History of the New Gods

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133-148 (1970–72)

Before the proper launch of his core New Gods titles in 1971, Jack Kirby introduced characters from his new world in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen. Kirby took Olsen into new territory by unleashing a plethora of new characters and concepts. Jimmy's new friends included a second generation of the Newsboy Legion (a strip that Kirby created with Joe Simon in Star-Spangled Comics #7, Apr. 1942). Newsboys Big-Words, Gabby Jr., Tommy, and Scrapper Jr. were joined by a new African American Newsboy, Flipper Dipper, and they drove a high-tech amphibious vehicle called the Whiz Wagon. All of this was funded by Morgan Edge, who was Jimmy and Clark Kent's new boss. Edge was the president of Galaxy Broadcasting System, the new owners of Daily Planet. Edge was secretly in charge of Inter-Gang, a criminal operation, and he found Olsen and Kent to be much too inquisitive. He tried to have Kent bumped off and sent Jimmy on a perilous assignment to the so-called Wild Area (which allowed nobody over 25). Olsen went there with the help of the Newsboys and their Wagon. They were greeted by a biker gang called the Outsiders (the Iron Mask, Vudu, and Yango) and in a fight, and Jimmy actually managed to overcome them — which made him the new leader of the Outsiders. Superman followed them to the Wild Area but was taken down by Yango's gun, which contained kryptonite. When he woke, he witnessed the Habitat, a sprawling arboreal city built by a dropout society. Jimmy's assignment was to uncover the secrets of the Mountain of Judgment, which lay beyond the forest and could be accessed only by a crazy drag strip called the Zoomway. (Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133)

Scrapper filmed their quest through the Zoomway and they discovered that the Mountain of Judgment was actually a gargantuan vehicle. It was the home of the Hairies, a "mobile scientific society" led by a man named Jude. The Hairies kept the Zoomway unnavigable to the outside world. Jude discovered that the Newsboys' camera carried an alpha-bomb, planted by Morgan Edge in hopes of destroying the Hairies for his alien master, Darkseid. After Jimmy returned, Edge reported his failure to Darkseid via videophone. (#134)

The inhabitants of the Wild Area were not New Gods. They were genetically engineered by scientists from the super-secret, underground government research facility called the DNA Project. It was run by the members of the original Newsboy Legion, who were the fathers of Jimmy's friends. The adult Gabby was now a teacher; Big Words a geneticist; Scrapper a social worker; and Tommy a medical doctor. The Project had mastered the human genetic code, could produce people from cells, and manipulate and control them. Elsewhere, Darkseid mirrored their efforts with stolen DNA technology. His project was headed by Simyan and Mokkari, who created a menagerie of monsters. They set one loose on the DNA Project and the senior Newsboys countered with their own warrior, their old friend Jim Harper aka the "golden" Guardian. Harper had recently died in battle and was cloned back to life. (#135) Note: The new Guardian was called Golden Guardian but in successive stories, the "Golden" was dropped. In early issues of Jimmy Olsen used only the name "the Project." Its name was tweaked later and cemented by a backup feature in Jimmy Olsen #142 (Oct. 1971) called "Stories of the D.N.A. Project." The DNA Project was revived and featured extensively in post-Crisis continuity, when it was renamed "the Cadmus Project" by Roger Stern and Ron Frenz in Superman v.2 Annual #2 (1988).

The DNA Project produced "normals" (regular clones), "step-ups" (like the Hairies), and strange advanced level beings dubbed DNAliens. Chief among these was Dubbilex, a freakish horned man who served as a researcher as well as the Project's ambassador to the public. (#136)

Simyan and Mokkari's Four-Armed Terror attacked the Outsiders and destroyed Habitat, (#137) and Superman was forced to destroy a section of the Project in order to destroy the Terror and his kin. (#138)

On the new Guardian's first outing from the Project with Jimmy, he met Clark Kent. The three of them were kidnapped by Inter-Gang thugs led by Ugly Mannheim, who implanted them with a "pyro-granulate" that would cause them to self-immolate in 24 hours. (#139) The Guardian managed to pry the antidote from Mannheim and saved them. Kent was ensnared by Inter-Gang's "dimensional trap" which sent him toward Apokolips. He was rescued by the New God Lightray and returned to Morgan Edge's office via Boom Tube. (#141)

The DNA Project had been no secret to Superman. He met one of their chief scientists, Dabney Donovan, who went rogue and created an entire micro-planet called Transilvane. Under Bloodmoor cemetery, the planet simulated alien environments and was home to the likes of Count Dragorin and Lupek. These freaks escaped and went hunting for Donovan, encountering Jimmy and Superman in the process. (#142) Superman learned that Donovan had been tormenting Transilvane with projected images from horror movies, and the inhabitants morphed into the monsters that they saw. He cleared up the misunderstanding with the Count and his crew (a Frankenstein monster, a female vampire, and a mummy) and prevented Donovan from exterminating the planet. Dragorin's band returned to Transilvane to build new lives. (#143)

Jimmy and the Newsboys uncovered the location of Darkseid's project while investigating the appearance of a lake monster in Loch Trevor, Scotland. Edge sent him there hoping it would be his end. Back in Metropolis, Superman and the Guardian fought another one of Darkseid's gangs, the San Diego Five String Mob. (#144) Locals in Scotland sighted mythical creatures such as the griffin, chimera, unicorn, basilisk, and a red monster with large glowing eyes called Angry Charlie. Jimmy and his friends befriended the monsters and followed them back to the evil factory called Brigadoom. Under the lake they found of Mokkari and Simyan who activated Jimmy's genetic potential and turned him into a mad brute. (#145) Jimmy's rampage freed all the creatures and set off an explosion that destroyed the facility. (#146) Angry Charlie was the only survivor of the Evil Factory and he returned with the Newsboys (with tablets to sedate him).

Back home, Superman intercepted Magnar of New Genesis, who came without explanation and flipped the Man of Steel into a Boom Tube. After a skirmish, they headed for the floating city of Supertown, where Superman met Highfather. He transported Superman back to Earth to help Jimmy and Newsboys. En route from Scotland the Newsboys had stumbled upon a volcano rising from the ocean at the command of the fire-drinking Victor Volcanum. (#147) A century before, Volcanum was a balloonist who was marooned in the volcano and somehow invented a method to distill life-giving extracts from the fires around him. He became immortal and now wanted to be king of the Earth. When Superman caught up with him, he chose to self-destruct rather than be captured. (#148)

These issues of Jimmy Olsen were 48 pages, which allowed for reprints of the Guardian and Newsboy Legion from Star Spangled Comics, as well as a backup titled "Stories of the D.N.A. Project!" In these, readers learned that the Mountain of Judgment was originally a NASA vehicle that transported rockets. It was enlarged and camouflaged by the Hairies. (#142) The first DNAlien was hostile — powerful and unstoppable. It opened fissures in the Zoomway and burnt out on it's own energies. (#143) Early explorers of the Project discovered a lost world underground. They were killed by a primitive-looking man and only a torn photograph survived. (#144) One scientist's creation, Arin, could survive only in the vacuum of space. He was sent to a distant asteroid to store a tissue sample of Superman. (#146) The DNA for Model Four came from a criminal, but he used his ESP power for good, to catch a spy. (#148)

In the final letter column, it was explained that Jack Kirby had "extended himself a bit too far" and had fallen behind in his schedule, so he was "turning the mag over" to Joe Orlando with the next issue. Orlando took Jimmy Olsen in a new direction, although he did pen a story to tie off one of Kirby's plot threads. In issue #152 (Aug./Sept. 1972), Yango returned with the real Morgan Edge, who had been cloned and replaced by Darkseid. Before Superman could confront the fake Edge, Darkseid stepped in and set him up to be killed by a member of Inter-Gang.

Some issues of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane (by Bob Kanigher and Werner Roth) also used Olsen characters such as Mokkari and Simyan. (Lois Lane #111) Lois was attacked by Inter-Gang (#115) and menaced by Desaad at Happyland. (#116) And she learned about Darkseid's Evil Factory and the fact that Morgan Edge was really a clone. (#118-119)

In post-Crisis continuity, writer Roger Stern revived many of the characters and settings from Kirby's run on Jimmy Olsen. He reintroduced the Project as the Cadmus Project in Superman Annual #2 (1988), and writer Karl Kesel celebrated them further in the 1994 mini-series Guardians of Metropolis. (Kesel frequently played with Fourth World characters in his Superman titles.)

The New Gods (1971–72)

The first issue of The New Gods introduced readers to Jack Kirby's new hero Orion, his friend Lightray, mysterious Metron, and the wonders of their home planet, New Genesis. They lived in a grand city called Supertown that floated above the planet. Orion's adoptive father was their leader Highfather, who communed with the all-knowing Source via writings the Source Wall. Its prophesy bade Orion to go to Apokolips, then to Earth. Orion's ultimate challenge was to prevent Darkseid of Apokolips — his true father — from unlocking the secrets of the Anti-Life Equation: ultimate power over all living things. On Apokolips, Orion found four people from Earth whom Darkseid believed held part of the secret to the Anti-Life. He freed them while battling his half-brother Kalibak, and returned them to Earth. (New Gods #1)

Orion possessed the power of the Astro Force, which fueled his glider and could be channeled into concussive force. Like many from New Genesis, he also used a Mother Box. This was a sentient technology that connected to the Source and performed many wondrous feats, most significantly teleportation. (#2) Mother Box also masked Orion's true face, a savage inheritance from his Apokoliptian lineage. On Earth he took the civilian identity of O'Ryan. The earliest issues of Kirby's Fourth World titles contained a flurry of new characters like the Black Racer, the angel of death who inexplicably appeared on Lightray's tail. Lightray eluded him and Metron rerouted the Racer to Earth. There he was drawn to and merged with Willie Walker, a catatonic war vet. (#3) On New Genesis, Metron and Highfather tutored a young god named Esak. (#4)

When the New God Seagrin — who dwelled below Earth's oceans —  was killed by one of the Deep Six, his death reverberated across New Genesis. (#4) Orion retaliated by killing the Six's leader, Slig. Sgt. Dan "Terrible" Turpin was the point man in the war against Darkseid's Inter-Gang. Turpin worked closely with Orion's ally, detective Dave Lincoln. Metron's search for ultimate knowledge led him to the Source Wall (originally called the "Final Barrier"), where ancient Promethean Giants were imprisoned after trying to breach it. (#5) Note: In post-Crisis times, Karl Kesel made Turpin into the grown-up version of the character Brooklyn. (Guardians of Metropolis #3, Jan. 1995). Brooklyn was a member of the Boy Commandos, who were also co-created by Jack Kirby way back in Detective Comics #64 (June 1942).

The gods' war was explained in issue #6. It told the story of young Highfather, Izaya, and his wife Avia. After Avia was killed by Steppenwolf of Apokolips (uncle of Darkseid), Izaya unleashed his troops on Apokolips. At this time, Apokolips was ruled by Darkseid's mother, Heggra, and Darkseid plotted in the shadows. He conspired with Metron, giving him the X-Element if Metron agreed to use it to Darkseid's benefit. Metron used it to invent his Mobius Chair, and as payment to Darkseid he created the teleportation technology called the Boom Tube. The Boom Tube allowed Apokolips to invade New Genesis and the war escalated. When Izaya "the Inheritor" could take no more, he was summoned by the Uni-Friend, an aspect of the Source, and became the enlightened Highfather. He ended the war by making a bargain with Darkseid. Each would exchange their sons and promised to keep peace. Orion, young son of Darkseid and Tigra would be raised by Highfather. And Scott Free, Izaya's newborn would suffer on Apokolips under Granny Goodness' Orphanage. (#7)

The Forager was a child of New Genesis who came to live below the planet among a scavenging race called "the Bugs." He survived a poisonous purge wrought by Highfather's Monitors and then became an outlaw for disobeying his own queen, the All-Widow. He leapt through a Boom Tube left by Mantis and was transported to Earth, where he aided Orion. Also on Earth, Lightray fought at Orion's side and met a special woman named Eve Donner. (#9)

In Jack Kirby's final issue of the series, Darkseid wiped out his number one henchman, Desaad, with his Omega Effect, for aiding Kalibak in his final confrontation with Orion. This allowed Orion to defeat —and kill — Kalibak (whose mother was revealed to have been Darkseid's true love, the sorceress Suli). The Black Racer sped away with Kalibak's body. (#11)

» SEE ALSO: Orion • Lightray • New Gods: 1977 Revival

The Forever People (1971–72)

  

Introduced in the first issue of their own series, the Forever People was a group of young people from New Genesis: Mark Moonrider, Big Bear, Vykin, Serifan, and Beautiful Dreamer. Each possessed a unique power or ability as well as advanced New Genesis technology, including a shared Mother Box. By laying hands on their Mother Box and saying the word "Taaru" (originally misspelled "Tarru"), the Forever People could trade places with a powerful being called the Infinity Man. The Forever People traveled on a unique vehicle called the Super-Bike, which phase through objects or reconfigure itself into a miniature fortress. » SEE: Forever People Profile 

The Forever People first came to Earth after Beautiful Dreamer was kidnapped by agents of Apokolips because her mind contained the secret of the Anti-Life Equation. (Forever People #1) Realizing that Darkseid was active on Earth, the Forever People decided to remain, moving to Metropolis and mingling with normal humans. With the help of the Infinity Man, the Forever People defeated Mantis (#2) and clashed with Darkseid's servant Glorious Godfrey, who had recruited an army of human dupes called Justifiers. (#3) 

The Forever People were captured by Darkseid, who banished the Infinity Man to a distant dimension. The young New Gods were imprisoned in Desaad's new Happyland. (#4) They were rescued by Sunny Sumo, a Japanese wrestler who actually possessed the Anti-Life Equation. (#5) Darkseid defeated them again and sent them back in time with his Omega Effect. (#6) Highfather soon rescued them. (#7)

Returning to present-day Earth, the Forever People encountered "Billion Dollar" Bates, an extremely wealthy man who had also tapped the power of the Anti-Life Equation. (#8)

The end of the series featured an odd team-up with Deadman, a character who was not appearing in a regular series at the time (he first appeared in Strange Adventures #205, Oct. 1967). The Forever People provided the immaterial hero with a "follower" so that he could take physical form. (#9–10) The events of that story contradicted some of Deadman's previous appearances and were ignored in later Deadman stories. 

Like The New Gods, The Forever People ended in 1972 with issue #11. In the final issue, Darkseid dispatched Devilance the Pursuer to capture the Forever People. They finally managed to summon the Infinity Man again, and traded places with him. The Infinity Man was destroyed in combat with Devilance, which left the five New Gods and their Mother Box stranded in an idyllic other-dimensional world called Adon, apparently forever. 

» SEE ALSO: Forever People profile • Forever People v.2 (1988)

Mister Miracle (1971–74)

Mister Miracle survived the cancellation of the other two titles and continued into 1974. This series was probably regarded as more reader friendly and the title character was the most "super-hero-like" of the New Gods. Mister Miracle #9 detailed the events that led to Scott Free's escape from from Apokolips to Earth. The letter column in Mister Miracle #15 briefly addressed the cancellations, promising that the adventures of the New Gods would continue. Despite the promise, the other New Gods didn't make an appearance in Mister Miracle until its final issue (#18). Again the editor weighed in, reassuring fans that the cancellations weren't because of mysterious reasons, but sales.

Mister Miracle's future wife, Big Barda, first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 and went on to steal most of the scenes in which she was featured. This was probably due in part to her appearance in bathtubs and bikinis; she was rarely in her battle gear. Even Barda's warriors, the Female Furies (#6) sported exotic swim wear. The Furies dotted the epic landscape in addition to colorful villains under the command of Granny Goodness. (#2) Granny relentlessly dispatched the likes of Doctor Bedlam (#3), Virman Vundabar (#5), and Kanto (#7) to arrest her erstwhile pupils.

Kirby also famously created a send-up of Stan Lee in the character of the Funky Flashman (and his butler, Houseroy, inspired by Marvel editor Roy Thomas). (#6)

Whereas New Gods told Kirby's story from the perspective of New Genesis, Mister Miracle delved into the life of Darkseid's Elite, and the dismal world that forged young Scott Free into a master escape artist. Connections were made between the two worlds in the form of Scott's mentor, Himon of New Genesis, and Metron, both of whom helped Scott escape from Apokolips. Himon revealed the nature of the Mother Box, each of which was built by her owners — but only possible when the the creator was properly enlightened, or connected to the Source. (#9)

The series seemed to switch gears a bit after issue #8, when Scott won his freedom from Apokolips in a challenge. Mister Miracle's opponents were freaks from Earth, and Kirby even introduced a good old-fashioned sidekick, young Shilo Norman. Norman was trained by Scott and Barda and he also adopted a uniform that was somewhat reminiscent of the Golden Age Sandman's partner, Sandy.

Scott and Barda were married in the last issue of the series though before that, hints of their attraction were subtle. (#18)

A few months after the cancellation, Mister Miracle appeared in The Brave and the Bold #12, teaming up with Batman in Egypt. (Brave & Bold #112) The next time they met, Scott told Batman that he and Barda had been married but that he missed the excitement of performing on Earth. They cleaned up an operation by Granny Goodness. (#128) The last team-up was published during the 1977 revival of Mister Miracle, but an editorial note placed the story before the revival. Mister Miracle and Batman faced Cosimo, Europe's foremost escape artist. (#138) All of these stories were by Bob Haney and Jim Aparo.

» SEE ALSO: Mister Miracle • Big Barda • Mister Miracle: 1977 Revival

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