DARKLORE

Real Name: Unrevealed; possibly Darklon

Identity/Class: Extradimensional humanoid magic-user

Occupation: Sorcerer, king

Group Membership: King of Egolix-7;
    Elsewhere Alliance (D'jinn the Gargoyle, Vanth Dreadstar of Reality-8116, Kid Cosmos, Oedi of Reality-8116, Raymond Stoner of Earth-21194, the Wayfarer, Wyrd)

Affiliations: Egolans, Infinity Watch (Drax, Gamora, Maxam, Moondragon, Pip, Adam Warlock), Meer'lyn

Enemies: Count Abyss, unidentified demon

Known Relatives: Maya (consort);
    Darkhold (presumed father, deceased), unidentified parents (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Egolix-7;
    formerly an unidentified extradimensional realm (far down the dimensional corridor from Earth-616);
    presumably born on Nebulor, Nebularia

First Appearance: Warlock Chronicles#1 (July, 1993)

Powers/Abilities: Darklore has a number of magical abilities, only a few of which have been glimpsed. He can fire magical blasts, form shields, open dimensional portals, and access the energies of mystic talismans. However, he requires his familiar, Meer'lyn, to control his magical energies, or they rage out of control and incapacitate him.

 

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: (Right only) blue
Hair: White; originally black

History:
(Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic) - As a peaceful youth Darklore acquired power from a demon to save his father, only to destroy his homeworld years later to save it from the demon (see comments).

(Eerie#76 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1 (fb) - BTS / Eerie#79 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Darklon is the son of  Darkhold, the Kavar (ruler) of Nebularia, the home of star-conquering wizards and warriors who once ruled 1000 planets. Darklon was born in Nebularia's capital city, Nebulor.

(Eerie#79 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Darklon promised his dying mother that he would never abandon Nebularia or his father.

(Eerie#79 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Darklord forced Darklon to take instruction in the martial arts.

(Eerie#79 (fb) / Darklon the Mystic#1/2 (fb)) - Darklon was the shame of his father, Darkhold, who was the product of a dozen centuries' experience in tyranny and warfare. Darklon found more joy in books, mysticism, women, and the gentler paths of life than in the arts of war. These differences led to alienation, mistrust, and eventually hatred until the two only exchanged scowls. Tradition dictated that Darkhold could not exile his son; but eventually Darkhold found a substitute son, the warrior Tarus Blacklore, who came to share the rule of Nebularia.
    Blacklore, however, plotted to overthrow Darkhold to prevent Darklon from ever taking the throne, fearing that Nebularia would fall under Darklon's rule. Blacklore eventually led and ambush on Darkhold who fought savagely but was eventually captured. Under his father's gaze, Darklon fled the palace and the city.
    Darklon traveled to the domicile of Xiom-Tarr, his guide in the ways of dark enlightenment. Knowing Darklon sought the power to destroy his father's enemies, Xiom-Tarr sent him to the Nameless One, the only one who could help him.
    Two nights later, Darklon arrived at the Cavern of the Screaming Skull, the Nameless One's temple. The Nameless One dispatched a trio of demons, whom Darklon slew via his previous training. The Nameless One then appeared and questioned his intent and willingness to sacrifice. Darklon stated his intent to do good and that all he had to give was the Nameless One's for the taking. Deciding that good intentions were often a more destructive force than the blackest heart, the Nameless One accepted the offer and had a legion of his demons prepare Darklon...by beheading him.

 

 

 

 

(Eerie#80 (fb) / Darklon the Mystic#1/3 (fb)) - After allowing his minions to toy with Darklon's head, the Nameless One instructed one to prepare his remains for black baptism and rebirth, by cutting out his left eye. The Nameless One then filled Darklon with hid dread power while simultaneously forcing him to see that his birth, loves, friends, possessions, ideas, morals, conclusions, and death had all been meaningless. The Nameless One gave Darklon a new body (on loan to him as long as their agreement stood) to house his new, soul-searing might, and a new eye, the Orb of Hell, which would enabled him to gaze into and draw strength and aid from forbidden nether regions. The Nameless One further revealed that Darklon had not only sacrificed his life, but also his fate, as Darklon was now his to mold as he pleased.
    No longer Prince Darklon, but now Darklon the Mystic, he traveled to Nebularia and wiped out all those who had supported the revolution in a single night, culminating with the obliteration of Tarus Blacklore. Darklon then freed his father, who thanked him and offered to mend their problems, but Darklon told him that he was forced to renounce his claim to the throne, to depart Nebularia, and to serve his new liege.

(Eerie#76 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1 (fb) - BTS) - Darklon made his base in Castle Cold on the private planetoid Grimmore.

(Eerie#80 (fb) / Darklon the Mystic#1/3 (fb)) - Over the next few years, Darklon's sins were as many as his sorrows.

(Eerie#76 (fb) - BTS / Darklon the Mystic#1 (fb) - BTS) - The professional assassin Koph-Fan was hired by Kavar Darklord to kill Darklon.

(Eerie#76 (fb) / Darklon the Mystic#1 (fb)) - Recognizing Darklon by name as a sorcerer who trafficked with dark demons from out of the past, Koph-Fan hired some assistants: Kraylock, a massive Jovian; Bak Staf, a weapons expert; and Tou-Mar, a telepathic assassin. The three sneaked into Darklon's base, expecting defenses and finding none. They attempted to ambush him as he slept but instead only killed his "girlfriend." Realizing that Darklon was nowhere to be found (and that his defenses only worked when he was present) and that they had lost the element of surprise, the four assassins parted ways and went into hiding.

(Eerie#76 (fb) / Darklon the Mystic#1 (fb)) - Within several weeks, Darklon had tracked down the assassins and taken vengeance on three of them for "destroying something I had not yet tired of." He left the dead bodies or vital parts of Kraylock, Bak Staf, and Tou-Mar for Koph-Fan to find. Realizing there was nowhere to hide, Koph-Fan ran into the nearest bar and began consuming alcohol (or its equivalent) in preparation for Darklon's arrival.

(Eerie#76 / Darklon the Mystic#1) - Darklon entered a spaceport cabaret, ordered a bottle of gammabsinthe, greeted the assassin Koph-Fan, feigned ignorance at his exploits and convinced Koph-Fan to relate them. At the end of the story, Koph-Fan blasted Darklon under the table, but Darklon escaped uninjured, blasted off Koph-Fan's arm, and forced him to reveal who had hired him. When Koph-Fan revealed it to be Kavar Darkhold, Darklon accused him of lies and blasted him to death before finally accepting it as truth.

(Eerie#79-80 / Darklon the Mystic#1/2-1/3) - Darklon returned to Nebularia, seeking answers to whether his father had truly ordered his death.

(Eerie#84 / Darklon the Mystic#1/4) - Darklon sought out Jim Starlin to find out when his plot would be resolved, only to find Starlin missing (he had apparently turned into some sort of monster and vanished). Darklon figured this is what he got for "dealing with fruitcakes" and that he would have to resolve it on his own.

(Eerie#100 / Darklon the Mystic#1/5) - Darklon confronted Darkhold, learning that he had indeed ordered his death b/c tradition dictated that any living son must always inherit the throne upon his father's death. Given Darklon's dark nature and allegiance, as well as his complete absence, the citizenship had begun to fear for their future, other governments had begun to shy away from dealing with the Empire, and their had been further talk of a revolution.
    Darklon agreed to Darkhold's terms of contest, with both men grasping a "bio-disruptor dueling meter." After an extensive struggle, Darklon's mystic experience allowed him to triumph, and Darkhold perished explosively. The Nameless One then appeared, and claimed Nebularia as his (noting how he had been driven from the mortal plane by Darklon's ancestor "Darklore II") and then exiled Darklon. Unwilling to allow the Nameless One to torture his people, Darklon instead secretly activated a chemical reaction just as he departed. The reaction led to the sudden and explosive destruction of Nebularia, taking the Nameless One with it.
    Darklon was free at last, having caused massive death but saving the universe from the Nameless One in the process.

(Eerie#121) - While Darklon waited at ) a bar, Quarb (the "immortal progenitor of mankind") bought him a mug of gammabsinthe, wishing him good fortune and then asking him to do something about "those dreadful demons" before vanishing. Already puzzled, Darklon was surprised when the Acolyte (successor to the Nameless One) and a band of five cutthroats (the dregs of the galactic core) invaded the bar. Darklon swiftly conjured some weaponry, only to find the Acolyte had rendered his mercenaries immune to Darklon's magics. Realizing he needed help, Darklon temporally and spacially warped to "Old Terra" (Earth) to seek aid from Demian Hunter, only to find Hunter's fresh grave (having died from a poisoned wound inflicted by his supposed sire, Krath, Hunter had been buried less than an hour before). Surprised, as "tape records" indicated Hunter should be alive, Darklon exhumed Hunter's form and imbued it with mystic energy that both fanned his remote spark of life and healed his wound, restoring him to life. While Darklon tried to convince Hunter of their common ground, the Acolyte and his mercenaries arrived; indebted to Darklon for his existence, Hunter vowed to fight to the death against his pursuers. Darklon convinced Hunter to make a stand in a nearby fortress, wherein they split up. The Acolyte sent his minions after Hunter, while he himself would take care of Darklon; as the Acolyte located a disabled MX missile secreted there by the Pentagon countless decades before, Darklon tried a physical ambush, kicking him in the head, only to be swatted aside by an unphased Acolyte. Darklon soon found the Acolyte was also immune to his magical assaults, even the power of the Orb of Hell located under his eyepatch, which the Acolyte simply absorbed. When the Acolyte raised his axe over the weakened Darklon, the mystic desperately kicked the Acolyte over the railing around the missile, then ignited the solid fuel in the rocket's lower stages while protecting himself with a mystic force-globe. Caught unaware, the Acolyte was unable to defend himself in time and was consumed by the flames. Meanwhile, Hunter slew all of his attackers and narrowly escaped the exploding castle.
    Darklon reunited with Hunter outside. When Hunter lamented the end of demons, the slaying of which was his purpose, Darklon showed him images of how the demon general Ofphal had put his demons into suspended animation to escape a virus that was turning them into goblins. After altering and upgrading Hunter's suit, he placed Hunter in stasis in a magick-ovoid that would dissolve when the demons/mutants returned. As he sank the ovoid beneath the Earth's surface, Darklon, noted that he had also restored Hunter as he was Darklon's ancestor, and his survival was necessary for Darklon to ever be born.
    As Darklon departed, Quarb bade him farewell and thanked him for giving his beloved children (presumably humanity) another chance. Quarb then picked up Hunter's original helmet, vowing to see that it made it into the hands of another destined to wear it, a being who would be known as Hunter II.

(Eerie#130) - Via the Crystal of Ages (powered by Pie's medallion), the "Oriental arch-fiend" Ten Ichi (aided by his son, Son Loo) summoned several beings from the Earth's past and future -- Shreck, Child (a Frankenstein-like creature), the robotic Exterminator-One, the warrior Dax, and Hunter -- and showed them various visions (making her appear to be their greatest enemies) that convinced them (with aid from a fealty spell) to help him slay Vampirella. Aided by her allies -- Pantha, Pendragon, and Adam and Conrad Van Helsing -- Vampirella opposed her attackers, ultimately convincing them that Ten Ichi had deceived them, and they joined her and her allies in confronting Ten Ichi.
    In response, Ten Ichi again used the Crystal to summon forth more warriors to do his bidding: Space soldier Mac Tavish; two "living dead men," Spook and Coffin; warrior/successor Hunter II; and the mystic Darklon. During the ensuing battle, the very air began to wave and ripple due to the temporal disruptions caused by summonings, until the temporal generator exploded, and all those summoned, as well as Vampirella, vanished into a time vortex.
    BTW, Darklon is clearly identified in caption, but never clearly shown, and neither of the two shadows that were intended to be him look anything like him.

(Breed III#6 (fb) - BTS) - Vanth Dreadstar hired Darklon to help recover his ally the cat-man Oedi, who had been trapped in Elsewhere.

(Breed III#6 (fb) - BTS) - The mystic warrior Wyrd gathered allies within the realm of Elsewhere to aid Ray Stoner (aka "Breed," who opposed a demon invasion of Earth). Among those Wyrd recruited were Darklon, Dreadstar, Oedi, the Wayfarer, D'Jinn the gargoyle, and Kid Kosmos.

(Breed III#5) - Wyrd introduced Ray Stoner to those he had gathered, calling them the "Elsewhere Alliance."

(Breed III#6) - While cautioning the others not to use realm names, Darklon helped the others devastate the mystic class demon army; when Dreadstar offered to double their agreed upon payment, Darklon "got serious" and further expedited the battle, ultimately leading the demon father, leader of the demons, to travel to Elseworld to confront Stoner. Upon the demon father's arrival, Stoner instructed the others to depart so he could face his father alone; while the others were reluctant to leave Stoner behind, Darklon instantly prepared a mystic portal, though which he led Dreadstar and Oedi, and the others left soon after.

(Warlock Chronicles#1 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore has lived the life of a wandering mystic for many long centuries. At some point, presumably early in his career, his took Meer'lyn as his familiar.

(Warlock Chronicles#1 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore traveled to Earth-616 years ago under undescribed circumstances.

(Warlock Chronicles#1 (fb) - BTS) - Learning of the existence of a cruel tyrant in a neighboring dimension (Count Abyss), Darklore began to seek a mystic talisman which would liberate that dimension. Once successful, he planned to retire to a life of leisure in that realm.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#32 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore and Meer'lyn developed a lengthy ("ancient") rivalry with Count Abyss.

(Warlock Chronicles#1 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore encountered a rent in the dimensional fiber.

(Infinity Crusade#1 - BTS) - Adam Warlock was rendered insensate and cast into a strange dimension by Goddess.

 

 

 

(Warlock Chronicles#1) - Warlock's form was encountered by Darklore and Meer'lyn. He recognized his Soul Gem as a sentient being and sought a communion with it. The Gem shared its own origins and those of Warlock, after which it attempted to take Darklore as its host, enslaving him as it had been unable to do with Warlock. Neither Darklore nor Meer'lyn could stop the Gem, but Warlock revived and reclaimed it before it could permanently bond to Darklore.
    Though grateful, Darklore could turn from his quest to spare the months needed to return Warlock to Earth-616. Nonetheless, Darklore brought Warlock to the dimensional rent, from which he was able to return on his own. Darklore's own mystic senses assured him that they would meet again.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore and Meer'lyn arrived in Egolix-7.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29) - While Darklore gathered mystic intelligence for their upcoming battle, Meer'lyn advised him to hurry, because she wanted to put some distance between themselves and Abyss.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 (fb) - BTS) - Having obtained the talisman he sought, Darklore concealed it in another dimension, outside Abyss' sphere of influence, and he instructed Meer'lyn to retrieve it if and when the conditions were right.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#31) - Darklore and Meer'lyn confronted Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch when they arrived in Egolix-7 to ambush Count Abyss.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#32) - Warlock had to stop the Watch from mistakenly assault Darklore, after which they joined forces with he and Meer'lyn, assaulting Abyss on three fronts. Darklore and Meer'lyn used magical means to gain entrance to Abyss' inner sanctum, hoping to use the mystic talisman to use against Abyss. However, Abyss (appearing before each group of attackers simultaneously) then confronted them. Darklore fired a blast at Abyss, who easily withstood his attacks and countered with blasts of his own. Meer'lyn attempted to use the magical charms against Abyss while he was distracted in battle with Darklore, but Abyss merely reached up and crushed her in his hand. Deprived of his familiar, Darklore was unable to control his own mystic energies, which overwhelmed and incapacitated him.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 (fb) - BTS) - Abyss imprisoned Darklore alongside the Infinity Watch.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - While Abyss enjoyed playing with his new toy, the Soul Gem, usurped from Warlock, Meer'lyn recovered from her injuries, retrieved the mystic talisman, escaped to the prison, and used the talisman to free Darklore and the Watch. Darklore then explained how Abyss would be weakened from virtual intoxication after imbibing from the Soul Gem, at which point they could use the talisman to defeat him. Darklore, Warlock, and Meer'lyn assaulted Abyss, with Darklore and Meer'lyn returning the Soul Gem to Warlock, but Abyss, still virtually all powerful in his home realm, flattened Darklore with a single blow. However, Warlock then instilled within Abyss the soul of Kray-Tor, causing him to be weakened with guilt over crimes. Abyss tried and failed to regain power and control from his source, the Zalkor, and Darklore used the talisman to open a dimensional portal, and Warlock cast Abyss through it, banishing him to a distant realm where he was cut off from his power.
    Darklore then used his powers to restore the humanity of the natives of Egolix-7, who had been transformed into monstrous servants by Abyss. Darklore then married Maya, last member of the Egolan's royal family, becoming King of the realm.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#34) - Darklore and Maya were wed on Egolix-7.

 

 

Comments: Darklore was created by Jim Starlin, Tom Raney, and Keith Williams.
    Darklon was created by Jim Starlin.

    According to Darklore, he had never heard of Dr. Strange.

    I'm not 100% certain whether Darklore and Meer'lyn had the talisman before they confronted Abyss, or if they got it from his chambers. It wasn't shown on panel until after their first defeat, so  I think they got it from him, but Meer'lyn also mentioned using magic charms against Abyss during that first battle. Moot point. Dorcas Farcas.

    Darklore was probably re-worked from an earlier Starlin creation called Darklon. The collected volume was titled 'Darklon the Mystic' (a newly colored collection of his adventures published in November, 1983) was published by Pacific Comics (that reprints his appearances from Eerie#76 (August, 1976), Eerie#79 (November, 1976), Eerie#80 (January, 1977), Eerie#84 (June, 1977), and Eerie#100 (April, 1979)... it's on sale for $1.20 at Mile High Comics... and a quick check on GCD says that his final appearance (I think) was in Eerie#130 (April, 1982).
--David Lotempio & Deadboy
    --Based on the above, I got Darklon the Mystic and I just bought Eerie#130 on EBay. He's also apparently in Eerie#121 (June, 1981). I hope so, b/c I just bought it off EBay. Eerie#137 reprints Darklon's first story in Eerie#76.
Darklon the Mystic#1 (November, 1983)

    Oddest of all was that the Eerie#100 story featured a mental hospital with Dr. Bell and Dr. Hoffsteader who commented that he would find the case of two catatonic patients even more interesting than the Barry Bauman case. Barry Bauman was Star-Thief.
    Throughout the story, the physicians discussed how some unseen malady had rendered father and son -- who were miles apart and hadn't even seen each other for years -- catatonic at the exact same time. No other family members had ever suffered such similar problems. The two men demonstrated almost continual pupil activity, indicating they were in a dream state. The father and son seemed to represent Darkhold and Darklon, respectively, and both men's lifesigns began to fade and they entered convulsions during their struggle, only for the father to die of massive coronary damage upon Darkhold's death, and the son to recover upon Darklon's destruction of Nebularia.
    Presumably this is what Starlin meant with Darklore's cryptic comment about having been to Earth before in Warlock Chronicles#1.

    Darklore has a profile in Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic. Darklore was given an origin in this entry. An origin already known from the stories of Darklon. Cue sinister music...
    Based on that and Starlin referencing Darklore having been to Earth before, I have combined Darklon and Darklore's histories.

    I would place all of Darklon's appearance before those of Darklore, if only due to the latter's white hair, lesser powers, and patience/humility.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Darklon has no known connection to:

Meer'lyn has no known connection to:

Meer'lyn

    The magical familiar of Darklore, she was possessive of him, though she didn't make too big a deal when he married Maya.

    She was tiny (about hand-sized), flew on her insect-like wings, and could fire energy blasts and open portals to other realms. She served the channel Darklore's power, preventing it from raging out of control

--Warlock Chronicles#1 (1(fb), 1, Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29, [31 (BTS)], 32-34

 

 

 

 

 

 

talisman

 

    Able to open portals to other realms, it apparently had some special properties that it made it particular useful against Count Abyss.

 

--Warlock Chronicles#1 (BTS), Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33

 

 

 

images:
Warlock Chronicles#1, p2, panel 3 (Darklore kneeling, full body Meer'lyn)
        p16, panel 4 + 6 (Meer'lyn in action, and face)
        p18, panel 1 (Darklore full body)
        p19, panel 2 (Darklore face)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33, p10, panel 5 (talisman)
   

Appearances:
Eerie#121/3 (June, 1981) - "Hunter and Darklon" - Rich Margopoulos (writer), Al Sanchez (artist), James Warren (editor)
Eerie#130/2-4 (April, 1982) - "Corridors of Doom," "Vortex," and "The End of Time" - Rich Margopoulos (writer), E.R. Cruz (artist), David Allikas (assistant editor), Timothy Moriarty (editor)
Warlock Chronicles#1 (July, 1993) - Jim Starlin (writer), Tom Raney (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29 (June, 1994) - Jim Starlin (writer), Patrick Olliffe (artist), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#31-34 (August - November, 1994) - Jim Starlin (writer), Patrick Olliffe (pencils), Bob Almond & Art Nichols (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#32 (September, 1994) - Richard Ashford (writer), Patrick Olliffe (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33-34 (October-November, 1994) - John Arcudi (writer), Patrick Olliffe (pencils), Bob Almond (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#3 (July, 2008) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Madison Carter, Mike Fichera & Stuart Vandal (coordination assistants), Sean McQuaid, Stuart Vandal, Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Eric J. Moreels, Madison Carter, Mark O'English, Mike Fichera, Al Sjoerdsma, Chad Anderson, David Wiltfong, Chris Biggs, Jacob Rougemont, Rich Green & Gabe Shechter (writers), Brian Overton (copy editor), John Denning & Cory Levine (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editor)
Breed III#5-6 (September-October, 2011) - Jim Starlin (writer & artist)

First posted: 03/14/2005
Last updated: 11/09;/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info.
Darklon is the property of Warren Publishing Co.
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