TYANNANS

Classification: Extradimensional (Negative Zone) semi-humanoid/leonine race

Location/Base of Operations: An alternate cosmos within the vortex existing at the center of the Distortion and Annihilation Areas of the Negative Zone;
    formerly Tyanna, a planet on the outer rim of the Negative Zone (see comments)

Known Members: Tjellina

Affiliations: Creators of Annihilus and many of the races of the Negative Zone
    former pawns of the
Brute

Enemies: Brute;
    Annihilus, Balurrians, Blastaar, Brute, Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic Four, Thing) --all while enslaved by Brute

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#140 (November, 1973)

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities: The Tyannans have a felid-type conformation, indicating that they might have enhanced human physical abilities, including vision and olfactory senses, though this is unconfirmed. They did not demonstrate particular fighting prowess.
    They have undefined energy powers, enabling them to manipulate the dimensional barriers, though they require a another mind through which they can channel such powers.
    They have advanced technology, including faster-than-light space travel, genetic engineering, holoprojection, energy weapons capable of decimating planets, etc. It was the Tyannans who created the technology from which the Cosmic Control Rod was developed.

Traits: They are dedicated to peace and progression of life. In the past, they were naively trusting, but their experiences with the Brute likely resolved this. They described themselves as being arrogant, but that was likely just an overly critical observation based on their failed mission which had doomed the crew of one ship.

 

 

 

 

History:
(Fantastic Four I#140(fb) / Fantastic Four Unlimited#3(fb)) - Long, long ago and far, far away, the Tyannans were the sole inhabitants of the Negative Zone.
    In eons past, the world of Tyanna was dominated by technology. Their race was highly advanced, and they stood tall and proud, and aspired to reach heights denied to other species. They built vast factories, in which they manufactured the seeds of life, and they sealed those living spores in golden canisters of power, that they might survive the rigors of an incredible journey:
a voyage to seed the stars. They explored the cosmos of the Negative Zone to its furthest limits, charting worlds they felt were capable of supporting life. One of the earliest planets they so seeded was Baluur (later the home planet of Blastaar).

 

 

(Fantastic Four: Redemption of the Silver Surfer) - One ship colonized the planet Bathandia.

 

 

 

 

 

 


(Fantastic Four I#140(fb) / Fantastic Four Unlimited#3(fb)) - However, a freak meteor collision crippled one of the seed ships, which randomly crashed on a barren planet, Arthros, at the very core of the Negative Zone, marooning the crew on its dark, volcanic surface. Even the food processors were destroyed in the crash, and as there was nothing edible on the planet, the crew knew their end was near. Still, the captain of the crew followed his initial mission, releasing the seeds of life. He then dictated his race's history into a recording helmet, and told how he watched helplessly as his crew began to drop around him, and that he himself starved to death soon after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#3(fb) - BTS) - Having overreacted to the crash which was the first "failure" of the Tyannans in time unmemorable, they elected to commit racial suicide. Their entire population entered the vortex, expecting instant obliteration. Instead, they learned their science could transform them into anti-matter. Ever curious, the Tyannans allowed their technology to do so. For eons, they existed unknown, while whole civilizations lived and died in the rest of the Zone. Their minds and technology became ever more powerful there.

(Fantastic Four I#140 - BTS) - Much later, after many, many generations, a weak insectoid creature evolved from the life spores, the first to possess significant intelligence. The insectoid fled from attackers to discover the now empty ship of the Tyannans. From a recording helmet, the being that would become Annihilus learned "the legacy of one race and its futile arrogance." From this helmet the insectoid's mind was greatly advanced, and it soon mastered the technology it found on the ship to create the Cosmic Control Rod. He also adopted their gene transmuter, with which he transformed beings he encountered into his Scavengers.

(Fantastic Four: Redemption of the Silver Surfer) - The Bathandian Tyannan Tjellina became one of the servants of Prodigion in his mission to establish new life in the Negative Zone, but she and her allies subverted his goals by eradicating existing life with his life-giving seeds. Tjellina and her allies were eventually trapped in a barren world were they were forced to labor to transform it into a lush paradise.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#3(fb) - BTS) - The Brute/Reed Richards floated helplessly in the Negative Zone, drifting towards the vortex. The Tyannans threw him a lifeline, but after recovering he soon combined his intellect with their science to subvert the will of the Tyannans and make them his slaves. He planned to use them to subjugate first the Negative Zone, and then the world of Earth-616.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#3(fb) - BTS) - The Brute/Reed developed a generator to turn the Tyannans back into positive matter, so they could leave the vortex. As he activated the generator, a pulse of energy issued forth from the vortex. It was detected by beings of power, such as Annihilus and Blastaar, who sought to investigate it, and utilize it for their own ends.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#3) - An unlikely alliance of Annihilus and his Scavengers, Blastaar and some Baluurians, and the Fantastic Four entered the vortex to investigate the pulse of energy. They were all soon captured by the Tyannans, under control of the Brute/Reed, who detailed their history. He then led them to escape the vortex and proceed to attack Baluur, planning to decimate the world. The Brute/Reed then prepared to lead them into the positive matter world, but the Fantastic Four and their allies broke free and fought the Brute/Reed and the Tyannans. This delayed their transport into the earth dimension long enough that the Tyannans, who had become some acclimated to the realm within the vortex, were all pulled back into the vortex (since they hadn't managed to escape the Negative Zone in time to prevent this).
    After the defeat of the Brute, Annihilus and Blastaar headed back into the vortex in an effort to conquer the Tyannans themselves and pilfer their technology. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four convinced the Tyannans--now recovered back within the vortex--to channel their powers through his mind, thus repairing the damage done to the dimensional barrier between the Negative Zone and Earth's universe. The Tyannans then shut themselves off, from all inhabitants of all universes, effectively barring Anninhilus and Blastaar from reaching them.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway, John Buscema, and Joe Sinnott.

The dimension containing the Tyannans is compared to realms hypothesized to exist on the other side of a black hole.   

Clarifications:
not so much


Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#140 (November, 1973) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Fantastic Four Unlimited#3 (September, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Alex Trimpe (layouts), Steve Montano (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Fantastic Four: Redemption of the Silver Surfer (June, 1997) - Michael Jan Friedman (writer)


Last updated: 05/23/12

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