The Warlord was a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics from 1976 - 1989. It was created, written, and drawn by Mike Grell. The title The Warlord comes from the comic's main character, Travis Morgan, who obtains the name of The Warlord in the first few issues as he fights for the freedom of the people of Skartaris. DC attempted an unsuccessful update of Warlord in 2006 with Bruce Jones writing and Bart Sears providing the art. This series was canceled due to low sales after only ten issues. DC Comics is one of the largest American companies in comic book and related media publishing. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to the date or issue of a characters first appearance. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Mike Grell (born 1947) is a comic book writer and artist. ... Machiste was a supporting character in the Warlord a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics. ... This article is about a fantasy sub-genre. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... DC Comics is one of the largest American companies in comic book and related media publishing. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mike Grell (born 1947) is a comic book writer and artist. ... Bruce Jones is an American comic book writer, novelist, illustrator, and screenwriter possibly best known for writing Marvel Comics The Incredible Hulk from 2001-2003. ...

History

Original Series

Vietnam veteran SR-71 pilot Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the earth's crust while flying over the north pole and landed in the underground world of Skartaris, a place strongly reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Pellucidar. There Travis, wielding his military-issue .44 caliber pistol, became the Warlord and fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos as well as various kings. He was later joined by scantily-dressed female barbarian Tara and gained various sidekicks such Machiste, Shakira, and his magic-wielding daughter Jennifer Morgan. In one story arc Morgan even becomes the U.S. President in the far future (Issue 84). The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird, is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft by Lockheeds Skunk works, which was also responsible for the U-2 and many other advanced aircraft. ... Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan, although he also produced works in many genres. ... Pellucidar is a fictional Hollow Earth milieu invented by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs for a series of action adventure stories. ... Machiste was a supporting character in the Warlord a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics. ...

Although The Warlord has a superficial resemblance to Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) (as pointed out in issue 28 of Green Arrow), he is in reality based more upon his creator, Mike Grell, a former member of the Air Force. Grell is caricatured in Warlord's first appearance, First Issue Special #8 (see also Warlord #35), and is clearly sporting the signature, shaggy goatee. Green Arrow is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. ... Green Arrow is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. ... First Issue Special was a short-lived anthology series from DC Comics, done in similiar style to their Showcase series. ...

The book was DC's answer to Marvel Comics's popular Conan the Barbarian title. Arion was another DC Comics sword & sorcery title, but was not a spinoff of Warlord. It began as a six-page supplement in the back of Warlord during its regular run. The Barren Earth was another series (with a more science-fiction Dune bent) that ran as a Warlord supplement, and after a lengthy run was concluded in a four issue limited series. Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet. ... Arion is a fictional character from DC Comics universe. ... The fictional Dune universe, or Duniverse is the political, scientific, and social setting of author Frank Herberts six-book Dune series of science-fiction novels. ...

Modern Series

The new series started in 2006 and was authored by Bruce (Ka-Zar, Hulk, Vigilante) Jones and Bart (Justice League Europe, Path, Blade, First, X-O Manowar) Sears did not take up where the old one left off but instead restarted the concept and started with Travis Morgan arriving in Skartaris. This reboot was not a success with comicbook readers and the series was cancelled after ten issues. The series left a number of story points unanswered as issue nine finished on a cliff-hanger, while issue ten had a stand-alone story set sometime in the future.

Chronology

The Warlord

First published in 1976 and ran until 1989 for a total of 133 issues and six annuals. Notable issues include: 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Issue 1: First appearance of Tara, Travis Morgan's mate in Skartaris and Queen of Shamballah. (Travis was married and widower before coming to Skartaris.) Also the appearance of Deimos, Travis Morgan's arch enemy for the first 50 issues.
• Issue 2: First appearance of Machiste, becomes lifelong friend of Travis and is also ruler of Kiro, a kingdom of Skartaris. Title was actually cancelled for a period of 6 months.
• Issue 6: First appearance of Mariah, Russian Archeologist who joins Travis in Skartaris and later becomes Machiste's mate.
• Issue 15: First appearance of Joshua, Travis and Tara's son.
• Issue 32: First appearance of Shakira, a cat-woman who is Travis' traveling companion on many adventures.
• Issue 34: Travis acquires the sword, Hellfire, that must draw blood every time it is drawn even if it is Travis' own blood.
• Issue 38: First appearance of Jennifer Morgan, Travis' daughter
• Issue 51: Reprint of Issue 1
• Issue 93: Origin Retold
• Issue 114: Legends Cross-over Chapter 12
• Issue 115: Legends Cross-over Chapter 16

In DC Comics comic books, Deimos was a character created by Mike Grell as a villain for the Warlord in the comic series of the same name. ... Machiste was a supporting character in the Warlord a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Legends was a six issues comics miniseries published in 1986 by DC Comics. ... Legends was a six issues comics miniseries published in 1986 by DC Comics. ...

Supplemental Stories

Several stories found their way into the backs of Warlord comic books. The following is a brief list of supplement stories and which issues they appeared in.

• Issues 37-39, 42-47: OMAC
• Issues 48 - 49: Claw the Unconquered
• Issues 51 - 53: The Saga of Dragonsword
• Issues 56 - 62: Arion
• Issues 63 - 88: The Barren Earth

Cover to OMAC #6, with the original OMAC. Art by Jack Kirby. ... Claw the Unconquered is a sword and sorcery /fantasy comic book character created by writer David Michelinie and artist Ernie Chan (originally credited as Ernie Chua) in DC Comics Claw The Unconquered #1 (May-June 1975). ... Arion is a fictional character from DC Comics universe. ...

Mini-Series

• In 1992, DC published a six-part mini-series, entitled Ballad.

1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

Other media

Warlord has appeared in an episode of Justice League Unlimited where Green Lantern, Supergirl, Stargirl, and S.T.R.I.P.E. stumbled onto Skartaris and teamed up with him to stop Deimos and his unlikely allies: Metallo and Silver Banshee of the Legion of Doom from stealing a huge piece of kryptonite rock. He was voiced by Paul Guilfoyle. Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) was an American animated television series produced by and aired on Cartoon Network. ... For the DJ, see DJ Green Lantern. ... Various incarnations of Supergirl (from left to right): Original Kara Zor-El, Matrix, Kara in the 70s, Modern Kara, Linda Danvers, Power Girl, and Kara from Crisis on Infinite Earths. ... Courtney Whitmore is the fictional superheroine Stargirl in the DC Comics Universe. ... Stripesy is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. ... In DC Comics comic books, Deimos was a character created by Mike Grell as a villain for the Warlord in the comic series of the same name. ... Metallo is a fictional supervillain and android who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Silver Banshee is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an opponent of Superman. ... The Hall of Doom, the Legion of Dooms headquarters The Legion of Doom was a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Super Friends, a 1970s and 1980s animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics. ... Superman, Phantom Zone criminals, and Jimmy Olsen, in front of a display of kryptonite models. ... Paul Guilfoyle (born July 12, 1955 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American television actor best known for playing Captain Jim Brass on the popular forensic television drama CSI. Guilfoyles other television appearances most notably include guest roles on Miami Vice, Law & Order, and Ally McBeal. ...

External links

• The Big DataBase of Comic Books: Warlord
• Welcome to the Lost World, a summary of the series.
• "Was Warlord cancelled after issue #2?"