Enemies: Cassandra Nova;

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Shi'ar Galactic Empire;

First Appearance: New X-Men I#123 (April, 2002)

Powers/Abilities: Arc stood around 6' tall and could fly, although this may have been with the aid of an Imperial Flight Patch that also served as a wrist-mounted communicator. He could generate bio-electric blasts, and displayed an electric aura around his head when he was charged. He also professed to having a penchant for black humour. He wore a uniform of blue and gold, with a gold heart-like amulet over where a human heart would be. He seemed to have gold skin and eyes too, depending on the artist.

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 225 lbs.

History: (New X-Men I#123 - BTS) - The Shi'ar Empress, Lilandra, her mind controlled by the villainous Cassandra Nova, who inhabited Charles Xavier's body, arrived in lower Earth orbit with a team of Superguardians, including Arc, under the leadership of Gladiator. Cassandra Nova used Lilandra to enforce the power of the Imperial Superguardian Elite to attack the X-Men, using a lie that the mutants were infected and had to be exterminated.

(New X-Men I#123) - Using the element of surprise, Arc, Monstra and Squorm downed an X-Wing Mark 8 that was carrying Cyclops and Xorn (Kuan-Yin). Returning to the Superdestroyer, the Superguardians kidnapped the two mutants to use as samples for supposed "thought-plague contamination".

From an external observation deck of the Superdestroyer, which was parked over a think blanket of cloud, Gladiator led Arc, Cosmo and Squorm in an attack against the Xavier Institute, arriving in fiery trails on the Mansion grounds.

(New X-Men I#124) - Several meters in the air, Arc patrolled the Mansion gardens alongside fellow Superguardians, Manta, Neosaurus, Oracle and Plutonia. Arc queried what was so tough about the X-Men, as a trained Superguardian could "sterilize a city". Neosaurus became separated from the group and had its exo-body killed by Wolverine; Arc heard Wolverine's victory howl, as Gladiator arrived with Blimp and Schism.

Responding to urgent calls for help from inside the Mansion from Monstra and Squorm, who had been disabled by Beast, Arc arrived with Schism and Blimp to see several Superguardians already felled. Arc electrocuted Beast, then derided Beast's would-be bravado. Just then, Wolverine smashed through an upper window using Neosaurus' Imperial Flight Patch and slashed at Blimp and Schism. Arc called for Gladiator's urgent assistance. In the meantime, Beast grabbed the deflating form of Blimp and wrapped his rubbery form around Arc to act as insulation against Arc's electrified form. Blimp vomited blue liquid onto Arc's face. Beast then repeatedly punched Blimp in the back of his deflated head, the force carrying through to knock Arc out as well.

(New X-Men I#133 - BTS) - Arc left Earth space along with the rest of Lilandra's Superguardians bound for Shi'ar space after the increasing and repeated manifestation of the Phoenix force in Jean Grey.

Comments: Created by Grant Morrison (writer), Ethan van Sciver with Tom Derenick (pencils) & Townsend, Miki, Hanna, Florea (inks).

There was a significant difference between the artistic depictions of Arc, with van Sciver's superhero style shown at left (enlarged) and Kordey's out-of-focus style at right.

Profile by Grendel Prime

Clarifications:

Arc has no known connections to:

• Arc - Hellbent, fires eyeblasts @ Moon Knight III#58
• Any other "Arc" or "Arc-" characters.

images:
New X-Men#123, p22-23 (main)

New X-Men I#123 (April, 2002) - Grant Morrison (writer), Ethan van Sciver with Tom Derenick (pencils), Townsend, Miki, Hanna, Florea (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
New X-Men I#124 (May, 2002) - Grant Morrison (writer), Igor Kordey (artist), Mark Powers (editor)
New X-Men I#133 (December, 2002) - Grant Morrison (writer), Ethan van Sciver (pencils), Norm Rapmund (inks), Mike Marts (editor)

Last updated: 01/29/06

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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