Lobo (comics)

Lobo is an alien mercenary comic book anti-hero (arguably a superhero) created by Keith Giffen (artist) and Roger Slifer (writer). He first appeared in the DC's Omega Men series in 1983. Although intended to be an over-the-top parody of Marvel Comics Wolverine, the character became hugely popular - more so than his creators had intended for a one-note gag character. When the Omega Men series was disrupted in 1988, Lobo became a regular character in L.E.G.I.O.N. and its successor series R.E.B.E.L.S. (both set in space like Omega Men), until 1990 when he appeared in his own self-titled series Lobo: The Last Czarnian, under the hands of Simon Bisley and Alan Grant.

Alan Grant's humor and Simon Bisley's characteristic designs made this first four-issue mini-series a hit, which was followed by many more mini-series and specials. He kept his own title for 64 issues, from 1993 to 1999. Mini-series and specials include 'Lobocop' (a Robocop parody), 'Blazing Chain of Love' (in which he is sent on a job to a harem), 'Paramilitary Christmas Special' (in which he is contracted to assassinate Santa Claus), 'Convention Special' (self-explanatory send-up of comic conventions) and 'UnAmerican Gladiators' (in which Lobo takes part in a deadly televised gameshow).

During this period, and even since the cancellation of his regular series, Lobo guest-starred regularly in other series. He has interacted with non-DC characters, such as The Mask, Judge Dredd, and the Authority. During the DC vs. Marvel series he fought Wolverine - and lost.

Lobo's friends include a pitbull, and a hair parlor mistress. His enemies are parodies of characters in tights like Goldstar and team members like Viril Dox.

In Lobo, everything is excessive, from the main character's perversions, his mindless violence, and his vocabulary to the muted colors and the grotesque graphics. Everything in the series is laughable (in the sense of being ridiculous, if not always amusing), even his profanities ("Frag" and "Bastich"), which are used to replace vocabulary unwanted by a family-friendly DC and to satirize similar expressions in other comics.

Contents

1 Background 2 Li'l Lobo 3 Lobo the Duck 4 Animated Lobo

Background

Lobo is a Czarnian, possessing exceptional strength and fortitude. Lobo has always been a bad man, who likes nothing better than mindless violence and intoxication. Killing is an end in itself: his name is Khundian for "he who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it". He is also arrogant and self-centered, focusing almost solely on his own pleasures. Lobo is the last of his kind: he killed all the other Czarnians. Possibly he cannot stay dead, as both Heaven and Hell threw him out; however, whether the comics in which these events occurred can be considered part of DC's mainstream continuity is dubious.

Lobo's enemies include Vril Dox, Bludhound, Etrigan, General Glory and Goldstar. Although his enemies come from traditional conceptual characters from Santa Claus to the God himself, Lobo has friends too. Lobo's pitbull who seems to follow him everywhere and the hair dresser.

Physically, Lobo resembles a chalk-white human male with blood-red pupilless eyes surrounded by black mascara-like patches. Although he was originally portrayed as having neatly-trimmed purple-grey hair, this was soon redesigned to be a long, straggly, grey-black mane (similarly, the orange-and-purple leotard he wore in his first few appearances has long since been replaced by black leather biker gear).

His superhuman (or super-Czarnian) abilities include enormous strength (which, however, seems to vary greatly; fanon speculates that his strength automatically scales up or down to match that of his opponent), the ability to survive unaided in space, the ability to heal rapidly from ludicrous amounts of damage, a (quite literally) unbelievably-powerful sense of smell which allows him to track objects between different solar systems, and the ability to regrow an entire new Lobo from each drop of his own blood that is spilled in combat. This last ability was removed from him by Vril Dox.

In addition to his ever-present lust for violence, Lobo also has a strict personal code of honor – he will never violate the letter of an agreement, although he may gleefully disregard its spirit. Also, he is extremely protective of space dolphins.

Li'l Lobo

In 1998, Lobo was transformed into a teenager by a magical accident. In this state, he joined Young Justice and eventually accompanied them to Apokolips. There, he was killed in combat. However, the aforementioned magical accident had restored his ability to regrow from a single drop of blood, and millions of Lobos rushed into battle with Apokoliptian soldiers, whom they quickly defeated. The Lobos then turned on each other, until only one was left; in the process, the surviving Lobo regrew to adulthood.

An additional teenage Lobo remained, having hidden from the fight; he rejoined Young Justice and chose to rename himself Slo-bo. Eventually, this clone degraded, becoming blind and about to die. Before he could, however, Darkseid teleported him to the headquarters of Young Justice One Million in the 853rd Century, turning him into a (still aware) statue in the process.

Lobo the Duck

Lobo the Duck was an incarnation of Howard the Duck and Lobo in Amagalm Comics DC and Marvel crossovers. The big arm is derived from Lobo's alternative self, Lady Lobo, of Lobo's Back #2 where he comes back as a woman. He fights characters of DC and Marvel combinations such as the Kidnoids, and Ambush the Lunatik. His friends include Impossible Dog and Doctor Strangefate.

Animated Lobo

Lobo first appeared on the small screen in the Animated Adventures of Superman/Batman series. In the episode, "Main Man", Lobo was hired by an alien named the "Preserver" to capture Superman and add him to the Preserver's collection of rare and endangered species. Lobo headed straight for Earth and started firing in the middle of a police station until Superman eventually showed up to confront him. The two fought all over downtown Metropolis, a battle which ended with Lobo leaving Earth to supposedly "take five."

Superman followed after Lobo into space, where Lobo had lured Superman into a trap set by the Preserver. Superman was eventually captured and placed in a specialized cage, so that the Preserver might preserve the last remnants of the kryptonian race, Superman himself. However, the Preserver then decided to add Lobo to his collection as well, since Lobo was also technically the last of his race! Superman and Lobo eventually joined forces to escape the Preserver, and in return, Lobo promised to leave Earth alone.

Lobo eventually returned to Earth however in the animated Justice League episode "Hereafter." This time, believing that Superman had died, Lobo wanted to join the Justice League, insisting that only the Main Man could take Superman's place. Lobo seemed to be motivated more out of ego and a chance "to bust heads" than any actual desire to do good or help others. In spite of his obvious violent tendencies and his complete lack of any redeeming moral virtues, the League allowed Lobo to help them fo a short time while they dealt with a large number of super villains who had begun running amok in Metropolis in response to the announcement of Superman's apparent death. Lobo ended up fighting the super villain Kalibak and winning, though the League had to stop him from using overly excessive force on Kalibak after the fight had ended. In the end, Superman returned to the ranks of the League, and Lobo was kicked out.

Lobo also temporarily appeared in a Superman episode where Maxima falls in love with Superman.

As in the comics, Lobo possesed exceptional strength and durability as well as an arsenal of weapons. However, he never displayed any of the healing powers or advanced senses that he did in the comics. Lobo has not been heard of since the League kicked him out.de:Lobo pt:Lobo (banda desenhada)