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New Genesis | |
---|---|
First appearance | New Gods #1 (February 1971) |
Created by | Jack Kirby |
In-universe information | |
Race(s) | New Gods, Bugs |
Locations | Necropolis |
Characters | Highfather Orion Bekka Lightray Metron Mister Miracle Forever People |
Publisher | DC Comics |
New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart of Apokolips, home of the evil New Gods led by the tyrant Darkseid.
New Genesis is an unspoiled and sunlit world of forests, mountains, and bodies of water. [1] The New Gods inhabit Supertown, a golden city floating above the planet's surface. Both New Genesis and Apokolips exist in a different plane of existence from the regular DC Universe, [2] located near the Source that originated the Old and New Gods. [3]
Accessing either Apokolips or New Genesis usually requires a form of travel known as "Boom Tube", a portal generated by Mother Boxes. In some versions, Boom Tubes convert the size of individuals that pass through to proportions fitting the destination. [4]
New Genesis and its dark counterpart Apokolips were created after the destruction of Urgrund, the world of the "Old Gods". New Genesis was given strength and nobility from the "living atoms" of the Old God Balduur, while Apokolips was saturated with evil from an unnamed sorceress. [5] Through Darkseid's manipulation, the two planets entered a devastating war that only ended when the New Genesis general Izaya forsook the ways of war, contacted the Source and became the Highfather, agreeing to a pact with his enemy to secure peace. [6] [7] Eventually the pact was broken and the war restarted when Darkseid kidnapped people of Earth and Highfather directed warriors of New Genesis to oppose him. [7]
The conflict between the two planets symbolizes the struggle of good and evil on a grand mythic scale. However, despiste unambiguously representing good, New Genesis and its inhabitants are not entirely perfect. Biographer Charles Hatfield writes, "The saga turns out to be not so simple, for Kirby — and this is revealing – blurs the seeming idealized perfection of New Genesis, adding complexity to his gods." [8] Similarly, John Morrow writes, "Kirby knew that his New Genesis was no heaven. Rather, it was more like the free West during the Cold War, which was threatened by forces from within as well as without." [9]
Highfather is a spiritual leader who maintains his people's connection to the primal energy field known as The Source. The original Highfather, Izaya the Inheritor, has since perished and been replaced by Earthling superhero Takion, a living conduit of the Source. In contrast to the industrial wasteland of Apokolips, New Genesis is a forested paradise. The only urban location is Supertown, a floating city designed to not affect the planet's surface. [10]
In Seven Soldiers , New Genesis and Apokolips are seemingly destroyed before the Source entity recreates them as a singular planet. Additionally, most of the New Gods are killed during Final Crisis before being resurrected on the planet.
In "The New 52" reboot, New Genesis is largely the same, though its surface is now littered with the ruins of previous cities that were devastated in the New Genesis/Apokolips War. [11] Additionally, New Genesis technology was used to create OMAC. [12]
There are two types of inhabitants of New Genesis. The first are the "gods" or "New Gods" (the upper class), a race of powerful immortals. The gods live in Supertown. The "Bugs" (the lower class) evolved from "micro-life" spread on the planet's surface during the gods' war. They live on the planet's surface, in hives or the "Bug Mound". There is occasionally prejudice between these two races, as many of the gods consider the bug-people to be a lesser species.
Besides the New Gods and Bugs, there also a race of indigenous peoples called Primitives who live in the forests.
There are different locations on New Genesis:
Because it exists in another dimension, New Genesis can only be accessed via Boom Tubes. It has been said that the New Gods are normally giants, and that travel through the Boom Tubes rescales them to mortal proportions. [15]
New Genesis appears in DC Universe Online .
Darkseid is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first made a cameo appearance in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134, before being fully introduced in Forever People #1.
The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in New Gods #1.
Highfather is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive counterpart brother to the evil Darkseid.
Orion is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the son of Darkseid and half-brother of Kalibak and Grayven who was traded to Highfather as part of a peace deal between Apokolips and New Genesis. Since then, Orion has assisted the New Gods of New Genesis against his father and was also a member of the Justice League.
DeSaad is a supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series.
Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is considered the opposite of the planet New Genesis.
Takion is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Paul Kupperberg and Aaron Lopresti, first appearing in an eponymous series in 1996 that lasted for 7 issues.
Granny Goodness is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers.
Big Barda is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4, and was created by Jack Kirby. She was raised as a member of the New Gods, but left to become a hero.
Lightray (Solis) is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1. Lightray was a major character in New Gods volume 1 (1971–1978), as well as volume 2 (1984), volume 3 (1989–1991) and volume 4 (1995–1997). He has also appeared with Orion in the Cosmic Odyssey limited series (1988–1989), Jack Kirby's Fourth World (1997–1998) and Orion (2000–2002).
Infinity-Man is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, in the Fourth World storyline.
Metron is a fictional antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Steppenwolf is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #7. A New God and military general from the planet Apokolips, Steppenwolf is the brother of Heggra and therefore the maternal uncle of Darkseid. He is commonly depicted as Darkseid's subordinate, commanding his army of Parademons in conflicts against Superman and the Justice League.
Grayven is a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern #74, and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks, making him one of the few New Gods characters not created by Jack Kirby.
Mantis is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, part of Jack Kirby's New Gods series.
Lashina is a supervillain and Goddess warrior appearing in comics published by DC Comics.
Forager is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The Source is a metaphysical concept created by writer-artist Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series of comic books. It first appeared in New Gods #1.
Bekka is a superheroine appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily in stories set in Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe.
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