Infinity-Man
| Infinity-Man | |
|---|---|
|
Infinity-Man from Forever People #2, artist Jack Kirby | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance |
Forever People #1, (February 1971) |
| Created by | Jack Kirby (writer & artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego |
- Astorr - Drax - Izaya |
| Species | New God |
| Place of origin | Apokolips |
| Team affiliations | Forever People |
| Notable aliases | Himon |
| Abilities |
|
Infinity-Man is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial superhero published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Forever People #1, (February 1971).
Fictional character biography
Infinity-Man’s story begins with Astorr, a powerful warrior from another planet, rescuing and nursing back to health the badly burned Drax (brother of Darkseid). Before dying himself of old age, Astorr passes on his role as "Infinity-Man" to Drax, who then spends several years studying in preparation.
Having assumed the title of Infinity-Man, Drax goes on to serve Highfather on New Genesis, where he is acquainted with Forever People and becomes a protector. Whenever Infinity-Man is needed, the Forever People grant him special powers by touching the mother boxes and reciting the word "Taaru". This ritual would cause The Forever People to enter a state of limbo, until Infinity-Man returns the power to them.
In one story, Darkseid sees Infinity-Man as a threat and is able to place him in another dimension. Infinity-Man temporarily makes a new home on a planet called Adon, until The Forever People free him from this prison.
A later plotline focuses on Devilance the Pursuer and his personal vendetta against the Forever People and Infinity-Man. Devilance tracks down Infinity-Man and the two battle, resulting in the destruction of the island on which they are fighting. The two appear to die, but once again, thanks to the efforts of the Forever People, Infinity-Man returns one more time.
In DC's year-long weekly event, Countdown to Final Crisis, and the monthly title, Death of the New Gods, Infinity-Man is suspected by Superman, Mr. Miracle, and Orion to be the mystery killer behind the recent deaths of the New Gods. However, the Mother Box used to summon him appears to have been destroyed and the Forever People murdered. Later, it is revealed that Infinity-Man is, in fact, the killer of New Gods, posing as Himon to avoid detection and collecting the dead gods' souls in a second Source Wall, surrounding the original one and preventing the slain gods from reuniting with the Source.
Superman challenges him to battle, but Infinity-Man teleports away mid-battle. His motive in killing the New Gods remains unclear. However, he claims to be acting on behalf of the Source itself—revealed as the "good" half of an entity that previously encompassed the Source and the Anti-Life Equation—and that his killings were intended to reunite both aspects.
The "Source" itself, or at least the physical representation of it, appears to back his claims, leading Infinity-Man to battle Mister Miracle, now empowered with the Anti-Life Equation itself, near the Source Wall. Infinity-Man then pushes Mister Miracle into battle, duping him to blast away the Second Wall, and letting the Source and the Anti-Life reunite. Infinity-Man is seemingly destroyed by Mister Miracle's attack.
New 52
The being that came known to be as the Infinity-Man is both an abstract of the Source itself and the moral consciousness of a once kindly and idealistic monarch. This entity of a higher power didn't appear before anyone until The Forever People were on a planet-side expedition to better the underdeveloped culture of Earth as a school curriculum. In that instance they came under the onslaught of mutated human scientist by the name of Omar Bashir who had been trapped within TV screens within a television store by The Source agent's power.[1]
GL/New Gods: Godhead Tie-in
Back on New Genesis as scheming Himon in council with Highfather; who had ordered all New Gods back to home base at the time, had garnered a surprise visit from the immaterial casting of Infinity Man. Who question the elderly councilor about why he was lying to his best friends and patriarch, warning him his deceptions will have dire consequences in the future.[2] The mysterious being quoting that his futile attempts by the former to prevent his return, Himon pleading that he had no say in the matter Infinity Man states all have the gift of choice and that he chose poorly. Warning him not to stand in his way as he tries to help Highfather, back on earth The Forever People encounter the Red Lantern Guy Gardner who after having had his run-in with the New Gods of The Wheel; was set on the warpath for all new gods situated on earth at the time.[3] The fuming lantern dead set on kicking them off world, but after the Forever People managed to incapacitate him they are soon attacked by Lanterns of the green corps.[4]
Appearing out of the union of New Gods Infinity Man makes his presence known to Gardner first, opting to help free him of his anguish. When The Red lantern snaps at him because of Highfather's manhunt for all lanterns by his people, the entity retorts that this war is not the source of his rage and mentions its all consuming aspects will destroy him if not relinquished. When Guy attacks him with his red plasma his adversary stops it mid blast wondering if the secrets of his pain lies within realizing that it wasn't rage that fuels the errant lantern but a deep self-hatred which Infinity Man recreates in the form of his reflection using his own Plasma.[5] But when the latter retorts that his rage is an integral part of him that defines his own character, the strange being complies sending the red energy back into his face. Noting the turn of events Green lanterns B'ox, B'dg and Stel combine they're rings to create a giant mechanized Darksied construct to combat the Infinity Man. Though intrigued by they're choice of design the agent of the source remains undaunted all the same increasing his own size to match they're creation, recounting that nothing will prevent him from reaching New Genesis and getting back to Highfather. After Guy takes command of the construct from B'dg the quartet enter into battle with the godly manifest with the former stating that while he is one of them the conflict which the New gods have started is not his own; desperately trying to console his quarry that his fight is not with them and that he can heal the real mastermind behind all that's happening to set creation back on track.
When no quarter is given however he quote that this battle is a waste of time and energy which he now must end, as the battle draws to a close Infinity Man puts Gardner to sleep using his powers. But he comments that he was drawn by another; his name being King Faraday whose destiny Infinity man sense shares a fate that ties with his own in some odd way and opts to heal the injured party. Once the Forever people are back and after having had commerce between B'dg and Big Bear about the mysterious Infinity Man and his varying power levels, the green lantern stating while he likes them he may be tied to some things that even gods shouldn't tamper with, Big Bear reels back after he leaves feeling bad about lying to him that they lose conscious memory when they become him. That every one of them share in each other's memories and thoughts through the Mother Box used to summon him and that none of it bodes well for or by anyone on the team, Bear goes onto say that they also get glimpses of what Infinity Mans own thoughts revealed to him, to them all; that if they ever wanna be free of Infinity Man they'ed need to dispose of Highfather.
Identity Revealed
The next day after, another epic battle between the Forever People and Aagog's Femme Fatales who were dead set on acquiring a certain item of interest from one of they're member; where after Mark Moonrider had died and was resurrected by Dreamer utilizing the ALE.[6] Big Bear finally managed to get his New Genesisian Quantum Computer working again only for the A.I. to reveal it had an unexpected host within its mainframe, said anomaly was none other than the Infinity Man himself who now being able to manifest without the aid of the Forever People would approach the unsuspecting Apokoliptian.
After a tasked delving into Highfather's past; then going by Izaya who was a much kinder, compassionate soul who cherished life dearly with the casualties of the war weighing heavily on his compassionate soul, went along the edges of the multiverse were the Promethean Giants lay encased in stone overlooking The Source Wall searching for answers along the lines of council from The Source itself. Happening along the Source Shard an original piece of the previous wall which had been decimated prior to the deaths of the Old Gods, it acted as a beacon with which to contact the veil that lies beyond it, in a heated conversation with The Source regarding his sacrificing an heir of his own with that of his deranged opposite from Apokolips. Asking Desperately how he could trade the life of the only living memory of his beloved Avia with that of the reviled spawn of his brother Darkseid, the source replied his choice was set in stone and that he would do what must be done regardless of his passions.
And in a glaring flash of light Izaya was knocked out cold and in his place would wake the cold, tactile and manipulative Highfather who would go through with the morally insane peace treaty between warring worlds. While a gentle voice combed over the inert Highfather stating how he would carry the burden of their self sundering destiny, keeping their beloved wife's memory alive and pure while foreboding what will happen when the two beings reconvene.[7] The voice was revealed to be Infinity Man, the personified moral center of Izaya that was lost to Highfather when The Source had struck him. Promising him he would return to reclaim what was his all while knowing the price he paid for their homeworld's forced peace.
Back in real space Big Bear was incredibly skeptical of believing Izaya/Infinity Man's story of him being a part of Highfather as well as Highfather being a part of him, Izaya states that he must make it back to New Genesis at all costs. When asked how he and the others played a part in all this, Infinity Man simply stated that they're energies enabled him to take physical form with and without the need of a mother box to sustain him. Bear being particularly miffed by how he and his group were played like chess pieces Izaya goes onto state that helping Izaya's core self is a good greater than any they could hope to accomplish on Earth, that he needed to be a shepherd and not a warrior if the Multiverse would survive. As his host makes way to reveal the truth unveiled to him with the rest of the Forever People when Infinity Man asks if he can trust the others and is given a firm confirmation in response, he goes onto say the future for them is darker than it seems putting them all on a collision coarse with a deadly destiny.
Powers and abilities
- Seemingly limitless strength and endurance, invulnerability, flight, ability to "phase" through matter, vast energy and matter manipulation, magnetic powers, and Infinity-Beams.
- In the relatively few comics Infinity Man appeared in, he displayed many abilities. He sums up his powers on his first appearance, when he says that he comes from a place where all natural law bends. In the first issue of the Forever People, Darkseid's minions are driving Superman deep into the ground, with their power to transmit the gravity of the universe into one person. The Forever People summon Infinity Man, who quickly and effortlessly throws them high into the air away from the area, saying: "The answer to gravity is anti-gravity".
- In the Glorious Godfrey issue, Infinity Man infiltrates Godfrey's tent by manipulating the ground's atomic structure, so he can "swim through it like the blue sea." In the same issue, he is shot at with lasers from Apokolips, but stops the lasers in mid-shot and sends them back at his attackers. When he faces Mantis, Infinity Man shows his manipulation powers again, by changing the atomic structure of the ice he was trapped inside. In the same issue, he survives being touched with anti-matter and finally defeats Mantis with Infinity-beams, which effectively remove the energy from Mantis.
- Other powers include a form of advanced healing and telepathy.
- In one issue of Young Justice, the hero known as Impulse took part in the Forever People's summoning, resulting in the manifestation of a somewhat immature and hyperactive version of the Infinity Man, who displayed super-speed.
In other media
Television
- Infinity-Man appears in the Young Justice episode "Disordered". Instead of a man, this version of Infinity-Man is a 50 ft. robotic entity formed from the merging of the Forever People after they combine their New Genesis technology with the Source.