Kilowog
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Kilowog is a fictional superhero from DC Comics, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins
A towering alien with a brutish and porcine appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits. The Guardians of the Universe recruited Kilowog, a gifted genetic scientist, from the planet Bolovax Vik, located in Space Sector 674. In addition to serving with distinction as the Green Lantern of that sector, Kilowog also began to spend extensive periods of time on the Green Lantern Corps' home planet of Oa instructing new recruits on how to handle and best utilize their power rings. In this capacity, Kilowog acted as the first trainer to a young Hal Jordan, the ring-recruited successor to the slain Abin Sur of Ungara, the Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814. Kilowog and his new recruit helped the Guardians confront Abin Sur's murderer, the hive mind interstellar malefactor known as Legion.
[edit] Crisis
During the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Bolovax Vik was destroyed. This was a powerful blow to the giant Green Lantern, as his race lived a highly communal lifestyle, and to be alone was one of the worst things imaginable. Owing somehow to this genetic similarity to and affinity for each other that all Bolovax Vikians possessed, Kilowog was able to rescue the entire population of his homeworld (billions of beings) by storing their collective life essences within his ring upon that world's annihilation.
The Crisis saw the immortal Guardians ethically divided (a faction of six Guardians broke away from the majority, deciding to follow the example of their estranged brethren the Controllers and create their own Green Lanterns to directly combat the Anti-Monitor, but five of them were killed shortly after they chose their first and only recruit, Guy Gardner of Earth) and their ranks depleted for the first time in millions of years (only 22 of the 36 Guardians survived). The Corps as well suffered hundreds of casualties. The Guardians then decided to end their direct leadership of the Corps, and left for another dimension with their former mates, the Zamarons.
[edit] Earth Years
Before leaving, the Guardians informed the remaining GLs that the Corps was now theirs to administer; they were no longer bound by their former assignment to one particular Space Sector and could deploy themselves as they saw fit. Adrift following the destruction of his Sector and the end of his role training new GLs for the Guardians, Kilowog relocated to Earth with his former pupil Jordan and the group of GLs that had decided to make their base there. They ultimately became the Green Lantern Corps of Earth. While his appearance at first spooked most humans, Kilowog briefly became a celebrity following his defeat of the villain Black Hand on live television in a battle over Anaheim Stadium.
This goodwill was soon squandered, though, when he was approached by a KGB agent and invited to live in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. During his time in the USSR, Kilowog was instrumental in the creation of the Soviet Union's first super-powered force, the Rocket Red Brigade.
While adventuring with the GLC of Earth, Kilowog found a world in Space Sector 872 which would make a suitable "Bolovax Vik II". Moved to action, he tapped into his ring and reconstituted the entire population of his world, some 16 billion beings. No sooner had he done this, though, than the world was obliterated by the renegade Green Lantern Sinestro, and all 16 billion Bolovax Vikians were permanently killed. The trauma of this drove Kilowog temporarily insane, but he was helped back to his senses by fellow GL Arisia, to whom he confessed his love. He was also supported by other Green Lanterns, who made an effort to be near him, as they knew Kilowog's race enjoyed being in crowds.
Shortly after this adventure, the Corps was finally and completely destroyed when they voted as a body to execute the captured Sinestro for crimes against the universe; this set in motion a chain of events that led to the dissolution of almost all power rings and the near-extinguishment of the Great Power Battery of Oa. Kilowog returned to Earth with Jordan and wound up working with Maxwell Lord's Justice League International as a handyman/repairman. He tended to construct many amazing devices and/or security systems in an astonishing small amount of time. He also became friends with Mitch Wacky and attempted to help the man erase the destruction of his, Mitch's, alternate Earth. This did not go well.
[edit] Emerald Twilight
When the Corps began to expand again, Kilowog returned to Oa to train the new generation of Green Lanterns. During the Emerald Twilight arc, numerous Green Lanterns were sent to stop the supposedly insane Hal Jordan (who was actually possessed by the demonic entity Parallax). The very last GL to oppose Jordan was Kilowog himself, on Oa. He attempted to prevent his old pupil from entering and absorbing the power of the Great Battery itself, which would (and did) once again destroy the Corps. Kilowog was disintegrated with a blast by Jordan's ring, leaving nothing but a seared skull and ashes, and a shaken but undeterred Jordan stole the energies of the Great Battery and slew all but one of the Guardians - Ganthet.
[edit] Dark Lantern
The enigmatic being known as Dark Lantern seemed strangely familiar to those closely acquainted with the legacy of the Green Lantern Corps when he first made his presence known on Earth.
He was created by some of the remaining Green Lanterns who had lost their rings when Hal Jordan went mad. Based on Xudar, they called themselves the "Brotherhood of the Cold Flame". Boodikka was one of their number. They tapped into arcane forces and based on the unusual nature of the Bolovax Vik afterlife, they converted the soul of Kilowog into the Dark Lantern in order to send him after Jordan.
When Jordan became the Spectre, he convinced his old friend Tom Kalmaku to help correct his sins against the Green Lantern Corps. Kalmaku used Hal's old power ring to rebuild Oa and the Great Battery as shown in Green Lantern Legacy: The Last Will and Testament of Hal Jordan. This allowed the vengeful spirit of Kilowog to rest. Soon after this, though, his spirit was recalled to life by Kyle Rayner and Ganthet in Green Lantern v3 # 169.
[edit] A New Corps
Recently, the Guardians have been reconstituted and have reformed the Corps once more.
Currently Kilowog has taken the role of GL Drill Sergeant, training new GLs for the newest incarnation of the Green Lantern Corps, once again in the service of the Guardians of the Universe. Also, in the Infinite Crisis storyline, Kilowog, along with fellow Green Lantern Kyle Rayner are playing a key role in the Rann-Thanagar War and its aftermath.
In Superman/Batman #30 Kilowog is deeply affected by a force that has turned most of the super-powered aliens friendly with Earth hostile against all humans. He, or the force controlling him, attempts to violently sway Superman into hating all humans also but a very confused Man of Steel does not completely fall for it.
[edit] Retcon
Kilowog's appearance as Hal Jordan's first trainer in the Corps is a retcon introduced in the "Year One"-style miniseries, Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn, published in 1989-90. It is his first chronological appearance, but came after he had been introduced in the revamped Green Lantern Corps #201 (changed from Green Lantern after Crisis on Infinite Earths by writer Steve Englehart and artist Joe Staton). His first appearance implied he was not known to Hal Jordan, John Stewart, et al prior to his relocation to Earth after the Crisis, and also said nothing of his role as GLC trainer. Kilowog was initially portrayed having a brilliant scientific mind, in surprising contrast to his brutish appearance and informal slang, and used his power ring to create machines of astonishing intricacy and complexity. He was later portrayed as less academically erudite, yet his proficiency with technology remained.
Another rather abrupt about-face for the character occurred in JLI. When Kilowog was introduced to the supporting cast in JLI #33, it was as Guy Gardner's trouble making sparring partner and drinking buddy, and the two were depicted as being the best of friends. This is in marked contrast to their face off in Green Lantern Corps #208-210, when the right-wing Gardner attacked Kilowog for his Soviet affiliations and the two nearly killed one another in brutal combat (and incidentally prompted Mikhail Gorbachev to launch a nuclear first strike on the United States). The fight led to Kilowog's discovery of the Soviets' dishonesty in their dealings with him, and their attempted murder of fellow GLs John Stewart and Katma Tui, and left Kilowog a disillusioned wreck. That he would soon be palling around with Gardner struck some readers as being very out of character, but as JLI writers Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis were somewhat notorious for ignoring continuity as they pleased in their take on the Justice League, the new take was soon accepted and the original concept of Kilowog's communist sensibilities (rather unorthodox, given that this was written during the era of Glasnost and Perestroika when communism seemed to be approaching its nadir) was, again, quietly dropped from the character.
[edit] Powers
As a Green Lantern, Kilowog possesses the same power ring and power battery used by all GLs. The Great Power Battery, located on Oa, is the repository for billions of years' worth of willpower in energy form harnessed and focused by the Guardians, and the energy is tapped by each GL's power battery, which in turns feeds it to their prospective power ring. By applying willpower and concentration, the ring is literally able to accomplish anything of which the wielder can conceive, and is therefore as limited or limitless in abilities as the wielder. In Kilowog's case, he has shown an affinity for creating astoundingly complex machinery using the ring. In terms of combat, Kilowog tends to eschew the "giant boxing glove" fighting style of Hal Jordan and mainly uses his ring to fly and to absorb any enemy's attacks long enough for him to get close enough to batter them into unconsciousness.
According to the 2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth, Kilowog's ring is the only one that Hal Jordan knows of that makes a sound when being used. (This assertion is somewhat questionable, given the fact that a blind Green Lantern, Rot Lop Fan, can only make sounds with his powers.) It is also the only one that can communicate with all Green Lanterns at the same time (as seen in Green Lantern Corps: Recharge).
In addition to his power ring, Kilowog possesses the natural super strength and durability of his species.
[edit] Other media
Kilowog has appeared in a few episodes of Justice League, voiced by Dennis Haysbert. This portrayal of Kilowog casts him in a more jovial light, although at no loss of his significant competence as a Lantern.
The first appearance by Kilowog was "In Blackest Night", where Kilowog was one of several Green Lanterns attending the trial of John Stewart for the crime of destroying an entire planet. The Lanterns, unfortunately, were not there to support John, but rather join in the crowd's vocal abuse of Stewart. This was a wrinkle of his teammates' behavior that Kilowog believed to be wrong, but he didn't have the courage to say so until Hawkgirl confronted the Lanterns for abandoning John. Kilowog then realized that John deserved his trust and support, and went to the trial to speak in John's defense.
His next - and to date, most substantial - appearance was in the episode "Hearts and Minds". After a battle with Despero's forces on Kalanor, Kilowog arrived at Earth badly injured, and when John found him, his mention of Katma Tui sent John off to find Katma. J'onn J'onzz brought Kilowog back to health, and he and Flash went to go find John's lantern battery so Kilowog could recharge. (It is here that Kilowog expresses a willingness - and ability - to eat almost anything, be it ice cream still in the container or a VHS copy of Old Yeller.) Kilowog brings Flash, J'onn, and Hawkgirl to Kalanor to join the fight against Despero that Katma and John have already been participating in. In determining how to fight Despero and his Flame of Py'tar, Kilowog suggests a carbon bomb, a complex explosive that he himself ends up constructing to exact perfection (leading to Flash's new title for him: Kilowog, the man of a thousand talents). The bomb ends up not being used, as the Py'tar is alive and suffering under Despero's reign, but Kilowog's actions in the episode still prove quite impressive. In this episode he and The Flash are shown to be very friendly with each other.
His only appearance in Justice League Unlimited has been as one of the many angry Green Lanterns in "The Return", who are enraged at Amazo for seemingly destroying Oa. He has no lines here (nor do most of the Lanterns), but he does show up to take place in the large line-up of willing executioners once the Lanterns find Amazo.
Also, he, along with Kyle Rayner, Katma, and a few other GL's, is among the grievers at Superman's funeral in the episode "Hereafter." He has no lines.
Kilowog appeared in the Duck Dodgers episode "The Green Loontern", this time voiced by John DiMaggio
