Showing posts with label Morgoth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morgoth. Show all posts

Friday, February 10, 2012

Morgoth

Morgoth

Created by J.R.R. Tolkein; Super Comics version by Robert E. Wronski, Jr.

Real Name:  Not Applicable

Aliases:  Morgoth Bauglir, Melkor, Doctor Deadly, Uglon, Uglon the Deadly

Current Occupation:  Would be world conqueror

Parents:  None

Siblings:  The Great Unknown, Allorin Vonski, Zeus, Satan (deceased), the Forbidden Planet (deceased)

Spouse:  Mala, Teela (ex-wives)

Children:  Voltrus, Pugli, Jon Zan

Group Affiliation:  New Power Organization, Powerkid Haters, 7 Deadly Sins

Place of Birth:  The Center of the Universe

Current Place of Residence:  Unknown

First Appearance:  The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954; Super Comics version in Powerkid # 3, November 1982

History:

At the dawn of time, six beings were born, three good and three evil.  One of those evil beings eventually found Earth, and was considered a wizard by its denizens.  He realized with his powers he could rule this world, and attempted to do so, but was undone by a fellowship of warriors, some unlikely hobbits, a Champion of Earth who wielded the Sword of Power, and one of his own brothers.

The dark one found himself banished to a dark dimension, where he was trapped.  He did manage to escape briefly in the 6th century, but was sent back by that era's champion and a time travelling future era champion.

In the 18th century, a scientist on a world whose original name is now lost accidentally opened a rift into the Dark Dimension.  The weakened demon came through, and possessed the scientist, Uglon.  The villain renamed himself Uglon the Deadly, and quickly conquered this world, which got redubbled Death Planet.

Uglon began to then focus on recapturing Earth, both for revenge, and because he knew that Earth was a mystical nexus which meant ultimate power.

Uglon, as a now world leader, began creating alliances with other worlds.  Also, because on Earth he was considered an "Elder God" by some, he used this to his advantage to unite with his brother, known on Earth as Satan among other names, and create a cult that worshiped them called the New Power Organization, which was both a religious group and a terrorist organization.

Uglon had two wives.  One, Mala, was his wife before the possession.  With her he fathered Voltrus and Pugli, and then banished her to the Dark Dimension.  He then took another wife, Teela, with whom he fathered Jon Zan.

In 1982, Uglon decided it was time to take back Earth, but found himself defeated by three new heroes:  Powerkid, Zap, and Speedy.  The press, having hear him announce himself as Uglon the Deadly, dubbed him Doctor Deadly, a name that stuck, and which for a time the villain even embraced.

Uglon saw that since the champion of this year had allies, he too needed allies.  His main allies for several years was Powerkid's other great foe, Karate Spears.  But Uglon also created alliances with his past incarnation from ancient past and his 31st century future counterpart.  He also created two separate organizations of Powerkid's (and later Powerman's) greatest foes, and created an alliance of alien races who had a common interest in Earth.

Uglon has fought Powerkid/Powerman and other Earth heroes time and again. His one goal is to destroy Powerman out of revenge and to get him out of the way for his ultimate goal of destroying the universe and reshaping it in his image.

Recently, he was separated from Uglon, and has returned to his ancient name of Morgoth.  His current whereabouts are unknown.

He is destined to combat Powerman in which their combined energies will freeze them both in suspended animation until the 31nd century.

Comments:

I created the character a year before reading Lord of the Rings.  His character and appearance was an amalgamation of such characters as Doctor Doom, Darkseid, and Darth Vader.  Later, after reading Tolkein, I incorporated his being Morgoth into his history.

In the early 1980s, he was a frequent foe of Powerkid and the Space Patrol (in the 31st century), and in the Lord of the Chain (occurring concurrent with Lord of the Rings).

In almost every multipart cosmic crisis storyline Super Comics has published, Deadly had been the central villain.  In History of the Super Universe, a prophesy was revealed that at the end of time, Powerkid and Doctor Deadly would do battle for the last time.  I've teased by showing battles that seemed to be that battle, but weren't, and I did indeed finally show that battle in the 32nd century in the Continuity storyline, but in Crisis, I actually undid the prophesy via interference by time travelers.

Almost every title at some point has had some sot of connection to this character, who is probably the central villain of the whole of the Wronskiverse.

And new he's hiding..  And though he isn't to be part of the next upcoming major storyline directly, his absence will be explained.  And after that, some cool changes planned for the character.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Great Unknown

The Great Unknown

Created by Robert E. Wronski, Jr.

Partially based on a real historical being

Real Name:  Has gone by a few different names, including the Great Unknown, God, Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, I am, the Alpha and Omega

Current Occupation:  Protector of the Universe

Parents:  None (was born in the Big Bang)

Siblings:  Allorin Vonski, Zeus, Morgoth, Evil (deceased), the Forbidden Planet (deceased)

Spouse:  None

Children:  None

Group Affiliation:  Universal Protectors

Place of Birth:  The center of the Universe, where Oa now exists

Current Place of Residence:  A cave on the planet Kookoorongba

First Historical Appearance:  The Bible

First Super Comics Appearance:  Adventures on Other Worlds # 1 (September 1978)

Biography:

At the dawn of time, six cosmic beings were born, three of good, three of evil.  The being who would become known as the Great Unknown joined with his good brothers to battle his evil brothers.  However, they found themselves equal and chose to go their separate ways.

The Great Unknown first found a world called Heaven.  The race of this world, called Angels, worshiped the Great Unknown and made him their ruler.  This race became highly evolved over billions of years.  All was well, until one of the Great Unknown's brothers came to this world.  Calling himself Lucifer Morningstar, he corrupted Heaven, creating a civil war in a bid to rule.  However, the Great Unknown and his warriors were the greater force, and defeated the evil ones.

As punishment, the Great Unknown created a pocket dimension called Hell where he banished Lucifer and his minions.  These angels eventually evolved into demons.  Over time, Lucifer would find a way to turn the prison into a realm that he ruled.  He was able to leave anytime, as was his demons.  However, Lucifer found a way to capture the souls of Earth humans who were evil, and those who willingly trade their souls to him, each one giving him greater power.

Meanwhile, the Great Unknown to protect his angels, sent Heaven into it's own dimension.  Heaven also became home to human souls after death, but only those who wanted to go.

Around 51,000 years in the past, the Great Unknown came to Earth, where his two good brothers had already made a home.  At the request of Vonski, the Great Unknown became guard to the Sword of Power.

Around 1260 B.C., the Great Unknown is angered by the evil of humanity, but also sees the potential for good.  He chooses his first Champion of Earth in Moses, by giving him a mystical staff and advising him as he battled Ramses to free the slaves of Egypt.

This began a trend in which the Great Unknown would continue to create champions on Earth.  Not all of the champions have been chronicled as of yet, but we do know of some of them.

In 8 A.D., the Great Unknown chose an twelve year old boy in Israel who was the son of the angel Gabriel, who had raped a woman named Mary.  He granted him with amazing powers, but the boy named Jesus used his powers only is pacifistic ways.  He was killed in 33 A.D.  He could have saved himself but he refused to use his powers to harm others.

After this, the Great Unknown, saddened, left Earth, and settled on the planet Kookoorongba.  He would keep watching Earth and creating champions, but he also started manipulating events off of Earth.

On Kookoorongba, he started giving people of a heroic quality super-powers, turning them into the police force called the Powermen.  It was the people of Kookoorongba who named him the Great Unknown.  They worshiped him and allowed him to rule them.  He also created the Council, a group represented by various alien species.  This council then created the Interstellar Peace Organization, a police force composed of aliens from throughout the universe.

In the 6th century, in the kingdom of Camelot, the Great Unknown granted a knight with a mystical sword, turning him into the Purple Knight.

In the 17th century, a French Musketeer is also given a mystical sword, becoming the Scarlet Swordsman.

In the 19th century, another Frenchman became the second Scarlet Swordsman.

In the 1960s, the Universal Protectors became aware of a coming Crisis, in which the Universal Destroyers would take advantage.  And so the trio each decided to create their own champion out of the sons of three sisters.

The Great Unknown chose Christopher Kowalky, born in 1972.  His mother was Maureen Hasser, the middle sister.  Only this wasn't exactly true.  Christopher was actually born on the planet Hanguk.  His father was from Earth, a member of the Interstellar Peace Organization.  His mother was a native woman.  When the planet was invaded by Booer, the father took Chris to Earth.  He met Maureen and she married the space hero and raised the child as her own.  What nobody knew was that the Great Unknown had orchestrated the whole thing.

In 1979, when Chris was 6, the Great Unknown set things in motion.  He sent a ball of energy towards Earth which struck Chris, granting him amazing powers.  Chris would choose the name Superboy, but would go on to be called Super-Bob, Powerkid, and Powerman.

Just after this, the Great Unknown observed a man about to commit suicide.  He implanted an idea into his head, which inspired the man to not kill himself, but instead become the costumed vigilante called the Unknown.  (This implanted message also got bounced into the alternate reality of Earth-5, where the man's counterpart in that reality also received the message and also became the Unknown.)

The Great Unknown then sent Krazel, one of his best Powermen and IPO agents, to visit Chris and train him.

In 1983, Powerkid finally went to Kookoorongba  and visited the Great Unknown.  After this, the Great Unknown began communicating directly with Powerkid via mental telethapy.

At the end of 1988, Cronstar, a time travelling robot, hatched a plan that threatened to destroy reality.  Powerman joined with past Champions of Earth, to form the History's Heroes.  Though the heroes defeated Cronstar, it was not before there was a negative effect which caused the Great Unknown to survive only by merging with Powerman.  During a one year period, Chris maintained control of his body when normal, but when he became Powerman, the Great Unknown would take control.  Fortunately, after a year, the Great Unknown gained enough power back to leave Powerman's body and reform on his own.

After the separation, the Great Unknown stopped communicating with Powerman.  Recently, in 2008, Chris Kowalsky's son, Connor, who had become the new Powerkid, found he can communicate with the Great Unknown.  The Great Unknown revealed to Connor that he tries to communicate with Chris and also Chris' sister Michelle, who had also served as Powerkid in the 1990s, but they choose to ignore him.

During the Crisis of 2008 to 2009, the Great Unknown and his good brothers created a massive spell the resurrected many dead super-heroes and also restored the memories and powers of other heroes that had lost both from a spell cast by Allorin Vonski in 1998.

Currently the Great Unknown continues to guide Connor Kowalsy as the new Powerkid. Though there is no recored stories of the Great Unknown in the future, his legacy will continue on.  Powerman will live on as an immortal with the powers granted to him by Powerman at least into the 32nd century.  The council he created will still exist in the 31st century, running the United Federation of Planets (or United Planets) and the Star (or Space) Patrol.  The Interstellar Peace Organization will become the Star Patrol.  In the late 21st century, the IPO will create the Ticon Force.

Comments:

When I first created the Great Unknown in 1978, he was inspired by Orson from Mork and Mindy.  When Adventures on Other Worlds ended, the Great Unknown faded from my memory, until 1983.  In 1983, I reintroduced the Great Unknown and his connection to Krazy-El and Kookoorongba.  In 1985, in the History of the Super Universe, I created the mythology that explained his relationship to his cosmic brothers.

In 1988, my friend John Barstow started scripting and editing Powerman.  He decided to take the relationship between Powerman and the Great Unknown, and create a mini-series off of it called Past Imperfect.  This is when we were introduced to the concept of there being previous champions.  He also created the merging, which I was then left to try to write stories about.

After a year of writing stories of the Great Unknown as the main character, I think I got fed up with him.

I used him just once in 1992, in a story that revealed that the Great Unknown was God.

However, after that, I stopped using him for almost 20 years.  However, since the new Powerkid series is about nostalgia, it was only logical to make the Great Unknown a supporting character.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Crisis

Crisis was a 12 issue mini-series that ran from May 2008 to April 2009.  It had crossovers in every Super Comics title of the time period.

The New Power Organization returned with a plan to destroy all reality (the entire multiverse) and replace it with a one shaped in evil.  To do this, they needed both the Universal Transponder and the Sword of Power, and planned on increasing their chances by going into the past and the future to steal it over and over at different points.

For such a grand plan, they needed an army of villains.  This was, however, a time when most super-villains were either dead, or had been stripped of their power and their memories.  Morgoth and Satan worked with Kane on such a powerful spell that they restored the memories and powers of all living villains, and raised many of the major villains of the past 30 years back from the dead.  Then to top it off, they gifted each villain with a power upgrade, making each one more powerful than ever.

When Allorin Vonski, the Great Unknown, and Zeus learned of this, they quickly did the same thing for heroes.  They raised deceased super-heroes, and brought back retired and depowered heroes.

Then the race was on, and heroes and villains traveled to various times in the past, present, and future to obtain their prize or save it.

This series during this portion of the story ended up featuring every Super Comics character ever created.  But it didn't end there.

One such important mission needs to be mentioned, because it's impact on the mythology of the Wronskiverse.  We had learned in 1985's History of the Super Universe that at the end of time, Powerkid would fight Doctor Deadly, and the battle would destroy the universe.

Then in the series New Earth, published in 1994 and taking place in 3182, Powerman and Dr. Deadly have that battle, and are about to do the deed, when the cosmic being Barsto travels to that point to absorb the energy of the two, pursued from 1994 by Allorin Vonski.  The interference caused the four to merge into the being called Continuity.  This did end the universe.  Eventually, Continuity is killed due to the sacrifice of NighTrain, but Vonski is able to separate himself, as revealed later.

Well, in Crisis, the New Power sends a team to the future to steal the power emitted during the event to fuel the machine they are creating.  The team sent is Voltrus, Hellchild, Man-Killer, Spearon, Lightning Master, Powerlord, Dikrewop, and Nicole Barstaman.  But just as they arrive in the future, they are followed by Powerman, Powerkid, Powergirl, Zap, Zap Mom, Girl Zap, Zappette, and Krazel.  The heroes overcome the villains, but their presence interferes with predestined events, so that the universe does not end.  The universe continues to live on beyond 3182.

The bad guys do manage to get the sword and universal transponder.  The villains move their operation off the Earthly plane and into Hell.  Soon the universe and multiverse start to feel the effects of the end, and Allorin Vonski reaches out to heroes of other worlds, including Earth-0 (the DC Universe), Earth-616 (the Marvel Universe), Earth-26 (the world of Captain Carrot, Animal Town, and Mighty Mouse), Earth-818793 (the Wold Newton Universe), Earth-5 (the world of Power Woman), Kearth-K (where Powerman is evil), Earth-B2 (Powerman operated during World War II), Earth-Z (where only characters created by Phil Sheridan exist), and Earth-Prime (home of Super Comics creator Robert E. Wronski, Jr.)

The final battle was in Hell.  The Machine was destroyed, the transponder was recovered.  Powerlord maintained the Sword.  Morgoth was freed from occupying the body of the scientist Uglon for the first time in centuies.  And Satan was killed, which caused the destruction of Hell.  All heroes and villains managed to flee from Hell thanks to Vonski, the Great Unknown and Zeus.  Because Hell was destroyed, the souls trapped there returned to Earth as ghosts, and all demons became homeless and have now taken to spending all their time on Earth now.

Following Crisis, with the return of many heroes and villains, many new titles were started or returned, including National Heroes, Heroes of Earth, Forgotten Ones, and Bad Guys.