Grayven | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Green Lantern (vol. 3) #74 (June 1996) |
Created by | Ron Marz (writer) Darryl Banks (artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Grayven |
Species | New God |
Place of origin | Apokolips |
Abilities |
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Grayven is a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern (vol. 3) #74 (June 1996), and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks, making him one of the few New Gods characters not created by Jack Kirby.[1]
Grayven is the third son of Darkseid and younger brother to Kalibak and Orion.[2] Grayven leads a campaign of destruction against the cosmos, destroying planets. He leads a campaign against the Darkstars, a galactic police force, killing many of their number.[3] His campaign comes to an end on the planet Rann. He desires a zeta beam device, a product of Rannian science that provides instantaneous transportation on a grand scale. He intends to transport his forces onto Apokolips, announce his presence to his father, and conquer the planet.[4]
While the remaining Darkstars engage Grayven's army, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner faces off against the man himself. Assisted by former Green Lantern and current Darkstar John Stewart, who suffers serious injuries in the fight, Kyle tricks Grayven into teleporting away with a Zeta Beam, after which his forces retreat.[1]
Unknown to Stewart, Rayner had inadvertently teleported Grayven deep within Earth's core. He eventually digs himself out, and seeks Rayner in New York City, who is seemingly able to overpower Grayven. Fearing defeat at the Green Lantern's hands, Grayven used an experimental teleporter, freeing himself, and in the process, sending Rayner into the 30th century.
Grayven next appeared during the Imperiex crisis, as part of an alien alliance that also included Maxima, Starfire, Adam Strange, and Darkseid. In The Adventures of Superman #595 (October 2001), Grayven is influenced by Brainiac and confronts Superman and Darkseid on Apokolips before being defeated and banished to Earth.[1]
During his exile, Grayven is infected with a variant of Joker toxin that causes insanity. He attempts to perform at, and then destroy, a comedy club. Kyle Rayner again stops him. Grayven later reappeared in Ion: Guardian of the Universe.[5] There, he is revealed to have sent Nero and Effigy after Kyle Rayner before being defeated by him.[6]
In Death of the New Gods, Grayven is killed by Infinity-Man.[1] However, he is resurrected following The New 52 and DC Rebirth relaunches.[7]
As a New God, Grayven is nigh-immortal and possesses superhuman physical abilities. Additionally, he wields a limited form of the Omega Effect used by Darkseid.