Real Name: Lobo
Voiced by Brad Garrett
Born on the idyllic paradise known as Czarnia, Lobo was an anomaly—a violent, sadistic maniac on a world of enlightened pacifists. Taking advantage of his situation, Lobo did what he pleased, drank what he pleased, and killed who he pleased, until his eighteenth birthday, when he slaughtered the entire population of his planet so he could be unique in the universe. Realizing that he had a knack for destruction and violence, Lobo decided become a mercenary.
In the years since that fateful day, Lobo has successfully established himself as the universe’s foremost bounty hunter and assassin. Showing no favoritism, the Main Man (as he calls himself) will work for anyone, provided that they can afford his services. The added expense is worth it, however, as once Lobo is on a job, he will not stop until it is complete. Capable of tracking quarry across vast distances, Lobo will go to any lengths necessary to finish a mission—no body count too high, no amount of damage too great—as he considers his word sacred and refuses to renege on a deal once it is made. And once his target is cornered, Lobo quickly dispatches his opponent using his arsenal of weapons, super-strength, and limitless regenerative abilities.
Cruising the galaxies on his customized SpazFrag 666 intergalacticycle, Lobo spends his off-hours drinking, fighting, and picking up women. But make no mistake: whether he's drunk or sober, and whether you're a client, target, or bystander; Lobo is the last person that you would ever want to meet.
Keith Giffen on Lobo (circa 1995): "I do hate Lobo. Of course I do. Lobo is a reprehensible character. How could anyone not hate him? The thing is, Lobo was created as an indictment of the sort of mindlessly violent characters you find in too many comics, and instead he became a role model for them. So I hate him, but that doesn't mean I didn't like telling stories about him (courtesy of Wizard Magazine)."
Alan Grant on Lobo and Superman (circa 1994): "For some time now, Barry Kitson and I have been talking about doing a "Lobo / Superman: Last Sons" team-up, wherein we [would] explore the deep relationship possible between two men from strikingly similar backgrounds—one the sole survivor of a destroyed world he will forever mourn, the other the sole survivor of a world he destroyed himself and still chuckles about sometimes (courtesy of Wizard Magazine)."
Images
Lobo Model Design Sheet | Lobo Image #1 (STAS Design)
Lobo Image #2 | Lobo Image #3 | Lobo Image #4
Commentary
I'm givin' you geeks ten seconds before I frag everything in sight! One...TEN!!!
Lobo (to a crowded bar room) in The Main Man
A late addition to the DC
Comics’ pantheon, Lobo debuted in 1983 in the pages of the Omega Men,
albeit with shorter hair and a garish, orange-and-purple spandex costume (seen here).
It wasn’t until years later that creator Keith Giffen redesigned Lobo
into his current “biker” look, which he used in the pages of Justice
League International. Continued
guest appearances fueled his popularity, which led to a series of mini-series,
sixty-four issues of an ongoing series, and frequent guest appearances across
the DC Comics’ line. Unfortunately,
this led to overexposure and a decline in sales, which resulted in a period of
inactivity for the character. However,
his fortunes are returning, as Giffen returned to his character for last
year’s Lobo Unbound mini-series, which provided a new starting point
for the Main Man. In terms of
animation, a web-based animated series
was developed for Warner Bros.’ website following his appearances on Superman,
but a planned Lobo animated series
for network television fell through. As
DC Comics’ favorite bad boy, Lobo is roughly equivalent to Marvel Comics’
Wolverine terms of guest appearances and a devoted cult fan base.
Virtually unchanged from his
appearances on Superman, the character is, nevertheless, significantly
different from his comic book roots, as his modus
operandi has been simplified for younger audiences.
Much like appearances by Carnage and the Punisher on FOX Kids’ Spider-Man
series of the mid-1990s, Lobo had to be toned down in terms of his activities,
resulting in a character that alluded
to excessive violence without perpetuating much of it on camera.
Gone was the “kill ‘em all” approach to bounty hunting, as well as
his trademark metal hook (seen briefly on Superman, but replaced by a
crowbar in most scenes), as he took his targets alive rather than dead.
In terms of his appearance in Hereafter, he was afforded much more
leeway in terms of violence—his fight with Kalibak was acceptable largely
because he was a powerful opponent—but the comic book Lobo would have killed
the son of Darkseid, whether he knew who he was or not, and—depending on who
wrote the episode—would probably have killed the Justice League as well.
Speaking of Hereafter,
Lobo’s appearance on Justice League raises a major question:
why did Lobo choose to return to Earth after promising Superman that he
wouldn’t? His presence in the
episode goes against the pledge made in The Main Man, as he vowed to
leave Earth alone in exchange for Superman’s help in escaping the
Preserver’s jail; which, for a man who considers his word sacred, it is a bit
puzzling. However, as is the case
with most contracts, one must look closely at the exact words used:
Superman:
If I let you out, do you swear to leave me and everyone else on Earth in
peace?
Lobo:
The Main Man’s word is his bond, man.
Much like making a deal with
Marvel Comics’ Dr. Doom, Lobo is choosing to honor the exact phrasing
of the agreement—he’ll leave Superman and the Earth in peace; if one is dropped from the equation, the
contract is null and void, allowing Lobo to return (which also explains why he
left with little fuss when Superman turned up alive).
As for how he found out about Superman’s death initially, we need only
remember the presence of the Green Lantern Corps at his funeral,
which facilitated the spread of the news. While
not as well known as other figures, Superman is probably a minor interplanetary
celebrity due to his good works (uncovering the Manhunter’s plot in In
Blackest Night, his liberation of enslaved planets in War World and
the Superman episode Absolute Power, etc.).
Images courtesy of Toon Zone, the New Batman/Superman Adventures Homepage, Warner Bros. Originals, Lobo Brazil, The World's Finest, and the Art of Steven E. Gordon.
