. In the new Legion continuity, the Sun-Eater was a myth, invented by the President of the United Planets to unite the member worlds against an external threat, thereby increasing her power base. This plan was exposed by the Legion. During this storyline, it was mentioned in passing that Sun-Eaters had last been seen in the late 20th century.
This led into the Sun-Eater's first post-Zero Hour appearance, in the Final Night
miniseries (1997) (set in the present day, rather than the Legion's future). A rogue Sun-Eater destroyed several planets, eventually reaching our Solar System and snuffing out the Sun. The heroes of Earth were powerless to stop it, until Parallax
sacrificed his powers and life to destroy it and reignite the Sun.
In 2005's The Return of Donna Troy
miniseries, it was discovered that a planet called Minosyss hosted a Sun-Eater factory hidden deep inside. One of its Sun-Eaters was used to kill Hyperion and Thia, two of the Titans of Myth
.
At the end of the Infinite Crisis
miniseries (2006-2007) a "junior" red Sun-Eater was provided by Donna Troy
, to be used by the Green Lantern Corps
to imprison Superboy-Prime
.
In the non-continuity title All-Star Superman, a baby Sun Eater was part of the intergalactic zoo in Superman's Fortress of Solitude
. It was fed on miniature suns, created by Superman with a cosmic anvil from New Olympus. The infant creature was eventually released into the wild by Superman, but came to his aid when he was fighting Solaris
only to be killed by the evil star.
In the series 52
, Lobo, Starfire
, Adam Strange
, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps
named Ekron defeated Lady Styx
by pushing her into a group of Sun-Eaters. Animal Man
was later able to tap the powers of the Sun Eaters, acquiring "migration maps", the ability to survive in space, and other traits.
During a battle with the Justice League
, Starbreaker claimed that Sun-Eaters were the larval form of his species.
explains the Sun Eaters were created during an interstellar war called the "Great Crisis". Created to scare the two sides into ending the conflict, the weapon was only used twice, but then proved impossible to destroy or dismantle. The Legion teams with the Fatal Five
to create a weapon that can destroy it. When the weapon fails to detonate due to a faulty connection, Ferro Lad sacrifices himself to act as a conductor.
In the All-Star Superman
film, the Sun-Eater fulfills the same function as he does in the comic.
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...
universe
DC 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...
. It has played an important role in various storylines.
History
A Sun-Eater is a living nebulaNebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
with the ability to drain whole stars of all their energy; this snuffs out the star and causes its solar system to freeze (and all living beings in it to die). The Sun-Eaters were created by the alien race known as Controllers
The Controllers
The Controllers are a fictional extraterrestrial race existing in the DC Universe. They first appear in Adventure Comics #357 , and were created by Jim Shooter, Mort Weisinger, and Curt Swan.-Pre-Crisis:...
as a way to destroy entire worlds that they judged to be too "evil." Each Sun-Eater was kept in a dormant state until needed, watched over by a Controller.
A creature called a Sun-Eater was first depicted in the Legion story in 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...
#305 (February, 1963), and was a fiery green humanoid that "roams through space, feeding on solar bodies, absorbing their heat and energy. In a brief vignette, the creature is driven off by Mon-El's heat vision.
Another being called the Sun-Eater was first seen in Adventure Comics #352 (Jan. 1967), in a story that took place in the 30th century, the setting of the Legion of Superheroes, by writer Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
. Its keeper had gone insane and had released it on the Milky Way galaxy unprovoked. To stop the star-sized creature, the Legion actually recruited some of the worst criminals in the Galaxy to help them (these criminals would stay together to form the Fatal Five
Fatal Five
The Fatal Five are fictional characters, a supervillain team of the 30th century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Jim Shooter and first appeared in Adventure Comics #352 as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes....
afterwards.) But in the end, only one way to stop it was found: an "Anti-Energy" bomb would have to be detonated inside its core. Only Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
was invulnerable enough to deliver the bomb inside, but he was weakened by radiation inside the Sun-Eater (from the red suns it had already consumed.) The newest Legion member Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth...
, who possessed the power to turn into living iron, could resist going inside the Sun-Eater, but not the bomb's explosion. Heroically, he stole the bomb and delivered it anyway, killing himself and destroying the Sun-Eater, thereby saving the galaxy.
During a period when 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...
was sent bouncing back and forth through time following a confrontation between Booster Gold
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
and a renegade member of the Linear Men
Linear Men
The Linear Men are fictional characters, a fictional superhero team in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Adventures of Superman #476 .-Fictional history:...
, he aided the Legion in confronting another Sun-Eater of the type seen in the 1967 story. Although Legion member Wildfire
Wildfire (comics)
Wildfire is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero in that universe's 30th and 31st centuries. Created by Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum, the character debuted in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #195 .-Publication history:...
tried to plant another bomb in the heart of the Sun-Eater, the plan failed when he was detected and the Sun-Eater's internal defenses forced him to retreat. While Superman and the other Legion members occupied the Sun-Eater's attention, Wildfire traveled to the heart of the Sun-Eater and abandoned his containment suit- he was naturally a being of pure energy-, leaving Shrinking Violet to reconfigure his suit's internal workings to turn it into a weapon. The Sun-Eater was subsequently destroyed, with Superman throwing Violet to safety at the last minute, although the resulting explosion sent him hurtling through time once again.
Another Sun-Eater appeared in DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents was a comic book published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 featuring team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters of the DC Universe...
#43, in a story set in the 20th century. The space villain Mongul
Mongul
Mongul is the name of two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the character debuted in DC Comics Presents #27 and was created by writer Len Wein and artist Jim Starlin. The second version first appears in Showcase '95 #85 and was created by...
killed a Controller and unleashed his Sun-Eater to destroy Earth in revenge for his defeats at the hands of 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 Legion travelled through time to the present to help Superman save the world. While Superman fought Mongul, Wildfire apparently sacrificed himself by exploding his anti-energy body inside the Sun-Eater's core, but he managed to re-form.
After the Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
event, history was changed so that the events chronicled in earlier stories had never occurred. In the new Legion continuity, the Sun-Eater was a myth, invented by the President of the United Planets to unite the member worlds against an external threat, thereby increasing her power base. This plan was exposed by the Legion. During this storyline, it was mentioned in passing that Sun-Eaters had last been seen in the late 20th century.
This led into the Sun-Eater's first post-Zero Hour appearance, in the Final Night
Final Night
"The Final Night" was a 1996 comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and most of the comics published by DC Comics with a cover date of November 1996. It featured the main heroes of the DC Universe. At the end of each issue is an in-story text piece written by...
miniseries (1997) (set in the present day, rather than the Legion's future). A rogue Sun-Eater destroyed several planets, eventually reaching our Solar System and snuffing out the Sun. The heroes of Earth were powerless to stop it, until Parallax
Parallax (comics)
Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
sacrificed his powers and life to destroy it and reignite the Sun.
In 2005's The Return of Donna Troy
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
miniseries, it was discovered that a planet called Minosyss hosted a Sun-Eater factory hidden deep inside. One of its Sun-Eaters was used to kill Hyperion and Thia, two of the Titans of Myth
Titans of Myth (comics)
The Titans of Myth are mythological deities who appear in the Teen Titans and Wonder Woman comic book series by DC Comics.-Pre-Crisis:...
.
At the end of the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries (2006-2007) a "junior" red Sun-Eater was provided by Donna Troy
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
, to be used by the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
to imprison Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
.
In the non-continuity title All-Star Superman, a baby Sun Eater was part of the intergalactic zoo in Superman's Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
. It was fed on miniature suns, created by Superman with a cosmic anvil from New Olympus. The infant creature was eventually released into the wild by Superman, but came to his aid when he was fighting Solaris
Solaris (comics)
Solaris is a DC Comics supervillain, who exists in the distant future of the DC Universe. Solaris was created by Grant Morrison, and first appeared in the DC One Million crossover, although it also subsequently appeared in Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman series, set outside DC continuity.-DC...
only to be killed by the evil star.
In the series 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, Lobo, Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...
, 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....
, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
named Ekron defeated Lady Styx
Lady Styx
Lady Styx is a fictional supervillain in the . Her first appearance occurred in the weekly series 52.-Publication history:Lady Styx first appeared in 52 #31 as the main antagonist to Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire. She later made appearances in Omega Men and Countdown to Adventure...
by pushing her into a group of Sun-Eaters. Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
was later able to tap the powers of the Sun Eaters, acquiring "migration maps", the ability to survive in space, and other traits.
During a battle with the Justice League
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....
, Starbreaker claimed that Sun-Eaters were the larval form of his species.
Other media
In the two part Legion of Super-Heroes animated episode "Sundown", a Sun Eater is released from a weapon holdings platform by a renegade Controller. Brainiac 5Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
explains the Sun Eaters were created during an interstellar war called the "Great Crisis". Created to scare the two sides into ending the conflict, the weapon was only used twice, but then proved impossible to destroy or dismantle. The Legion teams with the Fatal Five
Fatal Five
The Fatal Five are fictional characters, a supervillain team of the 30th century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Jim Shooter and first appeared in Adventure Comics #352 as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes....
to create a weapon that can destroy it. When the weapon fails to detonate due to a faulty connection, Ferro Lad sacrifices himself to act as a conductor.
In the All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman (film)
All-Star Superman is a direct-to-video animated film based on the acclaimed comic book series All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The film is the tenth in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation and the first in the...
film, the Sun-Eater fulfills the same function as he does in the comic.