| Gladiator | |
|---|---|
.png) Gladiator as depicted inGuardians of the Galaxy #6 (May 2019). Art byDavid Marquez. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont Dave Cockrum |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Kallark |
| Species | Strontian |
| Team affiliations | Imperial Guard Annihilators Dark Guardians Guardians of the Galaxy |
| Notable aliases | Captain Universe, Cal Kramer |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability Psionic abilities Flight |
Gladiator (Kallark) is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He first appeared inThe X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977) and was created by writerChris Claremont and artistDave Cockrum.[1] The character is a Strontian, and like others of his race has the capacity for great strength and various superpowers, but can only use them when he is completely devoted to a purpose; his abilities vary in accordance with his level of confidence. He was born on Strontia, which is part of theShi'ar Empire and he is the leader of theirImperial Guard. He was also a member of theAnnihilators, Dark Guardians, andGuardians of the Galaxy.
Gladiator and theImperial Guard were created by writerChris Claremont and artistDave Cockrum as an homage toDC Comics'Legion of Super-Heroes, with all the Imperial Guard's original members created as analogs of Legionnaires.[2][3] Gladiator was the analog toSuperboy;[4] the name "Gladiator" was a conscious homage to thePhilip Wylie novelGladiator (1930) on which Superman was allegedly partially based.[5] Gladiator's name, Kallark, is a combination ofSuperman's Kryptonian and human names: Kal-El and Clark Kent.[6]
The character first appeared inTheUncanny X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977). Since then, he has been periodically featured in X-titles,Fantastic Four,Rom the Spaceknight,Silver Surfer,Nova, andNew Warriors. His origin was revealed inWar of Kings: Warriors #1 (2009).
He has played important roles in some of Marvel's major storylines, such asOperation: Galactic Storm (1992),Maximum Security (2001), andWar of Kings (2009). During theHeroes Reborn era (1997), he starred in the three-issueImperial Guard miniseries.
Following the conclusion ofThe Thanos Imperative, Gladiator has appeared as a member of the titular team inAnnihilators #1-4 (March–June 2011) andAnnihilators: Earthfall #1-4 (Sept.-Dec. 2011).
Kallark is a member of the Strontian race, and was born underShi'ar rule. All Strontians are born with the capacity for great strength and various superpowers, but can only use them when they are completely devoted to a purpose. Fearing a Strontian rebellion, the Shi'ar emperor ordered Kallark, among other Strontians, to kill the Strontian elders. Only Kallark was devoted enough to carry out the order, and the others were killed when their wavering commitment rendered them weak. As a reward for his actions, Kallark was named thePraetor (leader) of the Shi'arImperial Guard.[7]
When theX-Men come into conflict with the Shi'ar empire regarding thePhoenix entity, Gladiator battles them first at the command of EmperorD'Ken,[8] and then at the behest of his successor, EmpressLilandra Neramani.[9] He later aids the X-Men against several renegade Imperial Guardsmen serving a Shi'ar traitor namedLord Samedar.[10]
While pursuing a band of shape-changingSkrulls, Gladiator arrives on Earth and mistakenly attacks theFantastic Four. With the aid ofSpider-Man andCaptain America, the real Skrulls are exposed and captured.[11] Meanwhile, Lilandra's sisterDeathbird stages a coup and becomes the new Shi'ar Empress.[12]
After an alternate universe version of Gladiator has a bout withThor,[13] theEarth-616 Kallark has an encounter with a rogue alien.[14]
Deathbird commands him to lead the Imperial Guard against the space pirateStarjammers and superhero teamExcalibur, but orders a retreat after learning the rebels are led by Lilandra.[15]
Gladiator briefly comes into conflict with the X-Men again when he is mentally controlled by aWarskrull posing asProfessor X.[16] He then encounters several members of theAvengers during theKree-Shi'ar War.[17]
Along withBeta Ray Bill, Ganymede, Jack of Hearts,Silver Surfer andTerrax, Gladiator is captured byTyrant with the intention of harnessing their power as a weapon for universal domination. Tyrant is defeated after the intervention of his creator,Galactus.[18]
When many of Earth's heroes vanish after defeatingOnslaught, Lilandra (who has resumed control of the Shi'ar) orders Gladiator and many of the Imperial Guard to help protect Earth.[19] He later aids the X-Men again during an encounter with Galactus[20] He is present when Galactus dies.[21]
After thwarting an assassination attempt on Lilandra,[22] Gladiator plays a role in temporarily turning Earth into anintergalactic prison.[23][24][25]
Gladiator battles Thor at the request ofZarrko, but is defeated.[26] He later came looking for the X-Men to help him fight against the Phalanx; however, his aggressive arrival led him to blows with the X-Men'sCannonball, and while he was defeated by the young mutant, he managed to get the help of several X-Men in stopping the invasion.[volume & issue needed] Some time later, on Lilandra's orders, Gladiator returns to Earth and attacks the X-Men's home, but later learns that Lilandra was possessed byCassandra Nova and frees her.[27]
Liladra sends Gladiator to infiltrate theKyln, an intergalactic prison, as a prisoner. He investigates rumors of a prisoner with the aid ofThanos andStar-Lord. The prisoner turns out to be an amnesiacBeyonder.[28] Guided by the cosmic entityLiving Tribunal, Gladiator fights theChampion of the Universe in an attempt to liberate the population of a planet the Champion had enslaved.[29]
At the request of Lilandra, Gladiator returns to Earth on a mission to capture theUni-Power and bring it back for evaluation. After an encounter with theInvisible Woman of the Fantastic Four,[30] Gladiator invites the Uni-Power to return to the Shi'ar empire as their guest. Although the Uni-Power agrees, it is captured en route by Krosakis, an energy-leeching warlord who forces the Uni-Power into his body to become Captain Universe. Gladiator attempts to stop Krosakis but fails, with the warlord finally beaten by the Silver Surfer.[31]
Gladiator is then commanded to stop the conquerorVulcan, who is determined to destroy the Shi'ar empire as revenge against former emperor D'Ken for murdering Vulcan's mother. Gladiator captures and delivers Vulcan to a Shi'ar prison facility.[32]
A Shi'ar agent, however, wishing a return to the days of D'Ken's rule, frees Vulcan and together with Deathbird the pair stage a coup and usurp Lilandra. Vulcan escapes with the aid of some rebellious Shi'ar and leads a successful coup against Lilandra, becoming the next Shi'ar Emperor. Gladiator does not like Vulcan, but is honor-bound to serve him.[33]
Vulcan consolidates his rule over the Shi'ar - with Gladiator reluctantly assisting - as their forces destroy a race of ancient enemies, the Scy'ar Tal, and capture the rebelStarjammers.[34] Vulcan begins to expand the empire,[35] leading to awar with the Kree. When ordered to kill Lilandra, Gladiator abandons his post to protect her.[36] During an attempt to return her to the throne, she is assassinated.[37][38]
Vulcan is killed during a battle with the leader of theKree,Black Bolt.[39] With no one in line to inherit the throne, civil war threatens the Shi'ar empire. Gladiator accepts an offer to be Emperor to avoid further conflict.[40]
Following thewar with the Cancerverse, Gladiator joins theAnnihilators.[41] With them, he protectsGalador from theDire Wraiths[42] and opposes theUniversal Church of Truth's attempt to revive theMagus.[43]
Gladiator's son, Kubark, also known as Kid Gladiator, is sent to Earth with bodyguardWarbird (Ava'Dara Naganandini) as a punishment and is enrolled in theJean Grey School For Higher Learning to train and learn more about his powers.[44]
During theAvengers vs. X-Men storyline, Gladiator attempts to contact Kubark's bodyguard Warbird about the Phoenix Force's return to Earth. Gladiator orders them to leave the planet, but the close proximity of the Phoenix prevents the message from reaching Warbird. He then orders the preparation of his ship so he could go rescue his son and sends Death Commandos to kill the Phoenix's host.[citation needed] He is overwhelmed by the combined Phoenix Force Five and forced to recuperate at theX-Mansion.[volume & issue needed]
During theInfinity storyline, Gladiator appeared as a member of the Galactic Council.[45] Kubark participates in the Infinity incidents, sneaking into battle against his father's wishes. Kubark's performance in battle so impresses Gladiator he allows his son to return to his desired schooling back in the X-Mansion.[46]
In the aftermath of the "Infinity Wars" storyline, Gladiator and the Shi'ar empire arrive to save everyone after they were ejected from a hole in the space station following theBlack Order stealing Thanos' body during the funeral. Gladiator joins up withStarfox's Dark Guardians.[47] The Dark Guardians foundNova and ambush him, wounding him enough to crash land onto a planet. When Gladiator andCosmic Ghost Rider orderWraith to back off, Nova takes the chance to fly off again. The Dark Guardians plan to track him down again.[48]
Gladiator possesses a number of superhuman capabilities as a result of his unique alien physiology including superhuman strength (capable of shattering aplanet,[14] ripping apart ablack hole, and holding off the Destroyer armor[49][50][51]), superhuman speed, stamina and durability (capable of withstanding the heat emitted from the Phoenix Force, a blast comparable to the full power of Odin, direct attacks from Thor and Mjolnir, point blank planetary explosions, and an explosion equivalent to asupernova[52][49][53]), reflexes, microscopic and telescopic vision,[54][55] X-ray vision,[56][57][58] heat vision (stated as "hotter than astar");[59] super-breath,[53] "frost breath",[49] super-hearing (capable of hearing sounds fromlight years away in space),[58] a regenerative healing factor,[60] psionic resistance (capable of withstanding mental attacks from telepaths to a certain degree),[61] and warp speed flight (measured as "a hundred times thespeed of light",[53] and shown moving acrossgalaxies before Heimdall could blink).[62] Gladiator's abilities increase and decrease in accordance with his level ofconfidence[63] and he is vulnerable to a certain form of rare radiation.[64] Gladiator also has advanced longevity, having survived forcenturies with very little aging.[65]
In thealternate universe titleMarvel Zombies 2, Gladiator appears with other extraterrestrial beings "recruited" by the Galacti (the original infected heroes empowered by devouringGalactus). He is killed while trying to eat the humans under the protection of the Black Panther andForge.[66]
In thealternate universe titleLast Planet Standing, Gladiator appears with the Imperial Guard but fails to stop Dominas the Wavemaster and Galactus from destroying the Shi'ar homeworld.[67]
In theStar Trek/X-Men crossover, Gladiator battles theUSSEnterprise.[68]
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