| Arak | |
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Arak, Son of Thunder #39 featuring Arak and Valda, Art by Tony DeZuniga. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Warlord #48, (August 1981) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Ernie Colón (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Bright-Sky-After-Storm |
| Team affiliations | Quontauka Tribe |
| Notable aliases | Son of Thunder |
| Abilities | Expert swordswoman, archer, and tracker |
| Arak, Son of Thunder | |
| Series publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Publication date | Sept. 1981 – Nov. 1985 |
| Number of issues | 50 |
| Main character(s) | Arak |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas |
| Artist(s) | Tony DeZuniga |
| Penciller(s) | Ernie Colón, Adrian Gonzales, Ron Randall, Gerald Forton |
| Inker(s) | Alfredo Alcala, Tony DeZuniga |
| Colorist(s) | Adrienne Roy |
Arak is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert in Warlord #48 (August 1981)[1] and was created by Roy Thomas and Ernie Colón.[2]
Arak (Bright-Sky-After-Storm) is depicted very much as a Conan knock-off in early appearances. Later, after encountering the Moirae, who explain his destiny to him, he takes on a more Native American appearance, including leather-fringed pants and a Mohawk hairstyle. Unlike Conan (a character Roy Thomas also wrote during his tenure at Marvel Comics), who usually fought against H. P. Lovecraftian monsters and entities, Arak encounteres figures and creatures from real-world myth and legends, including Greek, Norse, Judeo-Christian, Muslim, Oriental, and others. Arak was surprisingly culturally sensitive for the time when it debuted. Unlike other Native American heroes, like Apache Chief, who took a cartoonish view of Native Americans similar to the old western movie Indians, Arak did not have broken speech or other stereotypical "Indian" traits. Also, the Vikings looked more like real Vikings and were not illustrated wearing the stereotypical horned helmets and fur clothing.
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After his debut in Warlord #48, Arak starred in a monthly DC Comics series, Arak, Son of Thunder, which ran 50 issues (and one 1984 annual) from Sept. 1981 to Nov. 1985. After a few token appearances in other stories, Arak has not appeared in any new adventures since 1988.
The Arak series was written, in one form or another, by Roy Thomas, joined in later issues by his wife Dann Thomas. After penciling the first 12 issues, artist co-creator Colón left the title, replaced by a string of artists, including Adrian Gonzales, Ron Randall, Gerald Forton, and Tony DeZuniga.
Arak's mother, Star-of-Dawn (of the Quontauka Indian tribe) was seduced by the evil serpent god while wandering alone. She realized at the last moment what was happening, and tried to escape before the final act. Responding to her prayers, she was rescued by He-No, the Thunder God, who took her into his realm. Under his care she recovered from the serpent god's poisonous bite, and she gave herself to him in gratitude. Although she enjoyed her time with him, she did not really love him, and missed her people; so he returned her to her tribe. Her grandfather, the tribal shaman, recognized the touch of both deities upon her, and that she bore He-No's child. She named him Bright-Sky-After-Storm, for 'he will follow in his father's footsteps, who is the thunder'. Years later, a tribe that worshiped the serpent deity attacked while the serpent itself attacked He-No; the Thunder God was winning but saw his son about to die. He struck down the attacker, suffering severe wounds in the process. While most of his tribe was slaughtered, his father arranged for Bright-Sky-After-Storm to wind up in a canoe and float out to sea, beyond his enemies' reach.
Bright-Sky-After-Storm was discovered as a boy in a canoe out at sea by Vikings. Bright-Sky-After-Storm is rescued just before the canoe sinks. He is unconscious, but awakens just long enough to utter the phrase He-No (a reference to his Native American father) a few times and swing a knife at the Viking leader. He was not attacking, but cut off the leaders necklace which has a hammer symbol called a hammer of thunder (related to the god Thor from Norse mythology). The leader wants to kill him, but another Viking stops him and adopts the boy. He names him Arak (intended as "Eric" but Bright-Sky-After-Storm mispronounced it) and raises Bright-Sky-After-Storm as a Viking, trained in warfare. Arak is particularly effective with a small axe, similar in proportion to a native American club he was found with, but can also use a sword, shield, and bow.
Arak joins the Vikings as a young man on their raids. They consist mostly of raiding monasteries for treasure, including a huge gold bejeweled cross which the captain hangs upside down on the mast as a good luck hammer of thunder. Near the end of the first issue, a sea serpent sent by the sorceress Angelica attacks the Vikings and some monks. All of the Vikings, including Arak's adoptive father, are killed. Arak seizes the gold cross and says "Hammer of one god, or cross of another, strike for me now!"; he throws the cross, which has a sharp bottom, at the serpent. The cross pierces the roof of its mouth and enters its brain, killing it. Arak manages to save one monk. The monk tells him that God has delivered them. Arak replies he does not know it if it had been the monk's god, Thunder, or his own god, whom he had all but forgotten.[2]
After the first issue, Arak goes on to other Conan-like adventures similar to the other major DC created fantasy hero, Travis Morgan (Warlord). He becomes an ally of Carolus Magnus (a.k.a. Charlemagne) and befriends several of his knights. He enters a relationship with Valda the Iron Maiden. After a time, he leaves his Court on a mission to the Pope; from there he sets off in search of his destiny.
Arak encounters many creatures and races from myth and legend, gods, heroes and demons. At one point, he dies and encounters his father, He-No, who explains his origin and offers him a place at his side. Arak refuses, wanting to find the remaining fragments of his tribe (now wandering across North America, seeking a new home). In anger, He-No returns his son to his body - but gives him a single feather from his enormous Headdress of Power. From this point on, Arak gains the ability to see spirits and a resistance to magic. He becomes a shaman, although he still concentrates the majority of his skills on his warrior training. Eventually, he bids farewell to his friends and sails from Japan across the Pacific back to North America. He finds his people and leads them to an island off the West coast of Canada where they remain at peace.
On his deathbed, his father appears to him, tells him he loves him, and leaves a mystic cloak for a descendant who he promises will aid the world when they need it the most. Arak/Bright-Sky-After-Storm dies happy.
Arak and Valda (along with several other heroes of past eras) traveled to the present day to help battling the Ultra-Humanite during the Crisis on Infinite Earths in All-Star Squadron #55 (1985).
More recently, Valda was transported to the present day to become a member of the extended Shadowpact in the Day of Vengeance special. She is apparently still living in our time and has visited the Oblivion Bar on several occasions.
In the 1940s, Arak's cloak grants its power to fly to his descendant, Flying Fox, of the Young All-Stars.
Another possible but not confirmed descendant of Arak is the present day anti-hero/villain known as Arak the Wind-Walker. He started out as a wannabee hero in the team Helix, sometimes friends, sometimes foes of Infinity, Inc. He later chose the path of villainy and was killed by team member Penny Dreadful in Justice League: Cry for Justice #4 (2009).