Vartox
| Vartox | |
|---|---|
 Vartox's first appearance in Superman #281 art by Nick Cardy | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman vol. 1 #281, (November 1974) |
| Created by | Cary Bates (writer) Curt Swan (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Vartox |
| Species | Tynolan |
| Place of origin | Valeron |
| Notable aliases | Vernon O'Valeron |
| Abilities | Flight, Invulnerability, Superhuman strength and senses, Telekinesis, Telepathy, Energy projection, Astral projection, Ability to transfer these powers to others |
Vartox is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #281, (November 1974), he was created by Cary Bates and Curt Swan. Vartox bears a striking resemblance to Scottish actor Sean Connery and his name is regarded as an allusion to the movie Zardoz in which Connery starred.
Fictional character biography
Vartox is from Valeron, in the "Sombrero Hat" Galaxy. Vartox is a friend and equal to Superman and the two have shared many adventures together. Like Superman, Vartox is an alien and has adopted a new world which he has sworn to protect. He is older than Superman who described him as "a force for good in the universe when I was still a super-tot" (Superman #375, September 1982: "The Stoning of Lana Lang"). Vartox described himself as "far more experienced" than Superman(Superman #281, November 1974: "Mystery Mission to Metropolis"). Vartox is in love with Lana Lang and shares a rivalry with Superman for her affections.
In November 1974, the psychic twin of Vartox's wife is killed on Earth. Since the two women are "biologically linked", Vartox's wife also dies at the same moment. Determined to bring his wife's proxy killer to justice, Vartox journeys to Earth in order to lure Frank "Killer" Sykes to Valeron. Superman pursues the pair and battles Sykes, to whom Vartox has transferred a portion of his Hyper-Power in order to make their fight fair. Figuring out Vartox's mission, Superman allows Sykes to be extradited and tried on Valeron, where he is found guilty of murder.
Vernon O'Valeron
After Valeron's destruction, Vartox temporarily assumed the secret identity of "Vernon O'Valeron", and took a job as a temporary security officer at television and media company Galaxy Communications (where, pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman worked as co-host of the evening newscast, in his own secret identity of Clark Kent). While at Galaxy, he met and fell in love with Lana Lang, once Superman's childhood sweetheart and modern-day rival (with Lois Lane) for his affections. By the time Lana and Vartox met, however, she had abandoned her pursuit of Superman as hopeless, not because her feelings had changed or she thought that Lois was the "better woman", but because she had accepted the reality that any true relationship with a man who literally took the responsibility of the world on his shoulders was all but impossible. Thus, Lana was struck hard by the bitter irony that "Vernon O'Valeron" turned out to be another such man, compounded by the fact that the world that Vartox was committed to was an entirely different planet--and one whose atmosphere was poisonous to Earthlings.
Syreena
During another of Vartox's stays on Earth, Lana was caught up in a complex revenge plot orchestrated by a former lover of Vartox's from Valeron. Syreena wanted payback for what she saw as Vartox's betrayal of her; in truth, his "betrayal" was arresting her for criminal acts committed with a siphoned portion of Vartox's powers, stolen from him through a device disguised as an amulet Syreena had given him as a "gift of love". Syreena first gave Vartox and Lana false hope by transforming Lana (in the guise of an "energy phantom") so that she could breath in Tynola's atmosphere; she then made it appear that an accidental ricochet of Vartox's "hyper-energy" beams had turned Lana to stone. All the while, she was mentally manipulating Vartox from afar, appearing as her own "ghost" to render him irrational and unable to guess the truth. In the end, two things ruined Syreena's plan: one, she accidentally left pieces of the amulet she had once given Vartox (which he had crushed upon learning its secret) behind at one of her "ghostly" appearances, giving him tangible proof of her survival, and two, deep down, she still loved Vartox, and found herself unable to deny him happiness. Syreena restored Lana, at a terrible cost; the effect could not be dispelled, only transferred, dooming Syreena to "life" as a stone statue. However, Vartox and Lana were forced to part once again--the effect that would have let her live on Tynola was apparently linked to the pertrification effect, and both were transferred away when Lana was "cured".
Post Crisis
In 1999 a post-Crisis version of Vartox was introduced by Dan Jurgens and Steve Epting. He makes his debut in Superman vol.2 #148, alongside two other aliens named Vestion and Paz.
Current status
On the ComicBloc forums, Kurt Busiek has confirmed that Vartox will be reappearing in the DCU in his second upcoming Superman arc.[1]
Powers and abilities
Vartox is described as a Hyper-man, possessing Hyper-powers. The origin of these powers is never revealed but Vartox did state he "acquired" his Hyper-powers as a young man(Superman #374, August 1982: "Love is deadlier...the second time around"), so he was not born with them like Superman himself. Vartox stated that his powers were "psychic by nature"(Action Comics #499, September 1979: "As the World Turns...for the Last Time."). The majority of Vartox's powers are manifest as beams form his hands or eyes and range from pink to blue in color, though they principally seem to yellow. The powers described below are ascribed to the original Vartox.
- Invulnerability roughly analogous to the Bronze Age Superman. Vartox survives the explosion of a planet at ground zero, can survive without breathing in deep space and is stated as having no weakness to magic. His only shown vulnerability is when his hyper-power is siphoned away by an outside source.
- Hyper-Strength, described as greater than Superman's.
- Hyper-Speed, described as greater than Superman's.
- Flight. Vartox is capable of unaided intergalactic flight.
- Hyper-senses. These take at least two forms, though there are possibly more. Hyper-Vision, evidenced as analogous to telescopic vision, microscopic vision(at least to a molecular level) and the ability to see through any substance(unlike Superman's own X-ray Vision which cannot see through lead). Hyper-Vision also boosted a time-viewing machine to enable it to view the past of another planet rather than the one it was situated on. Vartox also has some form of super-hearing as he was able to hear Jimmy Olsen's ultra-sonic signal watch.
- Vartox has a Hyper-body which he has described as "an ethereal Hyper-body which dwells within my physical essence. On occasion this 'phantom self' has been dispatched into action without my knowledge --directed by my own subconscious wishes" (S No. 373, Jul 1982: "Lana Lang's Farewell to Earth"). This hyper-body is capable of possessing another person, imbuing that body with Vartox's own powers. Alternatively, Vartox can also temporarily boost another person with a portion of his hyper-power, giving them abilities that rival his own.
- Vartox has demonstrated some mind control abilities, even across a great distance and over as many people as a whole town. Despite this, he has never directly demonstrated any skills at telepathy or empathy. This could be because he is capable of broadcasting psychically but is not psychically receptive, or is perhaps due to some personal moral stance against invading the privacy of others.
- Vartox is possessed of Hyper-Power which he manifests in a variety of ways to fight crime. These variations include such powers as Hyper-vision (and other Hyper-senses), Hyper-teleportation, Hyper-remote-control-blows (a form of telekinesis), telekinesis, and Hyper-charges (spherial globes of energy) --including the powerful Hyper-obliteration-charge.
- His Hyper-Powers can also be used to temporarily dematerialize solid matter, enabling him to pass through barriers unharmed.
- He can also become a being of pure hyper-energy, able to defy gravity and the laws of physics. He can also fire blasts of heat and cold, which can burn a person or freeze them in place. His hyper-energy can also be shaped to make objects, such as nets and force bubbles. His powers are psychic, allowing him to fire mind bolts, communicate mentally, and cast illusions.
- Vartox is also super-strong, invulnerable, and able to fly (a power which may be augmented by devices attached to his boots). He is able to temporarily transfer these powers to others. As well, he can communicate via ultra-wave lengths while in space.
- Vartox is also an accomplished inventor and scientific genius.
References
- ^ Vartox will be in my second major arc. You'll like him. kdb Comic Bloc Forums: July 17th, 2006