Lobo

Lobo, whose name means "one who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it," is the last of his people for one reason: he killed them all. Czarnia was a virtual paradise that knew nothing of war or anger. Its inhabitants were almost immortal. They had the power not only to regrow lost limbs, but to replicate — from each cell, a Czarnian could instantaneously clone a new self.

Into this Eden was born a serpent. When Lobo was born, his evil was so frighteningly apparent, the nurse who delivered him went insane. Lobo was more than the school bully; he was more like the school assassin. His parents, disgraced and ashamed, became hermits.

Lobo knew he was one of a kind on his planet, but he wanted even more — out of pure ego, he wanted to be one of a kind everywhere. Inspired by the idea of genocide, Lobo created a swarm of lethal scorpion-like creatures who turned heavenly Czarnia into a hell of pain, and soon, a graveyard. From death Lobo learned of ecstasy. Little can stop him from fulfilling a contract, which he often accepts simply for the thrill of killing. (Lobo: The Last Czarnian)

Lobo first appeared when he was hired by Harry Hokum, an Earth Man who sought to kill the Omega Men and rule the Vegan star system. He and his partner, Bedlam, captured the Omegans and Bedlam ripped off the wings of their member, Harpis. (Omega Men #3)

Hokum went on to victory, but Lobo held no sense of loyalty for the despot. Instead, Lobo went on to offer his services to the Omega Men themselves. Initially their leader, Primus refused the help, but soon realized he had little choice. Primus offered his own life as payment for Lobo's services. (#9)

To infiltrate Vega's tyrant rulers, Lobo brought the Omega Men to the Citadel as his "prisoners." They achieved a measure of success and killed one senior commander. Hokum threatened mass nuclear destruction, and Primus calls a truce over Lobo's objections. Apparently Lobo considered their battle a loss and did not hold Primus to his end of the deal. (#10)

The Omega Men also ran across a "Replicave" in the Vega system which was invented by the Psion race and modeled on the abilities of Lobo's race. Individuals of his race could duplicate themselves a seemingly infinite number of times; the cave would duplicate a life form, then send the original back to the Psion's laboratory for experimentation.

The Omega Men's Tigorr fell prey to the cave, and Primus once again called Lobo for help. Lobo agreed to this mission to forego payment simply because he wanted revenge on the Psions for exploiting his peoples' genes. (#17-20)

Later, Lobo was hired to kill his former associate, Bedlam. (#36-37)

Lobo made his first appearance on Earth when he was hired by Manga Khan to take out the new Justice League. Lobo hung around, pretending to be a friend, waiting for the right moment. But before he could act, Manga Khan canceled Lobo's contract. (Justice League #18)

For a such a fierce bounty hunter and a loner, Lobo still held a few surprises under his brash exterior. He would prove to be more a team player than anyone would think. And, he kept a secret "flock" of pets — space dolphins that he cared for diligently. When one of the dolphins was killed, Lobo tracked the perpetrators to Vril Dox's newly formed band of freedom fighters, the L.E.G.I.O.N. (LEGION #3)

Lobo handily crippled the entire team, but was halted by Dox, who offered to provide protection for the dolphins in exchange for Lobo's service in Dox's new police force. Lobo accepted and accompanied the new team to Cairn, known galaxywide as the "drug world." There Lobo and Dox dismantled the drug lords' empire by sheer brains and brawn. (#4-5) Dox also took advantage of Lobo's ability to multiply, which helped them destroy the remainder of Cairn's opposing rulers. During this mission, Dox secretly poisoned Lobo and his clones. Lobo was depowering, lost his ability to multiply, and his clones were destroyed, except... (#7) It was later revealed that one of Lobo's clones escaped — before being poisoned — to the planet Kannit. (Lobo vol. 2 #9)

During Lobo's service in the L.E.G.I.O.N., it was clear that he held no personal love for any of his teammates. He followed Dox's orders out of some sense of honor, but did not hesitate to break both of Garryn Bek's legs. But even Dox was not immune. When Dox was killed by another teammate, Stealth, he too was cloned. Lobo took advantage of Dox's vulnerability and attempted to kill the clone in order to be free from his pact. (#10)

Lobo was sent on an undercover mission to bring down a formidable opponent: the pirate Dagon-Ra who could transmute matter. (#14) He was successful and helped lead a revolt among Dagon-Ra's servants. (#15-18)

Lobo's service in L.E.G.I.O.N. did not stop him from accepting other contracts. He made another trip to Earth to kill Despero, again for Manga Kahn. Lobo found that the Justice League had already defeated the villain and instead, delivered him to Manga Kahn. (Justice League #56-58, Justice League Europe #32-33)

... (Lobo vol. 1)

One his next L.E.G.I.O.N. mission, Lobo crossed another crime boss, Maximilian G'odd. G'odd responded by hiring another assassin, the Ice Man to take Lobo out. The Ice Man got his attention by killing another one of his space dolphins and lured him into a trap. He then buried lobo under a mountain of rock, and left him for dead. (LEGION #30-34)

It wasn't long before Lobo climbed out of that grave and tried to take his revenge. But the Ice Man proved too slippery, and he escaped. (#38) Because the L.E.G.I.O.N. had failed to protect his dolphins, Lobo challenged Dox to a rematch to release his obligation. But for the challenge, Dox chose a complex game of Pan-Dimensional Chess and won handily. (#43)

Often during the L.E.G.I.O.N.'s most heated battles, Lobo was nowhere to be found. Twice when the team was handling crises, Lobo clashed with the Green Lantern Hal Jordan. (#47, 57) And though he'd never admit it, he enjoyed an encounter with Superman where the Man of Steel actually saved his life. (#63)

...Layla (Lobo Annual #1)

Lobo ultimately met his clone, that had escaped Vril Dox's poisoning on Cairn. The two of them battled to the death, but it was unclear which was the survivor. (Lobo vol. 2 #9) If the survivor was indeed the clone, then Lobo would once again have the ability to duplicate himself (because this clone had escaped being poisoned by Dox). But, he never demonstrated his duplication ability again until after being magically affected by the young witch, Klarion (see below). If the original Lobo was the survivor, the magic could possibly have restored his duplication power.

When Dox's infant son, Lyrl took over the organization by using mind control, Lobo joined the rest of the core team as they fled Cairn. (LEGION #69-70, REBELES #0) Lucky for him; soon after this, Dox's problems exceeded his willingness to keep Lobo under thumb. Dox released Lobo from his service once and for all. (#6)

... (Lobo series?)

Li'l Lobo

His physiology was drastically changed once again during an incident on Earth. When Klarion the Witch Boy reversed the ages of the planet's population, Lobo was caught up in the reverse-spell. When everyone was changed back to normal, Lobo's body was transformed into that of a boy. (Sins of Youth #2)

He hunted Klarion down but the team of teens called Young Justice convinced him that he should content himself with his new age, as it would make everyone underestimate his prowess. Regardless, Klarion remarked that even if he was able to conjure a spell to restore Lobo, his adaptable physiology had already made him resistant to Klarion's magics. (Young Justice #20-21)

Lobo tagged along with Young Justice. He was with them during Earth's war against Imperiex and they became stranded Apokolips. There, Lobo's body was decimated by Darkseid's troops. Young Justice assumed he was dead, but his corpse began to spawn clones — for the first time in years! This new army of Lobo clones fought amongst themselves until only one adult Lobo was left — and one still-young clone. (#36-37) The adult left for parts unknown, but the boy secretly followed Young Justice back to Earth, where he was nicknamed Slobo. Slobo's personality differed significantly from his "parent's." This clone was ashamed that it had fled during the battle on Apokolips. (#38) Slobo was especially befriended by YJ's Empress, and he stayed with this team until their end.

YJ's was also the end of Slobo. When his vision began to deteriorate, he soon found out that his cloned body was disintegrating, too. In the team's battle to save a teammate, Slobo sacrificed himself against Darkseid. (#53-55)

One can make the assumption that Lobo can never be permanently dead, because he isn't allowed in either heaven or hell. (Lobo's Back #4)

Notes

Lobo's entry in Who's Who #8 (1991) makes no mention of his meetings with the Omega Men. It is unclear whether these stand in current continuity because his origins are, in fact, completely different from the Lobo who appears in L.E.G.I.O.N. and beyond. Omega Men #17 reveals one similarity: he is the last of his race. However, in Omega Men, Lobo was "Velorpian," not "Czarnian," and his people were killed by the Psions, not Lobo himself.

Technically, Li'l Lobo's first appearance was a cameo in Young Justice #1,000,000 (Nov. 1998)—three years before Young Justice #38.

Lobo's first printed solo story was Omega Men #37, plot and art by Keith Giffen.

Lobo appeared on the Superman: The Animated Series (1996-97) and Justice League (2003), voice by Brad Garret. These appearances spawned his own web-based animated series in 2000.

Powers

One of the most powerful creatures in the universe. He can rip through solid rock, kick his way out of a steel safe, and lift crawl out from under a mile-deep pile of rubble. He can run at amazing speeds, leap to the point of flying, and he never seems to tire.

Lobo never carries weapons, preferring instead to fight hand-to-hand. He has the ability to sense a person's weakness.

Lobo's Czarnian ability to replicate himself was once taken from him by Vril Dox, but since his magical transformation at the hands of Klarion the Witch Boy, he has demonstrated the ability once again. He can create a duplicate of himself from even the smallest drop of blood. Clones formed since this time have proved to be unstable, however, as evidenced by death of Slobo.

Lobo's uncanny tracking ability helps him locate any prey. He usually travels on a modified intergalaticycle — a motorcycle with space-travel capabilities.

Appearances + References

» FEATURED APPEARANCES:  

• See Lobo's chronology at the DC Guide

» SERIES:

• Lobo vol. 1, 4-issue limited series (1990)
• Lobo vol. 2, 64 issues
• and other mini-series and specials too numerous to list

» SEE ALSO:

• Lobo: Bastich Inc.
• Lobo's Frag Fest
• Lobo: El gran mundo negro (Spanish language site)