DEPHINE DEPHINE
Real Name: Dephine
Identity/Class: Terrestrial human sub-species (hidden race); Aerian race
Occupation: Stable girl (tending to the Skites)
Affiliations: Buth, Ka-Zar (Kevin, Lord Plunder), M'Dom Typ, Shanna the She-Devil (Shanna, Lady Plunder), Skites and other animals in the Aerians' stables, Wend;
Enemies: griffin;
although not an outright enemy, her actions
deliberately endangered Shanna, so she was at least an antagonist of
Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly Aerie Shalahn, Pangea, the Savage Land, Antarctica
First Appearance: Ka-Zar the Savage I#3 (June, 1981)
Powers/Abilities: Like other Aerians, Dephine is a a humanoid possessed of various avian characteristics, like large-feathered wings (with a wingspan of perhaps 15') with which he could fly, at speeds of perhaps 30-60 miles per hour.
The Aerians may have had feathers instead of hair or they may have had hair in addition to feathers.
She likely had adaptations to assist in flight, such as porous, bird-like bone, and/or eyes adapted to resist high-speed winds, etc.
Dephine was young, dumb, and full
of...libido. While she didn't actually wish to harm a rival for her
affections, she was certainly willing to do something risky to get a
rival out of her way.
She was bold in trying to get what (or what she wanted).
Height: Unrevealed; perhaps 5'4" (she looked to be maybe 10 inches shorter than the 6'2" Ka-Zar)
Weight: Unrevealed; perhaps 100 lbs. (likely lighter than human due to porous bones)
Eyes: Black or perhaps dark blue (not clearly shown, and I have terrible color vision)
Hair: None visible; black feathers
Skin: Blue (possibly light feathers or hair)
Note: The
pictures of Aerians I have found show them with spatulate feet (no
separation between the toes), but perhaps they wear some sort of
stockings. There's one picture showing Dephine's feet with toes, and
there's one where they look more spatulate
History:
(Ka-Zar
the Savage I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Dephine worked in a stable alongside her
boyfriend, Buth, tending to their animals, including the Skites, winged
steeds used by non-winged visitors/guests of the Aerians.
(Ka-Zar
the Savage I#3) - Dephine sat in special booth -- alongside ruler
M'Dom Typ, his consort, Wend, and their human guest and ally Ka-Zar --
during a combat match that Buth decisively won while Typ voiced his
praises.
After Ka-Zar defeated Buth in
combat in the arena, Wend consoled Dephine over her boyfriend being
made a fool, but Dephine was more intrigued with Ka-Zar. She
considered him magnificent and beautiful, having never seen his like
before.
Following Typ and Wend's
departure, Dephine introduced herself to "Lord Ka-Zar," congratulating
him on his "wonderful and breath-taking" victory and noting Buth to be
an egotistical fool. Ka-Zar agreed, but noted that Buth would grow into
his wings someday; ignoring Ka-Zar's question of whether she was a
friend of Buth's, Dephine instead told him that she had been asked by
her people to present him with an award for valor and asked him to come
with her. Although Ka-Zar noted that he had already accepted two
awards, Dephine assured him that this award was very special as she
led him up the stairs into a bedroom.
As Dephine made her intentions to romance him clear, the amused and intrigued Ka-Zar asked her age -- "old enough to know what she wants" -- before stopping her. Noting that he would love to run his fingers through her pin-feathers, he told her that he was already committed. Dephine urged him to give her a few moments, but she was terrified when Ka-Zar's saber-toothed tiger, Zabu, arrived. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ka-Zar told Dephine he had an appointment and left; she assured Ka-Zar she would be waiting there when he was done.
As Ka-Zar met with his lover Shanna, Dephine watched through the window and departed angrily when they became romantic.
Later, during the mock combat Kelta tournament,
Dephine returned to the stables, where Buth told her she was late and
asked if she had been preoccupied with the blond earth-dweller he had
seen her hanging on. Dephine mockingly noted that Buth had been
incapable of holding on to him in the arena, and when Buth noted that
Ka-Zar had been lucky, Dephine noted that Lord Typ had made Ka-Zar a
member of nobility, while Buth remained a stable boy. Reminding Dephine
that she was a stable girl, Buth instructed her to finish
feeding the skites, as he had to attend the games.
Dephine queried why they kept "these stupid animals" around anyway as
the average Aerian could out-fly the skites, and Buth explained that
they were for use by visiting earth-dwellers. Buth further warned her
to be careful with the spotted mare, as she was "hoxing," clarifying
that this meant she was wild and in-heat, and that she would head
straight for her native island if she was cut free; he advised her not
to let anyone ride her...and to try to be polite to the guests until he
got back. Telling the skite that she was just as hot to get out of
there as the mare was, Dephine tried to offer her so food; when the
mare reared suddenly, knocking over the food bucket, Dephine fell
backwards, impressed with just how wild the mare was.
After Shanna's skite steed was injured during the Kelta tournament, she headed over to the stable to get a fresh mount. Not wanting to be bothered, Dephine told her to take her choice of mounts; when Shanna asked about the spotted mare, Dephine started to tell Shanna she couldn't ride her, but then, seeing a way to get rid of her rival for Ka-Zar's affections, she told Shanna the mare was ready to go. As Dephine saddled the skite, Shanna had second thoughts, noting how wild this mare looked, but Dephine assured her she was just spirited and advised Shanna that she would be much better than some sick mount. As Dephine steadied the mount, Shanna climbed aboard, and Dephine strapped her legs in, explaining that this was just a precaution as they didn't want one of their guests slipping from the saddle. Noting, "Happy landings," Dephine released the cable holding the mare, and it took off into air, ignoring Shanna's attempts to guide it. Pleased with herself, Dephine noted, "See you in a couple weeks."
Dephine approached Ka-Zar, who was worried about Shanna's prolonged absence. When she called to him, he told her he was busy, and she asked him, "too busy for a kiss from one who worships you?" He told her he hadn't time as there was trouble in the camp (a conspiracy against Typ), but asked if she had seen Shanna. Feigning ignorance, Dephine asked if that was the name of his tiger. When he tried to depart, she embraced him and begged for him to stay, telling he she'd do anything for him. Admitting she was very persuasive, he nonetheless told her he had to go on urgent business, but Dephine told him it wasn't urgent as she won't bother us for a few days..."aren't I as pretty as she? I make your hear race the way she does? Let her go, my darling, she's an old woman..." Recalling Dephine had been in charge of the stables, Ka-Zar asked what had happened with Shanna, at which point Dephine revealed Shanna's fate.
Khup then interrupted, noting how he had brought
she skite from Nahgren island, and that Nahgren had sunken six day ago;
the skite would fly in circles over the site until it fell into the
sea. Dephine was distraught to learn this, and she told Ka-Zar Shanna
had left 10-15 minutes ago. Ka-Zar prepared to take off after her, but
was confronted by Buth, jealous over Dephine's attraction to Ka-Zar.
Dephine futilely tried to stop Buth, while Ka-Zar mistakenly assumed
Buth's actions identified him as part of the assassination plot against
Typ.
Dephine watched the struggle and Ka-Zar's eventual triumph, as well as Ka-Zar's taking out Khup after he had fatally poisoned Typ. Ka-Zar then asked Dephine were Nahgren island was, and while she had never heard of it, but Buth knew and led Ka-Zar to it's former location.
(Ka-Zar I#4 - BTS) - As Ka-Zar struggled to find Shanna on
Nahgren Island in the driving rain, he insisted Buth return to shore,
as there was a "pretty little
starling back there who's just realized that she can't imagine life
without you. Don't stay out here in the rain with me and spoil all of
her wedding plans."
(Ka-Zar I#9 (fb) - BTS) - Escaping after being unwittingly liberated
from it containment within a magnetic field that kept it shrunken to
tiny size, a griffin grew to immense size and assaulted Aerie Shalahn
in order to feed en route to the volcano Mt. Flavius. The creature
snatched up Dephine in its beak.
(Ka-Zar I#9) - As the Aerians assaulted the griffin with spears, it dropped Dephine's limp and torn form, but her fall was halted by Buth, who safely caught her and brought her to the ground, his eyes blazing with both rage and fear.
The griffin then departed, continuing its trek to Mt. Flavius
(Ka-Zar I#9 (fb) - BTS) - Buth brought Dephine to the Aerie's medical facility, where -- with her wings nearly ripped from her body -- she was considered in critical condition.
Reporting these findings to Ka-Zar, Shanna, and -- whoever was their lead scientist / new ruler -- and insisted they form an organized hunting party.
Buth, Ka-Zar, and Shanna located the griffin by Mt. Flavius, into which it ultimately fell and apparently perished.
Comments: Created by Bruce Jones, Brent Anderson, and Carlos Garzon.
Thanks to Donald Campbell for reminding me of Dephine's appearance in Ka-Zar the Savage I#9.
We don't know if Buth and Dephine got back together after this or not. Even if not, he apparently still cared for her to some degree.
I don't think Dephine was seen
again, although I'm going through the whole series from start to
finish, so maybe I'll spot her.
After almost 40 years of reading
these stories, I FINALLY realized on 11/29/2019, that her name was
Dephine, not Delphine. The story was even titled, "To Forgive Dephine,"
a play on "to err is human, to forgive divine." It's funny how your
mind plays tricks on you...
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Dephine should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Ka-Zar the Savage I#3, pg. 7, panel 3 (full);
pg. 8, panel 1 (rear view, full);
pg. 10, panel 5 (angry face);
panel 6 (flying)
Appearances:
Ka-Zar the Savage I#3 (June, 1981) - Bruce Jones (writer), Brent Anderson (penciler), Carlos Garzon (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage I#4 (August, 1981) - Bruce Jones (writer), Brent Anderson (penciler), Carlos Garzon (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage I#9 (December, 1981) - Bruce Jones (writer, co-plotter), Brent Anderson (penciler), Carlos Garzon (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
First posted: 03/25/2019
Last updated: 06/08/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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