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[[Category:1977 comics characters debuts]]
[[Category:1977 comics characters debuts]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics aliens]]
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[[Category:Characters created by Chris Claremont]]
[[Category:Characters created by Dave Cockrum]]


[[fr:Gladiator (Shi'ar)]]
[[fr:Gladiator (Shi'ar)]]

Revision as of 00:19, 30 December 2009

For the former Daredevil villain, See Gladiator (Melvin Potter).
Gladiator
Gladiator battles the Fantastic Four on the cover of Fantastic Four #249 (Dec. 1982). Art by John Byrne.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceX-Men #107 (Oct. 1977)
Created byChris Claremont
Dave Cockrum
In-story information
Alter egoKallark
SpeciesStrontian
Team affiliationsImperial Guard
Notable aliasesCaptain Universe, Cal Kramer
AbilitiesSuperhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability
Heat vision
Freeze breath
Psionic abilities
Flight

Gladiator is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977) and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum.

Publication history

1970s

The character Gladiator is an alien (a Strontian) and the Praetor (leader) of the elite corps of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard (an army of powerful beings that enforce Shi'ar Imperial law on all planets within the Shi'ar Galaxy), and first appears in the title X-Men. The elite corps also protects and carries out the personal directives of the majestor or majestrix (emperor or empress) of the Shi’ar Empire. Together with the Imperial Guard, the character battles the mutant team the X-Men at the command of then-Shi'ar Emperor D'Ken.[1]

1980s

Gladiator and the Guard battle the X-Men again when new Shi'ar Empress Lilandra Neramani and Professor Charles Xavier arrange a trial by combat to decide the fate of the out of control entity Dark Phoenix.[2] After an appearance in the alternate universe title What If?[3] the character aids the X-Men against several renegade Imperial Guardsmen serving a Shi'ar traitor, Lord Samedar.[4]

Gladiator eventually travels to Earth in pursuit of the alien Skrulls, and due to their ability to shape-shift mistakenly attacks superhero team the Fantastic Four. With the aid of heroes Spider-Man and Captain America the real Skrulls are exposed and captured.[5] The character is also present - acting as Lilandra's bodyguard - at the intergalactic trial of Reed Richards for once saving the life of cosmic entity Galactus.[6]

Gladiator appears in another printing of Uncanny X-Men #137 featuring an alternate ending[7] and then in an adventure with the Spaceknight Rom.[8] During this story it is revealed that Lilandra's sister, Deathbird, has stage a successful coup and become the new majestrix of the Shi'ar Empire.

1990s

After an alternate universe version of Gladiator has a bout with the Thunder God Thor,[9] the Earth-616 version reappears and has an encounter with a rogue alien [10] before being commanded to lead the entire Imperial Guard against the combined forces of the space adventurers the Starjammers and superhero team Excalibur. Deathbird orders a retreat on discovering that the rebels are led by her sister, Lilandra.[11]

The character appears in two more issues of the second volume of title What If?[12] before battling the X-Men at the direction of Deathbird once more. Gladiator is then mentally controlled by a Warskrull, posing as Charles Xavier, but freed when the Skrull is defeated.[13] Following another appearance in the title What If?[14] and a solo adventure,[15] Gladiator encounters several members of the Avengers during the Operation: Galactic Storm storyline.[16] Although able to defeat Wonder Man, Gladiator is then beaten by Eric Masterson, who at the time possessed the power of Thor.[17]

Gladiator also appears alongside characters Beta Ray Bill; Ganymede; Jack of Hearts and Heralds of Galactus the Silver Surfer and Terrax the Tamer in a war against Tyrant, a former creation of Galactus.[18] After brief appearances with another Herald, Firelord,[19] cosmic heroes Nova[20] and Quasar;[21] and a flashback appearance,[22] Gladiator appears with the X-Men in the Legion Quest storyline.[23]

The character also appears in a limited series with X-Men from an altered reality[24] and in flashback in a Fantastic Four adventure.[25] Gladiator's cousin and fellow Strontian survivor Xenith features as a member of a galactic peacekeeping organisation called The Charter in the limited series Star Masters[26] and Cosmic Powers Unlimited.[27]

The character also appears in an outside of continuity one-shot publication that teamed with the X-Men with the original crew of the Federation starship the Enterprise.[28] Gladiator and many of the Imperial Guard feature in a self-titled limited series in a humorous adventure on Earth.[29] Gladiator then features in another one-shot publication and battles the Earth-712 Hyperion and the Image Comics character Supreme in defence of the Shi'ar empire.[30] The character returns to Earth for another encounter with the Skrulls[31] and then has an off-beat adventure with hero Spider-Man and the X-Men.[32]

Gladiator joins the mutant X-Men again during an encounter with Galactus[33] while another alternate universe (Earth-1298) version of the character confronts the mutant Havok.[34]

2000s

Gladiator accompanies Lilandra to witness the apparent death of Galactus[35] and with the Imperial Guard briefly battles the Inhumans during a failed assassination attempt - orchestrated by Ronan the Accuser of the alien Kree - against Lilandra on an alien world.[36] Gladiator is also involved when the alien Ruul attempt to annex Earth and transform it into a prison planet.[37]

After two more brief appearances[38] Gladiator battles the real Thor at the request of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, but is defeated.[39] The inter-dimensional travellers the Exiles also encounter yet another alternate version of Gladiator.[40] After Lilandra — under the mental control of Charles Xavier's mutant twin sister Cassandra Nova — orders the destruction of all mutants on Earth, Gladiator leads the Guard in an assault on the X-Men's mansion home. Nova is eventually revealed as the true threat the combined forces of the Guard and the X-Men defeat Nova and free Lilandra.[41] After a journey with the Titan Thanos[42] Guided by the cosmic entity Living Tribunal Gladiator fights the Champion of the Universe in an attempt to liberate the population of a planet the Champion had enslaved.[43]

At the request of Lilandra, Gladiator returns to Earth on a mission to capture the Uni-Power and bring it back for evaluation. After an encounter with the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four,[44] 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.[45] An alternate version of Gladiator also appears in an MC2 universe limited series.[46]

Gladiator is then commanded to stop the conqueror Vulcan, who after the murder of his mother by the Emperor D'Ken is determined to destroy the empire. After a bloody battle during which Vulcan kills several members of the Guard, Gladiator manages to finally defeat him and delivers the character to a Shi'ar prison facility. 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. After marrying Deathbird, Vulcan murders D'Ken and becomes the next Shi'ar Emperor. With Lilandra usurped and in hiding, Gladiator and the remainder of the Guard are honor-bound to serve Vulcan.[47]

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 rebels the Starjammers.[48] Vulcan then embarks on an ambitious plan to conquer the rest of the universe in the limited series X-Men:Kingbreaker,[49] the prelude to the limited series War of Kings. Vulcan orders Gladiator to capture Lilandra, who has allied herself with the Kree. After battling Lilandra's allies the Starjammers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Gladiator is swayed by her argument against Vulcan and kills a member of the Imperial Guard loyal to the Emperor. Lilandra is eventually killed by an assassin, and Vulcan and Black Bolt both apparently die during battle in a explosion.[50] The one-shot publication War of Kings: Who Will Rule depicts Gladiator as weary and in the wake of Lilandra's death wishing to preserve the Empire. To avoid another civil war, the character proclaims himself the new Emperor.[51]

In the accompanying spin-off limited series War of Kings: Warriors, Gladiator's origin is revealed and how the character came to be Praetor of the Imperial Guard.[52]

Powers and abilities

Gladiator possesses a number of superhuman capabilities as a result of his unique alien physiology including superhuman strength (capable of shattering a planet)[10],superhuman speed, stamina and durability (capable of withstanding an explosion equivalent to a supernova);[53] reflexes; heat vision (stated as "hotter than a star");[54] frost breath[55] and is capable of warp speed flight (measured as "a hundred times the speed of light").[53] Gladiator's abilities increase and decrease in accordance with his level of confidence[52] and is vulnerable to a certain form of rare radiation.[56]

Other versions

An alternate version of Gladiator from the Earth-2149 universe[57] is infected by a "zombie" virus.[58]

Other media

Gladiator appears in the animated television series X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-97) voiced by Dave Wittenberg.

The character also appears in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006) with Dave Wittenberg reprising the role.

Footnotes

  1. ^ X-Men # 107 - 108 (Oct & Dec. 1977)
  2. ^ Uncanny X-Men #137 (Sep. 1980)
  3. ^ What If? #27 (July 1981)
  4. ^ Uncanny X-Men #155 & 157 (Mar & Apr. 1982)
  5. ^ Fantastic Four #249 - 250 (Dec. 1982 - Jan. 1983)
  6. ^ Fantastic Four #261 - 262 (Dec. 1983 - Jan. 1984)
  7. ^ Phoenix: The Untold Story #1 (Apr. 1984)
  8. ^ Rom Annual #4 (Jan. 1985)
  9. ^ Fantastic Four #339 - 340 (Apr. - May 1990)
  10. ^ a b Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)
  11. ^ X-Men Spotlight on: Starjammers #1 - 2 (May - June 1990)
  12. ^ What If? vol. 2, #15 - 16 (July - Aug. 1990)
  13. ^ Uncanny X-Men #275 - 277 (Apr. - June 1991)
  14. ^ What If? vol. 2, #32 (Dec. 1991)
  15. ^ Marvel Comics Presents #98 (Mar. 1992)
  16. ^ A 19-part crossover that ran through the Marvel titles Avengers; Avengers West Coast; Captain America; Iron Man; Wonder Man; Quasar and Thor between March and May 1992.
  17. ^ Thor #445 (Mar. 1992)
  18. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #79 - 82 (Apr. - July 1993)
  19. ^ New Warriors #42 (Dec. 1993)
  20. ^ Nova vol. 2, #1 (Jan. 1994)
  21. ^ Starblast #1 (Jan. 1994)
  22. ^ Cosmic Powers #1 (Mar. 1994)
  23. ^ Gladiator appears in Uncanny X-Men #320 (Jan. 1995). Total storyline Uncanny X-Men #319 (Dec. 1994); X-Factor #109 (Dec. 1994); Uncanny X-Men #320 (Jan. 1995); X-Men vol. 2, #40; Uncanny X-Men #321 (Feb. 1995); Cable #20 (Feb. 1995) & X-Men vol. 2, #41 (Feb. 1995)
  24. ^ Age of Apocalypse: Issues #2 - 3 of Gambit & The X-Ternals #1 - 4 (Mar. - June 1995)
  25. ^ Fantastic Four #400 (May 1995)
  26. ^ Star Masters #1 - 3 (Dec. 1995 - Feb. 1996)
  27. ^ Cosmic Powers Unlimited #1 (May 1995); #2 (Aug. 1995); #3 (Dec. 1995); #4 (Feb. 1996); #5 (May 1996)
  28. ^ Star Trek/X-Men #1 (Dec. 1996)
  29. ^ Imperial Guard #1 - 3 (Jan. - Mar. 1997)
  30. ^ Gladiator-Supreme #1 (Mar. 1997)
  31. ^ Devil Dinosaur Spring Fling #1 (June 1997)
  32. ^ Marvel Adventures #5 (Aug. 1997)
  33. ^ X-Men vol. 2, #90 (July 1999)
  34. ^ Mutant X #14 (Nov. 1999)
  35. ^ Galactus The Devourer #5 - 6 (2000)
  36. ^ Inhumans vol. 3 #3 - 4 (Aug & Oct. 2000)
  37. ^ Uncanny X-Men #387 (Dec. 2000)
  38. ^ Maximum Security #3 (Jan. 2001) & X-Men #109 (Feb. 2001)
  39. ^ Thor #34 - 35 (Apr. - May 2001)
  40. ^ Exiles #2 - 3 (Oct. - Nov. 2001)
  41. ^ New X-Men #117 (Oct. 2001); #123 - 126 (Apr. - July 2002) & #133 (Dec. 2002)
  42. ^ Thanos #8 - 12 (Mar. - Sep. 2004)
  43. ^ She-Hulk #7 - 8 (Nov. - Dec. 2004)
  44. ^ Captain Universe:Invisible Woman (Jan. 2006)
  45. ^ Captain Universe:Silver Surfer & Captain Universe:X-23 (both Jan. 2006). Part of a 5-part series that begins with Captain Universe: Hulk & Captain Universe: Daredevil (both Jan. 2006)
  46. ^ Last Planet Standing #1 (June 2006). 5 issues: June - Sep. 2006 (2 issues published in Aug.)
  47. ^ Uncanny X-Men #477 (Oct. 2006) & #479 (Dec. 2006); #480 (Jan. 2007) & #485 - 486 (June - July 2007)
  48. ^ X-Men:Emperor Vulcan #1 - 5 (Nov. 2007 - Mar. 2008)
  49. ^ X-Men:Kingbreaker #1 - 4 (Feb. - May 2009)
  50. ^ War of Kings #1 - 6 (May - Oct. 2009)
  51. ^ War of Kings: Who Will Rule #1 (Nov. 2009)
  52. ^ a b War of Kings: Warriors #1 (Sep. 2009)
  53. ^ a b Fantastic Four #249 (Dec. 1982)
  54. ^ Fantastic Four #250 (Jan. 1983)
  55. ^ Thor vol. 2, #35 (May 2001)
  56. ^ Hulk Annual (1997)
  57. ^ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes one-shot (Sep. 2006)
  58. ^ Marvel Zombies 2 #1 (Dec. 2007)
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