Ibis the Invincibleis a fictional character originally published byFawcett Comicsin the 1940s and then byDC Comicsbeginning in the 1970s. Like many magician superheroes introduced in theGolden Age of Comics,Ibis owes much to the popular comic strip characterMandrake the Magician.A second Ibis, successor of the first, was introduced in 2007.
| Ibis the Invincible | |
|---|---|
 Cover toIbis the Invincible#3, art by Bob Kingett. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Fawcett Comics(1940 - 1953) Charlton Comics(1955) DC Comics(1976 - present) |
| First appearance | (Amentep) Whiz Comics#2 (February 1940) (Khalifa) Helmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible#1 (January 2007) |
| Created by | (Amentep) Bob Kingett (artist) (Khalifa) Tad Williams(writer) Phil Winslade(artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Amentep Danny Khalifa |
| Team affiliations | All-Star Squadron Squadron of Justice |
| Notable aliases | Prince Amentep |
| Abilities | |
Publication history
editThe original Ibis first appeared inWhiz Comics#2 (February 1940), and was created by Bob Kingett.[1]When superheroes declined in popularity in the early 1950s, Ibis and the other Fawcett characters ceased publication. One Ibis story shortly thereafter was reprinted byCharlton Comics.[2] The Fawcett characters were later licensed and eventually bought outright byDC Comicsin the 1970s. The second Ibis first appeared inHelmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible#1 (January 2007), and was created byTad WilliamsandPhil Winslade.
Fictional character biography
editPrince Amentep
editIbis begins his life asAmentep,a prince ofancient Egyptwho was in love with the beautiful Princess Taia ofThebes.As a young man, Amentep is given the "Ibistick", atalismanof incredible power, by the Egyptian godThoth,who empowers the talisman after Ibis was overthrown.[3]Amentep's throne is eventually usurped – with the aid of a demonic army conjured up by the evil godSet– by a cruel magician known as the Black Pharaoh. When Taia, who is under the protection ofOsiris,refuses to marry him, the Black Pharaoh shoots her with a poisoned arrow. Using his Ibistick, Amentep places his beloved in suspended animation to allow her to heal. He casts a similar spell upon himself, hoping to be present when Taia revives.[4]
4000 years later, the mummy of Amentep returns to life in anAmericanmuseumin 1940 (this was later revealed to be the work of the wizardShazam). Now called "Ibis", Amentep sets out in search of his beloved, eventually finding her at another museum.[5]Seeking to adjust to this new world, Ibis uses his vast powers to become a crimefighter.
Ibis can do almost anything with the power of the Ibistick: build force-fields around cities, transport himself and others, heal or destroy people, bring people back to life or summon spirits, give superhuman powers, and even make objects appear out of thin air. Without the wand however, he is powerless, and this weakness is frequently exploited by his enemies. The Ibistick apparently vibrates in the presence of evil, at one point it even wakes him up. Taia was once shown using the wand to make lightning strike a foe of Ibis, and often uses it at other times. It can be used by anybody, but not to cause harm directly to Ibis, or it will backfire on the user. It cannot be used directly against certain magics.
According toJess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes,"Ibis fights ordinary criminals, an animated and living Sphinx, theYellow PerilTrug, a spider made man-sized and man-smart by the Ibistick, the superintelligent maimed madman Half-Man, the Dark Spirit (a forgotten god of wickedness), Ruthven the Warlock, and Lucifer himself ".[6]
Ibis and Taia next appear in aJustice League/Justice Societycrossovers as members of a team referred to as Shazam's Squadron of Justice. These heroes live in a parallel universe on a world called Earth-S. Along with many other Earth-S characters, they were imprisoned in Doctor Sivana's Suspendium globe, but released twenty years later when it drifted near the Sun. Ibis was a member of the Squadron of Justice, organized to defeat King Kull when he paralyzed the Marvels and tried to destroy all three Earths. Ibis helped stop Mr. Atom from destroying the futuristic City of Tomorrow on Earth-One.
After theCrisis on Infinite Earths,Ibis and Taia wereretconnedas part of the Golden Age of theDC Universe,in which Ibis served alongside other wartime heroes in theAll-Star Squadron.As noted inStarmanVol. 2, #40 (March 1998), Ibis tends to operate out ofFawcett Citylike other heroes, includingBulletman,Minute Man,Spy Smasherand the duo of Mr. Scarlet and Pinky.
Ibis was reintroduced in the modernDC UniverseinThe Power of Shazam!#11, in which he is resurrected byMary Marveland"Uncle" Dudleyto rescue the wizardShazamfromHell,where he had been imprisoned by the demonessBlaze.InZatanna#1, part of theSeven Soldiersminiseries, Ibis and Taia presumably perish along withDoctor Thirteenand Timothy Ravenwind at the hands of Gwydion during a seance conducted by Zatanna. The sorceress blames her own shortcomings for their deaths.[7]
Ibis had a cameo inInfinite Crisis,in a scene showing the return of the Fawcett superheroes to Earth-S. A modernized version of Ibis appeared in52#10 as theEgyptianrepresentative inBlack Adam's coalition. It is not known if this Ibis is the same character.
Danny Khalifa
editAmentep's successor is anEgyptian Americanboy named Danny Khalifa. Due to his ancient bloodline, Danny is chosen by Amentep to be his successor. He inherits the Ibistick and is thrust into a conflict between ancient Egyptian gods. As Ibis, Danny prevents the helmet ofDoctor Fatefrom falling into the hands of the dark godSet.Danny is assisted by the deity Thoth, who becomes his mentor and frightens away the bullies.[8]
Reign in Hell
editIbis returns to seek his new apprentice's services during theReign in Hellminiseries. Tensions between the major demons and the Hell-empowered heroes and villains erupt into a struggle for the control of theHelldimension. Danny accepts the summons. He is assisted byBlack Alice,who offers guidance and covers for his absence on Earth. While in Hell, Black Alice betrays him to ensure her own safety, abandoning him toNeron's forces. He is later seen alive on Earth fighting againstFrankensteinafter being corrupted by the Starheart's energy.[9]
Golden Age appearances
editIbis the Invincible appeared in:[1]
- Whiz Comics#2-155 (Feb 1940 - June 1953)
- Ibis, the Invincible#1-6 (Jan 1942 - Sept 1948)
- American's Greatest#4 (Summer 1942)
- All Hero#1 (Mar 1945)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abBenton, Mike (1992).Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History.Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 112–113.ISBN0-87833-808-X.Retrieved15 January2020.
- ^Danger and Adventure#22 (February 1955) as noted inDon Markstein's Toonopedia
- ^Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019).American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944.TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 54.ISBN978-1605490892.
- ^Steranko, Jim (1972).The Steranko History of Comics, vol 2.Supergraphics. p. 41.
- ^Whiz Comics,vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 14–20 (March 1940).Fawcett Comics.
- ^Nevins, Jess (2013).Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes.High Rock Press. p. 133.ISBN978-1-61318-023-5.
- ^Seven Soldiers: Zatanna#1 (2005)
- ^The Helmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible#1 (Jan 2007)
- ^Justice League of America(vol. 2) #47 (September 2010)
External links
edit- Ibis the Invincibleat Comic Vine