Anthro (comics)

Last updated
Anthro
Showcase74Anthro.jpg
Anthro on the cover of Showcase #74, art by Howard Post.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Showcase #74 (March 1968)
Created by Howie Post (writer & artist)
In-story information
SpeciesEvolved Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal
Team affiliationsThe Bear Tribe
Freedom Fighters
Team 13
Abilities
  • Expertise in hunting and tracking

Anthro is a fictional superhero character published by DC Comics, presented as the "first boy", a caveman born to Neanderthal parents. Anthro was created by cartoonist Howard Post. He first appeared in Showcase #74 (March 1968). [1]

Contents

Publication history

After a single Showcase appearance, Anthro received his own title, which lasted for 6 issues (1968–69). [2] All six issues were written and drawn by Post, with Wallace Wood providing inking for the final issue. [3]

Since the cancellation of his title, he has made minor appearances, most notably in Crisis on Infinite Earths #2. Subsequently, Anthro appeared in the 2006 revival of Tales of the Unexpected and the 2008 miniseries Final Crisis by Grant Morrison and J. G. Jones. Anthro also starred in the first story in DC Universe Holiday Special 2010.

Fictional character biography

Anthro is the first caveboy born in the Stone Age. [4] His father, Cro-Magnon (or Neanderthal) caveman Ne-Ahn, is the chief of his tribe; his mother, a captive member of another tribe. Winning two competing cavegirls as his wives, Cro-Magnon women Embra and Nima, Anthro begins the human race, as Embra lives to bear his first child.

Justice League Europe Annual #2 features a version of Anthro. In an alternate time-line, an older Silver Sorceress, lost in time, is rescued from a large creature by Anthro. He exhibits great eagerness, smashing the beast long after it is subdued. A bored cavegirl, either Embra or Nima, joins the Sorceress in watching Anthro's 'battle'.

Anthro is featured in the graphic novel Doctor Thirteen: Architecture & Mortality, where he is frozen in ice and resurrected in the modern day. [1]

In Final Crisis , the New God Metron appears before Anthro and gives him the knowledge and skill to make fire. Anthro then fights off a group of savage raiders led by Vandal Savage using a burning stick. [5] In the final issue of Final Crisis, Anthro appears as an old man, drawing the symbols he saw on Metron's body on a cave wall. As he finishes drawing, he dies peacefully, watched over by a time-displaced Bruce Wayne. [6] The after-effects of Anthro's death on his friends and family is explored in the limited series Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne .

In Dark Nights: Death Metal , Anthro is among the superheroes whom Batman resurrects using a Black Lantern ring. [7]

Other versions

In other media

References

  1. 1 2 Wallace, Dan (2008), "Anthro", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 17, ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1
  2. ↑ Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 209. ISBN   978-1605490557.
  3. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Anthro". Don Markstein's Toonopedia . Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 18. ISBN   978-1-4654-5357-0.
  5. ↑ Morrison, Grant  ( w ), Jones, J. G.  ( p ),Jones, J.G. ( i ), Sinclair, Alex  ( col )."D. O. A.: The GOD of WAR!" Final Crisis ,vol. 1,no. 1(July 2008).DC Comics.
  6. ↑ Morrison, Grant  ( w ), Mahnke, Doug  ( p ),Mahnke, Doug; Nguyen, Tom; Geraci, Drew; Alamy, Christian; Rapmund, Norm ; Ramos, Rodney; Wong, Walden ( i ), Sinclair, Alex ; Aviña, Tony; Pantazis, Pete ( col )."New Heaven, New Earth" Final Crisis ,vol. 1,no. 7(March 2009).DC Comics.
  7. ↑ Snyder, Scott  ( w ), Capullo, Greg  ( p ),Glapion, Jonathan ( i ),FCO Plascencia ( col )."An Anti-Crisis, Part V: The Man of No Tomorrow" Dark Nights: Death Metal ,vol. 1,no. 5(January 2021).DC Comics.
  8. ↑ Johns, Geoff ; Katz, Jeff ( w ), Jurgens, Dan  ( p ),Rapmund, Norman ( i ),Hi-Fi Design ( col )."Blue & Gold, Chapter 3: Freedom Fighters" Booster Gold ,vol. 2,no. 8(June 2008).DC Comics.
  9. ↑ Morrison, Grant  ( w ), Jones, J. G.  ( p )."Secret Files Sketchbook"Final Crisis: Secret Files,vol. 1,no. 1(February 2009).DC Comics.
  10. ↑ Interview with Grant Morrison - "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN . Retrieved November 6, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.