Karthon the Quester
Encyclopedia
Karthon the Quester is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe
.
and Marie Severin
.
The character subsequently appears in Sub-Mariner #12-13 (April-May 1969), #32 (December 1970), and #36 (April, 1976).
called Lemurians. He served Naga as the foremost of his "Questers", searching on behalf of the undersea kingdom of Lemuria to retrieve the legendary Serpent Crown
, which had been lost beneath the sea by Paul Destine
. Namor found the Crown at the same time as Karthon, and the two fought over it. Karthon told Namor that the Crown would allow the Lemurians to conquer the world, but Namor revealed to Karthon that the Crown was actually a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set
. As the two fought, Captain Barracuda
and his crew inadvertently captured them in an electrified net. Namor broke free and fought Barracuda's forces, while Karthon took the Serpent Crown and fled back towards Lemuria.
Namor managed to catch up with Karthon and the two continued to fight over it until Karthon subdued Namor and subverted his will. The two traveled to Lemuria, where Karthon returned the Serpent Crown to Naga. Naga ordered Namor's death, and when Karthon refused to murder him, Naga struck Karthon down using the Serpent Crown and sent the other Questers to attack Namor. Namor collapsed the royal chamber over Naga's throne. Karthon tried to hold back the vengeful Namor, who tossed both Karthon and the other Questers aside. Karthon asked Naga to stay his hand against Namor, and Naga instead obliterated the other Questers. The despondent Karthon asked Naga to destroy him as well, but Naga wished to keep Karthon as his enforcer. When Naga caused the death of Karthon's sister Llyna, Karthon became enraged by this final betrayal and slew Naga from behind with his sword. Karthon nearly fell to the evil call of the Serpent Crown, but Namor placed the Crown on Naga's corpse, which was then pulled into a great fissure which opened in the ocean floor.
The Lemurians proclaimed Karthon their new king, and he accepted, vowing to end Lemuria's history of despotic rulers. Karthon's rule is wise and just, and the Lemurians became allies of the Atlanteans.
Llyra
, the High Priestess of Set, managed to subdue Karthon and usurp the leadership of Lemuria for herself. When Namor tried to recruit Karthon and his nation as allies of Atlantis, he found Llyra ruling the city. Namor defeated Llyra and returned Karthon to the throne.
Karthon attended the wedding of Namor and Dorma
, and assisted Namor and the Atlanteans against Attuma
's attacking forces.
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Publication history
Karthon first appeared in Sub-Mariner #9 (January 1969), and was created by Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
and Marie Severin
Marie Severin
Marie Severin is an American comic book artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics....
.
The character subsequently appears in Sub-Mariner #12-13 (April-May 1969), #32 (December 1970), and #36 (April, 1976).
Fictional character biography
Karthon is a member of the scaly-skinned subspecies of Homo mermanusHomo mermanus
Homo mermanus is a fictional race of gilled aquatic humanoids that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. This race is best known as the people who live in the Atlantis of Marvel's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
called Lemurians. He served Naga as the foremost of his "Questers", searching on behalf of the undersea kingdom of Lemuria to retrieve the legendary Serpent Crown
Serpent Crown
The Serpent Crown is a fictional mystical power object which has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It exists within Marvel's main shared universe...
, which had been lost beneath the sea by Paul Destine
Destiny (Paul Destine)
Destiny is a fictional character, in the Marvel Comics Universe whose first appearance was in Tales to Astonish #101.-Publication history:Destiny's existence was foreshadowed in Tales to Astonish Vol...
. Namor found the Crown at the same time as Karthon, and the two fought over it. Karthon told Namor that the Crown would allow the Lemurians to conquer the world, but Namor revealed to Karthon that the Crown was actually a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set
Set (Serpent God)
Set is the name of a fictional demon-god within the continuities of Conan the Barbarian and Marvel Universe.He is apparently an amalgam of the name of the Egyptian god Set and the appearance and characteristics of the Egyptian monster Apep and the Greek mythological figure the Lernaean Hydra. This...
. As the two fought, Captain Barracuda
Captain Barracuda
Captain Barracuda is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Captain Barracuda first appeared in Strange Tales #120 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
and his crew inadvertently captured them in an electrified net. Namor broke free and fought Barracuda's forces, while Karthon took the Serpent Crown and fled back towards Lemuria.
Namor managed to catch up with Karthon and the two continued to fight over it until Karthon subdued Namor and subverted his will. The two traveled to Lemuria, where Karthon returned the Serpent Crown to Naga. Naga ordered Namor's death, and when Karthon refused to murder him, Naga struck Karthon down using the Serpent Crown and sent the other Questers to attack Namor. Namor collapsed the royal chamber over Naga's throne. Karthon tried to hold back the vengeful Namor, who tossed both Karthon and the other Questers aside. Karthon asked Naga to stay his hand against Namor, and Naga instead obliterated the other Questers. The despondent Karthon asked Naga to destroy him as well, but Naga wished to keep Karthon as his enforcer. When Naga caused the death of Karthon's sister Llyna, Karthon became enraged by this final betrayal and slew Naga from behind with his sword. Karthon nearly fell to the evil call of the Serpent Crown, but Namor placed the Crown on Naga's corpse, which was then pulled into a great fissure which opened in the ocean floor.
The Lemurians proclaimed Karthon their new king, and he accepted, vowing to end Lemuria's history of despotic rulers. Karthon's rule is wise and just, and the Lemurians became allies of the Atlanteans.
Llyra
Llyra
Llyra is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics super-villainess. She was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema and first appeared in Sub-Mariner #32 .-Fictional character biography:...
, the High Priestess of Set, managed to subdue Karthon and usurp the leadership of Lemuria for herself. When Namor tried to recruit Karthon and his nation as allies of Atlantis, he found Llyra ruling the city. Namor defeated Llyra and returned Karthon to the throne.
Karthon attended the wedding of Namor and Dorma
Lady Dorma
Lady Dorma is a fictional character that appeared in comic books by Timely Comics .A native of the undersea kingdom of Atlantis, the character was Namor the Sub-Mariner's cousin and his close confidant in many of his original appearances in the 1940s, and was reintroduced in the late 1960s and...
, and assisted Namor and the Atlanteans against Attuma
Attuma
Attuma is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He is an Atlantean nomadic warlord who is the nemesis of Namor the Sub-Mariner, and is the father of the superhero Andromeda. He believes he is the prophesied conqueror of the Atlantean Empire...
's attacking forces.