Kelta (Aerians sport)

kelta-aerian-sport-main kelta-aerian-sport-uncolored KELTA

Creator: Unrevealed

Purpose: Sport

Participants: Aerians (including Buth, Chan, Khup, M'Dom Typ, and Wend);
Skites were sometimes used for non-winged visitors (including Ka-Zar (Kevin, Lord Plunder) and Shanna O'Hara)

Location: Aerie Shalhan, Pangea, Antarctica

First Appearance: Ka-Zar the Savage I#3 (June, 1981)

Nature: Kelta is a friendly combat tournament using wooden swords and shields.

    There are two teams, with members denoted by different-colored arm bands (such as red and blue).

    The ruler of the Aerians typically leads one of these teams and is expected to be victorious as a point of honor; defeat would cause the leader to lose face.

    As Aerians fly, Kelta typically takes place high in the air, although nets are placed to catch anyone who is stunned (or knocked out) and falls.

    The Aerians fly at each other at full tilt in a fierce, all out, no holds barred "battle royal."

    The battle wages throughout the afternoon, and after it gets dark, the combat continues by torch light.

History:
(Ka-Zar the Savage I#3) - Following the defeat of their long-time enemies, the Pterons, the Aerians engaged in a Kelta tournament, with ruler M'Dom Typ leading the blue team against the reds. Also included on Typ's team were Ka-Zar and Shanna, who had been key in defeating the Pterons.

Impressed with the fierceness of the combat, Ka-Zar noted, "...for a race that looks like angels, you play some mean games."

Shanna dodged an Aerian's sword-strike, which instead hit her skite, knocking her out. As she fell to the net, the powerful Buth caught her and delivered her safely to the ground.

When Shanna went to the stable to get a new skite, Delphine -- who lusted after Ka-Zar -- spitefully gave her a hoaxing ("in heat") skite, that flew out to sea with her in search of its native island.

Unbeknownst to Delphine, the skite was native to Nahgren Island, which had recently sunken, meaning it would circle the island's former site until it exhausted itself and fell into the sea.

(Ka-Zar the Savage I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Khup, Typ's first lieutenant, was part of, if not the leader of, a plot to assassinate Typ and to overthrow the kingdom.

The team opposing Typ's team had their swords dipped in a mild drug that would subdue Typ's teammates, while Khup's sword was dipped in snake venom so that he could slay Typ.

Most, if not all, others participating in the plot were not told who led the plot nor whose sword would have dipped in the lethal venom.

(Ka-Zar the Savage I#3) - As the tournament continued into the evening, the blue warriors suddenly began to suffer heavy casualties, falling after receiving only a scratch and then not getting back up. kelta-aerian-sport-torchlight

As Typ noticed the rapid thinning of his forces, Ka-Zar appreciated that Shanna had been gone for a long time.

Soon after, Khup signaled Typ, telling him that one of his physicians had detected a drug in the blood of the one their fallen blue warriors.

From one of the captured red bands, Chan, Typ was informed of the assassination plot.

After Delphine attempted to seduce Ka-Zar, Buth attacked and was briefly mistaken for the assassin, but during their struggle, Khup stabbed Typ with his poisoned blade.

After taking out Khup with his slingshot, Ka-Zar (aboard a skite) and Buth went out after Shanna, finding Nahgren Island to have sunken.

Comments: Created by Bruce Jones, Brent Anderson, and Carlos Garzon.

Fortunately, due to some of Belasco's shenanigans, Nahgren Island resurfaced, and Shanna made it there.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Kelta has no known connections to:

KELDA - Asgardian, "born of light & sky, of sunrises & wind"--Thor III#6
KELKA of the Hyborian era - island, sunk by a sea god--Conan the Barbarian I#71
KELT, LOUIS "LOUIE" - @ 1937, intelligent zombie, engaged to Zelda Pinkley, affiliated with voodoo, used other zombies to steal blood for enemy forces, encountered Dominic Fortune, destroyed by chemicals--HULK!#22/2

images: (without ads)
Ka-Zar the Savage I#3, pg. 11, panel 1 (main image; color);
          panel 2 (non-colored fight image);
          panel 4 (nets);
       pg. 12, panel 1 (Typ smashing opponent);
       pg. 16, panel 1 (battle by torchlight; wooden swords)

Appearances:
Ka-Zar the Savage I#3 (June, 1981) - Bruce Jones (writer), Brent Anderson (penciler), Carlos Garzon (inker), Louise Jones (editor)

First posted: 06/10/2019
Last updated: 06/10/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Events