Stalker (comics)

Infobox superhero
character_name =


caption = Cover of "Stalker" #1. Art by Steve Ditko
publisher = DC Comics
debut = "Stalker" #1, (July 1975)
creators = Paul Levitz (writer)
Steve Ditko (artist)
alter_ego = Stalker
full_name =
species =
homeworld =
alliances =
partners =
supports =
aliases =
powers = Superhuman strength, senses and speed, various mystical abilities, expert fencer

Stalker is a fictional antihero and swords and sorcery character published by DC Comics. The character debuted in "Stalker" #1 (July 1975), and was created by Paul Levitz and Steve Ditko.

Publication history

The Stalker title and many others published by the company in the seventies were victims of the DC Comics Implosion. [ [http://www.fanzing.com/mag/fanzing27/feature1.shtml Fanzing 27 - July 2000 - The DC Implosion! ] ]

Fictional character biography

A young warrior seeking immortality and power challenges and defeats the Demon Lord Dgrth, winning immortality but losing his soul. The young warrior now known as "Stalker the Soulless" begins a quest to regain his lost soul. However, the more he traveled the greater his power grew, and the more he physically resembled Dgrth. Stalker eventually fights his way to the demon god in the depths of that dimension's netherworld, and defeats him, only to discover that the deity has already used up the energies of the traded soul. The only way to get his soul back would be to end the existence of that dimension's supreme deity, a solution which could only occur after the abolishment of all war. [ [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=stalker The Unofficial Stalker Biography ] ]

Wonder Woman

Stalker reappears in "Wonder Woman" vol. 3 #20, and requests that Wonder Woman kill a demon from his dimension named D'Grth, to these ends he encourages her to recruit Beowulf Prince of Geats, and Claw the Unconquered. [As seen in "Wonder Woman" vol. 3 #20 (July 2008)] [As seen in "Wonder Woman" vol. 3 #21 (August 2008)] During this adventure Wonder Woman gives Stalker the proper name of Elpis, which means "hope" in Themyscirian. When D'Grth and Grendal eventually appear Stalker reveals that he deceived the trio of warriors as a means of gaining his soul back at the bidding of D'Grth. He then throws his sword at Diana but Beowulf jumps in it's way at the last second. Claw sees to Beowulf's wounds while Wonder Woman confronts Stalker. She tells him that Elpis is a female name. She then manages to steal the Rock of Destiny from Stalker and uses it to transport herself and D'Grth to Earth, leaving Stalker in his own world with an aspect of a soul. It is discovered that the soul Stalker possesses is in truth Diana's soul, which slowly began leaving her body shortly into hers and Stalker's first meeting. Stalker, though reluctant, agreed to return Diana's soul to her and joined in the final destruction of D'Grth. He then leaves with an oracle as a companion.

Other versions

*After the cancellation of the title, a version of Stalker appeared in "All-Star Comics" #1 featuring the Justice Society of America in a story which cast this version of Stalker as an insane supervillain, destroying dimension after dimension in his quest to end all conflict. [As seen in "All-Star Comics" #1 (May 1999):] He was defeated in a time warp generated by the Hourman android, most likely removing this version of the character from the timeline, and allowing for his later appearance in "Wonder Woman".

Notes

*The series takes place on a world that appears epic fantasy-based, but when the protagonist travels to his world's version of the underworld, men in astronaut garb can be seen among the hordes of doomed souls.

References

External links

* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=stalker DCU Guide: Stalker]
* [http://www.swordandsorcery.org/comicshistory.htm A Brief History of Sword-and-Sorcery Comics]