TEMPLAR of Great Britain, Earth

And now for some Earth-based heroes:

Biography:

Templar of Great Britain appeared in Justice League Quarterly # 12 (Summer 1993) as part of the new Conglomerate (the third group of heroes under this name).

We know little about him other than his secret identity of Colin Brandywine. Hired away from the British army to lead the third group of heroes put together by Claire Montgomery as the Conglomerate, Templar worked with this short-lived group.


He is a telekinetic able to use his telekinesis, among other ways, to increase his strength and generate a protective force around his body.



Templar Quote: "First and final warning, mates....Drop your weapons and surrender."

Camping for a few days. Update when return.

VORGAN THE BOUNTY HUNTER of Daxx

Biography:

Vorgan, an interstellar bounty hunter, is from the planet Daxx in a distant galaxy (he must really have a fast spaceship to travel all the way to the Milky Way galaxy). He appeared in The Brave and the Bold #139 (Jan-Feb 1978) in the story “Requiem for a Top Cop!” by writer Bob Haney, artist Jim Aparo and colorist Jerry Serpe. Vorgan has a strict sense of justice and will seek out, for a price, those guilty of crimes who have escaped justice. He has a reputation for never failing to get anyone he is sent after. Intergalactic Law (not sure who writes these laws) states that anyone who interferes with him as he seeks his bounty breaks the law and puts a bounty on their own life.

Vorgan travels from planet to planet seeking his bounty in a well-equipped, orange-colored, sleek spaceship. He masquerades as a native of whatever planet he is on so as not to alarm the populace that there is an alien among them. He can fly and his body is incredibly tough, able to withstand at least a bullet shot.

Vorgan came into conflict with Batman and Hawkman when he came to Earth seeking Commissioner James Gordan in Gotham City. As a rookie cop, Gordan had in self-defense killed an alien named Laz, who was later discovered to be secretly working on Earth with criminal Orson Delacorte. After several encounters with Batman and Hawkman while trying to kill Gordan, Vorgan became impressed with Gordan’s bravery and sense of duty and released himself from his vow to kill Gordan.

Vorgan Quote: “Now speak your final prayers to whatever gods you revere – for Vorgan the Bounty Hunter has never failed to punish those who transgress against the Galactic Law.”

BATMAN AND ROBIN of the Year 3000 A.D.

Biography:

By the year 3000 (as described in Batman #26 December 1944-January 1945 “The Year 3000”), Earth was a world at peace, but it would not last. On April 19, 3000 at exactly 9:12 am, Earth was attacked (err…will be attacked) by the planet Saturn, led by the warlord Fura. Unprepared, Earth quickly fell to the Saturnians and became enslaved. It was later discovered that Fura had enslaved his fellow Saturnians as well, and the attacking soldiers were a robot army created by Fura in his goal to rule the solar system.

While under Saturnian domination, two humans, Brane and his younger friend Ricky, discovered a 1939 New York World’s Fair time capsule which contained newsreels of Batman and Robin in action. Taking on the mantles of Batman and Robin, the two began to fight against the Saturnians, inspiring the people of Earth to rise in revolt, eventually overthrowing Fura and his robot army.

Brane, the twentieth direct descendant of Bruce Wayne, the original Batman, at first tried to encourage others to revolt himself, but they would not listen. It was not until he fought against the invaders as Batman that he inspired their rebellion.

Brane was the twentieth direct descendant of Bruce Wayne, the original Batman, to bear his first and last name. In the year 3000, first and last names are streamlined together, thus Brane from Bruce Wayne. Brane’s fiancée was Loral (Lora Hall).

The future is a place with interplanetary travel, space televisors, robots, atom-cannons, disintegrator rifles, sky-sleds and strato-rocket suits.

In other stories, another Batman from the year 3054 named Brane Taylor travels back in time to meet the original Batman, but this is a different man than this Brane.

DYNO-MAN of Sorrta

Biography:

In the May 1968 Superman #206, "The Day Superman Became an Assassin", we are introduced to Dyno-Man. Dyno-Man is apparently an old friend of Superman, having shared previous untold adventures together, such as when they teamed up against the Space-Demons on Centauri 6. Dyno-Man is the premiere hero on his world, and has a vast array of abilities, all eminating from his "power-fingers." He can shoot freeze-beams, heat-beams, force-beams, blue attractor-beams and blade-beams, and fly using propulsion-beams. In the story, the people of Sorrta hold a celebration in honor of Dyno-Man, but it is really an elaborate plot by the planet's head of security-police Dramon to kill Dyno-Man and place the blame on Superman, thus taking control of the planet.

Sorrta, like most planets except Earth in the DC Universe, has futuristic technology including the following:

- Space missiles that can explode to give "space messages"

- Monitors that watch the area of space near their planet

- A neutralizing "Red Sun" belt, capable of zapping Superman's power

- Flying Jet Cycles

- Life-like androids

The law-enforcement agency of the planet is the Security-Police, armed with ray guns. Their headquarters have energi-cells with force-bars to prevent escape by prisoners. A common punishment for serious offenses is "death by metalizer", a machine that transforms people into metal.

Another prominent citizen of Sorrta is lawyer Rilora Dorc. She defended Superman when he was falsely accused of Dyno-Man's murder.

Sorrta is host to the Karg-beasts, winged dragon-like creatures that occasionally attack the Sorrtanese people. There is also a rock monster that inhabits the "Tunnel of No Return" preying on those who enter.

When under duress, common sayings by the people are "Great Garmu!" and "Great Lords of Sorrta!"

VAN-JON of the Planet of Two Suns

Biography:



Van-Jon, the lawman from the Planet of Two Suns, first appeared in World's Finest Comics #114 in December 1960 in a story entitled "Green Arrow's Alien Ally." The script was by Ed Herron and pencils and inks by Lee Elias.



Van-Jon was tracking his enemy Ankov, a criminal from the Asteroid of Giants, who had escaped to Earth to steal diamonds, which would amplify his powers of shooting paralyzing force ray beam from his fingers and eyes. Ankov was thwarted by the combined efforts of Van-Jon, Green Arrow and Speedy.


Van-Jon (and apparently all from the Planet of Two Suns) are only inches high, and those from the Asteroid of Giants are the same size as humans. Van-Jon carries a gun that fires a paralyzing gas, has super-strength, and travels in a space ship. Nothing else is know of Van-Jon and his planet, and he is never seen again.

BATMAN of Zur-En-Arrh

Biography:

The Batman of the planet Zur-En-Arrh modeled himself after the Batman of the planet Earth. He first appeared in Batman #113 in February 1958 in the story entitled "Batman - The Superman of Planet X!" (written by France Herron, Pencils by Dick Sprang and Inks by Charles Paris. In his secret-identity of scientist Tlano, Batman monitored the Batman of Earth with a super telescope. Zur-En-Arrh has technology far advanced of Earth and the telescope capable of seeing people on other planets is but one of it's advanced machines. Zur-En-Arrh, "located in a star system far from Earth", also has teleportation machines which can transfer people over interstellar distances, futurist cars and jets, and ray-guns which shoot destructive "ray-bullets."

Batman operates out of his own Bat-Cave, filled with futuristic crime-fighting equipment. He uses a Batmobile with an atomic-powered motor and a Bat-Jet. His Bat-Radia "issues electronic molecules that cause controlled disturbances in the atmosphere" which can "jam atmospheric molecules." He receives Bat-Signals on a tele-view screen and has a ray-gun.

For all it's science, Zur-En-Arrh was invaded by an enemy planet with superior weapons, causing the world's Batman to teleport Earth's Batman to the planet for assistance. The elements in people on Earth make the super-powerful on Zur-En-Arrh, with the weaker gravity even allowing an Earth person to fly.

THARKA of Zor

Biography:

"Out of space from a doomed planet, years ago, there came to earth the
infant who grew up to be mighty Superman! And now, history repeats itself and
another super-being arrives from a far-off world! But this time it's a woman of
super-powers who hurtles to our planet on a strange crusade -- and Superman
finds that a puzzling and perilous problem has come with... The Superwoman from
Space!"

Tharka of Zor first appeared in Superman #81 (March-April 1953) in the story entitled "The Superwoman from Space." Billions of miles away from Earth, far across space, is the tiny world of Zor. This purple and orange planet (as seen from space) appears from the story to have only one super-powered hero, the orange and green clad Tharka. "Tharka is a mutation, a Zorian born ahead of her time, who has super powers!" She has the ability to fly, a brilliant mind capable of envisioning fantastic inventions, a body strong enough to withstand the shock of being blasted into space in a rocket or of being shot by bullets and super-strength. We do not learn if Tharka is her true name of or only her super-powered identity.

The planet Zor is a smaller planet than Earth, which accounts for the fact (according to Superman) what accounts for super-powers there are only ordinary abilities on Earth. Regarding the technology of Zor, we know they have television (including large viewscreens situated in public places), aircraft similar to helicopters, rockets capable of interstellar travel and, thanks to Tharka, space-television capable of picking up broadcasts on other planets. Goverment includes a councillor, although we do not learn if he is but one of many Council members.

In the story, Tharka comes to Earth on a good-will mission to assist Superman in capturing the gang leg by "Bowtie" Barris. On Earth, Tharka has no powers but Superman secretly assists her in capturing the gang, so that her reputation is not hurt while her fellow Zorians watch on their space-television.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I first read of Tharka from a library checked-out copy of The Great Superman Encyclopedia by Michael L. Fleisher while a young teenager. Always fascinated by obscure heroes, I created an entire team of heroes including Tharka. I situated Zor under the star Arcturus and made the "Guardians of Arcturus" to be that solar system's heroes. Joining Tharka were the Green Lantern Manrys Chi, the Lore-Queen, Sentinel, Spaladorn,Brixam Force, Psychon, Eagle, Mocker and many others. I still have all the sketches and descriptions of these heroes stashed away in a box.


It wasn't until later on in life and the wonder of Bay that led me to my own copy of Supeman #81 and I was able to see what Tharka actually looked like. The story itself is kind of hokey (girl comes to Earth, girl loses powers because our planet is bigger, Lois Lane is jealous, Superman helps girl and sends her triumphantly home), but it introduces yet another fascinating one-shot hero. Tharka, to my knowledge has never appeared again. But do not hold you breath...with the reintroduction today of so many silver-age aspects, Tharka may fly again!