| Ian Karkull | |
|---|---|
 Ian Karkull as depicted inWho's Who: Update '87 #3 (October 1987). Art by Greg Brooks. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | More Fun #69 (August 1941) |
| Created by | Gardner Fox Howard Sherman |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Humanmagic user |
| Partnerships | Obsidian |
| Abilities |
|
Ian Karkull is asupervillain in comic books published byDC Comics. He first appeared inMore Fun Comics #69 (August 1941) as a foe of the sorcererDoctor Fate. He later became a recurring foe of theAll-Star Squadron and theJustice Society of America, beginning inAll-Star Squadron Annual #3.
Ian Karkull first appeared inMore Fun Comics #69, and was created byGardner Fox and Howard Sherman.
In the late 1930s, Ian Karkull is a scientist and archaeologist working in theSahara Desert with partner Everett Dahlen to find Ragnor, a mystic city rumored to possess great wealth and a knowledge of dark powers. However, Dahlen betrays Karkull and leaves him for dead, during which he learns magic before being rescued by nomadicArabs.
After returning to the United States, Karkull builds a machine that can transform men into intangible shadows. He kills Dahlen out of revenge, but attracts the attention ofDoctor Fate. Karkull transforms into a shadow to evade him, but Fate destroys the machine that would return him to human form.[1]
For an undetermined period, Karkull wanders Earth, plotting his revenge. At some point, he is contacted byWotan, another enemy of Doctor Fate, who is trapped underground and needs his help to escape. The two relocate to a hidden city in theArctic, getting Fate's attention when they killU.S. Navy scientists who come too close to their lair. After defeating the two, Fate leaves the city to burn to the ground.[2]
Karkull is last seen manipulatingObsidian to gain access to, and subsequently rule the shadow lands. It is revealed that, during aWorld War II-era confrontation between Karkull and the rest of the Justice Society, exposure to Karkull's energy slowed down the aging processes of much of the JSA, leaving them in good physical health despite their advanced chronological ages.[3] Karkull had seemingly been corrupting Obsidian for months in an effort to get revenge on his enemies in theJustice Society. Obsidian kills Karkull, using his energy to grow to massive size and combatAlan Scott.[4]
Ian Karkull wields magic derived from Shadowlands energy, which enables him to manipulate darkness. He later transforms into a shadow entity, becoming intangible and no longer aging.
Karkull appears in theSuperman: The Animated Series episode "The Hand of Fate", voiced byTed Levine.[5] This version is a demon who was imprisoned in a tablet by Doctor Fate.