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Warlord (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Warlord is a sword and sorcery
comic book
published by DC Comics
. The series and titular character debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 (November 1975
), and was created by Mike Grell
.
. DC attempted an unsuccessful update of Warlord in 2006 with Bruce Jones
writing and Bart Sears providing the art. This series was canceled after ten issues due to low sales.
In March 2008, Grell stated that he was working on a proposal to DC for a new Warlord series. It was announced in July 2008 that Warlord would be returning as an ongoing series
written by Mike Grell in time for the original series' 35th anniversary. The series started in April 2009, featuring art by Joe Prado and Chad Hardin. It ended in August 2010 at issue #15.
veteran SR-71 pilot Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the Earth's crust while flying over the north pole in 1969 and landed in the underground world of Skartaris
, a place strongly reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs
's Pellucidar
. There Travis, wielding his .44 AutoMag
pistol and joined by Shamballah's Princess (later Queen) Tara, a scantily-dressed savage, became the Warlord and fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos
as well as various kings. He gained various sidekicks such as Machiste, Shakira
, a Russian scientist named Mariah and his magic-wielding daughter Jennifer Morgan. In one story arc Morgan even becomes the U.S. President in the far future (Issue 84).
Although The Warlord has a superficial resemblance to Oliver Queen (Green Arrow
), he is in reality based more upon his creator, Mike Grell, a former member of the Air Force. Grell is caricatured in Warlord's first appearance, 1st Issue Special #8 and is clearly sporting the signature shaggy goatee.
Arion
, another DC Comics sword & sorcery title, began as a six-page backup feature in Warlord. Another backup feature was The Barren Earth which was concluded in a four-issue limited series after a lengthy run in the ongoing The Warlord series. A continuation of Jack Kirby
's OMAC series, by Jim Starlin
, was featured as a backup for several issues (#37-39 and 42-47) as well.
remains in the Himalayas
. She takes the head of one to a doctor and an expedition is set up to retrieve more samples. The team is spotted by the Chinese government and flee into the caves after losing several members. They discover a portal and after walking through find themselves in Skartaris
. Travis Morgan is attacked by a giant bird and kills it with the help of Shakira. Refugees enter Shamballah and Morgan discovers that a new god has taken over the Shadow Kingdom and has overrun the Kingdom of Kiro, Machiste's homeland. One of the refugees is injured and he surprisingly carries a gunshot wound.
Issue #12 saw the death of Travis Morgan. The machinations of Deimos' return pit Travis Morgan against Tinder. Just as Morgan realizes that Tinder is in fact his son Joshua, he becomes distracted and Tinder mortally wounds him. Travis Morgan's final words were "I thought I'd have more time." Morgan was then cremated and Tinder becomes the new Warlord.
Issue #13 marks Joshua Morgan, a.k.a. Tinder, as his official debut in the role of the Warlord. His costume is reminiscent of Travis Morgan's black outfit when he first arrived in Skartaris. Instead of carrying a sword and a gun as Travis did, Tinder carries a sword, a dagger, a quiver of arrows and a bow.
event, Warlord is the pirate of a fleet when Warlord was attacked by pirate Deathstroke in battle stealing their loot. During the battle, Warlord's crew was killed while Warlord escaped using the hovercraft. Later, Warlord plans to attack Deathstroke and retrieve Jenny Blitz who has been in stasis since she was stolen from him. Warlord ambushed Deathstroke and his fleet and demanded that they surrender. But in answer Deathstroke shot Warlord's right eye using a scoped sniper rifle. He had been aiming for Warlord's mouth. Deathstroke fired once more at Warlord's ship only to have it unexpectedly blow up. Each ship in Warlord's fleet subsequently exploded. The ships had been destroyed by Jenny Blitz, now released from her stasis tube due to an earlier skirmish between Ocean Master and Icicle, one of Deathstroke's crewmen. Jenny appears to be able to project explosive force from her hands.
: Warlord TPB collecting the first two years of the series in black and white.
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
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 series and titular character debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 (November 1975
1975 in comics
This is a list of comics-related events in 1975.- Year overall :* Following up their various Giant-Size series from 1974, Marvel publishes a number of one-shot Giant-Size annuals featuring reprints of "classic" Captain America, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Invaders, Iron Man,...
), and was created by Mike Grell
Mike Grell
Mike Grell is a comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Jon Sable Freelance.-Early life:...
.
Publication history
The title The Warlord comes from the comic's main character, Travis Morgan, who obtains the name of "The Warlord" in the first few issues as he fights for the freedom of the people of SkartarisSkartaris
Skartaris is a fictional Hollow Earth fantasy setting created by Mike Grell for the sword and sorcery comic book Warlord, published by DC Comics. Skartaris debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 , where the character Travis Morgan, a US Air Force pilot, discovers a passage into this world through the...
. DC attempted an unsuccessful update of Warlord in 2006 with Bruce Jones
Bruce Jones (comics)
Bruce Jones, whose pen names include Philip Roland and Bruce Elliot, is an American comic book writer, novelist, illustrator, and screenwriter whose work included writing Marvel Comics' The Incredible Hulk from 2001-2005.-Early career:...
writing and Bart Sears providing the art. This series was canceled after ten issues due to low sales.
In March 2008, Grell stated that he was working on a proposal to DC for a new Warlord series. It was announced in July 2008 that Warlord would be returning as an ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
written by Mike Grell in time for the original series' 35th anniversary. The series started in April 2009, featuring art by Joe Prado and Chad Hardin. It ended in August 2010 at issue #15.
Original Series
VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
veteran SR-71 pilot Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the Earth's crust while flying over the north pole in 1969 and landed in the underground world of Skartaris
Skartaris
Skartaris is a fictional Hollow Earth fantasy setting created by Mike Grell for the sword and sorcery comic book Warlord, published by DC Comics. Skartaris debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 , where the character Travis Morgan, a US Air Force pilot, discovers a passage into this world through the...
, a place strongly reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...
's Pellucidar
Pellucidar
Pellucidar is a fictional Hollow Earth milieu invented by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs for a series of action adventure stories. In a notable crossover event between Burroughs' series, there is a Tarzan story in which the Ape Man travels into Pellucidar.The stories initially involve the...
. There Travis, wielding his .44 AutoMag
AutoMag (pistol)
The .44 Auto Mag pistol is a large caliber semi-automatic pistol. It was designed between 1966 and 1971 by the Auto Mag Corporation to bring .44 magnum power to a semi-automatic pistol....
pistol and joined by Shamballah's Princess (later Queen) Tara, a scantily-dressed savage, became the Warlord and fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos
Deimos (comics)
Deimos is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #8, , and was created by Mike Grell as a foil for Travis Morgan the Warlord...
as well as various kings. He gained various sidekicks such as Machiste, Shakira
Shakira (comics)
Shakira is a fictional character, a sword and sorcery heroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Warlord #32, , and was created by Mike Grell.-Fictional character biography:...
, a Russian scientist named Mariah and his magic-wielding daughter Jennifer Morgan. In one story arc Morgan even becomes the U.S. President in the far future (Issue 84).
Although The Warlord has a superficial resemblance to Oliver Queen (Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
), he is in reality based more upon his creator, Mike Grell, a former member of the Air Force. Grell is caricatured in Warlord's first appearance, 1st Issue Special #8 and is clearly sporting the signature shaggy goatee.
Arion
Arion (comics)
Arion is a fictional sword and sorcery hero published by DC Comics. He debuted in Warlord #55 , and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Jan Duursema.-Publication history:...
, another DC Comics sword & sorcery title, began as a six-page backup feature in Warlord. Another backup feature was The Barren Earth which was concluded in a four-issue limited series after a lengthy run in the ongoing The Warlord series. A continuation of 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....
's OMAC series, by Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
, was featured as a backup for several issues (#37-39 and 42-47) as well.
Current status
Issue #1 (June 2009) of the new series begins with an explorer finding perfectly preserved dinosaurDinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
remains in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. She takes the head of one to a doctor and an expedition is set up to retrieve more samples. The team is spotted by the Chinese government and flee into the caves after losing several members. They discover a portal and after walking through find themselves in Skartaris
Skartaris
Skartaris is a fictional Hollow Earth fantasy setting created by Mike Grell for the sword and sorcery comic book Warlord, published by DC Comics. Skartaris debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 , where the character Travis Morgan, a US Air Force pilot, discovers a passage into this world through the...
. Travis Morgan is attacked by a giant bird and kills it with the help of Shakira. Refugees enter Shamballah and Morgan discovers that a new god has taken over the Shadow Kingdom and has overrun the Kingdom of Kiro, Machiste's homeland. One of the refugees is injured and he surprisingly carries a gunshot wound.
Issue #12 saw the death of Travis Morgan. The machinations of Deimos' return pit Travis Morgan against Tinder. Just as Morgan realizes that Tinder is in fact his son Joshua, he becomes distracted and Tinder mortally wounds him. Travis Morgan's final words were "I thought I'd have more time." Morgan was then cremated and Tinder becomes the new Warlord.
Issue #13 marks Joshua Morgan, a.k.a. Tinder, as his official debut in the role of the Warlord. His costume is reminiscent of Travis Morgan's black outfit when he first arrived in Skartaris. Instead of carrying a sword and a gun as Travis did, Tinder carries a sword, a dagger, a quiver of arrows and a bow.
Warlord Miniseries
- A six issue limited series ran from January to June 1992, written and drawn by Mike GrellMike GrellMike Grell is a comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Jon Sable Freelance.-Early life:...
.
- A 3rd Warlord series was launched in 2006, produced by writer Bruce JonesBruce JonesIan Roy Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as cab driver Les Battersby-Brown in Coronation Street. He left the role in 2007. His real name is Ian Roy Jones, but he took the name of his father for professional purposes.-Early life:Jones was born to Bruce and Irene Jones in...
and artist Bart SearsBart SearsBart Whitman Sears is an American artist and author, originally from Syracuse, New York.Sears has lent his unique style and creative ideas to multiple industries, including but not limited to: Comics , Toys, and Computer Games...
. This series restarted the concept and started with Travis Morgan arriving in Skartaris and was canceled after 10 issues. The series left a number of story points unanswered as issue nine finished on a cliffhanger, while issue #10 had a standalone story set sometime in the future. This relaunch has been largely ignored throughout the DC continuity.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Warlord is the pirate of a fleet when Warlord was attacked by pirate Deathstroke in battle stealing their loot. During the battle, Warlord's crew was killed while Warlord escaped using the hovercraft. Later, Warlord plans to attack Deathstroke and retrieve Jenny Blitz who has been in stasis since she was stolen from him. Warlord ambushed Deathstroke and his fleet and demanded that they surrender. But in answer Deathstroke shot Warlord's right eye using a scoped sniper rifle. He had been aiming for Warlord's mouth. Deathstroke fired once more at Warlord's ship only to have it unexpectedly blow up. Each ship in Warlord's fleet subsequently exploded. The ships had been destroyed by Jenny Blitz, now released from her stasis tube due to an earlier skirmish between Ocean Master and Icicle, one of Deathstroke's crewmen. Jenny appears to be able to project explosive force from her hands.
Television
- Warlord has appeared in the 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...
episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core" voiced by Paul GuilfoylePaul GuilfoylePaul Guilfoyle is an American television and film actor. He is currently a regular cast member of the forensic television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he plays Captain Jim Brass.-Early life:...
. 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...
, SupergirlSupergirlSupergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
, Stargirl, and S.T.R.I.P.E. stumbled onto Skartaris and teamed up with him to stop DeimosDeimos (comics)Deimos is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #8, , and was created by Mike Grell as a foil for Travis Morgan the Warlord...
and his unlikely allies MetalloMetalloMetallo is a comic book supervillain and cyborg who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Metallo's trademark is his kryptonite power source, which he often uses as a weapon against Superman. His traditional identity is John Corben...
and Silver BansheeSilver BansheeSilver Banshee is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an opponent of Superman.-Fictional character biography:Siobhan McDougal was the first-born child of Garrett McDougal, the patriarch of an old Gaelic clan that has occupied an island midway between Scotland and Ireland for...
of the Secret SocietySecret Society of Super VillainsThe Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
from stealing a huge piece of kryptoniteKryptoniteKryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
rock. Tara, Machiste, Mariah, Shakira, and Jennifer Morgan also appeared in this episode.
Toys
- In 1982 several of the characters from the "Warlord" series received action figures in a line called "Lost World of the Warlord" from RemcoRemcoRemco Industries, Inc. was a toy company founded in the 1940s that was best known for toys marketed and sold in the late 1950s and 1960s, like the Johnny Reb Cannon and Mighty Matilda Atomic Aircraft Carrier. The slogan was "Every Boy Wants a Remco Toy...And So Do Girls!" Remco was founded by two...
. Travis Morgan was one of the figures along with Deimos, Machiste, Mikola Rostov, and Hercules. - In April 2007, Warlord received an action figure (based on the modern update) in Series 4 of DC Direct'sDC DirectDC Direct is the collectibles division of DC Comics, the Time Warner subsidiary that publishes comic books and licenses characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Batgirl and Hawkgirl. DC Direct produces statues, props, replicas and prints for the direct market, a...
"First Appearance" figures. - In 2010 Warlord received an action figure (based on the animated version) in the Justice League Unlimited toyline.
- A customizer named japormanji from an internet toy collector's site called figurealm made a convincing custom figure of Warlord out of a He-man Masters of the Universe classics combining it with the series 4 DC Direct's "First Appearance Warlord figure.
Popular culture
- Warlord issue #89 appears on a magazine rack in a convenience store in a deleted scene from the Goonies DVD.
Collected editions
In 1991, DC Comics published a colored trade paperback reprinting early Warlord stories, which included a new wraparound painted cover by Mike Grell (who also wrote an introduction for the book). In 2009, DC published Showcase PresentsShowcase presents
Showcase Presents is a line of black-and-white paperback books published by DC Comics at an average rate of two per month. Created to effectively be DC's version of Marvel Comics' Essential Marvel volumes, each book includes over 500 pages of reprints, primarily from the Silver Age...
: Warlord TPB collecting the first two years of the series in black and white.
- Warlord: The Savage Empire (1991) - collects First Issue Special #8 and Warlord (1st Series) #1-10 and 12. (240 pages) (ISBN 1-56389-024-0)
- Countdown Special: OMAC #1 (2008) - collects Warlord (1st Series) #37-39, as well as OMAC #1 & DC Comics Presents #61.
- Showcase Presents: Warlord (2009) - collects First Issue Special #8 and Warlord (1st Series) #1-28. (528 pages) (ISBN 1-4012-2473-3)
- Warlord: The Saga - Collects Warlord (vol.4) #1-6
External links
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Warlord
- Fanzing #0: Welcome to the Lost World, a summary of the series.
- Fanzing #0: Warlord Reading Guide
- Comic Book Urban Legends #54: "Was Warlord cancelled after issue #2?"
- DCU Guide: Warlord
- DCU Guide: Tara
- DCU Guide: Jennifer Morgan
- DCU Guide: Joshua Morgan (Tinder)
- TheWarlord.ca, synopses, articles, action figures