Orion (comics)

Orion
The New Gods vol. 2 #1 featuring Orion. Cover art by Paris Cullins.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	New Gods #1, (February 1971)
Created by	Jack Kirby (writer & artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Orion
Species	New God
Place of origin	New Genesis, formerly Apokolips
Team affiliations	New Gods Justice League
Notable aliases	O'Ryan
Abilities	Super Strength, Super Speed, Super Endurance Immortality Healing Factor The Astro Force (via the Astro-Harness), Mother Box.

Orion is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in New Gods #1 (February 1971), and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby.

Publication history

Orion was a series pencilled and written by Walt Simonson, centered around Jack Kirby's Fourth World character, Orion. It was lettered by John Workman. Bob Wiacek would provide the inks on occasion, while Simonson would do the bulk of the inking. Colors were provided by Tatjana Wood and Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh. In the publishing continuity of Jack Kirby's Fourth World, it was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended.

Orion ran for 25 issues, from June 2000 to June 2002. Issues #15 and #25 were oversized and priced at $3.95 instead of the usual $2.50. Sales of the title would see a gradual decline in preorders, averaging under 14,000 copies mark during the second half of the book's run. Sample sales are 14,372 copies for issue #15, and 11,891 for the last issue, #25.^[1][2] John Byrne filled in as penciller for the main stories in issues 13 and 14, though Simonson did provide writing and pencilling duties on backup stories in both of those issues (although not under the banner of Tales of the New Gods), with Wiacek inking.^[3]

Issues 1-5 were reprinted by DC Comics in the trade paperback The Gates of Apokolips. Also included as reprints were portions from the Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant, issue #1 and the Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant, issue #2.

A backup that ran consistently in the Orion book was Tales of the New Gods. Simonson invited fellow artists and, on occasion, writers to provide a short story often supplementing the issue's main action.

Character biography

Cover for Orion #1 (June 2000). Art by Walt Simonson

Orion is the second son of Darkseid, half brother of Kalibak and Grayven, and the husband of Bekka. As a child, he was traded for Scott Free in a peace effort between New Genesis and Apokolips. Raised as the son of Highfather Izaya, he was taught to control his rage and anger, becoming the most powerful warrior either world has ever known. This in itself was not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control his dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but as he grew, his friends among the New Gods helped him direct his anger. Orion counts among his friends Lightray, Metron, Jezebelle, Scott Free, Barda, and Forager. He is a hero dedicated to the ideals of New Genesis. His fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War".

The 25 issue Walt Simonson series was designed to follow the continuity of the original Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and was published after John Byrne's "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" series ended. To flesh out the series, characters such as Fourth World stalwarts Lightray, Darkseid, Desaad, and Kalibak, in addition to lesser used characters such as Tigra (early on in the series), Mortalla, and the Newsgroup Legion (an update of the Newsboy Legion) often supplied aid or ill intentions to the quick tempered Orion.

During Walt Simonson's series, Orion was able to obtain the Anti-Life Equation (the source Darkseid was in search of). He then went to Apokolips and confronted Darkseid about his birth, and ended up fighting for control of Apokolips (he refused to use the Anti-Life Equation due to issues of pride and earning his destiny unaided). He defeated Darkseid and gained control of Apokolips. With the anti-life equation, Orion went to Earth to begin creating intergalactic peace. He turned Earth into a utopian world that began disrupting the balance of the universe. It was revealed that Darkseid, alongside Metron, allowed Orion to defeat him, so he could understand the potential of the anti-life equation.

Orion kills Darkseid.

Orion has served two terms with the Justice League. He first demanded to join the League alongside his friend, Lightray. (Justice League of America #42, 9.90). They were accepted into the ranks and stayed on until after the battle with the Evil Eye. (Ibid #50) Later, he and Big Barda were sent as agents of New Genesis to serve in the JLA. (JLA #17, April 1998) During his time in the League, Orion helped to defeat the returned Starro when its actions put almost the entirety of North America to sleep, and also aided Green Lantern, Steel, Plastic Man, and Barda in capturing a White Martian that had regained its original memory. On one occasion, when he and some of the other Leaguers were abducted by the apparently insane Adam Strange as part of a plot to defeat a telepathic race, Steel was forced to steal Orion's mother box and use it as a telepathic shield; Orion was so enraged that the mother box was devoting too much energy to keeping him calm to do anything else. However, Orion and Barda's central mission was to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the coming of the omnipotent Mageddon. Once again, Orion abandoned his mother box, giving it to Oracle while he confronted Mageddon at full ferocity, Oracle using it to set up a telepathic online network that could coordinate the heroes as they fought to stop the wars that Mageddon's presence was inciting. Once Mageddon was defeated, he and Barda resigned. (Ibid #41)

Years later, Orion returns to Earth via Boom Tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, creating a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle). As Darkseid dies, a battered, wounded Orion walks away from the battlefield having "won" the battle against his father once and for all.

However, Darkseid's life essence endured even the death of his body and fell back in time, where he was reborn as "Boss Dark Side". Aided by his resurrected minions and the super-villain Libra, Darkseid successfully unleashed the Anti-Life Equation onto humanity and in the process, dragged Earth outside time and space, threatening the entire multiverse in the process. From this point, Darkseid sought his revenge against his son by firing a time travel-based gun backwards in time to kill Orion once and for all. The bullet killed Orion, who by this point had realized that his father and his fellow evil New Gods still lived and were now possessing human beings as host bodies. With his last strength, Orion warns the man who finds his dying body, Detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin, that "They are not dead- He is in you all." His final command, appropriate for the Dog of War, is for humanity to "Fight..." before he finally dies.

Ironically, Darkseid's murder of his son would ultimately backfire on him. Green Lantern John Stewart would recover the bullet used to kill Orion and give it to Batman, who would ultimately be forced to mortally wound Darkseid with the very same bullet Darkseid used to kill his own son; an irony Superman pointed out, when he described the murder of Orion as "suicide" on Darkseid's part, due to the fate of the bullet.

While many of the Gods from New Genesis were reborn following Final Crisis, Orion is not among them. Metron is seen standing over his astro-harness in effigy.

Powers and abilities

Orion possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina and durability, on par with his father Darkseid,^[4] as well as with Superman.^[5] Although he is a highly skilled warrior noted for a fierce warrior's instinct^[6] his great rage also makes him impulsive.^[7] He has access to a Mother Box that can calm his temper and change his appearance, "smoothing" out his coarse features.^[6] In addition, Orion also possesses a regenerative healing factor, and is able to call upon his Mother Box to assist in healing injuries or to sustain his life energies. Like all other New Gods, Orion is vulnerable to a substance called Radion. The "Astro-Harness" is an alien artifact of unknown origin, capable of self-repair; flight at incredible speeds;^[7] inter-spatial and inter-dimensional travel;^[6] energy projection and absorption; force field generation; and possesses a tractor beam. Orion's wristbands are also virtually indestructible.^[8]

Orion also is able to harness an interdimensional energy called the "Astro Force". While Orion himself is a conduit for the Astro Force, he can use either the Astro Harness or his wristbands as a valve through which he can project this energy . He uses the Astro Force primarily as a weapon, but once he was shown to be able to use the Astro Force to create an energy shield powerful enough to deflect Darkseid's otherwise unstoppable "Omega Effect".^[9] Like his father and all members of the Fourth World, Orion is immortal.

Other versions

In addition to his mainstream incarnation, Orion has been depicted in other fictional universes. In the graphic novel Kingdom Come, Orion has overthrown Darkseid and is the reluctant ruler of Apokolips. In the Mister Miracle series of Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers, Orion is a large, muscular African-American man, seen pushing Metron's wheelchair. The satirical miniseries Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Orion is a dog named Orihound.

In the Tangent Comics imprint, Orion is a superpowered being with transwarp powers that allow him to transport himself, others and objects anywhere on earth. He can transport beings across the Bleed into other universes with the aid of an additional power source such as Green Lantern Power Rings. He currently aids the Superman of Earth-9.

In other media

Television

Orion, as depicted in Justice League Unlimited.

Orion appears in Superman: The Animated Series (1996) episodes Apokolips...Now! part 1 & 2, voiced by Steve Sandor.

Orion appears in the Justice League episodes "Twilight" part 1 & 2 and the Justice League Unlimited episode "Flash and Substance" (2005) voiced by Ron Perlman. He is depicted as being very serious when it comes to facing threats and fighting criminals. He also makes a short cameo in "Hereafter" as an attendant of Superman's funeral, and "The Return" as one of the many heroes in the first line of defense against Amazo. Strangely, though, he is nowhere to be seen in the finale, "Destroyer". In an odd bit of mishandled editing, Orion is seen as one of the heroes confronting Luthor's survivors at the end of "Alive!" -- but when the scene is replayed in the teaser of "Destroyer", Orion has been removed. When it is shown a third time, over the closing credits, Orion is back in the picture again.

In the final season of Smallville, during the episode "Dominion" it is mentioned that the last time Darkseid came to Earth he was defeated by a warrior named Orion, leaving behind a weapon known as the Bow of Orion.^[10] In the following episode Orion is confirmed to be Darkseid's son who managed to turn away from the darkness of his father with the help of another person who raised him to embrace the light.

See also

• Apokolips, Orion's birth planet
• Bekka, Orion's wife
• Darkseid, Orion's father
• Highfather Izaya, Orion's adoptive father
• Jack Kirby, Orion's creator
• Jack Kirby's Fourth World, Orion's fictional setting
• List of New Gods
• Mother box
• New Genesis, Orion's adoptive home
• New Gods, Orion's people

References

1. ^ "Orion #15 sales. Last accessed March 11, 2007". Icv2.com. http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/445.html. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
2. ^ "Orion #25 sales. Last accessed March 11, 2007". Icv2.com. http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/1260.html. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
3. ^ "Orion Credits. Last accessed Feb 09, 2007". Comicsvf.com. http://www.comicsvf.com/auteurs/Walter+Simonson.aut. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
4. ^ "Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe" (Vol. 1) VI
5. ^ The Death of the New Gods
6. ^ ^{a b c} The DC Comics Encyclopedia
7. ^ ^{a b} JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America
8. ^ Orion #21 (cover date Feb. 2002)
9. ^ Orion #7 (cover date Dec. 2000)
10. ^ http://www.tv.com/smallville/dominion/episode/1376087/summary.html?tag=search_results;summary

External links

• Cosmic Teams: Orion
• DCU Guide: Orion
• Fastbak: Orion
• Index to the Earth-1 Fourth World stories