Thanagar
Encyclopedia
Thanagar is a fictional planet
in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal
. The planet is in orbit around the star Polaris
(although is sometimes quoted as being in the Polaris Galaxy).
history, Thanagar was a highly advanced science-based world, with no problems of poverty, or civil or political unrest. It was run by a single government called the Ruling Council and there wasn't any need for a police force. That is until an alien race called the Manhawks, who instigate the practice of stealing for the thrill of it, invaded. As a result, Paran Katar established the "Hawk-Police" (or "Wingmen
"). Amongst the first Wingmen was Paran's son, Katar Hol. Order was restored, but not completely, as several (if not more) Thanagarians had adopted the concept of crime.
Katar and his wife Shayera Hol, also a member of the force, later arrived on Earth pursuing a shapeshifting
villain named Byth
. Katar and Shayera decided to remain on Earth and study human police methods. They became superheroes as Hawkman and Hawkwoman.
Following a plague caused by the villain called the Equalizer
and the takeover by Hyathis
and its liberation by Hawkman, much of the science and technology of Thanagar was lost. Thanagar entered an expansionist phase prompted by Hyathis, and began a war with Rann
. This was eventually resolved, but Thanagar made several covert attempts to take over Earth. Katar and Shayera sided with Earth in this conflict. The Shadow War of Hawkman continued up to the Crisis.
's Hawkworld
miniseries, Thanagar was portrayed as already being an expansionist planet which plundered other worlds, and the Hawk-Police became corrupted. Thanagarian noble classes used to live in floating cities, with aliens in the "Downside" ghettos.
Thanagar was one of the planets which united to invade Earth in the Invasion!
storyline. Prior to the invasion, a Thangarian agent was sent to Earth and posed as a new Hawkman. (Originally, pre-Hawkworld, the reason Thanagar joined the invasion besides to take over Earth was to capture the traitors Katar and Shayera Hol.)
Millenia ago, Thanagar was a slave planet as it was conquered by the Polaran Empire. Legend has it that Kalmoran freed his people with an army of three thousand Thanagarians and drove the Polarans away. Using their ships, Kalmoran freed the other conquered planets and attacked the Polarans on their home planet. Afterwards, Kalmoran became ruler and was still honored as Thanagar's first and greatest hero.
As centuries pass, the Thanagarians began developing spaceships and exploring the galaxy. Ironically, they began conquering other planets; they made them protectorates of the Thanagarian Empire and stripped the planets of their natural resources and treasures. They brought back a number of inhabitants to Thanagar as slaves.
Thanagar evolved into a greatly divided society. The slave class (most aliens, some Thanagarians) were cast down to the lower ghettos referred to as Downside, while the Thanagarians lived in High Towers above where poverty, crime, and suffering were virtually unheard of. Several thousand Downsiders die of starvation or the diseases that plagued the lower levels. It is estimated that about three billion offworlders live in Downside and one thousand offworlders are brought in everyday.
Before conquering new planets, it became customary to send scouts to study the planets as much as they can before an actual invasion is initiated.
Similar to the original history, Katar Hol and Shayera Thal came to Earth in pursuit of Byth, and remained to establish a relationship between the two planets. The media dubbed them as Hawkman and Hawkwoman, due to their similarity to the Golden Age
Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Thanagar later developed the Elite Hawkmen Force, an elite squad of Wingmen
. The planetary government continued to be expansionist and corrupt, and eventually Hawkman and Hawkwoman claimed sanctuary on Earth.
Thanagar's government was subsequently overthrown by Onimar Synn
, who had taken control of the Nth Metal. He was defeated by a resurrected Hawkman, but returned in the Rann-Thanagar War
.
, the planet's surface was devastated in a catyclysm. This happens after the leader of a rogue group of Thanagarians, during a battle with Adam Strange
, teleported the planet Rann
to the Thanagarian system, hoping to create a dictatorship between the two worlds. At first it was believed that the sudden appearance of Rann caused Thanagar's orbit to change and it passed too close to that system's sun. A large number of Thanagarian refugees fled to Rann. Internal forces cause a war began between the two.
During a battle between the factions, the forces of Rann and Thanagar were faced with a fracture in space that resembles those that were seen during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
.
Tigorr of the Omega Men
later discovered a stray Thanagarian surveillance satellite, which had documented footage of Superboy-Prime forcing Thanagar out of orbit. Though the satellite was soon lost in the chaotic environment, Adam Strange gathered the heads of each faction so that they might stop fighting amongst themselves and work together against the new cosmic threat. On the barren surface of Thanagar, he soon found the evidence to convince all the warring groups: handprints deep within an enormous crater, created by Superboy's interference. L.E.G.I.O.N.
, Thanagar, Rann, and New Cronus combined their forces to make a full assault on the force behind the rift, with Ion (Kyle Rayner)
in the lead.
Green Lantern Corps
members Kilowog
and Kyle Rayner later terraform
ed Thanagar, making it again suitable for habitation.
Thanagarian weaponry has recently begun appearing on Earth, smuggled by the Secret Society of Super Villains
.
s from the Marvel Universe.
When Lt. Hol protested that this would cause the destruction of Earth, Talak replied, "For Thanagar to live, Earth must die." At this point, Lt. Hol betrayed her homeworld to save her adopted homeworld, for which she was exiled and stripped of her rank. The Thanagarian military, under Cmdr. Talak's orders, retreated from Earth.
Kragger, Paran Dul and a squadron of Thanagarians later desert the Resistance in order to exact revenge on Shayera, although the mission ends in their defeat. The final fate of Thanagar under Gordanian rule remains unknown.
; would have included a monster called a "Thanagarian Snare Beast" (which would have borne an uncanny resemblance to a giant Terran spider) as an antagonist of Superman's. The monster was included in the script by Smith to satisfy the demands of both producer Jon Peters
, who insisted the script feature a fight between Superman and a giant spider, and the executive staff of Warner Brothers, who insisted that the spider be included only if Smith could avoid referring to it as a spider.
Planets in science fiction
Planets in science fiction are fictional planets that appear in various media, especially those of the science fiction genre, as story-settings or depicted locations.-History:...
in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal
Nth metal
Nth metal is a fictional metal in the .-Fictional history:It is native to Thanagar, the home planet of Katar Hol and Shayera Thal, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman. Among the unusual properties of Nth metal is the ability to negate gravity, allowing a person wearing an object made of Nth...
. The planet is in orbit around the star Polaris
Polaris
Polaris |Alpha]] Ursae Minoris, commonly North Star or Pole Star, also Lodestar) is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is very close to the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star....
(although is sometimes quoted as being in the Polaris Galaxy).
Pre-Crisis
In pre-CrisisCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
history, Thanagar was a highly advanced science-based world, with no problems of poverty, or civil or political unrest. It was run by a single government called the Ruling Council and there wasn't any need for a police force. That is until an alien race called the Manhawks, who instigate the practice of stealing for the thrill of it, invaded. As a result, Paran Katar established the "Hawk-Police" (or "Wingmen
Wingmen of Thanagar
The Wingmen are a fictional police force of the planet Thanagar with roles of judge, jury and executioner in DC Comics publications.-History:...
"). Amongst the first Wingmen was Paran's son, Katar Hol. Order was restored, but not completely, as several (if not more) Thanagarians had adopted the concept of crime.
Katar and his wife Shayera Hol, also a member of the force, later arrived on Earth pursuing a shapeshifting
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
villain named Byth
Byth
Byth Rok is a DC Comics supervillain who is a recurring enemy of the Silver Age Hawkman. He was created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #34 , titled "Creature of a Thousand Shapes"....
. Katar and Shayera decided to remain on Earth and study human police methods. They became superheroes as Hawkman and Hawkwoman.
Following a plague caused by the villain called the Equalizer
The Equalizer
The Equalizer is an American television series that ran for four seasons, initially on CBS, between 1985 and 1989. It starred Edward Woodward as an aging New York vigilante with a mysterious past...
and the takeover by Hyathis
Hyathis
Hyathis is a fictional extraterrestrial monarch published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Justice League of America vol. 1 #3 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky...
and its liberation by Hawkman, much of the science and technology of Thanagar was lost. Thanagar entered an expansionist phase prompted by Hyathis, and began a war with Rann
Rann
Rann is a fictional planet in the Polaris star system of the whose capitol city is Ranagar. Rann is most famous for being the adopted planet of the Earth explorer and hero Adam Strange and for their teleportation device called the Zeta Beam...
. This was eventually resolved, but Thanagar made several covert attempts to take over Earth. Katar and Shayera sided with Earth in this conflict. The Shadow War of Hawkman continued up to the Crisis.
Post-Crisis
In Post-Crisis history, established in Timothy TrumanTimothy Truman
Timothy Truman is an American writer, artist and musician. He is best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack , Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale...
's Hawkworld
Hawkworld
Hawkworld is a comic book series that was published by DC Comics. The initial story line was published as a three-issue mini-series and then, based on the high sales and interest level generated by this limited series, launched as an ongoing monthly book...
miniseries, Thanagar was portrayed as already being an expansionist planet which plundered other worlds, and the Hawk-Police became corrupted. Thanagarian noble classes used to live in floating cities, with aliens in the "Downside" ghettos.
Thanagar was one of the planets which united to invade Earth in the Invasion!
Invasion! (DC Comics)
Invasion! was a three issue comic book limited series and crossover event published in late 1988-early 1989 by DC Comics. It was plotted by Keith Giffen, and ties up a great many plotlines from various Giffen-created DC series, including Omega Men, Justice League International, and Legion of...
storyline. Prior to the invasion, a Thangarian agent was sent to Earth and posed as a new Hawkman. (Originally, pre-Hawkworld, the reason Thanagar joined the invasion besides to take over Earth was to capture the traitors Katar and Shayera Hol.)
Millenia ago, Thanagar was a slave planet as it was conquered by the Polaran Empire. Legend has it that Kalmoran freed his people with an army of three thousand Thanagarians and drove the Polarans away. Using their ships, Kalmoran freed the other conquered planets and attacked the Polarans on their home planet. Afterwards, Kalmoran became ruler and was still honored as Thanagar's first and greatest hero.
As centuries pass, the Thanagarians began developing spaceships and exploring the galaxy. Ironically, they began conquering other planets; they made them protectorates of the Thanagarian Empire and stripped the planets of their natural resources and treasures. They brought back a number of inhabitants to Thanagar as slaves.
Thanagar evolved into a greatly divided society. The slave class (most aliens, some Thanagarians) were cast down to the lower ghettos referred to as Downside, while the Thanagarians lived in High Towers above where poverty, crime, and suffering were virtually unheard of. Several thousand Downsiders die of starvation or the diseases that plagued the lower levels. It is estimated that about three billion offworlders live in Downside and one thousand offworlders are brought in everyday.
Before conquering new planets, it became customary to send scouts to study the planets as much as they can before an actual invasion is initiated.
Similar to the original history, Katar Hol and Shayera Thal came to Earth in pursuit of Byth, and remained to establish a relationship between the two planets. The media dubbed them as Hawkman and Hawkwoman, due to their similarity to the Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Thanagar later developed the Elite Hawkmen Force, an elite squad of Wingmen
Wingmen of Thanagar
The Wingmen are a fictional police force of the planet Thanagar with roles of judge, jury and executioner in DC Comics publications.-History:...
. The planetary government continued to be expansionist and corrupt, and eventually Hawkman and Hawkwoman claimed sanctuary on Earth.
Thanagar's government was subsequently overthrown by Onimar Synn
Onimar Synn
Onimar Synn is a fictional extraterrestrial demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in JSA #23 , and was created by David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns and Stephen Sadowski.- Fictional character biography :...
, who had taken control of the Nth Metal. He was defeated by a resurrected Hawkman, but returned in the Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
.
Infinite Crisis
In the Rann-Thanagar War miniseries, part of Infinite CrisisInfinite 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...
, the planet's surface was devastated in a catyclysm. This happens after the leader of a rogue group of Thanagarians, during a battle with 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....
, teleported the planet Rann
Rann
Rann is a fictional planet in the Polaris star system of the whose capitol city is Ranagar. Rann is most famous for being the adopted planet of the Earth explorer and hero Adam Strange and for their teleportation device called the Zeta Beam...
to the Thanagarian system, hoping to create a dictatorship between the two worlds. At first it was believed that the sudden appearance of Rann caused Thanagar's orbit to change and it passed too close to that system's sun. A large number of Thanagarian refugees fled to Rann. Internal forces cause a war began between the two.
During a battle between the factions, the forces of Rann and Thanagar were faced with a fracture in space that resembles those that were seen during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
.
Tigorr of the Omega Men
Omega Men
The Omega Men are a fictional team of extraterrestrial superheroes who have appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Green Lantern #141 , and were created by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton....
later discovered a stray Thanagarian surveillance satellite, which had documented footage of Superboy-Prime forcing Thanagar out of orbit. Though the satellite was soon lost in the chaotic environment, Adam Strange gathered the heads of each faction so that they might stop fighting amongst themselves and work together against the new cosmic threat. On the barren surface of Thanagar, he soon found the evidence to convince all the warring groups: handprints deep within an enormous crater, created by Superboy's interference. L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N., is a team of fictional extraterrestrial superheroes, a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Invasion! #1, and were created by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo and Todd McFarlane...
, Thanagar, Rann, and New Cronus combined their forces to make a full assault on the force behind the rift, with Ion (Kyle Rayner)
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...
in the lead.
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...
members Kilowog
Kilowog
Kilowog is a fictional superhero from DC Comics, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps.-Origins:A towering alien with a brutish and porcine appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits...
and Kyle Rayner later terraform
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
ed Thanagar, making it again suitable for habitation.
Thanagarian weaponry has recently begun appearing on Earth, smuggled by the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
.
Points of interest
- Metal Mint
- Sea of Scythia
- Thanaldar
- The Equalizer Disease
- Veil of Valmorra
- Thalsalla: In the second Hawkman series, the city was the capital of Thanagar.
- Thalrassa: In Hawkworld, the city was revealed to be the capital city of Thanagar.
- Enndupar: It was called "the city of lights" in the Hawkman second series.
- Isle of Chance: Also known as the penal island.
- Kolamoran Island: The island where Kalmoran, Thanagar's first and greatest hero, was born.
- Dormor: A mountain range, mentioned in Hawkworld #23.
JLA/Avengers
In the crossover series JLA/Avengers, Thanagar makes a brief appearance, where the Justice League witnesses them being invaded by the SkrullSkrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s from the Marvel Universe.
Television
- In the Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
animated series, HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
Shayera Hol described Thanagar as "a war-like world—there one must strike first or die." The animated Thanagarians appear to have actual wings as part of their bodies, and according to the episode "Shadow of the Hawk" have greater strength and durability than humans. Like HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, the main Thanagarian characters are all voiced by Hispanic actors (such as Golden Globe-nominee Héctor ElizondoHector ElizondoHéctor Elizondo is an American actor. Elizondo's first major role was that of "God" in the play Steambath, for which he won an Obie Award...
(Kragger) or Rush Hours Elizabeth PeñaElizabeth PeñaElizabeth Peña is an American actress and the daughter of a theater-company co-founder, who has also compiled experience as a television director in her own right.-Early life:...
(Paran Dul)). In the episode "The Terror Beyond", it is learned that in ancient times, the people of Thanagar worshiped a pantheon of extradimensional entities known as The Great Old Ones. At that time, Thanagar was a hard world with a primitive and savage culture; in return for offering the ritual murder of their own children to IxthultuCthulhuCthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
, the Old Ones leader, they received agricultureAgricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, mathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and philosophyPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
— the foundations of their entire culture including their trademark Nth metal. For this reason, their weapons (such as Hawkgirl's mace and Hro Talak's battle-axe) have mystical properties and can work against Green LanternGreen LanternThe Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
's power ring or SupermanSupermanSuperman 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...
's invulnerability. However, the Thanagarians, disgusted by their gods' bloody demands, ultimately refused to worship them. They would even drive them away using the anti-magic properties of their nth metal weapons. Thanagar plays a crucial role in the "Starcrossed" episodes at the end of Season 2. An emissary of Thanagar, the army commander Hro Talak, declared to Earth that, "For generations, we on Thanagar have been locked in a bloody war with these monsters the Gordanians, referred to as 'our mortal enemies'." It was revealed that Hawkgirl was actually not a policewoman sent through a wormhole as she had earlier claimed, but a lieutenant with the army. Ostensibly, Shayera's duty was to be ambassador to the Earth (similar in capacity to her fellow Leaguer Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's role for Patriarch's World and the AmazonianAmazons (comics)The Amazons of DC Comics are a fictional all-female society of superhumans, based on the Amazons of Greek mythology. There have been three major incarnations of these Amazons, one before the Crisis, and two after. What two of these groups have in common is that they are the race which produced...
culture); she was to ensure mutual cooperation between Thanagar and Earth. Thus, she set up the alliance between the two planets when it seemed the Gordanians were about to invade the Earth. The Thanagarian army claimed they would set up a planetary force field to help the inhabitants of Earth. After gaining the support and acceptance of world governments and the Justice LeagueJustice LeagueThe 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....
, they forcefully imposed martial law and stated they were establishing a garrisonGarrisonGarrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
on Earth. Lt. Hol believed that she was doing the best thing for Earth. However, not even she knew that the Thanagarians actually intended to build a hyper-spaceWormholeIn physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
bypassThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (book)The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the title of the first of six books in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction "trilogy" by Douglas Adams . The novel is an adaptation of the first four parts of Adams's radio series of the same name. The novel was first published in...
network that they would use to assault the Gordanian homeworld. Hro Talak stated:
When Lt. Hol protested that this would cause the destruction of Earth, Talak replied, "For Thanagar to live, Earth must die." At this point, Lt. Hol betrayed her homeworld to save her adopted homeworld, for which she was exiled and stripped of her rank. The Thanagarian military, under Cmdr. Talak's orders, retreated from Earth.
- In Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice 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...
, it showed that Hro Talak's task force returned just after the final battle with the main force of the Gordanian invasion. In a suicide attack, Talak carried out a kamikazeKamikazeThe were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
ramming attack on the Gordanian flagship, motivated by revengeRevengeRevenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
in despair over failing his mission. His action resulted in the destruction of the entire Gordanian fleet. Thanagar was completely conquered by the Gordanians, although an underground Resistance exists (such as the one on KorugarKorugarKorugar is a fictional planet in the DC Comics Universe. It first appeared in Green Lantern #7 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane.-Fictional background:...
); the former army command operatives Paran Dul and Kragger mention having been part of it. The Thanagarian response to their final fall appears to be a general consensus blaming the action of Shayera Hol, as she destroyed their hope to defeat the Gordanians in the war, costing Thanagar its freedom. As a member of the Justice League's founding council, she admits her faults and justified her actions to the Justice League:
Kragger, Paran Dul and a squadron of Thanagarians later desert the Resistance in order to exact revenge on Shayera, although the mission ends in their defeat. The final fate of Thanagar under Gordanian rule remains unknown.
- Thanagar and its inhabitants are also featured in the Legion of Super HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
episode "Dark Victory" (part 2); they are attacked and destroyed by a corrupted Brainiac 5Brainiac 5Brainiac 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...
. It was brought back after Brainiac 5 regained control of his body from his BrainiacBrainiac (comics)Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
's control. The Thanagarians resemble the ones seen in the Justice League animated series.
- The stuffed corpse of a Thanagarian warrior is shown in the Faceless HunterFaceless HunterThe Faceless Hunters are an alien race in the DC Comics universe that first appeared in Strange Adventures #124, . They were created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. The Faceless Hunters hail from Klaramar, the word Klar-a-mar breaks down into "clear of imperfection"...
's trophy room in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Siege of Starro: Part 2".
Film
The never produced script for the movie Superman Lives; written by Kevin SmithKevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
; would have included a monster called a "Thanagarian Snare Beast" (which would have borne an uncanny resemblance to a giant Terran spider) as an antagonist of Superman's. The monster was included in the script by Smith to satisfy the demands of both producer Jon Peters
Jon Peters
Jon Peters is an American movie producer.-Early life:Peters was born John H. Peters in Van Nuys, California, the son of Helen , a receptionist, and Jack Peters, a cook...
, who insisted the script feature a fight between Superman and a giant spider, and the executive staff of Warner Brothers, who insisted that the spider be included only if Smith could avoid referring to it as a spider.
Popular culture
- In the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
, during the episode "The Plot To Kill a City: Episode 2", Thanagar is mentioned in a departure center right after Adam StrangeAdam StrangeAdam 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....
.