Ego the Living Planet | |
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Ego the Living Planet Art by John Byrne |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Thor #132 (Oct. 1966) |
Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) |
In-story information | |
Team affiliations | Nova Corps Elders of the Universe |
Abilities | Matter manipulation Psionic powers |
Ego the Living Planet is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Thor #132 (Oct. 1966) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.
Contents |
Development
Ego was created by Jack Kirby during a phase in which he was fascinated with the universe: Ego; the alien Kree and The Colonizers immediately followed the creation of Galactus and helped establish Marvel Comics' own "space age mythology".[1]
Publication history
1960s
Ego the Living Planet was initially introduced in the title Thor issue #132 (September 1966), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.
Ego also played a prominent role in the Maximum Security storyline, appearing in Avengers #35 (Dec. 2000); Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet (Oct. 2000); Iron Man #34 - 35 (Nov. - Dec. 2000); X-Men Unlimited #29 (Dec. 2000); Gambit #23 (Dec. 2000) and Maximum Security #1 - 3 (Dec. 2000 - Jan. 2001).
Ego the Living Planet also appeared in the Oni Press Color Special.[2]
Like all celestial bodies, Ego condensed from gas and dust in the "Black Galaxy" to become a planet. Eons ago, a civilization grew on Ego to a state even more advanced than humans' but neglected to focus their scientific advancement on space travel. When their sun began the process that would build to a nova, the inhabitants of Ego had no option but to seek shelter in suspended animation within the core of the planet. This project, dubbed "Project Worldcore" by the civilization's scientists, was spearheaded by a scientist named Egros. However, Egros' calculations were off by 50 seconds. Unable to complete the process that would have sealed Project Worldcore and kept his civilization safe, Egros and his planet were both consumed by the nova, but rather than dying they underwent a transformation: using the unprotected bodies of Egros' fellow beings as fuel, Egros' consciousness and the planet merged, becoming the living planet Ego.[3]
Ego then began absorbing space vessels and even other worlds to survive, planning interstellar conquest. It was this behavior that attracts the attention of the Rigellian Colonizers, who fear that the nearby Ego will consume their home-world.
The Rigellians discovered Earth, and promised to leave it unmolested if the Thunder God Thor would defeat Ego. Accompanied by a Rigellian Recorder, Thor encounters Ego and after an epic battle defeats it. As a result, Ego vows to never leave the Black Galaxy and renounced its plans of conquest.[4] Several months later, a weakened Galactus invades Ego's space and seeks to replenish his energy by consuming Ego. Thor aids Ego in battling Galactus, and generates a massive God Blast that drives Galactus off. In gratitude Ego allows its surface to become the new home of the Wanderers, a race whose planet had been the very first to be devoured by Galactus billions of years ago.[5]
A well-meaning Rigellian took a sample of Ego's form, in the hope that this could be used to fertilize sterile worlds being considered for habitation.[6] This act drives Ego insane, and it soon gives in to its primordial urges and absorbs the Wanderers, which causes Thor to side with a returning Galactus. Assisted by ally Hercules and Galactus' herald, Firelord, Thor holds Ego off until Galactus attaches a massive starship engine to Ego's south pole, which drives the planet constantly through space and thereby prevents it from being a threat to other planets and populated sections of the universe.[7]
Years later, Ego eventually gains control of the engine and tracks Galactus to Earth seeking vengeance, but is unable to locate him. Ego began attacking Earth until finally stopped by the Fantastic Four and an unknown mutant known as L.R "Skip" Collins. It was on this occasion that Ego was destroyed — the Thing removes the attached propulsion engine and threw it into Ego's "brain", causing an angered Ego to activate it, which unintentionally drives the planet into the Sun. Ego's substance is then broken apart by the Sun's gravitational pull.[8]
Ego, however, slowly reforms from a few surviving particles and repairs the propulsion unit. Ego then digested a number of Dire Wraiths to replenish its' energy reserves, and battles the Spaceknight Rom.[9]
Ego later joined the Elders of the Universe, as like them it is the only one of its kind in existence. The Elders planned to destroy Galactus, although Ego was sidelined before the confrontation when defeated by the Silver Surfer.[10] Ego later captured the Silver Surfer, and attempts to consume his energies.[11] After being used as a pawn by the Supreme Intelligence in a bid to reestablish the Kree Empire, Ego threatened Earth one final time before being absorbed by the cosmic hero Quasar.[12]
Ego later attacks a Korbinite fleet and fights the hero Beta Ray Bill. Ego reveals to Bill that Galactus' propulsion unit is driving Ego mad, and the fleet subsequently destroy the propulsion unit.[13] A sentient bio-verse, initially described as "Super-Ego", then begins to consume Ego, but Ego eventually escapes.[14] Driven mad again by the Supreme Intelligence, Ego battles Professor X and Cadre K.[15] Ego is subsequently captured and sent to Earth as an "infant" in spore form.[16] Ego begins to consume the Earth as it grows, and is absorbed into Quasar to prevent this.[17]
The threat of Ego appears to have ended, however with Quasar's death during Annihilation, Ego was released in the Universe, only to be approached by the Worldmind to join the new Nova Corps.[18] Richard confronts Worldmind about Ego, which reveals that Ego's consciousness has been supplanted, effectively making Ego the new host of Worldmind. Calling itself Nu Xandar, Worldmind tells Richard that he must download the Nova Force into Nu Xandar's power reserves so that it may be spread out throughout the Nova Corps. After some initial hesitation Richard agrees but backs out at the last minute which ended with Worldmind forcefully removing the Nova Force from Richard and returns him to Earth without his powers.[19]
It is later revealed that Ego had really supplanted Worldmind and was brainwashing the Corps. Richard managed to defeat Ego and free Worldmind by retaking the Nova Force and lobotomizing the Living Planet.[20]
In the aftermath of the War of Kings, the Nova Corps positioned Nu Xandar at the edge of the Fault, a rip in time-space caused by Black Bolt's T-Bomb, to monitor it. Suddenly, Ego was able to resurface his personality on his body, forcing the Corps to reposition their base in the Resolute Duty, a missing Corps vessel.[21]
Powers and abilities
Ego is exceptionally intelligent, although as its name suggests, it harbors an extreme superiority complex and can be emotional if thwarted. Ego is propelled through space via the engine Galactus implanted on it and can travel at faster than light speeds (for unknown reasons, Ego is unable to remove the powerful propulsion unit placed at its south pole). Ego has total control over its entire mass down to the molecular level; it often shapes its surface into the appearance of a gigantic face to address powerful beings, and can also shape its terrain to suit the circumstances. It is able to use its own substance to extrude tentacles, organic sensors, plant-like growth, and to create humanoid vessels for its consciousness. It can shape its surface to appear as a dead inhospitable world, or into an idyllic, lush green paradise to lure unaware space travelers to its surface, which it promptly consumes. Ego possesses various internal features analogous to a living organism, such as gigantic tunnels that have been compared to arteries, and a gigantic brain-like organ deep below its surface. Ego possesses both digestive organs, which it uses when absorbing living beings, and an immune system with which to create powerful antibodies to destroy beings which resist absorption.[22] It also possesses vast psionic abilities, and can project blasts powerful enough to destroy other worlds.[23]
Other versions
Alternate versions of Ego have appeared in a number of titles. A version of Ego, Oa the Living Planet, was featured under the Amalgam Comics imprint, in Iron Lantern #1 (June 1997).[24] Ego has also appeared in alternate versions of the Marvel Universe, in Exiles #53 (December 2004), Marvel Zombies 2 #1 (December 2007), and Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #12 (June 2007), for younger readers.
In other media
Television
- Ego appears in the animated Fantastic Four series (1994–1996) voiced by Kay E. Kuter and the Silver Surfer series (1994) voiced by Roy Lewis.
Reception and impact
Roger Lewis argues that Ego the Living Planet reflected risks to civilization, humans and planet Earth that people were contemplating in the 1960s, when he was initially conceived.[25]
A 2007 issue of Marvel Adventures: The Avengers featuring Ego entitled "Ego the Loving Planet" met with critical praise for its simultaneous inventiveness and logical sense.[26]
Footnotes
- ^ Gartland, Mike. "A Failure to Communicate: Part Two." In The Jack Kirby Collector #22. Collected in John Morrow, Jack Kirby (2006). The Collected Jack Kirby Collector, Volume 5. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 196. ISBN 1893905578.
- ^ Oni Press Color Special at the Comic Book DB
- ^ Thor vol. 1, #228
- ^ Thor #132 - 133 (Sep. - Oct. 1966)
- ^ Thor #160 - 161 (Jan. - Feb. 1969)
- ^ Thor #201
- ^ Thor #227 - 228 (Sep. - Oct. 1977)
- ^ Fantastic Four #234 - 235 (Sep. - Oct. 1981)
- ^ Rom #69 (Aug. 1985)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #4 (Oct. 1987)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #22 (Apr. 1989)
- ^ Quasar #14 - 15 (Sep. - Oct. 1990)
- ^ Thor Annual #16 (1991)
- ^ Thor #448 - 450 (June - Aug. 1992)
- ^ Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet (Oct. 2000)
- ^ Iron Man #34 - 35 (Nov. - Dec. 2000)
- ^ Maximum Security #1 - 3 (Dec. 2000 - Feb. 2001)
- ^ Nova #20
- ^ Nova #21
- ^ Nova #23-25
- ^ Nova #29-30
- ^ Flubb, J.A. "The Great Kirby Science Fiction Concepts". In The Jack Kirby Collector #15. Pages 4-9. Collected in The Collected Jack Kirby Collector Volume 3. pages 130-135, TwoMorrows Publishing. 2004. ISBN 1893905020. Page 132-133
- ^ Maximum Security #1
- ^ Oa the Living Planet at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- ^ Roger Lewis (1972). Outlaws of America. Penguin.
- ^ Tate, Ray (2007-04-21). "Marvel Adventures #12 Review". Comics Bulletin. http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/117718711510698.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
External links
- Ego the Living Planet at the Marvel Universe
- Ego the Living Planet at the Marvel Comics Database Project
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