Warworld

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Warworld
The cover of DC Comics Presents #28, featuring Mongul, Superman, Supergirl and the original Warworld (behind Mongul.) Art by Jim Starlin
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	DC Comics Presents #27
Created by	Len Wein Jim Starlin
In story information
Type	Planet
Notable races	Warzoons

Warworld is a fictional artificial planet featured in several DC Comics stories. It first appeared in a three-part story that ran in DC Comics Presents #27 to #29, by writer Len Wein and writer/artist Jim Starlin.

Warworld was created by a very warlike alien race called the Warzoons, as their ultimate weapon. However, all the Warzoons died off mysteriously, and the last one was found dead at the planet's control chair by the Largas, an extremely peaceful alien race. The Largas buried him, then kept the key-like device that could activate Warworld hidden. But the Largas also died out over time, and the last one gave the key to the Martian race, who had once been devastated by a war, for safekeeping before dying.

The space villain Mongul (introduced in this story) kidnapped three of Superman's friends in order to force him to retrieve the key for him. Despite help from the Martian Manhunter, Mongul escaped with the key. He activated Warworld by directly connecting his brain to its controls. With help from Supergirl, Superman attacked Warworld, but its weapons were too powerful even for them. However, Superman soon realized that what killed off the Warzoons was precisely Warworld's mental control system, and the heroes tricked Mongul into almost killing himself by exerting himself too much battling them. However, Mongul managed to escape, and Supergirl destroyed Warworld by flying through it at full speed.

After the DC Universe's history was changed during Crisis on Infinite Earths, Warworld was reintroduced in a multipart storyline in the Superman comics. In this version, Mongul had obtained Warworld from a trio of aliens who allowed him to use it to form his own space empire (by threatening other races into submission with it.) Superman, who had exiled himself from Earth at the time (as a result of mental problems caused by his execution of three Phantom Zone criminals) stumbled onto Mongul's empire, and ended up being forced to fight in Mongul's gladiatorial games. Superman defeated the ruling champion, Draaga, but refused to kill him. Eventually, Superman defeated Mongul. He also found the Eradicator during these events. Draaga ended up as the new figurehead ruler of the empire, but he soon abandoned his position to look for a rematch against Superman; he died on Earth.

Warworld was next seen years later in another multipart storyline in the Superman titles, "Panic in the Sky" in which Brainiac had taken over it and used it to attack Earth. With help from many of Earth's other superheroes, Superman defeated the attack and destroyed Warworld.

In the Reign of the Supermen storyline, Mongul and the Cyborg Superman had aspirations to transform Earth into a new Warworld. They destroyed Coast City and damaged Metropolis to set up massive 'engine-cities'. Their plans were foiled by the resurrected Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, Steel, the Eradicator, and Hal Jordan.

Years later, in yet another multipart Superman storyline ("Our Worlds at War") the space villain Brainiac 13 turned the planet Pluto into a new Warworld, but Superman, his powers incredibly boosted by diving into the sun, destroyed it.

In "Legion Worlds" #5, Oct 2001, this Pluto/Warworld was a focus of a backup story, in this continuity it was not destroyed by Superman.

As of Green Lantern (Vol. 3) #22, a new Warworld is being constructed by the Sinestro Corps. It housed the Central Yellow Battery and was used by the Anti-Monitor to transport to Earth. It was brought down by John Stewart and Guy Garnder onto the Anti-Monitor and exploded, severely weakening him.

[edit] Inhabitants

When Warworld was destroyed upon its invasion of Earth with Brainiac, the inhabitants of War World came to Metropolis. In order to get the remainder of war machines activated they went under ground and took control of Metropolis's Underworld, a sewer system underground in which rejected denizens reside. Their leader, Clawster was defeated by Superman and they were captured first by Cadmus, then when Doomsday set them free he killed the remaining War Worlders. In Adventures of Superman #512 more Underworlders are seen killed by Parasite after setting him free.

[edit] In other media

Warworld appeared in the animated Justice League series during its first season, in two episodes aptly named "War World" that closely adapted the first post-Crisis Warworld story. It also featured the first animated appearance of Mongul.

Mongul and Warworld are also featured in the BBC Radio adaptation of the Reign of Superman story and in Superman Returns: The Videogame.