Vext
Encyclopedia
Vext is a fictional character
created by Keith Giffen
and the star of a short-lived 1999 comic book series published by DC Comics
. The series was written by Keith Giffen
, pencilled by Mike McKone
, inked by Mark McKenna, lettered by Bob Lappan, and colored by Lovern Kindzierski with separations by Digital Chameleon
for all six issues (with guest inker Andy Lanning
filling in on issue 4). The series was the last one edited by Kevin Dooley
before he left comic books and was assisted by Harvey Richards.
and accidentally caused the Fall of Man and the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
It takes approximately twenty three years for the line of gods from the Jejune Realm to be processed. Everyone is told to cooperate or face instant termination. Vext finds himself in a waiting room, then dealing with a mustached female caseworker. She cannot get his name right and despite Vext trying to assist, she summons the executioners. They in fact go to the cubicle next door and kill the entity that the caseworker had mistaken Vext for.
Finally, he is simply evicted to a random realm, which turns out to be Midgard/Earth. He is given appropriate funds to start a new life and not much training. He is told he cannot interfere with the course of human affairs, try to take over the planet, or become a super-hero.
He rents an apartment, 4-A, in Mr. Danforth's apartment building in Delta City, which was also the home of a hero known as The Heckler
(though he was not mentioned or seen in Vext.) Vext's next-door neighbor is aspiring writer Colleen McBride, who does her best to help Vext adjust to his new life on Earth (not knowing, for most of the series, that Vext was a god). For example, she (at least tries to) helps him deal with the concept of banks and the inaccuracies of the profoundly deaf landlord.
In the first issue, Vext is visited by Superman
and the angel Zauriel
who also tell him they will be keeping an eye on him. At first Colleen assumes that they are role-players.
Vext also must deal with the mistake-prone Department of Motor Vehicles
. In one rare moment of 'luck', Colleen's treat of a fast food hamburger comes complete with an army of sentient microscopic bacteria. Vext's non-earthly biology swiftly deals with them, saving many innocent people.
A sub-thread running through the series is an amoral, murderous adventurer and his two equally homicidal assistants who wish to gain power through the exploitation of minor gods such as Vext. Much of their adventures deal with the God of Inappropriate Flatulence.
After cancellation by DC, the series was reprinted in Italian
by Press Play Publishing as a back-up in the Italian Lobo series, issues 29–34 (January through June, 2000.)
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...
created by Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
and the star of a short-lived 1999 comic book series 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...
. The series was written by Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
, pencilled by Mike McKone
Mike McKone
Michael "Mike" McKone is a British comic book artist.-Career:McKone's first published works for the major companies included DC Comics' Justice League of America and Justice League International for DC Comics and The Punisher War Zone for Marvel Comics...
, inked by Mark McKenna, lettered by Bob Lappan, and colored by Lovern Kindzierski with separations by Digital Chameleon
Digital Chameleon
Digital Chameleon was a comic book coloring and inking studio based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They have countless credits for a variety of publishers, and are attributed with being the first studio to make the use of the computer software program Adobe PhotoShop widespread in the comics industry...
for all six issues (with guest inker Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning is a British comic book writer and inker, known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, and for his collaboration with Dan Abnett.-Career:Lanning works primarily at Marvel Comics and DC Comics as an inker...
filling in on issue 4). The series was the last one edited by Kevin Dooley
Kevin Dooley
Kevin Dooley is a former editor at DC Comics.-Biography:During his time at DC, he served as the assistant editor to Andy Helfer, and then took over many of the titles following Helfer's promotion. Dooley edited the various Green Lantern books and Aquaman...
before he left comic books and was assisted by Harvey Richards.
Fictional character biography
Vext is a god from the Jejune Realm (also known as the Borough of Mawkish Indifference) in the Pan-Dimensional Pantheons. He is the "patron deity of mishap and misfortune," and true to that appellation, his world was phased out of existence because he and the other deities there were no longer actively worshiped by mankind. From childhood, he has been beset by misfortune, and even visited the Garden of EdenGarden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
and accidentally caused the Fall of Man and the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
It takes approximately twenty three years for the line of gods from the Jejune Realm to be processed. Everyone is told to cooperate or face instant termination. Vext finds himself in a waiting room, then dealing with a mustached female caseworker. She cannot get his name right and despite Vext trying to assist, she summons the executioners. They in fact go to the cubicle next door and kill the entity that the caseworker had mistaken Vext for.
Finally, he is simply evicted to a random realm, which turns out to be Midgard/Earth. He is given appropriate funds to start a new life and not much training. He is told he cannot interfere with the course of human affairs, try to take over the planet, or become a super-hero.
He rents an apartment, 4-A, in Mr. Danforth's apartment building in Delta City, which was also the home of a hero known as The Heckler
Heckler (comics)
The Heckler is a fictional character, a superhero parody published by DC Comics'. He first appeared in The Heckler #1 , an on-going series that lasted six issues, ending with The Heckler #6 ....
(though he was not mentioned or seen in Vext.) Vext's next-door neighbor is aspiring writer Colleen McBride, who does her best to help Vext adjust to his new life on Earth (not knowing, for most of the series, that Vext was a god). For example, she (at least tries to) helps him deal with the concept of banks and the inaccuracies of the profoundly deaf landlord.
In the first issue, Vext is visited 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...
and the angel Zauriel
Zauriel
Zauriel is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Originally a guardian angel who served Heaven for millions of years, he willingly fell to Earth and becomes a superhero, having been a member of DC's all-star Justice League. He first appeared in JLA #6...
who also tell him they will be keeping an eye on him. At first Colleen assumes that they are role-players.
Vext also must deal with the mistake-prone Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
. In one rare moment of 'luck', Colleen's treat of a fast food hamburger comes complete with an army of sentient microscopic bacteria. Vext's non-earthly biology swiftly deals with them, saving many innocent people.
A sub-thread running through the series is an amoral, murderous adventurer and his two equally homicidal assistants who wish to gain power through the exploitation of minor gods such as Vext. Much of their adventures deal with the God of Inappropriate Flatulence.
Gods of the Jejune Realm
| Name | Deity of: | First appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Caldwell | Ill-timed flatulence | Vext #1, deified in Vext #5 |
| Bargyn | Uninvited guests | Vext #1 |
| Blazon | Inappropriate exhibitionism | Vext #1 |
| Ekko | Déjà vu Déjà vu Déjà vu is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined... |
DCU Heroes Secret Files and Origins #1 |
| Erupt'n | Prom night pimples | DCU Heroes Secret Files and Origins #1 |
| Garb'l Arb'l | Interminable social functions | Vext #4 |
| J-Angla | Loose pocket change | Vext #4 |
| Moxcatyl | Interminable procrastination | Vext #1 |
| Placatius | Insincere apology | Vext #1 |
| Paramour | Relationships gone hellishly wrong | Vext #4 |
| Qrttglbrngrltch | The nigh-unpronounceable inadvertent Armageddon Armageddon Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location... |
Vext #1 |
| Rypta Gud'n | Ill-timed flatulence | Vext #4, made mortal in Vext #5 |
| Shrike M'ota | Emasculating shrews | Vext #1 |
| Tedyum | Bloated windbags | Vext #1 |
| Textacl | The perpetually cuckolded | DCU Heroes Secret Files and Origins #1 |
| Vext | Mishap and misfortune | DCU Heroes Secret Files and Origins #1 |
| Yammar | Incessant nagging | Vext #1 |
Publication history
Unusually for a comic set in an established publisher-owned universe, Vext was half creator-owned: though all the characters featured in the book belong to DC Comics, Giffen retained copyright to the stories and art.After cancellation by DC, the series was reprinted in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
by Press Play Publishing as a back-up in the Italian Lobo series, issues 29–34 (January through June, 2000.)