Adam Strange
Encyclopedia
Adam Strange is a fictional
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...

 published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

. Created by writer Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....

 and artist Mike Sekowsky
Mike Sekowsky
Michael Sekowsky was a Jewish American comic book artist best known as the exclusive penciler for DC Comics' Justice League of America during most of the 1960s, and as the regular writer and artist on Wonder Woman during the late 1960s and early 1970s.-Early life and career:Mike Sekowsky began...

, he first appeared in Showcase
Showcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...

#17 (November 1958).

In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time.

Publication history

Created by Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....

, Adam Strange is reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...

' John Carter of Mars
John Carter (character)
John Carter is a fictional character, created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, who appears in the Barsoom series of novels. Though actually a Virginian from Earth and a visitor to Mars, he is often referred to as "John Carter of Mars" in reference to the general setting in which his deeds are recorded, in...

series. Both characters have origins in which they are chased by threatening aboriginal peoples only to find themselves mysteriously transported at the last moment to distant planets where they become heroic figures. In Carter's case this is to Mars, while Adam Strange is transported to Rann. Both characters long to travel to a strange world to fight alien opponents and be united with a beloved woman who resided there. Although the John Carter stories depict a raw sort of adventure that includes swordplay, physical action, nudity, and bloodletting, these are absent from the Adam Strange stories.

Like most other comic book science fiction stories of the 1950s, the problems and their stories are contrived, the solutions often based on haphazard application of simple scientific principles. After his initial 3-issue run in Showcase
Showcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...

(#17-19), came a move to Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space is the name of two science fiction comic book series published in the United States by DC Comics, then known as National Comics. The first series ran for 110 issues from 1951 - 1966, with a further 7 issues continuing the numbering during a 1980s revival of the title...

(#53-100, 102), drawn by Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...

 and most often inked by Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...

 (although Bernard Sachs, Joe Giella
Joe Giella
Joe Giella is an American comic book artist best known as a DC Comics inker during the late 1950s and 1960s period historians and fans call the Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:...

 and Sid Greene
Sid Greene
Sidney "Sid" Greene was an American comic book artist known for his work for a host of publishers from the 1940s to 1970s, most prominently DC Comics, where as an inker on series including Batman, Green Lantern, Justice League of America and The Atom he helped to define the company's house style...

 did a few issues each). As of #92, Jack Schiff replaced Julius Schwartz
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz was a comic book and pulp magazine editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in the Bronx, New York...

 as editor of MIS and Lee Elias became the artist for Adam Strange. He later appeared in Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...

(reprints in #217 through 244, except for #222, which instead had a new story with Strange, written by Denny O'Neil, while #226 had the addition of a new Strange text story, by Fox, with illustrations by Anderson).

One award-winning story, however, resulted from a continuity gaffe in the Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

comic book, in which the Flash mentions Adam Strange as a possible new member for the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

, a group he had not met and who could not have heard of him, as all his heroics took place on Rann. When a letter to the editor reported this, Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....

 wrote a story showing how the JLA came to Rann and how Adam Strange got them out of the traps that Kanjar Ro
Kanjar Ro
Kanjar Ro is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #3 in a story entitled "The Slave Ship of Space". He was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....

 set for them there.

For years, the character was a regular presence in the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...

. By the 1980s
1980s in comics
This article lists major events in the field of comics during the 1980s.Publications: 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989-1982:*Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo debuts in Young Magazine.- March :...

, the acclaimed author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

 Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...

 provided a more cynical reason for his visits to Rann. Apparently, the population of the planet, the majority of whom viewed the Terran with contempt, is sterile, and the real reason for Adam's presence is to be a breeding stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...

. This new situation is further illustrated in a 1990
1990 in comics
-Year overall:Days of Future Present, the sequel to Days of Future Past, appeared in the annuals of Fantastic Four, New Mutants, X-Factor and X-Men.-January:* Dinosaurs for Hire is cancelled by Eternity Comics with issue #9....

 limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....

, The Man of Two Worlds, where Adam learns of the population's opinion of him and Alanna died giving birth to their daughter Aleea. In JLA #20 (July 1998), Alanna is revealed to be alive, and, at the end of the story, she is reunited with her husband and daughter, albeit briefly, as Adam is transported back to Earth soon after Alanna's arrival.

Fictional character biography

Strange is an archeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...

 suddenly teleported
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...

 from Peru, Earth to fictional planet
Planets in science fiction
Planets in science fiction are fictional planets that appear in various media, especially those of the science fiction genre, as story-settings or depicted locations.-History:...

 Rann
Rann
Rann is a fictional planet in the Polaris star system of the whose capitol city is Ranagar. Rann is most famous for being the adopted planet of the Earth explorer and hero Adam Strange and for their teleportation device called the Zeta Beam...

 through the "Zeta Beam". Called on to protect the planet from extraterrestrial threats using high-tech weaponry, Strange grew to care for the planet and its inhabitants, especially the blue-haired Alanna and her father Sardath, whose experiments were responsible for the ray that had brought him. Eventually, the effects of the beam wore off, automatically returning Strange to Earth at the exact point of departure, but not before Sardath had given him a schedule of beam firings allowing him to periodically return to the planet. Independently wealthy, he traveled Earth, intercepting the scheduled Zeta Beams to defend Rann and be with Alanna. Although never a headlining character, Strange has had a consistent presence in the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...

.

Justice League of America

During Grant Morrison's
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...

 revival of the Justice League of America series, Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...

 featured Adam Strange when he filled in for Morrison. This proved to be the starting point of a renaissance for the character, establishing new motivations and updating the character's role in the DC Universe. Adam Strange kidnaps the entirety of the Justice League while seeming to be completely insane. The heroes of the Justice League are put to forced labor to reconstruct Rann, ostensibly to celebrate the return of the missing Princess Alanna, who is believed to be dead. With the help of the En'Taran's, a group of telepathic alien slavers, the entire population of Rann has been rebuilding the planet to restore its technology and infrastructure. The League's role is to help with the finishing touches for the finale, which will greet Alanna and her En'Taran escorts.

After several escape attempts by the New God, Orion
Orion (comics)
Orion is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in New Gods #1 , and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby.-Jack Kirby Era:...

, and a concerted effort by Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....

 and The Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....

, the League succeeds in breaking loose and restraining their En'Taran captors thanks to the efforts of Steel
John Henry Irons
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...

, using Orion's Mother Box
Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...

 to block the En'Taran telepathy. Adam Strange then reveals that he has been completely sane during their entire incarceration—using a device to broadcast deranged brainwaves and give the impression that he was mad—and that the restoration effort has been a ruse to ward off an En'Taran invasion. Due to a fluke of circumstances, Alanna was never really dead, but was rather merely in a coma, having been misdiagnosed by an Earth doctor unfamiliar with Rann physiology, prompting her father to take her body to other planets to try to find a cure. As the En'Tarans revived her, they discovered the secret to Zeta Beam teleportation technology and began to covet it for military purposes. Acting quickly after the En'Tarans tricked him into bringing them to Rann, Adam Strange feigned insanity and had the Justice League brought to Rann to provide back up and help him with a desperate gamble. The structures of the capital city are actually plans to turn the entire planet into a larger version of the teleporter; by using his own body as part of the lens, the radiation that keeps him tethered permanently to Rann can instead be used to permanently teleport the invasion fleet away. The Justice League was necessary to complete the repairs in time and for mounting a fast rescue attempt of Alanna and her father from the En'Taran fleet, Superman 'borrowing' the Flash's speed so that he could rescue Alanna and her father from the fleet after the beam was fired but before it struck the ship. The plan works, and Strange's family is rescued seconds before the beam channels through him to teleport the fleet away.

Just as the Stranges are reunited, he begins to disappear as the beam has expunged his radiation tether. The League disappears shortly after, both admiring that Strange beat an alien invasion using only his wits, but also lamenting how painful it must be to have won the battle only to lose his loved ones again. Somewhere on Earth, J'onn J'onzz
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...

 finds Adam Strange looking up at the sky with longing, and comforts him by placing an understanding hand on his shoulder.

Planet Heist

Planet Heist, a 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....

 eight-issue limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....

, written by Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.-Career:Diggle took over editing 2000 AD...

, penciled by Pasqual Ferry
Pasqual Ferry
Pasqual Ferry is a Spanish comic book artist and penciller-Biography:...

 and colored by Dave McCaig
Dave McCaig
Dave McCaig is an artist and colorist born in Canada. He also works in the animation industry.Comics he has worked on include Adam Strange, X-Men, Star Wars, Superman: Birthright, The Matrix Comics, Nextwave, New Avengers, Northlanders , American Vampire and Nemisis.Animation projects have included...

, updated Adam Strange's appearance and abilities by giving him a new costume, a spacesuit that allows for interstellar travel. In the series, Adam was prepared to relocate to Rann permanently when he was informed that the planet was destroyed and that he was blamed for its destruction. In fact, Sardath transported Rann to another dimension to save the planet from the cosmic being, Starbreaker, intent on destroying the planet. Adam, with the help of the Omega Men
Omega Men
The Omega Men are a fictional team of extraterrestrial superheroes who have appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Green Lantern #141 , and were created by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton....

 and the Darkstars
Darkstars
The first Darkstars were a group of fictional intergalactic policemen that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics. They were introduced in Darkstars #1 , and were created by Michael Jan Friedman and Mike Collins. The series lasted a total of 39 issues, ending with issue #38 , with an issue...

, among others, saved Rann and defeated the evil being.

Rann-Thanagar War

When Rann was moved, its orbit was believed to have pushed the planet Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...

 closer to its sun, destroying much of the surface (it was later discovered that the actions of Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...

 moved Thanagar). Many Thanagarians were relocated to Rann, but enmity between the two races resulted in a war, depicted in Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...

- Strange working with Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....

, Hawkwoman
Hawkwoman
Hawkwoman is the name of several fictional superheroines all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's DC Universe. They are partners, and sometimes spouses or lovers, of the various versions of Hawkman, and share many features with the character Hawkgirl.-Shayera Hol:The Silver Age...

, Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...

 and Kilowog
Kilowog
Kilowog is a fictional superhero from DC Comics, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps.-Origins:A towering alien with a brutish and porcine appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits...

 to try to end the conflict-, a six-issue precursor to DC's 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....

 to 2006
2006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...

 limited series and DC crossover event, Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...

. Strange was eventually able to end the war when he discovered evidence of Superboy-Prime's role in Thanagar's relocation.

52

Adam is featured as one of the main characters in DC's weekly event 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...

. Adam is stranded on a paradise-like planet with Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...

 and Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...

. As a result of a teleportation accident involving the zeta beam, he has lost both of his eyeballs but in spite of his injuries, he is trying to fix a damaged spaceship so that they may return home. After being attacked by Devilance the Pursuer
Devilance
Devilance the Pursuer is a fictional extraterrestrial hunter in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Forever People #11 and was created by Jack Kirby.- Character history :...

, they eventually escape having realized that the entire planet is a trap.

Encountered by Devilance again, they are saved by the intervention of Lobo. Having renounced violence and his career as a bounty hunter, Lobo agrees to serve as the group's guide. They are soon also joined by Ekron, a member of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...

 nicknamed the "Emerald Head" for his unique mode of transport. This ragtag team makes a stand against the villainess Lady Styx
Lady Styx
Lady Styx is a fictional supervillain in the . Her first appearance occurred in the weekly series 52.-Publication history:Lady Styx first appeared in 52 #31 as the main antagonist to Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire. She later made appearances in Omega Men and Countdown to Adventure...

, whose undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...

 legions are ravaging planets across the galaxy. With Styx presumably defeated and Animal Man seemingly killed, Strange and Starfire continue their journey back to Earth and Rann, still pursued by angry Lady Styx followers. With Starfire wounded in one of such battles, and their ship breaking apart and malfunctioning, Adam is forced to fly blindly in open space. When he's about to crash into a sun, he is saved by Mogo
Mogo
Mogo is a fictional character and planet in the DC Universe, a member of the Green Lantern Corps. It first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2 #188 , in a story titled "Mogo Doesn't Socialize." Mogo was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons....

 and a rookie Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...

. Brought to Rann, Strange is equipped with new eyes, cloned by Aleea and genetically engineered to grant him vision of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. He is briefly questioned by the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...

 about the secret of 52, but when an emergency arose during the interrogation, the Lanterns offered to respond in Strange's stead so he could be reacquainted with his wife.

Countdown to Adventure

Adam Strange joined Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...

 and Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...

 in the series Countdown to Adventure
Countdown to Final Crisis
Countdown, known as Countdown to Final Crisis for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of the last issue of 52...

written by Adam Beechen
Adam Beechen
Adam Beechen is an American comic book writer who wrote Countdown to Adventure and co-wrote Countdown for DC Comics.-Animation:Beechen has written scripts for various cartoon, such as Teen Titans, The Wild Thornberrys, Rugrats, Pink Panther and Pals, The Batman and the Ben 10 franchise...

 in August 2007
2007 in comics
-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....

.

In issue #1, Adam finds himself replaced as Rann's protector by Champ Hazard, a former actor from Earth. However, Hazard has no regard for any life and is responsible for ending his battles in a horrifically bloody way. It appears Champ was infected by a madness plague created by Lady Styx
Lady Styx
Lady Styx is a fictional supervillain in the . Her first appearance occurred in the weekly series 52.-Publication history:Lady Styx first appeared in 52 #31 as the main antagonist to Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire. She later made appearances in Omega Men and Countdown to Adventure...

 before leaving Earth, and has infected one third of the people on Rann, causing them to riot and say "Believe in Her." Adam and his family escape to Earth, where he enlists the aid of Animal Man and Starfire, eventually discovering a way to cure the plague and restore the infectees to normal.

Rann-Thanagar Holy War

Adam Strange, along with many of the DC space heroes, battles Synnar the Demiurge. Adam Strange's actions in this story result in the depopulation of Prince Gavyn's Throneworld at the hands of Lady Styx. Later, to defeat Synnar and Lady Styx, Rann's atmosphere was explosively discharged into outer space with Rann's entire population Zeta-beamed to Throneworld. Strange also discovers in this story that he is a member of the so called Aberrant Six.

Strange Adventures

With Throneworld renamed New Rann, Adam Strange once more teams up with the DC space heroes to investigate why some of the galaxy's stars are disappearing. It is revealed that Synnar has merged with an unstable Weird; that is what is causing the stars to disappear. However, once separating them, Adam Strange realizes that one day Synnar will return and force him to join HIS Aberrant Six.

R.E.B.E.L.S.

Adam Strange then found himself joining up with Vril Dox
Vril Dox
Vril Dox, also known as Brainiac 2, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Superman #167, , and was created by Edmond Hamilton, Cary Bates, and Curt Swan.-Publication history:...

 as part of his R.E.B.E.L.S.
R.E.B.E.L.S.
Revolutionary Elite Brigade to Eradicate L.E.G.I.O.N. Supremacy is the name of two separate fictional revolutionary paramilitary groups in the DC Comics Universe. Both incarnations have been L.E.G.I.O.N. adversaries and are led by Vril Dox.-Publication history:R.E.B.E.L.S. '94, R.E.B.E.L.S...

. Adam Strange helped to save the Vega system and several galaxies by defeating Starro
Starro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....

 the Conqueror. It was also around this time that Adam Strange visited New Krypton to protest the accord that their Council reached with the Thanagarians. Explaining that the Rannians have recently been on the losing end in a war with the Thanagarians, Adam questions the judgment of the Council in reaching this accord. Whilst there he aided Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

 who was investigating a murder.

The plight of Rann's people was soon resolved by Vril Dox, seeking to restore his reputation after Starro
Starro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....

 the Conqueror stole L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N.
L.E.G.I.O.N., is a team of fictional extraterrestrial superheroes, a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Invasion! #1, and were created by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo and Todd McFarlane...

 from him and used it to enslave its client worlds. Dox Zeta-beamed Rann into the Vega system, in the orbit previously held by the now destroyed planet Tamaran
Tamaran
Tamaran is a fictional planet in DC Comics, inhabited by Tamaraneans, an extraterrestrial race. The first Tamaranean introduced was Koriand'r, better known as Starfire. The only other named Tamaraneans are Komand'r, Starfire's sister , her younger brother Ryand'r and her parents, Myand'r and Luand'r...

, and proceeded to terraform Rann and make it suitable to sustain life again.

The restoration of the planet Rann wasn't Dox's only reason for relocating it into the Vega system. First, by putting Rann into Tamaran's orbit, it restored the gravitional balance to the Vega system, which had been thrown off by Tamaran's destruction. Secondly, in exchange for restoring their planet, the people of Rann agreed to let Dox rebuild L.E.G.I.O.N. headquarters on Rann.

Tamaranian refugees, led by Blackfire
Blackfire
Blackfire is a supervillain that appears in the fictional DC Universe. She is the older sister of the Titans member Starfire and Omega Men member Ryand'r. The character first appears in New Teen Titans #22, and was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.-Fictional character biography:Komand'r...

, attacked Rann believing that since the planet was in Tamaran's orbit they had claim to it. The violence was ended when Vril Dox, who was off-world at the start of the conflict, arrived with Thanagarian warships and stopped the fighting without bloodshed on either side. As it turned out, Dox was off-world negotiating an official end to the Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...

, using Rann's new-found distance from Thanagar and change in leadership on both sides as leverage.

Dox then went on to mediate the tension between the Rannians and the Tamaranians by proposing that the Tamaranians live on Rann's uninhabited southern continent.

Other versions

  • Adam Strange has a descendant, also named Adam Strange, in the future of the Space Ranger
    Space Ranger
    Space Ranger is a science fiction hero who was published by DC Comics in several of their 1950s and 1960s anthology titles. He first appeared in Showcase #15 , and was created by writers Edmond Hamilton and Gardner Fox, and artist Bob Brown...

    , as seen in Mystery in Space #94 (September 1964).

  • The Silver Age Adam Strange is one of the "ghosts" in the empty "Planet Krypton" restaurant in The Kingdom: Planet Krypton #1.

  • Adam Strange made a brief appearance in Elseworlds' JLA: Another Nail
    JLA: Another Nail
    JLA: Another Nail is a comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics, a continuation of events seen in the original three-part mini-series JLA: The Nail. As with its predecessor, Another Nail occurs outside of the official DC Universe continuity, belonging to the Elseworlds...

    when all time periods meld together, having been found dead in Earth orbit by Hal Jordan
    Hal Jordan
    Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...

     in the prequel JLA: The Nail
    JLA: The Nail
    JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe....

    when the Zeta Beam taking him to Rann materialised inside a force field that had been erected around Earth by the now-insane Jimmy Olsen
    Jimmy Olsen
    Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...

     using Kryptonian
    Kryptonian
    Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...

     technology.

  • In Darwyn Cooke
    Darwyn Cooke
    Darwyn Cooke is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist and animator, best known for his work on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier, The Spirit and Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter.-Career:...

    's DC: The New Frontier
    DC: The New Frontier
    DC: The New Frontier is an Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning six-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, published by DC Comics in 2003-2004. It was then collected into two trade paperback volumes from 2004–2005 and then an Absolute Edition in 2006...

    , Adam Strange is confined in Arkham Asylum
    Arkham Asylum
    The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...

     because of his belief he has traveled to another world. It is also revealed this was done so the government can keep an eye on him. When the Centre
    The Centre
    The Centre may refer to:* Government of the Soviet Union, was commonly referred to as "the centre"* downtown, a central business district* The Centre , convention center and auditorium in Evansville, Indiana...

     appears off the coast of Florida, Dr. Leslie Thompkins
    Leslie Thompkins
    Dr. Leslie Thompkins is a fictional character from the Batman mythos. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano, she first appeared in Detective Comics #457...

     returns his jet pack and energy weapon to him. It is Adam's idea to use Ray Palmer's
    Ray Palmer (comics)
    The Atom is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase # 34 . He was named after Raymond A...

     shrinking device to destroy the threat, having read an article about his work while confined.

  • The 2009 weekly comics broadsheet Wednesday Comics featured an interpretation of Adam Strange by artist and writer Paul Pope that drew much more directly from the John Carter stories which inspired the character, casting the planet Rann as a much more fantasy-like world, and Alanna as a scantily clad warrior princess.

Television

  • In the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....

    , during the episode "The Plot To Kill a City: Episode 2" (written by Alan Brennert
    Alan Brennert
    Alan Brennert is a United States television producer and screenwriter.Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of California Los Angeles....

    , who had also written comics for DC) an announcement over a spaceport's loudspeaker system asks for "Doctor Adam Strange from Alpha Centauri
    Alpha Centauri
    Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...

    " to "please report to the reservations desk."

  • Adam Strange appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold
    Batman: The Brave and the Bold
    Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...

    episode "Mystery in Space" voiced by Michael T. Weiss
    Michael T. Weiss
    Michael Terry Weiss is an American actor best known for playing the title role in The Pretender.-Early life:Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a steel-industry executive and his mother was a homemaker. He has a sister, Jamie Sue Weiss, who became a make-up artist for television...

    . Batman
    Batman
    Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

     is called over to Adam's home planet and he brings Aquaman
    Aquaman
    Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...

     as well. All three alongside Adam Strange's wife Alanna go in to stop the Gordanians led by General Kreegaar from obtaining the Eye of Zared from the bottom of Rann's oceans. Before he can get his wife away from the Gordanians, the effects of the Zeta Ray wears off sending him to Earth. He had to trace another one to get back to Rann only to find out that Rann is now in danger. After the enemy successfully gets the Eye of Zared and starts attacking, Adam Strange starts to have his doubts. His confidence is rekindled by Aquaman, and he goes in to save Alanna, and buy Aquaman and Batman some time to create a solar eclipse
    Solar eclipse
    As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...

     to stop the Eye of Zared forcing General Kreegaar's army to surrender. In the series' third season, Adam appears in one of four vignettes in "Four Star Spectacular!", titled "World's War." He is preparing to return to Rann with an anniversary present for his wife when he witnesses dozens of Zeta Beams strike Gotham City. Adam allows himself to be teleported and discovers that Kanjar Ro
    Kanjar Ro
    Kanjar Ro is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #3 in a story entitled "The Slave Ship of Space". He was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....

     plans to intercept a Zeta Beam, teleport a negaton bomb to Rann, wipe out the population, and use the planet as a base of operations. The hero manages to teleport Kanjar Ro and his bomb to a swamp world, and the space pirate disarms the bomb just in time, only to run afoul of an alien monster.

Film

  • Adam Strange appears briefly in Justice League: The New Frontier. He is glimpsed in one of John Jones
    Martian Manhunter
    The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...

    ' news clippings early on in the film. During the climax, he is one of the heroes who answers the call to fight the Centre, but has no speaking role.

  • A film is currently in development hell
    Development hell
    In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...

    , but the film is being produced by Leonardo Dicaprio
    Leonardo DiCaprio
    Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...

     and is expected to be released either 2013 or 2014. http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Leonardo-DiCaprio-to-Produce-Aquaman-and-Adam-Strange-Movies/5303

Awards and reception

The character and series of the same name have received several awards over the years, including the 1967 and 1968 Alley Awards for Strip Most Desired for Revival. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

 ranked Adam Strange as the 97th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that while Strange has never been a major force in the DCU, the character makes a perfect vessel for the zaniest stories the writers at DC can come up with.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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