BALTHAR the SORCERER
Real Name: Balthar
Identity/Class: Human magic user
Occupation: Sorcerer, minion of Satan (see comments)
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Satan, a black cat
Enemies: Bucky (James Barnes), Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Bald Mountain, near Blackthorn Moor
First Appearance: Captain America Comics#21/3 (December, 1942)
Powers/Abilities: Balthar had hypnotic powers which could convince other people to see nonexistent things and to obey his orders. His power worked through voice and eye contact. Using a crystal ball Balthar was also able to learn about events that would happen in the near future. Empowered by Satan his eyes became deadly as his gaze could kill a person in a few seconds. Satan's evil also sharpened his instincts allowing him to sense evil when it was near. For a man of his age he had enhanced resistance.
History: (Captain America Comics#21/3 (fb) - BTS) - Balthar the Sorcerer studied black magic for years. He was old and the people in his neighborhoods knew him as a sorcerer.
(Captain America Comics#21/3) - Vexed by the interference of people and boys around his house, in search for tranquillity for his research on evil magic, Balthar left home and went to Bald Mountain, a place believed to host the Devil.
There he found that his studies
matched those of the ancient Egyptian sorcerers: the souls of the
dead could be brought back. But a few moments later the Devil himself
materialized in flames and smoke before Balthar. Balthar had trespassed
his domain, so in order to leave the cave alive the sorcerer had to
become an emissary of Satan on Earth.
Balthar accepted to find the mortal champion of
good and to bring him to Bald Mountain where he would fight Satan.
Before disappearing, Satan granted the power of the evil of Hades to
Balthar. Whoever would look into his eyes would die. Using his crystal
ball Balthar identified the champion: Captain America.
Balthar started his search in the coast cities. Wandering by night with a lantern he often asked people where Captain America was. When they didn't know he lowered the lantern, letting them to see his eyes. They died screaming. This series of murders put Captain America and Bucky on his trail.
When Balthar found the lair of some criminlas to ask them for help he also found Captain America and Bucky. Scared by the heroes' courage and fighting skills Balthar fled into the darkness of the night. He went back when the two heroes were sleeping, hypnotized Bucky and took him to Bald Mountain. It was dawn when he neared the mountain and was reached by Captain America. He had to drop Bucky but he also lured Cap and Bucky to the lair of Bald Mountain. There he tried to create a magic wall, but his illusion was not believed by Captain America. Then he used his best weapon: his deadly gaze, but Captain America reflected Balthar's face with his shield, using it as a mirror. Balthar died, killed by its own evilness.
His mission however was accomplished. Captain America entered the lair and had to duel with Satan, and won!
Comments: Created by unidentified creators.
Probably Satan only enhanced Balthar's hypnotic powers. His eyes became so evil and terrible to look at that they could kill.
Satan empowering someone with the power of Hades? Sounds more like Pluto posing as Satan, which would be a first afaik, but not too unlikely considering his connection to other Hell-lords.
--Markus Raymond
Since Satannish is the one with a track record of empowering sorcerers (ie Sons of Satannish & Baron Mordo ), I think it is safe to say that he is the Satan empowering Balthar.
--John Holstein
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Balthar has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Captain America Comics#21/3, p10, pan2 (main image)
Captain America Comics#21/3, p2, pan4 (head shot)
Appearances:
Captain America Comics#21 (December, 1942) - Stan Lee (editor)
First Posted: 01/27/2012
Last updated: 01/27/2012
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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