Gladiator (Kallark)
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- For the former Daredevil villain, See Gladiator (Melvin Potter).
Contents |
Character Stats
- alter ego:Kallark
- debut:X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977)
- creators:Chris Claremont , Dave Cockrum
- alliances: Imperial Guard
- species: Strontian
- aliases:Captain Universe, Cal Kramer
- powers: Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability, >Heat vision, Freeze breath, Psionic abilities, Flight
Gladiator is a character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977) and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum.
Publication history
1970's
The character Gladiator is an alien (a Strontian) and the Praetor (leader) of the elite corps of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard (an army of powerful beings that enforce Shi'ar Imperial law on all planets within the Shi'ar Galaxy), and first appears in the title X-Men. The elite corps also protects and carries out the personal directives of the majestor or majestrix (emperor or empress) of the Shi’ar Empire. Together with the Imperial Guard, the character battles the mutant team the X-Men at the command of then-Shi'ar Emperor D'Ken.*X-Men # 107 - 108 (Oct & Dec. 1977)*
1980's
Gladiator and the Guard battle the X-Men again when new Shi'ar Empress Lilandra Neramani and Professor Charles Xavier arrange a trial by combat to decide the fate of the out of control entity Dark Phoenix.*Uncanny X-Men #137 (Sep. 1980)* After an appearance in the alternate universe title What If?*What If? #27 (July 1981)* the character aids the X-Men against several renegade Imperial Guardsmen serving a Shi'ar traitor, Lord Samedar.*Uncanny X-Men #155 & 157 (Mar & Apr. 1982)*
Gladiator eventually travels to Earth in pursuit of the alien Skrulls, and due to their ability to shape-shift mistakenly attacks superhero team the Fantastic Four. With the aid of heroes Spider-Man and Captain America the real Skrulls are exposed and captured.*Fantastic Four #249 - 250 (Dec. 1982 - Jan. 1983)* The character is also present - acting as Lilandra's bodyguard - at the intergalactic trial of Reed Richards for once saving the life of cosmic entity Galactus.*Fantastic Four #261 - 262 (Dec. 1983 - Jan. 1984)*
Gladiator appears in another printing of Uncanny X-Men #137 featuring an alternate ending*Phoenix: The Untold Story #1 (Apr. 1984)* and then in an adventure with the Spaceknight Rom.*Rom Annual #4 (Jan. 1985)* During this story it is revealed that Lilandra's sister, Deathbird, has stage a successful coup and become the new majestrix of the Shi'ar Empire.
1990's
After an alternate universe version of Gladiator has a bout with the Thunder God Thor,*Fantastic Four #339 - 340 (Apr. - May 1990)* the Earth-616 version reappears and has an encounter with a rogue alien *Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)* before being commanded to lead the entire Imperial Guard against the combined forces of the space adventurers the Starjammers and superhero team Excalibur. Deathbird orders a retreat on discovering that the rebels are led by her sister, Lilandra.*X-Men Spotlight on: Starjammers #1 - 2 (May - June 1990)*
The character appears in two more issues of the second volume of title What If?*What If? vol. 2, #15 - 16 (July - Aug. 1990)* before battling the X-Men at the direction of Deathbird once more. Gladiator is then mentally controlled by a Warskrull, posing as Charles Xavier, but freed when the Skrull is defeated.*Uncanny X-Men #275 - 277 (Apr. - June 1991)* Following another appearance in the title What If?*What If? vol. 2, #32 (Dec. 1991)* and a solo adventure,*Marvel Comics Presents #98 (Mar. 1992)* Gladiator encounters several members of the Avengers during the Operation: Galactic Storm storyline.*A 19-part crossover that ran through the Marvel titles Avengers; Avengers West Coast; Captain America; Iron Man; Wonder Man; Quasar and Thor between March and May 1992.* Although able to defeat Wonder Man, Gladiator is then beaten by Eric Masterson, who at the time possessed the power of Thor.*Thor #445 (Mar. 1992)*
Gladiator also appears alongside characters Beta Ray Bill; Ganymede; Jack of Hearts and Heralds of Galactus the Silver Surfer and Terrax the Tamer in a war against Tyrant, a former creation of Galactus.*Silver Surfer vol. 3, #79 - 82 (Apr. - July 1993)* After brief appearances with another Herald, Firelord,*New Warriors #42 (Dec. 1993)* cosmic heroes Nova*Nova vol. 2, #1 (Jan. 1994)* and Quasar;*Starblast #1 (Jan. 1994)* and a flashback appearance, *Cosmic Powers #1 (Mar. 1994)* Gladiator appears with the X-Men in the Legion Quest storyline.*Gladiator appears in Uncanny X-Men #320 (Jan. 1995). Total storyline Uncanny X-Men #319 (Dec. 1994); X-Factor #109 (Dec. 1994); Uncanny X-Men #320 (Jan. 1995); X-Men vol. 2, #40; Uncanny X-Men #321 (Feb. 1995); Cable #20 (Feb. 1995) & X-Men vol. 2, #41 (Feb. 1995)*
The character also appears in a limited series with X-Men from an altered reality*Age of Apocalypse: Issues #2 - 3 of Gambit & The X-Ternals #1 - 4 (Mar. - June 1995)* and in flashback in a Fantastic Four adventure.*Fantastic Four #400 (May 1995)* Gladiator's cousin and fellow Strontian survivor Xenith features as a member of a galactic peacekeeping organisation called The Charter in the limited series Star Masters*Star Masters #1 - 3 (Dec. 1995 - Feb. 1996)* and Cosmic Powers Unlimited.*Cosmic Powers Unlimited #1 (May 1995); #2 (Aug. 1995); #3 (Dec. 1995); #4 (Feb. 1996); #5 (May 1996)*
The character also appears in an outside of continuity one-shot publication that teamed with the X-Men with the original crew of the Federation starship the Enterprise.*Star Trek/X-Men #1 (Dec. 1996)* Gladiator and many of the Imperial Guard feature in a self-titled limited series in a humourous adventure on Earth.*Imperial Guard #1 - 3 (Jan. - Mar. 1997)* Gladiator then features in another one-shot publication and battles the Earth-712 Hyperion and the Image Comics character Supreme in defence of the Shi'ar empire.*Gladiator-Supreme #1 (Mar. 1997)* The character returns to Earth for another encounter with the Skrulls*Devil Dinosaur Spring Fling #1 (June 1997)* and then has an off-beat adventure with hero Spider-Man and the X-Men.*Marvel Adventures #5 (Aug. 1997)*
Gladiator joins the mutant X-Men again during an encounter with Galactus*X-Men vol. 2, #90 (July 1999)* while another alternate universe (Earth-1298) version of the character confronts the mutant Havok.*Mutant X #14 (Nov. 1999)*
2000s
Gladiator accompanies Lilandra to witness the apparent death of Galactus*Galactus The Devourer #5 - 6 (2000)* and with the Imperial Guard briefly battles the Inhumans during a failed assassination attempt - orchestrated by Ronan the Accuser of the alien Kree - against Lilandra on an alien world.*Inhumans vol. 3 #3 - 4 (Aug & Oct. 2000)* Gladiator is also involved when the alien Ruul attempt to annex Earth and transform it into a prison planet.*Uncanny X-Men #387 (Dec. 2000)*
After two more brief appearances*Maximum Security #3 (Jan. 2001) & X-Men #109 (Feb. 2001)* Gladiator battles the real Thor at the request of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, but is defeated.*Thor #34 - 35 (Apr. - May 2001)* The inter-dimensional travellers the Exiles also encounter yet another alternate version of Gladiator.*Exiles #2 - 3 (Oct. - Nov. 2001)* After Lilandra — under the mental control of Charles Xavier's mutant twin sister Cassandra Nova — orders the destruction of all mutants on Earth, Gladiator leads the Guard in an assault on the X-Men's mansion home. Nova is eventually revealed as the true threat the combined forces of the Guard and the X-Men defeat Nova and free Lilandra.*New X-Men #117 (Oct. 2001); #123 - 126 (Apr. - July 2002) & #133 (Dec. 2002)* After a journey with the Titan Thanos*Thanos #8 - 12 (Mar. - Sep. 2004)* Guided by the cosmic entity Living Tribunal Gladiator fights the Champion of the Universe in an attempt to liberate the population of a planet the Champion had enslaved.*She-Hulk #7 - 8 (Nov. - Dec. 2004)*
At the request of Lilandra, Gladiator returns to Earth on a mission to capture the Uni-Power and bring it back for evaluation. After an encounter with the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four,*Captain Universe:Invisible Woman (Jan. 2006)* Gladiator invites the Uni-Power to return to the Shi'ar Empire as their guest. Although the Uni-Power agrees, it is captured en route by Krosakis, an energy leeching warlord who forces the Uni-Power into his body to become Captain Universe. Gladiator attempts to stop Krosakis but fails, with the warlord finally beaten by the Silver Surfer.*Captain Universe:Silver Surfer & Captain Universe:X-23 (both Jan. 2006). Part of a 5-part series that begins with Captain Universe: Hulk & Captain Universe: Daredevil (both Jan. 2006)* An alternate version of Gladiator also appears in an MC2 universe limited series.*Last Planet Standing #1 (June 2006). 5 issues: June - Sep. 2006 (2 issues published in Aug.)*
Gladiator is then commanded to stop the conqueror Vulcan, who after the murder of his mother by the Emperor D'Ken is determined to destroy the empire. After a bloody battle during which Vulcan kills several members of the Guard, Gladiator manages to finally defeat him and delivers the character to a Shi'ar prison facility. A Shi'ar agent, however, wishing a return to the days of D'Ken's rule, frees Vulcan and together with Deathbird the pair stage a coup and usurp Lilandra. After marrying Deathbird, Vulcan murders D'Ken and becomes the next Shi'ar Emperor. With Lilandra usurped and in hiding, Gladiator and the remainder of the Guard are honor-bound to serve Vulcan.*Uncanny X-Men #477 (Oct. 2006) & #479 (Dec. 2006); #480 (Jan. 2007) & #485 - 486 (June - July 2007)*
Vulcan consolidates his rule over the Shi'ar - with Gladiator reluctantly assisting - as their forces destroy a race of ancient enemies, the Scy'ar Tal, and capture the rebels the Starjammers.*X-Men:Emperor Vulcan #1 - 5 (Nov. 2007 - Mar. 2008)* Vulcan then embarks on an ambitious plan to conquer the rest of the universe in the limited series X-Men:Kingbreaker,*X-Men:Kingbreaker #1 - 4 (Feb. - May 2009)* the prelude to the limited series War of Kings. Vulcan orders Gladiator to capture Lilandra, who has allied herself with the Kree. After battling Lilandra's allies the Starjammers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Gladiator is swayed by her argument against Vulcan and kills a member of the Imperial Guard loyal to the Emperor. Lilandra is eventually killed by an assassin, and Vulcan and Black Bolt both apparently die during battle in a explosion.*War of Kings #1 - 6 (May - Oct. 2009)* The one-shot publication War of Kings: Who Will Rule depicts Gladiator as weary and in the wake of Lilandra's death wishing to preserve the Empire. To avoid another civil war, the character proclaims himself the new Emperor.*War of Kings: Who Will Rule #1 (Nov. 2009)*
In the accompanying spin-off limited series War of Kings: Warriors, Gladiator's origin is revealed and how the character came to be Praetor of the Imperial Guard.*War of Kings: Warriors #1 (Sep. 2009)*
Powers and abilities
Gladiator possesses a number of superhuman capabilities as a result of his unique alien physiology including superhuman strength (shattering a planet *Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)*) speed, stamina; durability (can withstand explosion equivalent to a supernova);*Fantastic Four #249 (Dec. 1982)* reflexes; heat vision (stated as "hotter than a star");*Fantastic Four #250 (Jan. 1983)* frost breath*Thor vol. 2, #35 (May 2001)* and is capable of warpspeed flight (measured as "a hundred times the speed of light").*Fantastic Four #249 (Dec. 1982)* Gladiator's abilities increase and decrease in accordance with his level of confidence*War of Kings: Warriors #1 (Sep. 2009)* and is vulnerable to a certain form of rare radiation.*Hulk Annual (1997)*
Other versions
An alternate version of Gladiator from the Earth-2149 universe*Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes one-shot (Sep. 2006)* is infected by a "zombie" virus.*Marvel Zombies 2 #1 (Dec. 2007)*
Other media
Television
- Gladiator appears in X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-97).
Video games
- Gladiator features in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance as a boss, voiced by Dave Wittenberg (2006).
