Vartox
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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.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Vartox' home planet of Valeron, was destroyed in a cataclysmic event, he then became the super-powered hero of Tynola, a planet "trillions of light years from Earth". 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 appears to be older than Superman and describes himself as "far more experienced" (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 Tynola. 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 Tynola, where he is found guilty of murder.
[edit] Vernon O'Valeron
On one of his visits to Earth, Vartox temporarily took the secret identity of "Vernon O'Valeron", and took a job as head of security 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 a 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.
[edit] 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".
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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]
[edit] Powers and abilities
The Hyper talents listed below are ascribed to the original Vartox.
- 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. As well, 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").
- 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. As his powers are psychic, he is also telepathic, allowing him to fire mind bolts, communicate mentally, read minds, 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.
[edit] References
- ^ Vartox will be in my second major arc. You'll like him. kdb Comic Bloc Forums: July 17th, 2006
